The Observer’s 2023 girls high school soccer preview
Spring sports season starts Feb. 27, and beginning today, The Observer will provide previews for teams in our area across of the spring sports, culminating with a baseball preview and our preseason Sweet 16 poll.
Today, we begin with soccer.
Teams To watch
Ardrey Kell: The 4A state runners-up were 25-2-1 last season, and the Knights have plenty of motivation after losing to Cardinal Gibbons on penalty kicks to end last season. The Knights are loaded with experience and talent, led by All-American, all-state and N.C. Gatorade and N.C. Soccer Coaches’ Association state player of the year Taylor Suarez (Florida State commit, 17 goals, 12 assists last year). Also back is senior all-state defender and SoMeck 4A conference player of the year Carly Montgomery (University of Texas commit, nine goals, five assists last year) along with classmate, Lyle Chadd (Presbyterian commit). That pair will lead a defense that allowed 10 goals in 28 games a season ago. The goal from day one? Win state.
Charlotte Latin: The Hawks have plenty of firepower with 16 players, including nine starters, back from their NCISAA 4A state runner-up, which lost in penalty kicks to rival Providence Day, in the state championship game. New head coach Kyle Searles will replace legendary coach Lee Horton, and he said the teams’ goal of competing for a state title every year remains the same. Charlotte Latin will be led two-time all-state and CISAA player of the year Ella Smith, a North Carolina commit who had 17 goals and 19 assists. Junior Lucy Dempsey (eight goals) also returns.
Christ the King: The Crusaders return eight starters from a team (18-2) that won the schools’ first ever girls’ soccer state title (1A) last year. This year, Christ the King will look to repeat and it has plenty of stars back, like seniors Anna Bowman (11 goals), Elle Gorman (eight goals, 18 assists) and Riley Milligan (most valuable player of the state championship game). Meanwhile, coach Bob Dubiel thinks his team will be tough to score against thanks to junior goalie Elizabeth Navola, who returns from her ECNL team to start.
Independence: The Patriots’ enjoyed the best season in school history going 18-2-1 overall, including winning the Southwestern 4A conference title, last season. This year, coach Tyler Gibson believes his team can make another deep run after reaching the N.C. 4A third round last season. Seniors Kamryn Browder (Wingate University commit), Abbey Stengel and Samantha Swinson (Mars Hills’ University commit) return to lead a potent offense. Meanwhile, the senior trio of Jordyn Lamb, Corrina Stowe, and goalkeeper Caroline Wehr (Kennesaw State University commit) return on defense.
Lake Norman Charter: The Knights’ have been on a historic run, going 45-1 in the last two seasons and winning back-to-back state titles in 2A and 3A. This year, coach Jason Reichert has a younger team, but still returns 16 players. The offense, which averaged seven goals per game last year, will lean on senior forwards Rylie Cook (20 goals, 15 assists last year, Catawba College commit), Kayla Patel (15 goals, nine assists) and sophomore center midfielder Kate Robinson (nine assists last year). The Knights’ defense, which allowed only 11 goals last season, has experience with juniors Imani Anzaya (goalkeeper), Peyton Conder and Avery Reichert all returning.
Providence Day: Coach Dan Dudley and the Chargers have won three straight NCISAA 4A state titles, while being nationally ranked in two of the last three years. In that span, the Chargers are 54-7-1. This year, Providence Day has the experience to go for a four-peat. Returning seniors include Cameryn Sicard (10 goals, 11 assists, University of Richmond commit) and Stephanie Zawtocki (Washington & Lee commit). Returning juniors include K.K. Hart (IMG Academy transfer) and Lia Zimmer (on U17 Hungarian National team). Also back is star sophomore Blane McElroy. Senior defenders Lauren Jensen (Denison University commit) and Reily Brinley (Denison University commit) return as well.
Players to watch
Tyler Baughn, Community School of Davidson: The Spartans’ junior forward, a Campbell University commit, had 28 goals and 12 assists last season. She’ll team with senior forward Sophia Kritzer (11 goals, 10 assists).
Sophia Bruz, Providence: The Panthers’ senior all-state defender is a University of Miami (OH) commit. She had eight goals and 13 assists last year.
Darby Campbell, Hough: The Huskies’ senior defender, a Colgate University signee, anchors a defense that allowed only 17 goals in 25 games when the Huskies finished 22-2-1.
Caroline Cannella, East Mecklenburg: The Eagles’ senior midfielder, an all-region and all-conference pick, scored a school-record 30 goals as a junior.
Rylee Conrad, Hibriten: The Panthers’ senior, an all-state goalkeeper, was co-Northwestern 3A/4A conference player of the year with 94 saves, 12 shutouts in just 22 games as a junior.
Sophia Guerriero, Concord: The Spiders’ senior forward will have to have an even bigger role (20 goals, 25 assists last year) for Concord to improve on a 14-7 record from a year ago.
Ava Hartman, Hickory Christian: The Knights’ goal scoring machine poured in 49 goals last year, including seven in the state semifinals, as Hickory Christian won its third straight NCISAA 2A state title.
Abbie Hege, East Lincoln: The Mustangs’ junior all-region forward/midfielder (16 goals, 11 assists last year) pairs with sophomore center back Sadie Badget to give East Lincoln a chance to repeat at Western Foothills’ 3A conference champions.
Avery Johnson, Charlotte Country Day: The Buccaneers’ sophomore forward (13 goals, four assists as a freshman) also plays on the U17 Jamaican national team.
Hailey Johnson, Covenant Day: The Lions’ senior midfielder scored seven goals and had five assists, earning all-region honors on a team looking to build on an 11-7-1 season a year ago.
Isabel Seifert, Davidson Day: The Patriots’ sophomore all-state goalkeeper had 10 shutouts and 90 saves, helping Davidson Day to a NCISAA 2A state runner-up finish.
Charlotte Simas, Myers Park: The Mustangs’ senior forward, a Wofford College signee, had 11 goals last season.
Grace Smith, South Point: The Red Raiders’ senior all-state forward had 45 goals, 18 assists for a 3A state semifinalist team that went 23-1 last year.
Samantha Walker, Lincolnton: The Wolves’ senior center midfielder, a Western Carolina University commit, had 36 goals and 41 assists last year when she was an all-conference and all-region pick.
Mia Zulueta, Hickory: The Red Tornadoes’ all-region, all-conference, sophomore center midfielder looks to build on a breakout freshman season where she had 11 goals and seven assists.
Notes
▪ First-year team: Brand new Palisades High starts its girls’ soccer program under coach Haley Nelson, who will rely on junior goalkeeper/defender Ava Childress.
▪ Girl power: After 12 years of leading the Pine Lake Prep boys’ soccer team, Paul Ebenhoeh now takes over the Pride girls’ team, too. Ebenhoeh has plenty of talent, including juniors Maddyson Kerley (16 goals, seven assists) and Elizabeth Perri (six goals, four assists) back to lead a team that won 15 games and advanced to the 2A state quarterfinals last season.
▪ National team: Ardrey Kell junior Taylor Suarez is a part of the U-17 U.S. Youth National team, a squad who won a CONCACAF gold medal last year.
▪ Winning tradition: Longtime Union Academy soccer coach Vic Johnson takes over a Hickory Ridge program that will be rebuilding with only four players back. However, Johnson is a proven winner, including two state titles at Union Academy and a state record 48-game win streak. Johnson also won 131 games with only 20 losses and 13 ties with the Myers Park boys’ and girls’ soccer teams. Johnson will depend on an experienced Hickory Ridge defense with junior, Alex Roth and sophomore, Emma Milliron, leading the way.
This story was originally published February 19, 2023 at 5:30 AM.
