Thursday, June 11 saw the Niagara Knights men's and women's soccer programs play host to the second annual Niagara Region Soccer Showcase. The event saw 57 of the top high school boys and girls soccer players from across the Niagara Region contest a pair of matches designed to showcase the skill levels and athleticism of the area's best soccer stars.
A total of 17 schools were represented in the event, and a total of 25 high school girls competed in the 6:00 pm game while 32 high school boys competed in the 8:00 pm match.
The idea for the event was brought forward by Niagara College men's and women's soccer head coach Frank DeChellis. The Welland native felt that the busy time of year when high school soccer is contested caused the area's soccer stars to at times be over shadowed.
"May and June are a really busy time for everyone" said DeChellis. "With commencement, the start of club season, and the up-coming summer vacation, the achievements and skill level of Niagara's best soccer players can get lost in the shuffle. This event is designed to recognize and showcase the hard work that these individuals."
The soccer showcase now serves as one of three high school showcase events put on by the Niagara College Knights, joined by a high school boys' volleyball event run in December and a girls' volleyball showcase in March.
In the 6:00 pm girls soccer showcase event both teams competed hard from the opening kick-off to the final whistle. The match ended in a 3-3 tie and was decided by penalty kicks with the Team Blue finally emerging victorious.
Leading the way for Team Blue was Ridgeway Crystal Beach standout Zoey Perchaluk who finished with two goals, while Courtney Mancuso of Notre Dame added the team's third.
Team White was paced by Sir Winston Churchill star Emily Crowley who scored a pair of goals while Ally Riganelli of St. Francis scored the third goal.
For the second consecutive year Crowley was named her team's MVP in the event, while Nicole Berlingeri of A.N. Myer earned the accolade for Team White.
The 8:00 pm boys' game was a wide open and high scoring affair that saw Nick Galvas of Holy Cross record three goals for Team White to pace his team to a 7-3 victory. Galvas was named MVP of Team White, marking the second consecutive year he has earned match MVP in the showcase event.
The other goal scorers for Team White were John Paterson (AN Myer) who notched two, while Rylee DeFaria of South Lincoln High scored once.
"Over the years I've crossed paths with lots of these guys on the field so I knew there was a lot of quality on display" said John Patterson after the event. "As soon as I saw Adam Seguin, my Myer teammate, on my team I knew I'd get the chances to put myself on the score sheet."
Team Blue MVP was presented to Owen Charnock of Denis Morris. The Team Blue goal scorers were Collin O'Connor (St. Paul), Jordan Gigante (St. Paul), and Brandon McCorriston (E.L. Crossley).
Coaches and players from the Niagara College men's and women's soccer programs served as coaches and volunteers during the event. All participants were asked to bring a piece of used sporting goods for donation to The Hope Centre in Welland.
DeChellis continued "The showcase is a nice celebration of the high school soccer scene. Letting skilled athletes play in a pressure-free environment allows them to display their passion for football and show what they can bring to the game."
Full Rosters from the 2015 Niagara Region Soccer Showcase:
GIRLS TEAM BLUE
Courtney Aucoin, Jean Vanier
Lisa Gearing, E.L. Crossley
Hailey Vanderzanden, E.L. Crossley
Emily Crowley, Sir Winston Churchill
Jordan Gabriele, Sir Winston Churchill
Ally Riganelli, St. Francis
Ashley D'Elia, St. Francis
Sarah Quaranta, St. Paul
Felicia Scaringi, St. Paul
Chloe Rabideau, Laura Secord
Kira McPherson, South Lincoln
Alysha Fontaine, Jean Vanier
GIRLS TEAM WHITE
Alana Rossi, Notre Dame
Krystal Penner, Eastdale
Katie Sauder, Eastdale
Cassandra DiCicco, Lakeshore Catholic
Sarah Robert, Lakeshore Catholic
Courtney Mancuso, Notre Dame
Sarah Armstrong, Notre Dame
Ciera Lundy, Notre Dame
Briar Hunter, Eden High School
Zoey Perchaluk, Ridgeway CBHS
Hailey Tabbert, Ridgeway CBHS
Christie Boychuk, Port Colborne HS
Moriah Robinson, Port Colborne HS
BOYS TEAM BLUE
Cam Pow, St. Paul
Elijah Finlay, A.N. Myer
Adrian Snopkowski, Denis Morris
Danny Gearing, E.L. Crossley
Keagan Gallant, St. Francis
Aidan Hinds, St. Francis
Nick Gracan, St. Francis
Dare Odutatayo, St. Paul
Collin O'Connor, St. Paul
Jordan Gigante, St. Paul
Frankie Scerbo, St. Paul
Jordan Stewart, Laura Secord
Owen Charnock, Denis Morris
Brandon McCorriston, E.L. Crossley
Cam Philip, Thorold
Austin Upper, Thorold
BOYS TEAM WHITE
Sam Zapitelli, St. Mikes
Nick Galvas, Holy Cross
Ty Burke, Holy Cross
Dante Massa, Holy Cross
Shane Dorward, Notre Dame
Jake Therrien, Notre Dame
Jonathan Mancini, Notre Dame
Josh Latham, Notre Dame
Adam Seguin, A.N. Myer
Devon McLeod, Eastdale
Drew English, Eastdale
Aaron Marzi, Beamsville
Lucas Savage, Beamsville
Josh Paterson, A.N. Myer
Noah Dino, St. Mikes
Anthony Ferraro, St. Mikes
