Mariemont junior Aidan Gross is absolutely tearing it up, dropping a mind-blowing 16 goals and 13 assists last season, and his head coach, Erik Vanags, isn’t holding back: he’s calling Gross one of the best attacking players he’s coached in three decades. Seriously, 30 years! That kind of praise isn’t just thrown around. It tells you everything about the kind of playmaker Gross is for the Warriors, who finished 17-3-1 and hit the regional semifinals. He was All-Ohio, all-district, and first-team all-league in the Cincinnati Hills League. This kid is the real deal!
The Midfield Maestros Lighting Up the Scoreboard
But Gross isn’t the only midfielder ready to blow up the stat sheets for the 2026 high school soccer season. The talent running through the midfield this year is unreal. Anderson senior Brady Dorko, an all-district selection, put up 12 goals and 6 assists last year as the Raptors finished 12-4-4 and were regional runner-up. That’s serious production from the middle of the park. Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy senior Drew Adams, an all-district player himself, racked up 5 goals and 6 assists last year, boosting his career total to a whopping 27 goals. Twenty-seven! That’s veteran production at its finest! Then you’ve got the duo from Summit Country Day. Junior Beckett Brinkman dropped 8 goals and 8 assists, second-team all-league for his efforts, to help his team snag the Division V state championship. His teammate, junior Forrest Cloran, added 3 goals and 5 assists to that state title run, earning all-district and first-team all-league honors. These guys are championship material, no doubt. It’s wild how much offensive firepower these players bring from the midfield, truly blurring the lines between playmaker and pure striker.
Defensive Anchors and Unstoppable Versatility
And listen, it’s not all about burying the ball in the net, even if it feels good to score. Some of these guys are true two-way threats, dominating ball control and locking down opponents. Kings senior Keith Hiridson, playing defensive midfield, was an absolute beast. He helped his team to a killer 15-3-5 record, an Eastern Cincinnati Conference title, and a Division II state runner-up finish. But here’s the kicker: he helped Kings post 15 clean sheets! Fifteen! That’s just insane defensive work, earning him first-team all-league honors. Dallas Marshall, a senior from Conner, led his Cougars to a strong 14-9-1 record and the Ninth Region championship game, adding 6 goals and 8 assists for that all-around impact. Indian Hill senior Andy Stein, another all-district selection, rounded out his impressive junior year with 7 goals and 7 assists and was first-team all-league in the Cincinnati Hills League, showing that midfield versatility is absolutely key. Even Jack Sweeney from St. Xavier is on the radar. The skill level here is just next-level, with players like these truly running the show and setting the pace.
This week’s dive into the midfielders has truly shown off some incredible talent. These guys are just getting started and already making huge waves heading into the 2026 season. Don’t forget, the poll to vote for these top playmakers closes Friday, July 31, at 4 p.m. Make sure you get your votes in, because every vote counts for these high school legends! Next week, the Enquirer is going to drop the list of forwards who are best at finding the back of the net. You know we’ll be breaking that down too, because the 2026 season is already looking absolutely electric. We’re talking future stars, people!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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