While the play of the tournament belongs to Darby O’Connell — a streaking behind-the-back goal in transition — the way she got herself into position for the shot was equally impressive. With the ball pushing upfield on the right side in transition, O’Connell, trailing down the middle of the field, turned on the jets, blowing past her defender and leaving her in the dust as she broke uncontested toward the crease. Her teammate found her in stride, and the instant she caught it, she whipped it behind her back for the finish. O’Connell is a next-level playmaker, whether the ball is in her stick or not. She wins her matchups consistently and gets herself and her teammates into scoring position seemingly at will.

Darby O’Connell Darby O’Connell Midfield Tampa Catholic | 2028 FL , a 2028 midfielder from Tampa Catholic, has developed into one of the most complete midfielders in the area. Averaging 5.9 points per game, including 3.3 assists per game, O’Connell has become a true playmaker while still remaining a dangerous scoring threat herself. Over her first two varsity seasons, she has already surpassed 200 career points while adding 100 goals and 100 draw controls. O’Connell plays relentlessly, willing to dodge and re-dodge, and attack until she creates an opportunity. Her awareness on the draw circle is exceptional, consistently positioning herself around the ball and creating extra possessions. Whether finishing inside, driving to goal, or setting up teammates with precision feeds, O’Connell impacts every aspect of the game and creates a name for herself.