Iowa high school girls’ soccer 2022: 5 questions, area players and teams to watch

Previewing the 2022 Iowa high school girls’ soccer season is actually harder in some ways than it was last season. Sure, after the canceled 2020 season, determining the top players and teams was a bit of a gamble, but this spring there are no shortage of storylines to follow.

That means we’re bound to leave out worthy names, but here are five questions entering the season, plus a handful of area players and teams to watch.

How many goals and assists will Maia Bentley total?

The state has seen its share of goal and assist machines, but only Maia Bentley ranked in the top four in both categories last season.

The Mount Vernon star was fourth in the state (all classes) with 48 goals and third with 25 assists. With Kenzie Roling now at Iowa after scoring 76 goals for Waverly-Shell Rock last season, Bentley could challenge for the state lead. Of course, seven of the top nine goal scorers are back so there will be plenty of competition.

The Drake signee likely has other goals in mind anyway — such as helping the Mustangs to a Wamac title and possibly their first state tournament appearance.

Is this Cedar Rapids Xavier’s year?

OK, there have been a lot of Cedar Rapids Xavier years — the Saints have won 10 state titles, including in 2019, a record until Davenport Assumption surpassed them last year.

You could easily make the case that Xavier was the second-best team in Class 2A last year. The Saints took top-ranked Waverly-Shell Rock to overtime in the quarterfinals before falling, 1-0, and the Go-Hawks went on to win the championship with a pair of 5-1 victories. Six starters are back for Xavier, including its top two goal scorers, as it seeks to qualify for state for the 18th time.

Will emerging MVC teams challenge the state’s best?

Two Mississippi Valley Conference teams qualified for the state tournament last year — Dubuque Wahlert in Class 1A and Cedar Rapids Xavier in Class 2A — but the conference struggled when paired in regional finals against the CIML and MAC.

In five 2A and 3A regional finals pitting the MVC against opponents from those conferences, MVC teams were outscored 20-1. Only Linn-Mar, which was upset at home by Muscatine, scored.

Most of those young MVC teams weren’t favored in those games anyway. Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Iowa City High, Iowa City West and Linn-Mar are among the squads bringing back a lot of talent that will try to take the next step.

How will the new state tournament format work?

Teams no longer have to win three games in three days, often in 90-degree weather, to claim a state championship. Instead, the girls’ and boys’ state soccer tournaments will be held the same week (May 31-June 4) at Cownie Soccer Park in Des Moines.

The girls get a day off between each round (quarterfinals May 31, semifinals June 2, finals June 4). Maybe that means teams with more depth will have less of an advantage at the end of the week. Perhaps the level of play in title games will be higher. Or it might not make a noticeable difference. Either way, expect the coaches to be pleased with the change.

What are some games to watch in April?

Here are a few in the area that have my attention.

Cedar Rapids Xavier at Linn-Mar, April 7 — An early MVC measuring stick. Last year’s 1-0 Linn-Mar win was its only close conference game.

Iowa City West at Iowa City High, April 14 — Always a fun rivalry with a great crowd. Last year’s meeting was a 1-0 West win that was not short on chances.

Clear Creek-Amana at Iowa City Regina, April 25 — Both teams were regional finalists last year, the Clippers in 2A, the Regals in 1A. CCA lost a lot to graduation, but it’s always interesting to see where Regina stands against bigger schools.

Mount Vernon at Solon, April 29 — Can anyone in the Wamac challenge Mount Vernon? Hard to say, but this rivalry is still one to watch.

Area players to watch

Brielle Bastian, sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier — Second on a state-qualifying team in goals (19) and assists (12) last season. IGCA second team all-state. First team All-Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi Division. Committed to Mount Mercy.

Mary Clare Bean, sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier — IGCA first team all-state pick led a state-qualifying team with 20 goals. Second team All-MVC Mississippi. Loras commit.

Maia Bentley, sr., Mount Vernon — IAHSSCA and IGCA Class 2A first-team all-state forward scored 48 goals and assisted on 24 more, ranking top four in the state (all classes) in both categories. Drake signee.

Claire Brown, jr., Iowa City High — Led the Little Hawks in goals (12) and assists (7) as a sophomore and was named first team All-MVC Mississippi. Wrestled in the IWCOA girls’ state tournament in January.

Sofia Bush, jr., Linn-Mar — Iowa commit led a veteran Linn-Mar team with 22 goals and 20 assists as a sophomore in 2021. Second team IGCA all-state. First team All-MVC Mississippi.

Jada Dachtler, sr., Iowa City West — First team All-MVC Valley midfielder signed with St. Cloud State.

Mia DePrenger, sr., Iowa City High — State track and field qualifier in multiple relays was also first team All-MVC Mississippi in soccer. Committed to play soccer at Minnesota State.

Grace Gaarde, jr., Iowa City Regina — Scored 29 goals and had five assists for a 9-8 team that reached the Class 1A regional finals.

Grace Heddens, sr., Iowa City Liberty — Led an 11-7 team with 18 goals last season. First team All-MVC Mississippi.

Anna Hoffman, sr., Mount Vernon — Scored 18 goals, including five in a 2A regional semifinal win over Marion, and added 11 assists. First team All-Wamac East.

Morgan Link, jr., Solon — Led the 14-6 Spartans with 25 goals and five assists as a sophomore. First team All-Wamac East.

Easten Miller, soph., Independence — First team All-Wamac West, scoring 21 goals and adding seven assists in her freshman year.

Janelle Minor, jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy — Scored 13 goals for a 9-7 3A regional finalist that was led by Iowa’s Delaney Holtey. First team All-MVC Valley.

Eva Plathe, soph., Clear Creek-Amana — First team All-Wamac West defender as a freshman for a 15-3 team that was ranked No. 9 and advanced to the Class 2A regional finals.

Lauren Spaete, sr., Linn-Mar — Saint Louis signee had seven goals and nine assists last season for the top team in the MVC. Second team All-MVC Mississippi.

Meena Tate, jr., Iowa City West — First team All-MVC Valley midfielder is coming off a second-team all-state campaign in basketball. Scored four goals last season, including the game-winner against rival Iowa City High.

Makenna Vonderhaar, sr., Iowa City West — Iowa signee led a 12-5 West team with 15 goals and nine assists last season. IGCA second team all-state. First team All-MVC Valley.

Amanda Williams, sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy — First team All-MVC Valley midfielder led the Cougars with 13 assists last season. Also scored six goals, including the game-winning free kick in a 3A regional semifinal against City High.

Area teams to watch

Cedar Rapids Xavier — Six starters are back from The Gazette area’s only state qualifier in 2021, including its top two goal scorers.

Iowa City High — Only three senior starters graduated from a City High team that cracked the final Class 3A rankings at No. 15. The Little Hawks won eight of their last nine regular-season games.

Iowa City Regina — Eight starters are back from a team that went 9-8 and advanced to the Class 1A regional finals. The Regals will look to make it back to state after seven straight appearances from 2012 to 2018.

Iowa City West — The Trojans won eight games in a row before the regional finals, including victories over 2A No. 8 Cedar Rapids Xavier and 3A No. 9 Des Moines Roosevelt. Only three senior starters graduated from that group and a handful of all-conference players return.

Linn-Mar — The Lions lose a lot from a team that was No. 6 in the final Class 3A rankings, including MVC Mississippi Player of the Year Hallie Peak (now at Drake) and goalkeeper of the year Waverly Patterson (now at South Dakota), but they bring back a lot too. Three all-conference players are back, including a pair of D-I signees, as well as two more who received honorable mention.

Mount Vernon — The Mustangs have been to the regional finals in each of the last two seasons before perennial powerhouses Waverly-Shell Rock and Cedar Rapids Xavier stopped them short of state. Four All-Wamac players graduated, but two are back.

Solon — Only two starters graduated from a 14-6 team that finished No. 15 in the Class 1A rankings. The Spartans had won nine of 10 games before losing to four-time (now five-time) defending state champion Davenport Assumption in the regional finals.

Comments: nathan.ford@thegazette.com