Apel named all-American
The awards keep rolling in for Erelyn Apel.
Apel, a 2024 Sauk Prairie graduate and a standout soccer player, was named an All-American by the United Soccer Coaches. Apel was also named first-team all-state by the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association.
Sauk Prairie senior midfielder McKayla Paukner also received honorable-mention all-state honors from the WSCA.
Apel, a standout goalie who will play collegiately at UW-La Crosse, finished the year with 87 saves, 10 shutouts and an .890 save percentage. She also played in the field occasionally and finished the year with two goals and three assists.
“Erelyn will go down as one of the most instrumental players in this program’s rise over the past four seasons,” former Eagles coach Drew Kornish said of Apel. “Her leadership and skill drove us to the success our team was able to have this season.”
A total of 43 girls players earned All-America honors, including seven from Wisconsin.
Other Wisconsin players named All-Americans included senior forward Anna Sikorski of Muskego, senior defender Charlise Smith of Waunakee, senior midfielder Sarah Stadler of New Berlin Eisenhower, senior midfielder Abigail Stanton of Madison West, senior forward Jenna Baumann of D.C. Everest, and junior forward Claire Shea of Menomonee Falls.
Sikorski, a University of Kentucky commit, was named the WSCA Player of the Year and an All-American for the second consecutive season. Sikorski led the Warriors (17-1-4) to their third straight WIAA Division 1 state championship.
Paukner had a team-high 19 goals and 12 assists. She also added five game-winning goals, including tallies against McFarland and Madison Edgewood.
“McKayla’s season this year was her pinnacle season here at Sauk Prairie,” Kornish said. “Her skill and leadership made her one of the best players in the conference and our team the best team in the Badger Small.
“It was an absolute pleasure to have coached her the past three seasons leading up to this one. This season was an honor to be able to watch her lead.”
All-State Girls Soccer First Team
Name Yr. School
Anna Sikorski Sr. Muskego (POY)
Erelyn Apel Sr. Sauk Prairie
Jenna Baumann Sr. D.C. Everest
Sonoma Bever Jr. Edgewood
Cora Erickson Jr. Cedar Grove-Belgium
Senah Hanes Sr. Kimberly
Elyse Leinweber Sr. Whitefish Bay
Clare Shea Jr. Menomonee Falls
Charli Smith Sr. Waunakee
Sarah Stadler Sr. New Berlin Eisenhower
Abbey Stanton Sr. Madison West
Second Team
Name Yr. School
Chloe Cline Sr. Sussex Hamilton
Charlotte Fetherston Sr. DSHA
Eiley Henderson Sr. Kettle Moraine
Mia Hurd Soph. Cedarburg
Melina Knowles Sr. Plymouth
Emily McCarthy Sr. Kimberly
Talan Nobile Sr. Cedarburg
Kayden Schmidt Sr. Nicolet
Katelyn Studebaker Sr. Oregon
Amaya Thesing Sr. Onalaska
Addison Werth Jr. Oregon
Honorable Mention
Bella Brenkman, Sr., New Glarus; Kylie Albert, Sr., New Richmond; Kaylei Anderson, Sr., De Pere; Olivia Bahr, Jr., Cedar Grove-Belgium; Hailey Batzner, Sr., Plymouth; Hannah Bochler, Sr., Ashland; Sydney Bollis, Sr., Franklin; Anya Brenkman, Jr., New Glarus; Samantha Brown, Sr., Kettle Moraine; Audrey Burnell, Sr., Notre Dame; Amelia Castleberg, Soph., Stevens Point; Mabel Ciepluch, Sr., Milwaukee King; Tessa Czajkowski Higgins, Jr., Prairie du Chien; Ellayna Czemiejewski, Soph., Pewaukee; Veronica Decker, Sr., Pulaski; Meg Decker, Jr., The Prairie School; Isabelle Dehner, Sr., Monona Grove; Kalli Drexler, Sr., Appleton North; Avery Fitzgerald, Jr., Arrowhead; Adelyn Frantz, Jr., Middleton; Elise Freeman, Sr., McFarland; Molly Frost, Sr., Wauwatosa West; Victoria Gonzalez, Jr., DSHA; Eve Gricius, Sr., Oconomowoc; Brynn Haigh, Jr., Sussex Hamilton; Kate Heiderscheit, Sr., La Crosse Central; Madonna Helf, Frosh., Whitefish Bay; Sam Hendry, Sr., Notre Dame; Mallory Herber, Sr., Bay Port; Lola Hernandez, Sr., Madison Memorial; Delaney Hoelker, Sr., Oregon; Ava Hopper, Jr., D.C. Everest; Braelyn Hundt, Soph., Brookfield East; Sophie Ignatowski, Sr., Arrowhead; Julia James, Sr., Union Grove; Alexis Jamiola, Sr., New Berlin Eisenhower; Ellie Judkins, Sr., St. Mary’s Springs; Sophie Kasel, Sr., Middleton; Kalli Knowles, Soph., Plymouth; Abby Lom, Sr., Kimberly; Elsa Maurer, Soph., Muskego; Reece McCabe, Soph., Oregon; Anya McKay, Sr., Mount Horeb; Ani Minic, Sr., Westosha; Lola Minic, Sr., Westosha; Eliza Mitich, Soph., Oconomowoc; Klara Muench, Jr., Muskego; Stella Nielsen, Sr., New Richmond; Rylan Oberg, Sr., DeForest; Ella Opie, Jr., Pewaukee; Karina Osborn, Jr., River Valley; McKayla Paukner, Sr., Sauk Prairie; Izzy Plesac, Sr., Verona; Anya Purtell, Sr., Madison West; Izzy Rizzo, Sr., Wauwatosa East; Ella Rogowski, Sr., Germantown; JoJo Rosenfeld, Sr., Verona; Aryanna Sanchez, Sr., Cristo Rey Jesuit; Sophie Schnaubelt, Sr., Waunakee; Amelia Schuh, Sr., De Pere; Ella Schutz, Sr., Baldwin-Woodville; Sarah Shaw, Jr., Assumption; Emily Slye, Sr., Kenosha Tremper; Alyssa Thomas, Sr., Waunakee; Claire Tracy, Sr., Brookfield Academy; Emily Van Ausdal, Sr., River Falls; Courtney Van Ermen, Jr., Cedarburg; Lauren VanDe Hey, Sr., Xavier; Elle VandeBogert, Soph., Whitnall; Marissa VandeHei, Jr., West De Pere; Lydia Vander-Meer, Sr., Kiel; Brylie Walos, Jr., Arrowhead; Monica Wawrzyn, Jr., Kettle Moraine; Peyton Wetzel, Jr., Cedarburg; Gigi Wilson, Sr., Badger; Addison Wreath, Soph., Appleton East; Ava Zarling, Sr., Kettle Moraine Lutheran.
