National radar: Local stars Natalie Bruno, Jaimaris Diaz perform for Dominican U17 team

The U17 Dominican national team has its eyes on a few local girls soccer stars.

Hosted for training by Somerset Canyons here in Boynton Beach, Florida, the Dominican girls soccer program played against the Next Level Recruits, a team comprised of players from local high-schools, in front of a number of scouts from colleges in South Florida.

The Next Level Recruits squad, coached by Oscar Narvaez, included players from Palm Beach Central, Wellington, Forest Hill, Somerset Canyons, Jupiter Christian, Oxbridge, Park Vista, and Suncoast, but the collection of local players wasn't quite enough to best the Dominican national team, who won the scrimmage, 6-4.

Natalie Bruno, a Somerset Canyons sophomore, and Jaimaris Diaz, a junior from Palm Beach Gardens, represented local talent on the Dominican team during the friendly contest.

Both are pursuing their dreams of playing the Dominican Republic.

"When you're on the field, it's nerve-racking, but at the end of it, you just realize you've worked so hard for these moments, so it just becomes reality," Bruno said. "You block out everything and just play your game because you want this goal, and you've worked so hard for this goal. It was a dream come true to me."

Bruno combined with Diaz for two goals and four assists in the match, much of the production coming in the first half.

"It's been a goal for awhile, probably four years," Diaz said. "It feels great once it soaks in that you have the ability to make it."

Bruno scored 12 goals and tallied 11 assists for the Cougars in the 2023-2024 season. For Gardens, Diaz contributed 10 goals and nine assists.

Now, all that's left to do it wait to see if they're selected to perform in the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, which takes place from October 16 to November 3, 2024.