4A State Finals' Best Players

The <a href="https://www.nchsaa.org/bracket/2025-4a-womens-soccer-bracket/">4A</a> state finals saw two teams that, on paper, seemed not to come in as the favorites. Throughout the course of the season, however, both <a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/nc/wilmington/ashley-screaming-eagle/soccer/girls/spring/schedule/">Ashley High School</a> and <a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/nc/charlotte/ardrey-kell-knights/soccer/girls/spring/schedule/">Ardrey Kell High School</a> proved that being the 12th seed in their regions was too low. Two fantastic and attack-minded teams put on a show in this match, providing 80 minutes of great entertainment for a loud and large crowd. Ardrey Kell ultimately comes out on top with a 2-1 win. Either team had arguments to win, but Ardrey Kell managed to be more effective in front of goal. Regardless, both teams had plenty of players who thrived off the pressure of the match, and they are the following.    Morgan is now a goalkeeper, at least for her school. However, her qualities as a former midfielder are very evident in her play. With a powerful kick, she helps move her team forward with how far she kicks the ball. As for her goalkeeping, though she doesn't need to come off her line too often, she does so cleanly when she does need to. She can collect the ball on the ground or in the air, both calmly. Her reactions and shot-stopping are her main attributes, however. Facing many high-quality shots proves to be difficult for many young goalkeepers, but not her. She will put her body on the line to keep the ball from going in the net, offering a great final line of defence. Though her team lost, she shone bright all match long.     Waleska is the goalkeeper for the winning team, and she made sure this would be the outcome. Her height is misleading since she makes her body big in crucial situations. Getting the ball past her takes a tremendous effort, being almost impossible. When balls are played into the box, she makes sure she has the situation under control. One of her most impressive qualities is her wit. When she catches the ball from crosses, she often lays down on it to help her team regroup. Though it may seem inconsequential, it proved to help her team tactically every time she did it. Her vision also adds to this wit, making her a great player to play out from deep with.     Rhyan is a midfielder who makes her team move thanks to her spectacular ability. From crossing to dribbling, there is not an offensive aspect that she doesn't excel at. When she receives the ball in tight spaces, she opens them up with her magic. Agile and intelligent, she doesn't just create spaces for herself. With her movements both on and off the ball, she allows her team to move either on the wings or through the channels. This is where her vision shines. The passes she picks out are magnificent, creating danger with great passes that she makes look easy. As mentioned before, her crosses are superb. With her pinpoint accuracy, she finds a finisher constantly. This remains true whether she crosses it from open play or dead balls.     Kieran is a skillful and extremely technically gifted forward, skipping past defenders with remarkable ease. In situations where many players at any level would feel overwhelmed, she works her magic. She finds the tiniest pockets of space to make something happen, whether she's on or off the ball. On the ball, she can get rid of multiple defenders with a simple but devastating body feint. Off the ball, she always positions herself in an area where she can receive the ball. She also keeps the defenders busy with her off the ball movements, in turn tiring them out to run at them later. Her shooting is also fantastic, finding the target from difficult positions. After making space for herself, she always looks to get a shot off. More often than not, she'll bag a great goal, topping off her offensive brilliance.     Makayla rounds out a great season with yet another stellar performance. The weight of moving up to collegiate soccer will not affect her if she maintains this level of consistency. Constantly being a headache for defenders, she makes her presence felt in the final third. Her dribbling and progressive characteristics drive her team forward, with her leading from the front. Even with a large crowd and a crucial match, she can embarrass defenders. When she's one-on-one with the goalkeeper, regardless of how far she is, she will find the back of the net. She is a very exciting talent to keep an eye on for the future.

The 4A state finals saw two teams that, on paper, seemed not to come in as the favorites. Throughout the course of the season, however, both Ashley High School and Ardrey Kell High School proved that being the 12th seed in their regions was too low. Two fantastic and attack-minded teams put on a show in this match, providing 80 minutes of great entertainment for a loud and large crowd. Ardrey Kell ultimately comes out on top with a 2-1 win. Either team had arguments to win, but Ardrey Kell managed to be more effective in front of goal. Regardless, both teams had plenty of players who thrived off the pressure of the match, and they are the following.