Superb Season For Club Players in High School

Friday, December 6, 2019

The 2019 fall season proved to be a tremendously successful outing for Spokane Sounders and Shadow players over the past few months. In the end seven individuals were honored with eight Most Valuable Player awards and dozens were named to All-League teams.

In the Greater Spokane League the Offensive and Defensive MVP honors were handed out to Chelsea Le (Gonzaga Prep) and Dori Ames (Central Valley). The two seniors were leaders for their teams as battled for the top spot in the GSL. Club coach Shannon Stiles was named Coach of the Year for leading 3A Mt Spokane to a fantastic overall finish of fourth in the table in addition to a full sweep of their 3A peers.

Le’s eight goals this season was tied for third in the league this season as she helped lead the team to the league championship. A trio of fellow club members were also at the top of the goal scoring list: Zoe Crockett (16 goals, CV), Cadence Peroff (10, Ferris) and Yacine Bitibale (8, Ferris). Ranking sixth in points, Le was joined at the top of that table by another pair of club members Campbell Seibold (7 goals, 4 assists, Gonzaga Prep) and Margo Schoesler, who also finished as the league leader in assists (6 goals, 6 assists, Mead).

Ames led a defense at Central Valley that tied for the second fewest goals allowed this season with 10. Recent club member Eden Elliott was the top netminder this season statistically with a league best GAA of 0.65. She and Josie Krum (University) had the most complete game shutouts with three on the year.

In addition to sweeping the three awards, the club saw nine players recognized on the GSL All-League First Team and another 11 on the Second Team and Honorable Mentions, including Peroff as the lone freshman of the 33 selections. Congratulations to:

GSL Offensive MVP: Chelsea Le (Gonzaga Prep)
GSL Defensive MVP: Dori Ames (Central Valley)
GSL Coach of the Year: Shannon Stiles (Mt Spokane)

GSL All-League First Team
Eden Elliott (G, Gonzaga Prep), Alaina O’Connell (D, Gonzaga Prep), Gracyn Ulias (D, Mt Spokane), Kendal Houston (M, Mead), Addie McLelland (M, Central Valley), Maddy Szacik (M, Gonzaga Prep), Zoe Crockett (F, Central Valley), Margo Schoesler (F, Mead), Campbell Seibold (F, Gonzaga Prep)
GSL All-League Second Team
Mercedes Cullen (G, Mead), Erika Frahm (D, Mead), Maria Strasser (D, Gonzaga Prep), Yacine Bitibale (F, Ferris), Kyah Le (F, Gonzaga Prep)
GSL All-League Honorable Mention
Kylie Stiles (D, Mt Spokane), Grace Batkoff (M, Gonzaga Prep), Alexa Deatherage (M, North Central), Ella Magnuson (M, Lewis & Clark), Cadence Peroff (F, Ferris)

Gonzaga Prep swept the table in the GSL this season to take the league title with a 9-0 record ahead of Mead (7-2), Central Valley (6-3) and Mt Spokane (6-3), which was the top 3A side. Gonzaga Prep’s success continued into the postseason where they advanced to the state tournament and finished third. Mead also did well in regionals as the GSL schools earned the two state berths from the tournament versus the Mid Columbia Conference. Unfortunately, the two met for a third time on the year in the second round with the Bullpups advancing in a thrilling contest featuring many club players battling one another.

The two valley schools boasted more club players with postseason honors in the Great Northern League as five players were recognized on the GNL All-League First Team, including freshman Abbie Sicilia as the lone player in the first eleven that was not a junior or senior. Congratulations to:

GNL All-League First Team
Raylynn Bucher (D, East Valley), Abbie Sicilia (D, West Valley), Baylee Trejo (M, West Valley), Angel Denke (F, East Valley), Kaitlin Harvey (F, East Valley)
GNL All-League Second Team
Oliver Janis (M, East Valley)

Trejo was first in the league in assists and tied for second in points on the season with seven goals and nine assists (23 points) as West Valley finished second to Cheney. Denke (6g, 4a), Harvey (4g, 5a) and Sicilia (4g, 4a) also finished in the top 10 in the GNL points table.

When it was all said and done in the Northeast A League Freeman and Deer Park finished as regular season co-champions with one loss each – against one another. Not surprisingly the Offensive MVP award was also a shared honor with club peers Livvy Moore (Deer Park) and Peyton Brewer (Freeman) receiving the co-Offensive MVP honor each. Club coach Dave Ellis (Freeman) was also named the Coach of the Year.

Brewer and Moore were joined by a pair of other club players on the All-League Team. Congratulations to:

NEA co-Offensive MVPs: Peyton Brewer (Freeman) & Livvy Moore (Deer Park)
NEA Coach of the Year: Dave Ellis (Freeman)

NEA All-League
Peyton Brewer (F, Freeman), Hannah Carnahan (D, Deer Park), Gracelynn Martinson (F, Deer Park), Livvy Moore (M, Deer Park)

Moore scored 24 goals and had 19 assists in league play while Brewer had 25 goals and seven assists. Both also added four more goals in the postseason with Moore also registering three assists. Freeman advanced to the state quarterfinals before falling in overtime to Cascade in heartbreaking thriller.

The awards did not stop there. Club players outside of the three greater-Spokane area leagues were also earning recognition for their fantastic play this fall.

Junior defender Rylee Franklin was named All-League Honorable Mention in the Mid Columbia Conference for Kamiakin, which would go on to win win the regional playoffs and reach the state quarterfinals before being eliminated by Bellevue.

Across the border there were a trio of big winners. Maddy Lasher (Lake City) was named the Inland Empire League’s 5A MVP and Sarah Hines (CDA Charter) the Intermountain League MVP. Hines was also honored as the Idaho Player of the Year while Lasher was an Idaho All-State First Team selection. On the boys side Evan Odberg was named the IEL 4A Boys MVP and was named to the Idaho All-State First Team. Shadow Men’s First Team player Tanner French (Sandpoint) was also recognized as the IEL 4A Boys Coach of the Year.

Others Honored

Rylee Franklin (D, Kamiakin) – MCC All League Honorable Mention
Maddy Lasher (Lake City) – IEL 5A Most Valuable Player & Idaho All-State First Team
Sarah Hines (CDA Charter) – IML Most Valuable Player & Idaho Player of the Year
Evan Odberg (Moscow) – IEL 4A Boys MVP & Idaho All-State First Team
Georgia Whitehead (Lake City) – IEL 5A Newcomer of the Year
Morgan Rust (Post Falls) – IEL 5A All-League
Kaylee Moate (Post Falls) – IEL 5A All-League
Emma Thielbahr (Sandpoint) – IEL 4A All-League & Idaho All-State First Team

[Stats & photos from INW Soccer News]

Full Awards Lists & Stats [+]   GSL Stat Tables [+]