What she did: Igulu scored a state-record 62 goals this season to help lead Palo Verde to its first state championship match since 2012. The junior striker, who also accounted for eight assists, scored a career-high five goals in an early-season win over Flowing Wells. Igulu scored four goals in four matches and tallied three goals in another seven matches. Palo Verde scored 127 goals as a team and posted a 23-3 record, with the lone regular-season loss coming at Walden Grove, the defending state champion. Igulu scored twice in that game but was held without a goal in the Division III state championship match as Fountain Hills won 4-2.Β
Top performance: With a trip to the state semifinals on the line, Igulu posted a hat trick to power fourth-seeded Palo Verde past Glendale Independence for a 5-0 victory. She also broke the previous state record of 59 goals β held by Sahuaritaβs Taylor McClelland β with her first score of the match.
Whatβs next: Igulu will be back at Palo Verde next season with a chance to break her scoring record and lead the Titans back to the state finals.
Runner-up: Olivia Lai, Catalina Foothills. The junior midfielder scored 13 goals and logged 14 assists to lead a young Foothills team to a 14-6-1 record and a trip to the Division II state quarterfinals.Β
