Taking a Quick Look at Your Prep Sports Area Girls Soccer Teams
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
City High
Coach: Corbin Scholz (2nd season)
Assistant coaches: Jessica Mouchka, Madelynn Fontana, Rachel Carney, Katilyn Yaneck
Last season: 9-5 (6-1 MVC)
Returning starters: Sara Cassady, Sr., GK; Mia DePrenger, Sr., F; Morgan Turner, Sr., F; Claire Brown, Jr., F; Maclayne Menzel, Soph., D; Mya Witt, Jr., D; Aoife Boulter, Soph., D; Claire Loria, Soph., D.
Other returning letterwinners: Ava Bell, Soph., F; Mira Wilmot-Dicarlo, Jr., MF; Nahomi Andino Izaguirre, Soph., MF; Kelsey DiIanni, Soph., MF
Headliner: Junior Claire Brown is poised for a huge season after leading the Little Hawks in both goals (12) and assists (7) in her first varsity season last spring.
Keep an eye on: A varsity contributor since her freshman season senior forward Mia DePrenger is seeking a strong end to her prep career after scoring six goals and added five assists in her first two varsity seasons.
Circle the date: April 14 vs. West High. City High will attempt to snap a two-match losing skid to its cross-town rival when it hosts the Trojans in the annual showdown.
Breakdown: Following a slow start to last season City High hit its stride late under first-year head coach Corbin Scholz winning eight of its final 10 matches to finish 9-5.
With eight starters returning including five that scored multiple goals last season the Little Hawks will look to pick up where they left off last May.
Brown and DePrenger lead an experienced group of returning players for the Little Hawks along with senior Morgan Turner (4 goals, 3 assists) and senior keeper Sara Cassady.
Talented sophomores Maclayne Menzel, Aoife Boulter (2 goals) and Claire Loria all return with a year of varsity experience along with junior Mya Witt.
Sophomore Ava Bell (2 goals, 3 assists) returns as does sophomore Kelsey DiIanni (1 goal, 1 assist).
Liberty High
Coach: Frank Fiordellisi (5th season)
Assistant coaches: Ryan Steward, Lizzy Ward, Craig Wilkinson, Conrad Nichols
Last season: 11-7 (5-6 MVC)
Returning starters: Grace Heddens, Sr., F; Sam Harvey, Sr., GK; Maya Marquardt, Soph., D; Layla Rouse, Soph., D; Bella Tafolla, Soph., F
Other returning letterwinners: Sydney Kepros, Sr., D; Carly Sulwer, Sr., D; Emma Wilde, Sr., F; Eva Schrader, Jr., MF; Abby Erb, Jr., F
Newcomers to watch: Rilyn Breinholt, Fr., MF; Alessandra Carvalhaes, Fr., MF
Headliner: Senior forward Grace Heddens has already scored 25 career goals and posted five assists in two varsity seasons leading the Lightning in scoring each year.
Keep an eye on: Senior goalkeeper Sam Harvey has cemented herself as one of the top keepers in the Mississippi Valley Conference earning second-team all-Division honors a year ago when she had 109 saves and an 87 percent save percentage.
Circle the date: May 17 against City High. Liberty High takes aim at its first win over the Little Hawks when it closes the regular season at home against City High.
Breakdown: Liberty High has made steady progress since the start of its program five years ago and is coming off its best season ever last spring when it went 11-7.
The Lightning return five starters from that squad including its top scorer in Heddens and a three-year starter in goal in Harvey.
There are pieces around those two both up top and in the back line.
Sophomores Maya Marquardt and Layla Rouse return in the back with a year of varsity experience while sophomore Bella Tafolla is back up top after scoring five goals last season.
Seniors Sydney Kepros, Carly Sulwer, Emma Wilde and juniors Eva Schrader and Abby Erb are all expected to step into larger roles and freshman Rilyn Breinholt and Alessandra Carvalhaes should provide a big boost in the midfield.
Clear Creek Amana
Coach: Matt Harding (10th season)
Assistant coaches: Kasey Bortz
Last season: 15-3 (12-0 WAMAC)
Returning starters: Maddie Shade, Sr., MF; Leah Evans, Jr., F; Eva Plathe, Soph., D; Reese Stockman, Soph., D.
Other returning letterwinners: Halle Bormann, Soph., F;
Newcomers to watch: Celia Dunn, Sr., MF; Addie Gisleson, Soph., MF; Ellery Sandersfeld, Fr., D; Alannah McKibben, Fr., GK
Headliner: Sophomore Eva Plathe earned first-team all-WAMAC West division honors as a freshman last season and returns to anchor the back line for the Clippers.
Keep an eye on: Sophomore Halle Bormann showed last season she has what it takes to be the next in a long line of productive Clear Creek Amana attackers scoring eight goals and adding nine assists as a freshman.
Circle the date: April 25 at Regina. The Clippers have won three in a row over perennial 1A power Regina all coming by a single goal.
Breakdown: There are holes to fill in the lineup following the graduation of nine seniors that accounted for 80 percent of the Clippers goals and assists last season for a team that went 15-3 including a perfect 12-0 mark against WAMAC foes.
Talent return across the field however for veteran coach Matt Harding led by Plathe and Bormann.
The back line should be as stout as always for the Clippers with Reese Stockman returning with Plathe while senior Maddie Shade back as a defensive midfielder.
Junior Leah Evans (7 goals, 2 assists) returns alongside Bormann to give the Clippers a solid scoring punch.
The Clippers will also benefit from the return of senior Celia Dunn who played varsity as a freshman.
Solon
Coach: Amanda Paulson (4th season)
Assistant coaches: Andrew West
Last season: 14-6 (8-4 WAMAC)
Returning starters: Christine Diersen, Sr., D; Alex Locke, Sr., D; Alex Paisley, Jr., GK; Izzy Paisley, Jr., D; Maria Milliman, Jr., D; Morgan Link, Jr., MF; Grace Yetley, Soph., MF; Gabby Knipper, Soph., MF
Other returning letterwinners: Lauren Bevans, Sr., F; Tali Radcliffe, Soph., MF; Georgia Havlicek, Jr., MF
Newcomers to watch: Rose McAtee, Fr.; Valerie Miller, Fr.; Addi Greene, Fr.
Headliner: Junior Morgan Link made quite a debut last season ranking fourth among all WAMAC players with 25 goals and fifth in the conference with 55 total points in her debut season.
Keep an eye on: Sophomore Gabby Knipper will look to build on a stellar freshman season in which she scored seven goals and added an assist.
Circle the date: April 29 vs. Mount Vernon. Solon has lost three straight to its rival to the North being outscored 12-0 during that stretch that includes a 3-0 loss last season in Mount Vernon.
Breakdown: With the return of eight starters and players responsible of 43 of 55 goals last season expectations are on the rise for the Spartans coming off a 14-6 season.
Link and Knipper give the Spartans a dangerous scoring combination while junior Georgia Havlicek (3 goals), senior Lauren Bevans (3 goals), junior Maria Milliman (2 goals) and sophomore Grace Yetley (2 goals) all return.
There is experience in the back line as well in the form of seniors Christine Diersen and Alex Locke along with junior Izzy Paisley.
Junior Alex Paisley is back in goal after making 50 saves while allowing 25 goals in her debut season a year ago.
Regina
Coach: Anne Larew (7th season)
Assistant coaches: Kate Murray, Scott Miller, Will Urion, Lizzy DePrenger, Patrick McNamara, Beth Wick, Gracie Larew, Rick Larew
Last season: 9-8
Returning starters: Natalie Schott, Sr., D; Lillian Simpson, Sr., D; Hope Simpson, Sr., MF; Grace Gaarde, Jr., F; Courtney Kessler, Jr., GK; Saffron McNamara, Jr., MF; Gabby Sueppel, Soph., D; Morgan Gahan, Soph., MF
Other returning letterwinners: Alexa Joss, Sr., MF; Bella Schuessler, Sr., D; Natalie Franklin, Sr., MF; Madelyn Greve, Jr., D; Cate Klithaard, Soph., MF; Keira Sickels, Soph., MF; Lydia Pritchard, Soph., MF; Alli Clark, Soph., F.
Newcomers to watch: Taylor Bartee, Fr., MF; Elsie Gavin, Fr., D; Natalie Gahan, Fr., MF; Ali Brandt, Fr., D
Headliner: Junior Grace Gaarce is among the most dangerous goal scorers in Class 1A and proved that by ranking ninth in 1A in goals with 29 in her first varsity season last spring.
Keep an eye on: Sophomore Alli Clark is in line for a big sophomore season after ranking fourth on the team with three goals and adding an assist in her varsity debut a year ago.
Circle the date: April 12 vs. Nevada. The Regals get an early-season look at one of the top teams in 1A the past several seasons when they host defending state semifinalist Nevada.
Breakdown: With eight returning starters including four that scored multiple goals last season the Regals appear poised to improve on their 9-8 mark from a season ago.
Gaarde headlines the list of returning starters after scoring a team-high 29 goals last season while Clark returns to give the Regals a solid scoring punch.
Senior Natalie Franklin (2 goals, 1 assist) and sophomore Gabby Sueppel (2 goals 1 assist) also return for the Regals.
The most returning experience for the Regals is in the back end and the midfield where seniors Natalie Schott, Lillian Simpson and Hope Simpson all return.
Junior Saffron McNamara and sophomore Morgan Gahan also return in the midfield with starting experience while junior Courtney Kessler returns in goal.
Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.
