From many, there will be one. And while there’s still no guarantee contending athletes will win their own state at this point in the season, a number of elite performers are making a case for Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year consideration. Here’s the scoop on the latest top candidate.

ATHLETE PROFILE:

Carly Malatskey
Tarbut V’Torah Community Day School (Irvine, Calif.)
Senior

Greatness Present: Carly Malatskey was a goal-scoring machine this season for the Lions of Tarbut V’Torah. The 5-foot-4 Malatskey lit up the scoreboard with an Orange County-record 73 goals, leading the Lions (17-2) to the Southern Section Division 7 tournament quarterfinals. Malatskey tallied 15 hat tricks in 19 games with four four-goal games, three five-goal games, three six-goal games and an eight-goal game.

Who will follow in the footsteps of 2014-15 Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year Mallory Pugh? Find out first at USA TODAY High School Sports in May. (Photo: Susan Goldman, Gatorade)

Greatness Past: Malatskey, who has been to training camp with the U.S. Soccer Under-18 Women’s National Team, has led Orange County in scoring each of the last three years and concluded her prep soccer career with 166 goals. A two-time Youth All-American for club play as named by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, she was a three-time San Joaquin League MVP.

Greatness Future: Rated as the No. 17 recruit in the Class of 2016 by TopDrawerSoccer.com, Malatskey will head to Stanford to continue her soccer career in the fall.

Make no mistake: The Gatorade State Girls Soccer Player of the Year races aren’t over for winter and spring soccer-playing states, and the National POY race is now heating up. Time remains for one standout student-athlete among thousands to rise to the top of our list. Check back for weekly updates on the top contenders making a case.