Girls soccer preview 2023-24: Rankings, players to watch, more
Bay Area News Group girls high school soccer preview: St. Francis' Kamryn Rosa, Mountain View's Laila Edris, Carondelet's Joy Casselman among the top returning players.
WHO IS OUR PRESEASON No. 1?
St. Francis dominated last season en-route to the CCS Open Division title and a NorCal Division I championship, allowing just eight goals and winning 15 matches by at least two goals. While the Lancers graduated the 2022-23 Gatorade California player of the year Charlotte Kohler and a slew of other contributors, the cupboard is far from bare in Mountain View. Kamryn Rosa and Sophie Murdock bring back all-WCAL talent in midfield and defense. Further bolstering that back-line are a pair of juniors, Gianna Nurisso and Natalie Chan, who both made second-team all-WCAL a year ago. Carondelet and Mountain View are set to challenge St. Francis, but the Lancers should once again be the class of the WCAL and challenge for another NorCal title.
STORYLINES
Carondelet was a few minutes away from taking St. Francis to extra-time in the NorCal Open Division title game, and brings back Joy Casselman, Victoria Alessandrini and Kaya Durkee. The Cougars will start their season on the road with a matchup at possible NorCal opponent Berkeley… Mountain View won’t be lacking for firepower this season. The Spartans return their top three goal-scorers Karena Shah, Laila Edris and Juno Winegar, who combined for 44 goals and 42 assists … Menlo-Atherton coach Jason Luce enters his 10th year on the job with the talent needed to make a deep run in NorCal play. Tatum Olesen and league MVP Valerie Latu-Nava should pair with Alessia Bolanos to make life difficult for opposing defenses … Carondelet won’t just cruise through the East Bay Athletic League thanks to strong teams such as San Ramon Valley, Amador Valley and Monte Vista all boasting strong teams.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Angel Akanyirige, Amador Valley: First-team all-EBAL selection helped lead Amador Valley to a 9-4-3 record and the NCS Division I playoffs.
Jessica Anderson, Los Altos: SCVAL De Anza Division defender of the year headlined a defense that allowed just 15 goals in 18 matches.
Caroline Alanis, Albany: The reigning TCAL Rock Division offensive player of the year scored 23 goals and had 12 assists as a sophomore.
Piper Bertani, Leigh: BVAL Mt. Hamilton Division junior of the year was a big part of Leigh’s 14-5 record and trip to the CCS Open Division playoffs.
Joy Casselman, Carondelet: First-team all-EBAL selection scored five goals and had one assist for the NCS Division I champions and NorCal Division I runners-up.
Grace Charles, Campolindo: Named first-team all-DAL Foothill as a freshman after she scored 11 goals and had nine assists for the Cougars.
Laila Edris, Mountain View: SCVAL De Anza Division player of the year scored 15 goals and dished out 20 assists for the Spartans as a sophomore.
Alexandra Freeman, Berkeley: Scored four goals and had two assists as an all-WACC Foothill Division selection, and helped lead Berkeey to a 13-5-4 record and the NCS Division I playoffs.
Dina Frenkel, St. Ignatius: First-team all-WCAL goalkeeper helped St. Ignatius allow just 18 goals in 21 games, and shut out St. Francis 1-0 in the Lancers’ only loss of the season.
Addison Haws, Sequoia: First-team all-PAL Bay Division selection and co-Midfielder of the Year scored 14 goals and had six assists. Led the Ravens to the CCS Division I championship.
Kelsey Kawalkowski, Freedom: Bay Valley Athletic League MVP led Heritage to a 13-3-3 record and a league title.
Lauren Kealy, San Ramon Valley: Second-team all-EBAL selection scored 12 goals and had five assists in midfield as a junior. Helped lead SRV to a 21-4-1 record.
Valerie Latu-Nava, Menlo-Atherton: PAL Bay Division player of the year and first-team all-league selection scored 11 goals and led Menlo-Atherton the the NorCal Division I playoffs.
Sophie Murdock, St. Francis: First-team all-WCAL selection helped lead a Lancers defense that allowed just eight goals in 26 matches on its way to the NorCal Division I title.
Kamryn Rosa, St. Francis: First-team all-WCAL selection at forward was one of the top players on the NorCal Division I champions.
Murphy Walsh, Archbishop Mitty: The WCAL forward of the year scored 12 goals and contributed four assists as a sophomore. Helped lead Mitty to the CCS Open Division playoffs.
Bay Area News Group preseason Top 15
(Mercury News & East Bay Times)
No. 1 ST. FRANCIS (25-1 last season)
How it finished: Won the CCS Open Division championship, defeated Carondelet 1-0 to win the NorCal Division I title.
No. 2 CARONDELET (23-3-1 last season)
How it finished: Won the NCS Division I title, lost to St. Francis 1-0 in the NorCal Division I championship match.
No. 3 MOUNTAIN VIEW (14-5-3 last season)
How it finished: Lost to Del Oro 1-1 (4-3 in PKs) in the first round of the NorCal Division I playoffs.
No. 4 MENLO-ATHERTON (16-2-5 last season)
How it finished: Lost to St. Francis 2-0 in the NorCal Division I playoff semifinals.
No. 5 SAN RAMON VALLEY (21-4-1 last season)
How it finished: Lost to St. Francis 1-0 in the first round of the NorCal Division I playoffs.
No. 6 ARCHBISHOP MITTY (12-3-4 last season)
How it finished: Lost to Menlo-Atherton 1-0 in the first round of the CCS Open Division playoffs.
No. 7 ST. IGNATIUS (11-6-4 last season)
How it finished: Lost to Branson 2-1 in the first round of the NorCal Division II playoffs.
No. 8 MONTE VISTA (10-4-7 last season)
How it finished: Lost to Carondelet 3-0 in the NCS Division I semifinals.
No. 9 LEIGH (14-5 last season)
How it finished: Lost to St. Ignatius 1-0 in the first round of the CCS Open Division playoffs.
No. 10 MENLO SCHOOL (15-2-4 last season)
How it finished: Lost to Mountain View 3-1 in the first round of the CCS Open Division playoffs.
No. 11 AMADOR VALLEY (9-4-2 last season)
How it finished: Lost to Heritage 2-1 in the first round of the NCS Division I playoffs.
No. 12 LOS ALTOS (10-6-2)
How it finished: Lost to St. Francis 3-1 in the first round of the CCS Open Division playoffs.
No. 13 SEQUOIA (14-4-5)
How it finished: Won the CCS Division I title, lost to Cardinal Newman 2-1 in the NorCal Division III semifinal.
No. 14 BERKELEY (13-5-4)
How it finished: Lost to Monte Vista 2-1 in the NCS Division I playoff quarterfinals.
No. 15 FREEDOM (13-3-3)
How it finished: Lost to Carondelet 5-0 in the NCS Division I quarterfinals.