ECNL Boys Florida: Texas Players to Watch
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The ECNL Boys club season is ready to officially start this weekend, with the league holding an event in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, from Saturday to Monday. With the U16, U17 and U19 age groups in action, the ECNL Florida event…
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Continue ReadingThe ECNL Boys club season is ready to officially start this weekend, with the league holding an event in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, from Saturday to Monday.
With the U16, U17 and U19 age groups in action, the ECNL Florida event will take as many as 230 teams to the field for three days of action in the first showcase of the season.
Texas will be represented in the event, with 12 teams from six clubs from the Lone Star State making the trip to the East Coast to compete. Here are six players that could have great weekends:
Cannon Dalton
Cannon Dalton
Dalton and his DKSC B08 team will face NVA, SLSG MO and FC Pride Elite this weekend in Florida. A forward with his high school team, he typically plays defensive midfielder for his club team. Dalton is a very physical player and he uses his athleticism extremely well to shield the team’s backline, bouncing opponents off the ball and playing hard. Dalton is also very strong in the air and helps the team defensively and offensively in set pieces. He also likes to make runs off the ball into the penalty box and often gets in good spots to finish chances.
Dominic Ferrara
Dominic Ferrara
Ferrara will be with be with Solar SC B07 when they play against Florida Elite, NCFC Youth and Colorado Rapids. A defensive midfielder, he does a good job of occupying the space in fr0nt of the backline and stopping plays. A lefty, he also had great quality on the ball and often orchestrates the team’s offense as a deep-lying midifelder, but can also operate around the penalty box, where he frequently uses one-touch passes to break pressure. Ferrara also likes to overlap on the left, giving a passing option to his team.
Gavin Hendrikson
Gavin Hendrikson
Hendrikson is the goalkeeper of the Dallas Texans Academy B06/05 team that has matches scheduled against NCFC Youth Academy, Connecticut FC and Pipeline SC. Standing at 6’3″, he has a huge wingspan and uses it to cover a huge area between the posts, making it hard for attackers trying to score on him. Despite his size, Hendrikson is also very agile and quick to get to the ground. The goalkeeper is very comfortable with the ball in his feet and hits some nice passes from the back.
Ryan Sharma
Ryan Sharma
Sharma will lead Rise SC B06/05’s offensive line against Willmington Hammerheads, Baltimore Celtic and FC Prime this weekend in Florida. He first emerged as a winger, but has developed his game and is now capable of playing as a striker as well. Sharma is very fast and moves extremely well around and inside the penalty box, often looking for space to run behind the backline. His skill set makes of him a very good fit for the striker position as he’s an excellent finisher and can also connect in quick combination plays through the middle.
Centeno will be a key piece in the FC Dallas Red B06/05 team that will compete with SUSA FC, VDA and NCFC Youth in Lakewood Ranch. Selected to appear in the Continental Tire ECNL National Selection Game, he’s a technical and creative midfielder, who’s among the best in Texas in his age group. His passing is what sets his apart as he’s not only very precise, but also displays great vision, finding teammates in great spots. Centeno also has a strong precise in the final third, often scoring goals himself.
Baquero and the Albion Hurricanes FC B06 will play against Sporting Iowa, Minnesota Thunder and NCFC Youth Academy in Florida. Expect him to be the team’s main playmaker, playing as a traditional No. 10, who gets the ball in the attacking half and makes things happen with his passing. Baquero reads the game well and is very good at getting into good spots to make plays. His vision has the potential to unlock backlines and he doesn’t need a lot of time on the ball, often playing one-time passes. Baquero is also very strong in set pieces.