Sacramento Series: Midfielders, Part I

The Sacramento Series moves to the midfield where the position is very deep. The top midfielders in the Sacramento area are probably as good as the top players anywhere in the state. The position is so deep, there will be two parts for midfielders, starting with these six.   [player_tooltip player_id='8740' first='Ty' last='Branigan'], Woodcreek, Class of 2025   Branigan was named to the ECNL Continental All-Star game in November in Phoenix, AZ, and for good reason. He is a true pivot type of No. 6 who shows a great ability to read the game to where he always puts himself in great spots. Branigan is very clean with the ball and tidy with both feet, making it hard to get the ball off of him. Because he reads the game so well he takes great angles and is a strong tackler.   [player_tooltip player_id='7123' first='Beckham' last='Pointer'], Del Oro, Class of 2024   Pointer is a midfielder with pure scoring ability as he is creative and very clinical when in the box with the ball at his feet. However, he can score from distance as he has unbelievable range, shown by a 60-yard goal he scored against Marin FC in the fall. He is a very smart player as he loves the game, he studies the game and is a great teammate, looking to make others better. He's a tireless worker, he is versatile as he can play as the No. 8 or No. 10, but can also slide up and play all three forward positions.   Jalen Scott, Pleasant Grove, Class of 2024   Scott is very explosive and that makes him a true goal-scorer and creator. He is what you want out of a No. 10, but so athletic he can play the No. 9 as well. He is very good about finding pockets of space and operating in them, and he's just so adept at putting the ball in the back of the net.   Everett Shanklin, Whitney, Class of 2024   Shanklin is an old-fashioned No. 6. He puts the work in and loves to make tackles and let others know that he is there. When he hits an attacking player, they know it and they feel it. For a strong kid, he's very smooth and calm on the ball and displays good vision and can play any pass and do so with either foot. Again, for a player his size, his feet are surprisingly quick and he is good in tight spaces.   Damien Valeriano, Del Oro, Class of 2024   As a junior, Valeriano was named to the ECNL Continental top 150 and was part of the ECNL National Summer Showcase in August. And we can see why. He has tremendous vision and can put a ball on a dime. That also comes in handy as a free-kick taker, and he is excellent in that regard as well. Valeriano is truly an incredible playmaker. He can play anywhere in the midfield, making him very versatile, but is also flexible enough to go out and play the No. 7 or the No. 11 spots.   [player_tooltip player_id='7702' first='Hiroshi' last='Yang'], Wheatland, Class of 2024   Yang plays at a very small school, but his talent was not overlooked as Sacramento State offered him and he will be playing there next year. He is probably the most composed midfielder in the area and is truly a box-to-box guy. Yang is a left-footed player with tremendous vision that allows him to see and connect any pass. He's already broke his school record for goals and the record he is setting keeps climbing. He's a player that truly loves to play the game.

The Sacramento Series moves to the midfield where the position is very deep. The top midfielders in the Sacramento area are probably as good as the top players anywhere in the state. The position is so deep, there will be two parts for midfielders, starting with these six.