Local Sports Journal
Three area girls soccer players were honored by being named first-team all-state by the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association.
Kaitlin Richardson from Reeths-Puffer, Amanda Skidmore from Orchard View and Alexys Riksen from Western Michigan Christian all were named first teamers in a recent vote of the coaches’ association.
Richardson is a senior midfielder, Skidmore is a senior midfielder and Riksen is a junior forward.
For Skidmore, the honor capped a highly successful four-year career in which she was named first-team all-state three times. As a junior, she was a second-team choice.
Riksen moved up to first-team status this season after being named a second-team all-stater a year ago.
In all 20 area girls players were honored as either first-, second-, third-teamers or honorable mention.
There were no area players honored in Division 1.
Besides Richardson in Division 2, Fruitport had two selections in senior defender Jordyn Stanberry, who was named to the third team and honorable mention choice Lauren Maus. Stanberry is a senior while Maus is a junior.
Lyric Glasser, a junior defender from Reeths-Puffer, was an honorable mention choice along with Spring Lake’s Morgan Carey, a sophomore.
In Division 3, Ludington’s Jacquelyn Lynch, a junior forward, was named to the second team. Her teammate, Amanda Payne, a junior goalkeeper, was named honorable mention.
Other area players honored in Division 3 were Orchard View teammates Kayla Merchant (third team), Kaylee Harrell (honorable mention) and Megan McFarland (honorable mention). Oakridge’s Megan Larabee, a junior defender, also was honorable mention.
In Division 4, Western Michigan had four other players honored besides Riksen.
Mykayla Denison, a senior defender, was named to the second team, junior goalkeeper Lindsey Johnson was a third-team choice and senior Alyssa Benedict and sophomore Jessica Kinnucan were honorable mention. Benedict and Kinnucan are both forwards for WMC.
Muskegon Catholic’s Natalie Bertolone, a senior field player, was named third-team all-state while teammate Micaela Halloran, a senior midfielder, was honorable mention.
North Muskegon junior midfielder Kelsey Ocharzak also was honorable mention in Division 4.
