Rankings Preview: North Carolina 2030 Defenders on the Rise

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Prep Soccer state rankings for North Carolina's 2030 class will be updated next week. Prior to the release of the rankings, check out the defenders who have impressed through the first few months of the new club season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["415617"],"_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"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ad82c35e5e6d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Alvarez is a midfielder/defender on the [program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage'] U15 ECNL team. She plays in the center of the midfield as a box-to-box midfielder or as one of the defenders in the back three. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Alvarez is a dominant presence in the center of the field. She helps link the squad with her passing. She's good at progressing the ball up the field and keeping the spacing to allow the group to spread the opposition. She can ping the ball with accuracy over distance. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Alvarez also has the tools to be an elite center back. She's got the defensive instincts and toughness in the tackle to star in that role. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She has the physical tools and skill to be a top-level player in a versatile role. She could improve on her speed of play, the ball can get caught on her feet in tight spaces. However, her game impact is among the best in the 2030 class in the state. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["415616"],"_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"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ad82c35e5ed3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Schiener is a center back on the [program_tooltip program_id='283410' first='NC' last='Courage'] U15 ECNL team. She plays in the center of a back three. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She's been outstanding in the ECNL games this season. The Courage style of play is very open, very attacking, and reminiscent of the professional academy teams in other parts of the world. The center back of the squad has a lot of responsibilities in this system - organizing, starting the attack, and stopping the opposition as the last line. Schiener feels irreplacable in that role. She's got a well rounded game that fits the modern direction of youth club soccer. She's got the high level upside as well that should translate well to the next level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["415621"],"_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"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ad82c35e5f1f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Eldridge is an outside back on the [program_tooltip program_id='283284' first='Charlotte' last='SA'] U15 ECNL team. She can play on either side of the formation. She's an attacking outside back who loves to get forward. She has the pace and endurance to cover the whole side of the field from first whistle to last. She hits a great cross and has the speed to race past the defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Eldridge is a good 1v1 defender. She shows excellent technique in shielding players off the ball and the cleverness to use her body to keep a player away from the ball for an extended amount of time to help her squad win a goal kick or just retain possession. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Eldridge's defensive quality is excellent, but her ability to impact the game in the attack gives her a boost compared to her peers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["290405"],"_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"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ad82c35e5f63"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Dao is a defender on the [program_tooltip program_id='283284' first='Charlotte' last='SA'] ECNL team. She can play center back or outside back. She's a fiercely competitive player who thrives in any role. She impressed in recent ECNL action with her ability to read the game. She had a play against [program_tooltip program_id='283413' first='NCFC' last='Youth'] ECNL this season when she saved a shot off the line because of her anticipation and game awareness. The rare traits for a youth player especially a versatile defender who can do it a bit of everything at a high level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She's confident on the ball and can be the starting point of the attack with her smart decision-making. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["385197"],"_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"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ad82e5f57418"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Sellers is a skillful player on the ball. She plays left back for her club team, but she is capable of playing a number of positions for her side. She can created off the dribble at an elite clip for an outside back. She has the trademark toughness that carries through this Charlotte Independence squad. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sellers is one to watch from the Girls Academy as a playmaker from the outside back spot. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->