NAC MVP: Midfielder aims to be Malone great

Every time she steps into the school gymnasium, Malone's Brittany Marshall sees her goal.

Hanging in the gym are giant replica jerseys of Malone's greatest female athletes, including NCAA Division I women's basketball players Missy West, Dia Dufault and Amber Goppert.

Marshall, a junior, is not at that stage, yet, but she did become the most dynamic scorer in Section 10 girls soccer this season, finishing with 27 goals and 11 assists. The production warranted her selection as the Times All-North Northern Athletic Conference Most Valuable Player.

"I actually think about (the trio) a lot," Marshall said. "I see their names on the wall on the gym. I want to be like them. I was pretty young, but I remember seeing Missy play."

One connection to those three athletes is Marshall's coach, Michele Wiggins, who coached all three in soccer and softball.

"She's a great kid," Wiggins said. "She's a competitor and a good leader. She works as hard in practice every day as she does in the games, no matter what drill we're doing, no matter how competitive it is. She's one kid I never have to tell to hustle. In every sprint, she'll win.

"She's a true player. She can play anywhere, any position. She would be outstanding on defense. She's very skilled and quick."

Marshall has been on the varsity team since the eighth grade, and while it's unlikely she'll catch Goppert's school record of 129 career goals, she does have a chance to get to 100 next season.

"I'd love to score 100 in my career," said Marshall, who needs about 20.

Marshall is usually the focus of extra defensive attention during games, but that strategy doesn't always work for opponents because she utilizes her passing skills to set up open teammates.

"There were a couple other girls on the team who could score if I got them the ball," Marshall said. "If they scored the other team had to pay more attention to them."

Said Wiggins, "She has good foot skills and can beat defenders. She has the ability to go around someone. She has great field sense. She will come back to the ball. She knows how to move without the ball, how to get open.

"She's outstanding defensively. She did play midfield and wasn't just stuck on the line. She'd even love to be a goalie."

The only drawback for Marshall this season was her team finishing with an 8-6 record. She thinks the future will be better.

"I think this year was kind of rebuilding," Marshall said. "We lost a lot last year. I really think some of the younger girls will step up to be good."

Marshall also plays basketball and softball for the Huskies and has a hard time deciding which is her top sport, even though Wiggins feels it's softball.

"I get to one season and I love that sport and don't want it to end," Marshall said. "Then when it does end I'm upset, and the next season comes and I love that sport."