All of this year’s Deseret News Players of the Year have something in common: each one lead their team to state championships. All of them were lethal offensively, and nearly all of them are currently committed to or signed with a college program.
Here’s a look at the 2025 Deseret News girls soccer Players of the Year who made the biggest impacts on the field this season.
6A Player of the Year
Taylee Hughes, Syracuse, Sr., F
Taylee Hughes led Syracuse to its best season in school history. Not only did Hughes lead the Titans to a region title in a tough Region 1, She also led Syracuse to its first-ever state championship over a dominant Lone Peak team.
Oh, and she did so leading 6A in goals with 26 on the year.
Her knack for scoring goals was immensely useful in the Titans’ postseason run, especially in their semifinal win over Davis and championship win over Lone Peak.
“Throughout the season we relied heavily on Taylee to score goals for us, which she did an amazing job at, having led 6A with 26 goals,” said Syracuse head coach Jason Steiner. “But probably more important to the team was her leadership and unselfishness. As a second-year captain, she was willing to do whatever it took to help the team and that was reflected in the team chemistry and the way the team played.”
Despite scoring the opening goal in the championship game, her biggest play may have been a defensive one. Syracuse was up 1-0 in the 72nd minute and Lone Peak had a dangerous shot for the equalizer, but Hughes got a foot on it to keep the Titans’ lead.
Hughes ends a four-year varsity career with 46 goals and 20 assists. She’s also continuing her soccer career at the next level at Utah Tech.
“She has won multiple national championships with her club team, so she knows what it takes,” Steiner said. “I could ask her throughout the season what the team needed that week and she was always spot-on. When we hit the playoffs, Tay scored in every game, with 3 game-winners. And in the final, she played up top and in the midfield, had a goal and an assist and had a vital sliding defensive save in front of her own goal. A perfect, although small, representation of what she did all season long to help her team win.”
5A Player of the Year
Belle Sorensen, Bountiful, Sr., F
Sorensen’s high school career couldn’t have ended more perfectly. Not only was she named the 5A Player of the Year for the second consecutive year, but she also helped Bountiful finally push over the hump to its first state championship since 2006.
The Redhawks reached the championship game in 2022 and 2023, and the semifinals in 2024, but they could never get that elusive last win. Sorensen was a massive part in finally achieving that championship success. She and teammate Myka Page each had a pair of assists and goals to earn a win over Olympus in the championship game.
Sorensen ended her four-year varsity career with 81 goals and 33 assists. She was named to an all-state team all four years, including a first-team appearance her sophomore year and 5A Player of the Year both her junior and senior years.
She’s been committed to UVU since early in her junior year, and she officially signed with the team last week.
“Belle Sorensen put an exclamation mark on the last season of her incredible high school career,” Bountiful head coach Kris Hamlet said. “Statistically, she proved to be one of the most dynamic offensive threats in the state, leading all 5A players in scoring while also ranking second overall in assists. Her incredible technical ability, work rate and vision allowed her to score crucial goals and to regularly set up her teammates. As a team captain and one of the hardest workers in the program, Belle’s dedication and leadership set the example for her teammates on the way to Bountiful’s championship.”
4A Player of the Year
Lottie Smith, Snow Canyon, Sr., F
Snow Canyon’s Lottie Smith had a significant jump in production from her junior year to her senior year. She was a productive player, with 13 goals in each of her sophomore and junior years.
This year however, Smith jumped up to 25 goals, leading her team to a 4A state championship and earning 4A Player of the Year honors.
Smith quite literally saved Snow Canyon’s season in the championship game. It was a tight game with Ridgeline, but Smith scored the only two goals for the Warriors in the championship game. Regulation and both overtime periods ended with a 2-2 tie, and Snow Canyon’s experience in shootouts gave it the edge for the 4A crown.
“Lottie is as resilient and determined as any player I’ve worked with,” said Snow Canyon head coach Connor Brown. “She fought through adversity physically and emotionally so that she was always ready for the next opportunity. She scored early in games and she scored late in games because she worked to be ready when her chance came.”
Throughout her time at Snow Canyon, Smith put up 55 goals and 22 assists. Smith is signed to play at the next level with Southern Virginia.
“She’s an incredible finisher, an elite dribbler and an intelligent player with her movement and positioning,” Brown said. “Above all, Lottie is positive, she is a bright person with a bright future and deserves this for her character and effort.”
3A Player of the Year
Elle Weston, Ogden, Jr., F
There’s one word you could use to describe this year’s 3A Player of the Year Elle Weston: productive.
Weston scored a staggering 42 goals en route to a dominant 3A championship win. Ogden ended the season on a 14-game win streak and lost only two games on the year, one to Woods Cross and one to Farmington.
“Elle Weston has an exceptional on-field presence and persistent work ethic that has established her as a powerful leader on the field,” said Ogden head coach Alexis King. “She dominated the attack by recording 42 goals and 7 assists, yet one of her greatest strengths was her tactical adaptability. Elle could instantly make adjustments for the team’s success, whether that meant being the primary goal-scorer, setting up her teammates or finding a different strategy to help her find the space she needed to score.”
Weston led the dominant effort in the 3A playoffs. Over the course of three postseason games, the Tigers outscored opponents 20-3. Weston scored seven of those goals in Ogden’s championship run.
Despite only being a junior, Weston already has 66 career goals under her belt. She also committed to Baylor earlier this year.
“Elle was a crucial player in the attack each game, however her impact extended beyond offense,” King said. “She made a difference defensively as a forward, frequently attacking from behind to win possession for our team. Additionally, Elle is an encouraging teammate who is genuinely excited to see her teammates succeed.”
2A Player of the Year
Milana Massinople, Waterford, Sr., F
At points during the year, Waterford’s Milana Massinople was just dominant. The unique thing about her is that she’s an equal scoring threat and passing threat.
Look no further than Waterford’s 2A championship run. In the quarterfinal against Beaver, Massinople scored a massive six goals in a dominant win. Then in the semifinal, she elected to defer to her teammates and dished out two assists.
She ended a dominant senior year with 29 goals and 25 assists, and helped Waterford to its eighth state championship.
“Milana is a standout player with a seemingly endless reservoir of energy and talent,” Waterford head coach Jeannie Woller said. “She had a legendary season, scoring an incredible number of goals — some from unassisted corner kicks, others as the cherry on top of a dynamic team-wide passing game. Additionally, she led the team in assists, taking as much joy in creating opportunities for others as she does in scoring herself.”
Her ability to be a dual threat shows in her final high school stats of 69 goals and 65 assists. She was also named to the 2A first team her sophomore year, 2A second team her junior year and now receives 2A Player of the Year honors her senior year.
“As captain and 4-year starter, she supported younger, growing players, bringing warmth, humor and an inviting presence to the team while modeling focus, calm and hard work under pressure,” Woller said. “Beyond her remarkable season, Milana is a humble and positive person who carries her on-field talents into all aspects of her life. She has earned every celebration that comes her way.”