ECNL Dallas: 15s – Center Backs

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The top teams in the ECNL Girls League in the country were in Dallas from February 17-19, where the league held its sixth National event of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Over 220 teams were in action over the three days of the event and Prep Soccer was in attendance, following several matches a day and taking a lot at some of the top-level prospects in the country. On Sunday, we were at the MoneyGram Soccer Park, in Dallas, where we got to watch 16 of the 58 teams of the 15s age group compete.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong><a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2024/02/ecnl-dallas-15s-day-2-photos/">ECNL Dallas: 15s – Day 2 Photos</a></strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've already highlighted <a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2024/02/ecnl-dallas-15s-day-2-standouts/">the players that stood out in the encounters we got to watch</a> and now we'll expand that a little bit and list more prospects that left a strong impression, looking at one position at a time. Today, we'll focus on the center backs:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["148431"],"_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_0_evaluation":"Sexton was one of the strongest center backs in the division and helped Sting Dallas Royal end the event with three wins and three clean sheets. Playing as a right-side center back, she was extremely dominant, using her physicality and her positioning to win plays and keep opponents away from the team's penalty box. Sexton also displayed excellent quality on the ball and was always very calm when in possession, making good decisions and helping her team move the ball into dangerous spots.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de579d81a5e"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/futbol_ava/status/1759956584828948876?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/futbol_ava/status/1759956584828948876?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["111721"],"_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_0_evaluation":"Although her team Indy Eleven Pro Academy dropped all three matches over the weekend, Usher displayed good quality and helped them limit some strong opponents to just two goals. She was very consistent playing on the left side of the team's three-man backline and was one of their pillars over the weekend. Usher won several duels against opposing attackers and also avoided goalscoring opportunities by blocking shots inside and around the penalty box. She displayed good quality on the ball too, finding good long passes out of the back that helped Indy Eleven break pressure.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de579d81ac2"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["112680"],"_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_0_evaluation":"Cox was very solid on the backline for Classics Elite and helped the team end the weekend with two wins and one loss and just four goals conceded. One of the team's captains, she was very vocal and active when instructing teammates and keeping things organized on defense. Cox played as a left-sided center back for her team and did a very good job of keeping things quiet in her area. She played with great intensity and was strong in duels, but also displayed good positioning and reading of the game to cover her teammates when they were beaten.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de579d81b12"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["112590"],"_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_0_evaluation":"Albin was one of the defensive anchors of her Dallas Texans team that triumphed in each of their three matches, while allowing just one goal. Her center back duo with [player_tooltip player_id='148469' first='Arianna' last='Villarreal'] was certainly one of the team's main strengths as the two complemented each other extremely well and worked together with great efficiency. Playing more to the left, Albin was very good when she had to step up and chase attackers into their own half, putting pressure on them and not leaving any room for turns. She also connected some good long passes out of the back.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de579d81b5f"} /--> <!-- wp:image {"id":163535,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/02/IMG_2069.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-163535" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">XF Academy vs. Dallas Texans</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["153175"],"_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_0_evaluation":"Chrisman made of Chicago Inter one of the strongest defensive teams in the division, snatching two wins and one tie with just one goal conceded. She played as a right-sided center back for them and was extremely solid there, helping dismantle many of their opponents' attempts. Chrisman displayed a great ability to read the game and make anticipations, handling problems even before they started. She also did a solid job in possession, connecting good passes out of the back.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65de579d81bae"} /-->