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Next season, Aledo soccer coach Derek Vierling will look up at the scoreboard and wish he still had Star-Telegram Girls Player of the Year Ally Swift.
As a senior, Swift tore up opposing defenses at a record pace, scoring 46 goals as the Bearcats won their district.
F Ally Swift, Sr., Aledo: Swift, the Star-Telegram Girls Player of the Year, finished the regular season with an incredible 46 goals, and a career mark of 106.
F Sophie Groff, Jr., Southlake Carroll: Groff finished with 32 goals, nine of them game-winners, and had 10 assists.
F Madeline Hamm, Sr., FW Paschal: Hamm was a co-MVP in 4-5A after finishing the regular season with 17 goals.
F Lauren Heller, Sr., Keller: Heller had 15 goals and six assists to help lead her team to its first District 7-5A title (shared with Carroll).
M MaKenzie Koch, Sr., Mansfield Legacy: Koch was the top midfielder in District 5-5A, earning the district's midfielder MVP award.
M Madison Hall, So., Birdville: Hall was solid in the midfield and also played forward, totaling 26 goals and 12 assists.
M Stephanie Sorrells, Jr., Birdville: Sorrells played a key defensive role and still scored 17 goals and had eight assists.
D Amanda Kleifgen, Sr., Arlington: Kleifgen, a sweeper, was the backbone for a strong Colts defense and earned 4-5A co-MVP honors.
D Molly Dondero, Sr., Arlington Lamar: In 4-5A, a district full of talented and stingy defenses, Dondero earned defensive player of the year.
D Taylor Rhodes, Sr., FW Western Hills: Rhodes was the best defender and player in District 13-4A; she earned the district's MVP award.
GK Ariana Morrison, Sr., Trophy Club Nelson: Morrison anchored Nelson's defense, which recorded six shutouts in 11-4A, one of the toughest 4A districts in the state.
"She's going to be sorely missed," Vierling said.
Swift finished her career at Aledo as the school's all-time leading scorer with 106 goals. But she didn't spend much of her time looking at the scoreboard.
"I never kept count; I just moved on," Swift said. "I looked at the time, but never at the score."
Swift can send the ball into the net with both feet, with power, a gift that makes her constantly dangerous.
"She hit some bombs this year," said Vierling , who watched Swift score several goals from more than 30 yards away.
Swift scored six goals in a game, four goals in a game twice and had four hat tricks. But she didn't concentrate on her stats.
"They don't even mean a lot to me," said Swift, who had to be told that she had reached 100 career goals. "I'm hoping that will carry over to college. I want to just play as hard as I can every minute without worrying about the score."
Swift was always in the middle of the action for the Bearcats. She also had 22 assists.
"She really anticipates how to be in the right place at the right time, and she had a great rapport with several of the other girls on the team," Vierling said. "But for her, it's just not about the awards and records. She's all about her team and her school. She's probably embarrassed to accept this honor, but it's so well deserved."
Aledo football coach and athletic director Tim Buchanan watched Johnathan Gray set multiple state rushing records in his career at Aledo. He sees Swift as a similar athlete.
"She is a really good kid, and her talent and the way she played brought a lot of notoriety to our school and soccer program," Buchanan said. "What she did for our soccer team is a lot like what Johnathan did for our football team. You watch her play, and she's head and shoulders above everyone else."
Swift has received an appointment to Air Force, where she hopes to score more goals.
"I'm looking forward to what I can do in college," Swift said. "I'm already getting extra training to get ready."
Brent Shirley
817-390-7760
Twitter: @bshirley08
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