ALTON - The Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association (IHSSCA) announced its year-end All-State selections.
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99 players from all across Illinois are chosen. These three local players stood out among the rest in the 618 area.
First, senior midfielder Kiley McMinn was named the IHSSSCA Girls Player of the Year as well as earning All-State honors.
McMinn was one of the St. Louis region's top scorers with 49 goals and 10 assists this season. She helped her O'Fallon team to a 21-3-1 record and a Class 3A state title.
O'Fallon head coach Justin Judiscak once called her the best player he's ever coached earlier this season after a 4-2 win over Edwardsville.
Speaking of Edwardsville, senior midfielder Olivia Baca was named to the All-State team as well for the Tigers.
Also a prolific scorer, Baca finished with 26 goals and 11 assists this season as her team went 19-4, ending the year with a 3-0 loss to the eventual state champion Panthers in the sectional semifinals.
After beginning the season with a 5-3 record, the Tigers won 14 straight. Three of Edwardsville's four loses on the season were against O'Fallon.
Baca was one of those players that you always had to be aware of where she was on the field. She could score with both feet, had the skills to beat a defender one on one, and had a very high soccer IQ.
Another player like that was Civic Memorial's senior midfielder Aubree Wallace.
Wallace had to overcome one of the worst injuries in sports, a torn ACL that she picked up during basketball season, but she came back out her senior season on a mission.
A staple in the CM midfield, she could always pick out the perfect pass as if she was reading her teammates' minds. That's the kind of chemistry Wallace and her teammates had.
She ended her senior season earning a spot on the All-State team thanks to a 23 goal, 28 assist campaign.
The Eagles finished the season with a 16-9 record.
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