Season Preview: Grand Canyon region always competitive in northern Arizona girls soccer ranks

December 6, 2022 by Brian M. Bergner Jr., AZPreps365


This 2018 file photo shows the Flagstaff girls soccer team. The 4A Grand Canyon region is always tough when it comes to girls soccer in the state of Arizona, and the 2022-23 season is expected to be no different. The region produced four state playoff teams a season ago, and coaches within the league expect the same to happen this season. (AzPreps365, file photo)

KINGMAN — When talking area competitiveness in girls soccer across the state of Arizona, the 4A Grand Canyon region is usually somewhere near the top of the list every winter.

Four Grand Canyon clubs qualified for the state playoffs a season ago, with two others making it to the 4A state play-in round only to be eliminated.

Those two play-in losses came at the hands of Paradise Honors, a 4-1 defeat for Bradshaw Mountain, and Tempe, who held on for a close 1-0 stunner over Coconino.

Prescott, Flagstaff, Mohave and Lee Williams all played first-round matches in the 4A state playoffs in 2021-22, but only the No. 2-ranked Eagles survived the first day with a 11-0 win over Tempe.

In the quarterfinals, Flagstaff fans saw their club fall to eventual 4A state champion, and No. 7 seed, Salpointe Catholic, 1-0.

Only Mingus didn’t advance to a playoff match out of the Grand Canyon last winter. The Marauders won’t likely be on the outside looking in for long, considering their history of success within their program.

“We have the toughest region in my opinion,” Lee Williams head coach Chris Selby said.

Selby led the Volunteers to a 13-6 overall record a season ago, defeating Estrella Foothills 6-5 during the play-in round to earn their spot in the first round of the state playoffs.

This winter, Selby enters his sixth year as coach. He believes this Volunteer club will be stronger than last year.

“I feel like we are a pretty balanced team this year,” Selby said. “I feel like the defense is stronger this year.”

Led by senior captain goalkeeper Lauren Nguyen, Selby may be right.

Nguyen was 13-6 a year ago and collected six shutouts.

Others returning for Lee Williams include senior captain Grace Otero, a four-year varsity letterwinner. Otero scored eight goals and recorded 11 assists a season ago.

Junior Sophia Fottrell also returns this winter after leading the Volunteers in scoring (19 goals) and assists (8) a season ago.

“This team has very high expectations. We expect to be ranked in the Top 8 and make the playoffs for the third year in a row,” Selby said.

Lee Williams (0-0, 0-0 4A Grand Canyon) opens the season Dec. 8 against Barry Goldwater. Official start time is set for 5 p.m.

PANTHERS

FLAGSTAFF — Despite the early exit a season ago at the hands of No. 15 Tempe, a 1-0 loss in the 4A state play-in round, Coconino head coach Isaiah Veale is excited about his group of girls this winter.

“We expect our team to compete well with the teams on our schedule,” said Veale, who enters his fourth season as head coach this season. “Our group has a high level of competitiveness, athleticism, and speed. We hope this will join well with our increased soccer knowledge and produce some beautiful soccer.”

The Panthers finished 5-6 a season ago, struggling against some of the region’s top tier clubs, including a pair of 6-0 losses to Prescott and Flagstaff near the end of the season.

But this season, Veale expects to compete better against those clubs. And with Wheaten Smith, a senior who has 20 career goals under her belt, alongside senior Jaylie Chastain, Coconino might just do it.

“Our region has a history of high level play, and I expect that to continue this year,” Veale said.

Coconino (0-1, 0-0 4A Grand Canyon) opened the season Monday, Dec. 5, with a 4-1 loss to Estrella Foothills. Next up is a road match at Shadow Mountain on Wednesday, Dec. 7. Official start time is 5:30 p.m.

BADGERS

PRESCOTT — Ranked No. 4 in the state with an 11-2-1 overall record, including a 5-1 mark in the Grand Canyon region, their only loss coming to rival Flagstaff on Feb. 1, 4-2, Prescott had set themselves up nicely for a potential deep run in the state playoffs a season ago.

As fate would have it, however, a 1-0 loss at the hands of No. 13-seeded Sahuarita was what was actually in the cards for the Badgers.

Now as Prescott opens the 2022-23 campaign, fifth-year head coach Paul Campuzano reports his club graduated eight seniors and will return only two starters this winter, seniors Julia Gisi and Maddy Antonini.

“We have nine freshman joining the team due to losing five other players for various reasons,” Campuzano said. “I have to manage our expectations with 15 of 20 players being freshman and sophomores this year. It should be a great test each week with players learning how to play with each other.”

Campuzano added the team has their fair share of young talent, but that only goes so far.

“Our youth is a weakness for sure,” Campuzano said. “Having 14-year-old girls playing against 18-year-old seniors always presents a physical as well as mental test.”

Prescott (1-0, 0-0 4A Grand Canyon) opened the season Monday, Dec. 5, with a 8-0 win over Cactus.

The Badgers return Dec. 13 for their home opener against Estrella Foothills. Official start time is set for 5 p.m.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on Twitter @AzPreps365Brian. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.