Photo Gallery: 92 Gold Wins Disney Showcase
After earning their way into the Disney Soccer Showcase in September, the 92 Gold headed back to Orlando the day after Christmas to compete in the nation’s top recruiting event. After four matches against top level opponents, the Jammers came out as champions. Read on for the complete recap and story.
Placed in a bracket with a top three, nationally ranked, team from Canada, the Arkansas state champions, and a top three team from Virginia, the Jammers would need to finish in the top two in order to earn promotion to Wednesday’s matches (either a championship or consolation match).
The first match against the Ottawa Fury Academy started off hotly contested. Things intensified when the Fury striker’s late challenge on JSC goalkeeper Stephen Moffitt resulted in the keeper being transferred to the hospital for stitches in his knee. With their backup keeper missing in action, the Jammers turned to Joey Al-Makki and switched to a more defensive minded formation. Despite a number of chances including two attempts that were cleared off the line, JSC wasn’t able to capitalize while Al-Makki made three big saves of his own to leave the match at 0-0.
The second day matched the Jammers against Little Rock (Ark.) FC. A Region III Premier League and multiple time defending USYS State Champion. With their goalkeeper back less than a day after the injury, the Jammers once again started a bit slow allowing a goal 18 minutes into the match. The team would equalize in the 43rd minute when Bart Toe received the ball and fed it across to Andrew Daniel. Daniel "dummied" the ball, which allowed Jose Valencia to one time it into the left netting to leave the game even at the half. The Jammers’ offense would come alive after halftime as Pierce Verchick’s corner kick was volleyed into the net by Daniel. Valencia would then find Toe five minutes later for a finish into the top corner to make it 3-1, JSC. Then Verchick would find the scoreboard twice more - both on assists by Daniel - to leave the final score at 5-1.
By virtue of Saturday’s results, the Jammers were virtually assured of a place in Wednesday’s bonus rounds. A draw would land the team in the championship match. Once again it seemed as though JSC wouldn’t be able to get a result as Arlington Premier was awarded a penalty kick at the 8 minute mark. After the kicker took the kick before the whistle, the referee allowed a re-taking which was converted to make it 1-0 to the Virginians. For the rest of the match Arlington would maintain control with an eye on the clock, resulting in the addition of stoppage time. A chance to ice the game came in 67th minute when the Virginians were awarded yet another penalty. This time, however, Moffitt was able to make a big diving save to keep the Jammers within striking distance.
It was in that stoppage time that the game changed. JSC created a number of chances before Stephen McDaniel one timed a bouncing ball from 30 yards out into the upper left corner to make it 1-1 in the 94th minute. It was the goal that sent the Jammers into Wednesday’s championship match.
On Wednesday the Jammers faced the Beach (Va.) FC Fire Red - Virginia’s top ranked team. Beach took the lead six minutes into the match after their forward cut through the JSC defense before lacing the ball into the lower left corner on a beautiful individual effort. The Jammers would equalize 18 minutes later when Daniel found Verchick 18 yards from the goal on a wall pass that sent Daniel into the box where he calmly placed the ball past the keeper. JSC would take the lead 14 minutes into the second half when Verchick won the ball on the right side and sent the ball across where Valencia would knock home a header. Beach FC would equalize at the 32 minute mark when a miscommunication in the back resulted in a JSC own-goal.
After 90 minutes the teams remained level and headed into two 10 minute overtime periods that would create a couple of chances each way, but neither team could find the back of the net which meant the event would be decided on penalty kicks. JSC won the toss and elected to shoot second. On Beach’s first attempt, Moffitt read the kick and made a diving save. The JSC keeper would then step to the mark and convert his attempt to leave JSC up 1-0 after the first round. Verchick and Valencia would then convert before the Jammers missed their fourth attempt. Arlington would also miss their fifth, meaning a conversion would end the event. JSC’s Matt Shuster stepped to the ball and calmly drove it low into the corner to give JSC the 4-3 victory and the Disney Showcase title.
The 92 Jammers Gold finish their U17 2009 season with an overall record of 8-1-3 and championships at the CASL Showcase and Disney Showcase as well as a Finalist appearance at the Disney Showcase Qualifiers. In those 12 matches the Jammers have faced State Champions; State Finalists; Regional Premier League participants; and international opponents. The team has posted a 26-14 goal differential over that time.
The Disney Showcase is rated as the nation’s No. 1 youth soccer event according to the publication Soccer America. This year’s event included 103 state champions, 13 regional champions, and two national champions in the field.
