Seven Northern California girls on the rise
On Friday, seven girls from Southern California were recognized, and, cutting the State in half, there are seven more players standing out as girls from the Bay Area and up are getting more and more notice. These seven, in particular,…
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Continue ReadingOn Friday, seven girls from Southern California were recognized, and, cutting the State in half, there are seven more players standing out as girls from the Bay Area and up are getting more and more notice. These seven, in particular, are players that college coaches and recruiters know well, or will start to get to know well.
Reese Burke, Outside Defender, Chico, Class of 2024
The soccer scene in Chico has grown exponentially over the last few years, and players like Burke are responsible for that. She stayed home to play her club at Chico Cal SC, and she has helped make Chico High a girls program to be reckoned with in Northern California. As a sophomore Burke was a part of the NorCal State title team, and she played a big role in that title, handling the attack of a very good Marin Academy team with great skill. What Burke does so well is that she remains switched on. Her focus within the game and her communication makes her hard to beat. She is also hard to beat because she’s physical, tenacious and she is resilient. Burke does not give up and remains focused no matter the situation. She’s not just a hard worker, though, as she is very technically sound and comfortable with the ball at her feet.
Natalie Chan Natalie Chan F Saint Francis | 2025 CA , Forward, Saint Francis, Class of 2025
Chan plays for the top team in the State, at least during the 2022/2023 season, playing center forward for Saint Francis and also playing ECNL for the 2007 team with MVLA. Chan will be a highly sought after recruit after her window opens in June. Chan tore her ACL recently, but given her ability, how hard she works and how much desire, she will bounce back and be a highly sought after recruit. She is a very creative striker, one who is not just technical but she is also crafty. She has it all and this makes her very dangerous. She pairs her physical ability with her soccer intelligence to make her hard for teams to handle. Chan is also a great teammate and plays very selflessly.
Aubrey McLin Aubrey McLin GK Davis | 2026 State CA , Keeper, Davis, Class of 2026
There are very few players with the resume that McLin has at such a young age. As a freshman, she was the starting keeper for Davis High, one of the top programs in Northern California. She also plays ECNL for the Davis Legacy 2008 team. She is ambitious, training weekly with the 2007 ECNL team and also attended the ECNL 07 Showcase in Tennessee. Furthermore, she plays on the San Francisco Nighthawks of the WPSL. McLin is clearly a very driven player who is determined to succeed. She is very focused on the pitch, she is very instinctive and is a great leader. It’s impressive as a freshman how consistent she is. No matter the challenge, she is fully capable of rising up to it.
Gianna Nurisso Gianna Nurisso 5'3" | D Saint Francis, Mountain View, CA | 2025 State #268 Nation CA , Outside Defender, Saint Francis, Class of 2025
Nurisso is a very versatile player, especially as an outside back as she can play on the left or right side as it will be matchup dependent. She is comfortable with either foot which makes that possible. She can also push up and play forward on either side when the team is looking to create more chances. She was a key player for the Saint Francis team that won the State title, and she plays her club with the De Anza Force 2007 ECNL team. Nurisso is an aggressive player who is not afraid to play physically. She will always fight for 50/50 balls, she will make good tackles because she is tenacious. Nurisso is also resilient as she is not easily deterred. She is an excellent teammate as who plays unselfishly, and will always be there to back up a teammate if need be. She can cover for her follow defenders because of how fast she is and how quickly she recovers.
Kamryn Rosa, Forward, Saint Francis, Class of 2025
Rosa was an impact player for the Lancers this season, scoring goals and affecting play as a true center forward. Just a sophomore, Rosa plays for the MVLA 2006 ECNL team. Rosa is strong and physical, not afraid to use her physicality to create space and free from a defender. She’s also a very clever, crafty and smart player. Her intelligence shows on the pitch and off as she is a 3.94 GPA student and a member of the National Honor Society. Rosa plays the game with passion as her teammates know how much she wants to come through for them.
Karena Shah, Forward, Mountain View, Class of 2024
Shah is currently going through the recruiting process and there should be no shortage of suitors. Shah put up 22 goals and nine assists during this past high school season with an excellent Mountain View team. She is a versatile attacking player as she can play the No. 7, No. 11 or the No. 9. She generally finds herself playing the center forward spot for Mountain View, and usually plays the No. 7 spot with her club, the MVLA 2006 Roma ECNL team. The word that comes up a lot to describe Shah is competitive. She competes hard every minute she is out on the pitch. She works hard, she is gritty and not afraid to do the dirty work. She is incredibly determined to outwork her opponents, and she is ruthless as she will take advantage of weaknesses she sees and bang in goals. Shah is also very athletically gifted and technically sound.
Cammy Ventura, Defensive Midfielder, Archbishop Mitty, Class of 2024
Ventura hasn’t been seen on the pitch for a while as she is four months post ACL surgery, meaning she missed the season with Mitty and will miss the remainder of this club season. However, she is one of the most talented players in the Bay Area as is evidenced by San Jose State offering her, and she did commit to be a Spartan. She is also very determined and will come back stronger than before. She plays club with the De Anza Force 2006 ECNL team and should be back on the pitch sometime later next Fall. Ventura is a very smooth player in the midfield, and distributes the ball very well from the No. 6 spot. She is a very physical player, which you need out of your holding mid. Ventura is strong in the air, and is smart when she’s on or off the ball. A technically gifted player, she is also very intelligent, tactically speaking.