By BUTCH HARMON
After having its state tournament run stopped at the district level last year, the Okemos girls soccer team was determined to make a deeper run this season.
That mission was accomplished, as the Chiefs not only won the district title, but also added a regional title and advanced to the final four in Division 1. In the semifinal, Okemos dropped a 3-0 decision to eventual state champion Northville.
The senior trio of Kristelle Yewah, Ashton Miller, and Lauren Zisholz led the way this year for the Chiefs, who finished the season with a 13-7-2 overall record. Yewah and Miller both earned first-team all-state honors. During their four years on the varsity, the two helped lead Okemos to three district titles, two regional titles, and a state championship in 2012. Miller will be continuing her career at Duke University next fall, while Yewah will be playing at Michigan State University.
“Ashton is an incredibly talented player,” said coach Brian Guggemos. “She is a top-20 national recruit and is going to Duke, which is a top 10 nationally soccer team. Kristelle was also a captain and was great at involving the younger players. She is a great player to have on any team.”
While Okemos will miss the seniors, it will have 16 players back next spring, including eight starters. The Chiefs will return junior Erin Doster, who was a second-team all-state player this season, and junior goalkeeper Vanessa Nigg, who was an honorable-mention all-state player.
Okemos had five girls earn first-team all-conference honors: Doster, Miller, Nigg, Yewah, and junior Erin O’Connor. Sophomores Kailey Peterson and Caroline Serkaian and Zisholz all earned honorable-mention all-conference honors.