Absolute beast up front for Bay Area Surf . Relentless presser and very good with her back to goal. She can run in behind when needed as well. She scored a great goal and was instrumental in her sides 6-1 win against Atlanta Fire.

Francesca is a forward with tremendous potential, especially if she’s deployed centrally. She’s a complete striker, combining both link-up and goals. In either case, she shows how effective and reliable she is. She shines most when there is space to exploit. This could be either her moving into space or playing passes into space where her teammates run. When she’s on the receiving end of the pass, she drives the ball forward aggressively, giving the opposing defense no chance to stop her. She’s a strong dribbler, shouldering markers off while maintaining her momentum. When she’s participating in build-up, she has no issue playing in the final pass if a teammate is in a better position than her. This isn’t just a one-off, either. She’ll constantly look out to see what the best option is to finalize an attack.

I’ve covered Francesca in numerous club matches and she has always delivered. The Duke commit helped her Sacred Heart Cathedral team to 4th place WCAL (West Catholic Athletic League) and an overall record of 14-8-1 on the season. She scored 12 goals and provided 15 assists for the Fighting Irish. Francesca is a top-tier player who can score goals in bunches or is impressive enough to make any highlight reel. On the pitch, she’s calm, cool, and collected. She has the technical skills to work in tight spaces and slice trough defenses for high percentage scoring opportunities. SHP is looking to be a team to challenge for the top spot next year.

She played lights out and led her team to a 4-3 victory with a hat trick in hand. In previous matches, I’ve seen her more as an attacking mid, but her new look as the focal point of the Surf attack was something special. The recent Duke commit made incredible shots that could make any highlight scoring reel. She was the MVP of the match and it was one of the most impressive scoring I’ve seen in quite awhile. It’s gonna be awesome to see how far she can lead her first place team into the second round and in the ECNL playoffs.

She was more like a field general. Her calm presence in the midfield while finding players in open pockets was one of the key factors to Surf’s success. She can also make precise passes in the attacking third and make it look as if this team has been playing together for many years. Francesca is a top-level player who will probably make a commitment to a Division I team soon. Her soccer IQ is very high, and she sets the tempo as well as leads by example.

Also scored a hat-trick for SF Glens against Academica. Johnson & Leifried were flat out menaces for their older opposition this past weekend. They were named as Co-Player’s of the Match for the Glen’s. I’m sure the Glen’s will invite Johnson back for the remainder of the season.

Johnson was a First Team Northern Cal All-Conference selection last year. She moved from De Anza Force to Bay Area Surf ‘] for this campaign. The attacking talent has continued her outstanding play at the ECNL level. Left-footed, quick, strong, and driven are the best descriptors for Johnson. She uses her body as well as pretty much any player in this class. She’s never shy to get into the tackle and runs through would-be challengers with her strength and pace. Johnson is an elite finisher with her left. She operates as either a No. 10 and No. 9. She has a high-level tactical understanding of the center attacking positions. She is one of the best talents in the state and has elevated her play this season.