Flagstaff was covered with 37 inches of snow a week ago, forcing Flagstaff High’s athletic director and principal to remove snow from its soccer field with a tractor so their top-ranked girls team could play on its home turf.

That left Flagstaff’s opponents trying to dig out of trouble during games. For their efforts, Flagstaff was rewarded with the No. 1 seed in the 4A girls state tournament. 

“Playing soccer in Flagstaff during the winter is a tough situation,” coach Jenna Samora said. “Our players have to be very diligent on staying fit and improving their technical skill on their own. Many practices and games have been cancelled, but our players are ready to fight and play in every game no matter what the weather may bring.”

The chilly confines may ultimately serve as an advantage in the playoffs, as Flagstaff has a chance to host two playoffs games against teams from the Valley.

The first opponent, Combs, arrives Wednesday. To view and download a free state soccer program with team photos, rosters, photos and stories, go here. 

4A Conference first round preview  

No. 1 Flagstaff (10-0) vs. No. 16 Combs (12-6-1): For Combs, Paige Burns, a senior, has 22 goals. … Junior Macey Williamson leads Combs with 11 assists. … The 12 wins is the highest win in the program’s history. The team won its final five matches to get in the playoffs. … A determined Flagstaff team returned to the playoffs this year after just missing out last year. … “The No. 1 reason we are successful is because of our team chemistry,” coach Jenna Samora said. “Our players truly care for one another and are a true team.” … Goalkeeper Lyza Bosselman and center defender Claire Cashmore and their back line allowed only one goal during the regular season. … Forward/midfielder Maddie Shafer leads the team with nine goals and seven assists. … The team has scored 56 goals.

No. 9 Seton Catholic (15-4-1) vs. No. 8 Estrella Foothills (15-1): For Seton Catholic, freshman Reese Mendenhall is one of the state’s leaders in assists with 19. … Senior captain MJ Carriers, a defender, has 17 goals. … Axenia Alo, a junior captain, has 28 goals. … Mendenhall, Abby Kalley and Audrey Huchinson have each scored 16 or more goals. … “This team has taken to heart the meaning of becoming a family,” coach Grant Wagner said. “It is because of their family-like atmosphere and playing as such that these young ladies have been successful this season.” … Seton Catholic is chasing its first title since 2007. … For Estrella Foothills, the team has outscored its opponents 113-6. … Ten of the 17 players are either sophomores or freshmen. … Coach Rosie Gonzalez is 37-9 during her three seasons at Estrella Foothills.

No. 12 Higley (16-3-1) vs. No. 5 Cactus Shadows (11-5-3): For Higley, senior Kylee Ryan has 25 goals and 19 assists. She can “shoot, dribble, possess the ball with both feet.” … Senior Kendy Neus, a center mid, has eight goals and 13 assists. … Sophomore Elena Etchamendy has “great ball control, dribbling abilities and speed of play is very fast.” … The team lost two starters to ACL injuries but the team regrouped with the help of its depth and talent. … The program has had the second highest overall team GPA at its school during the past two seasons. Senior Natalie Sampson carries a 4.91 GPA, is No. 1 in her class and is a four-year starter. … For Cactus Shadows, sophomore Jordan Lund has 30 goals and 18 assists. She also is an “excellent” outside back. … Sophomore Kelby Kuo has 24 goals and 15 assists. She possesses “pure speed and power.” … Another sophomore, Claire Dawson, has 23 assists. … “This team is hardworking, with fantastic leaders,” coach Jeff Vittorio (139-39-4 in 12 years) said. “We have grown a lot since the beginning of the season.”

No. 13 Nogales (7-8) vs. No. 4 Salpointe (13-3-2): Nogales has scored as many goals as it has given up (24). … Fourteen of the 20 players are either juniors or seniors. … For Salpointe, the program returned 20 players from last year’s state runner-up finish, the first time in a decade the program played in a final. … Salpointe defeated Nogales 5-0 on Jan. 12 and has outscored opponents 40-11.

No. 14 Moon Valley (9-5-1) vs. No. 3 Prescott (13-4-2): For Moon Valley, it returned eight starters from last year’s 10-6-1 playoff season. … Hanna Perez, Cyan Contreras, Yuritssa Delgado and Irene Ledesma have been offered to play at the same local university. Perez (20 goals, 20 assists) has “incredible ball skills and moves the ball to her teammates with ease.” Ledesma is one of the strongest girls coach Curtis Folkman has seen play. “As a team we have increased our physical presence on the field,” Folkman said. “Our game has become much more aggressive.” … For Prescott, Chandler-Gilbert commit Katie Townsend has 34 goal and 20 assists. She “is a lightning quick, intelligent player with excellent ability to read the game and anticipate plays.” … Junior Mikayla Sell and freshman Sawyer Magnett have scored a combined 35 goals. “Both players possess a fantastic ability to carry the ball and will be incredibly competitive in the coming years,” coach Carly Laipple said. … The team’s starting back four include three seniors and a junior. “It has given us three years to perfect our defense,” Laipple said. … The program is home to five sets of sisters, including two sets of twins.

No. 11 Sunrise Mountain (12-3-2) vs. No. 6 Walden Grove (13-3): For Sunrise Mountain, Elena Niccolia, a center mid, “keeps the team connected and has a high soccer IQ.” … Goalkeeper Mickalea Bushy is “very consistent, good with her feet and has great communication skills.” … Hannah Johnson, a center back, is “good in the air, reads the game well and puts herself in good positions.” … Team has given up just 12 goals while scoring 78. … First-year coach Erik Anderson is a former assistant coach at Arizona Christian, Colorado State University-Pueblo and is currently coaching at Phoenix College. … Niccolia and Bushy will play at Arizona Christian next season. … For Walden Grove, it dresses seven seniors who will go on to play college soccer. … The fifth-year program reached the playoffs for the 4^th consecutive year. It won a title in 2015. … The team’s leading goal scorer, Bella Solorz, is out with an injury but some of the undersclassmen stepped up their game after Solorz’s injury. … Senior Rachel Carrell is an “unselfish player who distributes the ball and creates opportunities for her teammates.” … Keyara Zuniga, a center back, is a “versatile player who has stepped up this season in the striker position.” … Haven Chambers stepped in to take over goalkeeping duties.

No. 10 Palo Verde (17-3) vs. No. 7 Catalina Foothills (12-5-2): For Palo Verde, coach Jim Mentz’s squad lost 4-2 last year to Fountain Hills in a state title game. … The program scored 111 goals and gave up 22 this season. … For Catalina Foothills, Tatiana Lizarraga has 10 goals and nine assists. … Senior Olivia Lai leads the team with nine assists and is second on the team with nine goals. … The defense has recorded seven shutouts.

No. 15 Mingus (7-5) vs. No. 2 Thunderbird (12-1-2): For Mingus, the captains are senior forward Auli Hanks and senior defender Holly Johnson. … Mingus has scored 16 more goals compared to last year. Fifteen of those goals came during its last regular season game. … For Thunderbird, Jody Hernandez is “a magician.” The senior captain has 26 goals and 13 assists. … Lexy Aguilar (28 goals) is “a powerful forward who can bully or dribble past defenders.” … Skyllar Pearson, a junior, leads a defense that has given up 16 goals. … “We have been successful because the girls have bought into a system of play where we defend first,” coach Angelo Iozzo said. Iozzo, a Thunderbird alum, is former football coach at Greenway and is in his 4^th year coaching soccer at Thunderbird. … Hernandez blossomed into a Division I product while at Thunderbird. She transferred to Thunderbird after double knee surgery at the end of her freshman year at North. She used to take a long bus ride home and to school every day for one school year, causing her to be tardy several times and almost get expelled. But she didn’t quit and improved rapidly on and off the field and wound up with a full ride from New Mexico State. “She is really a special player,” Iozzo said.