ECNL Boys National Finals: 07 Quarterfinal Standouts

The Boys ECNL National Finals kicked off the quarterfinal round in Richmond this morning with the 2007 age group. A number of tough, tight affairs ran their course, offering plenty of goals and action throughout. Let's take a look at the players that made strong impressions in this round:   Louisville City Academy B07 1 - 0 Florida Premier FC B07 - A tense, tight affair between two evenly matched sides, this match had a ton of action despite the low score. Both goalkeepers were tested regularly and this one came down to the last moments.    Hartlage consistently put his team on his back during their quarterfinal matchup, coming up with big save after big save to preserve the shutout and eventually a 1-0 win. He started strong with two diving saves in the opening ten minutes, and played out the first half with a number of quality decisions. He was called on twice in the second half on breakaways, one coming in the last 5 minutes of the match, and both times Hartlage was able to turn away Florida's attackers and preserve Louisville's slim lead.     Ryan stood out time and again in this match, especially when Louisville was on the attack. He was always a focal point for their offense and was repeatedly the man with the ball at his foot, conducting play and encouraging his side forward. This would be crucial as he would find one of his strikers for the match clinching goal with a little more than 20 minutes left. His assist changed the makeup of the match, and helped Louisville make it through to the Final Four.      Dorticos put away the game winner, deftly finishing a through pass beyond the outstretched limbs of the Florida goalkeeper and giving Louisville City a lead they wouldn't relinquish. His introduction to the game provided a change in pace and he worked well with his wingers and center mids to find open attacking lanes and get consistent pressure on the Florida net and defense, both before and after his goal.     Despite the loss, Montague gets a solid stamp of approval for his efforts and play during today's performance. He was consistent in his movements and distribution, and once again kept his team firmly in the match. He had to come up big once in the first half, and twice more in the second to keep Florida within striking distance, and he did everything you could have asked from him throughout this game.     Clamp put on another class showing today from his defensive midfield position. He demonstrated an extensive command of his squad, organizing attacks and offering time and patience to allow plays to build up, then playing passes and finding the right players to utilize Florida's shape. He showed off his passing range from short to long, and communicated effectively throughout the match, regularly helping his teammates find opportunities to try and take advantage of. He offered a quality offensive threat from deep while showing a strong defensive ability to win second balls and strip attackers of possession on the ground.    Dallas Texans Academy B07 2 (2) - 2 (3) LV Heat Surf B07 - The Texans took a 2-0 lead going into the first hydration break, but from that point on, it was mostly all Vegas. However the Heat did have to push hard to even up the match, and eventually three saves in penalties saw another Surf team go through.    Sullivan put on a display once his group got into the game, contributing heavily on both goals that saw Heat come back to tie the match and eventually win on penalties. He was consistently a force on the wing, receiving the ball on the half turn and driving at defenders to take advantage of space that was afforded him. He regularly tracked back defensively, winning possession multiple times and provided a strong balance to the right side of the pitch for his squad.     Stewart evolved as one of the turning points of the match, and by the time all had been said and done, his efforts in front of net were key to his side advancing to the semis. His second half strike completed the comeback for LV Heat and tied the match at 2, while his penalty take was resounding, a thunderous blast into the upper right corner the Texans keeper had no chance of saving. As a center forward and at his size, he is is hard to miss, so plenty of eyes will be on him going into tomorrow morning's match.     A lesser goalkeeper would have cost the Texans before this match even reached 90 minutes, as Ramsey spent the entirety of the second half keeping Dallas competitive. His save range was on display throughout the second 45, from a sprawling kick save on a reaction chance to his last minute heroics to deny a breakaway goal. He also managed to force an extra round in the ensuing shootout, diving strong to his right to smother a placed strike.     Ademayo is a key cog to this Texans offense and seems to be what truly makes them click. He has a knack for stretching centerbacks deeper than they would like to be, and his speed and ability to change direction quickly befuddles opposing defenders and usually puts them on the back foot. He is truly good at finding himself where the ball is in front of goal, and has a penchant for creating scrambles and chaos in the goal mouth, exactly where opposing defenders and goalkeepers don't want that to happen.    Mustang SC B07 3 - 1 Tennessee SC B07 - A comprehensive victory for the California squad, Mustang SC dominated most of the play and found goals amongst their chances as they look forward to the semifinals.    Raby made his mark once again for Mustang SC, opening the scoring in dramatic fashion and kickstarting the performance for his squad as a whole. Raby has shown up and showed out the more the pressure has been applied in the playoffs, and his big game performances are starting to truly earn him deserved eyes from outside California.     Adams made his mark on this match on the left wing, marauding up and down the sideline and seemingly exerting his will on defenders at several intervals during the match. This combined well with his teams' other playmakers and helped spur his side to a convincing win. Look for him to go for more meat that was left on the bone in the semifinal.

The Boys ECNL National Finals kicked off the quarterfinal round in Richmond this morning with the 2007 age group. A number of tough, tight affairs ran their course, offering plenty of goals and action throughout. Let's take a look at the players that made strong impressions in this round: