SACO — Hannah Niles closed out her Thornton Academy soccer career with another stellar season and the standout has earned a chance to play at the next level.
Thornton Academy coach Natalie Sharland wasn’t surprised to see Niles thrive for the Golden Trojans or get a look from a Division I program as she saw firsthand all the hard work the standout put in over the last few years.
“Hannah has poured her heart and soul into this sport,” said Sharland. “She eats, sleeps, and breaths (soccer).”
Nile’s dedication to soccer paid off as she was TA’s leading scorer with 14 goals and four assists. The senior was a key reason why the Trojans went 7-7 in the regular season and made the Class A South playoffs.
“She has been an absolute warrior for this program for the past four years. From my coaching experiences with Hannah, she has played through multiple injuries. She has been a blue collar, hard hat, start-to-finish, leave it all on the field, full 80-minute player,” said Sharland of the Journal Tribune 2018 Girls Soccer MVP
Niles superior soccer skills have not only stood out this year as she was also named the Journal Tribune’s top player in 2016.
In total, Niles finished her high school soccer career with 38 goals and 14 assists. Her stats put her in fifth place in the Thornton Academy girls soccer record book.
“The four players finishing above her all played the forward position. Over the past two years Hannah has played a mix of both forward and midfield for us. The fact that Hannah has acquired the stats she has in her TA career is quite impressive,” said Sharland.
Niles credits her success on the field to her community and her hard work ethic.
“I couldn’t have done this without the help of my coaches. My development as a player is because of my coaches, my family and my friends. A big part of that is Seacoast United and Thornton Academy,” said Niles. “I only focus on soccer sports-wise and I completely dive into the sport and practice multiple times a week. I think that any person who has a dream and puts in the work in the sport, that they love, can achieve whatever they want.”
Niles doesn’t only take charge during game time — she also leads off the field.
“Hannah was one of our captains this year and I can confirm that Hannah has exhibited leadership everywhere — the playing field, classroom, hallways, community. She has been a role model for our younger players and to say that we will miss Hannah Niles next year is quite the understatement,” said Sharland.
Niles’ soccer career will not end with Thornton Academy as the senior has committed to play Division I soccer at the University of Maine in Orono.
“My dream since I was little was to play Division I soccer,” said Niles.
The TA standout had several colleges recruiting her, but UMaine was the perfect fit.
“There were multiple options towards the end of it but narrowing it down, it really came down to the fact that I love their soccer program and I love the coaches, coach Emajoe and coach Atherley. I really liked the program their running. The girls who are on the team now are excellent when it comes to academics and athletics which is really important,” said Niles. “It’s just really cool that I get to represent my home state.”
— Sports Writer Sienna Barstow can be reached at sbarstow@journaltribune.com or at 780-9018. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.