Top Midfielders in Washington State: High School 4A

<p>Midfield is where you will find some of your best athletes on the pitch. Having the ability to stay mentally and physically engaged, battle for every 50/50 ball and grind out up to 90 minutes of exhausting play is ELITE. These athletes tend to spend arduous amounts of time honing in on their fitness to meet the needs of their chosen position. Midfield is not for the faint of heart. This position also demands a high soccer IQ because game altering decisions are made every moment in the midfield. You must know where you and your team are strategically positioned in the field to thwart dangerous build ups and attacks, then be in a calculated situation to make your own transitions in an instance. These types of decisions can happen hundreds of times during a match and the best midfielders in the game make it look seamless.</p>   <p>When you scroll down a HS or Club Team roster, you may notice the "C" next to a midfielder's name. That is because you tend to find your Team Captains holding those midfield positions. Depending on the program's emphasis, the midfielder is like the Quarterback of a football team. They can lead you to victory or defeat and though the entire team may be to blame in a loss, the finger is always pointed directly at the Quarterback of the pitch. The midfielders that can handle the mental/emotional pressure of success AND failure while also demonstrating high end athletic mastery and leadership will flourish at the next level.</p>   <p>Here are 5 midfielders from the HS girls 4A classification that are shredding their competition and are equipped to take their respective teams deep into the post season and make a State Championship run:</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='155443' first='Mattie' last='Gillaspy'] is the epitome of hard work and dedication. She is a fireball on pitch, and she lets her play speak for itself. In the attack, Gillaspy is a ball hawk and seems to always find herself on the assisting end or finishing end of some big-time goals. Mattie has a powerful presence on set pieces with her body control and headers. Gillaspy is a great defensive mind as well. Her background playing defense with her club team has given her valuable experience that she uses when she works into that defensive midfielder role for HS. Her ability to rapidly switch from being defensive minded to offensive attacking is very fluid and helps her team make extremely smooth transitions. Mattie and her Sumner Spartans are cruising into the post season with a 13-game unbeaten streak and looking to make their presence felt in Districts and State.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/MattieGillaspy/status/1849905926188454168 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Ericson is a dynamic player who changes the outcomes of games with her quickness, quality touch and soccer savviness. The reigning 4A HS State Champion is a player that has all the tools to succeed at the next level. Rhen's patience in the attacking build up allows those highly sought after windows to open and that's when she strikes. If it's a quick shot in a small window or a drive to goal, she makes the best of her opportunities. Rhen also has an aerial presence that has to be contained. Ericson and the Skyline Spartans are in the driver's seat to repeat in 2024.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/rhenericson13/status/1782668840117387661 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Sanchez is a talented winger that makes her living slicing up and down the touchlines. Her ability to play quality crosses in the area from her left or right foot makes her menacing for defenses. Lindsey's skill moves are polished and timely which allows her to beat her mark often. She has good speed and sees passing lanes well. Lindsey is an up-and-coming player from Eastern Washington that's making a name for herself on an excellent HS team. Chiawana is currently ranked #6 in the state and tearing up the Mid-Columbia Conference. Sanchez and the Riverhawks will be a team to watch this post season.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Harper has been a staple in the Ravens midfield since she stepped on the pitch her freshman year. Her hard-nosed physical presence is evident on every play, and you don't see weaker opponents testing her ability to win contested balls. Her attacking talent is unmistakable with her 26 career goals and 19 assists to date. Curnutt has fantastic burst speed and ball control which makes her extremely dangerous when she is in space. Her rocket shots are a thing of beauty, and she has the ability to take a chance from anywhere on the pitch. This First Team All-League midfielder is ready and willing to lead the Auburn Riverside Ravens to many post season victories.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/UNITEDRAVENS/status/1843903048265187448 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Sophia is a cerebral midfielder that uses her keen field awareness to work into space which allows her to distribute quickly and effectively. She has a quality first touch and releases the ball beautifully into passing lanes only her teammates can anticipate. Mayne has a strong leg and has no problem taking chances on goal. The senior midfielder leverages her frame well and is very physical for her size. Her 1v1 game is stellar. She can beat a defender with quickness, and she can dispossess an attacker with skill or brute force. She is the whole midfielder package. Sophia and the Vikings are currently ranked #7 in the state, and they would love nothing more than to make a state title run in her final season playing with Curtis HS.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/wznwRIrxq4M?si=OEWve4g9Yn_sb9Nj </div></figure>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Who Should I Take a Look at Next?</h2>   <p>The Pacific Northwest has so many talented athletes that it can be difficult to just highlight a few. However, rest assured that Prep Soccer will continue to find those who stand out and put them front and center to showcase their hard work and dedication. If you feel like you or someone you know needs a little extra exposure ... Follow and send me a message on X (<a href="https://x.com/coldbrew25">@coldbrew25</a>) or Instagram (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/prepsoccerpnw/profilecard/?igsh=MTNzanE3NTRyMGd6cg==">@prepsoccerpnw</a>) and I will gladly put you on my radar! Good luck in your HS and Club seasons and most of all ... keep grinding!</p>   <p></p>

Midfield is where you will find some of your best athletes on the pitch. Having the ability to stay mentally and physically engaged, battle for every 50/50 ball and grind out up to 90 minutes of exhausting play is ELITE. These athletes tend to spend arduous amounts of time honing in on their fitness to meet the needs of their chosen position. Midfield is not for the faint of heart. This position also demands a high soccer IQ because game altering decisions are made every moment in the midfield. You must know where you and your team are strategically positioned in the field to thwart dangerous build ups and attacks, then be in a calculated situation to make your own transitions in an instance. These types of decisions can happen hundreds of times during a match and the best midfielders in the game make it look seamless.