CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS – Everyone knows that there’s nothing like being in the pool on a hot summer day. The concept was even truer than normal when applied to some soccer fields here Wednesday.

(Scroll down for match details and lineups)

Wednesday marked the first day of pool play in the U14 Boys National Team ID Camp at Middlesex Prep School. Head Coach Manny Schellscheidt and his staff put the top 44 players in a match of their own, while the remainder of the 120 total players at the camp continued to have the rule run over them as well in side matches.

Schellscheidt and his staff emphasize that everyone at the camp still has the chance to impress, and there were good efforts shown during all three matches played Wednesday, but the quality of the group starts to flesh out a bit over the course of the week and the play in the pool match does end up being rather positively distinct.

U.S. Soccer Staff Coach Rene Miramontes is working here again this year, and his answer to my question on what was the main distinguishing factor between those selected on a given day might surprise you.

“The biggest thing is personality. All the players have some definitely tools they bring, and some are better than others, but at the end of the day it’s personality,” Miramontes told me after matches concluded Wednesday. “Can they jump in there and grab the game and force the coaches to take a look at them.”

The veteran West Coast coach also said it isn’t necessarily that important how well each player plays with certain other players, but how adaptable they show themselves to be on the soccer field.

“It depends on what Manny wants to get out of the camp, but he’s looking for soccer players,” he said. “He’s looking for players who can adapt to different lineups and different situations. So whether they can play with this player or that player really doesn’t matter because in the end they may end up playing with a whole different group. It’s just a question of: Are they good soccer players? Can they impose themselves on the game? Are they at ease at the next level?”

The refereeing camp that US Soccer is holding here is also designed to help groom better officials for the game at platforms such as the US Soccer Development Academy. Miramontes believes the emphasis there is striking the right balance.

“U.S. Soccer’s refereeing department begins to identify potential referees who want to go on with their careers, and they try to groom them and expose them to situations such as this one that will allow the player to express himself but at the same time be protected and be able to play within the rigors of the game,” he said. “That’s for the big guys as well as the little guys. Refereeing in the Academy is by invitation, and within that there is proper supervision and training. You’ll see a new generation of referees coming through and I think they are doing it right.”

Pool Match: Team Six 2, Team Five 1

This match started a bit tentatively, with a lot of the play taking place in midfield. Vardar’s Matthew Nance already looks like an accomplished defender. He is good in the air and times his challenges well. Minnesota Thunder player Toby Khounviseth works hard in the middle of the field to win balls. San Juan Lightning defender Esteban Reyes also looked good in the back, with good positioning and good tackling technique. Mustang SC goalkeeper Andrew Ferber made a great reflex save from a scramble in front of net to keep the match scoreless going to halftime.

In the 2nd half, New York SC’s Alex Tejera draw a foul in the area for a penalty, and PDA forward Brandon Tetro took the spot kick well for a 1-0 lead. CASL’s Michael Clemmons tied the score with an excellent 1st-time strike on a nice pass from fellow North Carolinian Lawrence Taiwo. Taiwo went from provider to scorer on the winning goal, latching onto a great pass from Santa Barbara SC’s John Requejo and finishing well to make the final score 2-1. FC Westchester goalkeeper Gianni Carillo made a great save late to deny Requejo a goal of his own.

Lineups

Team 5
GK: Brayan Velez (Gianni Carillo)
D: Jeffrey Rhodes (Carter Manley), William Stevens (Bruno Scodari), Matthew Nance (Nathan Shultz)
M: Toby Khounviseth (Joseph Swenson), Noah Snyder (Brandon Tetro), Samuel Brown (John Moderwell), Guyllain Khabala (Jake Rozhansky), Chase Gasper (Luka Martinovic)
F: Jorge Calix (Andres Torres), James Ellis (Alex Tejera)

Team 6
GK: Andrew Ferber, Marius Heislitz
D: Sam Tweeteon (Elijah Martin), Esteban Reyes (Eric Holt), Fischer Gallinger (Wildred Williams)
M: Corey Baird (Michael Clemmons), Danya Kafai (Patrick Khouri), Axel Mendez (Rico Lizbinski)
F: Rolando Velazquez (John Requejo), Oscar Martinez, Andonis Amaya (Emerson Hyndman)

Team III 5, Team I 0

GSA’s DeAndre Robinson and Highland FC’s Austin Stamey each scored twice to follow a brilliant opener from Cobb FC forward Dembakwi Yomba as the southeastern side rolled to a big win. Weston FC’s Reynaldo Cevallos put in a hard-working shift in midfield while Miami FC Kendall’s Arthur Paterson was good both offensively and defensively as a midfielder. Plant City, Florida’s Omar Castro showed good awareness and technique as a defender.

Lineups

Team III
GK: Jefferson Caldwell (Nicolas Zadan)
D: Reynaldo Cevallos, Vernon Bailey, Omar Castro, Andrew Raad
M: Reginald Epps, Jeremy Colvin, Arthur Paterson, Jack Gayton
F: Austin Stamey, Dembakwi Yomba
Subs: Eithan Levy, Dakota Brinkman, Evan Enders, Alan Winn, Ivan Alvarado, Arturo Paz, David Mejia

Team I
GK:Brendan Burke (Aleksandr Gogic)
D: James Buonavita, Sebastian Joly, Theodore Miller
M: Imad Mojaddidi, Declan McCabe, Jony Karahbetyan, Anthony Viteri
F: Harrison Roche, Jason Underhill,  Brandon Curtis
Subs: Kevin Herrera, Doluwamu Oyewole, Akeem Ward, Adonis Martinez, Zachary Zandi, Miles Davis

Team IV 6, Team II 2

The westerners put on another show, with Alejandro Segova of Westside Metros and Ricardo Ruiz of Fullerton Rangers looking especially impressive in a four-goal first half

Lineups

Team IV
GK: Andrew Esptein, Oliver Roberts
D: Sergey Ptachik, Nicolas Arevalo, Issa Hassan, Manuel Padilla
M: Antonio Porecco, Rubio Rubin, Sebastian Bouchet, Moises Rodriguez
F: Ricardo Ruiz, Alejandro Segovia
Subs: Djair Profitt-Williams, Trevor Davock, Nathan Kohl, Sebastian Clark, Brandon Tetro, Ezequiel Cei, Derek Etienne

Team II
GK: Elijah Brower, Craig Duggan
D: Jack Menard, Thomas Dieffenthaller, Connor Ballantyne, Jackson Weiss
M: Gary Huang, Alex Underwood, Viet Nguyen, Daegan Debono
F: Samuel Akpik, Nathan Mclean
Subs: Hunter Barone, Neil Maqrtorana, Teon Fountain,


Camp Roster with Clubs and Hometowns (courtesy US Soccer)

GOALKEEPERS: Elijah Brower (Springfield Area Soccer; Springfield, Ill.), Brendan Burke (Freestate; La Plata, Md.), Jefferson Caldwell (High Country; Todd, N.C.), Gianni Carillo (FC Westchester; Pine Bush, N.Y.), Craig Duggan (Vardar SC; Chesapeake, Va.), Andrew Epstein (Ft. Collins Arsenal; Ft. Collins, Colo.), Andrew Ferber (Mustang Hotspurs; Danville, Calif.), Aleksander Gogic (PASCO; Ft. Lee, N.J.), Oliver Roberts (POB Piranhas; Massapequa, N.Y.), Brayan Velez (Laguna Niguel BSC; Anaheim, Calif.), Nicholas Zedan (West Pines United; Pembroke, Fla.)

DEFENDERS: Nicholas Arevalo (Woodburn United; Salem, Ore.), Vernon Bailey (FC Dallas Juniors; Duncanville, Texas), Connor Ballantyne (Vardar SC; Shelby Township, Mich.), Reynaldo Cevallos (Weston FC; Weston, Fla), Brendon Curtis (Monroe United; Stony Point, N.Y.), Miles Davis (Hawks; Leesburg, Va.), Thomas Dieffenthaller (Palatine Celtic SC; Palatine, Ill.), Fischer Gallinger (Washington Premier FC; Gig Harbor, Wash.), Eric Holt (San Diego Surf; San Diego, Calif.), Sebastian Joly (United Junkyard Dawgs; Chesapeake, Va.), Carter Manley (Bethesda SC; Elkridge, Md.), Jack Menard (Bavarian SC; Whitefish Bay, Wis.), Theodore Miller (Massapequa SC; Brooklyn, N.Y.), John Moderwell (Eclipse Select; Lake Forest, Ill.), Matthew Nance (Vardar SC; Washington, Mich.), Doluwamu Oyewole (Freestate SA; Waldorf, Md.), Manuel Padilla (Elk Grove Everton; Sacramento, Calif.), Andrew Raad (Discoveries SC; Rock Hill, S.C.), Esteban Reyes (San Juan Lightning; San Marcos, Calif.), Jeffrey Rhodes (West Side United; Bloomsburg, Ind.), Harrison Roche (Upper Dublin Force; Ambler, Pa.), Samuel Tweeton (Real National; Ft. Collins, Colo.), Zachary Zandi (Penn Fusion; West Chester, Pa.)

MIDFIELDERS: Ivan Alvarado (Dallas Texans; Ft. Worth, Texas), Corey Baird (San Diego Surf; Escondido, Calif.), Dakota Brinkman (CASL FC Chelsea; Durham, N.C.), Samuel Brown (Derby County Wolves; Ann Arbor, Mich.), Omar Castro (Plant City Area SC; Plant City, Fla.), Eziquiel Cei (Merlin Soccer Club; Elizabeth, N.J.), Michael Clemmons (CASL FC Chelsea; Raleigh, N.C.), Jeremy Colvin (Houstonians; Houston, Texans), Daegan Debono (Derby County Wolves; Lapeer, Mich.), Derek Entienne (New York Red Bulls Academy; Patterson, N.J.), Teon Fountain (Madison FC; Madison, Wis.), Chase Gasper (LMVSC Hawks; Alexandria, Va.), Jack Gayton (Concorde Fire; Peach Tree, Ga.), Issa Hassan (Eastside United SC; Portland, Ore), Marius Heislitz (Forsyth Fusion; Cummings, Ga.), Gary Huang (Derby County Wolves; Ann Arbor, Mich.), Emerson Hyndman (FC Dallas Juniors; Plano, Texas), Danya Kafai (Juventus; Redwood City, Calif.), Jony Karahbetyan (Olney Boys and Girls; Gaithersburg, Md.), Jacob Kempf (Washington Premier FC; Camas, Wash), Patrick Khouri (Daniel Island; Charleston, S.C.), Eithan Levy (Weston SC; Charleston, S.C.), Rico Lizbinski (Olney Boys and Girls; Gaithersburg, Md.), Elijah Martin (Cal Odyssey; Fresno, Calif.), Adonis Martinez (Long Island United; Levittown, N.Y.), Luka Martinovic (POB; Bayville, N.Y.), Neil Martorana (Michigan Burn; Sterling Heights, Mich.), Declan McCabe (MPS; Weston, Mass.), David Mejia (Weston SC; Weston, Fla.), Axel Mendez (LAFC Chelsea; Mentebello, Calif.), Imad Mojaddidi (LMVSC Hawks; Fairfax Station, Va.), Viet Nguyen (Derby County Wolves; Canton, Mich.), Djair Parfitt-Williams (Elk Grove Everton; Sacramento, Calif.), Arthur Paterson (Miami FC Kendall; Key Largo, Fla.), Arturo Paz (West Pines United; Miami Gardens, Fla.), Antonio Porreco (Westside Metros; Beaverton, Ore.), Sergey Ptachik (Crossfire Premier; Burlington, Wash.), Jake Rozhansky (Olney Boys and Girls; Germantown, Md.), Ricardo Ruiz (Fullerton Rangers; Lake Elsinore, Calif.), Joab Santoyo (Arsenal FC; Fontana, Calif.), Noah Snyder (Lehigh Valley United; Warrington, Pa.), William Stevens (NHP; New Hyde Park, N.Y.), Joseph Swenson (POB Piranhas; Massapequa Park, N.Y.), Alex Tejera (New York SC; Ossining, N.Y.), Brandon Tetro (PDA; Marlboro, N.J.), Andrew Torres (Chicago Fire Juniors; Chicago, Ill.), Anthony Viteri (BW Gottschee; Flushing, N.Y.), Jackson Weiss (Bavarian Juniors; Fox Point, Wis.), Wilfred Williams (Fusion FC; Johnson City, Tenn.), Alan Winn (Solar SC; Garland, Texas)

FORWARDS: Samuel Akpik (Waza FC East; Waterford, Mich.), Adonis Amaya (West Coast FC; Westminster, Calif.), Daniel Apajee (Black Watch Premier; Cranston, R.I.), Hunter Barone (Grand Rapids Crew Juniors; Kentwood, Mich.), James Buonavita (Arsenal FC; Oakland, NJ.), Jorge Calix (Team America; Alexandria, Va.), Sebastian Clark (FC Vestsjaelland; Korsoer, Denmark), Trevor Davock (New England Eagles; MA), James Ellis (United Junkyard Dawgs; Chesapeake, Va.), Evan Enders (Space Coast United; Melbourne, Fla.), Reginald Epps (Columbia FC; Irma, S.C.), Kevin Herrera (North Shore United; Lynn, Mass.), Guyllain Kabala (New Hampshire Classics; Manchester, N.H.), Denis Kalamar (Washington Premier FC; Shoreline, Wash.), Morris Kamara (Alliance FC; Grand Rapids, Mich.), Toby Khounviseth (Minnesota Thunder Academy; Lakeville, Minn.), Nathan Kohl (OP Eagles; Hilliard, Ohio), Oscar Martinez (FC Barcelona; South Gate, Calif.), Nathan McLean (Novi Jaguars; Commerce, Mich.), Carter Perry (BNSC; Boise, Idaho), John Requejo (Santa Barbara SC; Carpinteria, Calif.), DeAndre Robinson (GAS; Lawrenceville, Ga.), Rubio Rubin (WSM; Beaverton, Ore.), Nathan Schultz (Ambassadors FC; Highland Heights, Ohio), Bruno Scodari (Olney Boys and Girls; Silver Spring, Md.), Alejandro Segova (Westside Metros; Beaverton, Ore.), Austin Stamey (Highland SC; Arden, N.C.), Lawrence Taiwo (Raliegh SC; Raleigh, N.C.), Jason Underhill (Seacoast United; Bow, N.H.), Alex Underwood (FC United; Winnetka, Ill.), Rolando Velazquez (Eugene Metro FC; Junction, Ore.), Dembakwi (Cobb FC Georgia; Lithonia, Ga.)