Highly rated players for LAFC 2008 boys

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The LAFC 2008 boys team won the ECNL National title after a resounding 3-0 win over North Virginia Alliance. LAFC started with another impressive win, 4-1, over Mustang SC in the quarterfinals, then survived a close match with North Carolina FC, winning 3-2, to advance to the finals. This team is ridiculously talented with seven players ranked inside PrepSoccer's top 16 in California's class of 2026. Let's take a closer look at those players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='8211' first='Marcus' last='Garcia'], Forward</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Garcia is a dynamic forward with the ability to cover ground, to harass defenders and to directly challenge them when on the ball. He's not afraid to go at a defender, he's physical enough to stay on the ball and his work rate shows a defender they are going to be in for a long day. He is a creative player who can score in a multitude of ways. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='7415' first='DeCarlo' last='Guerra'], Defensive Midfielder</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Guerra is a very smooth player, one who looks like things come easily to him. He is a tall, slender player who is incredibly strong and it shows as he handles his roll as a No. 6 with aplomb. He can defend and is very good at dispossessing opponents, and he transitions the other way quickly. He has tremendous ball skills and could play any midfield spot because of his skills. He has great vision, makes precise passes and switches play nicely.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pedro Guimares, Outside Defender</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Guimares is already making a big name for himself, having played with the U16 USYNT, and has trained with Brazilian side Flamengo. Guimares is a left back with incredible speed and the ability to use that speed while on the ball. It does not seem like he slows down with the ball at his feet. He gets up and down the line as quick as any player you will see from the 2026 class, he has an excellent cross into the box and can cut in and be creative. When it comes to tracking back, he does so quickly and he is a very good 1v1 defender on the outside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='80801' first='Liam' last='Lambert'], Central Midfielder</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lambert has featured routinely for the USYNT as he is an incredibly skilled No. 8 who does exactly what you are looking for. He knows exactly what space to occupy in the midfield when off the ball, setting himself up to be available if needed or to stop a counter before it happens as his ball winning has improved greatly. His soccer awareness is very high. He uses his body well, both when receiving the ball and making a challenge, and after he is on the ball he shows good feet and the ability to make defenders miss. He plays a nice ball into space, seeming to always put it where needed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='7419' first='Dempsey' last='Resich'], Forward</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Resich is a forward that teams should be aware of at all times. He is a true, true goal-scorer with an absolute nose for the ball. He can score in a variety of ways as he can use either foot or use his head. He is particularly good with his left foot, and he is very good at burying the ball in the corner from a tight angle. He's incredibly dangerous on balls played in the air as he goes after them and attacks them with his head, scoring with regularity on a ball played into the box or on a set piece or corner. His finishing ability and accuracy on headers is remarkable. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='80803' first='Ethan' last='Scally'], Keeper</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Scally was recently featured, so for a more in depth analysis, click <a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2024/06/top-keepers-in-california-are-as-cool-as-you-like/">here</a> for the story. He is a calm keeper, who is very well-rounded in terms of ability to stop shots, to distribute and act as a leader.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='83135' first='David' last='Yeghoyan'], Midfielder</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A versatile midfielder who can impact multiple levels, Yeghoyan shows great patience and vision. He does not rush to get rid of the ball, showing the ability to make smart decisions and then pick a pass when the opportunity is right. He is very accurate. He's quite good on the ball, showing a calm to go with his patience as he can operate in tight spaces and keep defenders at bay. He's also very clever about finding unoccupied space and carrying on after he's played a ball. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->