Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

After a long, long wait soccer season is finally here.

The coronavirus pandemic caused the cancellation of spring sports in Iowa in 2019 but soccer is set to return in a matter of days and once again the Your Prep Sports area is home to some of the top talent in the state.

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

Callie Menzel

Senior, City High

City High featured a young roster in 2019 when it posted a 9-6 record and after a year without competition the Little Hawks will lean on returning players like Menzel that gained experience early in their careers.

A first-team all-Mississippi Valley Conference divisional selection as a sophomore in 2019, Menzel is a top-notch defender and capable facilitator as evidence by her four assists two seasons ago.

Kenadee Showalter

Junior, West High

West High went from one win in 2018 to nine wins in 2019 and the addition of Showalter and her ability to finish in the final third was one of the biggest reasons for the jump.

A first-team MVC all-divisional pick as a freshman, Showalter scored a team-high eight goals as a freshman while helping the Trojans to a 9-10 record.

Elise Hermiston

Senior, Liberty High

As a new program Liberty High played mostly underclassmen in its first varsity season in 2018 and Hermiston was among those players to get valuable varsity experience early in her career.

Now a senior with 14 career assists and seven career goals Hermiston leads a Liberty High team loaded with returning experience despite the loss of last season.

Hermiston was a second-team all-MVC divisional pick as a sophomore after scoring five goals and leading the Lightning with six assists.

Lauren Riggle

Senior, Clear Creek Amana

In a season where experience will be at a premium Clear Creek Amana has the luxury of returning a pair of dynamic all-staters in Riggle and fellow senior Ellen Austin.

A Loras recruit, Riggle was a Class 2A first-team all-state selection as a sophomore in 2019 after scoring a team-leading 19 goals and ranking second on the team with 14 assists.

Ellen Austin

Senior, Clear Creek Amana

Austin teams with Riggle to give the Clippers one of the top goal producing combinations in all of Class 2A.

A first-team Class 2A all-state pick in 2019, Austin had 10 goals and a team-leading 17 assists while helping the Clippers to a 13-5 record.

Emma Sueppel

Senior, Regina

Regina has a long history of soccer success thanks to regularly developing top-notch finishers and Sueppel will look to help continue both traditions this spring after a solid sophomore season two years ago.

Sueppel ranked third on the team with four goals and added an assist as a sophomore helping Regina to an 8-11 mark in 2019.

Chloe Pence

Senior, West Branch

Pence provided the offensive punch for West Branch during its debut season in 2019 directly accounting for 20 of the Bears’ 23 goals.

The senior forward led West Branch with 15 goals and five assists in 2019 including a five-goal effort in a win over Anamosa as the Bears went 2-10 in their first varsity season.

Stella Mesch

Senior, Solon

Like nearly every team in the state Solon will have its fair of young players gaining experience early in the season but the Spartans return a strong trio of experienced players from two seasons ago led by Mesch.

A senior captain, Mesch scored two goals and added an assist as a sophomore in 2019 and teams with junior Sydney Rissman (3 goals) to give the Spartans a scoring combination with extensive experience.

Lizzie Peters

Senior, City High

Another player with plenty of varsity minutes under her belt Peters is a key piece in the City High defense and capable of making plays across the field.

A second-team all-Mississippi Valley Conference divisional pick as a sophomore Peters will look to take on an even bigger role this season.

Grace Heddens

Junior, Liberty High

Heddens turned heads as a freshman when she led Liberty High with seven goals as a freshman in 2019.

Now she teams with Hermiston to give the Lightning a dynamic scoring duo as Liberty High attempts to improve on its win total for the third consecutive season as a varsity program.

Makenna Vonderhaar

Junior, West High

As Showalter was finishing goals in 2019 it was Vonderhaar that was putting in work in the midfield to help create those opportunities.

Vonderhaar was a second-team all-MVC divisional selection in 2019 after record a goal and assist in her first varsity season.

Mia DePrenger

Junior, City High

While Peters and Menzel lock down the back line for City High it will be the junior combination of DePrenger and Morgan Turner responsible for leading the City High attack from their midfield spots.

The speedy DePrenger showed signs of being an elite offensive threat two seasons ago scoring four goals and adding four assists as a freshman.

Alex Locke

Junior, Solon

While Mesch and Rissman bring experience to the Solon attack it will be up to Locke to provide the leadership for the Spartans’ back line after starting as a freshman in 2019.

A captain as a junior, Locke has the experience to go with the skill that helped her record a pair of goals while tying for the team lead with two assists as a freshman.

Morgan Turner

Junior, City High

A creative finisher, Turner is coming off an impressive freshman season in which she earned honorable mention all-MVC divisional honors.

Turner ranked second on the team with five goals and added three assists as a freshman in 2019 and will be a major threat all over the field from her midfield spot.

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