Watch List: Colorado’s Best from the 2026 and 2027 Classes
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The PrepSoccer Player Rankings for the 2024 and 2025 classes were updated last week. As part of the update process, PrepSoccer scouts saw a number of players playing up an age group or two. With that in mind, PrepSoccer took…
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Continue ReadingThe PrepSoccer Player Rankings for the 2024 and 2025 classes were updated last week. As part of the update process, PrepSoccer scouts saw a number of players playing up an age group or two.
With that in mind, PrepSoccer took an early look at the 2026 and 2027 classes in Colorado. Below are players who will be part of the ranking for those classes when they are released in the future.
rnGiron is a midfielder on the Colorado Rush 07 GA team. She impressed me with her quality on the ball. She has excellent control of the ball. She does not try to do too much in the midfield though – much of her game is one or two-touch soccer. She has an advanced approach to body feints on the ball, which is especially effective in the midfield. She is a very good passer as well with a variety of ways to create chances for her teammates. Giron has all of the qualities to a be a top player at the national level in this class.
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DeBolt is the center back for the Colorado Rush 08 GA team. She was one of two Colorado players called up to the US U15 Girls National Team camp in September. She covers more ground than most center backs – as it looks like Rush plays with a back three and DeBolt sits in the center of that. She gets side to side on the field and will cut out many passes over the top. She is also good at reading the passes in front of her and not afraid to step up a level to intercept the entry pass. DeBolt is likely a left center back in the four at the next level. I like that she is already comfortable in playing through her goalkeeper to break pressure. She is calm on the ball and rarely rushes into a decision. DeBolt is a top prospect in this class.
Smith is the other one of the two Colorado players called into the US U15 Girls National Team camp in October. She is a goalkeeper from the Colorado Rapids academy. She is one of the most impressive athletes for the position. She moves laterally really well which gives her a big advantage in shot-stopping. She has good lower body strength on dives and fast reactions to get back up quickly. Smith is a top prospect at goalkeeper for the position – and one of the best from Colorado recently, which is high praise for a state that has produced a plethora of stars in that role.
Dern is a left back for the Real Colorado 07 ECNL team. She is a good individual defender; from game film, she was a standout in how she shutdown players with her physical tackles and strength on the ball when gaining possession. She did well in connecting passes down the line to create chances for the winger in front of her.
Beck is a defensive midfielder on the Colorado Rapids 08 ECNL squad. She stood out in the games that I watched for her movement off the ball. Beck was always adjusting – either to create an angle for a pass or finding a way to balance her team defensively. She was comfortable on the ball, and did well keeping possession for her team when handling a tricky pass. Beck’s got a lot of potential and should be one to watch from this class.
rnTorres is a midfielder on the Real Colorado 07 ECNL team. She is a clever passer – she showed that quality during the ECNL National Event in Phoenix. She did well in splitting defenders with her passes. She is comfortable on the ball and always looking for an angle to make a key pass. She has a good first touch and technical ability to play in tight spaces. She can play in a wide role as well. She is right footed and has excellent close control with ball mastery.
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rnRieben is a goalkeeper on the Girls Academy 08 team at Colorado Rush. She was a standout over the summer during the playoffs. She is comfortable off her line, good with her feet, and makes good decisions in distribution. Maddie King Maddie King GK Ralston Valley | 2026 CO has also been a standout in goal for Colorado Rush from this class.
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rnMegill is a winger who is a key player on the Colorado Rapids 08 ECNL squad. She has a good first touch and excellent call skills. She has the quality to dribble past defenders, but also the skill to navigate in tight spaces. Teams tend to defend her side by sending multiple defenders to slow her down. She serves a good cross and does well with the timing of delivery to meet her teammates runs with the pass. I’ve seen Megill play in an attacking role, but she has the qualities to shine in any wide role – attacking outside back could be a potential spot for her in the future.
Hoffman is the left center back on the Rapids 08 ECNL team. She stood out for her decision-making on the ball. She made good choices with her passes and ddi well in keeping possession for her team. She is right-footed but comfortable to find an outlet with either foot.
Falk comes from a soccer family with her older sister being a top 2024 recruit in the state. The younger Falk is a goalkeeper. She is as tough as they come in net. She battled through anything and anyone to stop shots. She is a multi-sport athlete with impressive chops in the Track and Field arena as well.
Ceres is listed as a midfielder on the Rapids roster, but I saw her playing the right center back position. She was excellent in that role. She has good recovery speed and chased down a couple of attackers. She made some good passes to break the lines of pressure and help her team get into the attacking third quickly. She is a terrific tandem with Hoffman for the Rapids.
While watching the Colorado Rapids 08 team, Martinez jumped off the screen with her technical quality in the center of the field. She did well in checking her shoulders before receiving the ball. She always seemed to take her first touch away from pressure. She was good at quickly finding teammates. She is rarely caught in possession of the ball because she moves it quickly and then receives it again to break pressure.
Highlights
The greatest compliment you can pay to a young player is to say they looked part while playing against the best in the country a few age groups up. Kotschau definitely looked the part while playing for the Colorado Rapids 06 team during the ECNL National Event in Phoenix in November. She is a right-footed midfielder. She is excellent in ball-striking and capable of scoring past any goalkeeper from over 30 yards out. She hits the ball so hard that the net might rip. She is a box-to-box type of player and will cover the most ground on the field if her team needs that part of her game. She is a long way off from the next level, but she is probably one who should be in the national team picture for her age group.
The talented winger from Colorado Rush is a player that most scouts are already aware of because of her quality in national events. Walk past a Colorado Rush 08 game and Beer is likely doing something impressive. She is likely a left winger at the next level. She is good with either foot, which makes her tough to contain. Her signature move is a pause-and-go as she puts the defender on their heels for a second and then explodes past the mark. Beer is good on the cross, but also can cut in (thanks to being comfortable with either foot) and shoot on goal – she is better on her right so often cutting in is the best option. She is a top national level player in the 2027 class.