LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – Champions were crowned here Wednesday at the Disney Boys Soccer Showcase presented by Chelsea Football Club, with two sets of winners’ medals handed out per bracket.

The format is something of a middle ground between having to play an extra knockout round (and thus two matches in a day or being here for an extra day) or playing a pure showcase format with no standings kept. Both have their drawbacks, but so does this setup, given that both sets of winners per bracket will be wondering if they are “better than the other team.”

All of that said, the staff and facilities here at Disney Wide World of Sports have done their best to ensure a quality experience for all. Special thanks to Channing Swears and his staff for helping facilitate all of coverage and video work for the event. You will be seeing some new TDS Originals filmed at Disney in the coming weeks.

Feature Match 1; U16 Showcase: Penn Fusion 1, Cincinnati United Premier 1 (Penn Fusion wins on penalties, 3-1)

For some athletes, finding redemption from a critical mistake can take a very long time. For some, it never comes. For Penn Fusion goalkeeper Sam Frymier, it took about 90 minutes real time.

Frymier’s error allowed CUP Peter Riewald to score at the end of the 1st half and take a 1-0 lead over Penn in the championship match Wednesday, but the goalkeeper came through with some big 1v1 saves in regulation and overtime (after Penn’s Joseph Raymond had tied the score with a late goal), and then delivered three consecutive penalty saves in the post-match bout of spot kicks to give the Philadelphia-area side the win.

Frymier said he was able to read the body language of the CUP spot kick takers and breakaway forwards, to some degree.

“On two of them I saw them open up their body, so I knew they were trying to go to their weaker side, so I just tried to push it wide,” he said. “(On the breakaways) I just try to get in the right position and read their feet and have the reflexes to get to where the ball is going.”

Penn Fusion is a blended team effort sponsored by clubs West Chester and Spirit United

Lee Martin, who coaches the team along with Sean McCafferty, said the team showed a lot of character to come back late and force the match into overtime.

“We’ve come down here with a short bench. Our two central defenders weren’t able to travel with us, so we had a central midfielder and our right back playing in central defense for us. Our national team player, Melvin Snoh, got hurt after 20 minutes in the 1st game and hasn’t played since, so we only had two subs all week. In the first half we did well, and the 2nd half it was a combination of four games in four days and the legs getting a little heavy,” he said. “We just kept changing the formation and pushing players on. We knew we had the character and quality in the team that we can beat anybody in the country. I’m pleased for Sam because obviously he made that mistake on their goal and his head was down at halftime, but he came up and made some good saves in the 2nd half and kept us in the game, then came up big in the penalties.”

Penn had the better of the 1st half despite ending the 40 minutes behind 1-0 on Riewald’s goal. Sasha Safavi was a strong presence up front for Penn, showing good ability in the air and drawing a lot of defenders to himself. Hunter Booth was a good defender for CUP, tackling well and using his speed to get involved in the attack out of the back.

Riewald showed a good left foot on the wing for CUP, serving some dangerous balls into the area on set pieces, which Penn did not defend so well in the opening half. One of those saw CUP’s Josh Spaw send a header against the upright just minutes before Riewald’s goal.  

In the 2nd half, Penn’s Kyle Borror looked good in defense, showing a good soccer brain, solid skills and speed to help the team’s back line. Thomas Shiiba was quick and skilled and basically dangerous in the forward third for Penn.

But the CUP back line of Spaw, Booth, Riewald and Joseph Veatch was very organized and it appeared the Ohioans were frustrating the Penn players, who as Martin mentioned were growing weary. The title looked to be going CUP’s way until Penn scored a dramatic equalizer in the closing minutes of regulation.

The move started when Penn’s Chad Craig advanced the ball on the left and sent a good serve in. Safavi created a scramble in the area with his flick-on header. The ball eventually fell back to the big striker and his low drive forced CUP goalkeeper Shane Kelly into a good save, but Penn’s Joseph Raymond was there for the rebound and knocked it into the back of the net to make it 1-1 and send the game into overtime.

Again in the extra session it was Frymier who had to save the day for Penn, twice denying CUP’s lightning-quick Joey Haberer on good chances in the opening 10-minute OT.  

Then came final redemption and the boys from the Philly area hoisting the trophy.

Feature Match 2; U16 Showcase: Dallas Texans 1, Bayside United Flames 0

Evan Savell left with a red card.

Corey Barahona left with an ankle injury.

The U16 Bayside United (New York) left with the worst possible taste in their mouths and the Dallas Texans left with one of the two first-place trophies awarded in the U16 Showcase division here Wednesday.

In a championship game that had fireworks galore - most of the wrong variety - the Texans gutted out a 1-0 victory over their worthy opponents from New York.

“Heart and desire,” said Texans coach Clint Craft. You have to have those two things if you’re going to play for me and these kids showed it. “This was the goal, and to win your group at Disney is a big plus. It’s something I have never done and I’ve been coaching for 15 years.”

Bayside coach Ernest Inneh wasn’t quite so reflective. Disgruntled all game long about the calls made by referees, he had a heated discussion with the game’s official during halftime and approached one referee in particular following the game while protesting his performance.

In his defense, the game’s clinching goal was a controversial one scored by midfielder Clinton Craft. It came in the final few minutes of the first half, when Craft broke on a long ball sent by defender Mitchell Day.  The ball took an awkward bounce and was actually headed out of the goalkeeper’s hands before Craft, all alone, put it in for the score.

The problem was, as the ball was controlled by the Texans’ player, it looked as though it might have hit his forearm and possibly his hand. Nevertheless, no call was made.

“It was close,” conceded Craft. “I thought the keeper would get it for sure.”

Still, Bayside played on and had many chances to score in the second half, all the while complaining about critical calls, one of which saw  Bayside’s Savell ejected.

The New York club displayed offensive firepower and played often with only three defenders as they forged ahead. Midfielder Jean Pierre Bellow was the best player on the field. Sleek and quick with the ball he set up some nice plays for his teammates. About the only chink in his armor he allowed was on his turns where he wasn’t quite as smooth.

Bayside was particularly dangerous on set pieces because of their big, athletic players. Frank Biordi, who played up top, had more than one chance to head in a corner but could not convert.

The Texans mainly played keep away in the second half but were vulnerable as they failed to cut off lanes properly.

Bayside’s Santiago Moore had a good shot in the box that was saved, and there were plenty of others.

And though the postgame session wasn’t a picturesque one, give credit to some of the players, including Bellow, who came off much more dignified than his coach.

“It was partly them but it was us too,” he said, of the referee calls. “First, we were nervous that the time was going down (so we could not convert chances) and then everyone was heated from calls and they were just kicking the ball away. I’m happy we came this far but also sad we lost in the finals.”

The small victory for Bayside was a big one for the Texans, who contain only a couple Academy players and a few who are on their way.

Abel Garcia, who started up top, showed off a strong leg on free kicks while Corey Barahona, a strong and sturdy player, was one of his team’s best before he left the game in the 53rd minute with an ankle injury.

Attacker Alex Powers was a major focus of some of the Bayside defenders, but the slim and crafty player never got many chances to show off his skills.

No, the showing off belonged to the whole team.

“Now colleges will be looking at us,” Craft said. “This is really big.”

Dallas Texans
D: Mitchell Day, Preston Rose, Antonio Ortiz, Kevin Leib
M: Harper Reid, Clinton Craft, Alex Powers, Corey Barahona
F: Abel Garcia, Michael Myers
Subs: Kevin Leib, Christopher Sutherland, Antonio Ortiz, Samuel Currin, Jacob Raymond, John Richardson, Connor Abene, Matthew Mendoza, Justin Wicker

Bayside United
D: Daniel Castro, Christian Molano, David Chiariello
M: Justin Starrantino, Santiago Moore, Xavier Williams, Konstandinos Moutopoulos, Jean Pierre Bello
F: Nicholas Coulianidis, James Priftakis
Subs: Matthew Sinatro, Christopher Kourmas, Evan Savell, Daniel Bedoya, Frank Biordi, Daniel Castro, Steven Carvajal, William Rezin, Christian Mosqueira, Kevin Bonilla, Eric Murphy.

Wednesday Results (courtesy Disney Soccer Showcase)

U18 Showcase
Championship A – Lonestar SC 1, YMS Xplosion 0
Championship B –  Dallas Texans 1, Javanon 0
Consolation A – Lower Merion SC 2, Solar SC 1
Consolation B – Triangle United 2, Dallas Texans Houston 0

U18 Predator
Championship A – FC Alliance 4, Clearwater Chargers 3
Championship B – Cincinnati United Premier 5, Atlanta Fire 1
Championship C – Potomac Soccer 3, Weston FC 2
Consolation A – TSF Academy Celtic 2, United 1996 FC Internationals 0

U18 Copa
Championship A – SYA Copperheads 3, Blackwatch Premier 0
Championship B – Oakville SC 3, Cobb FC 0
Championship C – Shattuck St. Marys 1, FC Dallas 0
Championship D- Orlando FC 4, El Paso FC 3
Consolation A – FC America 2, Florida Rush 0
Consolation B – Carmel United Elite 2, Texans FC 0
Consolation C – Carolina Elite Premier 2, CASL Elite 1
Consolation D – Striker FC V 4, Dallas Texans Florida 0

U17 Showcase
Championship A - Baltimore Bays Chelsea 4, Weston FC 2
Championship B – Elite FC Gladiators 1, Arslaval Conquerants 0
Championship C – Carolina Elite 2, Hicksville American 0
Consolation A – GSA Phoenix 2, Dallas Texans 1
Consolation B – Alpharetta Ambush 1, Solar SC 0
Consolation C – Sockers FC 4, Concorde Fire 1

U17 Predator
Championship A – Lexington FC 2, Cincinnati United Premier 1
Championship B – Dallas Texans 2, Davis SC Legacy 0
Championship C – Triangle FC 4, Solar SC 0
Consolation A – Ajax Gunners 4, FC Copa Forza 1
Consolation B – Brentwood Premier 2, Yardley Makefield Soccer 1
Consolation C – Synergy FC 1, Madison 56ers 0

U17 Copa
Championship A – Shattuck St. Marys 3, CASL Elite 0
Championship B – Jamestown SC Jammers 4, Beach FC 3
Championship C – Clearwater Chargers 3, Hillsborough County United 0
Championship D – TSF Academy Panthers 1, Dallas Texans Red West 0
Consolation A – Weston FC 2, Lonestar SC 1
Consolation B – Arlington Travel 2, Kendall SC 0
Consolation C – Norcross Fury 6, Tennessee Rush 2
Consolation D – Dixie SC 2, Mississippi Fire 1

U16 Showcase
Championship A – Dallas Texans 1, Bayside United 0
Championship B – Penn Fusion Celtic 2, Cincinnati United Premier 1
Consolation A – Concorde Fire Elite 2, Westside United 1
Consolation B – Annandale United 1, Tulsa SC 0

U16 Predator
Championship A – Commack SC 2, Chicago Fire Juniors 0
Championship B – Cobb FC 2, Texas Fire 1
Consolation A – Massapequa Roughriders 3, Regional FC 2
Consolation B – Strictly Soccer 2, Weston FC 1

U16 Copa
Championship A – Dallas Texans Houston 3, Blackwatch RI 0
Championship B – United 1996 FC Internationals 1, Elm Grove SC 0
Championship C – Lou Fusz Strikers 2, Carolina Elite 1
Consolation A – North Atlanta SA 3, Albertson SC 0
Consolation B – Alpharetta Ambush 1, Baltimore SC 0
Consolation C – CASL Elite 2, West Virginia SC 1

U15 Showcase
Championship A – Dallas Texans 1, South Florida Elite 0
Championship B – Solar SC 2, CASL Elite 0
Consolation A – Carolina Elite 3, Reston SA Knights 0
Consolation B – Baltimore Bays Chelsea 1, Team Boca 0

U15 Predator
Championship A – Lonestars 2, New Hampshire Classics 0
Championship B – FC Dallas 5, Cincinnati United Premier 0
Consolation A – GSA Phoenix 2, Bethesda SC 1
Consolation B – Empire United Rochester 2, Beach FC 1

U15 Copa
Championship A – Strictly Soccer 4, Albertson SC 3
Championship B – AFC Elite 2, Florida Soccer Alliance 1
Consolation A – Greensboro Youth Dynamo 2, Space Coast United 1
Consolation B – Cobb FC Chiefs 2, First Coast Kyx 1