Best in the West 2029, 2030 & 2031 Standouts

Best In Class headed west for our inaugural Best in the West event in San Marcos, California. Nearly 100 of the top girls’ players in the Classes of 2029, 2030 & 2031 traveled in from across the West Coast and beyond, including Colorado, Utah, Texas and Washington, to train and compete.

The day opened with a college-coach-led training with coaches from Stanford, USC, Oregon, Arizona State, Colorado, San Diego State and Pomona-Pitzer. Training was built around odd-man drilling, small-sided evens and pick play, and 4v4 and 5v5 competition, before players were split onto seven teams for multiple games coached by the attending college staffs. They were joined on the sidelines by six Best In Class alumni who came back to coach: Enna Corley (Stanford), Reese Goodenough (Stanford), Ella Avery (Johns Hopkins), Cambria Williams (North Carolina), Ava Hefner (Michigan) and Piper Dalsemer (Syracuse).

Breaking down who stood out to our staff at Best in the West:

Attack

ANNIKA HANSEN | VALOR CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL | TENACITY PROJECT | 2029

Hansen is a tough attacker who isn't afraid to attack the middle of the field. She works the two-man game well and was able to finish the chances she had, recording a hat trick in one game. A plus athlete, she sparked transition well and showed she's able to get up and down the field.

RYAN ROSENFELD | LA COSTA CANYON HIGH SCHOOL | MAD DOG WEST ELITE | 2029

Rosenfeld made plays in a variety of ways. She wins matchups by getting downhill off the dodge and she's just as dangerous without the ball, cutting well and finishing with soft hands. Her handle and unselfishness showed in transition, where she was willing to move the ball forward. She was productive at Best in the West from start to finish.

STELLA SPOHN | COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL | COLORADO COMMAND | 2029

Spohn is a strong attacker who is comfortable initiating from X. Her rocker move stood out, giving her a reliable way to add deception and get to the cage. She gets to her left hand effectively and stayed active in the offense.

MAGGIE DENHAM | MIRA COSTA HIGH SCHOOL | MAD DOG WEST ELITE | 2030

Denham stood out from the first drills of the day. She has a quick first step that allows her to consistently win matchups and she’s deceptive coming off the pick-and-roll. Once she gets space, she finishes with a snappy shot. Denham also works hard in the ride. She was a player all of our evaluators took note of and is a prospect to watch going forward. 

ADDISON COOPER | ST. FRANCIS HIGH SCHOOL | ALLIANCE | 2030

Cooper is a righty with good size who knows how to use it to get topside. She drives hard to the middle of the field and her vision makes her a threat as both a finisher and a feeder. She has a great IQ, which was showcased when she beat the ball upfield on a re-defend and scored a 1v0.

PATTON KING | MARLBOROUGH SCHOOL | LA SELECT / WEST COAST STARZ | 2030

King consistently made an impact on the draw, winning possessions and using her speed to push the ball upfield. On the offensive end, she showed patience and a quick release that made her a scoring threat in tight. She displayed touch, handling difficult passes on the crease and finishing with both a backhand and a behind-the-back goal.

CALLYN HAYHURST | VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL | ALLIANCE / SD WAVE | 2031

Hayhurst scored in a variety of ways, both as a ball carrier and off-ball. She drove hard to the middle with her right hand on a goal, and on another goal, her off-ball ability stood out as she made a hard cut down the teeth of the defense. Whether cutting into space or slipping out of the two-man game, she found ways to get open and finish. That combination made her a tough cover throughout the day. 

SOFIA SHIN | MARLBOROUGH SCHOOL | M&D BLACK | 2031

A smooth and savvy dodger who is comfortable with either hand, Shin was a great initiator all event. She created space with a variety of dodges, both above and below GLE. She stayed composed under pressure, showing the ability to escape double teams and find the open cutter. A shifty, fast athlete who also hustles on the re-defend, Shin made her presence felt throughout the day and is a player to watch moving forward.

LAUREN HONG | VENADO MIDDLE SCHOOL | MAD DOG WEST ELITE | 2031

Hong is a small, shifty attacker whose game is built on subtle, smart plays. She protects her stick well in traffic and bounces away to attack again when her first move is cut off. Vision is one of her strengths, and she exhibited the ability to find teammates on the crease to create scoring opportunities. And, like any standout attacker, showed hustle in the ride.

midfield

HARPER TERRY | MIRA COSTA HIGH SCHOOL | HHH | 2029

Tall, powerful, and gritty, Terry was a matchup problem at both ends. She consistently won her matchups going topside, and when defenses sent a slide, she showed the vision to find the open teammate. Her toughness carried over to the draw circle and loose balls, where she was a force all over the field. Her communication also stood out on both sides of the ball as an older player at the event.

LIVY CARLILE | DEL ORO HIGH SCHOOL | TENACITY PROJECT | 2029

Carlile is a strong, athletic lefty who covers ground quickly between the 30s. She first caught our attention in drilling for how well she moved on-ball defensively and she carried that into games. She plays aggressively at both ends, where her size and athleticism allow her to make an impact. She showed flashes on the offensive end and has the potential to become a dangerous two-way midfielder.

GEORGIA KOSTUCHENKO | PARK CITY HIGH SCHOOL | ALLIANCE | 2029

Speed and hustle defined Kostuchenko's game. She attacks the cage hard and won matchups by getting underneath her defender, which produced one of her best goals of the event as she knifed through the defense. She also finished chances from the 8-meter and from a low angle, showing she can score from different spots. She brought the same aggressiveness on defense, and as her movements become smoother, her speed will be even harder to handle.

SCARLETT WU | MARIN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | STEPS CA | 2030

Wu plays fast and is at her best when attacking the middle of the field. Whether she is knifing through the defense or using two-man actions to create space, she used her speed to win matchups all day long. She also proved to be a threat from the 8-meter, protecting her stick well when she runs in. She contributed on the draw as well, coming up with tough ground balls.

ALLY MARTIN | HARVARD-WESTLAKE SCHOOL | M&D BLACK | 2030

Martin is a crafty offensive midfielder who created separation in a variety of ways, both off the dodge and in the two-man game. Once she gets space, she can finish on the run or set her feet for a step-down. She also showed good vision as a feeder, including a gorgeous pass to Emory Jackson for a score.

CHARLOTTE KOLK | CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | MAD DOG WEST ELITE | 2030

Tall and strong, Kolk impacted the game at both ends. She uses her strength to get topside and drives hard to the middle of the field with her right hand and has the touch to finish in different ways, including a well-executed question mark goal. She was also a factor on the draw with her size as well as defensively, where she showed patience on ball, throwing well timed checks.

LILIA COLLINS | CORONADO HIGH SCHOOL | ALLIANCE | 2030

Collins is a fast, versatile righty who can score and feed. She can turn the corner off the dodge, but she's equally dangerous off-ball, making high-IQ plays look simple. She showed patience as a ball carrier in the two-man game, dishing out multiple assists. She also uses her speed in the clear to push the ball upfield and find teammates in transition.

REESE ROOSEVELT | LA JOLLA COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL | MAD DOG WEST ELITE | 2030

Roosevelt is a fast, confident lefty who has a great presence between the 30s. Offensively, she attacks downhill with power, using pump fakes and hesitations to keep defenders off balance and plays with her head up, showing the ability to feed out of the dodge. She times her off-ball cuts well and played up with the 2029s to close out the day. As she continues to read when to pull it out instead of driving into traffic, she'll become an even more dangerous initiator.

EMILY CAMPAIGNE | TRI-CITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL | WEST COAST STARZ / OUTLAW | 2031

Campaigne plays with swagger and makes her presence felt around the draw circle, creating possessions for her team. She runs the field well and shows her speed in transition. She makes good decisions without the ball, with well-timed cuts to the crease. Defensively, she matches feet on-ball and closes gaps quickly.

REESE WALTER | TORREY PINES HIGH SCHOOL | MAD DOG WEST ELITE | 2031

Walter brings great energy and genuine curiosity to the game and was eager to be coached. A strong athlete with good skill, she battles for tough ground balls in the middle of the field. She showed the ability to finish with either hand and has the tools for her offensive game to keep growing.

BRISBANE GATES | LA COSTA CANYON HIGH SCHOOL | ALLIANCE | 2031

Gates plays fast and with great energy. She has a good stick, cuts well, and showed good decision-making. She had a great presence all over the field and saved her best for the final game, finishing a couple of slick goals.

CLEM MASADA | MERCER ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL | WEST COAST STARZ / ARC | 2031

Masada is a lefty who finds ways to score in tight. She showed the ability to dodge either way from the wing and she finishes well around the crease. She also brings solid on-ball pressure on the defensive end and handled the ball well in the clear.

DEFENSE

SIENA CAIN | SANTA MARGARITA CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | MAD DOG WEST ELITE | 2029

Cain was one of the steadiest defenders on the field. She is sound and disciplined on-ball, and that consistency held up across her games where she was a constant calming presence. Coaches also liked her decision-making in the clear, where she reliably moved the ball out of the defensive end.

SIENNA CHERRY | MARLBOROUGH SCHOOL | MAD DOG WEST ELITE | 2029

A tall lefty with great size, Cherry was one of the more complete defenders at the event. She applies constant on-ball pressure, pairing good footwork with strong contact. Cherry keeps her stick active, producing knockdowns and causing turnovers. She can clear it herself and runs the field well in transition, as well.

EVA SOLSONA-HOLMES | LA JOLLA HIGH SCHOOL | TENACITY PROJECT / LA UNITED | 2029

Solsona-Holmes defends from a low, balanced stance that keeps her in good position on-ball. Her footwork stood out, both when she stepped up to apply pressure and when she recovered off-ball. A strong athlete, she won her 1v1 matchups and caused turnovers. She helped turn defense into offense, making good decisions in the clear and in transition.

ASHLEY HABAS | TORREY PINES HIGH SCHOOL | MAD DOG WEST ELITE | 2030

Habas is a quick, scrappy lefty defender who was consistently rock solid across her games. Her speed and athleticism showed up on-ball and in the clear, where she moved the ball up and out efficiently. She plays with an aggressive edge and is not afraid to bring contact to the ball carrier.

ADDISON YARED | LA COSTA CANYON HIGH SCHOOL | ALLIANCE | 2031

A fast and active defender, Yared covers a lot of ground. She stays alert off-ball, picking up crease cutters and her hustle showed in how consistently she finished plays. Her speed also helps her take away passing lanes, and she strung together a number of solid defensive possessions.

MAREN MCKENERY | OAK CREST MIDDLE SCHOOL | ALLIANCE | 2031

McKenery is an aggressive defender with a knack for making plays. She held her own on-ball and was just as valuable in the clear, using her speed to push the ball upfield, protecting her stick under pressure, and making smart decisions. She's a high-upside defender to watch.

KIRBY STEPHENSON | LA COSTA CANYON HIGH SCHOOL | ALLIANCE / SD WAVE | 2031

Stephenson played the ball hard from start to finish. She reads passing lanes well and can turn that anticipation into well-timed pressure. She also held up well in her on-ball matchups and was strong on ground balls.

GOALIE

SAM COHEN | CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | MAD DOG WEST ELITE | 2029

Cohen started the day hot, first making her presence known during the drilling segment with numerous saves. She has quick hands, takes short and quick steps when moving pipe to pipe, and is seemingly always ready for a shot. Cohen makes off-stick-side saves look routine. The California product was a standout at Best in Class this past summer and is continuing to impress.

KATE DYESS | AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL | GRIT LACROSSE | 2029

Dyess has quick hands and is a strong ball-stopper, showcasing her ability on doorstep shots where she had little time to react. She's just as effective after the save, turning stops into quick outlets that get her team moving in transition. Hailing from Texas, she was a goalie every one of our evaluators noted.

RILEY SALGADO | LELAND HIGH SCHOOL | ALLIANCE | 2030

Salgado steps well to the ball on shots, and her overall footwork in the cage stood out. An athletic keeper, she made a number of great saves, including a beautiful kick save, and showed consistency all day.

LEAH CORLEY | PAUL REVERE CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL | MAD DOG WEST ELITE | 2031

Corley stood out at the event in a multitude of ways between the pipes . The lefty is at her best in tight, repeatedly stopping doorstep chances and shots on the crease. She was also a strong communicator for her defense. Multiple evaluators noted that she showed consistency throughout the day and made shooters’ lives difficult.

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