(Flagstaff girls soccer earned the No. 1 seed in the 4A Conference tournament. Photo by Mark Jones/maxpreps.com)

Holly Jones and Kelly Pierce returned to familiar surroundings this season.

Pierce graduated from Salpointe, where she won two championships as a player, in 1999. After a 5-year run as an assistant coach at Northern Arizona University, Jones re-took control of Flagstaff High, where she won two titles as a coach between 2001-08.

Jones and Pierce are back on top, as their respective programs earned the top-2 seeds in the 2017-18 4A Conference state girls tournament.

As the favorites, there’s a good chance No. 1 Flagstaff and Salpointe (15-1-1) might be two of the final four teams still playing just like last year, when the two met during a memorable semifinal game. The match was scoreless heading into penalty kicks, which Salpointe won 4-1 enroute to completing a state championship season.

“Having this opportunity to be the coach of the school I love so much has been an incredible experience,” Pierce said. “I am grateful and humbled to be a part of it again. It has come full circle, and I couldn’t be happier. The girls, their families, the administration and the Salpointe community has been nothing but kind, welcoming and beyond helpful to me and my coaching staff, making this first year that much better.”

Jones not only coached but also played at NAU, where she was inducted into the school’s soccer hall of fame in 2007.

But her heart also belongs to Flagstaff High.

“I was extremely interested (in coaching Flagstaff), because I knew the team had been well-coached previously and was a great group,” Jones said. “I was also excited because of the facilities FHS had updated for soccer. When I had coached previously, FHS did not have any soccer facilities and now it has one of the best in the state. It is a privilege to be able to coach and have a field of that quality to train on daily.”

Flagstaff’s players have responded well to the coaching change, picking up where they left off with former coach David Myers. Other than than this year’s one tie, Flagstaff currently has the same record (12-2-1) as last year’s team.

But this season’s team has scored 47 more goals than last year.

“There is an urgency to score goals, and many players have the ability to score the game winning goals,” Jones said.

So far, Flagstaff’s No. 10, Madelynn Shafer, is setting the goal scoring pace with 26 so far. Morgan Hodges also is a scoring threat, but she can also shutdown an opponent’s top attacker.

Flagstaff has given up 10 more goals compared to last year, but the goal against average of goalkeeper Lyza Bosselmann, a captain, is only .33. Bosselmann and center back Lydia Pelletier-Butler manage the defensive third of Flagstaff.

Salpointe’s defense also is tough penetrate under its first-year coach, Pierce, a former captain as a defender at Salpointe. In fact, Salpointe has only given up eight goals, three fewer than last year’s championship team so far.

“(Defender Lauren) Bollinger is a great communicator and leader,” Pierce said. “Our goalkeeper, Maddie Hargis, also is a senior and a good leader. They work great together and have really led this team from the start.”

Like Flagstaff, Salpointe’s offense also is scoring at a higher rate compared to last year. Senior midfielders Isabella Almazan and Paloma Teran have played integral roles in helping raise the goal total by 23 this season so far.

“We play together. Win together. Lose together. Train together. Laugh together,” Pierce said.

Notes

No. 3 seed Estrella Foothills is led by forwards Anita Moreno and Gabbie Hayes, midfielders Halee Yeager and Lexy Hayes and defender Justine Rios. The team is coached by former Mexican National Team member Rosie Gonzalez. “The team has been working very hard this season,” Gonzalez said. “They all sat down and made it a goal to go to the state playoffs and try to make it as far as they can. The team is more than a team. We are family, and they push each other, especially the younger classmen.” … No. 8 Thunderbird was the 2016 runner-up. “After losing in the state championship game last year the girls have been driven to get back to the title game,” coach Angelo Iozza said. “The team is well-organized, committed to playing team defense and is confident they can play with anyone in the state.” Captain Kayla King has given up only five goals in 12 games. Skyllar Pearson “plays with great passion and grit,” Xitlaly Hernandez “holds down the midfield,” Lexy Aguilar is a “beast up top,” and freshman Ellie St. Claire has “scored some great goals.” Iozzo used to coach football from 1999-2014 at Greenway. … No. 6 Prescott is led by senior forward Mikayla Sell, who has 50-plus points. “She is a quiet leader who is mentally and physically the toughest player I have ever coached,” Katie Campuzano said. “It is this approach to soccer that inspires her teammates to give more. The other leader is sophomore midfielder Sawyer Magnett. She has compiled 40-plus points this year and is a vocal leader on and off the field.” … Mark Etchamendy is in his fifth season as head coach for No. 7 Higley. “We have a lot of depth on the team this year, girls that are willing to play where I need them to play,” Etchamendy said. “And most importantly (because of) our culture that we created, staying positive at all times as a team and playing like a post season team all season long.” The team’s leaders are its captains, senior Zoe Reeves and junior Elena Etchamendy. Reeves returned from a injury and is back playing at a very high level. Elena can “blast and place the ball very well.” … No. 5 Cactus Shadows has a new coaching staff, Carrie White, Jack Soutar and Jordan Nelson. “We have a good group of girls who have stuck together and have started to play as one,” White said. “Our leaders are our captains, senior midfielder Jessica Kotowski and junior goalkeeper Abigail Tyhurst. Jess is a fantastic player with unbelievable work ethic. Abby is a dominant goalkeeper full of potential.” … No. 9 Sunrise Mountain won back-to-back region titles for the first time in school history. Coach Erik Anderson said several different players have stepped up, including center midfielders Laila Hamad and Sydney Tidd, center back Vicki Clark.