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BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
Argos sophomore Lilly Hines is the RTC Player of the Year for girls soccer for the second straight year.
It would figure that a player from Argos would win the honor. Argos won their fourth straight sectional title under coach Joe Stone in 2021. Hines was a huge reason why. Argos has won eight sectional titles in 11 years of IHSAA class soccer, and they’ll continued to be favored to win trophies as long as Hines is still around.
Argos wasn’t the only strong team in our area. Rochester won the Three Rivers Conference title with an undefeated record. Culver went 14-4 and had three different players score 20 or more goals.
The big girls soccer story in our area revolved around Tippecanoe Valley starting a girls soccer program. They had fielded a coed team in the past, but now the girls have a team of their own under Mark Gordon, the coach who helped start the boys program in 2015.
Valley adding a girls team is a sign that the sport continues to branch out in our area.
This list of our top area players was chosen by us here at RTC, and we are entirely responsible for it, but we do thank area coaches for their insights into their players, opposing players and the sport in general.
We’re still always learning.
All-RTC
Lilly Hines (Argos) (Player of the Year) – Hines plays soccer with her mind and her eyes as much as she does with her foot. She’s both talented and clever. She scored 23 goals playing against the area’s toughest schedule, and the attention that she draws from other teams creates opportunities for her teammates.
Emma Howdeshell (Rochester) – A junior, Howdeshell had not played the sport in years but got the hang of it quickly, scoring 23 goals.
Emma Dunlap (Argos) – Dunlap was second on the team with nine goals, and she also had five assists.
Hannah Trump (Argos) – Trump brought constant pressure on the opposing team’s flanks and was a big reason why Argos always seemed to dominate possession time.
Kaylee Hamilton (Culver) – Hamilton was seemingly involved in every big play the Lady Cavaliers made, tallying 22 goals and 20 assists and also being a team leader.
Giselle Villegas (Culver) – Villegas relied on her quickness to score 22 goals and dish out seven assists.
Mackie Leslie (Rochester) – Leslie was the back row star that usually made goalkeeper Kaillie Woods’ days less busy.
Lillith Eaton (Rochester) – Rochester’s speed in the middle of the field was a huge advantage against most opponents, and Eaton’s development as a player as a sophomore was a huge reason why.
Aryanna Allen (Argos) – Allen is an instinctive player who was always seemingly in the right place at the right time for the Lady Dragons while scoring huge goals.
Kassidy Banks (Culver) – Banks was an impact freshman, scoring 20 goals.
Kendyll Bradley (Rochester) – Bradley could cover a lot of ground with her lateral speed defensively, and she even scored five goals this year.
Honorable mention
Macie Nelson (Rochester)
Maddy Hamilton (Culver)
Cailey Markley (Argos)
Lizzy Edmonds (Argos)
Sophie Heath (Culver)
Kaillie Woods (Rochester)
Samantha Redinger (Argos)
Lauren McGlothin (Argos)
Amy Williams (Rochester)
Lydia Miller (Tippecanoe Valley)
Haley Pesak (Rochester)
RTC Player of the Year Lilly Hines
