Balashaitis, Martin, Macke, Paoli selected to Class 3A all-state first team by IGCA

Ankeny Centennial’s Ava Martin (middle) is congratulated by teammates Mady Postma (left) and Adeline Kroska after scoring a goal during the Jaguars’ 1-1 tie against visiting Waukee on May 9. Martin has been named to the Class 3A all-state first team for the second straight year by the Iowa Girls’ Coaches Association. Teammate Maddison Balashaitis was also a repeat pick. (Photo by Evan Reiter)

Girls’ soccer standouts Maddison Balashaitis and Ava Martin of Ankeny Centennial have been named to the Class 3A all-state first team by the Iowa Girls’ Coaches Association for the second straight year.

Ankeny star Alli Macke was also a repeat selection. She was joined on the squad by teammate Ava Paoli.

Balashaitis, a senior defender, helped the Jaguars to a 15-4-2 record and a trip to the Class 3A semifinals. She scored two goals and had one assist while also playing a key role for a defensive unit that posted 13 clean sheets.

Martin, a senior forward, led Centennial with 16 goals and 16 assists. She finished her career with 48 goals, which set a school record.

Macke, a senior midfielder, led the Hawkettes to an 11-3-3 mark and an appearance in the Class 3A state tournament. She scored a team-high 16 goals and also had five assists.

Paoli, a junior forward, racked up a team-high eight assists. She also contributed six goals.

All-district teams

Ankeny Centennial’s Maddison Balashaitis battles for the ball with Mariska Hagensick of Linn-Mar (Marion) while teammate Olivia Kroska looks on during the Jaguars’ 2-1 loss in the Class 3A semifinals on Thursday at the Lied Recreation Fields in Ames. Balashaitis and teammate Ava Martin were both repeat selections to the Class 3A West all-district squad by the Iowa Girls’ Coaches Association. Kroska and her sister, Adeline, were also all-district picks. (Photo courtesy of Travis Squires)

Balashaitis, Martin and Macke were also repeat selections to the IGCA Class 3A West all-district team.

Paoli was also named to the squad along with teammates Sophia Kephart and Avery Taylor. Centennial sisters Adeline and Olivia Kroska were all-district picks as well.

Kephart, a sophomore defender, scored one goal and had two assists. Taylor, a junior defender, added a goal and an assist.

Those two were also part of one of the state’s best defensive units. The Hawkettes posted 12 clean sheets.

Adeline Kroska, a freshman midfielder, scored six goals and had three assists. Olivia Kroska, a senior midfielder, contributed two goals and three assists.

Academic all-state team

Ankeny’s Alli Macke tries to dribble around Waukee defender Hannah Powers during the Hawkettes’ 2-1 loss in a shootout in the Class 3A quarterfinals on Tuesday at Ames. Macke has been named to the academic all-state team along with teammate Sylvia Bartlett by the Iowa Girls’ Coaches Association. (Photo courtesy of Travis Squires)

Macke and Olivia Kroska were also named to the academic all-state team by the IGCA. They were joined on the squad by two other seniors, Sylvia Bartlett of Ankeny and Addison Fair of Centennial.

Bartlett, a goalkeeper, allowed just three goals in 742 minutes of playing time this season. She recorded 26 saves.

Fair, a forward, was the Jaguars’ second-leading scorer with 10 goals.

All-conference teams

Ankeny’s Ava Paoli (No. 20) is hugged by teammate Alli Macke after scoring a goal during the Hawkettes’ 6-0 victory over visiting Urbandale on May 16. Both Paoli and Macke have been named to the CIML Conference first team by a vote of the league’s coaches. Macke was a repeat selection. (Photo courtesy of Travis Squires)

Balashaitis and Macke were both repeat selections to the CIML Conference first team. Balashaitis was also a unanimous pick.

Martin and Paoli were also named to the first team along Emily Conger of Centennial. Conger is a junior midfielder.

Both Kroska sisters were selected to the second team along with teammate Evie Boyle. Boyle, a junior defender, was a repeat selection.

Kephart was also named to the second team along with teammate Isabel Squires. Squires is a sophomore midfielder.

Bartlett and Taylor were selected to the third team along with teammate Abby Steinkamp, a freshman forward. Junior midfielder Emmarie Becker of Centennial was also a third-team pick.

Fair earned all-conference honorable mention along with three other Jaguars–sophomore defender Kenna Gray, sophomore goalkeeper Rylee Litchfield and sophomore midfielder Mady Postma. Gray was a repeat pick.

Junior forward Sydney Van Houweling of Ankeny also earned all-conference honorable mention for the second straight year. Senior defender Sophie Loeffler, freshman defender Kiersten Petersen and junior midfielder Kyla Schaapveld also earned honorable mention for the Hawkettes.