NEK – Several local high school soccer standouts were recognized for their outstanding seasons last week with Vermont All-State selections.
Hazen Union senior Isabelle Gouin put a cherry on top of an incredible career with her second straight selection. Junior teammate Taylor Thompson staked her claim as one of the best midfielders in the state with an unprecedented third straight All-State selection.
Gouin posted her second straight 20 goal season for the Lady Cats and broke the all-time school scoring record with 56 goals, to surpass the record of 54 set by Kaityln Forant 17 years ago. Gouin also earned Mtn. League Offensive Player of the Year honors this past fall.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
Thompson has helped lead Hazen to 27 wins in her three years patrolling the midfield and looks poised to breakout as more of a scoring threat in 2026.
Caledonia United junior Eliska Siebenbrunner earned her first VT All-State selection after an incredible start to her high school career as a goalkeeper. Siebenbrunner traded in her skills as a talented scorer to step into the net for head coach Spencer Morse this past fall. She posted three consecutive shutouts for the Cal United defense to start the season and kept her team in several matches throughout a rebuilding season with her stellar play. A broken finger late in the season kept her out of only one match, where she returned to the field to score two goals and record a pair of assists.
Other local All-State selections included: Lamoille’s Ila Rankin, Peoples Academy’s Ella Bliss and Stowe’s Emilia Marron, Ava Buczek, Vivi Hermsdorf and Tanner Gregory.
On the boys side, Cal United’s Eli Russell, Sam McLane, Josh Petersen along with Hazen Union’s Grayson McNaughten earned All-State selections. Russell (30 goals) and McLane (26) torched Mtn. League defenses this season, leading Cal United to a 16-0 record before falling to top seeded Twin Valley in the division IV state championship match.
Russell ended his incredible career with his second straight All-State selection as well as Mtn. League Player of the Year honors.
McLane returned to the pitch this season after a leg injury kept him out of Cal United’s playoff run last fall. His career high in goals this past season earned him his first VT All-State selection.
Fellow senior Josh Petersen ascended to one of the top goalkeeper’s in the state in 2025. He posted a program record 11 shutouts for a Cal United defense that allowed only 10 goals in 17 matches.
Hazen’s Grayson McNaughten stood up against some of the best offenses in the mighty Capital League this past fall to earn his first All-State selection. McNaughten transferred from Craftsbury Academy as a sophomore and matured into one of the state’s premier goalkeepers. His incredible athletic ability helped post six shutouts for the Wildcat defense and his booming kicks, that often traveled the length of the field, led to multiple assists for an up and coming Hazen soccer program.
Rounding out local All-State selections were: Lamoille’s Ethan Rossi, Peoples Academy’s Ian Nolan, Jack Cleary, Jaden Baird, Myles Lane and Stowe’s Graeme Jostrand.
