The high school soccer season kicks off this Thursday. Here are 49 boys and girls soccer players from around the Tuscaloosa area to watch this season.

Boys

Graham Wolfe

Central, So., Midfield

Why chosen: The center midfielder is coming off his freshman season where he scored five goals to go with seven assists in 12 games.

Bryan Ramirez

Holt, So., Midfield

Why chosen: Ramirez led Holt during his freshman campaing with 22 goals and four assists. He was named to The Tuscaloosa News All-Area first team.

Jonas Senkbeil

Holy Spirit, Sr., Midfield

Why chosen: Senkbeil returns for his senior season with the Saints with three years of experience.

Jesus Vega

Holy Spirit, Fr., Striker

Why chosen: The freshman striker is expected to have a big season for the Saints this year.

Eder Miranda

Northside, Jr., Striker

Why chosen: Miranda is coming off his sophomore season where he was named to The Tuscaloosa News All-Area second team.

Andy Otero

Northside, Jr., Striker

Why chosen: The striker returns for his junior season with the Rams, who are looking to build off of a 3-10 finish last season.

Lynn Otero

Northside, Fr., Forward/Midfield

Why chosen: The freshman dual threat is expected to play a big role on the field for the Rams this season.

Jayden Vela

Northside, So., Defender

Why chosen: Vela returns for his second season with the Rams.

Junior Solis

Tuscaloosa County, So., Forward/Midfield

Why chosen:  Solis is also a field goal kicker for the football team, making a game-winning field goal last season.

Mario Lopez

Tuscaloosa County, Sr., Midfield

Why chosen: Lopez is a returning starter for the Wildcats, and coach Matthew McGee said the offense will run through him.

Luis Melendez

Tuscaloosa County, Jr., Goalkeeper

Why chosen: The goalkeeper was named to the All-State honorable mention team following the completion of last season.

Anton Schmidt

Tuscaloosa Academy, Jr., Striker

Why chosen: Schmidt is coming off of his sophomore season where he scored 25 goals to go with 20 assists and was named to The Tuscaloosa News All-Area first team.

Simon Mitrev

Tuscaloosa Academy, Sr., Midfield

Why chosen:  Mitrev returns with three years of experience for the Knights, along with an appearance in the boys Class 1A-3A state tournament semifinals last season.

Phillip Mitrev

Tuscaloosa Academy, Jr., Defender

Why chosen: The junior returns after his sophomore season where he was named to The Tuscaloosa News All-Area second team.

Brock Abston

Tuscaloosa Academy, Sr., Striker

Why chosen: The senior striker is a returning member of the 2022-23 Knights squad that finished 19-6-1, along with making a trip to the boys Class 1A-3A state semifinals.

DJ Daly

American Chrisitan Academy, Sr., Midfield

Why chosen: The senior midfielder scored 15 goals in 2023 and was named to The Tuscaloosa News All-Area first team, along with being named to the All-State Honorable Mention team.

Justin Michael Allen

American Christian Academy, Sr., Defender

Why chosen: Allen was a pivotal piece in helping ACA reach the playoffs last season and was named to The Tuscaloosa News All-Area first team.

Ellis Dykes

Northridge, Sr., Midfield

Why chosen: The quick and technical Dykes had 23 goals and 13 assists in 2023, where he was named to The Tuscaloosa News All-Area first team.

Dominic Hart

Northridge, Sr., Forward/Midfield

Why chosen: Hart is coming off his junior season where he had 10 goals to go with nine assists.

Tucker Cornelius

Northridge, Sr., Defender

Why chosen: Cornelius, who is committed to Alabama football as a kicker, played center back for the Jaguars last season but may attack more up the field this season. Coach Sean Gibson said he is dangerous on set pieces.

Connor Hooks

Northridge, So., Defender

Why chosen: Hooks, a center back, is great in the air and a tenacious tackler, per coach Sean Gibson.

Jacob Macon

Brookwood, Fr

Why chosen: Macon, coach Jonathan Carr said, has quickly become one of the Panthers best players as a freshman, along with his twin brother Joseph.

Joseph Macon

Brookwood, Fr.

Why chosen: Macon, coach Jonathan Carr said, has quickly become one of the Panthers best players as a freshman, along with his twin brother Jacob.

Marcos Servano

Brookwood, So., Defender

Why chosen: Servano was Brookwood's defender of the year last season, playing every minute of every game, minus two weeks he had to miss for a broken wrist. He was named to the All-State honorable mention team upon the completion of last season.

Arturo Zapata

Brookwood, So., Midfield

Why chosen: Zapata was named to the All-State Honorable Mention team and The Tuscaloosa News All-Area second team following his freshman season where he scored seven goals and was Brookwood's co-offensive player of the year. Coach Jonathan Carr said he was voted permanent team captain by his teammates for the second year in a row.

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Girls

Elena Matos

Tuscaloosa Academy, Sr., Defender

Why chosen: Matos, coach Isabella McVeagh said, is a great defender and attacker, and is one of the Knights team captains this season.

Carly King

Tuscaloosa Academy, Sr., Goalkeeper

Why chosen: The goalkeeper is committed to play softball at Northeast Alabama Community College next year.

Annamarie Henderson

Tuscaloosa Academy, Jr., Defender

Why chosen: The center back returns for her junior season for the Lady Knights as a great leader for the team per coach Isabella McVeagh.

Amelia Hamiter

Tuscaloosa Academy, 8th grade, Forward

Why chosen: Hamiter is coming off her seventh-grade season where she was one of the team leaders in goal scoring and was named to the Tuscaloosa News All-Area second team.

Lorenza Miguel

Central, Sr., Midfield/Forward

Why chosen: Miguel scored six goals in 11 games last season, with two of those being game winners. She was named to The Tuscaloosa News All area second team in 2023.

Anna Robbins

American Christian Academy, Jr., Forward

Why chosen: Despite facing injury this season, Robbins had a historical sophomore season where she scored 32 goals to go with 19 assists, placing her on The Tuscaloosa News All-Area first team.

Addison Golden

American Christian Academy, Jr.

Why chosen: The junior had 13 goals and five assists in 2023.

Kaylee Shaw

American Christian Academy, So.,

Why chosen: Shaw scored nine goals to go with four assists her freshman season.

Sidney Sharp

American Christian Academy, Sr., Defender

Why chosen: Sharp had one goal last season. Coach Gene Martin said she is a persistent and aggressive defender on the back line.

Laila Williams

Tuscaloosa County, Sr.

Why chosen: The senior returns for her fourth season at Tuscaloosa County.

Nancy Soto

Tuscaloosa County, Sr.

Why chosen: Soto returns with three years of experience for the Lady Wildcats.

Izzy Lyons

Tuscaloosa County, Jr.

Why chosen: Lyons is a returning member to the Lady Wildcats squad this season.

Abby Woods

Brookwood, Sr., Midfield

Why chosen: The senior midfielder scored 17 goals with two hat tricks last season, where she was named to The Tuscaloosa News All-Area first team.

Crystal Ramirez

Brookwood, Sr., Goalkeeper

Why chosen: The goalkeeper is a four-year starter at Brookwood and is the all-time saves leader in program history. She had 248 saves to go with one goal scored last season. She also was named to the All-State Honorable Mention team last year.

Payton Mays

Brookwood, So., Forward

Why chosen: Mays was a Tuscaloosa News All-Area second team member as a sophomore, where she scored 14 goals.

Shayla May

Brookwood, Fr., Midfield

Why chosen: The freshman, per coach Jonathan Carr, plays ferociously in the midfield and will be a big help for the Brookwood offense this season along with helping to lock down the midfield.

Lexie Segars

Hillcrest, Jr., Midfield

Why chosen: The junior scored 37 goals with 10 assists in 2023, where she was named to The Tuscaloosa News All-Area first team.

Chelsea Fong

Hillcrest, So., Midfield

Why chosen: The sophomore midfielder was named to The Tuscaloosa News All-Area second team last season.

Kenley Myers

Northridge, Sr., Forward

Why chosen: Myers had 20 goals and 12 assists as an outside forward last season, where she was named to The Tuscaloosa News All-Area first team.

Ella Johnson

Northridge, Sr., Forward

Why chosen: Johnson, a Jaguar team leader, is coming off her junior season where she scored 20 goals to go with nine assists. She was named to The Tuscaloosa News All-Area first team in 2023.

Elle Emery

Northridge, Jr., Defender

Why chosen: Emery had 12 goals and seven assists as a defensive midfielder in 2023, placing her on The Tuscaloosa News All-Area first team. Coach Sean Gibson said he is a very strong defender who loves to tackle.

Princess Jones

Northridge, So., Defender

Why chosen: Jones, per coach Sean Gibson, is a very athletic and fearless defender.

Kiley Brewer

Northridge, Fr., Goalkeeper

Why chosen: Coach Sean Gibson said he expects the goalkeeper will see a lot of time playing in the field this season.

Mary Carson James

Northridge, Fr., Midfield

Why chosen: Coach Sean Gibson said he is expecting a lot of production from the freshman attacking midfielder.

Anna Snyder covers high school sports and University of Alabama recruiting for The Tuscaloosa News. Reach her at asnyder@gannett.com. Follow her on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, @annaesnyder2

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: AHSAA soccer: 49 boys, girls soccer players to watch this season