Girls soccer watch list

PLAYERS TO WATCH

(in alphabetical order)

Mykayla Askew, Madison: This junior striker’s on-ball skill, power and ability to latch onto service from anywhere on the pitch and deliver — coming off a 33-goal, 11-assist, first-team News-Herald campaign, no less — is second to none. Keka Babic, Lake Catholic: This senior striker showed promise in a Division II state finalist side in 2017 with 12 goals and five assists, and could better those numbers in 2018.

Megan Biddell, Mentor: With a new tactical look and turnover in the starting 11, this senior goalkeeper will be a steady influence after recording eight clean sheets a year ago for the Cardinals.

Lexi Boyk, Berkshire: There might have been a time when this skilled junior striker was flying under the radar, but with the Badgers’ breakthrough campaign last fall and her helping spearhead it with 32 goals and 19 assists, that is no longer the case. Kati Druzina, Lake Catholic: The reigning News-Herald player of the year and Notre Dame recruit had 23 goals and nine assists a year ago, is a first-class attacker and marking nightmare, and could make a run at All-American honors.

Laura Gorjanc, Hawken: A 2017 first-team all-Cleveland honoree, this senior midfielder boasts a left foot on the short list with the best in this area and is an outstanding playmaker for herself and her side with her field vision. Annie Greene, Gilmour: A firstteam D-II all-Cleveland honoree with 28 goals and nine assists last fall, this senior is a prototypical attacker, great in tight spacing with her foot skill, and she will want to lead the Lancers back toward November after a district final exit last year. Cassie Lewis, Mayfield: No striker in this area is better absorbing contact from defenders, has a motor for days, sense for service from her midfielders and is coming off a 19-goal, five-assist season as a junior. Katie Schumacher, Chagrin

Falls: Whether as a center back or holding mid, this junior is one of the area’s top defensive-third performers — blessed with size and anticipation beyond her years.

Maya Zovko, Kirtland: A pacey option for the Hornets up top, this junior is coming off recording 21 goals and eight assists for a D-III state finalist side last fall.

MATCHES TO WATCH

Hawken at Kirtland (Aug. 23), Madison at Lake Catholic (Aug., 25), NDCL at Mayfield (Aug. 25), Summit Country Day at Gilmour (Sept. 2), Lake Catholic at Bay (Sept. 8), Mayfield at Brush (Sept. 11), Walsh Jesuit at Gilmour (Sept. 12), Madison at NDCL (Sept. 15), Wickliffe at Berkshire (Sept. 20), Kirtland at Chagrin Falls (Sept. 20), Hawken at Madison (Sept. 22), Chagrin Falls at Gilmour (Sept. 24), NDCL at Lake Catholic (Sept. 26), Mayfield at Mentor (Sept. 29), Kirtland at Wickliffe (Oct. 2), Mayfield at Madison (Oct. 2), Lake Catholic at Walsh Jesuit (Oct. 3), Gilmour at Lake Catholic (Oct. 10)

PENALTY KICKS

• This might be as good as defending depth has been in the area ranks. A young group at Lake Catholic developed by the match on a D-II state final charge, with central defender Gianna Salatino and Kennedy Rieple and Julia Marusic as outside backs. Gilmour’s back four should be outstanding with Julia Pangonis, who might be this area’s best center back already as a sophomore, and a pair of high-caliber outside backs in Allie Mullee and Madison Olsen. Chagrin, with Schumacher and another seasoned performer in Ashton Hunt, should be steady again. Madison, with Victoria Tromba leading the line, was on fantastic form last fall. The list goes on. So as much area quality as there is in the attack, it becomes a chess match with that caliber in the defensive third. • Speaking of the Blue Streaks, could this be the year for a district breakthrough? Askew pairs with Alyssa Caruthers for a striking duo that brings different elements and feeds well off each other. As mentioned, the stinginess in the back is there, coming off 13 clean sheets last year. And the development of Jordan Pasalaqua into one of this area’s premier goalkeepers was fun to watch last year and will continue to be. All told, Madison will be a handful again in 2018. • Kirtland will be a nightmare once more on the opposite touchline with the group it has back from a D-III state runner-up campaign, including the aforementioned Zovko and Lidia Rodin, who seems poised for a breakout year, up top. Jenna Sayle and the Hornets’ midfield should be very good, and Coach Ed Bradac never shies away from testing his side in scheduling. So Kirtland should be a load as well. • Keeping that theme going, coming off a 16-0 regular season and one-loss campaign, Berkshire’s potential in 2018 and beyond is tantalizing. Graduated goalkeeper Cat Lillibridge and All-Ohio defender Asya Martin will be missed. But the Badgers play a pleasingto-the-eye brand of futbol that should have no trouble lighting up the scoreboard with Boyk, as mentioned, and Julia Frank at the controls. • NDCL showed a lot of promise with a young side a year ago and should continue to evolve under first-year coach Matt Tainer. The Lions boast pace and interchangeable parts in their starting 11 that work nicely off one another. It’s not a side a foe will want to see in October in a big postseason match. • Mayfield will seek to reload after graduating longtime staple Tyler Klika in central midfield and a decorated senior class. Lewis is capable of being one of the top strikers in the area, and Catherine Rock was promising as a sophomore. The big question for the Wildcats will be, who is going to step into that Klika role as the ballwinner and tone-setter for the side? The program continues to set new standards and will try to raise them again.

Druzina