Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Soccer season is here.

Girls soccer teams across the state return to the field this week with every team hoping for a trip to the state tournament set to open May 31 at Cownie Soccer Complex in Des Moines.

Before matches get rolling we take a moment to look at some of the players in the Your Prep Sports area to keep an eye on this season.

Makenna Vonderhaar

Senior, West High

Emerged as one of the top players in the state during a stellar junior season in which she led the Trojans in goals and assists and earned Class 3A second-team all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.

Vonderhaar had 15 goals and nine assists last season ranking eighth among Mississippi Valley Conference players in both goals and total points.

Grace Heddens

Senior, Liberty High

The top scorer for the Lightning each of the past two seasons Heddens is coming off a breakthrough campaign last spring.

Heddens had a career-high 18 goals and four assists last season on her way to being named first-team all-MVC Mississippi Division.

In two varsity seasons Heddens has scored 25 goals and added five assists.

Grace Gaarde

Junior, Regina

One of the most dynamic goal scorers in Class 1A Gaarde made a splash in her varsity debut season when she ranked ninth in 1A with 29 goals.

A multi-sport standout, Gaarde ranked third on the team with five assists last season as a sophomore helping the Regals to a 9-8 record and a 1A regional championship.

Claire Brown

Junior, City High

The catalyst for the City High attack last season Brown led the Little Hawks in nearly every statistical category in her prep debut season last spring.

Brown had a team-high 12 goals and seven assists in 14 matches last season to help City High to a 9-5 record.

Halle Bormann

Soph., Clear Creek Amana

Bormann appears to be the next in a long line of high scoring Clipper attackers after a strong debut season last spring.

The Clippers lost its top two scorers from a season ago to graduation leaving Bormann the opportunity to improve on the eight goals and nine assists she posted as a freshman.

Morgan Link

Junior, Solon

Link had an impressive debut season last spring leading the Spartans in goals and assists while helping Solon to a 14-6 record.

The junior midfielder had 25 goals and five assists last season ranking fourth among all WAMAC players in goals and fifth across the conference in total points with 55.

Eva Plathe

Soph., Clear Creek Amana 

Another Clipper sophomore that will look to take a step forward after a stellar freshman season Plathe returns to anchor the Clear Creek Amana backline.

Plathe was excellent in her debut season earning first-team all-WAMAC West Division honors but will be an even bigger piece of the Clipper defense line this season after the graduation of all-stater Peyton Grafft.

Alli Clark

Soph., Regina

After a solid debut season last spring Clark will look to step into a more prominent role in the Regina attack as a sophomore.

Clark ranked fourth on the team with three goals and had an assist as a freshman and should team with Gaarde to give Regina a formidable duo up top.

Jada Dachtler

Senior, West High

An impact player all over the field from her spot in the midfield, Dachtler ranked second on the team with six goals while adding three assists last season as a junior.

A starter since her freshman season Dachtler has the ability to impact the game from any spot on the field and provides West High one of the top attacking combos in the MVC.

Sam Harvey

Senior, Liberty High

A stalwart in goal for Liberty High since her freshman season Harvey has emerged as one of the top keepers in the Mississippi Valley Conference.

Harvey made 109 saves and posted an 87% save percentage last season while allowing 16 goals and earning second-team all-MVC division honors.

Mia DePrenger

Senior, City High

Her speed and quickness make DePrenger an offensive threat any time she is on the field.

The speedy senior scored four goals and had four assists as a freshman and had two goals and an assist in 11 matches last season while being named a first-team all-MVC Mississippi Divisional pick.

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