With all-state talent back, Center Point-Urbana has eyes on a girls’ state soccer return

Center Point-Urbana soccer players Maddie Daily and Emily Bowe were first team all-everything last season.

And the admiration the two have for each other is first-class.

“She (Bowe) was amazing,” Daily said. “I did not expect to have a freshman come out like that. She scored, but she did a bunch of other stuff — her passes are great, she sees the field so well. She knows what’s going on around her at all times. We just love her.”

As a freshman, Bowe led the Stormin’ Pointers with 26 goals.

“She’s (Daily) an amazing leader,” Bowe said. “I looked up to her so much last year. She’s an absolutely phenomenal player. She leads everyone out there by her play, her actions and by her words. She’s such a great player and person.”

Daily, a senior, takes on more of the “quarterback” role for CPU as a midfielder.

“She controls the whole field, especially that mid and back area,” Bowe said.

“She’s (Daily) got one of the best touches and control over the ball I’ve seen in our program in a long time,” Center Point-Urbana Coach Kevin Schmidt said. “Definitely a commanding voice down there, too.”

Daily and Bowe were both named first team all-Wamac Conference, all-district and all-state in 2022.

Center Point-Urbana finished 15-4 and was defeated in the state quarterfinals by top-rated Davenport Assumption, 1-0. It was the first time the program had made the state tournament since its run to the semifinals in 2019.

“I think they’re hungry,” Schmidt said. “They definitely want more. They got that taste in their mouth and now they want to get back there and do some more damage when they’re in Des Moines.”

A significant loss for the team is Yana Gomes. Gomes finished second to Bowe in goals last season with 13.

“I really wish she was back, but she was a foreign exchange student (Germany),” Schmidt said. “That’s one of those center-midfield roles we’re looking to fill in. Her backup from last year, Reese Johannes, really filled in well for her when Yana needed a rest ... so we’re hopeful that she can fill in where Yana left off.”

Defensively, the Stormin’ Pointers will look to senior Kailey Spurlock and returning goalkeeper Emerson Fleming to be their anchors. Spurlock was solid as a defender last season, earning second team all-state.

“For Emerson, she’s got great reactions, great field vision,” Schmidt said. “She understands the plays that are coming towards her so she’s able to get into good position and she’s ready for anything that’s thrown at her, which helped us a great deal last year.”

Much of 2022’s success Daily and Bowe attribute to strong team chemistry — something they’ll strive to replicate in 2023.

“I think once we work on chemistry we’ll be set,” Daily said. “We lost a little bit of talent, but we gained a tremendous amount of talent. There are amazing freshmen coming in and the sophomore class is extremely athletic.

“I think it’ll be great as long as we can get that chemistry back.”

“If our team’s close, we can definitely go far,” Bowe said.