Standout 2010s from the GA Winter Showcase and Champions Cup

NORCO, California - The Girls Academy Winter Showcase and Champions Cup wrapped up on Monday. Prep Soccer was on hand scouting some of the brightest talent in the country at the event. Below are the standouts from the games Prep Soccer saw at the event.     Bursey was the best player on the field in the win over IMG Academy. She looks like she should be getting looks from the Youth National Team. She is a center forward, but can play on the wings as well. She showed off a variety of skills  - heel flicks, dummies, and pretty much everything else in the bag against an overwhelmed IMG defense. Bursey's ability to play with her back to the goal and shield off defenders is a rare trait for this age group. Her quality on the ball when faced up against a defender makes her even more dangerous. She is a player you will be hearing about much more in the future.      Jones is a midfielder from IMG Academy who stood out in the game against Broomfield. She had some moments when she went 1v3 with the ball at her feet. She is strong on the ball and can hold off multiple defenders. She is quick with her actions. She has the quality on the ball and decision-making to be a standout at the top level for a long time.      Malone is a defensive midfielder with unlimited energy. The competitive fire she showed against IMG was impressive. She never quit on a play and was a main reason why IMG barely had any opportunities in the attacking half in the game.      Gardner impressed from her left back spot. The tenacious tackler shutdown the opposition on a handful of opportunities early in the first half, which set the tone. She was good on the ball and did well keeping possession for her side.      Foster was excellent in 1v1 duels in the game against Broomfield. She won every tackle she went into and showed excellent patience in her approach to shutting down the opposition and waiting for a bad touch to get stuck into the challenge. Foster played on the wing, but showed the elite characteristics of a top outside back in the game.      Davey was a bit limited in action in the game against IMG, but she made up for her in comfort on the ball. She was off her line and active in possession and did well with distribution. Of note, she is left footed, which is a rarity among goalkeepers I've come across at this level.      Abe made some outstanding saves early to keep the game against Broomfield close. The five-foot-eight shot-stopper was fully extended on a few blocks and showed off lightning quick reflexes on a few other blocks.      Hirt and the Broomfield defense only conceded one goal in three games against the top competition at the event. The center back pairing with Kalei Hollingsworth looks like one of the best tandems in club soccer at the 2010 age group.     Parnes was outstanding in the game against Tophat. Smart on the ball, creative in the final third, and provided the goal in a 1-1 draw. Barnes showed that she has the quality to be considered among the best attacking midfielders in the 2010 group, she is a 2029. She has a very bright future.      Cryan is a left back who has been identified as a top player in the Girls Academy previously. She lived up to the reputation against a stellar Tophat team during the Champions Cup. A shutdown defender with skill on the ball, Cryan made an impression on everyone in attendance.      York was outstanding against NEFC. Quick with her decision-making she kept the ball moving from side to side as a funnel through the midfield. She offered a sharp tackle in the center of the field to slow down the opposition as well.      Banta impressed with her play at defensive midfielder. In the right position, she was able to intercept passes and cut out the center channel for the opposition. She was physical in the duel and won the ball cleanly when called upon.      The right back was excellent against NEFC. Her first touch impressed me as she handled a couple of tough passes drilled into her feet with confidence and kept possession of the ball for her side.      Loudermilk made a big impact in the game against STA. Her pace and physicality forced the opposition into a number of giveaways. Her side capitalized on winning possession in advanced spots thanks to Loudermilk's energy and effort. She scored a wonderful goal with her left in the first half. She added another in the second half thanks to a wonderful assist from #16.      Patel was outstanding in the game against STA. The defender handled the pressure from the opposition and the responsibility as the last line of defense. Patel did well in 1v1 defending when called upon, and was exceptional in decision-making when distributing the ball.      The Galaxy midfielder covered a ton of ground and made impactful plays all over the field in the win over STA. I thought she really stood out in the first half for her two-way play.      Manasse's skill, pace, and power were a handful for the opposition in the battle against Galaxy. The center forward created chances and got on the end of passes from her team to make things happen in the final third. She's got big time potential.      Latawiec's strength and balance were the highlights of her game against STA. She withstood a number of physical ahcllaneges to keep possession of the ball and keep her feet. She was a catalyst in the midfield for her side.      Guskey provided the assist on the opening goal for Galaxy. It was a splendid pass with the perfect weight and timing. She showed well in the first half with her ability to play with a defender on her back and still make good decisions on the ball.      Faix was a standout from the Showcase games. The attacking midfielder was brilliant on the ball and created a number of chances for her team during the event. Her play against Rio Rapids really opened up the attack for her side in the first half.

NORCO, California - The Girls Academy Winter Showcase and Champions Cup wrapped up on Monday. Prep Soccer was on hand scouting some of the brightest talent in the country at the event. Below are the standouts from the games Prep Soccer saw at the event.