'26 Western Standouts at the National All-Star Games

In the '26 age group, both the Pacific Northwest and Pacific Southwest squads showed well at the National All-Star Games, going 2-0 in pool play before getting ousted in the quarterfinals. Here's a quick look at five of the Western standouts who caught my eye:    I developed a tremendous appreciation for Johnson's game at the National All-Star Games. The Sammamish (Wash.) native had six goals in the 2.5 games I watched of Pacific Northwest, and in general, he was constantly making big-time plays and taking care of the rock. Comfortable playing both attack and midfield, it felt like he was always getting back to the middle of the field for high-percentage shots and converting at a high rate. In one instance, he got lit up and still converted on a fast break, so he's a tough cookie. He also has an excellent shot from the wing and converted on a handful of catch-and-shoot opportunities when he wasn't breaking down his man off the dodge.       It doesn't take long to understand why Ligas is viewed as one of the very best defensive prospects in the '26 class. A lefty from the Sacramento area, he stripped a handful of notable opposing attackmen and blanketed the No. 1 option, though I see him more as a No. 2 at the next level. He's superb off the ground, which makes sense given his hockey background. Away from the ball, he made all of the right decisions and was a vocal presence.     A good-looking attack prospect from San Diego who led the CIF champion Falcons with 54 goals while shooting close to 50 percent), Jacobsen caught my eye with his playmaking ability at NASG. Though he's plenty capable as a dodger and took advantage of bad approaches a handful of times, he did some impeccable work as an off-ball finisher, displaying excellent hands and an accurate shot. He consistently got underneath the defense and was highly productive for a Pacific Southwest squad that knocked off eventual champion Long Island in the first game of the event.     A bulldog of a 5'8, 170-pound shortstick defensive midfielder who plays bigger than he is, Johnson has the right mentality to play the position. Never backing down, he seldom gave up ground to much bigger dodgers, getting physical, staying on their gloves, and affecting their shots. Johnson also picked up a plethora of key groundballs and was off to the races in transition. He laid a kid out twice when I watched him and also caused turnovers with precise checks. Fun player to watch.     Van Oast may not be the biggest, but there's no denying his skill set at the X, as he did a better job going forward than any other '26 face-off specialist I saw at the event. In the case that he lost the clamp and needed to counter, he often came out with the ball. Beyond his technique at the dot, he's far from a liability with the ball in his stick and was an offensive threat and excellent decision-maker as he dashed into the offensive zone.

In the '26 age group, both the Pacific Northwest and Pacific Southwest squads showed well at the National All-Star Games, going 2-0 in pool play before getting ousted in the quarterfinals. Here's a quick look at five of the Western standouts who caught my eye: