The starting 11 of the U19 squad. Photo provided.
Every year, the soccer teams travel to Las Vegas to play in the prestigious Players Showcase. Top teams from all over the country compete to win the tournament and impress elite college coaches. This year, the U19 and U17 teams have been performing at levels the program has never seen before and went into Vegas with ambitions to win it all.
Day 1
The first day started with a brutal 1:45 a.m. wake-up. Both teams traveled to Albany to catch a 7 a.m. flight to Chicago, where they would then catch a flight to Vegas. Trey Frantz, ‘25, said, “The morning wake-up was awful, but the weekend ahead motivated us to push through.”
After a long day of travel, both teams finally arrived at the hotels but weren’t allowed to rest too much. Coach Moodey referred to this trip as a “Business trip.” Only a few hours after landing, the teams were out on the pitch training for their matches the following day. After some tactical and technical work, the boys were finally done for the day. Cedric Lemaire ‘25 expressed, “It was so nice finally being able to rest; I slept like a baby.”
Day 2
The second day was the first matchday for the teams. After a long travel day, both teams could sleep in and recover. The 19s played at 4:20 p.m. which gave them time to catch up on schoolwork and go for a team walk in the morning. The 17s played at 1:00 p.m. They had a team meeting in the morning and headed out to the fields shortly after to compete. The U19 team watched the 17s fight hard for a well-earned 1-1 draw in a scrappy game. Said El Eyassami ’26 scored an equalizer in the second half. Diego Green ’25 emerged as a key leader and player who controlled the game. Many of the U19 players were impressed with his performance. After watching the 17s, the 19s got ready to start their campaign. The U19s went up 1-0, but soon after, their opponent equalized. The team outplayed their opponent, which led to 2 team goals, which helped secure a 3-1 win. Mitchell Baker ’24 had a hat trick and scored his 50th of the season. Both teams fought hard and returned to the hotel with a desire to get some rest.
Day 3
The third day in Vegas was the most important and most eventful. Both teams played a morning and night game that would decide their final standing in the tournament. The U17s played Strikers FC and won 3-1. Said El Eyassami ’26 had a Hat trick and goalkeeper Gavin Kruger ’26 had a huge penalty save. This was a much-needed win for the U17s to build momentum for the remaining two games. The U19s played the tournament hosts Players FC. Several opposition parents were constantly trying to frustrate the Black Rock Boys, but with the help of the coaches, they were able to block it out. The U19s won 5-1, with Baker scoring all 5. This was a significant win that would give them confidence for their tournament-deciding game against Crossfire. After the games, both teams got lunch and quickly came back to the hotel to do some recovery. The U19s first allowed the U17 team to watch the match. After an intense start to the game, Sachiel Ming ’24 opened the scoring. The boys continued to fight hard against a tough opponent. In the second half, Baker scored to make it 2-0. The strong display of discipline on defense earned a well-deserved shutout. The 2-0 victory put the boys at the top of the group. Coach Moodey expressed, “That was one of the best team performances I’ve seen in Northwood soccer history. It was a true joy to watch.”
The U17s played right after and were on fire from the start. Jace Donowa ‘25 and Said both scored early goals to give the U17s a 2-0 lead. The team managed the game and held on to win 2-0. Both teams rushed back to the hotel, exhausted. They ate and then slept at once ahead of their final games of the tournament.
Day 4
The Players Cup championship team. Photo provided.
On the final day, both teams were up early for 8 a.m. kickoffs. Daylight savings affected the amount of time the boys got, resulting in everyone losing an hour. After three tough games, both teams were sore and tired but were determined to end on a high note. The U17s were ranked 2nd in the group, facing the 3rd ranked team. Winning the game gave them the potential to win the tournament or at least secure an impressive second place. Hamish Riddle ’26 opened the scoring by cutting onto his right foot and curling one into the far corner. The boys conceded soon after and went into the half tied at 1-1. Diogo Charraz ‘25 stepped up and scored a beautiful goal to give the boys the lead. Not long after Said scored his 6th goal of the tournament. Coach Coss said, “Said’s goal was a beautiful team goal.” The U17 team won 3-1 and secured a solid second place in the Vegas showcase.
The U19s played Santa Rosa FC with the potential to win the tournament. After a goalless first half, Lohkoah Paye ’25 stepped up and scored an important goal to give the boys the lead. Soon after, Baker scored a brace. This brace broke the team’s previous goal record of 56 (set by Baker) and established a new record (58) with several games to go in the season. The U19s won the tournament in impressive style. College coaches were very impressed with the performances of both teams.
Some of the soccer players hiked at Red Rocks following the tournament. Photo provided.
After the game, the boys ate at Denny’s. An unhealthy meal was their reward for all their hard work. Several members of the team then went on a hike up Red Rocks. Trey Frantz ‘25 expressed, “The hike was fun. It became more of a climbing session than a hiking one, but regardless, it was an unreal experience.” The last activity before returning to Lake Placid was exploring the Las Vegas strip. The strip was a great way to end their successful business trip.