Best Players of the Top Ranked Teams: Clinton High School

<a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/nc/clinton/clinton-dark-horses/soccer/">Clinton High School</a> is one of the four state champions, and the next team in this series of articles. After finishing as champions of <a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/nc/soccer/24-25/conference/southeastern-athletic-2a/?leagueid=4927ed63-5aa3-4fb6-bd9a-0f603a7d48d7">their conference</a>, the East's champion, and the <a href="https://www.nchsaa.org/bracket/2024-2a-mens-soccer-brackets/">2A</a> state champions, Clinton end the season as the state's 6th-best team. They were fantastic all season long and were rewarded accordingly, having only lost 2 matches, both of them being friendlies. Also, Clinton scored 138 goals and only conceded 14 in 30 matches. This team exudes talent, with the following five being the best of the best.    Jose is a great prospect at left wing, constantly getting his team upfield on his side. The skillful winger shows exactly why he is one of this team's attacking leaders match after match. His willingness to push forward no matter how uncomfortable it may be immensely helps his team to stay on the front foot. He loves to dribble too, getting past defenders for fun either out wide or in the channels. When his team tracks back, he offers himself as a helping hand, including winning the ball back on occasions. Having the ball at his feet is important and so he also likes to drop back to receive it and spearhead attacks.     Griffin is the team's attacking leader down the center, being an incredibly prolific striker. He's relentless, chasing down any ball that is in his proximity until either he or a teammate wins it back. He also presses the backline hard, forcing them to either make a mistake or boot it forward. In the build-up, he's a great asset to his team. He'll offer himself as another passing option without dropping too deep to keep his position. If the ball falls to him near the box without him having a shooting option, he'll lay the ball off to a teammate who does. However, his best attribute is his positioning. He is in the right place at the right time in most plays, bagging goals for fun. Scoring doesn't phase him either, doing so calmly even if he's under pressure.     Holden is the last player in this team's unbelievable attack and one of the best right-wing prospects. His style of play makes him unpredictable, either staying wide to keep spaces open in the middle or coming into the channels. In whichever position on the right flank, he excels wonderfully. Ambidextrous and fast, he's an absolute pain for defenders and goalkeepers alike. Alongside his unbelievable dribbling, he forces them to make split-second decisions, giving him an advantage. He's always looking for goal too, making sure his plays finish as close to it as possible. Whether it be a goal or assist, his effectiveness in the final third caps off the immense talent he displays.     Ryan is the heart of this team's midfield, being the one to take control of the first 2/3s of the pitch. A solid and talented defensive midfielder, he makes sure to make his presence felt. On one hand, you have his fantastic defensive ability. He sticks to the player he's marking, never letting breathe. Or, he's intercepting passes and restarting play for his team. If he's not doing either, he's in charge of tackling them with his strong but clean tackles. On the other hand, he's a vocal leader, instructing his players on what to do. He also always offers himself as the first passing option from deep. Every play that starts in the first third has to pass by him, and there is not a player on his team who doesn't receive one of his passes.     Oskar is a prospect at center-back who, with his talent, entices any team who watches him play. Tall and strong, he presents himself as an imposing player difficult to get past. He backs up this assumption with his strong tackles and aerial duels. Winning duels comes as second nature to him, with him losing one being a rarity. Not only is he a good tackler, but he's a good anticipation. He often steps up far to win a ball back, leaving his defensive line. This not only allows for his team to win the ball higher up the pitch but also allows him to move forward. He carries the ball fantastically, often linking up with teammates to create plays. A surprising aspect of his game is his goalscoring, finishing the season with 20 goals scored. His previously mentioned attributes make him a goalscoring weapon as well.    Clinton High School has already appeared in an article before, highlighting three of the players on this list. If you'd like to read more about them, you can do so <a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2024/12/2a-playoff-best-teams-best-players/">here</a>.

Clinton High School is one of the four state champions, and the next team in this series of articles. After finishing as champions of their conference, the East's champion, and the 2A state champions, Clinton end the season as the state's 6th-best team. They were fantastic all season long and were rewarded accordingly, having only lost 2 matches, both of them being friendlies. Also, Clinton scored 138 goals and only conceded 14 in 30 matches. This team exudes talent, with the following five being the best of the best.