SAN ANTONIO - Sunday’s final day of the 126-team ECNL Texas Showcase produced at least two shutout victories by two of the U17 teams at STAR Soccer Complex.

CASL Chelsea Ladies ECNL (N.C.) defeated the Michigan Hawks 2-0, and the Minnesota Thunder topped SC Del Sol (Phoenix) by the same score.

The difference in the matchups was how and when the scoring occurred.

CASL Chelsea Ladies and the Hawks played to a scoreless first half. But it all changed in the second stanza as Betsy Middleton scored one minute into the half. Joanna Boyles sent the ball into the middle, and Middleton took advantage of the opportunity. Just four minutes later, Cameron Castleberry scored on a corner from Boyles. The service touched off a scramble in front of goal, and Castleberry, selected for last year’s ECNL All-Event Team, volleyed and finished into the upper 90.

“We knew we didn’t have to rush,” said Castleberry, who has committed to North Carolina. “We knew if we took our time, our chances would come, and we could finish them on our set plays.”


The CASL Chelsea Ladies were the 2011 U-16 national champions, and were guided by the same coach as the U-17 team, Damon Nahas.

“In the first half, we definitely had some good chances as well, we just didn’t finish them,” Nahas said. “They were organized and did a good job of defending. In the second half, we increased the tempo and maintained more possession. It made them chase a bit, and we finished our chances.”

Middleton agreed with her coach and teammate about the ebb and flow of the tightly played game.

“We started quickly in the second half,” Middleton said. “We were confident, put it away early, and kept the momentum going.”

Taylor Francis earned the shutout at goalkeeper for the CASL Chelsea Ladies, who improved to 14-4-0. The Michigan Hawks dropped to 12-2-2.

Minnesota Thunder Academy scored on a penalty kick in the first half by Madison Yueill, the daughter of coach Mark Yueill. Anastasia Medellin got the PK, and Yueill put the ball into the net.

Kylie Schwarz took the corner kick in the second half from Brianna Ismale, and gave the Thunder a 2-0 lead. Schwarz described the ball as a “perfect floater from Bri.”

“Both teams put up a good fight, and it was evenly matched,” said Schwarz, who has made a commitment to Wisconsin. “In the end, we worked harder and battled for the ball individually more than they did.”


Thunder, whose club team earned Minnesota State Cup championships in four divisions (U14 through U17) upped its record to 3-1-3. SC Del Sol now stands at 2-3-4.

“Del Sol is a very good team,” Thunder coach Yueill said. “Surprisingly, I thought the team going against the wind had the better of play. We had better possession, and it was a good defensive and offensive effort.  Both teams put the ball on the ground and tried to play out of the backfield nicely. It was a fun game to watch, and the teams played hard.”

The next ECNL Showcase takes place in San Diego March 31-April 2.

MORE ECNL NEWS: San Antonio Showcase gets underway

Sunday Results

U15
Washington Premier 2, SC del Sol 0
Crossfire Premier 0, Lonestar SC 0
Colorado Rush 2, KCFC 0
Challenge SC 1, Real Colorado 0
CASL Chelsea Ladies 3, D’Feeters 2
Michigan Hawks 1, TSC Hurricane 1
Dallas Sting 2, Minnesota Thunder Academy 1
Colorado Storm 3, FC Milwaukee 0
FC Dallas 2, East Meadow 0
San Juan SC 2, Connecticut FC 1
Utah Avalanche 2, Sockers FC 2
Solar Chelsea 2, Carolina Elite Soccer Academy 0

U16
Dallas Texans 2, St. Louis Scott Gallagher 1
Crossfire Premier 1, Atlanta Fire 1
Lonestar SC 4, Bethesda SC 0
FC Milwaukee 1, Real Colorado 1
PDA 1, Carmel  United 0
Michigan Hawks 5, CASL Chelsea Ladies 1
San Juan SC 3, East Meadow SC 0
Dallas Sting 5, FC Virginia 0
Charlotte Soccer Academy 0, Sockers FC 0
Carolina Elite Soccer Academy 1, Blue Valley SC 1
Challenge SC 3, Washington Premier 1
SC del Sol 2, TSC Hurricane 1
Minnesota Thunder Academy 0, Eagles SC 0
Virginia Rush 1, Colorado Storm 0
Utah Avalanche 1, Vardar 1
Solar Chelsea 2, Richmond Strikers 1
FC Dallas 1, Colorado Rush 0
KCFC 2, D’Feeters 0

U17
Dallas Texans 5, Crossfire Premier 0
Bethesda SC 3, TSC Hurricane 2
D’Feeters 2, Real Colorado 1
Charlotte SA 2, FC Dallas 1
CASL Chelsea Ladies 2, Michigan Hawks 0
Carmel United 0, Colorado Rush  0
Lonestar SC 3, FC Virginia 2
KCFC 6, Virginia Rush 0
Dallas Sting 1, PDA 0
Carolina Elite Soccer Academy 4, Colorado Storm 0
Atlanta Fire 0, Utah Avalanche 0
Minnesota Thunder Academy 2, SC del Sol 0
Eagles Soccer Club 3, Sockers FC 1
Solar Chelsea 8, Blue Valley SC 0
St. Louis Scott Gallagher 1, East Meadow 0
Washington Premier 1, FC Milwaukee 0
Richmond Strikers 1, Vardar 0
Challenge SC 1, San Juan SC 0

U18
Crossfire Premier 3, Dallas Sting 0
KCFC 3, San Juan SC 1
Dallas Texans 2, CASL Chelsea Ladies 1
Solar Chelsea 1, Albertson Fury 1
Minnesota Thunder Academy 3, SC del Sol 1
D’Feeters 8, Bethesda SC 0
Challenge SC 0, Mclean Youth Soccer 0
Utah Avalanche 1, Penn Fusion 0
PDA 3, Michigan Hawks 2
Real Colorado 1, Carmel United 0
FC Milwaukee  0 Virginia Rush 0
FC Dallas 2, Washington Premier 0
Eagles SC 1, Lonestar SC 1
Colorado Rush 1, Sockers FC 0
East Meadow 0, TSC Hurricane 0