Tickets Punched to ECNL Boys Finals: Round of 16 Standouts

It has been a fantastic week of soccer at 60 Acres Park in Redmond, WA. Tons of athletes and clubs were able to show out in front of friends, family and scouts to solidify their place amongst their peers in the National ECNL landscape. It was emotional from start to finish with epic saves, heartbreaking goals and game winners. There was something for every soccer fan.   The Round of 16 is the pinnacle of the week for most teams (Except for the U18/19 Championship Match of course). These teams battled through the Group stages and came out #1 versus some of the best competition the country had to offer. In the Round of 16, it is the epitome of the 'Go Hard or Go Home' moniker. You are either heading to the ECNL Boys National Finals in Richmond, VA or you're on a flight home thinking about what could have been.   These matches test the grit and resiliency of the club and athletes alike. Playing four matches that individually mean so much, is taxing on athletes physically, mentally and emotionally. Seeing the support from older and/or younger teams lining the fields cheering for their club brothers was amazing! That helped drive some of these teams/club to greatness. The celebrations after goals were epic. Everyone on and off the field got involved at the corner flags. You would have thought some of these goals were World Cup winning bangers and you know what ... I loved every second covering it!   However, it was not all rainbows and gumdrops for everyone. Some amazing teams came up short and the thought of starting all over again next season, was visible on the faces of some of the defeated.   Every team in the Round of 16 left it all on the field and deserved to represent their state, city and club alike! They should all be proud of themselves!   Here are five exceptional athletes who fought to the final whistle in the Round of 16:    The winning never stops with this dynamic player from the PNW. Zachariah is coming off a High School State Championship and now he and his XF Academy B08 club team are heading to the ECNL Boys National Finals! Hume is an uber talented athlete that can play up top or drop back into the midfield with pace to assist on transitions. He is a menace in the box and a threat to score at all times. Zachariah is accurate on frame and deadly with set pieces. He has a non-stop motor and can wear defenses down early. Hume has a winning mindset and losing doesn't seem to be in his vocabulary. The XF Academy B08's are a stacked team and they will be tough to stop in Virginia.     Isaiah is a physical forward whose speed on the edge attracts early double teams. He is strong on the ball and is difficult to dispossess. Fletcher has a smooth touch and great technical skills at full speed. His strong leg paired with his field awareness allows him to be accurate with switches and crosses into the box. The KC Athletics pulled off a tight win against a good LAFC So Cal team to advance to the ECNL Finals later this month. Look for Fletcher to rise to the occasion and make his presence known when it matters most.     Cooper was one of the top goalkeepers in the playoffs this week. He made multiple highlight reel saves that changed the trajectory of the matches. He is strong in the air on set pieces and physical in the box. Cooper organizes well and is vocal from the back line. He exudes confidence and hypes his teammates up throughout. Gunn has a powerful leg for clearances and understands distributions out of the back and how to make them successful depending on the moment in the game. Despite some banger goals being scored against him in each game, Gunn was able to flush it, bounce back and make the saves when it was needed most in the matches. That is difficult as a GK and showed resiliency. Cooper and his Oklahoma Energy FC teammates punched their ticket to the ECNL Finals in Richmond with an emotionally charged PK shootout that found him making TWO massive match winning saves and a chance to fight for a National Championship!     The Solar SC Academy B09 team came to play this week. They took down SLSG B09 in the Round of 16 and will be making the trip to Richmond to seek a National Title. One key contributor to the teams' success was Jad Shehadeh. Jad is an attacking minded player who keeps defenses on their toes with his quick lateral movements. Shehadeh has a touch and confidence on his shot that you don't see often. He can place accurate shots on frame and bend them around outstretched keepers. His calmness under pressure draws in defenders and allows his teammates to find open space so he can feed them, break pressure, receive and attack the goal. Jad is the type of player successful clubs seek to make Championship runs. Keep an eye on #9.     A nonstop work rate is what Jesse exhibits when he is on the pitch. He has stellar ball control and will even sacrifice his body to keep team possession instead of a throw in for the opposing team. Robledo-Matadamas is the focal point of the midfield and is the player you want feeding the attack. His precisely weighted ball placement into space allows his teammates to make aggressive and dangerous runs into goal. JRM and his peers seem to have a cohesive unit that works for each other to be successful as one. Santa Clara Sporting came up short in a disappointing loss to STA 1-0. Jesse will continue to grow his game and will be one to watch on the podium in the coming years.    Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/prep_soccer/">@prep_soccer</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/prepsoccerpnw/">@prepsoccerpnw</a> on Instagram and <a href="https://x.com/coldbrew25">@coldbrew25</a> on X for continued coverage of everything ECNL and more! Keep Grinding!

It has been a fantastic week of soccer at 60 Acres Park in Redmond, WA. Tons of athletes and clubs were able to show out in front of friends, family and scouts to solidify their place amongst their peers in the National ECNL landscape. It was emotional from start to finish with epic saves, heartbreaking goals and game winners. There was something for every soccer fan.