Under the radar players in the Oakland area
Oakland is a city of underdogs. It’s a city that is used to being an afterthought to San Francisco, and even Berkeley, which has the crown jewel of the UC system. And what is bred from that comes an attitude…
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Continue ReadingOakland is a city of underdogs. It’s a city that is used to being an afterthought to San Francisco, and even Berkeley, which has the crown jewel of the UC system. And what is bred from that comes an attitude of hard work. Something inside that wants to show people that they are short-sighted and are missing the big picture.
In this area comes scrappy, but talented, under-recruited athletes whose talent should not, and likely will not go unnoticed for much longer. There are many players who colleges would be wise to consider from this area.
Ila Centrell, Encinal, Sophomore, Keeper
Cantrell is a very, very athletic keeper who demonstrates quick reflexes. She has good size, showing great length. What really stands out about her, though, is her tenacity. She takes hits in the box constantly and pops back up. She is relentless and resilient.
Sophie Hebert, Piedmont, Junior, Forward
Bordering Oakland basically on all sides is the small city of Piedmont, where an outstanding junior playing the No. 11 position resides. Hebert is a left-footed player who is showing goal-scoring prowess so far for the Highlanders. She is a very quick player who has started strong and is leading the way for a team off to a nice start.
Taylor Hodges, Castro Valley, Junior, Forward
From just south of Oakland in Castro Valley, Hodges is a very talented junior forward. She is incredibly fast, she is the leader of the team both vocally and sets a great example with how hard she works. She confounds defenses constantly by displaying incredible speed.
Alison Jenson, Encinal, Junior, Striker
With a booming shot, Jenson is a ferocious striker as it seems like the ball is shot out of a cannon. She is a true finisher who is very physical and very strong up top as well.
Marissa Lekashman, Encinal, Junior, Midfielder
What the Jets have in Lekashman is a very technical player with great vision and great resilience. She shows a killer instinct when she gets in front of the goal.
Sara Redfield, Bishop O’Dowd, Senior, Outside Back
Like her teammate Senn, Redfield plays at BOD which is in the south part of Oakland before you hit San Leandro. She is a very aggressive, physical, and powerful back. She works very hard and makes her presence felt. She is also a talented scorer to when she pushes up, showing great finishing ability.
Angela St. Dennis, Encinal, Junior, Forward
Bordering Oakland to the west, the island town of Alameda is nestled. Encinal High resides here, and the Jets are a team on the rise thanks to an influx of talent from players playing at Bay Oaks. The Jets have no less than four outstanding underclassmen, starting with St. Dennis. A fast, tenacious player who is lethal when she gets 1v1 with anyone. She’s a great finisher who battles and is passionate about the sport.
Katie Senn, Bishop O’Dowd, Senior, Midfielder
A local club and high school coach said that Senn controls the game like nobody they had ever seen, comparing her to Spain legend Andres Iniesta. She is a technical player, reads the game so well that she is often two moves ahead of everyone else. She’s incredibly smart, she demonstrates great leadership and wants the ball at her feet as much as possible and can do damage once that happens.