Ohio 2026s on the rise following playoffs

The 08 age group in Ohio made a claim to be considered among the best in the country this month as the GTFC Impact won the National Championship in the ECNL RL bracket.    The 08 team wasn't the only Ohio team with a stellar showing during the club soccer postseason as a number of players made a name for themselves at various events across the country. Check out a scouting report on a few of the players on the rise this summer.     The Player of the Match from the ECNL National Championship game has certainly helped her stock. The center back from GTFC Impact 08 scored the second goal of the game on a kick from the spot as her squad raced out to a 2-0 lead in the opening five minutes. She plays as the left center back for her club side. She is right footed. Competitiveness and determination are the two key attributes that stand out from Gayhart's game. There is never a moment in the game when it doesn't feel like Gayhart is giving her all. She has the quality to be an early contributor at the next level - and some versatility in her game. She is a better open field defender than most center backs in this class. She will put in a tackle and does well in anticipating the long touch getting away from the attacker so she can get stuck in. She is athletic and there have been some games earlier this season when she's joined the attack with the ball at her feet and ripped off a shot or provided a key pass. I don't think that showed as much in the playoffs as she played a more purposeful game with emphasis on her defensive responsibilities, but scouts should note that attribute in her player profile as a possibility at outside back in the future. Gayhart's steady improvement over the past couple of years suggest she will be a player capable of taking on the challenge of playing against older competition soon and adjusting to the physical nature of the game at the next level.     Francis is an All American and a National Champion. It's been that type of year for her. And she is already back with her high school team as she has her sights set on bigger and better goals for next season. Francis looked like a player at the Youth National Team level during the ECNL playoffs. The center forward for GTFC Impact showed off a great first touch, creativity on the ball, and a killer instinct in the final third. She had a couple of passes during the first half that didn't result in goals, but set up clear chances. She is a big time player who every program should be eager to land a commitment from. Francis' quality is obvious from game film and she continues to get better. The way she played with her back to the goal and held off defenders while keeping close control of the ball in the championship game is a trait few youth players possess. The vision she showed along with the accuracy of her passing as a facilitator in that role helped GTFC jump out to a three-goal lead within the first 20 minutes of the match. Francis is already highly regarded in our rankings, but she will be moving up on the next update as well.     Mitchell is the commander of the midfield for the GTFC Impact 08 side. She had a stellar outing in the championship game. She was in the right spots to make the right plays, and she also didn't make a mistake in her approach. She can be either a defensive midfielder or a box-to-box midfielder and often times it feels like there are two players on the field wearing her jersey because she is doing both of those roles. Considering the all-around game she has, the future as a No. 8 is probably the most likely path for her. Mitchell's no non-sense approach to defending - both in the tackle and the clearance - could give some scouts an idea to try her out as a center back. Mitchell's impactful player in the center midfield role this summer should keep her firmly planted in that role for the foreseeable future though. There were countless attacks she stopped in the championship game - and just as many passing sequences she started with her distribution. She certainly made a claim to be one of the players with highest ranking rise after these playoffs.     Rice is a midfielder on the GTFC Impact 08 team. She had a brilliant assist to [player_tooltip player_id='198192' first='Lauren' last='McConnachie'] on one of the goals in the championship game. She was involved in quite a few other moves for her side. Rice tends to play in a more advanced role in the midfield for her side because she offers that creativity and elite passing. She has a terrific right foot and can ping a ball with accuracy all over the field.     Ogdahl was a thorn in the side of the opposition throughout the playoffs. The winger is dynamic on the ball and hard to contain. She's continuously improved her runs off the ball both in the angle of it and the timing of it. She's a highly effective winger for those reasons. She drew a penalty kick for her side and spread out the opposing defense on other chance too.     Simon is a forward on the GTFC Impact 07 team. She had a stellar playoff campaign, even if her team came up just short of their ultimate goal. She can be deployed as a center forward or as a winger. She is a determined forward who is a nuisance for the opposition. She is quick and powerful. She does well in duels and can create separation from defenders. Simon is a good finisher and excellent in the press.     Bryant continues to impress with her quality on the wing. The Ohio Elite standout had a strong showing at the ECNL Playoffs in Washington. She scored the opening goal in the win over FC Dallas for her side. When she is in the open field, she can't be caught. The winger has improved defensively and is an impactful two-way player.         Stevens had a number of standout performances during the ECNL playoffs. I thought she was excellent in the game against Concorde Fire Platinum. She was smooth on the ball, did well in receiving in traffic, and was constantly fouled to draw free kicks for her side (albeit some of the whistles did not sound on the fouls). Stevens was also excellent against FC Dallas with a goal in the victory. The attacking midfielder showed she can matchup against the best midfielders in the country during the ECNL playoffs.

The 08 age group in Ohio made a claim to be considered among the best in the country this month as the GTFC Impact won the National Championship in the ECNL RL bracket.