High School Sports

Defenders prized among girls’ soccer all-11th Region honorees

Lexington Catholic sophomore center back Katherine Truitt earned 11th Region Player of the Year honors as selected by the region’s girls’ soccer coaches Sunday. Lafayette’s Taylor Roden was named coach of the year.

Truitt, a two-sport standout who earned all-city honorable mention honors in basketball as a freshman for the Knights, is the backbone of the 11th Region champion’s defense.

Lexington Catholic has only allowed seven goals this season and has recorded 10 shutouts. Its 0.4 goals allowed per game average ranks in a tie for third in the state and is tops among the eight teams remaining in the KHSAA Girls’ State Soccer Tournament that continues Monday. Lexington Catholic will play at West Jessamine in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Monday.

Joining Truitt on the first team are three Lexington Catholic teammates, defender Emma James Bryant and forwards Emily Scanlon and Mary Martin Hampton.

In a COVID-19 shortened season, it’s clear defense was prized most as the top four players chosen by the coaches were defenders, including three center backs.

Lafayette’s Roden, the coach of the year in her fifth season with the program, led the Generals to their first district finals and first region finals appearances in 15 years. Lafayette’s only losses this season came to two region champions, Lexington Catholic and Highlands. The Generals had three first-teamers, one second-teamer and an honorable mention among the region honorees.

2020 All-11th Region Players

FIRST TEAM

(Players listed in order of point totals assigned by coaches)

Player of the year: Katherine Truitt, Lexington Catholic

Emma James “EJ” Bryant, Lexington Catholic

Sarah Hall, Lafayette

Elisabeth Hundley, Henry Clay

Taylor Smith, Paul Laurence Dunbar

Brooke Dawahare, Lafayette

Kaitlyn Brock, Frederick Douglass

Emily Scanlon, Lexington Catholic

Ella Abraham, Lafayette

Mary Martin Hampton, Lexington Catholic

Maliya Crump (GK), Frederick Douglass

SECOND TEAM

Ella Pugh, Henry Clay

Meren Patton, Great Crossing

Alexis Henry, Sayre

Olivia Bretz, Lexington Catholic

Caroline Hensley, Lexington Christian

Carmen Combs, Paul Laurence Dunbar

Kristin Gamble, Lafayette

Allison Whitaker, Sayre

Claire Cress (GK), Madison Southern

Haley Buckman, Frederick Douglass

Jameela Shalash, Tates Creek

HONORABLE MENTION

Carson Graves, Western Hills

Payton Sparks, Model

Shelby Smith, Great Crossing

Ashlyn Fuller, Paul Laurence Dunbar

Jaimye Cottongim, Lafayette

Madison Smith, Paul Laurence Dunbar

Haley Flynn, Henry Clay

Emily Coke, Frederick Douglass

Kristin Tucker, Western Hills

Marin Willis, Lexington Christian

Tristen Hornsby, Madison Central

This story was originally published October 25, 2020 at 5:26 PM.

Jared Peck
Lexington Herald-Leader
Jared Peck, the Herald-Leader’s Digital Sports Writer, covers high school athletics and has been with the company as a writer and editor for more than 20 years. Support my work with a digital subscription
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