Defending conference champions Crown Point and Munster will try to fend off a top 10 full of challengers.
Top 10 teams
1. Crown Point (18-3): The defending Duneland Athletic Conference champion lost key players to graduation, but senior Brooklyn Rosenbaum anchors the back line, and juniors Ryleigh Salisbury and Ariana Schutt, who had eight goals and 10 assists last season, return to lead the attack. The Bulldogs appear primed to chase a seventh straight Class 3A sectional title.
2. Chesterton (15-5): The Trojans, who also won a sectional title last season and lost to Crown Point in the regional after finishing second in the conference, has holes to fill too. But sophomore forward Lilly Duracz, who had seven goals and five assists, and sophomore goalkeeper McKenzie Cochran, who had six shutouts, are poised for breakout seasons.
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3. Valparaiso (7-8-1): As conference rivals trend younger, the Vikings are relying on senior leadership. Defender Diana Cespedes and midfielder Mia Smith, who scored 11 goals last year, return to steady a group looking to rebound from a streaky season that included a five-game unbeaten run and then four straight losses.
4. Lake Central (13-3): Senior midfielder Liana Navarro, who had 10 goals and 10 assists in 2024 but missed last season with an ACL injury, returns to give the Indians a major boost. Sophomore Amelia Felus anchors the defense, helping offset the loss of senior midfielder Zoe Panzica to a season-ending knee injury. Matthew Plawecki takes over as the coach.
5. Munster (8-6-3): The defending Northwest Crossroads Conference champion lost 10 players to graduation, but senior defender Jensen Kekelik leads a young, talented core for a program that consistently replenishes its depth.
6. Hanover Central (12-6-1): The Wildcats, who have won five straight Class 2A sectional titles, could challenge Munster in the NCC. Their big three return: senior midfielder Julianna Bonato; sophomore midfielder Addison Bonner, who scored 23 goals last season; and senior goalkeeper Layla Nestor, who had three shutouts.
7. Illiana Christian (11-2-2): The Vikings move to the NCC after winning the Greater South Shore Conference last season. Senior midfielder Ashlee VanderMeer, who scored eight goals, leads a team capable of shaking up the conference hierarchy under first-year coach MacKenzie Rainwater.
8. Portage (9-8): The Indians have the most prolific scorer in the DAC. Junior forward Mali Kennedy recorded 51 goals and 15 assists last season and is the type of player who can elevate a team. Senior goalkeeper Lyla DeLeon, who had two shutouts, is among the area’s best too.
9. Hobart (12-5): The Brickies add to the challenges facing Munster in the NCC. Senior forward Kurah Krucina led the conference with a single-season team-record 32 goals last season, and junior midfielders Rylee Christman, who had 17 goals and 11 assists, and Val Rodriguez, who had 12 assists, provide additional offense. Junior Gabrielle Baldridge and seniors Emma Bullington and Olivia Mehay lead the defense.
10. Highland (11-8-1): The Trojans, who won a Class 2A sectional title last year after an inconsistent regular season, should be even stronger. Senior forward Madelyn Gora, who scored 10 goals, leads an offense that returns nearly all of its production, and senior Sloane Zygmunt bolsters the defense.
25 players to watch
• Julianna Bonato, Hanover Central, senior, midfielder
• Addison Bonner, Hanover Central, sophomore, midfielder
• Elsie Burlingham, DeMotte Christian, sophomore, forward
• Diana Cespedes, Valparaiso, senior, defender
• McKenzie Cochran, Chesterton, sophomore, goalkeeper
• Lyla DeLeon, Portage, senior, goalkeeper
• Katie Dillin, Kouts, junior, forward
• Lilly Duracz, Chesterton, sophomore, forward
• Amelia Felus, Lake Central, sophomore, defender
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• Madelyn Gora, Highland, senior, forward
• Claire Huber, LaPorte, junior, forward
• Jensen Kekelik, Munster, senior, defender
• Mali Kennedy, Portage, junior, forward
• Kurah Krucina, Hobart, senior, foward
• Liana Navarro, Lake Central, senior, midfielder
• Layla Nestor, Hanover Central, senior, goalkeeper
• Rhianna Ramos, Boone Grove, senior, midfielder/forward
• Brooklyn Rosenbaum, Crown Point, senior, defender
• Ryleigh Salisbury, Crown Point, junior, midfielder
• Ariana Schutt, Crown Point, junior, forward
• Juliet Skowronski, Kankakee Valley, junior, midfielder/forward
• Mia Smith, Valparaiso, senior, midfielder
• Mallory Stordeur, Griffith, junior, forward/midfielder
• Ashlee VanderMeer, Illiana Christian, senior, midfielder
• Helen Weber, Andrean, senior, goalkeeper
Noah Poser is a freelance reporter.
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