Rankings Preview: Scouting Report on top talent in North Carolina

The Prep Soccer state rankings for North Carolina's 2029 class will be out next week. The sophomore class is a priority for scouts during this upcoming season as the focus turns toward the future building blocks for programs. North Carolina has a few players in this class who have been call-ups to the Youth National Team in the past as well as players who earned countless accolades for their club teams.   Below is a scouting report on the top talent from the Prep Soccer rankings.    Chin is a center back on the [program_tooltip program_id='283284' first='Charlotte' last='SA'] U16 ECNL team. She was named to the ECNL Mid-Atlantic First Team All Conference last season (in the 2010 age group). She has been called into multiple US Soccer Talent ID events in the past.   Chin comes from a soccer family with her older sister being a top player in the 2027 class. The younger Chin sister has firmly established herself as one of the best players in the 2029 class. She's a two-time ECNL All-Conference honoree.   Now, she gets into a new squad with the age/school year change. She's going to dominate. She's a five-foot-nine center back who is a weapon on both ends of the field. Chin is going to shock some teams this season who may not have seen the quality she brings at the right center back spot.     Rasmussen is a defensive midfielder on the [program_tooltip program_id='283284' first='Charlotte' last='SA'] 2011 ECNL team. She was named to the ECNL Mid-Atlantic First Team. She's been part of US Soccer Talent ID events in the past.   Rasmussen is a terrific player who dominates the center of the field. She controls where the game is played based both on her effort and her tactical intelligence. She is fearless in the duel and has the bite to her tackle to leave a lasting impression against the opponent.   She is an ideal candidate at defensive midfielder considering her mobility, instincts, and quality on the ball. She can also feature in the defense. She is an excellent 1v1 defender. She cuts out passes and uses her body well to keep control of the attacker. Rasmussen's versatility will be a strength of her game to scouts as they view multiple spots she could play at the next level.     Kiker is a winger on the [program_tooltip program_id='283284' first='Charlotte' last='SA'] 2011 ECNL team. She has been part of US Soccer Talent ID events in the past. She's also been part of the ODP National Team. She's also part of the Prep Soccer National Ranking for the 2029 class.   She was a standout during the ECNL playoffs. She plays left wing for her club team. She's good with either foot. She's got an excellent first touch. She's a dynamic player who plays with a ton of energy and at full speed at all times. She's strong on the ball and decisive with her action. The ability to beat the defender off the dribble through a variety of ways is one of the strongest points of Kiker's game. She has this edge to her that makes her such a difference-maker. Her competitive drive is going to get her on the field early at the college level.     Whitlock is a midfielder on the [program_tooltip program_id='283284' first='Charlotte' last='SA'] 2011 ECNL team. She was named to the ECNL Mid-Atlantic All Conference First Team.   She is a box-to-box midfielder who can also play as an attacking midfielder. She can operate as a deep playmaker, but also gets into the final third and creates around the box as well. Whitlock's best strength is her ball striking ability. She hits the ball clean and pure. She's fully capable of burying some bangers from all over the pitch.   Whitlock's play has been key to unlocking the CSA attack. She's quick to make decisions on the ball and has the vision to unlock the opposition with her passing. She's been a standout from a top team in the nation.    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElkoTvwchDg </div></figure>    Utyuzh is a goalkeeper on the [program_tooltip program_id='283284' first='Charlotte' last='SA'] 2011 ECNL team. She has been part of US Soccer Talent ID events in the past. She is our top ranked goalkeeper in this class.   There is a lot to like about Utyuzh's game. She is incredibly athletic. Her diving technique is excellent as well. She doesn't have a frame that will jump out to scouts, but she can cover the full frame of the goal with ease.   She's comfortable off her line and there's certainly a sweeper-keeper aspect to her game. Her ability to read the play and feel confident with playing the ball with her feet makes her a valuable part of the CSA playing style and defensive strategy.   The aspect of her game that impressed me the most was her ability on crosses and corner kicks. It's a skill to know how to navigate traffic for a goalkeeper and she certainly has that trait. She gets free and makes an effort on the ball. She has secure hands and controls the ball when it hits both her hands. She's also got an excellent ability to tip high shots and crosses over the bar.     Tuma is a goalkeeper on the [program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage'] 2011 ECNL team. She is also part of the ODP National Team. She was an All-Region selection for her high school team.   Tuma impressed during the ECNL postseason events for her club team. She's got a good frame and long wingspan. She's got impressive hand strength. If she gets a hand on the ball, she's keeping it out of the net regardless of how hard the shot is.   She's got quick reflexes, good technique, and the potential to emerge as an elite shot-stopper in this class.     Walsh is a midfielder on the [program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage'] 2011 ECNL team. She was named to the ECNL All-America Team for the U15 age group last season. She was also called into a US Youth National Team camp in November.   The Courage style of play allows for a lot of improvisation and free play. There is an open positional style to it that relies on the soccer intelligence of the players on the field. Walsh is a perfect fit for that. She can dissect the opposition in a split second when she is on the ball. She is also eager to recognize when her side has the advantage elsewhere and she can make a run to open up the field for a teammate.   Her game awareness and tactical smarts make her a standout. Her all-around game makes her an ideal fit in the No. 8 role. Walsh is going to be a favorite for a bunch of scouts. It's easy to see how her game could translate to college and beyond.    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9_nkus77UY </div></figure>    West is a left back on the [program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage'] 2011 ECNL team. She has previously been part of US Soccer Youth National Team camps. She's got the quality to get back into the picture with the team at the international level.   The strong part of West's game is her pace and left foot. She's got amazing recovery pace. Her squad gambles with numbers forward because West has a jet pack to get back and help if needed. She's also got clean footwork and can dribble out of pressure in tight spaces. She's good in retaining possession for her side and can be a huge asset in the build-out.   West is our top ranked outside back in the class and one of the best left backs in the country in the 2029 class.    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQP-6TNNKeY </div></figure>    Sadusky is an outside back on the Charlotte Independence 2011 GA team. She has been part of US Soccer Talent ID events in the past. She is also on the ODP National Team. She played with the [program_tooltip program_id='279281' first='Carolina' last='Ascent'] U20 team over the summer.   Sadusky is left footed - although I do think she could play on either side of the formation. Her left foot certainly shined during the GA Playoffs. She had an exquisite assist during the second game. The other standout aspect of her game is her vocal leadership. She's an outside back with is willing to use her voice to organize her side.   She was a key part of the dominant Charlotte Independence side and earned a spot on the Girls Academy National Talent ID roster over the summer.     Okonkwo is a midfielder on the [program_tooltip program_id='283516' first='Wake' last='FC'] 2011 Girls Academy team. She was also part of the Girls Academy National Talent ID event this summer.   Okonkwo is a box-to-box midfielder who could play in role in a midfield trio. She is active off the ball and works to earn touches. She immediately stands out from game film because she is always hunting to get a touch on the ball. She is good at playing with a defender on her back and likes to receive the ball on the half-turn so she can run away from her mark.   There is a tendency in her game to take an extra touch and that can show up anywhere on the field. Cleaning up that unnecessary moment will be the key to unlocking her potential for the top level of the game. She has a cultured right foot and can provide key passes as well as score consistently from outside of the box. She's got the quality to break the game open with her play in teh center of the pitch.

The Prep Soccer state rankings for North Carolina's 2029 class will be out next week. The sophomore class is a priority for scouts during this upcoming season as the focus turns toward the future building blocks for programs. North Carolina has a few players in this class who have been call-ups to the Youth National Team in the past as well as players who earned countless accolades for their club teams.