Mikayla Banks is a numbers person.

When it comes to motivating the girl who won the Vicksburg Post girls soccer Player of the Year award as a ninth grader, statistics matter. And when it comes to the furled stat book that sits at the end of the Vicksburg High bench, there aren’t many places where Banks’ name isn’t next to the No. 1.

The sophomore led all of 5A and 6A in goals scored, netting a total of 30 en route to leading her team to a second consecutive Region 4-5A championship in a rain-shortened season.

Her 30 goals in just 17 games came two shy of the state record, vaulting her once again to the top of the Warren County record books as the Vicksburg Post Player of the Year for the second straight season.

“It feels great,” Banks said. “I just hope I can get it next year so I can break the record for the person who’s got the Player of the Year for three years in a row, and I have two years left so I believe I can break it if I put my heart to it.”

Banks’ enormous goal total wasn’t just a product of her cherry picking close to the net. The rising junior, who has been treated like an upperclassman by coach Karen Carroll since her freshman year, created her own opportunities outside the box by using her burning speed and quick first touch to lead the Missy Gators in goals for the fourth consecutive season. She also tied for the team lead with six assists

“This year she made her teammates better,” Carroll said. “She tried to spread the field and not just run-and-gun. She just made her teammates better this year.”

Banks’ early leadership helped bring a team with limited experience to another division championship, but for her, the real work has just begun.

The pressure has ratcheted up, both by outsiders and in her own mind, as she looks to bring Vicksburg over the hump of excruciating first-round home playoff losses. The Missy Gators dropped a 5-4 decision to New Hope in 2014 and fell in penalty kicks at home to Center Hill in 2015. They blew a four-goal lead in the New Hope game, and gave up a tying goal in the final 30 seconds of regulation against Center Hill.

Next season, Banks’ numbers will act as a secondary motivation as she eyes her and her team’s real goal — a deep playoff run.

“Those were heartbreaking games,” she said. “That motivates me to work even harder next year so that we can go farther than just the first round next year.”

Banks added that she wants to be a better teammate, and team leader, as well.

“For the new people and the people who are going to try out next year, I just want to help them get better so that our team can be stronger and just be a leader,” Banks said.

“We have to make due with what we have,” she continued. “We do have some really good people on our team now. We just have to build the new people up to make them stronger so that we can have a strong team for the next season.”

Vicksburg Post Players of the year

2015 – Mikayla Banks, Vicksburg

2014 – Mikayla Banks, Vicksburg

2013 – Tabitha Hayden, Vicksburg

2012 – Lindsey Barfield, Warren Central

2011 – Riley Griffith, St. Aloysius

2010 – Tabitha Hayden, Vicksburg

2009 – Rebecca Wilson and Diari Gilliam, Vicksburg

2008 – Kristine Fischenich, Warren Central

2007 – Mary Clare Scurria, Warren Central

2006 – Andrea Harrison, St. Aloysius

2005 – Emily Coker, Warren Central

2004 – Brandi Parker, Vicksburg

2003 – Brandi Parker, Vicksburg

2002 – Brandi Parker, Vicksburg

2001 – Courtney Chapman, Vicksburg

2000 – Courtney Hubert, Warren Central

1999 – Kristin Chapman, Vicksburg