When we began researching our candidates for the top girls soccer players to watch this fall, it soon became apparent that the toughest part of our task would be a matter of who not to include on our list.
That’s because between the seven teams in the LocalNews1.org coverage area — Waynesboro, Greencastle-Antrim, Chambersburg, Fairfield, North Hagerstown, South Hagerstown and Smithsburg — we had dozens of All-Stars, club team standouts and stat leaders to sift through.
In the end, we narrowed our list down to 21 players, with Smithsburg’s Lily Hade and Fairfield’s Gemma Phelan highlighting that group. Hade is coming off a 15-goal campaign for the Leopards, while Phelan led the Knights to a playoff victory as a freshman.
This list is part of our “Sneak Peek” summer series, designed to showcase some of the area’s most talented high school athletes. In the weeks to come we will continue to share “peeks” at the fall season, before we eventually transition to full team previews.
Below is a look at our Top 21 girls soccer players to watch in 2026:
Lily Hade, Senior, Smithsburg
Smithsburg will once again be counting on Hade to put up big numbers following a breakout junior season.
Last year she was named to the CMC Small School First Team as a forward after piling up 15 goals and nine assists. Hade, who sports a 4.05 GPA, also plays club soccer for Epic Dash and is a standout for the Leopards track squad.
With Hade slated to return, Smithsburg will try to improve upon a 2025 campaign that saw the team post a winning record and qualify for the region semifinals.
Gemma Phelan, Sophomore, Fairfield
With Phelan guiding the team as a ninth-grader in 2025, Fairfield returned to its winning ways and even picked up a postseason victory.
The Knights couldn’t have gotten that playoff win without Phelan, who netted both of her team’s goals in a 2-1 overtime victory over West Shore Christian in the District 3-1A quarterfinals.
She was named a YAIAA Division III First Team All-Star.
Braelyn Cordell, Junior, Greencastle-Antrim
Cordell did some big things on the pitch as a sophomore — like scoring four goals in a game against James Buchanan and booting an OT winner to lead her team over West Perry — that most players don’t accomplish in a career.
Incomplete stats posted on Greencastle’s MaxPreps page indicate that Cordell totaled at least eight goals and two assists last fall. For her efforts, the forward was named to the Mid-Penn Colonial Division Second Team.
Cordell also competes for the Blue Devils on the basketball court.
Ashley Mitchell, Senior, Chambersburg
With Mitchell playing in goal, Chambersburg was able to do something last fall it hadn’t done since before Mitchell was even born: Win a playoff game.
She came through big in the opening round of the District 3-4A tourney by pitching a 1-0 shutout over previously-undefeated Northern. It was a signature victory for Mitchell, an All-Commonwealth Second Team selection.
Mitchell is also a standout player for the Trojans’ softball squad.
Quinn Chomor, Junior, North Hagerstown
Look for North Hagerstown to rally behind the toughness of a wrestler, Chomor, to set the tone on the pitch this fall.
Chomor, a 5-foot-5 defender who plays both the outside and center back positions, is coming off a sophomore season that saw her excel on both the pitch and the mat, where she won 17 matches and took fourth in the region.
With a strong right foot and plenty of work at the club level with LFCIA Western MD, Chomor has all the tools to shatter the two-win ceiling the Hubs set in 2025.
Jordan Cousins, Junior, South Hagerstown
Cousins hasn’t always been a goalkeeper, but when she was asked to take over the role last season, she did not hesitate.
She had a sharp debut campaign at the new position, logging more than seven saves per game while facing a high volume of shots from the opposition.
A season of on-the-job experience for Cousins, plus an offseason full of training, should give her more than a puncher’s chance to earn the first win of her high school career.
Reagan Furajter, Junior, Smithsburg
Smithsburg will be thrilled to bring back the talents of Furajter, a versatile athlete who also competes in basketball, track, and flag football.
She was named to the CMC Small School First Team as a midfielder after totaling seven goals and two assists last season.
Khloe Terrelonge, Sophomore, South Hagerstown
When South Hagerstown was down, Terrelonge picked her team up.
The Rebels were on a brutal 19-game scoreless streak last season when freshman Terrelonge had a breakthrough and posted hat tricks in back-to-back games. The midfielder, who totaled eight goals last fall, gives South Hagerstown a proven scorer who could very well lift the team to its first victory in quite some time.
Terrelonge is also a standout on the basketball court, where she averaged 8.5 points and 3.1 rebounds for the Rebels last winter.
Emerson Kelly, Sophomore, North Hagerstown
Kelly was a proven difference-maker as a freshman last fall, where she stood out as both a midfielder and forward.
She excels at applying pressure and winning one-to-one matchups. Kelly is capable of forcing turnovers, and then immediately setting the offense in motion with crisp passes.
Last season Kelly posted eight goals and two assists.
Hannah Krumpe, Sophomore, Smithsburg
It’s never easy to be a freshman on the varsity stage, but Krumpe earned the respect of her teammates last fall after scoring six goals and dishing out seven assists from the midfield.
She showed flashes of greatness at times last season, like when she posted two goals and two assists in a win over Clear Spring.
Anayiah Legette, Senior, North Hagerstown
Legette’s senior presence on the field, not to mention her strong right foot, will be welcomed by a North Hagerstown program eager to take another step forward.
She is projected to be a defender for the Hubs, but can also by shifted around to impact the game as a forward and attacking midfielder.
Legette also competes in club soccer for LFCIA Western MD, and plays at forward for North Hagerstown’s basketball team.
Cecelia Lydiate, Junior, North Hagerstown
Lydiate has become a pillar for the Hubs’ soccer squad, just like her sister Sadie once did before embarking on a college career at Stevenson University.
Lydiate plays a strong offensive midfield and has chipped in for her team with clutch scoring and a knack for scoring multiple goals.
An unselfish player, Lydiate has been asked to slide back goalkeeper in the past, and without complaint she shined at the position.
Isabella Maciulla, Senior, North Hagerstown
Defenders don’t usually get the headlines, but that doesn’t seem to bother Maciulla, a three-year starter eager to end her high school career with a bang.
A 5-foot center back and team captain, Maciulla was honored last season with the Coach’s Unsung Hero Award. There is some depth to Maciulla’s game as she can also move up to play defensive midfield.
Maciulla plays club soccer for LFCIA Western MD, and has also dabbled in golf, tennis, and track and field.
Caylee Oliva, Senior, Smithsburg
With Oliva set to return to the back line as a defender, Smithsburg has to like its chances for a big season.
Kayla Simms, Senior, Smithsburg
Simms, a crucial defender for Smithsburg, is projected to return for the Leopards.
Simms, who can also play midfield, plays decisively and has a pretty, looping shot that can be problematic for goalkeepers.
Abby Sines, Junior, Smithsburg
Sines, a 5-foot-3 midfielder/forward, has been making an impact on the field since she stepped on the field as a freshman.
After scoring four goals as a ninth-grader, she took her game up a notch last fall by racking up 10 goals and two assists.
She brings speed and a quick shot to the pitch.
Malia Cramer, Senior, Chambersburg
Cramer will be aiming to take her game to the next level after being named to the Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division Third Team as a midfielder last season.
Cramer, who can also line up at forward, gives the Trojans a physical and aggressive presence on the field.
When Cramer’s not playing soccer, she’s competing for Chambersburg’s softball squad.
Ava Cottrell, Junior, Greencastle-Antrim
Cottrell was named to the All-Colonial Third Team as a defender last season, and with her projected return this fall, Greencastle should be in a good position to return to the postseason after missing the dance last fall.
Jaylynn Lewis, Sophomore, Greencastle-Antrim
Lewis gave the Blue Devils a spark as a freshman last year, and the Mid-Penn Colonial Division took notice when it honored her as a Third Team selection.
With a season of varsity experience under her belt, Lewis could be even more dangerous on the pitch in 2026.
Charlie Sweeney, Sophomore, Fairfield
If you’ve already read up on our top girls golfers to watch, you should already be familiar with Sweeney’s name.
She wasn’t just a Top 3 golfer at the YAIAA Championships last season, she was also a standout forward and midfielder for Fairfield’s soccer squad. Her exploits on the pitch earned her a selection to the YAIAA Division III First Team.
Abby Byers, Senior, Waynesboro
With the graduation of several key players, all eyes will be on goalkeeper Byers to see if she can keep her team within striking distance.
The Maidens are hoping that Byers, also a standout for Waynesboro’s golf and softball squads, can help her team improve upon last year’s two-win campaign.
