DC/MD HS Review-’24s Girls Forwards That Impressed
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With the Maryland-D.C. High School soccer season in the books, let’s take a look at some of the top 2024 girls forwards that will be looking to have a strong season in the spring for their club side and a…
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Continue ReadingWith the Maryland-D.C. High School soccer season in the books, let’s take a look at some of the top 2024 girls forwards that will be looking to have a strong season in the spring for their club side and a bigger role with their high school team come 2023! Have a player that you want to feature? Email our DMV Soccer Reporter Sean Maslin at semaslin05@gmail.com.
Exley has verbally committed to Yale University for 2024 and was a member of the 2021-2022 ECNL All-Mid Atlantic Conference team with Alexandria Soccer Association. With her high school side Potomac she was one of the top scorers in the Independent School League, leading her side to the ISL AA Championship. She plays mostly as a winger and can create chances quickly for her teammates. It was her assist in the ISL AA semifinals against a tough Stone Ridge side that led Potomac to the finals.
Emily Garrard
Emily Garrard
Garrard was a scoring force for Episcopal this season, scoring 28 goals for the Maroon’s in the Independent School League. She is a fast, speedy player who makes excellent runs without the ball and can quickly deliver difficult shots from distance. Garrard comes from the Tophat Soccer Club program in Georgia, but currently plays her club soccer with Alexandria’s Metro program. She is also a track and field athlete, where she has run in three Virginia State Championships. She is an excellent athlete that just seems to be getting better and better on the pitch.
Stevens was the catalyst for St. John’s electric Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Championship, scoring the go-ahead goal just ten minutes into the final. The Arlington Soccer Academy forward had a nose for goal all season and always able to find the tiniest of spaces inside of her opponent’s defense and exploit it. For her efforts, Stevens was named to the WCAC All-Conference First Team, one of the top girls high soccer leagues in the Washington D.C. Metro Region (St. John’s also won the DCSAA title as well while holding an undefeated record).
Ella Briggs
Ella Briggs
Briggs was named the Bayside Player of the Year for her dominant performances in league play for James M. Bennett High School on the Maryland Eastern Shore. The captain, who also plays a bit of attacking midfield, possesses a hammer of a right foot that she can use to deliver strong shots from distance as well as pinpoint crosses into the box. She is also more than capable of creating chances for her teammates, using that same control deliver precise passes in open space. The Maryland United player was also named to the Maryland All-State second team
Elena Fernandez
Elena Fernandez
Fernandez was a scoring force for Blair this season, leading the side to the Maryland State 4A Semifinals. She possesses an excellent first touch, one where she can still maintain control but also shift directly into an attacking posture. That coupled with the speed and pace that she puts on every play makes her a very dangerous attacking player. There’s also a bit of coolness to her style of play-she doesn’t buckle under pressure and seems to thrive under big moments. Fernandez was an Maryland All-State Honorable Mention and plays her club soccer for DMV Force, which plays under Total Futbol Academy.
Leen Jawhar
Leen Jawhar
Jawhar stepped up big for Hebron this season, leading the team in goals (14) and to a Maryland 3A State Finals appearance. The left-footed forward was excellent all season at creating space between multiple defenders and exploiting any opportunity that she might get. She is also excellent on set pieces, unafraid going vertical for a goal-scoring opportunity. With both Hebron and Armour, she plays as a winger in part because she can provide fantastic service into the box for her teammates and because of her speed.
It was a tough season for Centennial, but one of their bright spots was the play of Avery who led the team in goals this fall. Avery is a two-sport athlete who also excels in lacrosse, which seems to fit her style of play at forward perfectly. Her runs towards the box mirror that of what a lacrosse player would take towards goal, which is perhaps why she has been so successful at both the high school and club level. She plays with a ton of pace but can also hit a shot from distance when called upon. In addition to her efforts for school and club, she has also been a member of the Maryland Olympic Development Program.