Scout’s View: Class of 2027 ECNL Girls Regional League Standouts

The ECNL Girls Regional League Virginia Event was completed recently in Richmond, as some of the top ECNL RL teams from the East Coast and beyond went head-to-head.

Longtime scout Jerry Penkala, owner and operator of JTF Academy, was on hand for the tournament, and compiled a list of some of the top players that he watched from the Class of 2027.

See below for Penkala’s top performers.

Addison Mentz – Forward
Sunrise Surf 2009 (FL)

Mentz is an absolute gem in the ECNL Regional League, as she was easily the most impactful and productive attacking player that I saw in Richmond. She has a track record of lighting it up at the ECNL National level (scored 2 goals and had 2 assists at ECNL North Carolina, as an ECNL RL team competing against ECNL National teams) and she has the skills to be an immediate contributor for most clubs. Mentz has all the tools of an elite attacker, and she leverages all those skills with incredible precision. She’s a born-scorer who also has a keen ability to recognize when a double team is coming her way, and she always responds accordingly, dishing off to her teammates or finding soft spots in the back line to make the defense pay for even briefly overcommitting to one side of the field.

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Eliana Croke / Alexa George – Center Backs
Sunrise Surf 2009 (FL)

These players were easily the most consistent and solid back line defenders I watched, and they could both immediately drop in as starters for even highly-competitive ECNL and GA teams. They both kept their back line organized, always working together with a ton of chemistry and great communication. Croke and George both have incredible work rates and bring a lot of toughness to the team overall. George also played some midfield and was just as impactful there, and Croke got forward on free kicks and almost finished a few chances on those. Both kids are smart, technically-sound, hard working and just tough, intimidating defenders.

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Hailey Sarzynski – Attacking Midfielder
Penn Alliance Select Elite 2009 (PA)

Hailey was the best attacking mid I saw at the showcase. She was clever and kept defenders completely off guard by never showing the same attacking styles or runs all game, while the entire game went right through her. Technically outstanding, she was always making the right decision on dishing off in or near the 18 if she could not get her own rocket shot off, and worked extremely hard tracking back defensively and was outstanding at 1v1 defending.

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Maddie Heiar – Midfielder / Winger
Charlotte Soccer Academy 2009 (NC)

Heiar came off the bench in the game I saw and completely changed the entire flow of the game immediately as a right winger. Her athleticism, incredible speed, ability to drive at defenders and win the end line resulted in a number of perfectly placed services into the 18. But maybe even more importantly, Maddie had one of the hardest, non-stop work rates I have seen in years. That work rate included high pressing the back line by herself which resulted in a number of turnovers in the 18, plus tracking back on the flank when her team lost possession and constantly disrupted any chance of a counter attack. She had the best combination of an impactful offensive skill set as well as a tough defensive presence out of anyone else I saw at the event.

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Audrey Haltiwanger – Outside Back / Winger
Sunrise Surf 2009 (FL)

Audrey was another player that completely surprised and impressed, and after watching her play in multiple games, she proved to me that she was one of the best athletes at the entire event, and at the same time, one of the most technically-sound players as well. She had a burst of speed in open spaces that was right up there with most ECNL or GA players I’ve seen in the last couple of years, and was smooth and comfortable on the ball. Audrey was another player that could start and immediately on many ECNL and GA teams.

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Madelyn McGuire – Center Back
Lexington Sporting Club 2009 (KY)

A tough, athletic, fast shut down defender that controlled the middle of the field defensively from 25 yards and in. Smart, won 90% of the 1v1 tackles she cleanly made, then had the field vision to calmly find the correct pass instead of just blasting the ball out of the back.

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Kendall Sarmac – Center Back / Left Back
PWSI Courage 2009 (VA)

Another solid defender, Sarmac played left back (she’s a lefty) and center back. She was solid in 1v1 defending, completing at least 90% of those 1v1 tackles successfully. She calmly helped the back connect with the front with some smart passes, as well as some two-line passes that split the opposing defense and got their attack going quickly. She also intercepted a number of passes by seeing the field extremely well and anticipating plays, which often turned into counter attacks as well.

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Stella McDonnell – Outside Back / Holding Midfielder
Penn Alliance Select Elite 2009 (PA)

McDonnell was one of my favorite players to watch at ECNL RL Virginia based on her work rate, feistiness and overall talent. She played outside back where she shut down anyone near her, as well as holding mid where her toughness and clean mean streak came out even more. She is another ECNL RL player that could easily start and be impactful on a large number of ECNL National and GA teams. Just a competitive, strong, extremely fast and tough kid that always looked like she loved playing the game, which recently has been somewhat rare to see.

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Ryley Combs – Forward / Midfielder
Arizona Arsenal 2009 (AZ)

Ryley might have been the second-most impactful offensive player at the showcase. She’s always dangerous in and near the 18, always finding a way to get a quality shot off even when she was double teamed. When she started getting even more individual defensive attention, she moved to midfield and took advantage of more open space by driving at players and beating them off the dribble. This created much more space for her teammates and she distributed the ball well. She has a great shot, brings a smothering high press work rate and is very technically sound.