By Natalie Dillon
ndillon@
themonroetimes.com
NEW GLARUS — What started as competitive backyard games culminated in a big game for the Brenkman sisters May 14, 2024. Sugar River girls soccer defeated Wisconsin-Heights Barneveld 8-0, and eldest sister Bella became ranked in the state for assists, middle sister Anya tied the program’s single-season goal record (38), and youngest sister Ellie scored her first varsity goals.
“When we were younger, we just hoped a day would come that we could all play together,” Anya said. “I don’t think we ever imagined it would be like this.”
The sisters — Bella a 2024 graduate, Anya Class of 2025 and Ellie Class of 2027 — had just one chance to play together on varsity. It was a goal they had been looking forward to since their club soccer days playing for the Madison 56ers.
“We knew that we were going to be able to play with each other, so we were really excited before the season. We were hoping that Ellie would play and make varsity,” Bella said. “We’ve always played in the backyard and it’s been competitive between the three of us. It’s fun to play with each other because we really never have before.”
Even though the girls began playing organized soccer when they were each four-years-old, they really started playing in the backyard as soon as they learned to walk. Despite being siblings just three years apart, the sisters didn’t operate as a team in the backyard — they were each other’s competition.
Although Bella was the oldest, she still went hard against her siblings. Through some blood and tears, this toughened up Anya and Ellie — which made them stiff competition for Bella — and prepared them for their future.
“Being the oldest, and we will say above average on the competitive meter, Bella wouldn’t give any leeway to her younger sisters,” their father, Ben, said. “There were plenty of tears in all directions, and ultimately there came a point where (mother) Sara and I said that we could no longer referee because usually there was more than one kid pushing beyond the limit.”
Even though they were each other’s toughest competition in the backyard, the girls still supported each other on the pitch. When Bella was old enough to join organized soccer, Anya and Ellie were always in tow.
“I remember going to Bella’s soccer games and Ellie and I running to the middle of the field at halftime playing,” Anya said. “We wanted to be out there and be as good as her.”
The sibling rivalry — combined with playing on boys teams — gave the Brenkmans an edge. By the time the family moved from Middleton to New Glarus for Bella’s freshman year, Sugar River head coach John Ziperski had already heard good words about the girls.
“I never scout my players ahead of time,” Ziperski said, “But I had heard about these girls. Coaches in the Madison area spoke very highly of them.”
As a freshman in 2021, Bella set the standard by starting on varsity. Just as they had all their lives, Anya and Ellie were looking to their older sister for motivation.
“Even in high school, I got to watch Bella start as a freshman,” Ellie said. “I had something to look forward to.”
Although Ellie wouldn’t be on the pitch with her sister for another three years, Anya saw Bella’s accomplishments — nine goals with two assists and a spot on the Capitol Conference first team — and challenged them the very next year.
“I took it as a way to get better. Watching Bella succeed, I wanted to do better than that,” Anya said. “It was always a competition to me.”
In her freshman season, Anya scored 18 goals with 12 assists and was a unanimous selection to the Capitol Conference first team. Bella, then a sophomore, chipped in another six goals and four assists, making first-team all-conference for the second straight year and earning all-state accolades.
In 2023, both girls upped the ante. Bella scored 11 goals with 13 assists for 35 points. Anya scored 38 goals — a new program record — with 10 assists for 86 points. Both girls were first-team all-conference selections, and Anya earned all-state.
Their performances created hype around the following season, where all three Brenkmans had the opportunity to play on the same team.
“There was a lot of anticipation. It’s not the first time to have sisters on the team,” Ziperski said, remembering Gentilli sisters Ellie, Sydney and Jenna. “But it was the first time that we had all three sisters at once.”
With the addition of Ellie at defense, it allowed Bella to move to forward alongside Anya. After years of watching each other play and building chemistry, Anya and Bella made the most of the position change, assisting each other 18 times. Of Bella’s 17 assists this season, 14 of them were to Anya. Of Anya’s 13 assists, four of them went to Bella.
“I’ve always known how Anya plays, so that chemistry was building already. Playing next to her, it was better that I was just one pass away a lot. I’ve always known her speed, she likes her left side, and all of that,” Bella said of their connection. “In our last game against Edgewood when I assisted her, I didn’t even know where she was. It just went to her because I had a feeling where she was going.”
With all three on the pitch this season, the girls continued to set records. Bella was ranked in the state for assists and ended the season tied second in the program for single-season assists (17). She even finished her career as the eighth-highest point getter in the program. Bella was named to the Capitol Conference first team all four years and was all-state twice.
Anya surpassed her previous single-season goal record by 12 — with 50. She is already one of the top players in Sugar River history in career points, goals scored and average points per game. Anya was named the Capitol Conference Player of the Year and earned all-state.
As a freshman, Ellie scored two goals and earned honorable mention all-conference.
“She (Anya) is one of the top three players we’ve ever had,” Ziperski said. “Bella is near the same status, and the book is not yet written for Ellie. We are better because of them.”
Although the special year came to an end this spring as Bella graduated, Anya and Ellie get one more season together — and Bella will be right there to watch.
“I’ve always gone to their games even when I was still playing, but this will feel different. It will be hard,” Bella said. “But I’ve always been a cheerleader for them. I’ll still be coaching them from the sideline.”
