It was quite the memorable senior season for Caitlin Tongco.

Not only did the Woodstock soccer player enjoy her best season individually, with a career-high 28 goals and 12 assists, she led the Lady Wolverines to the best season in their history — a 13-4 record and a spot in the second round of the Class AAAAA state playoffs.

For her record-breaking year, Tongco is the 2012 Cherokee Tribune Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

“It’s a great honor,” said Tongco, who has signed to play at Georgia Southern. “It was an amazing season and I was fortunate to play with such a great group of girls.”

A combination of athleticism, a tough, physical style of play and intensity made Tongco a formidable player to go up against on the field, according to Woodstock coach Cory Nix.

“Caitlin is a great leader and a hard worker,” Nix said. “She has amazing athleticism, and she is very physical — she could play free safety or strong safety for us on the football team. She is one of the fastest girls in the state playing soccer.

“She is also one of the most intense competitors I have ever seen. If you get the ball to her, chances are she will score, but she can also distribute the ball as well. She is a very special player, and we’re going to miss her.”

Coming off a junior season in which she had 13 goals and six assists to lead Woodstock to what was then just the second state playoff appearance in team history, Tongco took an even bigger offensive role in 2012, and she doubled her scoring totals as a result.

“I’ve got a lot more confidence on the ball, and that extra bit of confidence really gets you going,” Tongco said. “I also improved my leadership ability and I accepted more leadership ability as a senior.”

Tongco’s biggest moment came when she scored all four of Woodstock’s goals in a 4-2 victory over archrival Etowah, which helped the team clinch its first county championship and a share of the Region 5AAAAA title — also a first in team history.

“Winning county and region was amazing,” Tongco said. “It was a big moment for our program, and to do it against Etowah, our biggest rival, made it even more special.”

For all of her individual accomplishments, Tongco said her focus is always on the team.

“Truthfully, I am more interested in being a team player,” she said. “Soccer is a team game, and I’m just focused on what I can do for our team.”

Now, Tongco will head to Georgia Southern, a program in the middle of a building process that reminds her a lot of Woodstock.

“I actually love the atmosphere,” Tongco said of the Eagles. “They are turning the program around there, and that’s a lot like it is at Woodstock. I feel very comfortable there.”