JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Sasha Maric was never after the headlines or the recognition. The Mandarin defender was perfectly content in his spot in the back of the area’s most relentless defense.
But Maric, the All-News4JAX boys soccer player of the year, was so good that it was impossible to overlook. Even as a defender. Fans love the goals and the players who score them. Defenders, not so much. They work in silence, seldom get the spotlight and enjoy every moment of that anonymity.
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That fit Maric perfectly.
“I was always just like, you know, grinding, like hard work,” he said. “And, you know, I just felt like that’s more defender. It fits more as a defender.”
Maric tarted his soccer journey as a striker and a good one, but his personality had other plans. Maric was far more conditioned to enjoy the dirty work like marking a team’s top scorer or locking down a swath in front of the goal.
Maric said his mindset changed when he’d score a goal and hustle back to get on defense, not quite the traditional way of thinking of an offensive-minded player.
That realization that he was going to be a defender came in middle school, with the help of his coaches at Florida Elite, and later, head coach Jason Cooley at Mandarin. At 6-3, Maric’s height was far more conducive to being a power forward on the basketball team, a sport he tried kid, but was pulled back to the soccer pitch and his spot in the back.
“Usually, you know, the goal scorers and everything, they get all the fame and all the headlines, like you said on social media and everything,” Maric said. “But like, I don’t know, I never really liked that. I was always like, kind of quiet and shy. So like, I guess it always just fit my personality being a defender.”
Maric said that it clicked he could actually be a player who contributed at that position when he made the varsity team at Mandarin as a freshman.
“That gave me a lot of confidence. That’s when I really realized that, OK, this is possible, I can do this, you know, if I work really hard,” Maric said.
Maric did put in that hard work. He started all four seasons for the area’s top program, helping the Mustangs reach the Class 7A state semifinals in 2022, then back-to-back unbeaten regular seasons in his junior and senior years. The recognition at the end is nice, Maric said, because it showed that even players who do the dirty work can get a headline or two.
All-News4JAX boys soccer
First team
Position, Player, School, Class
F Lucas Horvath, Fleming Island, Sr.
Had 15 assists, 13 goals as one of the top players in Clay County and helped guide Golden Eagles to state playoffs.
F Kyle Jackson, St. Joseph, Jr.
Led Flashes to district championship. St. Joseph was area’s only team to reach state semifinals. Scored 15 goals for 9-9-1 Flashes.
F Zion Wise, Englewood, Sr.
Two-time All-News4JAX first-team selection and an excellent scorer for Rams. Picked up a couple votes as the area’s top player. Had 17 goals, 11 assists in final season as Englewood went 18-6.
MF Christian Denegri, Creekside, Sr.
Made the Knights move with his ability in the center of the field. Had 11 assists, two goals for 17-6-2 Creekside.
MF Will Morales, Bolles, Sr.
Two-time All-News4JAX first-team selection. Did a bit of everything for Bulldogs. Had team-best 13 assists, 12 goals.
MF Abdul Mujib-Musa, Stanton, Sr.
Team captain for the Blue Devils who played all over the field. Had 10 assists, four goals for district champs who finished 12-6-1.
MF Omar Trto, Mandarin, Jr.
Facilitator for the area’s wire-to-wire No. 1 team in the Super 6. Had 18 assists, nine goals as Mustangs were unbeaten in the regular season for second straight year.
D Ayden Ashchi, Bolles, Sr.
Had five goals and five assists for 11-6-2 Bulldogs and played in the back and on the attack for district champs.
D Tyler Ghazanfari, Nease, Jr.
Honorable mention All-News4JAX selection last year. Tied for team lead with four goals. Added two assists in run to district title and second round of playoffs.
D Sasha Maric, Mandarin, Jr.
All-News4JAX player of the year. Two-time All-News4JAX first-team selection and an honorable mention one season, too. Has signed with UNF.
D Rayneil Robinson II, Beachside, Sr.
Impressive final season for the Barracudas and anchored the back for district runner-up team that finished 8-4-5.
GK TJ Belz, Creekside, Sr.
Overwhelming choice as area’s best in goal. Made 96 saves and had a 1.251 goals against average as Knights reached second round of playoffs.
Second team
Position, Player, School, Class
F Daniel Moreno, Mandarin, Jr.
Led the area’s best team in scoring with 16 goals, four assists as Mustangs went unbeaten in the regular season for second straight year.
F Taylor Suarez, Fleming Island, Sr.
Led the Golden Eagles in scoring with 17 goals, 12 assists as Fleming finished 12-7-1 and reached the playoffs.
F Aaron Wiley, Keystone Heights, Jr.
Led the area in scoring with 37 goals as Indians finished 13-3-2. Added 12 assists. Has 59 goals, 25 assists in three seasons.
MF Ethan Ash, Ponte Vedra, Sr.
Talented and versatile athlete was a bright spot for a Sharks team that struggled.
MF Aron Binkley, Flagler Palm Coast, Jr.
Team captain scored 19 goals, added 11 assists for 16-5 Bulldogs. Had two games where he had hat tricks.
MF Mathias Malvicino, St. Augustine, Sr.
In a down season for the Yellow Jackets, he was a bright spot. Had nine goals, eight assists for St. Augustine.
MF Amare Jackson, Sandalwood, Sr.
Coaches mentioned how much he helped the Saints improve as he controlled the middle of the field. Had nine goals, two assists.
MF Fabriany Restrepo-Chilito, Englewood, Sr.
Helped lead a Rams renaissance with first-teamer Wise. Had 13 assists, 10 goals for 18-6 Englewood.
D Maddux Carregal, Menendez, Sr.
Strong defender for the 9-3-6 Falcons who were one of the best teams in a deep St. Johns County landscape.
D Marius Tulip, Mandarin, Sr.
A defense that included player of the year Maric also had Tulip in the back row. He scored four goals and had two assists as Mustangs went 19-1-2 and allowed just 14 goals all season.
D Elias Zablah, Bartram Trail, Sr.
Top defender for a Bears team that allowed just 13 goals in 14 games this season.
GK Chris Maxey, Atlantic Coast, Sr.
Behind first-team keeper Belz, Maxey was the clear-cut No. 2 choice among area coaches as the top keeper. Helped Stingrays reach Gateway Conference final against Mandarin.
Honorable mention
Position, Player, School, Class
F Xavier Abuhl, Middleburg, Jr.
MF Luke Brunt, Keystone Heights, Jr.
D Jesus Cadet, Englewood, Sr.
MF Koby Cerra, Episcopal, Sr.
MF Ryan Chacon, Nease, Sr.
GK Ridge Cullen, Providence, Sr.
D Cade Dailey, Fleming Island, Sr.
F Lennox Dunkley, Orange Park, Sr.
GK Brogan Earley, Bartram Trail, Sr.
D Lorenzo Espinoza, Sandalwood, Jr.
MF David Garcia, Mandarin, Jr.
MF Landon Grover, Matanzas, Sr.
MF Jackson Hartford, Creekside, Sr.
MF Cuatro Hillis, Episcopal, Sr.
MF Bryce Huntley, Keystone Heights, Sr.
F Noah Jaramillo, Keystone Heights, So.
F Josh Jenkins, Episcopal, Jr.
D Aiden Kennedy, Nease, Jr.
D Jack LaGrandeur, Nease, Jr.
D Landon Liotta, Beachside, Sr.
MF Aidan Mark, Creekside, Sr.
F Finn McEnany, Bolles, Sr.
MF/F Adrian Medina, Sandalwood, Sr.
F Austin Mills, Nease, Sr.
GK Evan Miriello, Nease, Sr.
GK Drew Monti, Episcopal, Jr.
F Cameron Mueller, Creekside, Sr.
MF Evan Mumford, Nease, Jr.
GK Isaac Murie, Sandalwood, Sr.
D Jackson Martin, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
MF Jackson Pallen, Oakleaf, Sr.
MF Cole Perez, Oakleaf, So.
F Sergio Posada, Matanzas, So.
F Ford Rachels, Episcopal, Sr.
D Serge Rakhamimov, Mandarin, Sr.
D Luke Renne, Mandarin, Sr.
MF Tristan Riggs, Yulee, Sr.
MF Mateo Rojas, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
F Kenner Rojas Rivera, Englewood, Fr.
F Noah Romyanond, Fletcher, Sr.
MF Marcos Sainz, Oakleaf, So.
D Atzel Salitre, Clay, Sr.
F Pierson Smith, Bartram Trail, Sr.
MF Sam Wacha, Keystone Heights, So.
D Gordon Whitcomb, Wolfson, Sr.
F Caleb Zeigler, Christ’s Church, Jr.