If there’s any doubt to how strong girls soccer is in Northern Kentucky, just turn to the Kentucky Girls High School Soccer Coaches Association first top 25 of the season.
Six from Northern Kentucky landed in the initial poll for the 2025 season. The highest ranked team is Notre Dame Academy at No. 4 with Simon Kenton No. 6, Cooper No. 10, Bishop Brossart No. 12, Conner No. 13 and Highlands No. 23.
(Teams 1-5)
Notre Dame currently sits at 4-2-1 on the season, owning a tie against No. 1 Sacred Heart and losses to No. 3 Assumption and No. 8 Central Hardin. Their gauntlet of a schedule also includes wins over No. 10 Cooper, No. 15 South Oldham, Dixie Heights and Badin (Ohio). They continue with No. 12 Bishop Brossart on Wednesday and No. 6 Simon Kenton, Sept. 3. They’ve allowed just four goals in their first seven games, Joelle Hentz leading the goalkeeping unit with 42 saves and a 0.7 goals against average. Matilda Gerges has yet to allow a goal in four games with 15 saves. Julia Stegman leads the team with four goals, Sadie Yapp with three goals and three assists.
(Teams 6-10)
Simon Kenton is 7-0-1 on the season with wins over Brossart and No. 20 Greenwood. They’ve scored 28 goals in the eight games led by Ella Smith with 10 goals and Reese Johnson with seven. Niya Johnson helps gets things started with six assists, Aniah Zembrodt with five. Makenna Doherty has 40 saves in goal with a 0.7 goals against average. After their district matchup with Grant County on Wednesday, they’ll have a week to prepare for their showdown with Notre Dame on Sept. 3.
(Teams 11-15)
Cooper’s 4-2 start has losses to Notre Dame and No. 22 Lafayette, but are outscoring opponents 21-1 in their four victories. They have three players with at least four goals, led by Lyna Ewell with five goals. Gracie Iles and and Olivia Haswell have four apiece. Alexa Shupe leads with five assists. Nine different players have scored a goal. Amanda Collins has recorded 21 saves, a 0.4 goals against average and two shutouts.
(Teams 16-20)
Bishop Brossart is 4-1-1, the lone loss to Simon Kenton and owns a win over Highlands and a tie with Lafayette. Outside of the 4-2 loss to Simon Kenton, they’ve allowed two goals in five games. Kylie Smith, Rylee Fuller and Rachel Shewmaker have scored 14 of their 17 goals so far on the year, Smith and Fuller with five, Shewmaker with four. Madeline Broering has 54 saves in six games with three clean sheets.
Conner is 3-2, they’ve lost to No. 2 Lexington Catholic, 2-0 and No. 7 Paul Laurence Dunbar, 1-0. In the three wins, they haven’t surrendered a goal and combining to win 11-0 in those contests. The offense is paced by Reagan Buchert with four goals, Ashley Sweetay and Maya Owen with two apiece. Cara Fay has three shutouts and a 0.6 goals against average. After a district matchup with Boone County on Wednesday, they face off with Bishop Brossart on Saturday.
(Teams 21-25)
Highlands sits at 0-3-1, but two of those losses are to ranked opponents including Sacred Heart and Bishop Brossart. The other is a loss to Summit Country Day out of Ohio, a back-to-back state champion in Division II and III. They tied with Ryle and have struggled to get the offense going with just two goals in those four games. Bailee Class has kept them in those contests with 32 saves in the four contests. The reigning 9th Region champs have a couple of district matchups with Bellevue and Newport Central Catholic before they face Notre Dame on Sept. 13 at Tower Park.
KHSAA announces state finals site (from the KHSAA)
The KHSAA will hold its 2025 boys’ and girls’ soccer finals at the Lexington Sporting Club’s (LSC) recently completed stadium at 200 Shives Drive, Lexington, KY 40509 in Lexington on Nov. 1. Working with Mayor Linda Gorton, the Urban County Council and the Lexington-Fayette County government, along with VisitLex and Bryan Brooks and the staff at the LSC, the Association has been negotiating to hold its championships at that location for more than a year.
“We try, where possible, feasible and affordable, to place our final events in our state’s prime facilities. That is especially difficult in the fall when almost all of our colleges and universities are using their facilities nearly full-time for events and activities by their own students, especially with soccer and volleyball, and with the tremendous limitations on needed space, such as parking, while school is in session,” said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett. “We are fortunate to have great relationships with our member school systems to use their facilities for the vast majority of competition, but we know that having our event at outside venues likely offers an enhanced experience for these students in their eyes.”
“Hosting the KHSAA Soccer State Finals at our stadium is more than an honor; it’s a testament to our commitment to growing the game in Kentucky,” said LSC Owner Stephen Dawahare. “From youth development to high school excellence, we’re dedicated to creating opportunities that elevate soccer at every level. This event unites communities across the Commonwealth, and we’re proud to provide a stage worthy of their passion and achievement.”
Lexington SC offers professional men’s and women’s teams as well as development clubs for high school and younger athletes, and has worked diligently with local coaches to ensure a path exists for the appropriate opportunities for students to perhaps consider playing for the developmental club without sacrificing high school play. The commitment is also evident by the hosting of regular season games for high schools at the stadium, including tomorrow’s Henry Clay vs. Paul Laurence Dunbar contest.
