EDP Soccer this past weekend hosted the second half of its EDP Cup Fall Showcase, one of the top recruiting events in the region. The weekend featured 15U-19U Boys, with games played at Tuckahoe Turf Farms in Hammonton, NJ and Green Branch Park in Pittsgrove, NJ from Friday-Sunday. Over 250 teams participated during the weekend, representing eight different states and three regions.
College Coaches from top Division 1, Division 2, and Division 3 conferences were in attendance, with the ACC, Big East, Ivy League, Patriot League, America East, A10, MAAC, NEC, SoCon, NESCAC, NJAC, Centennial, United East, SUNYAC, CACC and more represented. Coaches were able to watch teams from the different top youth leagues in the country, including MLS Next, USYS National League and ECNL, which created a unique recruiting experience by bringing them together at one location.
EDP Soccer’s partnership with ScoutingZone and Next Level Video enhanced the recruiting experience for players at the event through Video and Digital Player Profiles, and Gatorade was also on hand with a variety of products to help fuel players throughout the weekend.
Highlights From This Past Weekend:
The 2004 Platinum Bracket was won by EPYSA State Cup Champions Lower Merion Invictus who went 3-0-0. They opened the weekend with a close 2-1 win over USYS Midwest Regional Semi-Finalist Team Challenger FC. In their second match, they defeated one of the ECNL’s best teams in STA 2004B ECNL, and closed out the weekend defeating FC Somers Arsenal, a rematch of the USYS Eastern Regional Quarterfinal.
The 2003 Platinum Bracket saw SJEB FC Academy NL EDP go 3-0-0, defeating a very strong FC Florida team 2-0 in their first match, and then following that up with a 2-1 win over Manhattan Thunder ECNL, and then another 2-0 victory, this time over East Meadow SC ECNL 04 Spurs.
In the MLS Next Friendlies on Saturday, Ransford Gyan wowed college coaches as he led St Benedict’s/CSA to a 3-2 win over Real Jersey FC, and Omre Ettiene scored one of the best goals of the tournament for TSF Academy when it defeated PA Dominion 2-1.
Other division winners included World Class FC 03 ECNL, STA 2003B ECNL, WUSC Elite 04, Shore FC Black, NJ Surf South Marlton 03, AC Connecticut 03/04 EDP National, Cohansey Premier 2004 Arsenal, PA Dominion ‘03, Deptford Premier FC 03/04, Brick Revolution and Medford SC Gunners.
Manhattan SC Freedom ECNL finished at the top of the 2005 Platinum Division, winning each of their matches 1-0. They recorded wins over BRAUSA United FC ‘05 Blue, Ironbound 2005 Super Eagles and STA 2005B ECNL. Lancaster Elite Collegiate Academy and Caps 05 Arsenal both finished 2-0-1 in the Gold Bracket to finish on seven points, and Union County FC Pumas finished at the top of the Silver Bracket with seven points, one ahead of NY Elite Alleycats FC 2005 who UCFC defeated 2-0 in the opening match of the weekend.
In the MLS Next Friendlies, Real Jersey FC and Met Oval Academy played to a 1-1 draw, and TSF Academy defeated New York SC 1-0.
Other division winners included FC MD Force 2005, United Philly Soccer 2005, World Class FC ’05 ECRL, FC Copa Academy 2005 Brooklyn, YMS 2005B Highlanders NL EDP, Deptford Premier FC ’05, Triboro United SC 2005 Iron, Atletico FC B2005 Orange.
In the 2006 Platinum Bracket, it came down to the last day when New York Premier FC 2006B took on PSA Monmouth National 06. PSA Monmouth entered on six points, having defeated Manhattan SC Wolves ECNL 1-0 and Dix Hills SC Ultimatum 2-1. New York Premier FC defeated Valencia CF Academy NY 2-1 in their first game, and then drew with STA ECNL 2006 1-1 to go into the final match. In the Sunday match, New York Premier FC came away with a 2-0 win to win the group with seven points.
In the 2006 Gold Bracket, Cedar Stars Academy Newark 2006 EDP NL scored two goals in each of their three matches to finish 3-0-0, with wins over East Meadow SC Boca, AC Connecticut B06 EDP National and WUSC 06. In the MLS NEXT Friendlies, TSF Academy defeated New York SC with a dominant second half performance, and Real Jersey FC defeated Met Oval Academy.
Other division winners included BRAUSA United FC 06 Blue, East Meadow SC 06 ECRL, Ironbound SC 2006 Elite, Future SA 06, World Class FC ‘06 ECRL, Monroe Twp YS United 06 White, and Cherry Hill FC Premier Barca 2006.
The 2007 Platinum bracket saw Illinois’ #1 ranked team Chicago United SC 07 finish with a 2-0-1 record to claim first place. A 3-0 win over CJSA State Champion AC Connecticut got them off to a strong start before drawing 1-1 with STA ECNL 2007. They closed out the weekend with a 3-0 win over Ironbound SC 2007 Raiders. AC Connecticut and USYS Eastern Regional Finalist NY Hota Bavarians SC 2007 both finished 2-1-0.
Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals 07B Black won the 2005 Gold bracket going 3-0-0 and allowing just one goal, with impressive wins of 3-0 over Manhattan SC Roma ECNL, 2-1 over Cedar Stars Academy Newark 2007 NL EDP and 1-0 over PSA Monmouth ’07 Orange.
Other division winners included SJEB FC 07B Academy Red, East Meadow SC B07 ECNL, West-Mont United SA Premier Blue ‘07, FC Copa B07 Pre-USL Gray, World Class FC ‘07 ECRL, Lower Merion SC Lost Boys, Rahway YS Strikers, and PSA Princeton Elite ‘07. The 2021 EDP Showcase Season continues with the EDP New England Winter Showcase on December 4-5 and EDP South Atlantic Winter Showcase on December 18-19.