2022-23 High Desert girls soccer players to watch

Oak Hills’ Sydney Middaugh highlights the High Desert’s list of players to watch as the 2022-23 girls soccer season is in full swing.

Middaugh, last season’s Mojave River League Offensive Player of the Year, is back for her senior year. As a junior, Middaugh scored 24 of Oak Hills’ 52 total goals, and assisted on five others.

Last month, Middaugh signed a National Letter of Intent to continue playing soccer at Saint Mary's College of California.

Alyssa Vernon also returns to the Bulldogs. Both Vernon and Middaugh were named to the All-CIF-Southern Section Division 3 team.

As a sophomore, Vernon scored nine goals on the season and like her teammate assisted on five others.

The duo helped the Bulldogs squeeze past Apple Valley for the league title last year.

The Sun Devils look strong this season and figure to pick up where they left off last season, with Alia Collins and Savannah James back. They were second and third on the team in goals scored as Kiana Teofilo scored a league-high 30 goals.

Collins, now a sophomore, scored 15 goals with four assists last season, and James, a senior, dished 25 assists and scored 12 goals.

Serrano took third place in the league standings last season and returns goalkeeper Ryann Munoz, the reigning MRL Defensive Player of the Year. In 20 games last year, Munoz saved 116 of 131 shots on goal, and allowed just six goals during league play.

Meanwhile, in the Desert Sky League, Granite Hills looks to capture a fifth-straight league title.

The Cougars are led by Samantha Grantham and Makenzie Bohn, both seniors.

Grantham, who signed a National Letter of Intent to continue playing soccer at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, led the team with 29 goals and 18 assists last year. Bohn finished right behind with 25 goals and eight assists.

Adelanto could make a run at contending for the league title. The Saints are the area’s only ranked team in the latest CIF-SS polls. Adelanto is at No. 4 in the Div. 6 poll, which was released Tuesday afternoon.

Here’s a list of our local girls soccer players to watch this year, broken down by leagues.

Mojave River League

• Apple Valley: Alia Collins, Kaydence Bonneau, Savannah James, Jayla Justice, Samantha Most

• Hesperia: Michelle Moran, Clarissa Rolon

• Oak Hills: Takoah Castillo, Sydney Middaugh, Kendall Ness, Alyssa Vernon, Mollie Zielke

• Serrano: Jalen Diaz, Mariah Kavanaugh, Ryann Munoz

• Sultana: Mishelle Dominguez, Mariah Nava, Yzabelle Torres

Desert Sky League

• Adelanto: Kassandra De Santiago, Giselle Perez, Juliana Perez, Breanna Torres, Mya Wilson

• Barstow: Caliana Chaco, Olivia Marin

• Granite Hills: Makenzie Bohn, Analiese Castel, Samantha Grantham, Islet Montes, Sophia Toranzo

• Silverado: Monique Alvarez, Keanna Ramirez

• Victor Valley: Jocelin Gomez, Citlaly Rivera

Cross Valley League

• AAE: Brooke Ebright, Abbey Gremer, Bella Moreno, Leilani Sanchez

• CIMS: Megan Metzler, Chelsie Pacheco

• Riverside Prep: Skye Hernandez, Athziry Munoz, Vivian Puente, Adeline Ortega Flores

• University Prep: Angela Bettess, Kylie Flores, Isabella Orellana, Krystal Ortega

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: 2022-23 High Desert girls soccer players to watch