IndyStaris highlighting returninggirls soccerplayers to watch by position before unveiling the 2024 preseason ALL-USA Super Team next week.
Today's position group:Midfielders.
IHSAA girls soccer: Indy-area's top defenders to watch in 2024
IHSAA girls soccer: Indy-area's top goalies to watch in 2024
This list was compiled prior to tryouts. Some players may have opted out of high school soccer to play academy.
Malina Ane, Danville
The 5-4 junior had a career year on the attack, tallying a team-leading 22 goals and six assists with 87 shots (5.8 per game). Her supporting cast should be largely unchanged with Danville projected to return four of its top-five scorers and most of its key defenders (allowed only 14 goals in 2023). Ane has 29 career goals and 11 assists.
Lily Ault, Noblesville
Ault brings two-plus years of varsity experience and is coming off a career year offensively. The 5-7 senior picked up five goals and seven assists (both career highs), while aiding a defense which conceded 14 goals over 21 games. Ault was also among the team leaders with 1,118 minutes played.
Laura Barco, Martinsville
Barco looks to build off a really strong sophom*ore campaign — seven goals and 11 assists over 1,210 minutes (17 games) — with an Artesians team that conceded 16 goals en route to a 12-4-1 finish, their best since at least 2013 (per MaxPreps).
Abby Beasley, Cathedral
A New Hampshire commit, the 5-8 senior notched at least a point in 14 of the regional champion Irish’s 21 matches. Beasley finished the season with a team-high 14 goals and eight assists, and enters her senior year with 32 career goals.
Leah Berg, Brebeuf Jesuit
Berg garnered all-county honors after racking up seven goals and nine assists as a junior. The Braves will be replacing a couple major pieces on both ends of the field, so look for Berg to take on even more responsibility in her final season.
Olivia Berzai, Bishop Chatard
The 5-11 multi-sport standout registered six goals and six assists on the attack, while helping a defense which held opponents to 17 goals over 18 games. There will be a number of new faces in the Chatard lineup, but they’ll have some varsity experience returning with Berzai and sophom*ores Caroline Gries and Allie Cunningham.
Kylie Brandes, Mt. Vernon
The Austin Peay-bound Brandes set new career-highs in both goals (16) and assists (12), while aiding a Marauders defense which conceded 15 goals over 16 games. The three-year varsity letterwinner has 33 goals and 31 assists entering her senior season.
Olivia Cebalo, Carmel
A dangerous all-around talent, Cebalo moved between midfield and the attack. She aided a defense which surrendered only 10 goals, while picking up 11 goals and seven assists (both career-highs) herself. The senior has 24 goals and 14 assists for her career.
Sophia Dawson, Brownsburg
The Bulldogs run through Dawson in the middle. The senior picked up five goals and four assists, though she was also responsible for a number of hockey assists (the pass that leads to the assist). She played 1,498 minutes over 20 games.
Emma Ehret, Carmel
The junior maximized her 680 minutes played last year, scoring seven goals and an assist with 14 shots on goal (22 total). She should be in for a similarly successful season on the attack as the Hounds look to replace Megan Hamm’s 38 points (12 goals).
Bailey Errett, Plainfield
A defensive midfielder, Errett started 17 games for the Mid-State Conference champion Quakers as a freshman, aiding a defense that surrendered 21 goals. She’d win the ball, then distribute to one of the playmakers up top. Watch for the connection between her, Ellie Stewart and Emma Connors.
Summer Fishel, Roncalli
The Saint Louis commit played on the club circuit over the summer after missing her junior season due to injury. Her return would be massive for the Royals, who return two of their top-three scorers from last season (Sophia Lewis and Laylah Waugh). Fishel has 34 goals and five assists for her career.
Neela Gussick, Park Tudor
The senior played 1,253 minutes for the reigning Class A champs last season. She was a major factor in both ends, racking up 11 goals, 13 assists and 21 steals. Gussick had six steals in the state final vs. FW Canterbury.
Kali Jackson-Dietzer, Speedway
Jackson-Dietzer is coming off a breakout year on the attack. She scored 10 goals and notched seven assists (most among returners) in her second varsity season, and contributed 24 steals to a defense which allowed only 11 goals over 15 games.
Lyla Jacobs, Mooresville
The 5-4 junior sees time at midfielder and forward. She’s an explosive attacker, averaging a goal per game (19 total) last season to push her career total to 35. Jacobs led the team in scoring and should have largely the same supporting cast this fall.
Olivia Joyce, Carmel
Joyce has been a midfield staple through her first two varsity seasons, clocking 2,585 minutes over 44 games (she started in most of them). She has four goals and eight assists entering her junior year.
Alexa Laporte, Whiteland
The senior is one of nine returning starters for the Warriors, who scored 11 wins and reached the sectional semifinals last season. Laporte tallied seven goals and seven assists, and has 25 and 17 for her career.
Bryn Maxwell, Zionsville
The 5-5 senior had a career year on the attack last season, totaling seven goals and three assists over 14 games. She averaged 2.5 shots per game (35 total) and helped an Eagles backline which allowed 20 goals.
Abigail Mikus, Franklin Central
Mikus aided a Flashes defense which allowed 38 goals over 22 games (19 goals came against three teams — HSE, Noblesville and Westfield). The senior leads a young team that's looking to defend its sectional crown.
Lizzy Miller, Park Tudor
A junior with two years varsity experience, monitor Miller’s presence in the defensive end, where she helps balance the Panthers and racked up 30 steals over 19 games last season. She also has four career goals.
Atley Pittman, Noblesville
An IU commit, the 5-4 senior shifted to more of an attacking role last season, setting career-highs with eight goals and seven assists. She also attempted 51 corner kicks and registered two steals.
Lauren Robertson, Cathedral
A defensive midfielder, Robertson aided a defense which allowed only 16 goals and posted 12 shutouts. The junior also jumped in on the attack, scoring three goals and an assist. There may be some early growing pains as the Irish replace a few senior stalwarts, but they’re capable of another deep tournament run.
Sydney Shattuck, Park Tudor
Yeah, so the Panthers are looking pretty good as they join the sectional of death in 2A (Brebeuf Jesuit, 2A state champ Guerin Catholic, Hamilton Heights and Bishop Chatard). Shattuck was a key contributor in her first varsity season, logging eight goals, 13 assists and eight steals over 1,230 minutes.
Cecilia Timme, Sheridan
Timme missed most of her sophom*ore season due to injury but returned to form as a junior, recording nine goals and nine assists over 20 games for the regional runner-up Blackhawks, who out-scored opponents 81-16.
Chelsea Wallace, Monrovia
The senior’s field vision and ability to exploit gaps make her a lethal playmaker. That translated statistically to 47 assists(!!) and nine goals last season. She did her damage in bunches, but also had assists in a 1-1 draw vs. Danville and a 1-0 sectional win over Edgewood.
Tylar Whitaker, New Palestine
A driving force behind last season’s conference title run, the Dragons’ offense runs through Whitaker in the midfield. The senior IWU commit tallied 14 goals and six assists in 2023 and has 33 goals and 19 assists for her career.
Leila Wilson, Lapel
Wilson was terrific as a freshman for the Bulldogs, registering 18 goals and four assists over 17 games. She accounted for the decisive tally in a 1-0 win over Wapahani and helped ensure victory in the program’s state tournament debut with four goals vs. Scecina.
Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at@Brian_Haenchen.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA girls soccer: Central Indiana's top midfielders for 2024
