The annual stop in North Carolina brought us back to the immaculate fields at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC. The quality of players and coaches at this event always some of the best in the country, and this year was no exception. Here are the boys who caught our eye on the day.

 

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TDS Unsigned Showcase Cary, NC Boys Best XI:

 

GK, George Marks, Capital Area Railhawks Academy - CASL (2018): Marks is a very talkative keeper who has excellent athleticism and soft feet. He commands his box very well. He moves across the line quickly and has a great spring in his step. Marks will most likely end up playing college at a top program if he continues at the rate he is at.

D, Bhayle Kearns, Loudoun FC (2017): Kearns was one of the best athletes at the showcase. He has great size and always goes in to 50-50 challenges with 100% dedication. As an outside back, he consistently looked to get forward to join the attack, but had the speed and endurance to track bad. Kearns should have few problems making the transition to the college game.

D, Adrien Cushing, Bethesda-Olney (2019): Cushing constantly communicates with his teammates out of the back and controls his entire team. He takes pride in not giving up goals and supporting his teammates though his play. Cushing is young, but has an excellent footballing mind and technical game to back it up. Cushing will be one to keep an eye on moving forward.

D, Alexander Payne, CASL (2018): Payne is a quality defender who showed great versatility and an excellent engine throughout the day. He has a good head on his shoulders and solid soccer IQ. Payne reads the game well and has a great understanding of defensive shape and positioning. Payne is also a great athlete.

D, Wyatt Williams, Wilmington Hammerheads FC (2018): Williams has excellent size and is an imposing force in the center of defense. He reads the game very well and moves in to smart space. Williams needs to improve the speed of his first touch, but as a 2018 is one that can grow in to a very good player who flies under the radar in to college.

MF, Colin Daughtry, Capital Area Railhawks Academy - CASL (2017): Daughtry is a player who always stands out when he steps on the pitch. He has an excellent calmness and confidence to his game. His first touch is unreal and he has cultured left foot. Daughtry has the ability to come inside and create goal scoring opportunities, but is also comfortable bombing down the flank.

MF, Jahon Rad, Sporting Kansas City (2019): Rad has incredibly clean, quick feet. He showed a great ability to keep possession using his body and to play away from pressure. Rad has the ability to ping the ball anywhere across the field to find open teammates. He showed a keen eye for penetrating through balls to get in behind the defensive line. Rad can truly do it all and has a bright future ahead.

MF, Robert Screen, Capital Area Railhawks Academy - CASL (2018): Screen, also known as Screenie, was one of the best players on the field throughout the day. He is extremely technical on the ball and showed excellent composure when put under pressure. Screen has great field awareness and understanding of the game. Not only is Screen a great technical player, he also has solid speed and physical attributes.

MF, Danny Paucar, Baltimore Armour (2018): Paucar is a player that every team needs, a dogged player who is willing to do the dirty work. He is strong in 50-50 challenges and is never afraid to fly in to a tackle. He works hard to pick up the pieces defensively and quickly picks his head up to find teammates to release pressure. Paucar is a quality player who can easily fly under the radar.

F, Kaveh Rad, Sporting Kansas City (2019): Rad is an incredibly technical winger who is excellent in 1v1 situations. He has great vision and a clean strike on the ball. His feet are quick and his first touch always sets up his second. Rad showed a good ability to manipulate the ball to get by defenders and to create chances. As Rad grows in stature and confidence, he will absolutely be one to watch.

F, Branden Johns, Bethesda SC (2020): Johns was one of the best athletes in attendance on the day. He has searing pace which he used to cut through the defensive line and score two quality goals in the full field sessions. His pure athleticism puts him a level above most players in his age group. Not only is he physically gifted, Johns has a final product in the attacking third that will take him far.

 

Honorable Mention

GK, Andrew Hevener, CASL (2018): Hevener has excellent size which commands respect in the box. Anything in the 6 yard box is his, and the opponent always knows he is coming. He is strong when coming off his line but also has soft hands to collect the ball. Distribution can improve, but he has the talent to continue to advance his game.

GK, Grant Stidham, Triangle FC (2018): Stidham has very good feet, both in respect to collecting the ball and moving across his goal line. He made several saves on the day that were very impressive. Stidham is confident and empowers his defensive line with that confidence.

D, Nicolas Quiroga, Chicago Fire Juniors Florida (2017): Quiroga mainly played in the center of defense on the day and showed an excellent ability to communicate and organize his team. He kept the group engaged and demanded the best. Natural leader is a term that directly fits Quiroga. If he continues to improve his technical game, he will be an important part of a college program in the future.

MF, William Burns, North Carolina Fusion (2020): Burns is another midfielder who works extremely hard and puts everything on the line for his teammates. He takes pride in his defensive responsibilities and hates getting scored on. He showed a good ability to communicate and organize his teammates. First touch can improve but passing over distance is a major strength in Burn’s game.

MF, Tyler Nagy, Indian River SA (2018): Nagy is a true team player and had one of the best attitudes of any player at the event. He constantly stays engaged with play, even when off the ball. He has a clean first touch and a good understanding of the tactical side of the game. Nagy has great potential to make it at the next level.

MF, Jackson Stone, N/A (2019): Stone has a good feel for the game and understanding of spacing and flow. He moves well to open up space to receive the ball and quickly distribute. Stone has a lot of potential based on his IQ. He showed an ability to turn defenders and run at goal, but needs to do it more often to excel at the next level.

MF, Harrison Herbst, CASL (2021): Herbst was the youngest player at the event but was never out of his element. He is very smooth on the ball and has great composure. His technical ability, vision, and IQ are advanced for his years. Herbst has all of the potential in the world and will be one to watch over the years.

F, Davis Biggerstaff, Charlotte Soccer Academy (2019): Biggerstaff is an interesting player. He has the ability to finish from within the 18 very well but tended to disappear outside of the box sometimes. When he is involved with his teammates, he is excellent at linking play and utilizing his clean touch to keep play moving. Biggerstaff has a nose for goal and showed a good understanding to pick up smart pockets of space.

F Emmanuel Petrov, CASL (2019): Petrov loves running in to open space and pressuring the defensive line. He has good speed and is constantly working across the line. Petrov can continue to improve the technical side of his game, but he has the tactical and physical attributes to excel in the future.