Players That Impressed: June-July 2016

The following players have been submitted by coaches, club technical personnel or SoccerWire.com staff so they could be recognized for impressive performances in competitive soccer games during the months of June and July.

Players will be added to the list each week throughout the month, and will be automatically nominated for the Soccer Wire Best-11 Players of June-July.

We post players in the order the submissions are received, so the sooner you post following impressive game performances, the higher up the list they will appear.

+ You can submit players each week here

Rachel Jackson – Forward
Vienna Youth Soccer Phoenix 99 U-16 Girls
US Youth Soccer Region I Championships
Going up against one of the nation’s top-ranked teams, FC Pennsylvania Strikers, Vienna faced one of its most exciting and challenging opponents of the season. Rachel was busy the entire game creating havoc for the Strikers defenders as she was constantly hunting for the ball. Down a goal, midway into the half, Rachel ran onto a ball flicked through the back line by Abby Fusca and calmly finished with two defenders running her down and a goalkeeper charging at her.

Whitney Wiley – Midfielder
Vienna Youth Soccer Phoenix 99 U-16 Girls
US Youth Soccer Region I Championships
Whitney had been tireless all game – double teaming defensively and combining offensively. So, it was a fitting reward that literally, three minutes after Rachel Jackson tied the score against FC Pennsylvania Strikers, Whitney pounced on a loose ball, approximately 25 yards from goal, slightly right of center and pulled the trigger, scoring what turned out to be the game-winner.

Brianna Starr – Forward
SAC Premier Blue U-17 Girls
US Youth Soccer Region I Championships
After months out due to injury, Brianna scored five goals and assisted three in the group stages at the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships. Brianna will be playing at Rutgers University next year.

Emma Chester – Defender
OP Fire U-13 Girls
Ohio North State Cup
Not many defenders get the credit they deserve. Emma marked out Northern Ohio’s best players and contributed to a team that held Cleveland United to no shots on goal in the final of State Cup. She also helped shut out Internationals SC, CFC, and CSA on a route to the team’s first state title.

Shelby Sallee – Forward
OP Fire U-13 Girls
Ohio North State Cup
Shelby scored 10 goals in State Cup play with a hat trick vs. Internationals SC in the semifinals, and had two goals in the final vs. Cleveland United. Shelby also contributed at Regionals with a goal vs. the No. 6 team in the nation, Michigan Hawks (1-1 tie), and scored the opening goal goal vs. WAZA in a 3-2 win. Shelby is a dominant player with great skills and poise on the ball.

Isabella D’Aquila – Forward/Defender
So Cal Blues ECNL U-14 Girls
ECNL National Finals
Isabella had a remarkable showing on the attacking end for So Cal throughout the ECNL National Finals, highlighted by a two-goal, two-assist performance in a 6-1 rout of Real Colorado in group play. She followed that up by scoring both goals in a 2-1 win over Eclipse Select, and went on to find the net in the semifinals and the finals, as her team won the ECNL U-14 National Championship.

Samantha Williams – Forward/Midfielder
So Cal Blues ECNL U-14 Girls
ECNL National Finals
Samantha was also impossible for opposing defenses to slow down, as she recorded a brace against Real Colorado, netted the game-winner in a 1-0 victory over East Meadow SC and helped send her team to the final with a goal in the semis against Concorde Fire. Williams’ outstanding performance continued on Tuesday in the national championship.

Jennafer Rholin – Goalkeeper
Syracuse Development Academy U-18 Girls
US Youth Soccer Region I Championships
Jennafer made multiple huge saves in the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships title match against Beadling SC, including a heroic performance during the deciding rounds of penalty kicks to help her team clinch a spot in the National Championships.

Jarena Harmon – Forward
McLean Youth Soccer 96 Green U-19 Girls
US Youth Soccer Region I Championships
Jarena, who recently finished her freshman season at the University of Pittsburgh, was the leading scorer in the U-19 Girls age group at the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships. She netted six goals over the course of three group matches during McLean’s run to the Region I title.

Craig Eichelberger – Goalkeeper
Calverton Cerritos Soccer Academy U-16 Boys
PA Classics Mid-Atlantic Cup
Craig led Calverton Cerritos in the top bracket of the PA Classics Mid-Atlantic Cup, playing a key role in maintaining three shutouts. He made important saves throughout the games, which included a late PK save to secure a 1-0 win. Throughout the tournament, Craig demonstrated his tremendous shot stopping abilities and leadership. After advancing to the finals, Craig and his team shut out the Seacoast United Mariners to take home the championship title with a 1-0 win.

Brandon Clegg – Forward
PWSI Courage U-18 Boys
NPL Finals
Brandon scored five goals in one game to help the PWSI 97 Courage advance to the NPL semifinals. His stat line for the tournament was six goals and one assist.

Tyler Champine – Defender
Campton United 98/97 MDL U-18 Boys
NPL Finals
Tyler played against both PWSI and New England FC’s best forward, and kept them both off the scoreboard during Campton United’s run to the championship. Campton earned a 3-0 win in the NPL Final vs NEFC, capping off an undefeated 3-0-2 showing at the event. The team won 5-0 in the semifinals as well, with Champine anchoring a dominant back line to shutouts in each of its last two matches.

Christian Edgerton – Midfielder
Campton United 98/97 MDL U-18 Boys
NPL Finals
Christian scored a goal in each game, repeatedly finding the net in pivotal situations during his team’s title run. As Campton United’s No. 10, Christian is a key playmaker on the attack with his passing and dribbling skills. He also helps control the game with his composure on the ball. He capped off the event with a goal in Campton’s 3-0 victory over NEFC in the title match.

Henna Andican – Forward
Parsippany SC ’03 U-13 Girls
Super Y League
Henna scored three goals in a 4-0 win at Long Island. All of her goals were individual performances where she took on her defender and beat the keeper with excellent finishes.

Bailey Cartwright – Midfielder
Pittsburgh Riverhounds Academy U-17 Girls
US Club National Cup Finals
In a hard-fought US Club National Cup match between Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Mount Laurel United Magic (NJ), with the Riverhounds down 4-3 Bailey scored to tie the game and 4 minutes later netted the winning goal. With the win, the Riverhounds stayed first in the bracket and controlled their own destiny to advance to the championship game.

Juanito Ramirez – Forward / Midfielder
FC Dallas Academy U-17/18 Boys
U.S. Soccer Development Academy Finals
Juanito came on as an overtime substitute in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy U-17/18 championship match, and netted the game-winning goal in the 106th minute to help FC Dallas Academy clinch the league title with the 2-1 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Carlos Avilez – Goalkeeper
FC Dallas Academy U-15/16 Boys
U.S. Soccer Development Academy Finals
In the USSDA U-15/16 title match against LA Galaxy Academy, Carlos earned the clean sheet in net to help FC Dallas take home the league championship trophy. FC Dallas won the game 2-0, shutting down a Galaxy attack that had been consistently dominant most of the season.

Raigen Powell – Forward
Solar Chelsea SC Red U-13 Girls
US Youth Soccer National Championships
Raigen recorded a hat trick on Day 1 of the US Youth Soccer National Championships, fueling a 4-0 victory over a tough Cincinnati United Premier side. She netting the first three goals of the match, including a ninth minute strike to put Chelsea on top, followed by a pair of superb individual efforts including a chip over the goalkeeper’s head for her third and final score.

Heather MacNab – Forward
FC Pride 01 Elite U-15 Girls
US Youth Soccer National Championships
Heather netted both goals in a 2-0 win over FC Salmon Creek for FC Pride on opening day at the US Youth Soccer National Championships. She scored once in each half, finding the net first in the 33rd minute and again in the 63rd minute. Both goals came on long distance shots from well outside the 18-yard box, one into the left side of the net and the other into the upper right 90.

Dalton Seckinger – Forward
United FA Premier U-16 Boys
US Youth Soccer National Championships
Dalton scored two of his team’s three goals in a 3-0 victory against Strikers FC North to open the US Youth Soccer National Championships. He found the net twice in the first 24 minutes of the game, helping his team get off on the right foot as it seeks to return to the national title match, which it won at the U-14 level in 2014.

Nicola Rosamilia – Midfielder
Ironbound SC U-14 Boys
Super Y League
Nico helped lead Ironbound to a perfect 12-0 summer season. Rosamilia led all Super Y League players in goals (19) and assists (15) and helped Ironbound Fever qualify for the third straight year for the North American Finals held at IMG Academy in December. Rosamilia, a member of US Club Soccer’s id2 team in 2016, scored nine goals and had five assists in his last three games.

Brendan McSorley – Forward
Ironbound SC U-14 Boys
Super Y League
Brendan helped lead the Ironbound Fever to a perfect 12-0 season. McSorley, an elite 1v1 player, would routinely draw double and triple teams. Despite all the extra defensive attention, he still scored 15 goals and added 11 assists. Brendan’s unselfishness also makes him difficult to defend. In the final Super Y game of the season, he scored one goal of his own while racking up a season-high five assists.

Robert Alphin – Goalkeeper
CASL Academy Juniors U-13 Boys
US Youth Soccer National Championships
Robert played a key role between the posts for CASL on its run to a national title, culminating with a strong effort in the U-13 Boys championship match against Strikers FC Chingirian (CA-S). In an eventual 2-1 victory, Robert and the CASL back line sealed the deal to hold off a late push by the talented Strikers FC attack.

Marissa Everett – Midfielder
So Cal Blues Dodge U-19 Girls
US Youth Soccer National Championships
Marissa, who recently finished her freshman season at the University of Oregon, scored a goal and assisted another in the US Youth Soccer title match as So Cal Blues overpowered Virginia side McLean 96 Green by a 5-0 scoreline. Marissa was a key playmaker for the loaded Blues attack, highlighted by a smooth assist to U.S. U-17 Women’s National team player Karina Rodriguez for the first goal of the match.

Ally Prisock – Goalkeeper
So Cal Blues Dodge U-19 Girls
US Youth Soccer National Championships
Ally and the So Cal Blues back line recorded three clean sheets during their title run at the US Youth Soccer National Championships, capping off the event with a 5-0 shutout of McLean 96 Green. They also shut down McLean 1-0 to open group play on Tuesday, and blanked North Carolina’s TFCA Alliance 96 on Thursday. In their only other match at Nationals, Ally and the Blues defenders conceded their only goal of the tournament in a 4-1 win over Chicago Red Stars.

Theodore Ndje – Forward
Baltimore Darby U-14 Boys
US Youth Soccer National Championships
Theodore was the leading scorer among all U-14 Boys players at the US Youth Soccer National Championships, helping lead his team to the national title match. He scored in three straight matches for Baltimore, including the opening goal in the team’s 2-1 semifinal victory over Region II champ Raiders City (IL).

Benjamin Alexander – Forward
Pipeline SC Black U-17 Boys
US Youth Soccer National Championships
Benjamin was one of only two players to find the net four times in the U-17 Boys age group at the US Youth Soccer National Championships. His final two goals came at the best possible time, as he netted both the equalizer and the game-winner in the second half during his team’s 2-1 comeback victory to win the national title.

Giovanni Vasquez – Forward
Loudoun 98 Red U-17 Boys
US Youth Soccer National Championships
University of Maryland 2017 commit Giovanni Vasquez racked up four goals during the US Youth Soccer National Championships, highlighted by a hat trick against Challenger Crew Jrs (OH) in the tournament opener.

Evan Vare – Midfielder
Lehigh Valley United U-18 Boys
US Youth Soccer National Championships
Evan scorer up six goals over the course of four games during his team’s run to the semifinals of the US Youth Soccer National Championships. He netted four in a breakout performance against Ohio Premier Green in the final group match on Thursday, extending his goal scoring streak to three after finding the net in each of LVU’s first two games as well.

Olivia Wade – Forward
La Roca Premier U-16 Girls
US Youth Soccer National Championships
No player in the U-16 Girls age group at Nationals scored more goals than Olivia Wade, who found the back of the net four times during La Roca’s trip to the national title match. Olivia, a BYU 2018 commit who is also a member of the U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team player pool, opened the event with a brace in her team’s 2-0 win over Syracuse Development Academy, then went on to score the equalizer in a 2-2 draw against Albion SC White (CA) and netted again in La Roca’s 2-0 semifinal victory against FCKC Pink Panthers Elite (MO).