Scoring goals, making the big pass or inspiring teammates were attributes displayed by the 2007 Deseret Morning News soccer MVPs. Each was the most important player to her respective team, and each showed the skills, leadership and desire necessary to elevate her teammates.

5A: Kealia Ohai, Alta

Kealia Ohai knows how to put the ball in the net — period. The sophomore forward led the classification with 29 goals this season. Add that to her 28-goal performance as a freshman, and by the time she finishes her high school career she will be pushing to break the state record of 131 set by Shauna Rohbock of Mountain View.

"She is something else," said Hawks coach Lee Mitchell. "Teams really have to focus to stop her, and even then, she still seems to find a way to break loose."

When other teams did focus on stopping her, she was unselfish enough to pass the ball off or even make a decoying run to open things up for her teammates.

"I think it is great to score," Ohai said. "But more than scoring, I want to win. I will do whatever it takes for us to get the 'W.' If that means I don't score, then so be it. I just want to do things to help the team."

Ohai took a little time away from Alta this season to help out her country on the field as well. She is a national team player and scored two goals in a friendly in September. She was recently called up the U-16 and 1/2 team, which means she will try to help the Americans qualify for the World Cup at that level.

"I think that playing with the national team only helps me be better for the high school team," added Ohai. "It is different soccer, but overall I think it helps me know what is needed in certain situations and helps me see the field a little bit differently."

The talented goal scorer has lost only twice in her high school career and has won two state championships. With still two years of eligibility remaining, perhaps she never will know what it is like to end the season with a loss.

4A: Kaitlyn Thomas, Orem

According to her coach, Ed Louder, Orem's Kaitlyn Thomas had a flair for the dramatic.

"She seemed to be able to pick her moments when it was time to take charge," he said. "She always seemed to be able to do it just when we really needed it. She was great when the spotlight was on her. She always was able to get an assist, or a goal or even draw a free kick just when we needed it most."

It was that ability that led Thomas to the 4A MVP in helping lead Orem to the school's first state championship. She was instrumental all year but even more so during the playoffs. She scored all four of her team's goals in its first-round win over Mountain Crest and tallied both assists in a two-goal win over Dixie.

"She was huge for us in getting the title," added Louder. "She was able to do the things for us just when we needed it, and even if she wasn't getting the goal or assist, her play helped to open things up for her teammates anyway."

Thomas scored 15 goals on the season and led the classification with her four goals in the playoffs. She did it playing mainly in the midfield, meaning she was adept at making runs up the wing at just the right times.

Thomas will continue her play next season when she takes her game just up the freeway to Utah Valley University.

3A: Tara Gehring, Wasatch

Tara Gehring set a record this past season for the Wasatch soccer team. She was the Wasps' best player, scoring a record-breaking 25 goals and adding 11 assists for a team that was the most consistent in the classification. Her six goals in the playoffs were the most for any 3A player. Even though the Wasps fell just short of the championship, Gehring's play stood out.

"Tara just has an amazing field presence," said coach Dawain Wheatley. "She was so good at knowing what was happening and where to position herself to be in the right spots all the time. For someone that doesn't play soccer full time, she displayed an amazing touch on the ball."

Gehring is an unusual player to be so dominant. She plays soccer only part of the year, with the rest of her time focused on basketball. She played in the center midfield position, and just like a point guard on the court, knew when it was necessary to pass or shoot the ball.

"I wonder just how good she would be if she played all the time," Wheatley said. "Her feel was outstanding. Maybe the basketball helped her to know what teammates were going to do and what she could do to get them the ball in the right spots, but I would certainly like to see her continue her soccer career somewhere."

2A: Lauren Babcock,

Rowland Hall

Lauren Babcock was a threat to score anytime she touched the soccer ball. The junior forward scored 18 goals, but even more than that, her presence on the field made opponents adjust and opened things up for the state champs from Rowland Hall.

"She was a big-time player," said coach Jamie Wilhite. "She almost always drew the other team's best marking defender, and sometimes she would have two or even three people trying to stop her. Even with all that attention, she still found a way to get goals and assists."

One reason Babcock was so much more valuable to her team this year in the playoff run was that she was fully healthy. She played the 2006 playoffs with injuries that required surgery in the offseason. With her physical liabilities erased, she was able to compete at her highest level.

Even with her ability to dominate, the humble approach Babcock took in her success was refreshing.

"It helps being healthy," Babcock said. "But even more than that I think I just benefit from having great teammates get me the ball in the right spots. I just try to go at balls 100 percent, and things seem to work out when you do that. My teammates, though, really deserve more of the credit than I do."

It obviously was a two-way street for the Winged Lion.

"Lauren had a way of making everyone around her a better player," added Wilhite. "She was a great scorer, and the attention other teams paid to her made it easier on everyone else around her."