Top 25 area athletes to look out for: 25-21

From September through June, hundreds of games will be played throughout the Twin Counties. Championships will be won, incredible performances will be displayed.

Starting today, we will look at the Top 25 student-athletes that you should keep an eye on throughout the 2018-19 school year.

Soccer/Basketball, Junior

Only a junior, Catskill’s Maci Mosher already has two first team Patroon Conference All-Star nods under her belt. Last season, she was also named a Section II, Class B All-Star after leading the Patroon Conference in assists (11) and total points (31). Mosher scored a team-high 10 goals as a sophomore. The Catskill product is also one of the better softball players in the area, but she shines brightest on the soccer pitch.

“Maci is a tenacious offensive force for us. She continues to work and adapt her game to best work with the teammates who surround her,” Catskill coach Caty Dodig said.

Basketball, Sophomore

If you’re talking about up-and-coming basketball players, Damien Fiducia’s name has to be on the list. The Greenville product entered the spotlight last season as a freshman, largely playing in the shadow of Cole Ackerman — the Spartans all-time leading scorer. Fiducia showed flashes of what he is capable of last year, scoring 22 points against Berne-Knox and had a solid showing in the C-GCC Summer Basketball League. He also plays on the City Scrappers team and competes in various 3-on-3 tournaments.

“He’s always playing basketball, his dad does an incredible job getting him in various tournaments and playing every week. He is a great outside shooter and has been working on getting to the rim more and finishing with contact, especially with his left hand. His defense is starting to improve, as well,” Greenville coach Dane Carpenter said. “Damien is our only double digit scorer returning and will be asked to score at an even higher clip next season, especially with the loss of Cole Ackerman. He has gotten taller and stronger this summer and we expect great things from him.”

Basketball, Junior

As a sophomore, Lavon Fernandez showed that he belongs in the conversation when it comes to the area’s best basketball players. During the season he quietly scored at will, routinely knocking down double digit totals when his team needed it. In the C-GCC Summer League tournament, Fernandez scored 44 points on the final day — 21 in the semis, 23 in the championship — to give Hudson the title.

“Lavon is a pure scorer. He knows how to get to the basket and finish, and he can play above the rim now, which is going to make it tough for other teams to defend him,” Hudson coach Shawn Briscoe said. “He excels offensively and is starting to work even harder on the defensive end. He is long and left-handed, which gives him some great advantages both offensively and defensively. If he continues to keep putting in the work he has been, he will be a force in the league this year and is going to help us get where we want to be. It is all about staying hungry and humble and the success will come to this tremendous player.”

Tennis/Basketball/Softball, Senior

Jolie Poulsen is a triple-threat for Cairo-Durham, earning All-Star honors in two sports. Softball is the family sport for the Poulsens and Jolie has two Patroon Conference second team All-Star selections under her belt, coming in her sophomore and junior campaigns. She also earned a second team nod in basketball as a junior. In the fall, Poulsen doesn’t sit idle, competing on the tennis team. Last season, she was part of a doubles team that placed third in the annual Patroon Conference tournament.

“Jolie is incredibly dynamic, she’s a coach on the field and she led the team at the plate, batting over .600 as a junior,” C-D softball coach Mike Mitchell said. “Being a small school district, we encourage our kids to be involved athletically and academically and Jolie has definitely succeeded in both areas. She plays on a competitive summer softball team and in a strong Patroon Conference. She’s played varsity softball since 7th or 8th grade and she’s been a leader. She brings that tenacity every day.”

Soccer/Basketball/Baseball, Senior

Kolby Clegg has been named to All-Star teams in two different sports and could add a third to the list as a senior. As a junior, Clegg picked up second team Patroon Conference All-Star selections in both soccer and basketball. On the pitch, Clegg scored four goals and he’s been a consistent performer on the basketball court. The Titans will need him this year to produce more offensively with 1,000-point scorer Russ Beck off to college. Clegg is a strong player to pick to be an All-Star on the diamond, as well.

“I expect him to be a leader,” TH basketball coach Tom Super said. “He’s going to have the ball in his hands quite a bit and I’ll need him to mentor some of the younger guys and be a second coach out there. He’s a multi-sport kid, so he should be in shape in basketball. We’re looking for big things from Kolby, especially losing the league MVP in Russ Beck. He’s going to have to step up a bit.”