The past week of action across the USL Championship and League One brought us into the final three months of the regular season, and featured some outstanding attacking performances and landmark moments from some of the league’s top U-22 talent.

Here are seven young standouts you should know after impressive performances over the past seven days.

1. Bryce Jamison, Orange County SC

After his breakout season in 2024, the hope for Bryce Jamison was this would see the 19-year-old winger make an even bigger impact for Orange County SC following his transfer and loan back from the Colorado Rapids.

Until recently, that hadn’t quite happened, but the past two outings have seen the U.S. youth international come through with a pair of excellent finishes that could get him on track for the remainder of the season. Coming on as a second-half substitute against Phoenix Rising FC as the side held a two-goal lead at the hour-mark, Jamison’s efficiency was impressive.

After Rising pulled a goal back to potentially set up a big finish, the Atlanta native quickly squashed the visitors’ hopes with a beautifully taken strike from the top-right edge of the penalty area that picked out the bottom-left corner of the net. Then with a minute to go, Jamison’s speed got him in behind the Phoenix back line to set up fellow teenager Pedro Guimaraes for the final goal in a 4-1 victory that gave OCSC its third consecutive win across all competitions.

Jamison recorded only 14 touches in his outing but completed 5 of 5 passes in addition to his goal and assist, made two recoveries and won 3 of 5 ground duels. As Orange County looks to push up the Western Conference, Jamison could provide impetus for a strong finish.

2. Mamadou Dieng, Hartford Athletic

It speaks to the overall history of Hartford Athletic that it took Mamadou Dieng only 53 games across all competitions to become the club’s all-time leading scorer, and that the total the Senegalese forward now sits at is 19 goals to surpass club legend Danny Barrera.

At the same time, Dieng is starting to put all the pieces together as he did in the second half of the 2024 campaign when he set the club’s single-season record with 11 goals. Against New Mexico United last Wednesday night, the 21-year-old put in his best all-around performance of the season, not only bagging his first two-goal game of the season but also hitting the woodwork twice as his work within Hartford’s high defensive pressure left one of the Western Conference’s contenders all at sea.

Dieng won 9 of 14 duels overall, including 4 of 5 aerial duels, and made four recoveries and one interception while serving as the center-point of Athletic’s press. Last season, we saw Dieng take off after a slow first half of the campaign. If that happens again this season, Hartford’s postseason possibilities will take a major upturn.  

3. Luis Álvarez, Tampa Bay Rowdies

In the opening half of the Tampa Bay Rowdies’ visit to Indy Eleven, Luis Alvarez had been active in possession, but not necessarily impactful. For the visitors to earn a key road win, Rowdies Head Coach Dominic Casciato knew that needed to change.

“We spoked to Luis about having an impact in the second half and making sure he was threatening,” said Casciato. “He did that on a great finish. We’re really pleased for him. I’m sure that’s going to be the first of many.”

The Colombian’s second-half goal was not only his first for the Rowdies and the game-winner in a 3-1 victory at Michael A. Carroll Stadium, it showed again why Tampa Bay acquired Álvarez from USL League One’s Charlotte Independence for a record transfer fee in early June. The 22-year-old’s shift from in to out turned his marker beautifully before unleashing a precise 20-yard finish that clipped the inside of the left post on its way into the net.

This wasn’t a flawless performance by Álvarez by any means. He only recorded six passes in the attacking third and didn’t record a touch in the attacking penalty area over his 71 minutes of action. That’s the next step for Álvarez as Tampa Bay tries to push into the playoff conversation.

4. Emiliano Rodríguez, El Paso Locomotive FC

Saturday night was a landmark evening for El Paso Locomotive with its six-goal performance against Las Vegas Lights FC marking the most goals the club has scored in a game in its history.

Capping the performance was 21-year-old Emiliano Rodríguez, who scored his first goal in the professional ranks after coming on as a substitute with 12 minutes to go. Rodríguez took his finish cleanly, controlling Andy Cabrera’s cutback to the top of the penalty area before shooting into to the left corner where it rang off the back stanchion and straight back out, but he also put in a solid overall display in his opportunity, completing 6 of 6 passes and recording a pair of shots.

Rodríguez’s goal wasn’t the only highlight for a Locomotive Academy product on Saturday as 16-year-old Kenneth Hoban came on for his First Team debut in the final minute. While it might have come against a Las Vegas side that is struggling for form currently, the night will still be one for both players to remember.

5. Owen Damm, FC Tulsa

Having been a regular for much of the season, Owen Damm took a backseat for Tulsa over the past couple of weeks. Given his opportunity to return to the Scissortails’ starting lineup with the absence of Arthur Rogers in the back line, the 21-year-old made the most of it providing his second assist of the season in a solid all-around display that helped Tulsa claim a 3-2 victory against Loudoun United on Friday night.

Damm showed his attacking qualities in setting up Taylor Calheira’s ninth goal of the season to pull Tulsa level late in the first half. Receiving possession near the halfway line, he beat his marker and surged into space on the left flank. After a hesitation move inside the penalty area to create space, Damm’s low cross through traffic picked out Calheira for a simple first-time finish into an open net.

A Louisville City Academy product, Damm was also solid defensively winning 6 of 9 duels and making three recoveries. Having come into his own this season for the Western Conference leader, he should continue to get opportunities down the final stretch of the season.

6. JP Jordan, Texoma FC

The Keller, Texas native has been in and out of the lineup for Texoma in its inaugural season, but on Saturday with his side needing a comeback to salvage a result on the road against the Charlotte Independence, JP Jordan came through.

Brought on as an attacking substitute with 24 minutes to play and Los Pajaros facing a 10-player Independence, the 22-year-old recorded his first assist for the club, combining with teammates to slot a pass in from the right to Luke McCormick, whose first touch opened up the chance to finish low to the left corner. Jordan was sharp in possession throughout, completing 16 of 16 passes and recording two chances created, helping Texoma earn a 3-3 draw.

7. Pedro Guimaraes, Orange County SC

When Pedro Guimaraes has been on the field this season for Orange County SC, it’s typically been as part of the club’s back line. On Wednesday night, though, the United States U-17 international showed his versatility and continued eye for goal as he bagged his first tally in the USL Championship.

Brought on as a late substitute for Chris Hegardt to help OCSC see out a result against Phoenix Rising, Guimaraes provided the exclamation point for the 4-1 win as he arrived in the second wave of support for Bryce Jamison’s break up the right side, controlling and putting home a finish from the center of the penalty area. The 17-year-old has now recorded three goals in 720 minutes across all competitions this season, a good return for a player who has primarily featured on the defensive side of the ball.