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Parker's Strieker makes All-Big Eight soccer first team

JANESVILLE — The real deal.

That may be the best way to describe Janesville Parker High School soccer player Nicole Strieker.

Strieker has earned All-Big Eight Conference first-team recognition after an oustanding junior season.

Big Eight co-champion Middleton, led by goalkeeper Lauren Gunderson as Player of the Year, heads the first team with three selections.

Strieker, who made the second team last year, led the Vikings with 17 assists this season and was second in goals with 17. She saved her best for the big games—including the lone goal in Parker’s 1-0 win over crosstown rival Janesville Craig.

“Nicole’s got a big, bright future in soccer,” said Parker coach Matt Beisser, who resigned after the season. “I don’t whether her name will come up for all-state recognition because she doesn’t get the exposure that a lot of the big-name players do, but she’s as good as anyone in the state, as far as I’m concerned.

“Her greatest attribute was the fact that the bigger the game, the better she seemed to play.

“Nicole’s got amazing skills, and the sky’s the limit for her,” Beisser said. “She just needs to get on a high-level club team this summer where they can really appreciate the kind of player that she is.”

Parker’s Kelsey Bysted and Katie Prom has been named to the second team, along with Janesville Craig’s Kristy Benson and Megan Lindgren. Bysted, a senior-to-be, led the Vikings in goals with 23 and had 10 assists. Prom, a senior, was the anchor on defense.

Benson, Craig’s American Legion Medal winner, played midfield and spearheaded a Cougar offense that started to click by the end of the season. Lindgren was the top defender for the Cougars.

Craig goalkeeper Sofia Sanchez has earned honorable mention, along with Parker goalkeeper Sam Anacker, forward Ashleigh Busfield and midfielder Catie O’Leary.

Gunderson, a University of Wisconsin recruit, was the unanimous choice for Player of the Year. She allowed only two goals this season.

“Gunderson was groomed to be a goalie, and you can tell,” Beisser said. “She’s probably the best in the state at that position, and that’s why Wisconsin offered her a scholarship.”

All-Big Eight

girls soccer

FIRST TEAM

Forwards—Sammy Vovos, Middleton; Sidney Temple, Madison La Follette; Izzy Speer, Madison West.

Midfielders—Saskia Taylor, West; Kelsey Strohm, Madison Memorial; Nicole Strieker, Janesville Parker.

Defenders—Julia Eagleburger, West; Abby Meitzen, Middleton; Abby Beinlich, Memorial; Elise Olson, La Follette.

Goalkeeper—Lauren Gunderson, Middleton.

SECOND TEAM

Forwards—Morgan LaPlant, La Follette; Kendra Loch, Memorial; Kelsey Bysted, Parker.

Midfielder—Carlene Schleisman, Middleton; Shelly Hoffman, Middleton; Amanda Millard, La Follette; Kristy Benson, Janesville Craig.

Defenders—Katie Prom, Parker; Angel Garcia, Madison East; Alex Ostrum, Middleton; Megan Lindgren, Craig.

Goalkeeper—Sagan Pezzingrilli, West.

Player of the Year—Lauren Gunderson.

HONORABLE MENTION

Janesville Craig—Sofia Sanchez.Janesville Parker—Ashleigh Busfield, Catie O’Leary, Sam Anacker. Beloit Memorial—Anna Zibert, Megan Slavish. Madison East—Brooke Raymond, Sarah Czechowicz. Madison La Follette—Kristin Brown, Alex Vial.

Madison Memorial—Crystal Sims, MacKenzie Genin, Sara Levenick, Anna Whitcomb. Madison West—Kaylee Heller, Liz Christianson. Middleton—Alyssa Wichman, Amanda Lorentzen. Sun Prairie—Dakota Cox, Brittany Matz.