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Meet the stars on the first team of our 26th News-Gazette All-Area Girls' Soccer team
Sophia Adams
Champaign Central senior forward
Why she made the first team ... The Maroons won 26 games in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, followed by a six-win 2023 campaign. The difference? Central struggled to score with Adams sidelined with a broken hand. She came back for an All-Big 12 honorable mention senior year with 16 goals and nine assists to help lead the Maroons to a 13-win season and a regional title.
She needs tickets to see ... Summer Smash.
Before she competes, she eats ... Sonic french toast sticks.
Her dream career is ... a business owner.
Her favorite school subject is ... art.
Her favorite athlete is ... Trinity Rodman.
Her favorite movie is ... “Divergent.”
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... Marilyn Monroe, Zendaya and Alexa Demie.
Three things on her bucket list are ... skydiving, visiting Iceland and seeing the Northern Lights.
Nadia Biegler
Mahomet-Seymour senior midfielder
Why she made the first team ... Biegler’s stats don’t pop off the page — two goals and seven assists — but she helped control every aspect of games to help the Bulldogs win a regional title. She was a four-year starter for M-S and capped her high school career with All-Apollo Conference First-Team and All-Sectional honors.
She needs tickets to see ... a Billy Strings concert.
After she competes, she drinks ... a McDonald’s root beer.
Her dream career is ... a surgeon.
Her favorite school subject is ... biology.
Her favorite athlete is ... Kobbie Mainoo.
Her favorite TV show is ... “South Park.”
If she could have dinner with any two people from any time period, she would pick ... her Great-Grandma Florence and Jesus Christ.
Three things on her bucket list are ... visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, getting into medical school and learning how to play the banjo.
Alicia Fernandez
Centennial freshman midfielder/forward
Why she made the first team ... As Centennial coach Thair Al-Saqri put it, “23 goals as a freshman speaks for itself.” Fernandez made the second team in the Big 12 Conference, one of the tougher conferences in the state, and secured an All-Sectional selection. With the Chargers’ young core leading the way, they have plenty of potential to have another successful year in 2025.
She needs tickets to see ... eurocopa.
Before she competes, she drinks ... a blue Gatorade.
Her dream career is ... a teacher.
Her favorite school subject is ... Spanish.
Her favorite athlete is ... Toni Kroos.
Her favorite movie is ... “My Fault.”
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... her dad, brother and mom.
Three things on her bucket list are ... attending the World Cup, making it to state and becoming a professional soccer player.
Addison Finet
Monticello sophom*ore forward
Why she made the first team ... Finet’s 38 goals were a lot of things: the most of any player in the area, the most any player has scored in a single season (clear by seven goals) in program history and a big reason why the Sages netted a program-record 109 goals. The team’s Offensive Player of the Year is closing in on Mia Maupin’s Monticello career record of 95, and she still has two more seasons to go.
She needs tickets to see ... a Zach Bryan concert.
Before she competes, she eats ... peach rings.
Her dream career is ... a physical therapist.
Her favorite school subject is ... math.
Her favorite athlete is ... Mallory Swanson.
Her favorite TV show is ... “S.W.A.T.”
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... her grandpa and two sisters.
Three things on her bucket list are ... traveling to Turks and Caicos, doing a semester at sea and skydiving.
Payton Kaiser
Centennial junior midfielder
Why she made the first team ... The News-Gazette’s Player of the Year, Kaiser was one of the most dominant players around and one of only two in the area to earn All-State honors. She tallied 13 goals and 10 assists and made her third consecutive All-Sectional Team and All-Big 12 Conference First Team. She’s been at the forefront of the Chargers’ turnaround from a one-win team four years ago to a regional title contender.
She needs tickets to see ... a SZA concert.
Before she competes, she drinks ... a BodyArmor.
Her dream career is ... something to do with sports.
Her favorite school subject is ... science.
Her favorite athlete is ... Alex Morgan.
Her favorite movie is ... “Anyone but You.”
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... Alex Morgan, Jill Ellis and Lionel Messi.
Three things on her bucket list are ... skydiving, visiting Hawaii and snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef.
Mary Katheryn Kluesner
St. Thomas More defender/midfielder/forward
Why she made the first team ... Kluesner was all over the field this season. Literally. She played just about every field position you could think of and contributed to double-digit team goals. Kluesner recorded the game-tying assist in the Sabers’ 1-1 regional semifinal loss to Monticello in penalty kicks and was the captain of a young, inexperienced STM team.
She needs tickets to see ... a Morgan Wallen concert.
Before she competes, she eats ... a granola bar and drinks a peach vibe Celcius.
Her dream career is ... a dietitian for a professional sports team.
Her favorite school subject is ... history.
Her favorite athlete is ... Lindsey Horan.
Her favorite TV show is ... “Ted Lasso.”
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... Caitlin Clark, Jason Sudeikis and Jesus.
Three things on her bucket list are ... visiting Greece, attending a World Cup game and going to a concert.
Allison Nebelsick
Monticello junior goalkeeper
Why she made the first team ... Nebelsick rewrote the Sages’ goalie record book this season and is set up to make her numbers nearly untouchable next year. Her 14 shutouts were a school record, putting her at 30 for her career, also a school record. She only allowed 14 goals all season, and her sub-one career per-game goals allowed average is below the Monticello record.
She needs tickets to see ... the Indy 500.
Before she competes, she drinks ... a lot of water.
Her dream career is ... a professional soccer player.
Her favorite school subject is ... math.
Her favorite athlete is ... T.J. Oshie.
Her favorite TV show is ... any “NCIS.”
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... John Cooper, Adam Sandler and Will Power.
Three things on her bucket list are ... visiting Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon and Greece.
Rylie Schulze
Champaign Central freshman midfielder
Why she made the first team ... A natural defender, Schulze had to step up and play a different role as an attacking midfielder for the Maroons, and she played it well. The Player of the Year candidate scored 19 goals and dished out six assists to lead Central to a regional title. Only a freshman, Schulze earned an All-Sectional nod and made the All-Big 12 First Team.
She needs tickets to see ... a Zach Bryan concert.
Before she competes, she eats ... a bagel with plain cream cheese and drinks lots of water.
Her dream career is ... a college athletic director.
Her favorite school subject is ... math.
Her favorite athlete is ... Julie Ertz.
Her favorite TV show is ... “Ted Lasso.”
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... both of her grandmas and her cousin.
Three things on her bucket list are ... visiting Bora Bora, traveling the world and attending a U.S. women’s soccer game.
Chloe Sikora
Urbana sophom*ore midfielder/forward
Why she made the first team ... On a team with 2023 N-G Player of the Year Celia Barkley and potent goal-scorer Samantha Christman, Sikora couldn’t help but thrive. She tallied an area-best 23 assists to go along with 17 goals, and she owns two of the state’s top-10 spots for most assists in a game this year. Sikora made the All-Sectional Team and All-Big 12 Conference First Team.
She needs tickets to see ... a Manchester United game.
Before she competes, she eats ... pretzels.
Her dream career is ... an actress.
Her favorite school subject is ... art.
Her favorite athlete is ... Cristiano Ronaldo.
Her favorite TV show is ... “Friends.”
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... Raini Rodriguez, Central Cee and Zendaya.
Three things on her bucket list are ... traveling to Italy, attending a World Cup game and meeting a celebrity.
Cricket Wagner
Champaign Central senior defender/midfielder
Why she made the first team ... Wagner finished her senior season strong after being named Central’s Female Athlete of the Year in early May. She read the field well and prevented teams from getting many scoring chances, leading the Maroons to a regional title. She also netted 10 goals to provide another consistent offensive threat. Her performance earned her All-Sectional and All-Big 12 First Team recognition.
She needs tickets to see ... a SZA concert.
Before she competes, she drinks ... a lot of water.
Her dream career is ... a fashion designer.
Her favorite school subject is ... English.
Her favorite athletes are ... her siblings — Peter, Judd and Kat Wagner.
Her favorite movie is ... “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” and her favorite TV show is “One Tree Hill.”
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... Jeff Buckley, Mac Miller and her Grandpa Papa.
Three things on her bucket list are ... having her own clothing brand, skydiving and attending New York Fashion Week, hopefully with her designs in it.
Paislee Welge
Mahomet-Seymour sophom*ore defender
Why she made the first team ... One of two area All-State players, Welge had a drastic change in play style from last season to this year. She led the Bulldogs with 21 goals last year but anchored the defense this season with just two goals and three assists. Her technical play was a big factor in leading M-S to a regional championship, and she was tied for the top vote-getter in her sectional for the All-Sectional Team.
She needs tickets to see ... an NCAA women’s championship game.
Before she competes, she eats ... pickles.
Her dream career is ... owning a business.
Her favorite school subject is ... math.
Her favorite athlete is ... Simone Biles.
Her favorite TV show is ... “All American.”
If she could have dinner with any three people from any time period, she would pick ... SZA, Kobe Bryant and her mom.
Three things on her bucket list are ... traveling the world, skydiving and meeting a famous role model of hers.
Zach Piatt is a prep sports reporter at The News-Gazette. He can be reached at zpiatt@news-gazette.com.
