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Columbia’s Skyler Ziegaus is the LCR’s Girls Soccer Player of the Year. (MANDI SLOAN/Special to the Reporter)
She can shoot and pass.
Even as a freshman, she stood out above the rest.
Skyler Ziegaus was the offensive catalyst for Columbia this past season. She not only led the team with nine goals and nine assists but those numbers were also tops in the entire area.
Her stellar season is why she’s the Lake City Reporter Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
“It’s definitely an honor,” Ziegaus said. “I feel really proud of myself, that’s for sure.”
So is Columbia coach Chip Garner, who remembers watching Ziegaus play recreationally at CYSA for years before he took over the Tigers for the 2017-18 season. Nothing about Ziegaus’ freshman campaign surprised Garner — he expected it.
“She’s always been an impressive player,” Garner said. “She’s always kind of out shined the people in her age groups. It was kind of cool seeing a freshman come in and do what she did this year. She definitely stood out as a freshman starter and did really well.”
Columbia needed an offensive boost this season after 11 seniors graduated from a squad that went 12-4-1 in 2020. Ziegaus was one of six freshmen thrown into the fire but she was ready from the start, scoring all nine of her goals in the first 12 matches to help the Tigers get off to a 5-3-4 start to the season.
Between her nine goals and nine assists, Ziegaus had a foot in 18 of the Tigers’ 27 total goals this past season playing between forward and midfield.
“It’s really important to be a team player and give other people chances to score,” said Ziegaus, who also plays travel ball for CYSA. “If I don’t have an open shot and my teammate does then I’m going to pass it to them.”
It wasn’t all about scoring goals for Ziegaus. Getting her teammates open shots was just as important to her and it’s a quality that made her stand out on the pitch.
She had also had an ability to rally her teammates around her, which was evident in a road win against Keystone Heights in December. The Tigers trailed 1-0 at halftime but fought back in the second half to win 2-1 thanks to a goal and an assist from Ziegaus.
“She’s very consistent in her play and the fact that she’s got the equal assist to goals is what you’re looking for,” Garner said. “She’s a team player so that makes me happy.
Still, Ziegaus wouldn’t have minded sending a few more goals into the back of the net. She believes she left a few on the field this season and she plans to be a better finisher in her sophomore year.
A lack of scoring hurt the Tigers down the stretch in 2021 as they were shut out in seven of their last eight games, finishing the season with a 6-10-4 record.
“I don’t think I did the best I could,” Ziegaus said. “It definitely wasn’t my best season. I definitely could have scored more goals.”
Columbia’s tumble at the end of the season wasn’t helped by players being in and out of the lineup due to covid-19 quarantines. But Ziegaus admits the team’s morale plummeted with each successive shutout.
“I think our confidence went down a lot,” Ziegaus said. “I think we stopped thinking we were good and we started losing more and more games. Our confidence just went down.”
Ziegaus plans to keep that confidence rising in her sophomore campaign by winning more games. That’ll start by scoring even more goals and dishing out even more assists.
She plans to do it too. She also has her eyes on Kirsten Garner’s program mark of 27 goals, which was set last season.
“I want to beat the record at CHS for goals,” Ziegaus said.
ALL-AREA TEAM
F/MF: Skyler Ziegaus
Columbia, freshman
The LCR’s Girls Soccer Player of the Year excelled at both forward and as a midfielder. She led the area not only with nine goals but also nine assists, having a foot in 17 of the team’s 25 goals during the season.
F: Jaden Rolle
Columbia, junior
Netted seven goals as the area’s second leading scorer.
F: Kiera Tracy
Fort White, sophomore
Led the Indians with four goals in just eight games.
F/D: Cayleigh McCall
Suwannee, junior
Led the Bulldogs with five goals while also spending time at center back on defense.
MF: Hannah Dicks
Columbia, junior
Versatile midfielder who scored two goals for the Tigers.
MF: Kaitlyn Suggs
Fort White, junior
Had three goals and an assist in nine games for the Indians.
MF: Diane Napoleon
Suwannee, sophomore
Scored two goals playing midfield while also spending time at center back.
D/MF: Maria Ramirez
Suwannee, sophomore
Spent most of her time at center back but also scored a goal for the Bulldogs.
D: Sydney Guetherman
Columbia, sophomore
Anchored the defense as the Tigers’ top defender.
D: Payton Cady
Fort White, junior
Anchored the Indians’ defense and also scored a goal.
GK: Taiya Driggers
Columbia, senior
Had 201 saves while allowing only 18 goals in 900 minutes.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Chip Garner, Columbia
Had the most success of the three teams in the area despite an up-and-down year. The Tigers went a combined 2-0-1 against Suwannee and Fort White to continue their dominance in both rivalries.