Scout’s View: Standouts from the 2026 WAGS Rael Vodicka Memorial Tournament

The 2026 WAGS Rael Vodicka Memorial Tournament took place October 10-12 in Northern Virginia, featuring high-level teams from throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Despite rain impacting part of the action, attending teams were able to battle through the elements for some exciting cross-league competition, between sides from ECNL Girls, Girls Academy, ECNL Regional Leagues, and more. A total of 744 teams participated in this year’s WAGS Tournament, an event which has been running since 1975, across the U9-U19 age groups.

Longtime scout Jerry Penkala ([email protected]), 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. Continue reading for a look at some of the standouts from the weekend.

Class of 2028

Chloe Chandler | Defender
Jacksonville FC ECNL RL U17 (FL)

If Chloe was not the best defender I saw all weekend, (she probably was) she was certainly the most versatile, and she made this team go. Her work rate was incredible, and her 1v1 defensive technique was outstanding — she cleanly won possession on 15-of-16 1v1 tackle opportunities and seemed to thrive in those moments. At some point during the weekend games I saw, she played outside back, holding mid, center back, and even attacking mid, showing the same extremely high level of talent at each.

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Skylar Krehbiel | Midfielder
Skyline Elite GA U17 (VA)

This is the third time I have seen this offensive impact player in the past year, and she has developed different areas of her already talented skill set each time. Skylar has possibly the best control and technical skill on the ball I have seen out of any GA player in over a year. She is clever, has a huge soccer IQ, great field vision, and completes 90+% of her passes — she can have an entire game run through her. On top of that, she is feisty: smaller in stature, but I’ve yet to see anyone knock her off the ball.

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Vera Carlsson | Forward
Richmond United ECNL RL U17 (VA)

Carlsson is a born scorer with a nose for the goal, and she was the fastest player I saw at the entire tournament. Her blazing speed gives her the ability to run down or double-team anyone within 20 yards or more of where she started. Her straight-line speed in open space is a difference maker — and it would be the same even if she were going against an NCAA Power 4 defender right now as a junior in high school. Outstanding off-ball movement and always dangerous in the final third, and most of the time she was dangerous without any support from her teammates — meaning she was a handful even when going 1v3 or 1v4 in the final third.

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Mackenzie Woodend | Defender
Jacksonville FC ECNL RL U17 (FL)

The longer this outstanding defender played off the bench, the more the game flow shifted and the more her talent became apparent and special. She was always calm in any situation — whether defending on an island by herself, controlling the area in the central area of the field, or possessing the ball after one of her many 1v1 tackles and calmly finding the open teammate to start an immediate counterattack. Loved this kid’s athleticism, toughness, and mental makeup.

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Malia Butler | Goalkeeper
SYC Soccer GA U17 (VA)

I had heard about this incredibly athletic, fearless keeper from a few of my college coaching friends, and she did not disappoint. She completely controlled her entire 18, had her back line organized all game, and when there was a slip-up by a defender, she made 1v1 saves from close range look routine. Malia absolutely has Power 4 conference talent, and I, for one, am hoping she gets found by a Power 4 conference program, because she is legit.

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Josslyn McCabe | Midfielder
Tiki Taka College Prep (FL)

Josslyn was one of the toughest, most competitive, and most polished defenders I saw all weekend — easily as talented as any holding mid I saw all last club year, including in the ECNL and GA. She had that famous “clean mean streak” I always love seeing in recruits, but maybe more impressive was her ability to become 100% offensive-minded in a split second and find the open space in midfield to help her back line get the ball out of the final third. She had great control on the ball when she received the pass from the back and obviously loved getting forward and finding the perfect pass to her wingers or forward.

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Lila Yake | Forward / Midfielder
SYC Soccer GA U17 (VA)

Another offensive impact player I was not aware of before this showcase, which is very rare nowadays, and she made a huge impression on me. Sneaky fast and smooth, always trying to bait defenders into thinking she was not paying attention when they had the ball in their final third, then her incredibly fast first burst of speed caught those defenders off guard — to the point she was able to high-press by herself. She was disruptive and almost scored a couple of times on the turnovers she caused with her solo high press. She also has an outstanding understanding of how, when, and where to move off the ball in and near the final third, especially within 10–15 yards and out from goal. Rocket shot, outstanding work rate, and great finishing technique overall.

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Katelyn Bulloch | Defender
Arizona Surf East Valley U17 (AZ)

This right back was solid for the majority of the first half I was watching, when she jumped off my scouting notes with a burst of speed and made up 25 yards in seconds to cover her teammate’s missed tackle, making her own tough, difficult, clean tackle to stop a breakaway. The rest of the game, she just grew stronger and stronger, completely solidifying the entire back line with outstanding tackle after tackle, shutting down multiple opponent offensive opportunities. This player needs to be seen — a Power 4 conference-level, immediate-impact defender at the college level.

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Bennett Fisher | Midfielder
Richmond United ECNL RL U17 (VA)

Both of the 6-foot tall Fisher twins – Bennett and her sister Kendall (forward) shined at the WAGS Tournament, and I expect both to be quality players at the NCAA Division I level. Bennett was particularly special in the midfield at this event, bringing her usual intimidating presence, while showing excellent control on the ball. Her field vision and passing accuracy have developed in great strides, while she still has an outstanding, smart work rate in the midfield and the toughness and defensive skill set to shut down any opponent’s midfielders 1v1.

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Landry Bower | Midfielder / Defender
Jacksonville FC ECNL RL U17 (FL) – SMU Commit

Landry was probably the best overall player I saw at the entire showcase — it was immediately obvious why she’s an SMU commit. As an attacking midfielder, Landry was the best player on the field, both in possession and as a constantly dangerous goal scorer and defensive disrupter using her athleticism, toughness, and non-stop intensity. Even when Richmond United started double and triple-teaming her, she remained as impactful as before.

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Sage Anderson | Defender
Jacksonville FC ECNL RL U17 (FL)

Sage came off the bench a couple times as a center back and dominated the moment she got in. She has the skillset to be a starting center back on many ECNL teams across the U.S. She’s extremely fast when running down a winger in open space to cover for an outside back, with very quick feet in tight areas and a true shut-down 1v1 defender.

Class of 2027

Lauren Gorsline | Defender
Tiki Taka College Prep (FL)

Another talented, technically-sound player from this TikiTaka club, Lauren completely controlled the defensive center of the field the entire game I saw. She clogged up everything on any opponent’s offensive runs forward, was not beaten even once, and was confident on the ball, and a great defensive leader for the back line.