Kansas 2026’s with game-changing abilities

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These juniors from the state of Kansas are special, unique players, all of whom can leave a lasting imprint on the game. They are very skilled, very in-tune with what they do and they can shift the landscape of a match at any time. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='110610' first='Sydney' last='All'], Defensive Midfielder, KC Athletics</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>All is a relentless ball hawk when her opponent is in possession, as she is applying constant pressure. She has a tireless work rate and she is all over the pitch. She forces a lot of mistakes and dispossesses well. She's also very good with the ball at her feet, showing acceleration on the ball and the ability to change direction and do so quickly. She moves the ball quickly, catching the defense flowing one direction and re-directing the play the other way. She can carry the ball down the pitch and pick out a pass as she enjoys helping the team build an attack.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='172651' first='Taylor' last='Gray'], Defensive Midfielder/Attacking Midfielder, Sporting Blue Valley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gray is quite an athletic and shifty player, whether she's playing as a No. 6 or a No. 10. I have seen her in the holding spot, for the most part where she is feisty and strong. She battles for every ball, she is a true ball winner with a strong foundation who is not easily knocked off the ball. She is quite crafty in the midfeld, showing the ability to shift and change direction quickly. She plays a great ball, whether it be simply playing into space, playing it through or at a diagonal. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Colbie Hyde, Central Defender, Kansas Rush</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hyde is a fantastic defender, a very versatile and dynamic one as she plays centrally and cover a lot of ground. She is very strong and she uses that strength to keep attackers at bay, and also is very good at shielding. She makes smart decisions, knowing when to step to the ball and when to keep tracking back in order to keep an attacker from running free. She has the speed to recover if a ball is played over the top. She's good with the ball at her feet, showing patience when it comes to picking out a pass as she can play the ball short, play it over the top or play it along the touch line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='172649' first='Kate' last='Lucas'], Outside Defender, KC Athletics</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":218225,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/08/Kate-Lucas.jpg?w=895" alt="" class="wp-image-218225" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: @jshfoto</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lucas is a two-footed left back who moves around well, showing a free-flowing style with good body control. She covers a ton of ground as she can stick with an attacker into the middle of the pitch and then recover quickly because of her quickness and her ability to understand the best angle to take. She's a tough defender, she gets her timing right in terms of stepping and dispossessing and she's really strong going forward as she is hard to knock off the ball, she can carry and plays a nice ball into the box.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='217162' first='Elleigh' last='Newcomb'], Forward, Sporting Wichita</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Newcomb can simply leave defenders chasing their tails. It is very impressive to watch her tie them in knots. She is so quick and agile that she can change direction and do so on a dime, leaving defenders in the dust. She also has a great hesitation move she uses to explode past a defender. She has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, and when the opportunity comes, she finishes. She creates excellently, providing herself enough space to get a shot off and she is so good at finding a sliver and slotting a ball past a goal keeper. She also can put her boot through the ball as she is lethal from range. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='210646' first='Emma' last='Smith'], Keeper, Kansas Rush</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Smith is a keeper that remains switched on, and this leads to her being hard to beat. She is super engaged, super active and incredibly mobile. I like how well she deals with traffic in front of her as she does not let it bother her. She maneuvers well through it, she is physical and she's brave. She stops shots from all different areas as she is very reactive. She can stop them point blank, she can get vertical and she can get horizontal. She's a smart, savvy keeper, too with good foot work and positioning. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='132824' first='Addison' last='Stover'], Central Midfielder, Sporting Blue Valley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":218226,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/08/Addison-Stover.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-218226" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: St. Louis DA</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stover is a player with a great understanding of the game, and knows where to be when she is needed. She is available to her teammates either as an outlet, or when the team is transitioning quickly. She's never in a hurry to get rid of the ball, but will play it quickly if getting the ball out makes sense. If not, she carries it down the pitch, exploiting space. If a defender plays too closely she will turn them and lead the attack. She tracks back nicely and cleans up messes, as pretty much everything she does is neat and tidy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->