It’s all over at the Disney Soccer Showcase and the champions have been crowned. The tournament began in 2014 with fog, rain and cold weather sweeping through the playing fields as well as the stands but finished in 2015 with the state of Florida’s namesake, sunshine. With late night displays of fireworks exploding at nearby Disney on New Year’s Day and Eve, it was truly a remarkable experience for players, coaches and parents alike.

 

Tophat SC Gold U15 (GA) 2-1 [PKs] Eclipse Select Elite ECNL U15 (IL)

The two teams came into the U15 Showcase Black Division championship game with a combined 6-0 record and a total of 19 goals for and only one goal allowed in the tournament, so it’s only fitting that it took penalty kicks to decide the winner. It was Tophat’s tremendous defense that that allowed it, the No. 6 ranked team in the Grande Sports Academy Team Rank Top 25, to take down Eclipse, the No. 23 ranked team in the Grande Sports Academy Team Rank Top 25.

“It was a very evenly played match against a quality opponent,” said Ted Colburn, head coach of Tophat. “I thought we showed a lot of resilience … [We] showed a lot of character during the penalty kicks.”

It was Tophat’s Charlotte Teeter who opened the scoring as she drilled a shot into the top right corner in the 25th minute. The play was made possible with a run up the field from Hannah White. White ran into the middle from the right side and dished it to Teeter for the finish.

Eclipse went on the attack and had a couple chances as they managed to break down Tophat’s defense temporarily before they buried one to make it 1-1. Skylar Kingsley had a shot in deep that missed the net just wide in the 50th minute, and that chance put some pep in Eclipse’s step. Amanda Rapaduski ripped a wicked left footer just a minute later from outside the box that sailed slightly high of the net. It was Madeline Levins who took the pep an extra step and tallied the game tying goal in the 54th minute, though. Levins received a pass from Amanda DiNardo, who had just subbed into the game, in the slot and buried the ball bottom left.

Raegan Kelley almost became the hero of the match for Tophat when she received a rebound off the keeper who had lost her way from the net. Kelley cut to the right and let off a stinger toward the net, but it was Eclipse’s Morgan Asmussen who was in the right place at the right time to get a body on the ball and deflect it away at the goal line.

The game almost ended in overtime as well, this time it was Eclispe that almost eclipsed the higher seeded team. Jane Cole fed a cross into the box that was headed into the back of the net by Kingsley, but the goal was negated by an offside call. 

The whistle blew and penalty kicks were all that remained. First up was Tophat’s Ashton Smith, who went to the bottom right with her right foot for the goal, and 1-0 lead in PK’s. Eclipse’s Adrianna Naumoski was next in line, and she sent it right into the middle of the net to tie the shootout at one apiece. Tophat’s Talia Staude took a page out of Naumoski’s book and let off the same shot, but was stopped by the keeper. After a great offensive game, it was Kingsley with a chance to put Eclipse ahead and she did just that when she sent a ball across the goal line to the bottom left that the diving keeper got a piece of. Kelley then scored on a nice kick to the bottom left for Tophat. Asmussen had a chance for Eclipse and sent a slow roller on net that was saved by the keeper. Pace Stephenson rocketed one to the bottom left for Tophat. Eclipse’s Caitlin Haislip had her chance, but the shot didn’t faze the keeper as she stopped it. After Teeter had tallied Tophat’s first goal, she stepped into the box with the game on the line. Miss and penalty kicks would continue or score and the game was over, and Tophat would take the championship crown. Teeter placed the ball down, stepped back and sent the ball into the bottom right corner of the net before running to midfield to celebrate the victory with her teammates.

 

Maryland Rush Montgomery Coyotes U17 (MD) 1-0 Carolina Rapids Burgundy U17 (NC)

Maryland managed to tally an early marker against Carolina and that proved to be all that they needed as Carolina couldn’t seem to conjure up any sort of offensive spark. Both teams showed signs of four games played in just four days as Maryland snuck away with a 1-0 victory to win the U17 Showcase Gray Division.

“[We had a lot] of tired bodies. The girls did a great job to finish off the weekend,” said Kevin Layton, assistant coach of Maryland Rush. “It was a very organized performance from our backs [defenders]. They’re always very sharp and they worked well today.”

 

Dana Reed gave Maryland the only goal that they would need to secure a victory when she made a great play in the 26th minute to put her team up 1-0. She finished a with a leaping kick on a bouncing ball that found its way over the head of the challenging goalkeeper to sneak just underneath the crossbar. Reed had another chance in the 33rd minute but the keeper got a piece of the ball and deflected it over the net.

 

Carolina’s best chances of the game came in the 43rd and 61st minutes, but both shots were stopped at the hands of the goalkeeper. Emmily Cowie and Rebecca Coutinho both let off rockets after runs in deep that were stopped by the keeper, and the game remained scoreless on Carolina’s end to give Maryland the win.

 

Beadling SC Bulldogs U16 (PA) 2-0 ASA Azzurri U16 (MD)

Beadling controlled the tempo of the game, ball possession and ultimately the score against an outmatched ASA Azzurri. Although both teams came into the game undefeated in the tournament, Beadling showed that they really wanted the win, and were crowned champions of the U16 Premier White Division after a 2-0 victory. 

“ASA Azzurri is in the regional league with us. We’ve played them four or five times in the past [and] its always been a physical game,” said Rob Fabean, head coach of Beadling. “I had confidence in our girls, and if we played the way we trained it [winning] wouldn’t be a problem. I’m happy for them, finishing 4-0 at Disney Showcase.” 

Beadling had only allowed two goals in three prior tournament contests and its defense was in order in its 2-0 win. Madison McKinley got the ball rolling Beadling’s in the 29th minute when her tally made it 1-0. McKinley setup in the top left corner of the box, faked a left footed shot, cut back and bent the ball perfectly into the top right corner of the net.

After a flurry of injuries sidelined a few of ASA Azzurri’s players, and its offense dwindled around midfield when it did possess the ball, Lady Luck called it day and stuck her head in the clouds in the 53rd minute. Beadling’s Deena DeBaldo launched a corner kick into the box that caught the head of an ASA Azzurri player, took a wrong-way ricochet and ended up in the back of its own net to make it a 2-0 game. The mood on the field and sideline was killed and that was all she wrote as the Beadling Bulldogs took the championship match.