High school girls soccer: 5 players to watch
As the spring high school season begins, The Sentinel will be highlighting some of the top players to watch in each MHSAA sport this spring.
Today: Girls soccer.
The Zeeland East, Zeeland West, Holland Christian and West Ottawa soccer teams have been strong year after year. Last year, Saugatuck and Black River upped their game to jump into the elite teams as well. Holland Fennville and Hamilton had some strong players but a couple of bumps in the road, but could be on the upswing this season as well.
Here are five players to watch this season:
Abby Winn
Zeeland West
The senior midfielder has already committed to play at defending NCAA Division II champion Grand Valley State next year. Winn is one of the most athletic players in the state and has proved that with her ability to play a variety of sports. She was all-region in volleyball, was a solid basketball player and balanced soccer and track and field in the spring, earning all-region honors in soccer and qualifying for the state track finals. … On the field, she had 11 goals and five assists while also shifting around positions to give the Dux what they needed. Her soccer IQ is so strong that she can play any position on the field at an all-region or even all-state level.
“Abby is a talented and intelligent soccer player. She is very versatile and can play multiple positions. She has the ability to create opportunities with her size, speed and finesse. She is a game-changer who wreaks havoc on opposing defenses because of her high soccer IQ, vision and decision making.” — Ben Hondorp
More: Abby Winn commits to GVSU for soccer
Paige Westra
Zeeland East
The senior, like Winn, does a little bit of everything at her school. In the fall, she became the first female all-state first-team football player in Michigan history. She was also all-state in track and field, finishing fifth in the shot put at the Division 1 state finals. She also has been an all-state runner for the Chix. But after all of that, she is probably best known for her play on the soccer field. Last year, she scored a stunning 26 goals and had six assists to earn all-conference, all-region and honorable mention all-state honors. All while balancing with track and field. … Westra is not the biggest player on the field, but she is one of the strongest and toughest. Opposing defenses will continue to have a difficult time corralling Westra, especially during crunch time of games. The greatest athletes come up biggest in big moments, and Westra continues to prove that.
“Westra is a nightmare for opposing defenses. Loads of pace and very strong. She has a tremendous work rate and is also very humble.” — Joe Grit
Ainsley Harris
Holland Christian
The senior midfielder is a returning third-team all-state performer in Division 3 with five goals and two assists. She has also already signed to play college soccer at Cornerstone University. Harris gets it done with her vision and instincts. She is not as tall as some opponents, so she has to have perfect mechanics and timing to overtake taller players for free balls in the air. But her balance is key because when the ball gets to the ground, her feet have the advantage over opponents, who often overlook her because of her size until it is too late.
“Ainsley’s creativity and skill on the ball make her a tough matchup for opponents. Whenever we needed an offensive spark last season, Ainsley could provide it,” — Elliot Slenk
Adele Nieuwsma
Saugatuck
The Saugatuck girls soccer team had its best season in school history last year. That is a tough act to follow, but despite graduating a pivotal senior class, the Trailblazers have several returning players ready to contribute in a bigger way. One of those players is junior midfielder Adele Nieuwsma. As a sophomore, she had seven goals and three assists, earning all-conference, all-region and third-team all-state honors. She will be what drives the Trailblazers and they are in good hands … well, good feet.
“She’s able to impact the game in so many ways. She plays with the aggression of an elite defender, but also has the technical skill to move forward and support our offensive attack.” — Jordan Campbell
Grace Pedersen
West Ottawa
Fresh off of a basketball season that saw her named Holland Sentinel Defensive Player of the Year, Grace Pedersen takes that tenacity back to the soccer field. Just like basketball, defense is her game, and she gets her hands on the ball just like in basketball since she plays goalie. Pedersen is extremely athletic and sport savvy in everything she does. Last year, she faced three penalty shots and stopped two of them. She also allowed just 14 goals in 20 games. She is one of the top goalies in West Michigan and will look to lead West Ottawa to another strong season.
“Her statistics are truly phenomenal considering the competition we have played. She is aggressive, fearless and lightning quick off her line. Her ability to react and save shots at close range is truly amazing.” — Brent Wyckoff
— Contact Sports Editor Dan D'Addona at Dan.D'Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDAddona and Facebook @Holland Sentinel Sports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: High school girls soccer: 5 players to watch
