Louisiana players looking for respect

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As one player put it when I started working on this story, there is a lot of talent in Louisiana that goes unnoticed. With an eye towards changing that, here are nine players that are certainly worth a look.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kate Boyll, Midfielder, Louisiana TDP, Class of 2026</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Boyll can play at all three levels in the midfield, and also plays as a wide forward our outside back. A ball-winning midfielder with good passing range and vision, she is relentless in her pursuit and her work ethic is next level. She is dynamic in that she is willing to travel and change roles on the fly, helping the team transition one minute and then hawking an opponent with the ball the next minute. However, her pursuit of the ball does not leave her team exposed because she will win it back, and if she doesn't she sprints back to help maintain shape.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sydney Bonnecaze, Forward, Louisiana TDP, Class of 2027</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":227845,"width":"575px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/09/IMG_6389.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-227845" style="width:575px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: J. Duhon, J. Duhon Photography</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bonnecaze is an inspiration to the many young players who suffer a knee injury as she has worked very hard in her rehab and training to return. She is a true goal-scoring forward who can hurt you in a number of ways. She makes good angled runs in the box to get her head on the ball at just the right time, and knows how to place it. She can cut back on either foot and beat the keeper to either side and she can create on her own, or hold up play and facilitate to runners off of her.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='137902' first='Chloe' last='Bunton'], Midfielder, Louisiana TDP, Class of 2026</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bunton is an athletic player with good size and good strength and she uses both attributes to her advantage. She shows great on the ball skills, she moves fluidly and quickly with the ball at her feet and she can cut and change direction quickly, weaving through defenders. She is also a strong presence in the midfield who will be physical, will win the ball and then she likes to get downhill quickly. She has a terrific shot from range and likes to make forward runs from the midfield and be involved in the box. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mary Elise Byrd, Outside Defender, Louisiana TDP, Class of 2026</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Byrd has something special in that left foot of hers, and it's the ability to play balls that are so layered and textured, it is as if a feather falls and lands at the feet of an attacking player. It is such a nice ball in the air with great touch and accuracy. She also had an advacned understanding of combination football. She doesn't just get the ball on the outside and try to sprint up the side. She sees opportunities for link up play and tries to play very pretty footy. She will play the ball inside and then make an outside run or she will turn and get the ball quickly down the line to a wide forward. She is tough-minded and takes pride in her defending on the outside as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='321056' first='Reese' last='Dantin'], Forward, Louisiana TDP, Class of 2026</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dantin has the gift of patience and of vision. She does not rush when she receives the ball as she is very comfortable being a target striker and letting things develop off of her. She will even drift wide to get the ball and still has the ability to pick the right pass. She is terrific about continuing on after dropping the ball off and does not mind navigating a crowd inside the area. She times her runs well, she's great about staying inside and then using her nose for the ball and her physicality to win in the box and be a threat on goal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>London Landry, Forward, Solar SC, Class of 2026</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":227846,"width":"738px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/09/IMG_6390.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-227846" style="width:738px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Ezra Landry</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Landry is from Louisiana, but plays club in Dallas for Solar SC. She is a wide forward, playing the No. 11 mostly, but also plays the No. 7, and she has great speed. After watching her film, I consistently saw her outrunning defenders, and by a lot. She has great speed on the ball as well as she is hard to keep up with, and she possesses the ball well. She is not only straight line fast, but she is quick and agile as she changes direction quickly and can twist and turn defenders. She plays a nice ball, shows good finishing ability as she can create her own shot, score from tight angles and she can hit a ball one-time and put it where she wants.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Olivia Roy, Midfielder/Forward, Storm Elite, Class of 2026</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Roy is an instinctual player who has a knack for where to be. She finds space where she can be the most useful to her team when she's in the midfield, and when playing forward she finds space where she can be most dangerous. She plays a nice ball from the midfield, she defends well as she is very disruptive around the center line in terms of stopping an attack, showing the instincts needed to step into the correct passing lane. She also shows that know-how as a forward, knowing when to time her runs, showing the ability to trail a play and read where the ball might end up. She finishes neatly, has good technical skills and an advanced understanding of the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='167658' first='Camille' last='Toussant'], Central Defender, Louisiana TDP, Class of 2027</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Positioning and intuitiveness are a big part of Toussant's game as she knows where to be, and it seems like she just has a sense for things before they happen. She reads attackers well, she steps up on balls played in and is great about winning those balls, either in the air or on the ground. She's comfortable with the ball at her feet as she shows patience and trust in her skills, she can carry a little bit and she can really break lines well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kali Trahant, Forward/Outside Defender, Storm Elite, Class of 2026</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Trahant shows great versatility as she can play as a center forward, out wide or drop back and play outside back. In what I have seen, she plays as an outside forward mostly and can play as a No. 7 or a No. 11. She is left-foot dominant, but good with both. However, that left foot is lethal. From the right side, if you let her cut back on that foot, which defenders will do because they have to respect her speed on the outside, she will drag and then fire a crossbody shot and bury it. She has speed, she has cleverness and creativity and the ability to send a lethal ball into the box.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->