On Sunday, the Minnesota State High School Soccer Coaches Association announced its 2024 Mr. and Ms. Soccer winners, awarded to the top senior in each class as voted upon by the coaches association.
St. Cloud’s Molly Burkstrand, Highland Park’s Tenzing Walker among Mr. and Ms. Soccer award winners
Minneapolis Washburn’s Ronan Selbo becomes Washburn’s second Class 3A Mr. Soccer winner in a row.
Mr. Soccer
Class 1A: Donovan Sinicropi, Minnehaha Academy
Sinicropi’s regular season included a conference-best 19 goals, plus 11 assists, for a Redhawks team that finished ranked No. 3 in 1A. The senior co-captain has played for Minnesota United’s academy in MLS Next and is Minnehaha’s first Mr. Soccer. The midfielder scored three times in Minnehaha’s section quarterfinal and assisted three more in its semifinal victory before losing to No. 1 St. Paul Academy in section finals.
Class 2A: Tenzing Walker, Highland Park
Another first-ever Mr. Soccer for his program — and for the St. Paul City Conference — Walker finished his Highland Park career as the school’s all-time leading goal scorer, with 33 goals and 22 assists. The Scots finished second in their conference, helped by Walker’s play worthy of St. Paul City Player of the Year honors.
Class 3A: Ronan Selbo, Minneapolis Washburn
Selbo is Washburn’s second Class 3A Mr. Soccer winner in a row, after last year’s honoree, Emmett Brown. After Brown, the Millers’ leading scorer, graduated, midfielder Selbo burst from two goals last year to 15 this year, helping the Millers earn the No. 1 seeding in the state tournament.
Ms. Soccer
Class 1A: Samantha Perez, St. Charles/Lewiston-Altura
The St. Charles attacker has scored 35 goals and recorded 12 assists this year to help the Saints to a No. 3 seed in the state tournament, a year after finishing runner-up at state. She scored a hat trick in the Saints’ 3-1 win over Dover-Eyota in the Class 1A Section 1 championship.
Class 2A: Molly Burkstrand, St. Cloud Tech
Burkstrand, a Bemidji State commit, has scored 61 goals at an unmatched pace this year, breaking the state single-season scoring record (60, set in 2009) and sending St. Cloud Tech back to the state tournament for the first time since 2001.
Class 3A: Jenna Maloy, White Bear Lake
The Bears attacker committed to South Dakota State found the back of the net 28 times this year in a tough conference and section schedule filled with top teams in the state. She also dished nine assists to her Bears teammates as the Suburban East team stood atop the Class 3A state rankings for most of the season before falling to East Ridge in their section championship.
The Elks relied on their power run game to drain the clock and keep the ball out of the Cardinals’ hands.