Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Soccer season is officially underway.

The season started with the first day of competition on Monday for teams across the state with every team seeking to end the season at the state tournament that will be held June 3-7 in Ames.

As the season gets underway here is a look at 11 girls soccer players in the Your Prep Sports area to watch this season.

Rilyn Breinholt

Senior, Liberty High

A four-year starter Breinholt had the best season of her career last spring helping Liberty High to the most successful season in program history.

Breinholt posted career-highs in both goals and points while helping Liberty High to a 13-5 record and the first state tournament berth in program history.

A dynamic midfielder, Breinholt led Liberty High with 20 goals and 46 points and ranked third on the team with six assists.

Breinholt was a second team class 2A all-state selection and first-team Mississippi Valley all-Mississippi Division pick following her breakthrough junior season.

The 20 goals last season pushed Breinholt’s career goal total to 31 to go with 36 career assists.

Evelyn Parlet

Junior, City High

Parlet impressed in her varsity debut last season making 10 starts as the Little Hawks went 13-4 and advanced to a Class 3A regional title game.

With 10 starters lost to graduation from last year’s team, including the top six goal scorers from a season ago Parlet will look to increase both her role and her production this spring.

Parlet was excellent last season as a sophomore scoring five goals and adding two assists.

Look for Parlet to be an important piece for City High as she makes plays all over the field from her midfield spot.

Rose McAtee

Senior, Solon

A stalwart in the Solon attack since her freshman season McAtee has scored at least nine goals and ranked first or second on the team in scoring in each of the past three seasons.

McAtee is coming off a stellar junior season in which she led Solon with 13 goals while helping the Spartans to an 8-8 record.

A first team all-WAMAC East Division pick last season, McAtee has racked up 34 career goals and three assists.

Grace Hamann

Sophomore, West Branch

A standout on the West Branch track and field team, Hamann pulls double duty during the spring as she returns as the top scorer from the Bears’ soccer squad that went 5-10 last season.

Hamann proved to be just as dynamic on the pitch as she is on the track last season leading West Branch in goals and assists in her varsity debut season.

In her first season of varsity soccer Hamann posted team-highs of 17 goals and seven assists to help West Branch up its win total by three from the previous season.

Natalie Gahan

Senior, Regina

A starter since her freshman season Gahan has emerged as an important piece of the Regal attack over the past two seasons.

Gahan ranked second on the team in goals each of the past two seasons racking up 18 goals and two assists over that span.

Last season Gahan had eight goals and an assist while helping the Regals to an 8-10 record.

Look for Gahan to be an instrumental piece for Regina all over the field as the Regals seek to improve on last season.

Alannah McKibben

Senior, Clear Creek Amana

A four-year starter McKibben has emerged as one of the top keepers in Class 2A.

McKibben earned first team all-WAMAC West Division honors last season as a junior after making 95 saves and allowing a career-low 19 goals while helping Clear Creek Amana post a 10-6 record with eight shutouts.

A Luther College commit, McKibben has made 298 saves during the first three seasons of her career.

Paz Martinez

Senior, West High

A four-year starter, Martinez has been a key part of the Trojan lineup for the duration of her career.

Martinez has established herself as a playmaker all over the field accumulating five goals and seven assists over the past two seasons combined.

An honorable mention Mississippi Valley Conference all-Valley Division selection last season, Martinez scored a goal and tied for second on the team with four assists.

Already a leader for West High look for Martinez to be a big part of everything West High does this season.

Callie Stanley

Junior, Liberty High

Stanley continued a stellar start to her career last season following up an impressive freshman campaign by earning all-state honors as a sophomore.

After leading Liberty High in goals as a freshman Stanley played a key role in helping the Lightning to the best season in program history last spring.
Stanley had seven goals and five assists last season as Liberty High went 13-5 and advanced to the Class 2A state tournament for the first time in program history.

A first-team Mississippi Valley Conference all-Mississippi Division pick, Stanley earned second-team Class 2A all-state honors from the Iowa High School Soccer Coaches Association.

Ava Tague

Junior, Liberty High

Tague stepped into the starting goal keeper spot last season and excelled while helping Liberty High to a 13-5 record and the first state tournament appearance in program history.

In her first full season in goal Tague made 79 saves while allowing only 15 goals and helping the Lightning to post 11 shutouts.

Tague earned second-team Mississippi Valley Conference all-Mississippi Division honors last season and posted back-to-back shutouts in a pair of regional matches to help the Lightning advance to the state tournament.

Kendyl Malli

Junior, Clear Creek Amana

Already a two-year starter, Malli is coming off the best season of her career last spring when she ranked fourth on the team in goals and third in assists to help the Clippers to a 10-6 record.

Malli scored three goals and added two assists two seasons ago as a freshman and upped those totals to six goals and six assists last season.

A second-team all-WAMAC West Division pick a year ago, look for Malli to take on an even bigger role this season as the Clippers replace their top two goals scorers from last season.

Sophia Link

Sophomore, Solon

A player poised for a breakthrough season, Link will look to build on an impressive freshman season in which she emerged as one of the top up and coming players in the WAMAC Conference.

Link scored three goals and added three assists last season as a freshman while earning honorable mention all-WAMAC East Division honors.

A versatile player, Link has the ability to impact the game on both ends of the field and should be an even bigger part of the Spartan attack this season.

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.