LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – As the Disney Soccer Showcase presented by Chelsea Football Club got underway here Sunday, one unique dimension evident was that you can see USSF Development Academy teams play against some of the last vestiges of the old State Cup system here, particularly in the U18 age group’s Showcase Division.

This showdown motif came in two different scenarios, as our feature matches of the day reveal.

U18 Showcase: Solar SC (Academy) 4, Edmond SC 0

Disney World is the place of magic, and here at the annual showcase the U18 Solar SC boys seem to be finding theirs.
            
The Texas bunch has lost just one match in the last month and a half, and even that defeat has a bit of an asterisk as it came at the Development Academy Winter Showcase an event where winning is secondary.

But this is the Disney Showcase where winning is mandatory. Solar mandated respect Sunday in a dominating 4-0 win over Oklahoma club Edmond FC 92.

The one-sided match spoke to a lot of discrepancies between the two squads, not the least of which is the difference in competition level each team faces on a regular basis.

“Being that we’re one of the academy teams out here we want to uphold the standard and show that we’re the best in the country,” said defender Trevor Hubbard. The game showed that we play the best competition all year. We’re probably one of the best teams they’ve played this year.”  

The Solar are certainly in as good of form as any team Edmond has likely run into. After a first-half goal by Nicholas Leavitt, the Solar put the pedal to the metal in the final 45 minutes using their speed on the outsides and chemistry to put the match out of reach.

Striker Rocco Bagley had a particularly strong game as he epitomized his team’s point of attack. A small but shifty guy adept at moving from east to west, Bagley caused problems in the final third for the Edmond backline of Caleb Nichols, Ryan Sanders, George Jackson and Brian Keester.

Bagley had a quick chance early in the second half when he intercepted a lazy pass in the opposition’s territory and sent a shot that was knocked down by Bryan Byars. Not five minutes later he would get another opportunity and capitalize.

Tyler Wagley, who has a powerful right foot, blasted a 20-yard strike that glanced off the fingertips of the keeper and allowed Bagley to rebound with a left-footed goal to put his group up 2-0.

Solar went ahead 3-0 on a questionable play that appeared to be offsides but counted nonetheless. Hubbard sent a lead ball from midfield to a suspiciously wide open Wagley who easily finished the sequence.

The final score was produced by Bryan White who got behind the defense on a perfect through ball from Ryan Costen and the rout was on.

“We’ve been playing really well lately,” Bagley said. “I had a couple of good chances and the whole team played well. We play from the ground because we’re not the biggest team and you could see that there’s a different pace to our game from playing in the academy. It’s more intense and has faster play.”

Edmond couldn’t seem to secure the ball long enough to get any real offense going but the team featured some admirable performances.

Steven Groh had a few nice free kicks that allowed his team to sniff a goal while Ian Sanders was solid as a holding midfielder.

But the Solar were a little too good and much too focused.

“The biggest difference is a lot of guys have been here the last 10 years and we have a lot of seniors,” Hubbard said. It’s our last event so everyone wants to win this one and take the trophy our last time.”

Click here for video highlights from this game

Lineups

Solar Academy
GK: Sean Cote
D: Christian Valadez, Nathan Wagner, Chad Asher, Trevor Hubbard
M: Michael Flowers, Vincent Mediate, Erich de Zoeten, Daniel Forry
F: Rocco Bagley, Tyler Wagley
Subs: Richard Elder, Mauricio Velasco, Dylan Asher, Christopher Nieto, Ryan Costen, Erich de Zoeten, Bryan White, Vincent Mediate, Lashaw Salta, Isaac Pile
        
Edmond OFC 92
GK: Bryan Byars,
D: Caleb Nichols, Ryan Sanders, George Jackson, Brian Keester
M: Joshua Thomas, Ian Sanders, Christopher Cudjo, Kevin Cabello
F: Elias Smirlis, Steven Groh
Subs: Bryan Byars, Spencer Falcon, Thomas Tippeconnic, Nicholas Lovett, Kevin Cabello

U18 Showcase: Dallas Texans (Academy) 2, Triangle United 1

This was a well-contested match with a lot of good players on both sides. In the end a disputed penalty award swung the game in Texans’ favor.

Triangle went up 32 minutes into the 1st half when talented playmaker McAmos Paye sent a dangerous free kick in and Triangle’s complete forward Zabarle Kollie.bundled the ball in from close range for a 1-0 lead to Triangle, who are coached by North Carolina mentor Elmar Bolowich.

To say Kollie is important to the Triangle offense is an understatement. The forward drops way back in the midfield, is constantly making himself available for the ball, holds it up in traffic to build the attack and makes dangerous runs into the area for anticipated shooting opportunities. He is a multi-dimensional player.

Triangle nearly made it 2-0 when Robert Lovejoy III made a weaving run from the right wing before pulling his shot just wide.

Texans then rallied to tie the game when Ray DeLeon scored a special goal, creating some space for himself before hitting an absolute bomb off the underside of the crossbar from 30 yards away to make it 1-1.

“We did pretty well at the beginning to get behind them, but they adjusted and we struggled for a while,” DeLeon said. “On the goal I just tried to get some space. I scored one like that at the national championships and it was a really good feeling. This one was sort of like that.”

Texans’ Conor Doyle put in some good work in attack, holding up the ball well and helping link with the midfield. Blake Wise came close to scoring for Dallas with a header, but Alex Bolowich made a good save for Triangle.

For Triangle, St. Johns recruit Jordan Rouse was strong in the back line, running down a lot of balls and showing good ability in the air. Parker McNeely was another strong defender for the North Carolina squad, using his body well to shield and making a point of being in the right position consistently.

Matthew Feigler is a good 2-way midfielder, showing toughness in the tackle and an ability to win balls, but also the ability to get involved in the attack with his running an knack for playing simple but probing passes.

A handball call somewhat out of nowhere did Triangle in early in the 2nd half, and Conor Doyle converted the spot kick to give Texans a 2-1 lead. Triangle searched in vain for an equalizer, but often came up against Texans’ defender Mark Daus, who played a strong game in the back. Daus, a verbal commitment to Santa Clara, said his more cultured style of defending is largely due to the coaching work of Texans director Hassan Nazari, who is also the team coach for the U18s.

“Hassan has brought us up to try to look and up play the ball to feet if we can instead of just always hitting it long,” Daus said. “Aaron (Reifschneider) and I are not the biggest guys so it’s important that we are good on the ball and play quickly.”

Dallas-area teams Texans and Solar have met in the final here before, and based on Sunday’s form it is entirely plausible that it could happen again this Wednesday.

Click here for video highlights from this game

Sunday's Scores

U18
Yardley Makefield Soccer Xplosion 2, Kendall Soccer Coalition 0
Solar SC 4, Edmond OFC 92 0
Dallas Texans 2, Triangle United Gold 1
Baltimore Bays Chelsea 1, Ohio Premier Eagles Green 0
Javanon 5, Andromeda 1
Texans SC/DTH 2, Pachuca FC USA Internationals 0
Lower Merion SC Velez 2, Beachside of Connecticut 1
Lonestar SC 92 Red 2, Concorde Fire Elite 1

U17
Dallas Texans 2, Weston FC 2
Santa Clara Sporting 92 4, Chicago Fire Juniors Red 1
Elite FC Gladiators 2, Solar SC 2
Westside United FC 93 Green 3, Penn Fusion SA Coppa 82 3
Carolina Elite SA 92 Premier 2, Sockers FC Chicago 0
Foothill FC MVLA Raptors 92 Gold 0, Florida Rush Nike 0
Hicksville American SC Strikers 1, Concorde Fire 1
Tulsa SC 93 Red 6, Blast FC Red 4
Alpharetta Ambush 93 Red 1, Andromeda 1
Arslaval Conquerants Laval 1, Team Ohio FC Cosa 0
Baltimore Bays Chelsea 5, Campton United SC Navy 0
GSA Phoenix 93 Red 2, RSL Florida Kickers 1

U16
Bayside United Aston Villa Flames 3, Westside United FC 94 Green 3
JYSC Fury 93/94 1, Lonestar 94 Red 0
Penn Fusion SA 93 Celtic 2, RSL Florida 93 1
Tulsa SC 94 Black 2, Novi Jaguars Michigan 0
Annandale United FC 2, Kendall Soccer Coalition White 0
Cincinnati United Crew Jr.’s Gold 2, Solar 94 Red 1
Concorde Fire Elite 3, Blast FC Red 2
Dallas Texans 94 Red 3, Herndon FC 2

U15
Dallas Texans 95 Red Dallas 3, Carolina Elite SA 94 Premier 0
WAZA FC 95 Black 4, Bayside United Premier 1
Herndon Real Juniors 2, Team Boca 94/95 White 1
CASL Elite 1, Blue Valley SC Stars Boca Jr.’s 0
Lemont Raiders 2, Concorde Fire Elite 2
Solar 95 Red 4, Baltimore Bays Chelsea 0
South Florida Elite FC 94/95 Blue 3, Reston SA Knights FC 1
Albion Hurricanes FC 95 Blue 3, Concorde Fire South 95 Elite 2