ECNL Championship Draw Best XI's TDS
- Thread starter PLSAP
- Start date
chargerfan
GOLD
Do you have a link to this list?
chargerfan
GOLD
2003
Anomaly
SILVER
U14
D Alexandra Mohr, San Diego Surf: Size was no obstacle for Mohr during the ECNL Playoffs. Fullbacks are sometimes overlooked on this level, but they shouldn’t be as next level prospects. Mohr had a whale of a tournament for the Surf as the team’s primary pressing left back. She was typically the smallest player on the field, but her speed, passing ability and marking nullified any disadvantage.
D Macy Blackburn, Solar Chelsea: If you’re looking for the best U14 defender from Rockford, Blackburn’s probably your pick. The Texas Tech pledge was a bottle rocket right back for the duration, overlapping on the right and confusing teams’ game plans with her blend of crossing ability and speed. The scary thing for Solar Chelsea’s competitors is Blackburn will only get better.
D Reece Wortmann, Real Colorado: The Real Colorado defense would not have been where it was without the statuesque presence of Wortmann holding up the line in the middle. Wortmann was the anchor of Real Colorado’s defense in Rockford, providing a steady, calm presence in the middle of the park and breaking up most every attack she was directly confronted with.
M Olivia Pena, Solar Chelsea: As part of Solar Chelsea’s title-winning midfield, Pena was a constant menace with her slithery movement and slippery passes that always seemed to work through the cracks. Wearing the No. 10 shirt, Pena always seemed to crop up in challenging situations and pick out the right pass. And her ability to buy herself time and space is a commodity not many players have.
M Alexys Ocampo, Arsenal FC: Ocampo slid largely under the national radar until now, but that should be about to change. Arsenal FC was arguably the best team in the tourney not to make the U14 final, and Ocampo was the team’s beating creative heart. She camped out in the hole underneath Arsenal’s skilled forward fleet and positively picked teams apart. One of the event’s best pure No. 10s.
M Allison Perry, Solar Chelsea: Without question, Perry earned the TDS U14 MVP award for her massive performances in Rockford. She was Solar Chelsea’s all-action, do-everything central midfielder, and while she rarely had to drop in to help defensively, she can run box to box. Bagging a goal in the title game to seal a championship wasn’t a bad way to polish her time in Illinois, which was unmatched.
M Fernanda Soto Diaz, Eclipse Select: No one particularly envied the left backs tasked with marking Soto for the duration of this tournament. As Eclipse Select’s most dangerous player, the right winger was a menace on the overlap and had lightning-quick feet. Also capable of playing up top, Soto scored Eclipse Select’s only goal in the title game on an absolute banger that bounced in off the crossbar.
M Macaira Midgley, Michigan Hawks: Every year the Hawks seem to produce major DI prospects in every age group, and Midgley seems to have as much promise as anyone from this U14 team. The central midfielder perhaps wasn’t the team’s flashiest player, but she was the rock in the middle. Midgley is almost impossible to dispossess and has as keen of vision as anyone in the country in her age group.
M Korbin Albert, Eclipse Select: Just before coming to Rockford, Albert squeezed in a U.S. GNT camp. That presaged what was otherwise a stellar tournament for the tone-setting central midfielder. Albert practically oozes enthusiasm, and nothing Eclipse Select did in driving toward the title game would’ve been possible without her outsize influence in the middle. The way she danced around defenders was a joy to watch.
M Kei Kitamura, De Anza Force: If there’s a better program in the country in recent years in producing creative attacking midfielders, there aren’t many of them. And Kitamura is a worthy successor for De Anza Force, which reaped the benefits of Kitamura’s skill set all week. Kitamura excelled in tight spots and in digging out possession to drive forward with verve. A true player to watch going forward.
F Devin Lynch, Eclipse Select: Was there a better out-and-out U14 forward anywhere in Rockford? Probably not. Lynch was the topper for Eclipse Select’s hard-hitting attack, and the speedy No. 9 didn’t disappoint as a dangerous threat anywhere within 20 yards. It didn’t hurt that Lynch scored the extra time goal in the semifinals to deliver Eclipse Select into the finale.
chargerfan
GOLD
I believe that surf player was in Seattle with her 2004 team, not in Chicago.
chargerfan
GOLD
I would hope TDS would fix the error, and give that accolade to a player that was actually there.
GoWest
GOLD
I hear that! If anyone's DD does her job on the pitch by keeping her team in a positive position for a positive outcome....'nuff said.
It would be nice to see what TDS had for the best of each day -- if that is available for sharing.
Anomaly
SILVER
Day One
M Mary Cochran, PDA U14: One of the day’s most enticing matchups was PDA-De Anza Force, two typical development stalwarts with national title aspirations. Curtis operated as PDA’s No. 8 and was a tremendously successful engine throughout the day. PDA’s ultimate 2-1 win was largely fueled by Curtis’ tireless work rate.
D Reece Wortmann, Real Colorado U14: Anywhere the WNY Flash went on Thursday, Wortmann seemed to shadow their collective attacking movement. The looming presence at center back was a constant for Real Colorado, and the capable organizer in the middle also hit a nice outlet pass or two to spring the attack.
F Natalie Moore, Indiana Fire Jrs. U14: Give Moore credit for persistence. As the Fire’s dropping forward, Moore was a constant in the attacking third on Thursday. The Fire ran up against the Seattle Reign, one of the favorites in this division, and it was ultimately Moore’s well-taken goal that secured her side’s 1-0 victory in a hugely significant three-pointer.
M Alexys Mai Ocampo, Arsenal FC U14: The biggest blowout of the day belonged to Arsenal FC, which routed a quality Charlotte SA side 6-1. Arguably the most inescapable presence on the field for either team for the duration was Ocampo’s. She camped out in the hole underneath Arsenal’s forward line and positively picked Charlotte SA apart. True No. 10s like this don’t come around often.
M Macaira Midgley, Michigan Hawks U14: As expected the title contender Hawks took care of their first match in a 3-1 win, and the inescapable influence of Midgley was perhaps the game’s most clear and present constant. As the central fulcrum in the Hawks’ gameplan, Midgley practically had her hand in every part of the match. But her greatest utility was as a creative passing force.
F Samiah Phiri, Solar Chelsea U14: Solar Chelsea entered as perhaps the best U14 here, and despite a draw Samiah Phiri managed to stand out. Her lanky build and speed up top allowed her to separate from defenders and create a constant sheen of danger.
M Kei Kitamura, De Anza Force U14: De Anza has a rich recent tradition of producing thoughtful creative midfielders, and Kitamura could be next in line for the throne. The creative impetus for De Anza’s quality U14 team had herself a day on Thursday, and her vision is among the best in the nation.
M Korbin Albert, Eclipse Select U14: It’s almost hard to believe Albert is playing up with 2021s as a 2022, because her practiced calm in the middle is uncanny. Albert enjoyed a huge day for Eclipse Select, which won its first game behind a five-goal effort. As a central heat generator, Albert’s perfectly weighted passes and vision were invaluable on the day.
F Bailey Wesco, Dallas Texans U14: While the Texans ultimately fell to Eclipse Select, they did put three goals up on the board in a losing effort. Wesco was perhaps the most visible of Texans’ prodigious attacking corps on Thursday, dipping into and out of traffic with her wiry frame and quick-burst speed in tight corners.
D Alexandra Mohr, San Diego Surf U14: Fullbacks don’t always get the most attention on this stage, but Mohr deserved her corner of the spotlight for her performance on Thursday. One of the smallest players on the field, Mohr played much bigger than her size, and her ability to cut in and find on-rushing attackers while standing up the opposition was notable.
M Jaelin Howell, Real Colorado U18: Arguably the most heavily recruited player in Illinois, Howell had plenty of eyes on her Thursday when her Real Colorado side opened up. Shockingly enough, they were upset by St. Louis Scott Gallagher, but that didn’t detract from yet another quality individual day from Howell, who’s off to Florida State in the fall.
F Kirsten Davis, St. Louis Scott Gallagher U18: SLSG’s 2-0 win over Real Colorado was the eye-opener of the day, and Davis’ performance as the stand-up No. 9 continually giving RC fits was one of the most visible actions of the game. RC simply had no answer for Davis’ physicality, which opened up the midfield behind her for better and more lethal movement. Good day for the Texas Tech signee.
F Catarina Macario, San Diego Surf U18: It’s no surprise that the leading scorer in ECNL history wasted little time opening her account in Rockford. She scored less than five minutes into Surf’s first game, which set the tone for an eventual 4-1 blowout. Macario, who’s headed to Stanford this fall, is still as dangerous as ever.
D Sarah Clark, Michigan Hawks U18: There are a lot of big names on this Hawks U18 side, but one to pay attention to is assuredly center back Clark. She was an immense presence in Hawks’ 1-0 shutout win over prodigious scorers Concorde Fire, and it was largely her calm and tackling ability that arranged the back line into such a formidable outfit on the day.
GK Mariel Gordon, FC Dallas U18: FCD might not’ve picked up all three points, but Gordon’s day had a huge hand in why they were able to ultimately pick up one. West Coast FC’s attack berated the FCD back line, and Gordon, constantly barking orders and snatching out aerial balls, was at the heart of the reason why FCD was able to live to see another day.
D Crea Baker-Durante, Boston Breakers U18: The Breakers ran out a 3-5-2 on Thursday that ultimately proved successful in a 3-0 win. Baker-Durante was the left wingback peg in the formation, and she was rampant. She scored a beautifully chipped goal just before half, and her tireless work up and down the left touchline made her half of the field impenetrable.
D Mikenna McManus, West Coast FC U18: West Coast is one of the favorites at the U18 age largely because of its prodigious attack, but its defense should get at least half the credit. McManus served as a hugely significant left back on Thursday, sweeping away attack after attack and no doubt making the coaching staff at Northeastern, annually one of the scariest defenses in the country, quite happy for 2017.
GK Savannah Madden, San Diego Surf U18: It shouldn’t come as any real surprise Madden finds herself here after Surf’s first day. As arguably the best keeper in Rockford, the 2017 Texas commit had a heck of an outing in only letting in one goal against a loaded Solar Chelsea team. She was typically assured in the air despite her lack of height and remains one of the best reaction save keepers in ECNL history.
M Mary Cochran, PDA U14: One of the day’s most enticing matchups was PDA-De Anza Force, two typical development stalwarts with national title aspirations. Curtis operated as PDA’s No. 8 and was a tremendously successful engine throughout the day. PDA’s ultimate 2-1 win was largely fueled by Curtis’ tireless work rate.
D Reece Wortmann, Real Colorado U14: Anywhere the WNY Flash went on Thursday, Wortmann seemed to shadow their collective attacking movement. The looming presence at center back was a constant for Real Colorado, and the capable organizer in the middle also hit a nice outlet pass or two to spring the attack.
F Natalie Moore, Indiana Fire Jrs. U14: Give Moore credit for persistence. As the Fire’s dropping forward, Moore was a constant in the attacking third on Thursday. The Fire ran up against the Seattle Reign, one of the favorites in this division, and it was ultimately Moore’s well-taken goal that secured her side’s 1-0 victory in a hugely significant three-pointer.
M Alexys Mai Ocampo, Arsenal FC U14: The biggest blowout of the day belonged to Arsenal FC, which routed a quality Charlotte SA side 6-1. Arguably the most inescapable presence on the field for either team for the duration was Ocampo’s. She camped out in the hole underneath Arsenal’s forward line and positively picked Charlotte SA apart. True No. 10s like this don’t come around often.
M Macaira Midgley, Michigan Hawks U14: As expected the title contender Hawks took care of their first match in a 3-1 win, and the inescapable influence of Midgley was perhaps the game’s most clear and present constant. As the central fulcrum in the Hawks’ gameplan, Midgley practically had her hand in every part of the match. But her greatest utility was as a creative passing force.
F Samiah Phiri, Solar Chelsea U14: Solar Chelsea entered as perhaps the best U14 here, and despite a draw Samiah Phiri managed to stand out. Her lanky build and speed up top allowed her to separate from defenders and create a constant sheen of danger.
M Kei Kitamura, De Anza Force U14: De Anza has a rich recent tradition of producing thoughtful creative midfielders, and Kitamura could be next in line for the throne. The creative impetus for De Anza’s quality U14 team had herself a day on Thursday, and her vision is among the best in the nation.
M Korbin Albert, Eclipse Select U14: It’s almost hard to believe Albert is playing up with 2021s as a 2022, because her practiced calm in the middle is uncanny. Albert enjoyed a huge day for Eclipse Select, which won its first game behind a five-goal effort. As a central heat generator, Albert’s perfectly weighted passes and vision were invaluable on the day.
F Bailey Wesco, Dallas Texans U14: While the Texans ultimately fell to Eclipse Select, they did put three goals up on the board in a losing effort. Wesco was perhaps the most visible of Texans’ prodigious attacking corps on Thursday, dipping into and out of traffic with her wiry frame and quick-burst speed in tight corners.
D Alexandra Mohr, San Diego Surf U14: Fullbacks don’t always get the most attention on this stage, but Mohr deserved her corner of the spotlight for her performance on Thursday. One of the smallest players on the field, Mohr played much bigger than her size, and her ability to cut in and find on-rushing attackers while standing up the opposition was notable.
M Jaelin Howell, Real Colorado U18: Arguably the most heavily recruited player in Illinois, Howell had plenty of eyes on her Thursday when her Real Colorado side opened up. Shockingly enough, they were upset by St. Louis Scott Gallagher, but that didn’t detract from yet another quality individual day from Howell, who’s off to Florida State in the fall.
F Kirsten Davis, St. Louis Scott Gallagher U18: SLSG’s 2-0 win over Real Colorado was the eye-opener of the day, and Davis’ performance as the stand-up No. 9 continually giving RC fits was one of the most visible actions of the game. RC simply had no answer for Davis’ physicality, which opened up the midfield behind her for better and more lethal movement. Good day for the Texas Tech signee.
F Catarina Macario, San Diego Surf U18: It’s no surprise that the leading scorer in ECNL history wasted little time opening her account in Rockford. She scored less than five minutes into Surf’s first game, which set the tone for an eventual 4-1 blowout. Macario, who’s headed to Stanford this fall, is still as dangerous as ever.
D Sarah Clark, Michigan Hawks U18: There are a lot of big names on this Hawks U18 side, but one to pay attention to is assuredly center back Clark. She was an immense presence in Hawks’ 1-0 shutout win over prodigious scorers Concorde Fire, and it was largely her calm and tackling ability that arranged the back line into such a formidable outfit on the day.
GK Mariel Gordon, FC Dallas U18: FCD might not’ve picked up all three points, but Gordon’s day had a huge hand in why they were able to ultimately pick up one. West Coast FC’s attack berated the FCD back line, and Gordon, constantly barking orders and snatching out aerial balls, was at the heart of the reason why FCD was able to live to see another day.
D Crea Baker-Durante, Boston Breakers U18: The Breakers ran out a 3-5-2 on Thursday that ultimately proved successful in a 3-0 win. Baker-Durante was the left wingback peg in the formation, and she was rampant. She scored a beautifully chipped goal just before half, and her tireless work up and down the left touchline made her half of the field impenetrable.
D Mikenna McManus, West Coast FC U18: West Coast is one of the favorites at the U18 age largely because of its prodigious attack, but its defense should get at least half the credit. McManus served as a hugely significant left back on Thursday, sweeping away attack after attack and no doubt making the coaching staff at Northeastern, annually one of the scariest defenses in the country, quite happy for 2017.
GK Savannah Madden, San Diego Surf U18: It shouldn’t come as any real surprise Madden finds herself here after Surf’s first day. As arguably the best keeper in Rockford, the 2017 Texas commit had a heck of an outing in only letting in one goal against a loaded Solar Chelsea team. She was typically assured in the air despite her lack of height and remains one of the best reaction save keepers in ECNL history.
Anomaly
SILVER
Day Two
M Jenna Faybrick, Michigan Hawks U15: The Hawks’ prodigious prospect factory might be in the process of churning out another USYNT candidate. Faybrick is Hawks’ primary deep-lying midfielder at the U15 age, and she’s a heck of a playmaker from deep. On Friday, she pulled the strings in pinging passes to open up angles of the attack. Hawks’ 3-0 win had a lot to do with her.
M Cara Elmendorf, Jacksonville Armada U15: Elmendorf more than lived up to her billing as the No. 58 player in the 2020 class on Friday. The blazing winger served as Armada’s left peg in the attack, and she was a handful defensively. She was able to beat it to the endline more or less whenever she wanted, and as a true winger she was able to stretch the field magnificently.
M Corinna Zullo, PDA U15: Others might’ve reaped more notoriety on the PDA U15 team, but the team wouldn’t have gotten its point without Zullo’s feverish work on the right flank. She sent in the cross that Gianna Romano finished to give PDA the goal that earned the point. Zullo was a whirling dervish in space and incredibly hard to pin down.
D Makaela Stokes, CASL U15: The day might not’ve done CASL’s way on the whole, but Stokes largely escaped the worst of it by turning in what was otherwise a buttoned up morning of action as a true ball-stopping center back. It’s clear she has true high-end Division I potential, and her movement Friday combined with her bullish ability to win back balls shone through CASL’s loss.
M Erin Martin, Connecticut FC U15: Martin, the No. 105 player in the 2020 class, hardly put a foot wrong on Friday. Her CFC side galloped to a 2-1 win to open group play, and her stern, forbidding presence in the middle was a constant. Martin clearly has the ability to put the clamps on a game as the primary No. 8, and CFC relied on her for everything from starting builds to holding up the ball on the defensive end.
GK Mia Justus, PDA U15: Justus was only beaten once on Friday in the process of a 1-1 draw, but that shouldn’t detract from an otherwise unbeatable day. Justus’ athletic prowess is obvious, but to listen to her bark out instructions to her defense, perhaps her broadest value point is in how she’s able to see the spread of the field. One of the best keepers in Rockford, bar none.
M Lia Zavalsky, Colorado Rush U15: Rush had a good morning and managed to come out with a point, and Zavalsky had a heck of a day in the midst of it all. Zavalsky is the deep-lying central cog in Rush’s game plan, and she did superbly in keeping movement sweeping from one angle of attack to the next. It’s probably safe to say Colorado wouldn’t have had nearly the day it did without her.
D Katherine Houck, St. Louis Scott Gallagher U15: SLSG’s day didn’t go quite as planned, as the Midwest power outfit lost by two goals. But Houck managed to shine through anyway with her assured play as a center back with a Division I frame and a developing set of skills that put her in good stead. If she can continue to develop her ground game, look out.
M Mia Otero, Boston Breakers U16: The Breakers are having a great outing across the board, and the U16 team upheld its end of the bargain Friday with a 3-1 win. Otero was everywhere for the women in blue, pushing the attack from her spot in the creative middle and finding space for her teammates.
M Sophie Jones, Slammers FC U16: One of the most generally underrated values in players, especially young players, is smooth, intelligent movement. Jones had that in spades on Friday, when she glided from challenge to challenge in the middle while prodding her incredibly talented Slammers midfield forward. There’s a reason she’s the first in this group to commit. Arizona is getting a good one in 2019.
M Croix Bethune, Concorde Fire U16: Anywhere you looked in Fire’s match on Friday, Bethune’s long trailing hair and killer instincts seemed to be there as well. Concorde Fire rang up three goals on Friday to notch a hugely significant win in their opener, and Bethune didn’t miss out on the goal party. But it was her movement, vision and passing ability that really set her apart. She was USYNT level on Friday.
M Anna Salvucci, Penn Fusion U16: As far as attacking verve is concerned, Salvucci provided a metric ton of it on Friday for Penn Fusion’s quality U16 side. Salvucci was arrayed on the right flank for Penn Fusion and was a continual font of danger as a pinching inside winger on the day. When she made for the end line, she was more or less unmarkable.
F Samantha Williams, So Cal Blues U16: As one of the biggest draws here, So Cal Blues’ perfect U16 team had a whale of an opener against Charlotte SA on Friday, and they came through with a flying 3-1 win. One of the major factors in that win was Williams, SCB’s center forward who always seemed to be in a dangerous position. Drifting from shallow wide right to the main central cog, Williams was a continual (and skilled) threat.
D Maggie Miller, Charlotte SA U16: Charlotte SA’s defense had the almost impossible task of slowing down a So Cal Blues attack that’s never been bested this season, but they did a respectable job in holding So Cal Blues’ unrelenting attack to just three. Miller was CSA’s biggest standout, a stout central defender with good size and keen instincts both aerially and along the ground.
M Ansley Frazier, Orlando City U17: Frazier stood out on Friday, initially because of her smaller stature compared to her teammates and again, more impactfully, as one of the silkiest operators on the field. Frazier ran the show as the creative central midfielder for Orlando City, chipping through balls to rushing forwards and moving possession to break down the defense. She was unquestionably the engine behind most of what Orlando City did in the attacking third Friday.
M Jenna Faybrick, Michigan Hawks U15: The Hawks’ prodigious prospect factory might be in the process of churning out another USYNT candidate. Faybrick is Hawks’ primary deep-lying midfielder at the U15 age, and she’s a heck of a playmaker from deep. On Friday, she pulled the strings in pinging passes to open up angles of the attack. Hawks’ 3-0 win had a lot to do with her.
M Cara Elmendorf, Jacksonville Armada U15: Elmendorf more than lived up to her billing as the No. 58 player in the 2020 class on Friday. The blazing winger served as Armada’s left peg in the attack, and she was a handful defensively. She was able to beat it to the endline more or less whenever she wanted, and as a true winger she was able to stretch the field magnificently.
M Corinna Zullo, PDA U15: Others might’ve reaped more notoriety on the PDA U15 team, but the team wouldn’t have gotten its point without Zullo’s feverish work on the right flank. She sent in the cross that Gianna Romano finished to give PDA the goal that earned the point. Zullo was a whirling dervish in space and incredibly hard to pin down.
D Makaela Stokes, CASL U15: The day might not’ve done CASL’s way on the whole, but Stokes largely escaped the worst of it by turning in what was otherwise a buttoned up morning of action as a true ball-stopping center back. It’s clear she has true high-end Division I potential, and her movement Friday combined with her bullish ability to win back balls shone through CASL’s loss.
M Erin Martin, Connecticut FC U15: Martin, the No. 105 player in the 2020 class, hardly put a foot wrong on Friday. Her CFC side galloped to a 2-1 win to open group play, and her stern, forbidding presence in the middle was a constant. Martin clearly has the ability to put the clamps on a game as the primary No. 8, and CFC relied on her for everything from starting builds to holding up the ball on the defensive end.
GK Mia Justus, PDA U15: Justus was only beaten once on Friday in the process of a 1-1 draw, but that shouldn’t detract from an otherwise unbeatable day. Justus’ athletic prowess is obvious, but to listen to her bark out instructions to her defense, perhaps her broadest value point is in how she’s able to see the spread of the field. One of the best keepers in Rockford, bar none.
M Lia Zavalsky, Colorado Rush U15: Rush had a good morning and managed to come out with a point, and Zavalsky had a heck of a day in the midst of it all. Zavalsky is the deep-lying central cog in Rush’s game plan, and she did superbly in keeping movement sweeping from one angle of attack to the next. It’s probably safe to say Colorado wouldn’t have had nearly the day it did without her.
D Katherine Houck, St. Louis Scott Gallagher U15: SLSG’s day didn’t go quite as planned, as the Midwest power outfit lost by two goals. But Houck managed to shine through anyway with her assured play as a center back with a Division I frame and a developing set of skills that put her in good stead. If she can continue to develop her ground game, look out.
M Mia Otero, Boston Breakers U16: The Breakers are having a great outing across the board, and the U16 team upheld its end of the bargain Friday with a 3-1 win. Otero was everywhere for the women in blue, pushing the attack from her spot in the creative middle and finding space for her teammates.
M Sophie Jones, Slammers FC U16: One of the most generally underrated values in players, especially young players, is smooth, intelligent movement. Jones had that in spades on Friday, when she glided from challenge to challenge in the middle while prodding her incredibly talented Slammers midfield forward. There’s a reason she’s the first in this group to commit. Arizona is getting a good one in 2019.
M Croix Bethune, Concorde Fire U16: Anywhere you looked in Fire’s match on Friday, Bethune’s long trailing hair and killer instincts seemed to be there as well. Concorde Fire rang up three goals on Friday to notch a hugely significant win in their opener, and Bethune didn’t miss out on the goal party. But it was her movement, vision and passing ability that really set her apart. She was USYNT level on Friday.
M Anna Salvucci, Penn Fusion U16: As far as attacking verve is concerned, Salvucci provided a metric ton of it on Friday for Penn Fusion’s quality U16 side. Salvucci was arrayed on the right flank for Penn Fusion and was a continual font of danger as a pinching inside winger on the day. When she made for the end line, she was more or less unmarkable.
F Samantha Williams, So Cal Blues U16: As one of the biggest draws here, So Cal Blues’ perfect U16 team had a whale of an opener against Charlotte SA on Friday, and they came through with a flying 3-1 win. One of the major factors in that win was Williams, SCB’s center forward who always seemed to be in a dangerous position. Drifting from shallow wide right to the main central cog, Williams was a continual (and skilled) threat.
D Maggie Miller, Charlotte SA U16: Charlotte SA’s defense had the almost impossible task of slowing down a So Cal Blues attack that’s never been bested this season, but they did a respectable job in holding So Cal Blues’ unrelenting attack to just three. Miller was CSA’s biggest standout, a stout central defender with good size and keen instincts both aerially and along the ground.
M Ansley Frazier, Orlando City U17: Frazier stood out on Friday, initially because of her smaller stature compared to her teammates and again, more impactfully, as one of the silkiest operators on the field. Frazier ran the show as the creative central midfielder for Orlando City, chipping through balls to rushing forwards and moving possession to break down the defense. She was unquestionably the engine behind most of what Orlando City did in the attacking third Friday.
Anomaly
SILVER
Day Two (Continued)
F Isabelle Shackelford, Sporting Blue Valley U17: Sporting Blue Valley’s U17s entered this event as one of the favorites to win their group, and Shackelford did nothing to disabuse the public of those thoughts on Friday. Sporting Blue Valley picked up a draw to get the playoffs started off on an exciting note, and it was her goal from a tight angle that got the party started. Her intelligence in space was hard to miss.
M Allison Schlegel, Real Colorado U17: There’s no getting around the massive amounts of talent on Real Colorado’s U17 side, and arguably the most underrated in Schlegel. The team’s holding midfielder had a huge day in Real Colorado’s 5-0 win on Friday, including a towering header that beat the keeper off a corner. Her movement and defensive ability were both immense. No surprise Penn State, that defensive scion, will welcome her in 2018.
GK Hanna Wise, Eagles SC U17: Of all the keepers who took the field on Friday, Wise might’ve had the best day. While it’s true Eagles ultimately dropped its opener 1-0, Wise kept it that close with a bevy of huge saves. One of those was a penalty stop, when she dropped low and to her left to deny a well-taken shot. Louisville clearly did its homework as it welcomes one of the better 2018 keepers in the country.
M Helena Reischling, Crossfire Premier U17: If you spent any amount of time watching Crossfire play on Friday, it wouldn’t take long until Reischling stood out. The right winger’s mazy runs and quick feet off the dribble marked her as arguably the most dangerous player on the field. If you blinked, you’d miss one of the 2018 Washington commit’s corkscrewing runs into space to tie up the defender like a pretzel.
F Isabelle Shackelford, Sporting Blue Valley U17: Sporting Blue Valley’s U17s entered this event as one of the favorites to win their group, and Shackelford did nothing to disabuse the public of those thoughts on Friday. Sporting Blue Valley picked up a draw to get the playoffs started off on an exciting note, and it was her goal from a tight angle that got the party started. Her intelligence in space was hard to miss.
M Allison Schlegel, Real Colorado U17: There’s no getting around the massive amounts of talent on Real Colorado’s U17 side, and arguably the most underrated in Schlegel. The team’s holding midfielder had a huge day in Real Colorado’s 5-0 win on Friday, including a towering header that beat the keeper off a corner. Her movement and defensive ability were both immense. No surprise Penn State, that defensive scion, will welcome her in 2018.
GK Hanna Wise, Eagles SC U17: Of all the keepers who took the field on Friday, Wise might’ve had the best day. While it’s true Eagles ultimately dropped its opener 1-0, Wise kept it that close with a bevy of huge saves. One of those was a penalty stop, when she dropped low and to her left to deny a well-taken shot. Louisville clearly did its homework as it welcomes one of the better 2018 keepers in the country.
M Helena Reischling, Crossfire Premier U17: If you spent any amount of time watching Crossfire play on Friday, it wouldn’t take long until Reischling stood out. The right winger’s mazy runs and quick feet off the dribble marked her as arguably the most dangerous player on the field. If you blinked, you’d miss one of the 2018 Washington commit’s corkscrewing runs into space to tie up the defender like a pretzel.
Anomaly
SILVER
Day Three
F Shyra James, San Diego Surf U15: It’s no surprise Colorado hopped on the commit of James as just a 2020. The stand-up center forward had another sturdy performance as the primary attacking outlet for a stout Surf side on Saturday. She proved equally adept at shouldering into a marker as she was cutting into open space to look for her own shot.
F Yasmin Parkar, Lonestar SC U15: There can be little question about Parkar’s bonafides as one of this event’s top U15 strikers. She kept to the formula Saturday that’s made her one of the fastest rising dark horse USYNT candidates, cautiously picking her way through traffic and dropping in to combine with her teammates as a second forward.
M Samantha Kroeger, World Class FC U15: When fast-rising Big East program Rutgers secured Kroeger’s signature, it didn’t come as a surprise to those who’d seen her play. And it wasn’t a surprise on Saturday to watch the speed-hound left winger crack into open space and create havoc with her blend of speed and guile. Who needs size with this much technical ability?
D Sarah Santos, Slammers FC U15: The biggest win of the day on the U15 level belonged to Slammers FC’s six-goal margin. Santos wasn’t the most high-flying contributor to the attack, but she was subtly one of the best DI prospects on the field with her assured play at left back. Whether tracking runners or pushing width downfield, it’s rare you see a left back on this level who looks this good.
F Reilyn Turner, So Cal Blues U15: The Blues are so loaded at the U15 age there are a handful of players to choose from here, but Turner’s influence at center forward Saturday was the most obvious influence. Flanked by Simone Jackson and Trinity Rodman, arguably the best front three in the ECNL right now, Turner was hard to hold back as the middle prong of the spear.
M Abigail McNulty, FC Stars U15: FC Stars’ attack invariably tilted to the left on Saturday, which happened to be where McNulty was doing her work as the left winger. McNulty was a rare sight as a winger capable of buying both space and time with her movement before shuttling in more crosses with less pressure. A valued resource for a winger.
M Amber Nguyen, Concorde Fire U15: The Fire are loaded all the way down the line, and Nguyen might be their most influential U15 in the most phases of the game. Nguyen was a true show-runner in the middle, flipping the attack from one flank to the other to open up new and more lightly defended avenues to goal.
GK Angelina Anderson, Mustang SC U16: Nobody’s handing out awards yet, but Anderson certainly has an inside track to the title of the best keeper in Rockford, regardless of age designation. Combined with her ideal size and net coverage, the California commit also has one of the most impressive legs in ECNL history. She can place her set pieces anywhere on the field – she has 70+ yard range.
D Bridie Herman, Ohio Elite U16: Tennessee is getting a good one at a rare position in a few years. Herman stated her case Saturday as one of the best left backs at this event with her startlingly steady two-way play along the left touchline. She appeared just as comfortable pressing the attack Saturday as she was shutting down opposing attacks, which she did whenever they drifted to her flank.
GK Elena Milam, Crossfire Premier U16: Entering Saturday, no team had even tied So Cal Blues’ U16 side. That changed when Crossfire registered a shock 2-2 draw, preserved thanks to Milam’s goal line heroics. SCB earned a penalty kick and Milam denied it, leaping off her line to turn away a well-taken shot low and well to her left. The point was not far behind. Milam, a 2019, no doubt earned herself a few college looks with that save.
D Addison Shock, Ohio Premier U16: Ohio Premier got to this stage for a number of reasons, but its hounding defense was certainly among them. At the beating core of that back line is Shock, who put in another quality shift at center back on Saturday. Her size is evident, and while she’ll continue to brush up her along-the-ground game, she’s impervious in the air and on 50/50 balls.
F Bria Telemaque, Michigan Hawks U16: One sympathizes with center backs tasked with shadowing Telemaque’s movement for Hawks’ vaunted U16 side. Telemaque was predictably good again as the center forward for Hawks’ top U16 club, diving into channels and forcing markers into pretzels with her combination of speed and hold-up ability.
M Nichol Green, PDA U16: It was a joy to watch Green operate on Saturday. As the central defensive midfielder anchoring PDA’s midfield, Green’s vision and ability to calmly dissect the field and pick out the right pass were standout traits matched by few players in Rockford. Green isn’t flashy, but her position and role don’t demand it. She’ll make some college program quite happy.
D Kennedy Wesley, So Cal Blues U17: Unsurprisingly, Wesley is on pretty good form right now. Less than a week after accepting the Gatorade High School Player of the Year trophy from Abby Wambach, Wesley’s been SCB’s most vital defensive presence in Rockford. As a center back, Wesley was clearly a cut above on Saturday, directing the action and stepping into it when pressed.
GK Chanceley Bock, Birmingham United U17: The day ultimately didn’t favor Birmingham United, which ran up against a stocked Solar Chelsea attack. But Bock did everything but stand on her head to keep it from ballooning further. With the game in her end almost constantly, Bock made save after save, including a world class reaction stab in the opening minutes.
D Rachel Wasserman, Solar Chelsea U17: Solar Chelsea is tracking a national title later this summer, and Wasserman should be a huge factor in that run. She was immense on Saturday at her left wingback role, running up and down the flank to provide help and stymie attacks. The Penn State pledge lived up to her billing as one of the staunchest defenders anywhere.
D Kathryn Cortiz, McLean U17: McLean ultimately fell in a tight 1-0 battle against Real So Cal, but it was even that close because McLean’s defense was collectively outstanding. Individually, Cortiz was the beating heart at center back, scrambling for a number of vital point-blank deflections, recoveries and clears in compromising positions.
F Shyra James, San Diego Surf U15: It’s no surprise Colorado hopped on the commit of James as just a 2020. The stand-up center forward had another sturdy performance as the primary attacking outlet for a stout Surf side on Saturday. She proved equally adept at shouldering into a marker as she was cutting into open space to look for her own shot.
F Yasmin Parkar, Lonestar SC U15: There can be little question about Parkar’s bonafides as one of this event’s top U15 strikers. She kept to the formula Saturday that’s made her one of the fastest rising dark horse USYNT candidates, cautiously picking her way through traffic and dropping in to combine with her teammates as a second forward.
M Samantha Kroeger, World Class FC U15: When fast-rising Big East program Rutgers secured Kroeger’s signature, it didn’t come as a surprise to those who’d seen her play. And it wasn’t a surprise on Saturday to watch the speed-hound left winger crack into open space and create havoc with her blend of speed and guile. Who needs size with this much technical ability?
D Sarah Santos, Slammers FC U15: The biggest win of the day on the U15 level belonged to Slammers FC’s six-goal margin. Santos wasn’t the most high-flying contributor to the attack, but she was subtly one of the best DI prospects on the field with her assured play at left back. Whether tracking runners or pushing width downfield, it’s rare you see a left back on this level who looks this good.
F Reilyn Turner, So Cal Blues U15: The Blues are so loaded at the U15 age there are a handful of players to choose from here, but Turner’s influence at center forward Saturday was the most obvious influence. Flanked by Simone Jackson and Trinity Rodman, arguably the best front three in the ECNL right now, Turner was hard to hold back as the middle prong of the spear.
M Abigail McNulty, FC Stars U15: FC Stars’ attack invariably tilted to the left on Saturday, which happened to be where McNulty was doing her work as the left winger. McNulty was a rare sight as a winger capable of buying both space and time with her movement before shuttling in more crosses with less pressure. A valued resource for a winger.
M Amber Nguyen, Concorde Fire U15: The Fire are loaded all the way down the line, and Nguyen might be their most influential U15 in the most phases of the game. Nguyen was a true show-runner in the middle, flipping the attack from one flank to the other to open up new and more lightly defended avenues to goal.
GK Angelina Anderson, Mustang SC U16: Nobody’s handing out awards yet, but Anderson certainly has an inside track to the title of the best keeper in Rockford, regardless of age designation. Combined with her ideal size and net coverage, the California commit also has one of the most impressive legs in ECNL history. She can place her set pieces anywhere on the field – she has 70+ yard range.
D Bridie Herman, Ohio Elite U16: Tennessee is getting a good one at a rare position in a few years. Herman stated her case Saturday as one of the best left backs at this event with her startlingly steady two-way play along the left touchline. She appeared just as comfortable pressing the attack Saturday as she was shutting down opposing attacks, which she did whenever they drifted to her flank.
GK Elena Milam, Crossfire Premier U16: Entering Saturday, no team had even tied So Cal Blues’ U16 side. That changed when Crossfire registered a shock 2-2 draw, preserved thanks to Milam’s goal line heroics. SCB earned a penalty kick and Milam denied it, leaping off her line to turn away a well-taken shot low and well to her left. The point was not far behind. Milam, a 2019, no doubt earned herself a few college looks with that save.
D Addison Shock, Ohio Premier U16: Ohio Premier got to this stage for a number of reasons, but its hounding defense was certainly among them. At the beating core of that back line is Shock, who put in another quality shift at center back on Saturday. Her size is evident, and while she’ll continue to brush up her along-the-ground game, she’s impervious in the air and on 50/50 balls.
F Bria Telemaque, Michigan Hawks U16: One sympathizes with center backs tasked with shadowing Telemaque’s movement for Hawks’ vaunted U16 side. Telemaque was predictably good again as the center forward for Hawks’ top U16 club, diving into channels and forcing markers into pretzels with her combination of speed and hold-up ability.
M Nichol Green, PDA U16: It was a joy to watch Green operate on Saturday. As the central defensive midfielder anchoring PDA’s midfield, Green’s vision and ability to calmly dissect the field and pick out the right pass were standout traits matched by few players in Rockford. Green isn’t flashy, but her position and role don’t demand it. She’ll make some college program quite happy.
D Kennedy Wesley, So Cal Blues U17: Unsurprisingly, Wesley is on pretty good form right now. Less than a week after accepting the Gatorade High School Player of the Year trophy from Abby Wambach, Wesley’s been SCB’s most vital defensive presence in Rockford. As a center back, Wesley was clearly a cut above on Saturday, directing the action and stepping into it when pressed.
GK Chanceley Bock, Birmingham United U17: The day ultimately didn’t favor Birmingham United, which ran up against a stocked Solar Chelsea attack. But Bock did everything but stand on her head to keep it from ballooning further. With the game in her end almost constantly, Bock made save after save, including a world class reaction stab in the opening minutes.
D Rachel Wasserman, Solar Chelsea U17: Solar Chelsea is tracking a national title later this summer, and Wasserman should be a huge factor in that run. She was immense on Saturday at her left wingback role, running up and down the flank to provide help and stymie attacks. The Penn State pledge lived up to her billing as one of the staunchest defenders anywhere.
D Kathryn Cortiz, McLean U17: McLean ultimately fell in a tight 1-0 battle against Real So Cal, but it was even that close because McLean’s defense was collectively outstanding. Individually, Cortiz was the beating heart at center back, scrambling for a number of vital point-blank deflections, recoveries and clears in compromising positions.
Anomaly
SILVER
Day Three (Continued)
GK Gabriella McDonald, Colorado Storm U17: Shutting out any So Cal Blues team is worthy of note, but the way McDonald helped her Storm back line mount stop after stop was worthy of note all on its own. McDonald possesses great instincts from post to post, and even stalking the sideline it was easy to hear her clear marching orders delivered to her attentive defenders.
F Zoe Hasenauer, Real So Cal U17: RSC picked up a much-needed three points on Saturday, and the biggest full-match influencer in the final third was without question Hasenauer. The 2018 Oregon commit was both physical at the center forward position and able to touch around defenders and find space to rope in the rest of her attack for the build. Oregon is getting a huge attacking piece in another year.
M Brice McInroy, Penn Fusion U17: McInroy, the No. 90 player in the 2019 class, remains one of the most highly sought-after recruits in her group for a reason. She displayed her skill once again Saturday, punctuating a great afternoon by pulling off a back heel to an on-rushing teammate to generate a clear-cut scoring chance. Not many have the skill to pull off what McInroy’s capable of.
GK Gabriella McDonald, Colorado Storm U17: Shutting out any So Cal Blues team is worthy of note, but the way McDonald helped her Storm back line mount stop after stop was worthy of note all on its own. McDonald possesses great instincts from post to post, and even stalking the sideline it was easy to hear her clear marching orders delivered to her attentive defenders.
F Zoe Hasenauer, Real So Cal U17: RSC picked up a much-needed three points on Saturday, and the biggest full-match influencer in the final third was without question Hasenauer. The 2018 Oregon commit was both physical at the center forward position and able to touch around defenders and find space to rope in the rest of her attack for the build. Oregon is getting a huge attacking piece in another year.
M Brice McInroy, Penn Fusion U17: McInroy, the No. 90 player in the 2019 class, remains one of the most highly sought-after recruits in her group for a reason. She displayed her skill once again Saturday, punctuating a great afternoon by pulling off a back heel to an on-rushing teammate to generate a clear-cut scoring chance. Not many have the skill to pull off what McInroy’s capable of.
chargerfan
GOLD
They listed the 2004 surf girl that wasn't there again. Unbelievable.
NoGoal
DA
Makes me wonder, if they write this stuff without attending the events.
MakeAPlay
DA
I can tell they don't. If they did their rankings might look much different.
Dos Equis
GOLD
Let us be charitable and assume they attend these events. How many people can they send? One or Two? There were 224 teams at the event. On any given day, over 80 games were played. If two scouts spent all day there, they might be able to get 20 games, if they stay for only a half of each.
They focus on players they have already identified, their confirmation bias firmly in hand. Since it is unlikely they know the players by sight, I would not be surprised if they mistake who they are watching for who they expect to see.
TDS is a prooduct the ODP/ID2 and YNT selections upon which much of their rankings are based. The vast majority of the players on those lists are extremely talented and deserving, but the lists are far from definitive, and are very slow to change. Late bloomers are usually ignored, until TDS magically identifies them, after they commit to a top school.
They focus on players they have already identified, their confirmation bias firmly in hand. Since it is unlikely they know the players by sight, I would not be surprised if they mistake who they are watching for who they expect to see.
TDS is a prooduct the ODP/ID2 and YNT selections upon which much of their rankings are based. The vast majority of the players on those lists are extremely talented and deserving, but the lists are far from definitive, and are very slow to change. Late bloomers are usually ignored, until TDS magically identifies them, after they commit to a top school.