When it comes to responsibilities on a soccer field, the 2001 MVPs don't necessarily have much in common. One's a goalie, one's a forward and the other's a defender.
However, despite their differing roles, they all led their teams to state championships this year.
As a result, Skyline's Natalie Evans, Mountain View's Courtney Asay and Ogden's Liz Brooks are this year's girls soccer MVPs.
NATALIE EVANS, Skyline: During the history of prep girls soccer in Utah, there have been some impressive individual performances in big games. It's doubtful, however, that any compare with what Evans accomplished in this year's 5A championship game.
The Skyline keeper saved all four shots she faced in the shootout as the Eagles beat Jordan for their first state championship.
What was frightening is how easy she made it look.
"For most of the year she didn't have much of a chance to show how good she was," said Skyline coach Greg Deyle. "It was cool to see her get that chance."
Evans was rarely tested during Skyline's 10 regular season games in the weak Region 3, and not surprisingly, she shut out each opponent. She extended that streak to 11 by shutting out Riverton to open the playoffs, but the real test had yet to come.
With 5A's best yet to come, would Evans be as impressive? Absolutely.
In the quarterfinals, Skyline beat Alta in a shootout, thanks to Evans. In the semifinals, Skyline beat Weber in a shootout, again thanks to Evans. Then the senior helped Skyline beat Jordan in the championships, also in a shootout.
"It was evident (how important she was) in the last three games, but mostly in the last game," said Deyle.
Now Evans, who maintains a 4.0 GPA, will get a chance to shine at the next level. She's verbally committed to play at BYU, and Deyle envisions that she'll have similar success in college.
"I've seen that level before, and I really don't see why she couldn't start there and play for four solid years," said Deyle.
COURTNEY ASAY, Mountain View: The Bruins began this season with dreams of a repeat state championship. However, those dreams came into question when star forward Davia King injured herself before the season began.
In stepped Asay, and the Bruins didn't miss a beat in posting the first undefeated season in school history.
King eventually healed late in the season, and was a goal-scoring presence in the state tournament, but it was Asay's stability that kept the team clicking until that time. Even then, it was Asay that tallied the game-winning goal against Timpview in the championship.
"It was really nice to see Courtney step it up," said Mountain View coach Mike LaHargoue. "Most of her goals were against the better teams. She had a knack for scoring goals in the big games."
Asay, who maintains a 3.6 GPA, finished the year with 26 goals and 10 assists — not bad for someone who was the starting sweeper the year before. The year before that she was a midfielder. With such versatility, it only seems right that she'd play goalie during her senior year.
"With Courtney, you're getting someone who can play different positions," said LaHargoue. "Those types of players are big."
LIZ BROOKS, Ogden: All year, even despite finishing just third in Region 11, Ogden coach Rob Wilcoxen knew his team would be just fine once the state tournament rolled again.
"Defense wins championships," said Wilcoxen.
Sure enough, thanks to some outstanding defense by his senior sweeper, the Tigers beat beat Pine View, Ben Lomond and Park City en route to the 3A title.
"I feel our defense won the state tournament," said Wilcoxen. It's tough to argue considering that Ogden shut out three of its four playoff opponents.
Shutting out Park City, the two-time state champs, in the final cemented Brooks' status as a stand-out defender.
"She'll definitely be able to take it to the next level," said Wilcoxen.
Brooks isn't just a one-dimensional player either.
With her outstanding speed, it would've been easy for her just to be a player who simply chased the ball down and then booted it up the field.
She was smarter than that, as her 3.9 GPA attests, and through the years she gradually developed herself into a better possession player.
Wilcoxen really noticed that improvement during her junior year, and promptly switched her to defender.
Speed and ball control are rare qualities in high school defenders, but with hard work, Brooks became a player who possessed both.
Brooks also is on Ogden's track team.
E-mail: jedward@desnews.com