Flagstaff girls soccer stands out at 11 former players competing at the next level

Our first installment for the 2022-23 sports season highlights fall sports athletes who recently wrapped up their seasons.

The Flagstaff girls soccer program stands out, with 11 former players competing at the college ranks. Overall, more than 30 local athletes competed collegiately this past fall.

Athlete names were provided by coaches, athletic directors and parents. Please notify Rory Faust via email at [email protected] with omissions, transfers and signings.

Keep an eye out for our next edition of the College Corner, which will highlight winter sports athletes, sometime in the next few months.

Lianna Albert (FHS, soccer, Adams State freshman): Rostered but did not play for the Division II Grizzlies.

Keelah Barger (NPA, cross country, University of Utah graduate student): Set a 6K personal record by finishing 19th at the Pac-12 championships with a time of 19:48.1. Placed 17th at the Mountain Region championships and 80th at the DI national meet.

Zach Bennett (CHS, football, Friends University sophomore): The running back transferred from Southwestern College to Friends University but did not see the field for the NAIA Falcons, who posted a 4-7 record.

Mia Blair (NPA, soccer, Wheaton College sophomore): The midfielder started all 18 matches, and tallied one goal and three assists for the D-III Thunder, who went 6-9-3 and advanced to the conference semifinals.

Nora Blodgett (NPA, cross country, Northeastern University graduate student): Ran 23:04 at the DI Colonial Athletic Association championships for the second-place Huskies.

Davis Boggess (FHS, cross country, Master’s University graduate student): Finished second at the Golden State Athletic Conference championship race with an 8K personal record of 23:54.6 and placed eighth at the NAIA championship meet with a time of 24:17.1 to help Master’s finish third overall at the event.

Lyza Bosselmann (FHS, soccer, Gonzaga University senior): Named goalkeeper of the year for the West Coast Conference and was also named to the All-West Region First Team. Started all 20 matches for the Bulldogs, notching 10 shutouts and a 0.72 goals against average to help DI Gonzaga post a 10-3-5 record.

Brandon Bounds (NPA, cross country, University of Arizona junior): Posted an 8K personal best of 25:37.5 at the UC Riverside Invitational in September. Placed 16th in the George Kyte Classic at Buffalo Park in September. Placed 74th at the Pac-12 championship race in October.

Alondra Carbajal-Pettry (CHS soccer, Ottawa University (Kansas) freshman): Goalkeeper played in two matches this season, making one start in goal for the NAIA Braves. She had six saves in 135 minutes.

Mark Cardenas (FHS, soccer, San Diego Christian College junior): The goalkeeper started seven matches and tallied 31 saves.

Connor Caslin (FHS, soccer, Oregon Institute of Technology junior): Goalkeeper played in one game for the Hustlin’ Owls, who posted a 13-3-4 record and advanced to the NAIA national tournament.

Morgan Caslin (FHS, soccer, NAU freshman): Forward played in 16 matches and tallied six shots on goal for the Big Sky Conference champions.

Angel Curley (FHS, cross country, Fort Lewis College senior): Placed third at the Four Corners Classic at Buffalo Park in October and 10th at the George Kyte Classic in September. Set a personal record of 22:00.6 at the Highlander Invitational in October. Placed 53rd with a time of 23:18.1 in the NCAA D-II South Central Region championships.

Collin Doucette (FHS, football, Fort Lewis College freshman): Redshirted for the D-II Skyhawks.

Karina Fuhrmann (FHS soccer, Bluefield State freshman): Forward played in 13 matches, started five, and scored two goals for the D-II school, which went 7-7-3.

Hannah Hall (FHS, cross country, Grand Canyon University redshirt freshman): Rostered but did not compete for the Antelopes.

Anna Harmon (FHS, cross country, Mesa Community College sophomore): Set a 5K personal record of 18:44.3 and earned All-America honors with a second-place finish at the NJCAA D-II championships, helping MCC finish second in the nation.

Taylor Hazlett (FHS, soccer, NAU senior): Played in three matches and had two shots on goal in 42 minutes for the Big Sky Conference champions.

Megan Hicks (CHS, volleyball, Park University sophomore): Played in nine matches and 15 sets. She had 18 kills for the Buccaneers, who won the Cal Pac Conference championship and advanced to the NAIA national tournament.

Riley Human (FHS, cross country, NAU junior): Listed but did not compete for the national champions.

Eija Jensen (CHS, soccer, South Mountain Community College sophomore): Played in two games for the Cougars, who went 2-11-1.

Vanessa Leyva (FHS, soccer, Benedictine University Mesa junior): Midfielder rostered for the NAIA Redhawks, who went 8-5-5 overall and 5-3-4 in conference play.

Zoe Lytle (FHS, soccer, Macalester College junior): Played in five matches and logged 69 minutes for the Scots, who went 8-6-5 in the NCAA D-III Minnesota Interscholastic Athletic Conference.

Alex Manygoats (CHS, cross country, Haskell Indian Nations University senior): Finished 47th with a season-best 31:59.1 in the 8K Haskell Invite in October. Placed 30th at the Mike Spielman Classic in October with a time of 32:39.82.

Nick Morrow (FHS, football, University of California freshman): Grayshirted for the fall semester and will begin practicing with the Golden Bears this spring.

Matias Ortiz (CHS, football, College of the Canyons freshman): Defensive lineman rostered but did not record any stats.

Brooke Parker (CHS, volleyball, Laramie County Community College sophomore): Played in 29 matches and led the Golden Eagles with 806 assists; also tallied 61 kills, 27 aces and 248 digs while helping the team to an 18-12 record.

Sayti Plank (FHS, triathlon, Lenoir-Rhyne University junior): Helped the Bears win their first women’s national championship in university history at the USTA Nationals in Tempe in November.

Andy Ruiz (CHS, football, NAU freshman): Defensive back was rostered but did not participate.

Maddie Shafer (FHS, soccer, NAU junior): Played in 17 matches and led the Lumberjacks with 16 points, scoring five goals to go along with a team-high five assists. Also led the team with 26 shots on goal. Named to the Big Sky Conference All-Tournament team after making both of her shootout attempts in NAU’s overtime wins in the semifinal and championship matches as the Lumberjacks won the conference title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

Maya Shearon (FHS, soccer, Benedictine University Mesa junior): Defender received All-Cal Pac Conference honorable mention honors this season for the NAIA Redhawks, who went 8-5-5 overall and 5-3-4 in conference play. She scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 win over Soka University of America on Oct. 21.

Samantha Slaughter (FHS, soccer, Yavapai College sophomore): Played in 14 matches and started nine. Tied for the team lead in assists with five and also scored two goals for the Roughriders, who went 8-8 overall and 7-4 in Arizona Community College Athletic Conference play.

Guillermo Soto (FHS, soccer, Webster University junior): Played in 10 games and logged 94 minutes for the D-III Gorloks, who went 14-3-3.

Joacquin Soto (FHS, soccer, Webster University coach): Hired on as an assistant coach for the Gorloks after graduating from Webster.

Mayrin Soto (FHS soccer, Webster University freshman): Defender played in five games, scored twice and added an assist for the Gorlocks, who went 13-7-1.

Sebastian Soto Duarte (FHS, soccer, Webster University senior): Played in seven games and tallied one shot on goal.

Kathryn Tso (CHS, cross country, Haskell Indian Nations University freshman): Set a personal record of 25:34.8 in the 5K with a 64th-place finish in the Haskell Invite in October. Placed 31st in the NAIA Continental Athletic Conference championship race in November.

Breana Biggambler (FHS, cross country, Coconino Community College freshman): Placed 10th at the NJCAA D-II championship meet with a 5K time of 19:41.5 in November.

Lance Harris (FHS, cross country, Grand Canyon University freshman): Rostered but did not compete for the Lopes.

Niki McCabe (FHS, cross country, Coconino Community College sophomore): Ran a 2.5-mile 22:52.2 to place 50th in the George Kyte Classic in September. Placed 169th at the NJCAA D-II title race in November.

Robert Parker (FHS, cross country, Fort Lewis College freshman): Redshirted for the Skyhawks.

Kevin Pawesiema (FHS, cross country, Coconino Community College freshman): Ran an 8K personal best in 28:28.1 and finished 31st at the Mesa College Jamboree in October.