Dani Presley and Jazmin Hall each captured top honors as the Marcus girls’ soccer team netted 12 players on this year’s District 6-5A All-District list.

      Presley earned Goalkeeper of the Year while Hall repeated as 6-5A’s Utility Player of the Year. Both were also named to the Dallas Morning News’ All Area first team, making Marcus the only school in the Metroplex to have two players make the prestigious list.

     “They thoroughly deserved it,” Marcus head coach Kevin Albury said. “Dani is such a calming influence out there and Jazmin is a no-nonsense player who has told her own teammates to get off the field if they aren’t playing well. I think you need that sort of attitude in players.”

     Presley – who was a first team forward a year ago – picked up five goals and one assist this season at forward. But she was most dangerous in the net, where she allowed nine goals and had just as many shutouts during the regular season. In playoffs, she played in all three games, allowing three goals.

     Hall scored nine goals this season, including two in playoffs. She also racked up five assists. She played every position on the field with the exception of keeper at one point or another during the season.

    “High school soccer was very important to her (Jazmin),” Albury said. “We beat Coppell twice in district because she was able to mark Chi (Chioma Ubogagu). She’s a no nonsense player.”

    Marcus, Hebron and state champion Coppell each had two superlative honors a piece on this year’s list. Hebron’s Danielle Nottingham is the district’s MVP while teammate Jordan Leinweaver was named Defender of the Year. The Cowboys’ Chioma Ubogagu won Midfielder of the Year while head coach Chris Stricker won Coach of the Year.

    This year’s Newcomer of the Year honor went to Southlake Carroll’s Lissi Lonsberry and Jordan Howell took home Forward of the Year for Lewisville. The accolades were more than spread out in the six team district. Coppell led the pack with 15 players earning superlative, first or second team recognition, followed by Hebron (14), Marcus (12), Southlake (9), Lewisville (7) and Flower Mound (6).

    Those making first team for Flower Mound included Katy Black, Taylor Mulnix and Jessica Disabella. Jennifer Jenkins, Tory Weisman and Sara Watson won second team honors.

    Marcus’ first-team selections included Sara Singleton, Bailey Pembroke, Kaitlin Tue Madison Whitehead and Anna Molen. Tamsin Stirling, Elizabeth Mickle, Logan Cathcart, Taylor Mitchell and Haley Anderson made second team.

     Albury said Whitehead lost a close battle to Coppell’s Ubogagu for Midfielder of the Year. Both had different roles in that Ubogagu was more of an attacking midfielder while Whitehead was a more true center midfielder, Albury said. Pembroke made the list despite missing seven months of action due to stress fractures in her legs. Molen was converted from a midfielder to defense in Pembroke’s absence and along with Singleton helped pick up the slack.

“We had to play a lot more defense than what Marcus soccer is used to,” Albury said. “But these girls fought hard, and they grew a lot too.”