Janeal Durfey

Soccer seniors Maddie Thorsen and Kate Durfey surrounded by friends and teammates after signing their commitments to play college soccer.

Prairie High School girls soccer players Kate Durfey and Maddie Thorsen sign their commitment to continue their soccer careers at the collegiate level. This took place in the Prairie High School commons on Wednesday, November 8th at 8:00 AM. Kate committed to Lower Columbia Community College and Maddie committed to Colorado Mesa University. 

Through dedication, perseverance and hours of training these girls were able to push to the top on the high school team and earn their spots on collegiate teams.  

Maddie is a 4-year varsity player, a 2-year team captain, and a 1st-team all-league player. “My biggest accomplishment from high school soccer was my growth in confidence and leadership skills,” says Maddie Thorsen 

Since Maddie could remember she has always planned on playing college soccer. Her passion for the sport is very strong, although she did quit for a short time. “I quit club the summer before my freshman year because I was really burnt out. I was just going to play in high school but because of covid highschool was pushed back so I decided that I needed to go back.” 

The students’ recruiting process went “pretty fast,” her advice to those looking to get recruited is to email a bunch of schools, go to camps, and stay consistent with your communication to all schools whether interested or not.” 

Thorsens’s away from the Prairie Girls soccer program was “getting to play with all my friends and I loved getting to play with a wide range of players throughout all four years.” 

“My time on the Prairie team was definitely four of the most fun years of my life I made a lot of new friendships and I was able to play with some of my old club and rec teammates and I think Coach Ryan did a really good job at bringing the team closer the last two years and it’s just been an overall great experience,” Says Kate Durfey. 

Kate Durfey is a 4-year high school player, a 2-year varsity member, and a 2nd-team all-league player. “Making an all-league team this year was a goal I had set for myself in the beginning so it felt good to reach it” 

A difficult time for Durfey was when she first joined a club soccer team in middle school. “It was just a big change into a more competitive environment but it helped push me into who I am today”  

As Kate starts to get ready for her time at LCC she says “I am excited about meeting all of my new teammates and making more friendships both on and off the field and I am nervous about the more competitive play and finding where I fit in on the team and what my role will be as a Freshman player.”