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Saltillo girls soccer has been a monolith for the past four seasons, and one of the biggest reasons why is getting her due.
Lynley McCarley, the Tigers’ four-year starting goalkeeper, is the Daily Journal’s 2025-26 Girls Soccer Player of the Year. McCarley is the second Tiger in three years to win the honor. O.J. Miller won it in 2023-24.
“I've put in a lot of hard work, and I'm thankful to the people that have pushed me to be the best player that I can be,” McCarley said. “And all my teammates kept pushing me hard. It just feels good.”
McCarley had big shoes to fill upon arrival. She was replacing a five-year starter in Megan Davis, who went on to play at Itawamba Community College. However, McCarley established herself as one of the hardest workers on the team early on.
That eventually paid off on the pitch, especially in the postseason.
The Saltillo Tigers won the state championship in each of McCarley’s four years on the team. The Tigers played 16 playoff games in that span, in which McCarley only allowed three goals. She also never allowed a goal in the state championship game.
“Our defense has always done a phenomenal job in those games. The whole team has stepped up,” Saltillo coach Matthew Reeder said of the title games. “But even when those mistakes happen on our back end, Lynley has always been there, solid for us, keeping everything square, keeping everybody together, and doing her job.”
The hard work culminated in a standout senior year. Of the 28 games that Saltillo played, McCarley had a shutout in 21 of them. She only allowed five goals all season, including none in the playoffs, and was named the MVP of the state championship game.
McCarley will continue her soccer career at Arkansas State University. She’s the first player in program history to play at a Division I program.
As McCarley looks back on her four years at Saltillo, she’s most thankful for the chemistry that she and her teammates forged in the midst of a historic run.
“It feels good just to know that I was a part of that,” McCarley said. “But it just feels really special that we've been able to accomplish what we have in the past four years and being connected.”
Continue reading...
Lynley McCarley, the Tigers’ four-year starting goalkeeper, is the Daily Journal’s 2025-26 Girls Soccer Player of the Year. McCarley is the second Tiger in three years to win the honor. O.J. Miller won it in 2023-24.
“I've put in a lot of hard work, and I'm thankful to the people that have pushed me to be the best player that I can be,” McCarley said. “And all my teammates kept pushing me hard. It just feels good.”
McCarley had big shoes to fill upon arrival. She was replacing a five-year starter in Megan Davis, who went on to play at Itawamba Community College. However, McCarley established herself as one of the hardest workers on the team early on.
That eventually paid off on the pitch, especially in the postseason.
The Saltillo Tigers won the state championship in each of McCarley’s four years on the team. The Tigers played 16 playoff games in that span, in which McCarley only allowed three goals. She also never allowed a goal in the state championship game.
“Our defense has always done a phenomenal job in those games. The whole team has stepped up,” Saltillo coach Matthew Reeder said of the title games. “But even when those mistakes happen on our back end, Lynley has always been there, solid for us, keeping everything square, keeping everybody together, and doing her job.”
The hard work culminated in a standout senior year. Of the 28 games that Saltillo played, McCarley had a shutout in 21 of them. She only allowed five goals all season, including none in the playoffs, and was named the MVP of the state championship game.
McCarley will continue her soccer career at Arkansas State University. She’s the first player in program history to play at a Division I program.
As McCarley looks back on her four years at Saltillo, she’s most thankful for the chemistry that she and her teammates forged in the midst of a historic run.
“It feels good just to know that I was a part of that,” McCarley said. “But it just feels really special that we've been able to accomplish what we have in the past four years and being connected.”
Continue reading...
