Tonganoxie High girls soccer members named to LJW All-Area Team
Shawn F. Linenberger
Tonganoxie High sophomore Natalie Loving controls the ball Monday during a Class 4-1A regional seminfinal against Maranatha Christian Academy at Beatty Field. THS won the match, 9-2, as Loving set new school records for most goals in a game (6) and a season (19).The Lawrence Journal-World recently announced all-area teams for spring sports.
Tonganoxie High had several players on the girls soccer all-area team. Additional all-area teams will be published in the coming weeks.
Here’s a closer look at this year’s all-area team.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Ivo Ivanov, Bishop Seabury
The Seahawks had the best season in program history with a 10-3-0 record and the No. 4 seed in the playoffs. Bishop Seabury hosted its regional and the Seahawks made the regional championship where they lost to the eventual state champions Bishop Miege.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jaden Brooks, Eudora
Brooks scored 15 goals with three assists for the Cardinals and led them to a 9-5-2 record and the first quarterfinal match in school history. Brooks earned first-team all-Frontier League and first-team all-state honors and was named the team MVP.
Lizzie Fisher, Eudora
Fisher, a center back, was the leader of Eudora’s backline and the team’s defensive MVP. She earned second-team all-Frontier League and second-team all-state honors her senior year.
Baylie Igleheart, Tonganoxie
Igleheart finished her Chieftain career as a second-team all-state forward. She helped Tonganoxie score 46 goals, the sixth-most in the region.
Baylie Igleheart
Josie Kim, Bishop Seabury
Kim set a school record with 30 goals while also adding nine assists her senior year at forward. Despite still being new to the position, Kim commanded most of the attention from other defenses and still led the Seahawks to a record year for the program.
Natalie Loving, Tonganoxie
Loving earned first-team all-state honors as a midfielder in her sophomore season. She helped lead the Chieftains to an 8-7-1 record.
Chloe Neufeld, Baldwin
Neufeld finished her junior season with the Bulldogs as one of the best forwards in the state, earning first-team all-state and first-team all-Frontier League honors. She scored two goals in the regional semifinal to put the Bulldogs in a regional championship game.
Xeva Oldridge, Bishop Seabury
Oldridge was the center of Bishop Seabury’s defense and utilized her speed, skill, strength and IQ to win one-on-one challenges and force turnovers. She added three assists and a goal her junior year.
Lily Poteete, Lawrence
As a freshman, Poteete took over as the goalkeeper for Lawrence and was named first-team all-Sunflower League. She was the team’s Defender of the Year after accruing 136 saves.
Brooklyn Taylor, Baldwin
Taylor was an all-state honorable mention at defenseman in her sophomore season and was a critical player on both ends of the field for the Bulldogs.
Taylor Woods, Free State
Woods led the Firebirds in goals scored, helping the Firebirds secure the most wins in school history and a quarterfinal round appearance for the second straight year.
HONORABLE MENTION
Macy Ankenbauer (Bishop Seabury); Ginny Besson (Lawrence); Kylie Bourne (Eudora); Emmy Callahan (Baldwin); Payton Chappelle (Eudora); Cami Collum (Baldwin); Stella Comparato (Lawrence); Merrit Hale (Free State); Kambrea Kerr (Eudora); Lauren McCart (Baldwin); Macie Murray (Tonganoxie); Audrey Searl (Baldwin); Jaylynn Sparks (Tonganoxie); Kayla Thornton (Tonganoxie).