California's Central Coast Section loaded with talent

When analyzing the amount of potential college talent coming out of California, it is easy to get fixated on the Southern Section as a large amount of college talent comes from that area. However, don't sleep on the Central Coast Section. With players from San Francisco down to San Jose and beyond, it is truly a hotbed.   There are plenty of players who will be continuing their careers after high school and plenty more that can, and should.   Acuarela Acosta, Woodside, Forward, Class of 2025   Acosta is a very quick player, who displays her great speed and also has the ability to score goals in bunches. She is good with the ball at her feet, and comfortable moving off the ball as well.   Kennedi Borg, Forward, Leigh, Class of 2025   Borg, a junior forward, is committed to UC San Diego. She is a very, very fast player who has great speed and is really good on the ball. She is a true scoring threat for the Longhorns and combines well with the other attacking players on the roster. She works hard and can shoot from many angles.   [player_tooltip player_id='20060' first='Piper' last='Bertani'], Central Defender, Leigh, Class of 2024   Bertani is a player with great size and strength and has fantastic agility, making her one of the best defenders in the section. She is amazing in the air, meaning she can win balls or score on corners. She is also dangerous on delivering free kicks from afar. The University of Hawaii commit is a true leader and a true captain.   [player_tooltip player_id='19360' first='Emily' last='Chang'], Mountain View, Outside Defender, Class of 2024   Chang is committed to Pomona-Pitzer in Claremont, and is a very smart and tactical wide player, who features on the left side of the defense. She's very smart when it comes to choosing when to get into the attack, but when she does she makes good runs. She's also great about delivering a cross. As a defender she closes down quickly, and forces wingers to make decisions. She is very good about limiting the amount of space an attacker gets.   [player_tooltip player_id='19744' first='Laila' last='Edris'], Midfielder, Mountain View, Class of 2025   Just a junior, Edris is already committed to UCLA. The midfielder is very creative and crafty as she can get around defenders on the dribble. She can use both feet and is very technical, delivering precision balls with regularity. She plays with a lot of pace and power and she hits the ball with ferocity.   [player_tooltip player_id='86737' first='Dina' last='Frenkel'], Keeper, St. Ignatius, Class of 2024   Frenkel has been one of the top keepers in Northern California for some time now, and the senior has not let up at all. She is still a very aggressive, confident keeper, one that reacts quickly and reads the game well. She closes down angles excellently, showing great instincts. She is a very good shot stopper, covers her posts well and is very good with her feet.   [player_tooltip player_id='33291' first='Jordan' last='Geis'], Forward, Archbishop Mitty, Class of 2024   When she was a freshman she was identified as a big recruit in the class of 2024, and the UCLA commit has lived up to the hype. The forward is a big, strong and fast player who displays excellent technical ability. She is very hard to mark as she is creative and quick. She also works very hard and is always striving to improve.   Addie Haws, Central Midfielder, Sequoia, Class of 2024   Haws is a very creative and lightning quick center mid, who uses her dribble to penetrate defenses and to beat players 1v1. She is very agile and cuts back quickly to put the ball on her other foot and get a shot off, and she can use both feet. She is likely the best player in the PAL this year and is an Arizona State commit.   [player_tooltip player_id='19724' first='Kieran' last='Harrison'], Defender, Los Altos, Class of 2024   Harrison is committed to the University of Chicago and is a versatile defender, with the ability to play inside our outside. She is a tall, athletic player, who likes to get forward and can overlap with speed, or serve up an excellent cross with her left foot. She very agile and can mark speedy wingers and has the experience and composure to win the ball and play it.   Sophie Kirasu, Central Midfielder, Los Altos, Class of 2024   Yet another college commit in this group, Kirasu is committed to Princeton. She is a technical player, with good speed, the ability to pick a pass, to receive the ball well and dribble it well. She can get past defenders with her dribble, penetrating a defense and is very good with link-up play. She can use both feet and is quick and crafty enough to create her own shot.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/02/IMG_7185-crop-3180x2088-1705507189.jpeg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-159441"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Erick Chan</figcaption></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='33296' first='Charlotte' last='Kohler'], Attacking Midfielder, St. Francis, Class of 2024   Kohler has been committed to Stanford for some time and is a complete player. Perhaps the most complete player in the Bay Area. She can really do it all from the No. 10 spot. She can pass with precision, dribble with ease and is crafty with the ball. She has great speed, a great shot and can use both feet. She is a player that works hard, makes great decisions and has good soccer instincts. She shows great vision and knows when to pick a pass, when to go for goal or when to make a run.   Kamryn Rosa, Striker, St. Francis, Class of 2025   Rosa is an excellent hold up No. 9. She is very good at linking up with teammates and can score with both feet, showing a tremendous shot. She is strong and physical, which allows her to create space. She is clever, crafty and has enough speed to separate. Rosa is also an incredibly smart player.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/11/Karena-2022.jpeg?w=975" alt="" class="wp-image-63371"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Mountain View High</figcaption></figure>   Karena Shah, Striker, Mountain View, Class of 2024   Shah is a senior leader for Mountain View and is committed to the University of Chicago. She plays with grit and toughness, displaying a lot of heart and hustle. This is paired with her ability to score. She is a very skilled forward, who can play across the top, and has the traits you need. She is strong, physical, quick and very gifted with the ball at her feet. She has a quick shot, can use either foot and scores on balls in the air.   Aofie Turner, Outside Defender, Los Altos, Class of 2024   Turner is a member of Ireland's Youth National team and the outside defender plays with great pace to get up and down the line. She can push up and deliver a perfect cross, and her work rate allows her to get up and down the field as she never tires. She has great timing as is a real threat if not marked. She is committed to Columbia.   Allie Wall, Central Midfielder, St. Ignatius, Class of 2024   Wall is committed to NYU and is a player that offers you a lot of clean possession. She's great with the ball, operates well in tight spaces and is calm and makes good decisions when she has time on the ball. Her passing is precise and well-timed. She plays with strength in the midfield, she plays hard and really competes when going after 50/50 balls.   [player_tooltip player_id='19981' first='Murphy' last='Walsh'], Forward, Archbishop Mitty, Class of 2025   Wash burst onto the scene as a freshman, and now as a junior is already committed to the University of Southern California. She has everything you want to find in a goal-scorer. She has size, and to go with that she has speed. She moves at a pace that makes her hard to lockdown. She is technically gifted, as she moves with the ball, and moves off the ball well. She is strong, and plays with a lot of passion and desire.

When analyzing the amount of potential college talent coming out of California, it is easy to get fixated on the Southern Section as a large amount of college talent comes from that area. However, don't sleep on the Central Coast Section. With players from San Francisco down to San Jose and beyond, it is truly a hotbed.