Sexton captains the Sting Royal U17 side that will face VDA, SLSG Navy and Gretna Elite Academy in Lakewood Ranch. An elite center back, she is complete in every aspect of the game, standing out as one of the top players in the position in the entire state. A six-footer, Sexton uses her size extremely well to dominate opponents and win duels on the round and in the air, and is also extremely mobile and fast. She has the quality of an attacking player on the ball and supports her team’s offense in a variety of ways, distributing the ball efficiently out of the back and stepping into the attacking half to make plays.

The Texas A&M commit is still playing at a high level. At the ECNL KC College Showcase, she showed poise, grit, and the technical skills to quickly shut down offenses and make counterattacks to the attacking third. Ava’s ability to anticipate runs to the box gave her the advantage in making big plays on the defensive side.  Video evaluations continued to show her strengths in making clean tackles, precise passes, and over the top passes to runners down the channels or in open lanes.  One of our lead scouts previously stated that “her ability in the slide tackle – both in stopping the attacker on the dribble and in blocking shots – is remarkable for a player of her height.  She possesses elite athleticism.”

In an event when fatigue and cramps certainly played a role in results, Sexton seemed to only get stronger with every game in San Diego.

The Sting center back contributed on both ends of the field. Her ability in the slide tackle – both in stopping the attacker on the dribble and in blocking shots – is remarkable for a player of her height. She possesses elite athleticism.

Sexton’s passing helped create chances for her team and resulted in assists throughout the competition.

Kyleigh Pete Kyleigh Pete 5'0" | F Lake Ridge | 2028 State #78 Nation TX was also considered for the Best XI from Sting Royal.

Sexton and her Sting Royal teamamtes had a perfect weekend in the event, securing three victories. The team conceded only two goals and her presence in their backline was one of the reasons for their defensive solidness. I got to watch Sting when they defeated SLSG Navy 1-0 on Saturday and Sexton’s play was decisive in their clean sheet. She was excellent at using her physicality to defend the penalty box, but was also very hard to beat when she had to operate in other areas, displaying great mobility and timing her defensive actions very well. Sexton was also the vocal leader of the team’s defensive system, constantly communicating with her teammates. The defender got on the ball a lot and executed good passes out of the back, also stepping forward with the ball when she had space.

Sexton’s play against Eclipse Select 09 was highlight-reel worthy. She does so well in her positioning that it is frustrating playing against her because she’s always in the right spot. She also showed great patience when she won possession of the ball. She never mindlessly booted the ball forward, she always would survey her options and make the choice that would help her team retain possession. 

Sexton will lead Sting Dallas Royal 09’s defensive efforts against Arizona Arsenal, Eclipse Select SC and Beach FC in Phoenix. She’s one of the top center backs in the country in her age group and has everything one could want in a defender. Standing at 5’11”, she has no trouble winning physical duels, but it doesn’t always come down to it with Sexton, who’s extremely quick and mobile and uses her high soccer IQ to cut corners and beat opposing attackers to the ball. The center back has the calm and quality on the ball of an attacking midfielder, dribbling under pressure and connecting great passes out of the back.

Ava Sexton Ava Sexton 6'0" | D/F Southlake Carroll | 2027 State #79 Nation TX should be regarded as one of, if not the most, impressive player within the camp. Sexton is a college-read, complete defender from the class of 2027. Sexton’s calmness, confidence and composure within the backline was next level. Driving the ball into space, pushing the backline forward and overall becoming a dominant force on the pitch were the trademarks of Sexton’s day. Sexton was excellent at finding and creating passing lanes and utilized her size effectively to act as a physical force. 

Sexton stands at 5’11 and uses her strength well to make her an imposing force along the backline. Although Sexton stands tall at 5’11, she is surprisingly quick and moves with good agility when on the ball. Technically and tactically, Sexton is very solid and more than ready to challenge at the next level. Sexton has plenty of time to continue to develop, however this young defender is without a question one to keep your eyes on. I believe Sexton has an extremely bright future within this game.

Sexton’s Sting Dallas Royal 09 team was third in the Texas Conference with a campaign of 12 wins, two losses and one tie and will be in the Champions League playoffs in Seattle. Playing as a right-sided center back, she anchors their backline, giving a lot of stability to the team and providing coverage for the offensive plays. Sexton has a really high soccer IQ and is excellent with her decision-making when playing defense, especially with how she uses her body to fight for space and win possession. Because of her quality on the ball, she refuses to play long and force plays, always find efficient passes that help the team’s buildup.