Best of Girls’ Class of 2028: Northern Piedmont

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Continuing with the girls' class of 2028 best players series, it's the turn of the northern Piedmont region. The dominant academy here is undoubtedly the NWSL youth academy in [program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage'], which also encompasses North Carolina FC. However, the talents found in the other main academies, such as [program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC'] and [program_tooltip program_id='283412' first='NC' last='Fusion'], don't lag behind them. The region also has fantastic talents playing at the high school level who aren't linked to an academy. There are 21 players in this list, 3 goalkeepers, 6 defenders, midfielders, and attackers. The standout player in each position, in my opinion, is highlighted. They will get a future article evaluating them specifically.</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><strong>Club</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Taylor Evans</td><td>The Oakwood School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC']</td></tr><tr><td><em>[player_tooltip player_id='277965' first='Parker' last='Walton']</em></td><td><em>Heritage High School</em></td><td><em>[program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage']</em></td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='278010' first='Anna' last='Dove']</td><td>Blacksburg High School (Virginia)</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283412' first='NC' last='Fusion']</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- 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>[player_tooltip player_id='277937' first='Hana' last='Kaghat']</td><td>Apex High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='277595' first='Kyla' last='Denton']</td><td>Wesleyan Christian Academy</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283412' first='NC' last='Fusion']</td></tr><tr><td>Cecelia Wrenn</td><td>Youngsville Academy Charter School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC']</td></tr><tr><td><em>[player_tooltip player_id='277966' first='Ava' last='Hunter']</em></td><td><em>Apex High School</em></td><td><em>[program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage']</em></td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='277944' first='Alice' last='Walter']</td><td>Wakefield High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='277520' first='Anya' last='Hunter']</td><td>Apex High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage']</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- 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>[player_tooltip player_id='278013' first='Olivia' last='Rubin']</td><td>-</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='277935' first='Caroline' last='Bewley']</td><td><a href="https://www.ncsasports.org/womens-soccer-recruiting/north-carolina/cary/crossroads-flex-high-school">Crossroads FLEX High School</a></td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage']</td></tr><tr><td><em>[player_tooltip player_id='278007' first='Kylie' last='Guardado']</em></td><td><em>Northeast Guilford High School</em></td><td><em>[program_tooltip program_id='283412' first='NC' last='Fusion']</em></td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='353190' first='Emma' last='Albidrez']</td><td>Apex Friendship High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC']</td></tr><tr><td>Alekhya Lala</td><td>Green Level High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC']</td></tr><tr><td>Lillian Crane</td><td>Wake Christian Academy</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC']</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Attackers</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>[player_tooltip player_id='110317' first='Maia' last='Povsic']</td><td>Cardinal Gibbons High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage']</td></tr><tr><td><em>[player_tooltip player_id='277930' first='Kylen' last='Clack']</em></td><td><em>East Wake Magnet High School</em></td><td><em>[program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage']</em></td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='353372' first='Sarah' last='Zacharias']</td><td>West Forsyth High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283412' first='NC' last='Fusion']</td></tr><tr><td>Madison Bailey</td><td>Cleveland High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='277963' first='Micah' last='Moody']</td><td>Ragsdale High School</td><td>[program_tooltip program_id='283412' first='NC' last='Fusion']</td></tr><tr><td>[player_tooltip player_id='353368' first='Kelsee' last='Axford']</td><td>Millbrook High School</td><td>North Carolina FC</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table -->