'Earn it and prove it again': Fargo Davies now the team to beat as 2025 girls soccer season begins

FARGO — Over the last three seasons, Minot High had been the team everyone else was aiming for in North Dakota girls soccer. Fargo Davies changed that last year, ending the Majettes’ string of three consecutive state titles and a historic 70-game unbeaten streak that dated back to 2019. The Eagles’ monumental win came via a 2-1 result at Minot’s home, Duane Carlson Stadium, in the 2024 state championship game for the program’s fourth title.

Now, Davies begins the 2025 campaign with the target resting on its back. “It for sure adds a lot of pressure,” said senior captain and midfielder/forward Sophie Bjerke. “Because we kind of have that target on our back and we’re the team to beat.



It’s going to be a tough season and hopefully we can pull through.” The Eagles open the season at home against Fargo South at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, April 8. The three-time defending Eastern Dakota Conference champs finished with an unbeaten mark of their own last season, going 16-0-1 and capped off with the state title. Davies’ last defeat was in the 2023 championship game against the Majettes.

“For us, I feel like we’ve always kind of been right there with Minot for the last couple of years,” Eagles head coach Nick Christianson said. “Having to prove ourselves in the EDC ..

. it’s a super tough conference with high-quality teams and we’ve kind of put that pressure on ourselves every single year. “Our goal is to take care of our business first in the EDC and if we can do that, then we’re putting ourselves in a good spot for the state tournament.

So pressure-wise, I think that nothing has really changed for the girls. Now it’s just that we have a state title in our back pocket from last year. But now, nothing is given this year.

So we’ve got to go out, earn it and prove it again. The girls are excited.” The Eagles will have to prove it without their top two point-getters from a season ago.

The program not only graduated one of its best players of all time in four-time all-conference and all-state pick Madison Barnick, but it’ll also be without top returnee Leighton Roberson this year as a result of a knee injury. Barnick, who now plays collegiately at UMary, led Davies with 19 goals and 25 assists for 63 points last season. Roberson, a two-year captain and senior committed to North Dakota State this fall, finished behind Barnick in scoring with 18 goals and 25 assists for 61 points.

Roberson, named all-conference on three occasions and all-state twice, will be the first player from the Davies program to play at the NCAA Division I level . In her final high school season, however, the midfielder/forward will be contributing in any way she can from the sidelines. “Leighton, obviously, is a fantastic person No.

1,” Christianson said. “She’s got an exciting future lined up for her going to NDSU next year. It’s just that injuries happen in sports and we’ve had some good discussions about it.

“She’ll be a great asset for us on the bench and talking to players as they come off. She’s such a great mind and understands the game. It’s just like adding another coach on the bench now.

On the field, we just expect other people to kind of step up. We’ve got other players that have really jumped in and over the last couple of years have had lots of playing time and experiences. So we’re just excited for those girls to take on some of those leadership roles.

” Fellow seniors Bjerke, midfielder Bree Larson and defender Aniston Gigstad join Roberson in captaincy roles this season. “I feel like there’s always a target on our back,” Gigstad said. “We try to work as hard and be at the top as much as we can.

So I think the standard here is the same whether we’re at the top or not.” All-EDC returnees from last season include Roberson, Bjerke, junior forward Quinn Skari and junior midfielder Chloe Soleim, with Bjerke and Soleim also receiving second team all-state nods. Skari was third among Eagles point-getters last season with 17 goals and six assists for 40 points.

She was followed by Bjerke with 14 goals and 10 assists for 38 points. “We’re just making sure everyone is on the same page,” Bjerke said. “We have some girls we haven’t been playing with as long.

We just need everyone on the same page so we know where to pass it before they even run.” Gigstad returns on the back line along with sophomore defender Olivia Nelson and juniors Aspen Skyberg and Carter Ford. Senior Nora Benson will step up between the goal posts this year after the graduation of Kaia Davidson, who recorded 13 shutouts in 16 games last season while allowing only five goals.

Benson played in three games for Davies last year with goose eggs in two. “(Davidson) had started since she was a freshman,” Christianson said. “Those are hard to replace, but Nora has been with the program and has learned, developed and been with our goalkeeping coach for a couple of years.

“So she knows what the expectations are of her and we’re excited that she finally gets the opportunity to jump in there and give it her best shot as a senior to continue the excellence that we have as a program.” Gigstad said that the “next player up” mentality will be important to the team’s success this season as new and returning talent intertwine for what they hope is another strong year. “I think the goals are the same,” Gigstad said.

“We want to be the best in the state and we’re going to work really hard this year to hopefully reach that goal.” Although the state tournament remains just under two months away, the Eagles believe they have what it takes for another deep run. “I think we have a good chance,” Bjerke said.

“We have a lot of girls who have been in the state tournament before, so they know what it takes to win. After last season, I think we’re really motivated to try and accomplish our goal again.”.