The soccer awards keep rolling in for East Bladen senior Maya McDonald as she was named the Southeastern Athletic Conference Girls Soccer Player of the Year and also earned Class 2A All-State Honors from the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association.
It was the 3rd time McDonald has been named Conference Player of the Year earning that award from the Three Rivers Conference in 2019 and 2021. There was no award given during the abbreviated 2020 COVID season.
“I am not sure if there has been another athlete to receive Conference Player of the Year 3 times over a career,” said Lady Eagle Coach Jay Raynor.
McDonald is the first All-State girls’ soccer selection from East Bladen and from Bladen County. Four East Bladen boys have earned All-State honors.
In 15 games this season, McDonald fired in 44 goals and dished out 19 assists. In addition to begin named All-State, McDonald was also an All-Region Selection for the 3rd time by the NCSCA.
Last season McDonald led the state in goals scored with 57 in an abbreviated season of 15 games. In her freshman year of 2019, McDonald blistered the back of the net with 37 goals and added 14 assists in 19 games.
She has scored 143 goals in her career and that shattered the previous East Bladen career scoring record of 81 goals for both boys and girls. The 143 career goals falls 9 goals short of the NCHSAA career scoring total.
“Considering we missed a year for COVID and played an abbreviated schedule in 2021, I think that is quite a feat,” stated Raynor.
McDonald has tied the NCHSAA records for goals scored in games. She has five games in which she has scored 5 goals, a pair of 6-goal games and a trio of 7-goal games. Her last 7-goal game came against a Midway team that made the 2022 playoffs.
“If you also look at the minutes played, she earned her stats with limited play time,” noted Raynor.
McDonald led her East Bladen teams to a 45-7 record during her career. She has signed to play soccer at Cape Fear Community College next season. “She had interest from other schools, but Cape Fear was the best fit for her and her family,” said Raynor.
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