All-Tribune First Team
Player School Yr. Pos. Comment
Jorian Baucom Pinnacle Jr. F Continuing potentially-historic career with 29 goals, five assists
Ashley Hatch Highland Sr. F Former POY worthy again after 44 goals (eight game-winning), nine assists for Div. I semifinalist; BYU-commit owns nearly every offensive school record
Michaela Dooley Xavier Sr. F POY candidate again with 25 goals, 10 assists while being marked by two, three defenders
Kelsey Cartwright Corona del Sol Sr. MF Leader of stifling defense headed to North Dakota
Jaden DeGracie Highland Sr. MF Eight goals, 47 assists; Lethal with her flip throw-ins and serves; 2011-12 Gatorade Player of the Year headed to Univ. of Miami
Rachel Ressler Desert Vista Sr. MF All-State caliber playmaker and in transition with her speed, agility for Div. I runners-up; arguably best in school history
Madison Reisdorf Notre Dame Sr. MF 16 goals in 14 games for Div. III semifinalists will play at Southern Methodist next year
Kellie Peay Xavier Jr. D Tribune POY because of her aggressiveness and domination in the back; verbal committed to Santa Clara
Maddie Wolf Corona del Sol So. D Has already become the defensive anchor for Aztecs
Katie Clemmons Chaparral Sr. D Heart and soul of Firebirds headed to Washington and Lee Univ. after controlling one-third of backline; huge part of winning Horizon tournament
Hannah Stevens Desert Vista Sr. D The backside anchor to Ressler of D.V.’s runner-up squad; allowed more than one goal once all season
Sam DeMarco Perry Sr. GK 0.96 goals against average, .978 save percentage, 8.6 saves per game for team that played brutal schedule; headed to NAU this fall
Player of the Year: Kellie Peay, Xavier
Coach of the Year: Barb Chura, Xavier: The Gators always have ample talent, but even rival coaches were impressed at how Xavier navigated through a season of unprecedented injuries and lineup changes, lost an elite scorer to transfer in early January and shut down Pinnacle and Desert Vista to win the Div. I championship.
All-Tribune Second Team
Player School Yr. Pos. Comment
Megan Hawkins Arcadia So. F Skill and power combo finished with 29 goals and seven assists and could have had more
Breanna Olson Campo Verde Sr. F Offensive catalyst had a huge postseason for Div. III champions
Cassidy Cunningham Xavier Sr. F The other (mostly-) constant with Peay and Dooley for Gators; reached 40 points
Jessica Carpenter Pinnacle Sr. MF Eight goals and 17 assists for Pioneers in helping feeding Baucom’s goals; solid defender
Shannon Costello Campo Verde Sr. MF Size, ball skills and clutch rolled into one, capped by game-winning goal in Div. III title match
Sydney Schroeder Red Mountain Sr. MF Two-time Mesa city POY after 15 goals, 5 assists; played a part in 50 percent of Lions’ goals on season; headed to Northern Colorado
Stephanie Petre Corona del Sol Sr. MF Led Aztecs in goals, assists and points as an attacking midfielder; bound for New Mexico State
Alyssa Lamb Basha Jr. D Underrated player on underrated team; part of young, talented defenders emerging from Chandler district schools (teammate Amy Fuller, Hamilton’s Gabby Martinez)
Danielle Zeidler Desert Mountain Jr. D Size, speed, aggressiveness and excellent at free kicks
Julia Taffuri Notre Dame So. D Already top defender for Div. II semifinalists and all-Division selection
Paige Morris Highland Sr. D Excellent with ball in air; had either game-winning goal or assist eight times this season (16 goals and 7 assists overall); headed to Northern Colorado
Kendra Manship Pinnacle Sr. GK 13 shutouts and six goals allowed all season; 3-4 other GK also worthy of this spot
Honorable Mention
Arcadia: Rachel DiTullio, Sr., MF; Missy Dominick, Jr., MF; Tasha Friedman, Sr., D; Abby Schneider, Jr., GK; Annie Sherman, Jr., MF; Kate Staudenmaier, Jr., D; Basha: Jazmarie Mader, So., F; Cactus Shadows: Katelyn Mardeusz, Sr., F; Cassie Miller, Sr., GK; Campo Verde: Brittany Cantino, Sr., GK; Alissa Carroll, Sr., D; Lauren Crenshaw, Fr., F; Colleen Kettner, Jr., D; Meg McDowell, Jr., MF; Sebrina Rodriguez, Fr., D; Chandler: Kassie Almendariz, Sr., D; Alexis Roberts, Sr., F; Chaparral: Maggie Clemmons, So., D; Chloe Hiatt, Sr., MF; Allison Jorden, Fr., MF; Danielle Muniz, Sr., D; Corona del Sol: Lexi Bounds, Jr., GK; Emily Matthews, Jr., D; Olivia Montoya, Sr., D; Coronado: Irma Nino, Sr., MF; Desert Mountain: Bethany Block, So., F; Parker Caudle, Fr., F; Allison Hovendon, So., F; Nicole Seaman, So., MF; Emily Uczekaj, Fr., F; Lianne Wagner, Sr., GK; Bryar Wiley, Jr., F; Danielle Zeidler, Jr., D; Desert Vista: Tatum Heeres, Fr., F; Kari Kastelic, Sr., D; Kaylee Glenn, Sr., D; Allison Richardson, Sr., MF; McKenna Rodriguez, Sr., D; Alexa Ryder, So., GK; Kelly Watson, Sr., MF; Kayla Weeks, Sr., F; Dobson: Sierra Belisle, Jr., D; Gilbert: Jemma Cota, Sr., MF; Alyssa Gutierrez, So., F; Hamilton: Xury Deputy, Jr., MF; Luz Galindo, Fr., GK; Gabby Martinez, So., D; Kylie Miniefield, So., MF; Jaimie Salas, So., F; Highland: Bri Hatch, So., MF; Brena Jarvis, Sr., F; Ashley March, Sr., GK; Caroline Stosz, Sr., D; Higley: Anne Day, Jr., MF; Madison Harrison, Sr., GK/MF; Bailey Skipper, Jr., D; Horizon: Tia Blackwell, Sr., D; Kyndra Harges, Sr., D; Jordan Parkhurst, Sr., MF; Mallory Sullivan, Jr., MF; McClintock: Adriana Puente-Reinhardt, So., F; Bre Sage, Sr., GK; Mesa: Aubrey Blau, Sr., F; Logan Fischer, Jr., MF; Jailene Romero, Jr., D; Gabriella Valles, Sr., D; Mountain View: Haley Adams, Jr., MF; Notre Dame: Kait Eichorst, Sr., D; Rachel Jones, Jr., D; Michelle Mahoney, So., D; Meredith Reinhardt, Fr., GK; Perry: Marisa Costagliola, Jr., F; Makenna Dunn, So., F; Ansley Warner, Jr., F; Pinnacle: Lily Brown, So., F; Missy Kettelkamp, Sr., D; Maddie Kmetko, Jr., MF; Ali Lixandru, Sr., F; Maddie Marotta, So., D; Queen Creek: Jessica Lynn, Sr., F; Red Mountain: Cassandra Balsley, Jr., GK; Emily Maier, Jr., D; Kira Samprone, Jr., Stephanie Scarcello, Sr., D; D; Marissa Stevens, Sr., MF; Scottsdale Christian: Savannah Gangsei, Sr., F; Seton Catholic: Breanna McLean, Sr., MF; Reggie VanDevender, So., MF; Tempe Prep: Felicity Macdonald, Sr., F; Valley Christian: Kelsey Reade, Sr., F; Kelsey Schromm, So., MF; Williams Field: Alanni Garcia, Sr., D; Rianna Poarch, Jr., MF; Tatum Sellers, Sr., D; Madison Smith, Sr., F; Xavier: Cassidy Cunningham, Sr., F; Catherine O’Connor, So., D; Sam O’Connor, Sr., MF; Sydnay Tucker, So., GK; Emily Vandenberg, Sr., MF;
Memorable moments from the 2012-2013 season
Xavier’s wild winter: Despite its history of championships and another talented team, Xavier was in the weeds when it came to Division I state title contenders heading into the tournament. The Gators still had some top-notch talent, but were ravaged by injuries (concussions, torn ligaments and broken bones), illness and transfers in a three-month period. The Gators had as many as 10 players out at one point in the regular season. Despite fielding its smallest team in years, the Gators’ patched-up defense held tough in shutting out Red Mountain and (Marana) Mountain View, then winning a huge semifinal matchup, 2-1, against high-powered Pinnacle. (Arguably) the best defender in the state, Kellie Peay, fittingly scored the lone goal in a 1-0 championship victory against Desert Vista to conclude this improbable run.
Campo Verde: After two consecutive exits in the quarterfinals, Campo Verde’s up-and-coming program officially arrived in Division III. New coach Rosanne Headley (second place in coach of the year consideration) inherited a strong group of juniors and seniors who were tired of coming up short, even with a school that only opened five years ago. After impressive regular season and tournament showings in beating Division II and I schools along the way, the No. 4-seeded Coyotes won three of four postseason matches — including the 1-0 win over Mingus in the championships match — by one goal, the latter of which became bittersweet when captain Meg McDowell suffered a torn ACL nine minutes into the match. After the Coyotes won the school’s first team sport state championship, McDowell limped around the field, trophy in hand.
Mark Heller is the East Valley Tribune sports editor. He can be reached at mheller@evtrib.com or (480) 898-6576.
