2023 fall sports: Here are the YAIAA boys' and girls' soccer players to watch this season
If you are looking for great returning talent, look no farther than the soccer pitch.
Two of last year's division players of the year return on the boys' side and one on the girls' side. In addition, more than two dozen first-team all-stars return.
That means there is a lot of firepower out there, and plenty of defenders and keepers to try to prevent the scores.
Division I Player of the Year Evan Jennings leads an experienced Northeastern squad that won the division title last year, but fell in the league semis. Jennings, who scored nine goals and had two assists last year, was joined on the first team by junior forward Lincoln Wertz.
The Bobcats are the only team in the division to return a first-team all-star, although others placed players on the second-team.
New Oxford senior midfielder Harvin Flowers was named the Division II Player of the Year last year after scoring nine goals and handing out seven assists. And his team didn't even win the division. That honor went to Kennard-Dale, but it was Division II York Suburban that won the overall league title.
New Oxford senior midfielder Israel Felipe joined Flowers on the first team, and there were several Colonials on the second team returning to add to their experience.
Don't look for Kennard-Dale to fold and let someone else move in to claim the division title. The Rams return first-teamers Aidan Hardester (senior, forward), Dylan Logue (junior, forward) and Logan Sumner (junior, goalkeeper) to pace their title defense.
York Suburban will count on senior forward Damien Yepez to help lead the defending league champs. Yepez, who also kicks for the football team, is the only first-team all-star returning from last year's squad that lost seven players to graduation and their coach. Scott Payne was hired a few weeks before practice started, so their success will be determined by how quickly the young players jell and fall in line with Payne's coaching.
Division III's co-players of the year were responsible for 44 goals and 25 assists for defending division champ Biglerville. They graduated, but that doesn't mean the Canners' cupboards are empty. They had a deep bench and always produce a powerful product.
York Catholic and Littlestown are expected to hang at the top of the division. Senior Ryan Oathout will lead the Irish contingent, and the Bolts return seniors Chris Meakin and Nathan Snyder to shore up their defense.
Seriously, if you want to catch something rare in high school soccer, check out Meakin in goal. He's 6-8. That kind of reach isn't often seen at the Class 2A level.
On the girls' side, York Suburban returns the only division player of the year in senior midfielder Kierra Hyder. She will lead a Trojans' squad that hopes to unseat Northeastern from atop Division II. Sophomore Ryann Bumsted and senior Riley Craley return for the Bobcats, who also expect battles with Eastern York and West York.
Division I should be interesting.
Last year's co-players of the year were among the eight players Dallastown lost to graduation. How close they come to defending their division and league titles will depend on how quickly they pull their young players into the fold.
South Western hopes to throw a big wrench into the Wildcats' plans. The Mustangs lost four games last year ‒ all to Dallastown. Sophomore Carly Louey set the program's record for goals in a season last year and is out to break that mark. She will get help toward that goal from junior forward Maci Shaffer, who is three assists away from tying the school record.
Fairfield and Delone Catholic shared the Division III title last year. Fairfield senior Breana Valentine is the only returning first-team all-star from either team.
Littlestown and York Catholic could disrupt that chase for the division. Junior Ava Bentzel returns at midfield for the Bolts, and senior Leah Gaito is back at midfield/attack for the Irish.
YAIAA fall sports central: Daily schedules, scores, stats and standings
Boys' soccer players to watch
Alex Alvarado, Bermudian Springs, jr.
Cameran Bangura, Susquehannock, jr.
Alex Beckley, Northeastern, jr.
Hunter Brady, Eastern York, sr.
Noah Brady, Eastern York, jr.
Colwyn Carrolus, Bermudian Springs, sr.
Michael Carter, Delone Catholic, jr.
Marco Cifuentes, West York, jr.
Hayden Dallam, Northeastern, sr.
Matthew Denault, Littlestown, sr.
Carlos Dilts, Susquehannock, sr.
Israel Felipe, New Oxford, sr.
Harvin Flowers, New Oxford, sr.
Leo Guzman, Littlestown, sr.
Aidan Hardester, Kennard-Dale, sr.
Connor Hayes, York Suburban, sr.
Hayden Hinderer, York Suburban, sr.
Evan Jennings, Northeastern, sr.
Kyle Kauffman, Littlestown, so.
Aidan Kenworthy, Hanover, sr.
Owen Kline, Dover, jr.
Dylan Logue, Kennard-Dale, jr.
Marcos Lua, New Oxford, sr.
Landon Mabe, Dover, so.
Chris Meakin, Littlestown, sr.
Kody Mendoza, Biglerville, jr.
Dempsey Miller, Littlestown, sr.
Jackson Miller, York Suburban, jr.
Mark Njoroge, West York, sr.
Ryan Oathout, York Catholic, sr.
Carter Owings, Littlestown, jr.
Sam Passariello, York Suburban, sr.
Ty Pridgen, York Suburban, sr.
Eder Rivero-Serrano, York High, sr.
Angello Salazar, Delone Catholic, jr.
Andrew Schuler, York Catholic, sr.
Levi Sharnetzka, Kennard-Dale, sr.
Cooper Sistrunk, Susquehannock, sr.
Maddox Snyder, Red Lion, jr.
Nathan Snyder, Littlestown, sr.
Ryland Staub, York Catholic, sr.
Zayne Stump, Dover, sr.
Logan Sumner, Kennard-Dale, jr.
Lincoln Wertz, Northeastern, jr.
Nate Winslow, Dallastown, sr.
Damien Yepez, York Suburban, sr.
Jose Zavala, New Oxford, sr.
Ben Zimmerman, Kennard-Dale, sr.
Girls' soccer players to watch
Mari Alvarez, Biglerville, jr.
Rylan Angell, Northeastern, fr.
Madi Bartlett, Susquehannock, sr.
Ava Bentzel, Littlestown, jr.
Sydney Blanteno, Red Lion, so.
Kait Boudah, Red Lion, sr.
Annilies Brenenborg, Eastern York, jr.
Ryann Bumsted, Northeastern, so.
Audrey Chesko, Fairfield, sr.
Riley Craley, Northeastern, sr.
Megan Diberardino, Eastern York, sr.
Vivan Donnelly, Eastern York, sr.
Caitlin Doyle, Red Lion, so.
Niamh Fanning, Susquehannock, so.
Molly Fleming, Delone Catholic, jr.
Leah Gaito, York Catholic, sr.
Kendall Gibbs, Eastern York, sr.
Mckayla Green South Western, sr.
Emma Harabin, South Western, fr.
Rory Hengst, Eastern York, sr.
Eva Hollabaugh, Biglerville, so.
Kierra Hyder, York Suburban, sr.
Kaylee Kashner, Dallastown, sr.
Riley Keefe, Northeastern, jr.
Suzy Koukounas, Central York, jr.
Hannah Kramer, Red Lion, sr.
Carly Louey, South Western, so.
Savanna Mackie, South Western, sr.
Destynn McClane, Northeastern, sr.
Sarah McKenrick, Biglerville, fr.
Kiara McNealy, Dallastown, sr.
Cassidy Mease, Red Lion, so.
Olivia Miller, Red Lion, so.
Kyleigh Minnier, South Western, fr.
Alyssa Murray, West York, sr.
Alaina Neal, Eastern York, jr.
Abbie Ponce, Biglerville, jr.
Audrey Regentin, Biglerville, fr.
Tali Reihm, Northeastern, sr.
Jocelyn Robinson, Delone Catholic, so.
Ellie Rymer, Red Lion, sr.
Ella Schmoyer, West York, jr.
Ainsley Schwab, Spring Grove, sr.
Madison Sechrist, Red Lion, so.
Kiera Shaffer, Biglerville, sr.
Maci Shaffer, South Western, jr.
Miah Shulski, South Western, jr.
Anna Soullaird, South Western, sr.
Taylor Steininger, Dover, sr.
Chloe Stuart, Bermudian Springs, so.
Megan Thompson, South Western, jr.
Addy Toomey, Northeastern, fr.
Breana Valentine, Fairfield, sr.
Izzy Walker, Red Lion, sr.
Wrena Wentz, New Oxford, sr.
Emily Wildasin, Northeastern, sr.
Gracie Yerges, Dover, sr.
Yeimy Zavala, Biglerville, so.
Shelly Stallsmith covers York-Adams high school sports for GameTimePA and the USAToday Network. Connect with her by email mstallsmith@ydr.com or on Twitter @ShelStallsmith.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: YAIAA boys' and girls' soccer players to watch this season
