Every week, the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association, sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Manitoba, name a rural high school athlete of the week—and this week, they’ve chosen to honour Melissa Zapp of Niverville.

A senior at Niverville High School, Zapp was a scoring powerhouse on the soccer field this season, helping the Panthers finish with a perfect 10–0 record. The gifted striker had nine goals and eight assists to lead her team in scoring. Overall, the Panthers scored 45 times.

The Panthers won their home tournament this fall, as well as the Zone Championship, with Zapp striking the winning goal in three matches.

Not only was she an offensive star, but her hustle on defence in the finals were an important factor in leading the Panthers to capture their first Zone banner in eight years.

“Melissa has developed into a talented forward with both speed and skill in beating defenders,” says her coach, Gerald Negrave. “You never know which way she is going to go when she has the ball. Defenders absolutely do not like playing against her!”

In addition to her skill, the senior is an honour roll student and maintains a 95 percent academic average. She also plays volleyball.