There’s an argument to be made that there’s never been as much local talent in high school girls soccer than there is now.
From Nazareth and Northwestern Lehigh’s state playoff victories to six Division I recruits, the Lehigh Valley boasts talent that is recognized on the state, national and international levels with former Parkland standout Ellie Kocher representing the U17 United States Women’s National Team at the U17 Women’s World Cup this past month.
The Blue Eagles lead the way with four first-team all-area selections, backing up their status as this year’s Morning Call all-area team of the year, with senior goalkeeper Emma Houchin, junior defender Maddie Ott, junior midfielder Abby Kilareski and senior midfielder Isabella Danise leading the way.
Additionally, coach Copeland “Ziggy” Lewis takes home The Morning Call’s all-area coach of the year for managing heartbreak in native Jamaica all while leading his team to its greatest season in program history. He has the first district championship in 15 years, and the first ever during the fall season, to prove it.
Northwestern Lehigh comes in just behind the District 11 4A champions with three first-team all-area selections, headlined by The Morning Call’s player of the year in junior forward Sophia Schaffer. Her 57 goals, 37 assists and 151 points all topped the local leaderboards with TCU commit Kherington Yezik and senior defender Sofia Sikora joining her on the top team.
Parkland, Emmaus and Saucon Valley each received two players on the area’s top team as the Trojans celebrated senior forward Isabella Hallal and senior defender Katie Sammarco as well as their 10th EPC championship in the 11-year history of the league. Emmaus recognized senior defender Emma Paradise and junior forward Elizabeth Bender while a pair of Division I recruits for the Panthers – Elliot Policare (Lehigh) and Tesia Mikuta (Tennessee) – took home top honors.
Whitehall’s Collene Sommers, Bangor’s Raegan Toomey and Allentown Central Catholic’s Emma Devers rounded out the all-area first-team.
Here are the descriptions for each of the first-team honorees, full teams and statistical leaders from another thrilling high school girls soccer season:
First team
Emma Houchin, Nazareth, senior, goalie
Houchin almost single-handedly kept the Blue Eagles in a PIAA quarterfinal matchup with Central Bucks South, making double-digit saves until a corner kick goal in the final minutes of double overtime. This performance solidified her as the undisputed top goalie in the area after sharing the league lead with 16 clean sheets.
Maddie Ott, Nazareth, junior, defender
The last line of defense for the area’s top goalkeeper was arguably the area’s top defender. Ott cleaned up the rare chances that came her way and used her elite size and athleticism to thwart these chances that would turn into goals with almost anyone else playing defense. The junior also added nine goals to lead all defenders in the area.
Sofia Sikora, Northwestern Lehigh, senior, defender
The Tigers conceded the fewest goals in the area, despite playing the most games, for the second consecutive season. Sikora was a major reason why both seasons and even ventured forward to provide offensive support at times this season when her team needed a jolt. Her speed and versatility make her an easy choice as a first-team defender.
Katie Sammarco, Parkland, senior, defender
A first-team all-EPC selection for good reason, Sammarco anchored a tremendous backline that matched Nazareth’s 16 clean sheets for the EPC lead. The Illinois Technical Institute commit was the only four-year varsity player for the Trojans this season and helped with a dominant effort to shut out the Blue Eagles in the EPC championship to deliver gold medals back to her team after a disappointing end to her junior year.
Emma Paradise, Emmaus, senior, defender
Emmaus coach Chris Hain defined Paradise as someone who embodies the “grit and resilience of Emmaus soccer.” Captaining a team with 13 shutouts and postseason losses to the eventual winners of both brackets backs up that stance and proves that the senior is one of the top defenders in the area and someone who will be missed next season.
Kherington Yezik, Northwestern Lehigh, junior, midfielder
Yezik is a first-team all-area selection for the second consecutive season with a commitment to Division I Texas Christian University (TCU) to emphasize her tremendous value for the Tigers. Her 23 goals and 22 assists this season showed that value, but it was her play deeper in the midfield that was arguably her greatest strength. Her ability to win the ball back and control the midfield allowed Northwestern to enjoy another historic season with Colonial League and District 11 championships.
Elliot Policare, Saucon Valley, senior, midfielder
Tesia Mikuta might be the school’s all-time leader in goals, but Policare graduates as the all-time leader in points. The Lehigh University commit reached 100 goals in the same game as Mikuta and leaves the Panthers as one of just three players in Pennsylvania history to notch 100 goals and 100 assists. Her 120 assists rank second all-time on the PSCA website, solidifying her status as one of the great players in state history.
Collene Sommers, Whitehall, junior, midfielder
Wrapping up a sensational trifecta of returning first-team all-area midfielders is Whitehall junior Collene Sommers. The junior returned from an injury that ended her sophomore season and didn’t miss a beat for the playoff-qualifying Zephyrs. The second-team all-state selection is already committed to Kutztown University and has proven to be one of the most impactful and important players in the area.
Abby Kilareski, Nazareth, junior, midfielder
The stats won’t jump off the page, but anyone who was able to watch the Blue Eagles this year knows the importance and impossibility of the role Kilareski played this season. Tasked with sitting deeper as a defensive midfielder, Kilareski worked tirelessly to win the ball back when left on an island as her team committed players forward. Still, she often won these battles, which was evident to all EPC coaches as she was recognized as a first-team selection despite just five goals and 10 assists on the season.
Elizabeth Bender, Emmaus, junior, forward
It’s easy to see how Bender, as only a junior, became the first commit of her class at the University of Delaware. The heartbeat of the Green Hornets contributed to more than half of her team’s goals – 55 of 95 – with 22 goals and an absurd 33 assists to lead all players in the EPC. Doing so in just 22 games was the most impressive part for the early favorite for EPC MVP next season.
Raegan Toomey, Bangor, senior, forward
Few strikers were as dominant this season as Bangor senior Raegan Toomey. She scored in all but four games this season with seven hat tricks and 12 games with multiple goals, becoming the school’s all-time leader in goals and only the second player in the area this season with 40 goals on the season. Her historic season allowed the Slaters to defeat all four EPC opponents on their schedule before losing a pair of high-scoring heartbreakers to Saucon Valley and Southern Lehigh in the Colonial League and District 11 playoff tournaments.
Isabella Hallal, Parkland, senior, forward
Hallal capped off her outstanding high school career with 31 goals and 20 assists this season for a total of 82 points. Hallal was the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference MVP this season. The Trojans finished the season as the third ranked team in the Lehigh Valley area.
Tesia Mikuta, Saucon Valley, senior, forward
Mikuta is another Division I commit – to the University of Tennessee – who is back on the all-area first-team for another year. The senior won the race with teammate Elliot Policare for the program’s all-time leading goalscorer, finishing with 104 goals in her career. The future Volunteer also impacted the game defensively for the Panthers, showing her selfless nature and terrific talent worthy of playing at the highest level of college soccer.
Sophia Schaffer, Northwestern Lehigh, junior, forward (Player of the year)
Schaffer is the area’s leading goal scorer and point scorer for the second consecutive season, adding to her tallies considerably and earning player of the year status as well. The junior University of Delaware commit buried an astounding 57 goals this season while adding 37 assists, which also led all players in the area. More accolades are ahead as Schaffer has 112 goals and 87 assists for her career with another season still to go.
Isabella Danise, Nazareth, senior, midfielder
There might not be a player in the area who possessed the kind of clutch factor that Danise showcased this season. The University of Buffalo commit scored the game-winning goal in the district championship against Parkland, scored a pair of go-ahead goals against Lower Merion in the first round of the PIAA Tournament and eventually assisted the game-winner to send the Blue Eagles into the quarterfinal.
Emma Devers, Allentown Central Catholic, senior, forward
Devers helped the Vikettes reload rather than rebuild after losing nine starters to graduation from last year’s EPC championship and state semifinalist team. The team’s MVP and first-team all-EPC selection netted 21 goals and 12 assists to pace the team, and often came up with the big goals when her team needed her most.
First Team
GK Sr. Emma Houchin, NazarethDEF Jr. Maddie Ott, NazarethDEF Sr. Sofia Sikora, Northwestern LehighDEF Sr. Katie Sammarco, ParklandDEF Sr. Emma Paradise, EmmausMID Jr. Kherington Yezik, Northwestern LehighMID Sr. Elliot Policare, Saucon ValleyMID Jr. Collene Sommers, WhitehallMID Jr. Abby Kilareski, NazarethFWD Jr. Elizabeth Bender, EmmausFWD Sr. Raegan Toomey, BangorFWD Sr. Isabella Hallal, ParklandFWD Sr. Tesia Mikuta, Saucon ValleyFWD Jr. Sophia Schaffer, Northwestern Lehigh (Player of the Year)UTIL Sr. Isabella Danise, NazarethUTIL Sr. Emma Devers, ACCHS
Second Team
GK Sr. Olivia Reinhart, Northwestern LehighGK Sr. Sadie Rizzo, Pleasant ValleyDEF Sr. Jummai Umaru, ParklandDEF Jr. Gabrielle Brader, PalisadesDEF Sr. Izzy Carson, PalisadesDEF Sr. Olyvia Hall, NazarethDEF Jr. Gabrielle Eddinger, ACCHSMID Sr. Saige Korpics, NorthamptonMID Sr. Elle Price, Moravian AcademyMID Sr. Farrah Smith, Southern LehighMID So. Natalie Celia, EastonMID Jr. Charlotte Patterson, ACCHSFWD So. Juliet Snyder, Northwestern LehighFWD So. Bianca Yetta, EastonFWD Jr. Madison Jankowski, NazarethFWD Jr. Aubrey Frable, PalmertonUTIL Sr. Giuliana Meyer, Emmaus
Third Team
GK Sr. Sadie Wallace, EmmausGK Jr. Sadie Chilton, PalisadesDEF Jr. Vivian Dietrich, BecahiDEF Sr. Sam Fanelli, NDGPDEF Sr. Julia Cohen, EastonDEF Fr. Ava Snyder, Northwestern LehighMID Jr. Charlotte Patterson, ACCHSMID: Jr. Kennedy Perkins, ParklandMID Sr. Kelsey Bedics, NDGPMID Sr. Jane Salva, PalisadesFWD Jr. Mackenzie McNeely, ParklandFWD Jr. Tallia Hill, BecahiFWD Sr. Marta Perry, Pleasant ValleyFWD Sr. Dakota Wizeman, PalisadesUTIL Jr. Hallie Thomas, Southern LehighUTIL Sr. Kylie DallaPalu, Bangor
Honorable Mentions
ACCHS: Jr. Aveline Bubnis, Jr. Alana Ho; Bangor: Sr. Sarah Wallis; ES South: Jr. Lyla Bulay; Easton: Sr. Taylor Harper; Emmaus: Jr. Ella Daly, So. Ella Scharper; Freedom: Jr. Avery Billone, Fr. Vivian Botros; Lehighton: Sr. Sadie Monk; Liberty: Sr. Angelique Carvalho, Sr. Jocelyn Amador; Moravian Academy: Jr. Sarah Pulcini; So. Elena Reid; Nazareth: Jr. Julia Sandt, So. Vera Ayala; Northampton: Sr. Brielle Szoke, Jr. Alayna Hahn; Northwestern: Sr. Kiersten Klein, Jr. Lexi Kercher, Jr. Amelia Glassberg; NDGP: So. Bella Cemelli, So. Kostoula Cruciani; Palisades: So. Mia Battoni; Palmerton: Sr. Courtney Connell, Jr. Taylor Wasilewski; Parkland: Sr. Megan Tarantino; Jr. Hanna Hertzog, So. Adrianna Rizzotto; Pleasant Valley: Sr. Peyton Foder, Sr. Rylee Rath; So. Keegan Merklin; Saucon Valley: Sr. Kamryn Crookham, So. Piper Policare; Southern Lehigh: Sr. Haley Fluck, Sr. Abbie Bealer, So. Maeve Cassaday; Stroudsburg: Jr. Leah McWilliams; Whitehall: Sr. Morgan Laub, Jr. Cora Musselman, So. Larken Good; Wilson: So. Salem Thatcher
Final Rankings
1. Nazareth2. Northwestern Lehigh3. Parkland4. Emmaus5. Allentown Central Catholic6. Palisades7. Easton8. Southern Lehigh9. Bangor10. Freedom
Top scorers
Player; team; goals; assists; pointsSophia Schaffer; NW Lehigh; 57; 37; 151Elliot Policare; Saucon Valley; 31; 24; 86Juliet Snyder; NW Lehigh; 33; 19; 85Raegan Toomey; Bangor; 40; 3; 83Isabella Hallal; Parkland; 31; 20; 82Elizabeth Bender; Emmaus; 22; 33; 77Tesia Mikuta; Saucon Valley; 31; 13; 75Kherington Yezik; NW Lehigh; 23; 22; 68Aubrey Frable; Palmerton; 24; 11; 59Amelia Glassberg; NW Lehigh; 17; 24; 58Elle Price; Moravian Academy; 18; 21; 57Bianca Yetta; Easton; 26; 4; 56Emma Devers; ACCHS; 21; 12; 54Marta Perry; Pleasant Valley; 22; 9; 53Collene Sommers; Whitehall; 20;10; 50Charlotte Patterson; ACCHS; 17; 13; 47Giuliana Meyer; Emmaus; 16; 9; 41Dakota Wizeman; Palisades; 18; 4; 40Kiersten Klein; NW Lehigh; 12; 13; 37Ella Scharper; Emmaus; 12; 10; 34Hallie Thomas; Southern Lehigh; 12; 9; 33Aveline Bubnis; ACCHS; 10; 13; 33Piper Policare; Saucon Valley; 8; 16; 32Mackenzie McNeely; Parkland; 14; 3; 31Madison Jankowski; Nazareth; 10; 10; 30
Derek Bast is a freelance reporter who can be found on Twitter/X at @derek_bast or reached by email at derekbast11@gmail.com.
