A main soccer story of this, and other, high school soccer seasons has been whether top players will suit up for their schools or commit to year-round club play.

One of the top scorers in the West Valley resolved this conundrum years ago.

Glendale resident and Northwest Christian senior Makenna Barton played soccer since age 5 and joined a club team in junior high. But she left during her sophomore year and concentrates on playing for the Crusaders.

"It was just a lot on my plate and I had a lot of other things going on. I wasn’t fully committed to soccer so I decided to see where just playing high school would take me," Barton said. "It’s cool to watch (other players) grow. But playing (only) high school, I’m able to keep friendships and still hang out with some other girls."

It hasn’t dulled her scoring sense. She scored 23 in 24 games as a freshman, 22 in 22 as a sophomore, 15 in 11 as a junior and 15 in 13 games thus far in her senior season.

Jeff Penzone switched from helming the Crusaders’ boys program to leading the Northwest Christian girls in 2014-15, Barton’s freshman season. She quickly became his finisher on a Division III semifinal team.

"When she got into her first scrimmage... she wants to score goals, and that’s what she does," Penzone said. "To find a player who just wants to score goals is really difficult. We happen to have two of them this year, which is really neat. One is a freshman and one is a senior, and what I really like about it is the senior is bringing along that freshman and showing them different things."

During the Crusaders’ 21-3 season in 2014-15, the young hotshot Barton (23 goals) had a mentor in senior Holli Schuitema, who scored 26 goals and likely sent most of her 27 assists Barton’s way.

Now the circle is complete. For the first time since then, Barton is the Crusaders’ second-leading scorer, with 15 goals to Ella Kamp’s 16. But Barton leads the team in assists for the first time, with nine.

"When I was a freshman I also had a senior (helping me)," Barton said. "Her name is Holly. How I am with (Ella) is how she was to me, which I why I really wanted to help out this freshman. When I was a freshman Holly would help and pass it to me and give me great balls. We did that back and forth which is really awesome."

Both Barton and Penzone said they like how this team gets along and connects on the field, similar to that 2014-15 team.

"They get along really well," Penzone said. "Their team chemistry is really good, which is great to see. It’s more than half the battle in a lot of ways. If there’s an issue, they address it, which is great. They’re all focused on the same thing."

Now there is hope that Barton’s senior year can mimic her freshman season.

Two years ago, the Crusaders lost in the first round of the playoffs. Last year, they reached the second round, but dropped to 10-10 overall.

"It made me want to win it so much," Barton said. "It was sad to see us lose early on my sophomore and junior year, so it makes me motivated. I want to take it farther this year and hopefully be able to win state if that’s God’s will."

Thus far, Northwest Christian sports a more impressive overall record of 12-2. Those two losses came to the teams that played for the 3A final last year, Fountain Hills and Goodyear Trivium Prep, and with a 4-2 regular season record the Crusaders seem ranked low at No. 12.

However the season ends, there is a good chance it will mark the end of Barton’s competitive career.

"As of right now, I don’t know if I want to play in college but if something were to come my way, I might think about it," Barton said. "Right now I’m planning to go to NAU."

She said she would like to study a major in the health and fitness realm, like exercise science.

Penzone said it has been great to watch her mature, and concentrate on academic and spiritual priorities beyond soccer.