Western NC Conference Best Performers: Part 1

Western NC is the next region to be covered in this series. This article will follow the same criteria set in the <a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2025/10/north-piedmont-nc-conference-best-performers-part-1/">first article</a> of this series. The only notable big city that is found here is Asheville. That doesn't mean that there isn't a good talent pool. In fact, I believe that Western NC is underrated when it comes to soccer. The lack of coverage isn't due to the lack of talent but rather the lack of visibility offered. Focusing on this region is necessary and will undoubtedly lead to a great number of players being discovered. The following four are the first to make an appearance in this series.    Hayden is an attacking midfielder who helps his team move forward effectively. Dynamic and fast, he makes the opposing defense work harder than they'd like. This tires them out, which, in turn, allows both him and his teammates to attack more easily. Taking advantage of the opposition's tired legs, he becomes a nuisance in the final third. He gets into spaces where he can either find a pass to an open teammate or finish the play himself. All of this occurs all match long, which is testament to his remarkable stamina.     Andres is a talented deep-lying midfielder who controls the tempo for his team. His passing is fantastic, having both short and long passes on lock. This allows him to help circulate the ball as well as opening it when necessary. He involves himself in plays constantly. His availability is great, moving into open pockets of space. Whenever necessary, he'll show how skillful he is with flair passes. When he receives the ball on the edge of the box or in open spaces outside the box, he takes fantastic long shots. Deeper down the pitch, his tackles allow him to win the ball back. Whether it's in the middle of the field or in the first third, he helps to win it back.     Alexis is a promising defensive midfielder who helps in controlling the midfield. His anticipation and interceptions are precise, allowing him to win the ball back. When he recovers the ball, he does so in crucial areas. These allow him to be the first player to help transition from defense to attack. With quick thinking and incisive passes, he moves his team forward fast. Thanks to his fantastic ability to play incisive passes, he manages to generate danger. His chance creation from deep is impressive. With the number of balls he wins and the passes he plays, he is a chance-creating machine.     Jase is an unbelievably impressive left-winger, who can also play as a striker, with immense potential. His dribbling and agility are very impressive, especially considering his height. He glides past defenders with remarkable ease. Being good with both feet makes him unpredictable for the opposition. When he opens up space, he becomes a devastating presence. His passing is unreal, being the perfect mix of precision and incision. When he puts flair on them, they elevate to a level above his class. His shooting is just as unreal. The finesse he puts on shots from out wide is impressive, beating the keeper from far. In the box, he's just as clinical. Calm and collected, he beats the keeper very easily.

Western NC is the next region to be covered in this series. This article will follow the same criteria set in the first article of this series. The only notable big city that is found here is Asheville. That doesn't mean that there isn't a good talent pool. In fact, I believe that Western NC is underrated when it comes to soccer. The lack of coverage isn't due to the lack of talent but rather the lack of visibility offered. Focusing on this region is necessary and will undoubtedly lead to a great number of players being discovered. The following four are the first to make an appearance in this series.