GIRLS SOCCER: Take a look at SOSA’s All-Area team

Derrick Webb, Staff Writer

A regional champion, three district crowns, a handful of sectional title winners and a number of instant classic games … needless to say, this girls soccer season was as successful as they come.

Southern Ohio Sports Authority was right there every step of the way, covering individual milestones, improbable feats and wins that changed history.

After a fun-filled year, take a look at our All-Area team, which consists of 30 area players who were at their best throughout the fall season.

Kiera Archer | Sophomore | Forward | Chillicothe

In bunches. That’s the fashion Archer chose to score this fall. With a mix of speed and agility, she graced the scoring sheet quite frequently — and that’s an understatement. The sophomore led the Cavaliers with 30 goals alongside eight assists, following up a freshman year that saw her score nine times. If that isn’t a sign of the future, there isn’t one. She’s going to be special.

Lucie Ashkettle | Senior | Forward | Valley

Pound for pound, Ashkettle is probably the toughest player on this list. The senior once again found success while helping her Indians win an outright league title — in undefeated fashion — and a sectional championship. She scored eight times and logged a team-high 11 assists while Valley finished 12-5-1. Her career resume speaks for itself, including 26 goals and 28 assists.

Jillian Bennett | Senior | Defender | Fairfield Union

In 22 games, Fairfield Union surrendered just 22 goals. And with the schedule the Falcons had to navigate through, that’s ridiculously impressive. Bennett was at the center of that movement, helping to hold down the team’s back line and stifle opposing offenses. In the past four years, Bennett’s Falcons were 65-11-6 overall. That’s because of elite talents like herself. 

Harlee Brand | Junior | Goalkeeper | North Adams

You can search far and wide, but you may not find a better goalkeeper in Southern Ohio than Brand. She made a habit of stymying most opponents, pitching 12 blank sheets and recording 107 saves. Her efforts helped the Devils capture their first-ever district title and finish 18-2 overall. In just the past two seasons, Brand has 185 saves. That’s simply incredible.

Lexi Conkel | Sophomore | Forward | Minford

The majority of high school players don’t score 50 goals in their four-year stints. Conkel basically did that in one season. While her Falcons enjoyed a conference title year, their star sophomore scored a whopping 49 goals and passed out seven assists, you know, for good measure. She set Minford’s single-season scoring record and still has two years left to pile on.

Annie Coriell | Senior | Midfielder | Wheelersburg

Natural-born leader. That’s what Coriell is. She led by example and has throughout her career, guiding Wheelersburg to 10 wins and a district final appearance. Coriell scored 10 goals and passed out 10 assists, continuing a steady stream of success for the Pirates. Coriell and the senior class end their career with an overall mark of 53-16-6 alongside a district championship.

Mychal Cron Senior | Midfielder | Minford

Versatile. Gritty. Elite. All of the above — and you could throw in some other adjectives — describe Cron to a tee. The midfielder led the Falcons to their first SOC title since 2014 while logging 10 goals and a team-high 20 assists. She ends her career with 33 goals and 41 assists after aiding Minford to an overall record of 43-24-4 over the past four seasons. Incredible.

Ava Cronin | Sophomore | Forward | Minford

Cronin is just a sophomore. But she plays like a seasoned veteran. The Falcons’ forward enjoyed a season where she scored eight times and passed out 16 assists, a career high. Those numbers added an extra layer of offense to an already formidable group. With a foundation of success in place, Cronin and company have a bright future ahead of them.

Faith Donley | Junior | Forward | Fairfield

Coming into the season, the Lions knew Donley would most likely be their go-to scorer. She answered the bell and then some. The junior led Fairfield to a 13-5-1 mark with a team-high 25 goals alongside five assists. In terms of wins, it was the best season the Lions have had this century. Now, there’s a ton to build off. Donley will be back in action, furthering that movement. 

Hunter Grooms | Junior | Forward | North Adams

As soon as Grooms stepped onto North Adams’ soccer pitch, you knew she was special. That narrative didn’t change in 2022. The junior scored 16 goals and matched that number with 16 assists while leading the Devils to a historic season. While the team does lose a talented senior group, they’ll be in the mix for a second straight district title. Grooms is a huge reason why.

Kenlie Jones | Sophomore | Forward | North Adams

While North Adams enjoyed the best season in program history, Jones pieced together the best season of her young career. Her team-high 20 goals, alongside 14 assists, led the Devils to 18 wins and, at one point, 15 straight victories. She was a fire starter for an offense that scored 92 times and provided a burst of energy any time the opportunity presented itself.

Haley Knore | Senior | Forward | Minford 

There’s not much left to say about Knore … only that she’s the best player in Minford’s soccer history. That statement can be debated but her numbers can’t. She’s the school’s all-time leading scorer with 106 goals alongside 27 assists and put an exclamation point on her four-year stint by leading the Falcons to a 15-3 mark this fall and an outright SOC title.

Rylee Leonard | Senior | Forward | Eastern Brown

As usual, Leonard made a living off frustrating opposing defenses. Her speed up top and experience helped her lead the Warriors with 14 goals and 13 assists. She helped Eastern go 10-6-3 and reach a district semifinal. Leonard ends her four-year career on the pitch after helping Eastern rack up 52 wins and its first-ever regional championship — coming in 2021.

Jade Massey | Junior | Defender | Lynchburg-Clay

While its offense was lights out, Lynchburg-Clay’s defense may have been the reason why the Mustangs won a regional title. Massey massively helped that group’s cause. She aided the defense to 12 shutouts — including three straight in tournament play — while the unit allowed just 17 goals in 23 games, an average of 0.74 per game. Massey was the leader of that group.

Luca Matestic | Junior | Forward | McClain

When McClain found the back of the net, Matesic almost always had something to do with it. She was magnificent in the run of play and demonstrated why she’s long been considered as one of the area’s best players. While the Tigers seemed to be on a roller-coaster ride all year long, Matesic was a constant source of success. She’s got a year left to terrorize opponents.

Ali Mathis | Junior | Midfielder | Chillicothe

There’s a good reason why Mathis was the District Player of the Year and earned All-Ohio honors. She helped the Cavaliers win an FAC title, in unbeaten fashion, while finishing the year 12-3-2 overall — following a hard-fought loss to Newark in a Division I sectional. Mathis scored 23 times and passed out eight assists, upping her career totals to 60 goals and 14 assists. 

Ashtyn Miller | Senior | Midfielder | Unioto

Not a lot of people thought Unioto would get back to a district final. But Miller and company had other plans. The SVC Player of the Year helped her Shermans finish 13-7 this season, one that ended with a hard-fought 1-0 loss to Fairfield Union in double overtime. She was fierce with the ball at her feet, leading the Tanks in goals scored, and leaves a gigantic pair of shoes to fill.

Isabella Neal | Senior | Goalkeeper | Fairfield Union

Best goalkeeper to ever suit up for Fairfield Union? Possibly. Her resume is packed with accolades and her stats tell the story. The All-Ohioan, registered 69 saves this fall, putting the final cap on a 198-save career. The Falcons finished 14-2-5 and reached a regional final with 22 goals allowed and 12 shutouts. Her team will miss her and that’s a massive understatement.

Alyssa Perkins | Senior | Goalkeeper | Eastern Brown

As the past two years have gone by, Perkins has done nothing but better herself in between the pipes. The senior totaled 127 saves this fall while producing eight clean sheets. That helped the 10-win Warriors stay in big games, including a district semifinal appearance against eventual regional champion Lynchburg-Clay. In her final two seasons, Perkins totaled 214 saves in goal.

Addie Price | Senior | Defender | Chillicothe

Chillicothe’s defense surrendered just 15 goals all year long, an average of 0.88 per game. Price played a huge part in the Cavaliers doing so. However, she could also score when called upon as she totaled 13 goals and seven assists. Over the last four seasons, Price has helped the Cavaliers compile an overall record of 51-15-5. Needless to say, she’ll be missed.

Briana Reynolds | Senior | Forward | Rock Hill

Programs dream of having players like Reynolds. She’s a once-in-a-lifetime talent and put a capper on a legendary career this fall with 46 goals and 29 assists. Those numbers helped the Redwomen go 12-4-1 and capture a sectional crown. She finishes the best career in Rock Hill’s history at 140 goals and 70 assists. Go ahead and get her Hall of Fame plaque ready.

Kalyn Rich | Senior | Midfielder | Lynchburg-Clay

Put simply, Rich was absolutely tremendous all season. The senior helped the Mustangs finish 20-2-1 with a regional title in hand while leading the team in goals and assists with 35 and 19. She was the key cog in an engine that scored 121 times and continuously put pressure on defenses with her foot skills. She was the District Player of the Year and a first-team All-Ohioan.

Laney Ruckel | Senior | Forward | North Adams

If you’re starting a team from scratch and you’ve got a first round draft pick, Ruckel would be a great fit. She’s gritty, she’s tough to beat in one-on-one situations, and she’s dangerous with the ball at her feet. In other words, she’s the complete package. Ruckel scored 11 times and passed out seven assists while her Devils hoisted up a district championship trophy. 

Abby Seimetz | Senior | Midfielder | Jackson

If you’ve seen Seimetz play, you know she has the heart of a lion. She wears it on her sleeve. The tenacity-filled midfielder was at the center of one of Jackson’s best seasons in recent memory. While Seimetz posted 11 goals and 13 assists, her Ironladies reached a district final and finished 14-4-2. Players like Seimetz don’t come around often. Jackson will miss her a ton.

Autumn Stanger | Senior | Midfielder | Unioto

Stanger is a wizard with a soccer ball at her feet. She’s a huge reason why the Shermans have been able to go 49-22-6 over the past four seasons alongside four SVC titles, three sectional championships and a district crown. The team’s offense seemingly ran through her this fall as she guided her teammates to 13 wins in yet another ultra-successful campaign.

Emilee Stats | Senior | Forward | Amanda-Clearcreek

Stats stuffed the stat sheet — pun intended. The senior ended a magnificent career with a 32-goal season, accounting for 71 percent of the team’s offense. Those 32 scores helped the Aces finish 10-7-1 and win a sectional championship. In Stats’ four seasons, she’s been a goal-scoring machine. She ends her stay in Amanda with over 70 career goals.

Jocelyn Tilley | Senior | Forward | Wheelersburg

For four years now, Tilley has made a difference for Wheelersburg. After scoring seven goals as a freshman, she logged 13 in both her sophomore and junior years before a career-high 15 scores this fall. She helped the Pirates reach a district final this season, finishing 10-6-2 overall and ended her stay with 48 goals and 47 assists, setting a standard of excellence at her post.

Karlie Tipton | Senior | Forward | Lynchburg-Clay

Tipton seemed to alway pop up in the most crucial moments of the match. She scored two game-winning goals during the Mustangs’ tournament run and tallied 20 scores and 14 assists throughout her second-team All-Ohio campaign. Over the past four seasons, Lynchburg-Clay has put together an overall mark of 60-13-11 while Tipton has posted 84 goals and 30 assists.

Mattie Walburn | Junior | Goalkeeper | Jackson

Teams had trouble sniffing a goal against Walburn. She was, in fact, a wall in between the pipes all year long. The second-team All-Ohioan helped the Ironladies win 14 games and finish 9-1 in the FAC. Jackson’s defense surrendered just 16 goals, an average of 0.8 per night, while Walburn pitched 12 shutouts — including two in 6-0 and 1-0 tournament victories.

Rachael Warthman | Sophomore | Forward | Fairfield Union

As if she wasn’t already elite, Warthman seemed to be a step quicker in 2022. And defenses took note, although they rarely stopped her. The sophomore led the Falcons in goals with 11 and passed out 13 assists as well. She was a key piece to a team that won yet another district title and has one of the area’s brightest upsides in recent memory. Remember her name.

Honorable Mention Selections

Hazley Matthews, Rock Hill; Hailey Tolle, Fairfield; Kennedy Zink, Fairfield; Quinn Murphy, Athens: Maya Free, Unioto; Amelia Uhrig, Unioto; Aubrey Slack, Lynchburg-Clay; Olivia MacCrae, Piketon; McKinzie Dotson, Eastern Brown; Chloe Thompson, Fairfield Union; Bella Miller, Wheelersburg; Gemma Maimone, Chillicothe; Makayla Wyant, Jackson; Brooklynn Wade, Zane Trace; Nilyn Cockerham, Circleville; Payton Ford, Circleville

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