NPL NorCal Showcase Day 1 Highlights

by Evan Ream

April 27, 2014

Davis, Calif. – In the standings, the games will count just the same as other league games, but for players’ futures, the NorCal NPL 2014 April Showcase may have been some of the biggest games they’ve played in in their lives as head coaches from 31 different universities took in 46 different games at two different venues Saturday.

Emmanuel Ramirez of Elk Grove United
volleying it in the first half of their 2-0 win
against Mustang.

Twenty-six assistant coaches were also in attendance to watch mostly low-scoring games on an overcast day just 11 miles west of California’s capital.

One of the host teams started the day off by picking up three points, to bring their season total to six, as Davis Legacy 98 Boys Red defeated Ballistic United SC BUSC 98 Premier of Pleasanton, Calif. 1-0 in the U-16 division.

Forward Cameron Peuse scored the only goal of the game midway through the second half when a teammate played a ball across the penalty area and Peuse one-timed it into the far corner of the net.

Legacy center back Kyle Fix was integral in helping preserve the shutout, clearing dangerous balls out of the box and winning everything near him in the air.

Marin FC 97 Blue 1 – Diablo FC 96 0 (U17)

UC Davis-bound attacking midfielder Noah Wilson stole the show in this match, dancing around defenders and creating a multitude of opportunities in dangerous areas that his teammates were unable to finish.

Though the ball seemed glued to Wilson’s feet, his winning goal was a routine 3-yard tap in, after no one marked him on a late run into the box.

The Marin defense was able to shut out Diablo FC’s Alfredo Ornelas, the leading goal-scorer in the U17 division.

Elk Grove United Everton ’96 2 Mustang SC Hotspur 0

Both teams created an ample amount of opportunities in a sloppy match, but the difference was Azusa-Pacific bound goalkeeper Austin Call who made five close-range saves throughout the game to record the clean sheet for Elk Grove.

Everton midfielder Emmanuel Ramirez opened the scoring early in the game when a free kick into the box deflected to him near the top of the box.

The 17-year-old opened up his hips and side-footed the ball into the far post with his left foot to make it 1-0.

Midfielder Ethan Krebs, a wiry, skillful, two-footed player, doubled the Elk Grove advantage late in the second half to secure the full three points.