Top 10 Utah high school girls soccer teams to watch in 2015

Video: TOC Soccer - Timpanogos (Orem, UT)
See the revelry as MaxPreps and the Army National Guard honor the Timpanogos High girls soccer team last season.

Realignment has spiced things up for Utah girls soccer teams heading into the 2015 season. Traditional Class 5A power Alta has moved down to Class 4A. Meanwhile, 2014 region title winners Mountain Crest and Clearfield shift from Class 4A to Class 5A.

What's in store for 2015 amid all these changes? Find out here.


Davis (Kaysville)
The defending Class 5A champions have more than enough capability to repeat the feat this fall. Davis returns the bulk of its impact players from a year ago. Leading the group is Ireland Dunn. The senior midfielder, who has committed to play for the University of Utah, scored 18 goals and tallied 16 assists last year. Fellow midfielders Mikayla Colohan and Olivia Wade also return for the Darts.

Alta (Sandy)
It is easy to see the Hawks as an instant state title favorite in their debut season in the Class 4A ranks. Alta returns top scorer Sadie Mertlich up top. Mertlich paced the Hawks with 21 goals and seven assists a year ago. Defense will also be a strength again, starting with goalkeeper Isabel Jones, who posted eight shutouts in 2014.

Lone Peak (Highland)
One thing is certain – the cupboard is far from bare for the Knights, who were one of the nation's top teams last fall. After posting an undefeated and untied regular season in 2014, Lone Peak looks like a Class 5A title contender once again. The Knights return several key players, including midfielders Ellie Smith and Siri Dahl, plus forward Cameron Tucker.

Timpanogos (Orem)
There's a reason Timpanogos has won consecutive Class 4A titles and four in six years. The well of talent never dries up. Although it loses some offensive firepower, Timpanogos returns plenty of defensive standouts. Olivia Burnett and Imelda Williams are back to anchor the defensive back line. Both players are smart and aggressive defenders. Goalkeeper Carly Nelson also returns after coming up big in a pair of shootout wins during the 2014 Class 4A Tournament.

Brighton (Salt Lake City)
Counting the Bengals out is never a good idea. Brighton won the Class 5A title two years ago and has more than enough talent to be a title contender again. The only issue for the Bengals is experience after graduating several seniors. Senior forward Rachel Powley will keep the offense humming. Powley provides a potent scoring threat for the Bengals after tallying 16 goals a year ago.

Skyline (Salt Lake City)
Will this be the year where the Eagles finally break through? Skyline has not won a state title since 2001 and has fallen in the Class 4A championship match three out of the last four years. Many of the right ingredients seem to be in place for the Eagles to take flight in 2015. Top scorer Holly Daugirda returns after pacing Skyline with 19 goals last season, and Emma Heyn and Bella Sorenson are also capable scorers who can take defensive pressure off Daugirda.

Juan Diego Catholic (Draper)
The Soaring Eagles have not won a Class 3A title since claiming back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010. Juan Diego has enough talent and experience in its starting group to end the drought this season. Top playmaker Ashley Buck returns in the midfield after she tallied eight goals and five assists as a junior last season. Catherine Billings once again will anchor a defensive backfield that produced nine shutouts a year ago.

Viewmont (Bountiful)
Competing for Class 5A championships is nothing new for the Vikings. They reached the Class 5A title game four consecutive seasons from 2010 to 2013 – winning it all in 2012 against Alta. There's no reason Viewmont can't take a step forward again. Leading scorer Tori Page is back in the midfield after posting nine goals a year ago. Grace Johnson also returns to lead the defensive back line.

Cedar City
A year after claiming the school's first Class 3A title in girls soccer, Cedar City could be poised to do it again. The team returns its biggest playmakers in the midfield and defense. Nicole Jenkins tallied 17 goals and 10 assists to lead Cedar offensively a year ago. Makenna Clark was an effective two-way player in 2014, with six goals and seven assists from the back line.

Rowland Hall-St. Marks (Salt Lake City)
Team leaders returning at key positions should make the defending Class 2A champions a tough team to beat again this fall. Liz Baer, the team's No. 2 scorer in 2014, returns up top after scoring 13 goals a year ago. Mariah Papac is a dynamic player in the midfield who can cover a ton of ground. Papic tallied six goals and assists apiece in 2014 and made several huge plays during the team's successful championship run.

John Coon covers Utah high school sports for MaxPreps. You can email John at john_coon@hotmail.com and follow him on Twitter at @johncoonsports