FROSTBURG — After anchoring a defense that allowed just six regular-season goals and recorded 11 shutouts, Lyla Robison was the runaway pick for area Defensive Player of the Year.
The junior center back and midfielder was integral in Mountain Ridge’s 14-3-1 campaign that ended in the Class 1A state semifinals, and the defensive stalwart was honored by the area’s head coaches for her efforts.
“She’s just a team player,” Mountain Ridge head coach Jon Miller said. “She wants to better the team. She wants to win as a team. Probably one of the best team players we have, the backbone of the defense.”
Allegany center back Ellena Nelson was the runner-up for the honor.
The girls soccer awards were selected at a meeting of the area’s head coaches.
Allegany’s Andy Farrell was named Coach of the Year and Fort Hill’s Jemma Stafford was revealed as Goalkeeper of the Year in Wednesday’s edition of the Times-News.
Allegany’s Madalyn Bucy was also awarded Offensive Player of the Year on Friday.
The Player of the Year will be announced in the weekend edition.
The award winners, with the exception of Coach of the Year, will receive their awards at the 77th Dick Sterne Memorial Dapper Dan Sports Banquet at a date/time to be announced.
Robison is the third Miner in a row to win the area’s top defensive honor, joining Reese Rizzo last year and Lexi Simpson in 2023.
Mountain Ridge has won an area-leading 10 Defensive Player of the Year honors. Other winners include Reagan Miller (2019), Trinity Washington (‘17), Nadia Poorbaugh (‘15), Annabelle Hegeman (‘12), Quincy Hegeman (‘08-’09) and Jenna Delaney (‘07).
Two more won from Beall: Rachel Armstrong (‘03) and Becky Gostomski (‘99).
Southern is second with seven and Allegany third with six.
Robison, who added one goal and one assist on offense, led by example, a key ingredient in Mountain Ridge allowing just 10 goals in 18 games despite having youth on the backline.
“She led a freshman starting defender and a sophomore starting defender all season,” coach Miller said. “Taught them where to be, taught them the game. Lyla also took the bulk of our direct kicks. She’d give 150% every game, every practice, every day, no questions asked.
“She was the leader for the younger girls. All the girls looked up to her. Without Lyla there, it would have probably been a totally different outcome in some games.”
Robison’s selfless philosophy was also important for a Mountain Ridge squad with a new coaching staff, setting an example for teammates to follow.
“That’s huge to have a girl like Lyla on the field to lead the others,” Miller said, “and if they see her believing in what we’re saying, they’re going to follow her, no questions asked. Especially some of the younger ones that really look up to her. She led off the field, on the field, in the locker room, every game.”
That leadership off the field extended to Robison’s willingness to accept the Miners’ seniors as team captains despite her own credentials, setting the groundwork for a season that would end with a Final Four berth and an end-of-year award.
“Funny thing about Lyla is, we were choosing captains and we had a really hard time with choosing them,” Miller said. “We had five names. We ended up going with two seniors. We pulled Lyla into the middle, and she was one of the three others, and we said, ‘We’re just going to give it to the seniors, so we don’t have five captains.’ Lyla says, ‘That’s OK. I wasn’t expecting it anyway.’ She’s there for the team.”