Aug. 26—Here are 12 of the top girls soccer players in southeastern Minnesota as the 2023 season begins:

Halder might be the best three-sport athlete (soccer, basketball, track and field) in southeastern Minnesota. In soccer, she uses her track speed to blaze past the competition. Halder delivered 21 goals and six assists last season. The senior is great in tight spaces and can also play physical soccer.

When it comes to three-sport athletes, Gust can give Byron's Paige Halder a run for her money (soccer, basketball, softball). Gust is among the best soccer goalies in the state and is one of the most athletic netminders ever from southeastern Minnesota. She allowed just eight goals last year and had 11 shutouts en route to leading her team to the state tournament.

White was another crucial ingredient to St. Charles/Lewiston-Altura reaching its first state tournament last year. The senior had a team-high 18 goals as she used her combination of strength, speed and ball control to dominate games. White was named All-State in 2022.

Torbenson is among southeastern Minnesota's toughest defenders. She was a main cog on a Century defense that allowed just 1.8 goals per game. The senior is strong and fast and has an ability to win 1-on-1 battles. She's also an excellent distributor.

The senior midfielder/forward was named to the All-State team last year. That came after she scored 21 goals, with 10 assists. That was up from 15 goals and six assists the year before.

A senior midfielder, Quinn was named All-State last year after showing off her all-around abilities. She dominates in the middle of the field with her ball control and knack for creating openings for others. Quinn had 10 goals and 11 assists last season.

Ellavsky is the Bears' most technical player and has an excellent feel for the game. She was critical for Byron last year, with six goals and six assists as well as generating attack and closing down opponents' transitions.

Bell is one of the best young players in the state. As an eighth-grader last year, she had 17 goals and four assists. Bell has speed and a constant willingness to find the ball.

Another player with excellent speed, Gardner is the anchor to a Ramblers' back line that posted 11 shutouts last season. The central defender can read the game and combines that with her sprinters' speed, making it difficult to navigate around her.

One of the Rochester area's top scorers last year, Awe finished with 14 goals and six assists last season. The junior is a great all-around athlete, having cleared 5-feet-2 in the high jump and also a prominent member of the K-M basketball team.

Hartung put up big numbers last year on a strong PIZM team. The junior forward finished with 14 goals and eight assists as PIZM went 10-6-1 and lost 1-0 to Lourdes in the Section 1A championship.

An attacking midfielder, Carrier had six goals and 11 assists last season. The junior is an excellent distributor of the ball and brims with energy when she plays. Carrier is being recruited by Division I and II schools for soccer.