Daily Chronicle 2022 Girls Soccer All-Area Team

Player of year

Brigid Gannon, jr., F, Kaneland

First team

Taylor Gaston, sr., D, Indian Creek - The Kishwaukee College commit anchored the backfield for the Timberwolves and was co-defensive MVP of the team. The Little Ten does not sponsor soccer, or she likely would have been an all-conference selection.

Sycamore's Olivia Conery kicks the ball upfield Thursday, April 7, 202 against Sterling. (A)

Olivia Conery, jr., D, Sycamore - Even playing in the back, Conery provided a scoring spark for the Interstate 8 champion Spartans with four goals and three assists. She was a first-team all-conference selection.

Emily Kunzer, so., D, Kaneland - A co-MVP of the I8, Kuzner locked down the top scorers for opposing teams all year while managing eight goals and three assists. She was an all-sectional pick as well.

Sycamore's Karli Kruizenga (20) kicks the ball up field as L-P's Katie Sowers (5) defends on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at the L-P Athletic Complex in La Salle. (Scott Anderson)

Karli Kruizenga, sr., MF, Sycamore - Kruizenga ran the middle of the Sycamore offense, notching six goals and 10 assists. She was a first-team pick in the I8.

Benet's Jaimee Cibulka (14) battles Kaneland's Katie Kurz (15) for the ball during a game in Lisle on Monday, April 26, 2021. (Sandy Bressner - sbressner@shawmedia.com)

Katie Kurz, sr., MF, Kaneland - Kurz was a force to be reckoned with on the pitch, providing key defense out of the midfield slot. She had three goals and four assists on the year.

Sycamore's Grace Parks and Woodstock North's Karen Zamudio go after the ball during their IHSA Class 2A regional game Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at Burlington Central High School. (Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.com/Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.co)

Grace Parks, jr., MF, Sycamore - Like Kruizenga, Parks helped control the middle of the field for the Spartans, scoring four goals and adding seven assists. She was an All-I8 first-team player.

Hinckley-Big Rock/Somonauk's Ashleigh Wackerlin and Indian Creek's Zoey Beach fight for possession during their game Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at Hinckley-Big Rock High School. (Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.com/Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.co)

Ashleigh Wackerlin, sr., F, Hinckley-Big Rock - The multisport standout (and record-holder) wrapped up her H-BR career with 15 goals and five assists this season – and that was in only 12 team games, with an injury causing her to miss a week’s worth of those.

Indian Creek's Emma Turner approaches the DePue goal as Alyssa Lopez tries to defend during their game Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at Indian Creek Middle School in Waterman. (Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.com/Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.co)

Emma Turner, jr, F, Indian Creek - Turner scored 17 goals and added three assists. It was the second year in a row she led the team in goals and was named the team’s MVP.

DeKalb's Claire Bettner and Sycamore's Ella Shipley fight for possession during their game Monday, May 2, 2022, at Sycamore High School. (Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.com/Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.co)

Ella Shipley, sr., F, Sycamore - Even missing a couple of games with an injury, Shipley scored 23 goals and had nine assists to power the Spartans’ offense. She was co-MVP of the I8 and an all-sectional pick.

Kaneland junior Audrey Salamon kicks the ball away from Sycamore sophomore Abigail Bourdage during their game Wednesday afternoon at Sycamore High School. (Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.com/Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.co)

Audrey Salamon, sr., F, Kaneland - Another scoring threat behind Gannon for the Knights, Salamon connected nine times and added seven assists. She was an All-I8 selection.

DeKalb Kendra Sullivan (11) ) blocks the kick by Sycamore Olivia Conery (11) in the second half of the May 1st match up at DeKalb High School. (David Toney for Shaw Local)

Kendra Sullivan, sr., GK/F, DeKalb - Sullivan was the best option for the Barbs up front and in the net, splitting time between forward and goalkeeper. She scored twice and was an All-DuPage Valley Conference pick.

Second team

DeKalb's Natalie Rosenow and Sycamore's Mariana Martinez go after the ball during their game Monday, May 2, 2022, at Sycamore High School. (Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.com/Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.co)

Anna Lochbaum, jr., D, Sycamore

Madison McNeil, jr., D, DeKalb

Isabella Schmerbach, soph., D, DeKalb

Maddie Nitsche, jr., D, Kaneland

Abby Bourdage, jr., MF, Sycamore

Samantha Wendt, fr., MF, Genoa-Kingston

Jolee Larson, jr., MF, Indian Creek

Natalie Rosenow, sr., MF, DeKalb

Alexis Hart, sr., F, DeKalb

Izzy Turner, fresh., F, Indian Creek

Mollie Feitlich, jr., GK, Indian Creek

DePue's Veronica Fitzgerald and Indian Creek's Delia Diehl fight for possession during their game Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at Indian Creek Middle School in Waterman. (Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.com/Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.co)

Honorable mention: Josie Rader, so., MF/D, Hinckley-Big Rock; Delia Diehl, sr., D, Indian Creek; Zoe Quinn, sr., D, Indian Creek; Morgan King, sr., MF, Hinckley-Big Rock; Mariana Martinez, jr., MF, Sycamore; Madi Schrader, so., D, Kaneland; Lindsey Bargiel, jr., MF, DeKalb; Claire Bettner, jr., MF, DeKalb; Jessenia Ramirez, jr., D, DeKalb; Paige Feitlich, soph., D, Indian Creek