Meet the 2019 Iowa high school all-state soccer teams

MARION — Incredibly intelligent. Loves the game. A student of her position. Incredible teammate.

Marion girls' soccer coach Erik Trilk is replete with glowing phrases to describe departing goalkeeper Grace Byers.

Trilk can now add 'first team all-state honoree' to the list.

'It always feels so good to have other players and coaches from outside of Marion recognize the fact of what a talented kid she is,' Trilk told The Gazette after the Iowa High School Soccer Coaches Association released its all-state team on Wednesday. 'For her to be first team all-state is pretty incredible. … I really do believe that she is the best goalkeeper in the state in 2A. It is really neat that she has been rewarded with it.'

This past season, Byers recorded 133 saves with a .911 save percentage. She posted eight shutouts during Marion's 11-match win streak to begin a season that ended with the Indians' first conference title since 2002.

More than a week ago, Byers became the first player in program history to be named Wamac Conference Player of the Year. Now, she is just the fourth Marion player (Courtney Rogers, Kristin Kramer, Mia Laube) to be a first team all-state selection by either the IHSSCA or the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.

'I felt really good about this season,' Byers said. 'It was really nice going out with our first conference championship in 17 years. It felt like a really good season to go out on just because we did so well.'

After the team started 1-2 during her freshman year, Byers was inserted into the starting lineup and helped the Indians win 44 matches over the next four years while displaying immense durability. Byers wore a face mask her entire sophomore season to protect a broken nose and was still named an honorable mention all-state goalkeeper. As a senior, a kick to her eye caused it to swell shut.

Despite the injuries, Byers never missed a minute of action from the moment she became a starter.

'I feel like I have earned it because I have worked hard,' Byers said of her inclusion on the all-state team. 'I have done a lot to do well and I was just really happy about it.'

Shortly after her senior season started, Byers signed a letter of intent to play collegiate soccer at Mount Mercy, where she will play for longtime Mustangs coach Raven McMurrin and study graphic design.

'One thing that Raven did emphasize is she is very excited that I am a big communicator on the field,' Byers said. 'And thinks that I could bring communication from the back, from the goalkeeper position. … She thinks that I would be a good fit there.'

2019 IHSSCA All-State Teams

Boys

Class 3A First Team

Joey Keuhn, sr., Iowa City West

Alan Imamovic, sr., Urbandale

Blaze Bouzek, sr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson

Erik Catus, sr., Johnston

Adin Ward, jr., West Des Moines Valley

Justing Crawmer, sr., Waukee

Keaton Woods, sr., Cedar Rapids Washington

Ronald Anthony, jr., West Des Moines Valley

Alan Kim, jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Wesley Sanders, sr., Waukee

Mateaus Lewis, sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie

Payton Chapman, sr., West Des Moines Valley

Edvin Rizvic, sr., Waterloo West

Kolby Raineri, sr., Ankeny

Brody Schilling, jr., Iowa City West

Gada Ambo, sr., Iowa City West

Caleb Halleran, sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie

Trevor Jones, sr., Waukee

Class 3A Second Team 

Area only

Brooks Papendick, sr., Cedar Rapids Washington

Curtis Ratzer, jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Class 2A First Team

Nicholas Walter, sr., Oskaloosa

Spencer Dejoode, sr., Knoxville

Wyatt Dillon, sr., Grinnell

Levi Culp, sr., Harlan

Mason Lucas, jr., Norwalk

Andrija Mijatovic, sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier

Gavin McFarland, sr., Grinnell

Luis Espino, jr., Lewis Central

Cole Jensen, sr., Lewis Central

Noah Webster, sr., Dallas Center-Grimes

Jacob Murphy, sr., Newton

Cristian Magana, sr., Knoxville

Paul Devine, jr., Lewis Central

Garrett Nevshemal, sr., Winterset

Class 3A Second Team

Area only

Jaffer Murphy, jr., Marion

Class 1A First Team

Seth Kiesel, jr., Avoca AHSTW

Junior Gutierrez, jr., Greene County

Brayton Tuma, sr., Avoca AHSTW 

Luke Mieska, jr., Treynor

Alec Wick, so., Iowa City Regina

Adrian Herrera, sr., Avoca AHSTW

Johnathon Castrejon, sr., South Tama

Saw Win Lin, jr., Waterloo Columbus

Bennett Meier, jr., Solon

Luke Yetley, sr., Solon

Gabriel Seele, jr., West Liberty

Class 1A Second Team

Area only

Josh Dutchik, jr., Iowa City Regina

Girls

Class 3A First Team

Darby Thomas, sr., Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln

Ashley Harrington, jr., Ankeny

Abigail Santana, jr., Linn-Mar

Maya McDermott, sr., Johnston

Jori Neiman, sr., Waukee

CeCe Villa, so., West Des Moines Dowling

Rachel Vander Hart, sr., Urbandale

Chloee Kooker, sr., Ankeny

Allie Wyckoff, sr., Ankeny Centennial

Olivia Wee, sr., Ankeny Centennial

Izzy Dammen, sr., Waukee

Melina Hegelheimer, sr., Ames

Abbey VanWyngarden, sr., West Des Moines Valley

Allie Williams, sr., Waukee

Class 2A First Team

Avery Campbell, sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier

Emma Angus, so., Dallas Center-Grimes

Kenzie Roling, so., Waverly-Shell Rock

Grace Held, sr., Pella

Ashlyn Watt, so., Adel ADM

Jayden Cross, jr., Lewis Central

Maia Bentley, fr., Mount Vernon

Lauren Riggle, so., Clear Creek-Amana

Natalie Martinez, sr., Perry

Mia Fank, so., Spencer

Grace Byers, sr., Marion

Caitlynn Daniels, jr., Cedar Rapids Xavier

Delaney Barton, jr., Adel ADM

Emma De Costa, jr., Bondurant-Farrar

Ellen Austin, so., Clear Creek-Amana

Siri Ott, so., Waverly-Shell Rock

Class 2A Honorable Mention

Area only

Leah Van Weelden, sr., Marion

Grace Coates, so., Marion

Naomi Smith, sr., Marion

Brielle Bastian, fr., Cedar Rapids Xavier

Maggie Conrad, so., Cedar Rapids Xavier

Class 1A First Team

Alexa Coller, sr., Center Point-Urbana

Gabby Corday, sr., Denver

Taylor Gienger, sr., Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Carly King, sr., Davenport Assumption

Allie Carty, sr., Union

Katie Berglund, sr., North Polk

Jori Bronner, sr., Unity Christian

Madison McMartin, sr., Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Jasmyn Bush, jr., Union

Eva Steckelberg, sr., Gilbert

Lauren Dufoe, jr., Center Point-Urbana

Teagan Blackburn, sr., Council Bluffs St. Albert

Makenna Shepard, so., Council Bluffs St. Albert

Riley Rosauer, jr., Union

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com