They’ve been standouts for four years, so why shouldn’t they be named All-NWC MVPs?

For the better part of the past four years, nobody has done it better in Whatcom County than Squalicum midfielder Kendra Steele and Meridian goalkeeper Sydney Gospodinovich.

The Northwest Conference girls soccer coaches confirmed that when they released their All-Northwest Conference selections late Monday, naming Steele the league’s Offensive Most Valuable Player and Gospodinovich its Defensive MVP.

Neither player is a stranger to the All-NWC list. Gospodinovich was a first-team selection as a freshman in 2013 and a second-team pick in 2014. Steele was a second-team pick as a freshman while playing for Bellingham and a first-team selection last year as a junior with the Storm.

This year, Steele was likely the league’s most well-rounded player, as she had four multiple-goal games, a three-assist game and helped the Storm post nine shutouts and win the NWC title before seeing its bid to win a third straight state title end in the 3A Northwest District Tournament.

Gospodinovich helped the Trojans tie for third in the Northwest Conference standings and advance to the Class 1A state quarterfinals – the furthest any NWC team went this fall. She had seven shutouts and helped Meridian limit opponents to 1.2 goals per game.

Steele was joined on the first team by defender Olivia Benner and forward Payton Fowler.

Lynden wrapped up its most successful girls soccer season in program history, which included its first trip to state, with three players selected to the first team: forward Sierra Smith, midfielder Peyton Fullner and defender Ali VanZanten.

Joining VanZanten and Benner on the first-team defense were Sehome’s Maddy Hooker and Ferndale’s Alex McBeath, while Ferndale’s Rachel Neher was the first-team goalkeeper.

The first-team midfield included Fullner, Anacortes’ Morgan Drawdy, Bellingham’s Kayla Heidenreich, Lynden Christian’s Libby Hielkema and Burlington-Edison’s Delaney Watson.

First-team forward selections included Fowler, Smith, Sehome’s Hannah Moore and Anacortes’ Gabby Ronngren.

Whatcom County second-team selections were Bellingham’s Eden Fawcett; Ferndale’s Jazzy Ahrens, Paige Devine, Kate Neher and Christiana Salinas; Meridian’s Payton Lunde, Mali Mack, Miceala Pimento and Ryley Zapien; Mount Baker’s Molly Lynch; and Sehome’s Christina Funk.

This story was originally published November 30, 2016 at 5:00 AM with the headline "They’ve been standouts for four years, so why shouldn’t they be named All-NWC MVPs?."