THE BEST PLAYERS IN GIRLS TN SOCCER

[brownhut]

If high school teams are so lucky to have one premier player, then what happened to Sarah's team?

Well, as good as Sarah is, with the range of talent that exists across many teams in the Memphis/Shelby County area, it's not possible for a single dominant player to be THAT dominant anymore. There are SEVEN current college freshman from seven different teams in this area alone who are making immediate impacts to their respective university teams so far this year. Mathematics tells you that it would be impossible for all to have had championship high school teams even though all are great players. Emily Brown - Germantown/Ole Miss, Ashley Ferree - Cordova/Ole Miss, Sammy Gould - Briarcrest/ Ole Miss, Brooke Binswanger - Hutchison/Richmond, Heidi Ondra - Houston/Miss St, Katie Forbis - White Station/UAB.

Sarah Dennis is definitely one of the best players in the state, but having one major league player is no longer enough, at least not in Memphis.

Edited October 17, 2003 by brownhut

[wjr]

Well, as good as Sarah is, with the range of talent that exists across many teams in the Memphis/Shelby County area, it's not possible for a single dominant player to be THAT dominant anymore. There are SEVEN current college freshman from seven different teams in this area alone who are making immediate impacts to their respective university teams so far this year. Mathematics tells you that it would be impossible for all to have had championship high school teams even though all are great players.  Emily Brown - Germantown/Ole Miss, Ashley Ferree - Cordova/Ole Miss, Sammy Gould - Briarcrest/ Ole Miss, Brooke Binswanger - Hutchison/Richmond, Heidi Ondra - Houston/Miss St, Katie Forbis - White Station/UAB.

Sarah Dennis is definitely one of the best players in the state, but having one major league player is no longer enough, at least not in Memphis.

My point exactly BrownHut. Lots of talent and ODP doesn't equal "best". There are plenty of talented soccer players (you mention many from Memphis) that will never play ODP due to travel and politics but will go further in college.

Edited October 17, 2003 by wjr

[baidad]

I saw Franklin, Oak Ridge, Hendersonville, Cordova, Germantown, Houston, Brentwood, Farragut, Baylor, and GPS play at least twice this year. Plus a lot of the "pretenders" (Tullahoma, Ooltewah, Dobyns-Bennett, Science Hill, etc.) across the state. Most of you were in diapers when Cindy Parlow played HS soccer, but I watched her play several times. I've seen the best this state has had. I'm not impressed by players who play well vs. weak teams. Players from so many of these schools mentioned would not even make the varsity at the top programs. Sarah Dennis was the best player in the state this year. Hands down!!! Unfortunately for her, she played for a HS team that was dominated by 9th graders. Houston isn't normally this young, but look out in a year or two. Anyone who saw them play this year knows that this is a team to worry about in two years. Look at their schedule and the results. They played most of the best teams close. It was mostly because of Sarah.

[wjr]

I saw Franklin, Oak Ridge, Hendersonville, Cordova, Germantown, Houston, Brentwood, Farragut, Baylor, and GPS play at least twice this year. Plus a lot of the "pretenders" (Tullahoma, Ooltewah, Dobyns-Bennett, Science Hill, etc.) across the state. Most of you were in diapers when Cindy Parlow played HS soccer, but I watched her play several times. I've seen the best this state has had. I'm not impressed by players who play well vs. weak teams. Players from so many of these schools mentioned would not even make the varsity at the top programs. Sarah Dennis was the best player in the state this year. Hands down!!! Unfortunately for her, she played for a HS team that was dominated by 9th graders. Houston isn't normally this young, but look out in a year or two. Anyone who saw them play this year knows that this is a team to worry about in two years. Look at their schedule and the results. They played most of the best teams close. It was mostly because of Sarah.

You may have been around awhile but the game has obviously passed you by. "Hands down", surely you jest. She is a good player but there are many more where that came from.

[pobr]

Memphis, Nashville and Chattanooga has consistently put out a small group of 'top' quality female soccer players over the past 10 years. This could be due to a number of reason (i.e., good club teams/coaches, ODP participation, etc.), but that really doesn't matter. A player can't be downplayed because they have these resources.

 

I will state again, the three best female soccer players in Tennessee this season are:

1. Ashley Murphy, Baylor School. Best ball skills with both feet; best passer; best in the air, and; best field presence. Always makes her team better. Plays on a team that has won two state titles, with perhaps another this year, and a state runner-up. Was state-tournament MVP as a sophmore, and has been first-team all-state three straight years. Her club team has won two state titles, and she has been a six-year participant in Tennessee's Olympic Development program. Won a national championship in 3v3 competition last year at the Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, FL. Also, a mid-B student. No college commitment known.

 

2. Kaley Forrest, Franklin High. Best finisher; outstanding ball skills; best off the ball. Always makes her team better. Plays on a team that has won two state titles, with another possible this year, and had one state runner-up, and made the state all-tournament team twice. Has been first-team all-state twice. Her club team has won two state titles (same team as Murphy), and has participated in Tennessee's ODP program for six years. She also won a national 3v3 title (same team as Murphy) last year. An upper-B student. No college commitment known.

 

3. Sarah Dennison (according to her transcript), Germantown Houston. Best speed with the ball under control; great finisher; outstanding off the ball; great leadership with relatively young team, as demonstrated this year. Although she has had average team success in high school, her club team has won state titles three years. She has also participated in the ODP program four years, being selected to the regional team last year. An A student. It is understood that she has verbally commited to Vanderbilt.

 

This is not to say that all the other women discussed in this forum are good high school players...I'm sure that are. However, there is a huge difference in being good and being among the best.

[wjr]

Memphis, Nashville and Chattanooga has consistently put out a small group of 'top' quality female soccer players over the past 10 years. This could be due to a number of reason (i.e., good club teams/coaches, ODP participation, etc.), but that really doesn't matter. A player can't be downplayed because they have these resources.

 

I will state again, the three best female soccer players in Tennessee this season are:

1. Ashley Murphy, Baylor School. Best ball skills with both feet; best passer; best in the air, and; best field presence. Always makes her team better. Plays on a team that has won two state titles, with perhaps another this year, and a state runner-up. Was state-tournament MVP as a sophmore, and has been first-team all-state three straight years. Her club team has won two state titles, and she has been a six-year participant in Tennessee's Olympic Development program. Won a national championship in 3v3 competition last year at the Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, FL. Also, a mid-B student. No college commitment known.

 

2. Kaley Forrest, Franklin High. Best finisher; outstanding ball skills; best off the ball. Always makes her team better. Plays on a team that has won two state titles, with another possible this year, and had one state runner-up, and made the state all-tournament team twice. Has been first-team all-state twice. Her club team has won two state titles (same team as Murphy), and has participated in Tennessee's ODP program for six years. She also won a national 3v3 title (same team as Murphy) last year. An upper-B student. No college commitment known.

 

3. Sarah Dennison (according to her transcript), Germantown Houston. Best speed with the ball under control; great finisher; outstanding off the ball; great leadership with relatively young team, as demonstrated this year. Although she has had average team success in high school, her club team has won state titles three years. She has also participated in the ODP program four years, being selected to the regional team last year. An A student. It is understood that she has verbally commited to Vanderbilt.

 

This is not to say that all the other women discussed in this forum are good high school players...I'm sure that are. However, there is a huge difference in being good and being among the best.

pobr you are basing it on resume and not on actual performance and it's Dennis not Dennison. Can you name the only National ODP pool player in TN high school this year? She's not even mentioned but using your criteria, should be one of the top players.

[pobr]

Tell me her name. If she's a junior or senior, I need to know it. Although I must tell you, ODP begins to mean less and less as a player gets older. The fallout rate for players ages 16 and above, including those that have previously made regional pools, is very high. Most of the players that have competed at that level for a few years, find it to be not worth the sacrifice in time.

[futbolfan7]

Kelly Dyer, St. Agnes, Freshman. Keeper, made National ODP this year.

[KizzleAssizzle]

No wonder I am not aware of her...she's a freshman. Very doubtful that she would be among the elite players, especially the top three, no matter how good she is for a 15 year old.

[pobr]

This is not a name I recognize either. Is her team still in the playoffs? Perhaps I will get a chance to see her at the state tournament.

[futbolfan7]

I know very little about her team. St. Agnes is in Memphis I am pretty sure and I honestly haven't heard. I know a few girls and parents associated with the "89" ODP state team. At regional camp the girls kept talking about this phenomenal goalie at camp. She was called up to the regional team after camp. Later we found out she made the national team.

[Bur12Sccr]

RACHEL RUSHWORTH... shes everywhere the ball is... and she has great ball skills and can do pretty much anything with it! and i think shes one of the best players in chattanooga!!

GO LADY LIONS