Best of Girls’ Class of 2026: Northern Piedmont

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The next region to look for the class of 2026 is northern Piedmont. This region has two main metro areas, which provide us with plenty of talent. The biggest of the two is the Research Triangle, also known as RDU, which consists of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. The other is the Triad, which is made up of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. Other important towns include Wake Forest, Cary, and Elon. With so many places to choose from and so many programs, it was even more difficult to narrow this list down to just 23. However, in my opinion, I believe the following players are deserving of their places.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Goalkeepers</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:table {"className":"is-style-stripes"} --> <figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Name</strong></td><td><strong>School</strong></td><td>Club</td></tr><tr><td>Jacqueline Jenkins</td><td>GRACE Christian School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='275095' first='Katherine' last='Leonard']</td><td>Seaforth High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC']</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2025/04/4a-matchday-3s-best-players/">Anna Ford</a></td><td>Wake Forest High School</td><td>NCFC</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Anna Ford","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"100","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Wake Forest High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"NCFC","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-694c25b4486dd"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Anna is a safe and secure goalkeeper who leads with both her talent and her pure leadership skills. Immediately, one of her most noticeable qualities is how she prioritizes claiming the ball. For a goalkeeper who comes off her line constantly, she makes sure the play dies in her hands. Whether she rushes out to take the ball from the attacker's feet or claims crosses in dangerous positions, she always seeks to impose herself. Another great quality is how quickly she looks to restart play once she claims the ball. She scopes out the area to see where her teammates can receive the ball calmly and plays out to them wonderfully. This is especially noticeable with her throws, being both strong and precise.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Defenders</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:table {"className":"is-style-stripes"} --> <figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Name</strong></td><td><strong>School</strong></td><td><strong>Club</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Addisyn Allen</td><td>Lee County High School</td><td>NCFC</td></tr><tr><td>Nera Wesley</td><td>Ledford Senior High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283412' first='NC' last='Fusion']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='142848' first='Helena' last='Andrzejewski']</td><td>Apex Friendship</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage']</td></tr><tr><td>Nicola Thompson</td><td>Vance County High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='110488' first='Emily' last='Onesti']</td><td>Milbrook High School</td><td>NCFC</td></tr><tr><td>Katelyn Lazo</td><td>Middle Creek High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='142846' first='Serena' last='Edgerton']</td><td>Heritage High School</td><td>NCFC</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["142846"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-694c2fa9a47ca"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Serena is a very talented and complete full-back who can play on either flank. She's primarily right-footed, but she can still work magic on her left. This is seen the most when she either delivers crosses from far on the left or belts shots past the keeper when she gets into positions to do so. On the ball, she's dazzling to watch. Agile and skillful, she tends to leave markers red-faced and in the dust with remarkable ease. These movements aren't just for show either. They allow her team to move forward from deep or create chances centrally. Defensively, she demonstrates great intelligence. Even before winning the ball back, she asserts herself over the opposing attacker. She doesn't allow them much space to operate in, forcing them to either go wide or go straight into her. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Midfielders</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:table {"className":"is-style-stripes"} --> <figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Name</strong></td><td><strong>School</strong></td><td><strong>Club</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Abigail Champlin</td><td>Milbrook High School</td><td>NCFC</td></tr><tr><td>Samyah Costa</td><td>Middle Creek High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='24829' first='Juliana' last='May']</td><td>Western Guilford High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283412' first='NC' last='Fusion']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='142856' first='Averie' last='Morrison']</td><td>Athens Drive Magnet High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='24780' first='Gesare' last='Omwenga']</td><td>-</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='125018' first='Eva' last='Forster']</td><td>Crossroads FLEX High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='281853' first='Reese' last='Kulha']</td><td>Holly Springs High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC']</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["281853"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-694c5aba0f691"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Reese is a fantastic attacking midfield talent who can also easily play as an attacker. She's a very direct player, forcing play to go centrally whether she's on the ball or not. With her determination, she gets into great positions to shoot from. When she's in those positions, she makes the defense pay. Her finishing is superb, bagging goals for fun. If she's not the one finishing the plays, she'll make sure that one of her teammates will. Her progressive passes often end in chances being created, helping increase the volume of attack. If she's not playing the pass, she'll drag defenders with her so that her teammates have the chance to operate in more space.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Attackers</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Name</strong></td><td><strong>School</strong></td><td><strong>Club</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Sadie Barrington</td><td>Wake Forest High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='142845' first='Kayla' last='Rice']</td><td>Franklin Academy High School</td><td>NCFC</td></tr><tr><td>Aya Elshafi</td><td>Holly Springs High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='24672' first='Ava' last='Jones']</td><td>Forsyth Country Day</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283412' first='NC' last='Fusion']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='142866' first='Hailey' last='Jones']</td><td>Forsyth Country Day</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283412' first='NC' last='Fusion']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='142867' first='Madison' last='Casteen']</td><td>Crossroads FLEX High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage']</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["142867"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-694c5aba0f6eb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Madison is a phenomenal talent in the final third, which has allowed her not just the opportunity to represent the full Thai national team, but also to score. She has the quality to play as a 9, a false 9, or as an attacking midfielder. Regardless of where, she'll deliver. In the box, she's a killer. Her quick feet and mind allow her to rid herself of defenders desperate to get the ball off her. She has the composure to then find the back of the net as if she's been at the top level for years. Her agility and flair also allow her to shine outside the box. She'll drop her markers with brilliant moves to allow her to either finish the play or create chances. Her chance creation is fantastic. However, her long shots are somehow even better. She will shoot from as far out as she wants and will find the target wonderfully.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->