Girl's High School Season Preview: 1A & 2A

<p>With the girl's high school season coming up soon, we'll be introduced to a plethora of more talent. In a state as important for the women's game as North Carolina, it's important to keep your finger on the pulse of the upcoming talent. This article focuses not only on talents to keep an eye on but also on teams and what to expect during the season at the 1A and 2A levels. First, the analysis will focus on two teams per level to keep note of. Lastly, the focus will be on 2-3 players per level that I believe will have a good season.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Teams to Watch: 1A Level</h2>   <p>The 1A level in North Carolina groups the smaller schools under one umbrella. Oftentimes, players from this level don't get the spotlight they deserve. However, giving this level a chance can be a valuable gamble. </p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Christ the King High School</h3>   <p>The best team at this level, <a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/nc/kernersville/bishop-mcguinness-villains/soccer/girls/spring/">Christ the King High School</a> has won three state championships in a row. Such a dominant streak comes as the result of dominant performances. Over the course of those 3 seasons, they only lost 7 of the 64 matches they've played. This impressive stat is further accentuated by the fact that in this same period, they conceded 40 goals. A remarkably solid team defensively, one may think that this is thanks to the seniors carrying the weight. However, off the back of a season where they only conceded 12 goals in 22 matches, they have plenty of underclassmen talent that has already broken through. Their attack doesn't disappoint either, having extremely intelligent and gifted attackers who helped the team score 73 goals last season. A "threepeat" champion off the back of a season with so much defensive talent is surely one to watch.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Woods Charter</h3>   <p>Conveniently, the second team I suggest keeping an eye on for its talented squad is also last season's state runner-up. I'll have my work cut out for me to see if I can find a team as offensively ruthless as <a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/nc/chapel-hill/woods-charter-wolves/soccer/girls/spring/">Woods Charter</a> was last season. A staggering 195 goals scored in just 28 matches is mind-boggling. This type of performance has to be rewarded with some recognition, despite not achieving the ultimate goal last season. Their attack is dynamic and unforgiving, blowing teams out of the water even in playoffs. One of the best aspects about this team is the fact that two of their top five goalscorers are still underclassmen this season. This gives Wood Charter a massive advantage over most teams at the 1A level. If they manage to sure up their defense more, they are going to be a proper challenge for Christ the King.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Players to Watch: 1A Level</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Erin is one of the defensive pillars in a solid Christ the King defense. The way she anticipates plays is second to none. She cuts out plays before they even pose danger, and she makes it look so easy. Her effortless nature in defending translates beyond interceptions though. This effortless nature is seen when she tackles, doing it so smoothly that it makes the opposing attacker look bad. Her passes out from the back are fantastic as well. Whether the pass is long or short, she plays them pinpoint. Either as a center-back or a defensive midfielder, she offers immense security to her team.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Laney is an incredibly mobile and intelligent striker. Agile and with fantastic reactions, she makes it impossible for the opposing defense to regain possession. She offers attacking support in any available pocket of space. Even if she finds herself in a tight space, she's intelligent and agile enough to make sure she or her team keeps possession. Though she's a striker, she helps circulate the ball exceptionally well. Unlike many modern strikers, she loves being on the ball. Her movements off the ball are fantastic as well, constantly being a nuisance for defenders.</p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Teams to Watch: 2A Level</h2>   <p>The 2A level is for schools whose student body is not as small as 1A but not too large either. This level is also brimming with talents who typically don't get the deserved spotlight. Researching teams and players at this level introduced me to countless projects and prospects. To start, I'll highlight the most interesting projects in my opinion.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Seaforth High School</h3>   <p><a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/nc/pittsboro/seaforth-hawks/soccer/girls/spring/">Seaforth High School</a> comes into the season as the reigning 2A state champions. They collect the ultimate prize as soon as they welcome an extremely talented group of players. Scoring a remarkable 178 goals and conceding only an even more impressive 5 goals. To make their defensive stat even more impressive, if you were to exclude friendlies, they didn't concede a single goal on their road to the championship. Receiving 0 goals in 20 regular season matches is no fluke. Scoring as much as they did is no fluke either. Between the first and second top scorers, they scored a combined 115 goals. The players who led the key stats last season will be present for this season as well, with some even continuing the season after this one. These factors combined make it so that Seaforth is the favorite to win the state championship again.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">West Davidson High School</h3>   <p>Choosing only one more team to keep an eye on proves to be a difficult task. However, <a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/nc/lexington/west-davidson-dragons/soccer/girls/spring/">West Davidson High School</a> caught my eye when digging deep. Though they got knocked out in the third round of playoffs, they finished the season unbeaten. The game they lost in playoffs was during the penalty shootout, meaning that they didn't lose a single match in regular time. Alongside this, they held an incredible record of only conceding 7 goals all season long. Just as in the case of Seaforth, the key stat leaders for West Davidson will continue this season as well. If they build upon last season's form, they can be a solid contender for the state title.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Players to Watch: 2A Level</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Caitlin is a talented striker who is extremely determined. She presses the backline strongly, making it uncomfortable for them to play from the back. Her constant movement offers benefits whether her team has the ball or not. When her team is in possession, she makes runs in behind, typically not being spotted. She doesn't reserve these runs for moments either, making them all game long. Her willingness to shoot makes life difficult for the goalkeeper as well, keeping them on their toes whenever she gets the ball in a shooting position. Finally, her linkup play is fantastic, helping circulate the ball as much as possible.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Katherine is a promising goalkeeping talent. She plays with the confidence that anyone looks in their goalkeeper. When the ball is crossed in, she doesn't hesitate to rush out to collect it. She catches the ball and makes sure she doesn't lose it clumsily. This confidence is radiated to her defenders, whether she transmits it vocally or with her talent. In the box, she tends to be the tallest player which gives her a natural advantage. Her kicks are also really good, knowing how much power to put on them given the context. During penalties, she has the confidence to commit to one side and gets it right more often than not.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Avery is an active and talented midfielder. She's restless, constantly accompanying the play until she's in possession or it makes no sense to accompany it anymore. When her team isn't in possession, she sticks onto opposing midfielders like glue, not letting them have much space to operate in. When her team is on the ball, she makes runs within the channels not only to offer a passing lane but also to progress play. Her determination to get forward makes her very productive goalwise. Creative and with great finishing, she is a constant danger for opposing defenses.</p>

With the girl's high school season coming up soon, we'll be introduced to a plethora of more talent. In a state as important for the women's game as North Carolina, it's important to keep your finger on the pulse of the upcoming talent. This article focuses not only on talents to keep an eye on but also on teams and what to expect during the season at the 1A and 2A levels. First, the analysis will focus on two teams per level to keep note of. Lastly, the focus will be on 2-3 players per level that I believe will have a good season.