On a big showcase weekend around the region, many of the Riverhounds Development Academy’s college-bound and college-aspiring players were able to make a good impression with their teams.
The excellent results started at the PA Classics Winter College Showcase, played in and around Manheim, Pa., where the 2001/2002 Boys put on a defensive exhibition. The team went 3-0 on the weekend and conceded just a single goal, which came in their final match, while Austin Rocke found the net in all three matches.
Other highlights on the boys’ side were Sam Farner‘s three goals in two Sunday matches for the 2003 Boys, who went 1-0-2, while the 04 Boys were resolute in a 2-0 win over New York SC to finish atop their group with a 2-0-1 record.
The top scorer on the weekend for the RDA was Alex Hauskrecht of the 2005 Boys, who scored five goals, including a hat trick, to help his team to a 2-1 record.
RDA East teams, meanwhile, made the trek to Columbia, Md., for the GTT Winter Turf College Showcase, where the 2001 East Girls produced a 3-0 weekend that they closed out with a gritty 1-0 win over FCGB Center of Excellence (Md.).
The 2003 East Girls also finished atop their group with a 2-1 record and a head-to-head 3-1 win over Baltimore Celtic, which finished level with the Hounds on six points.
Last, but not least, some of the East’s youngest teams stayed out of the cold at the Winter Indoor Classic in Morgantown, W.Va.
The 2010 East Boys won the title after four matches Saturday, as they made good adjustments for a 3-2 win in the final against FC Alliance South (W.Va.) after playing the same team to a 3-3 draw during pool play. Also unbeaten were the 2009 East Girls, who finished the tournament 1-0-2.
Sunday, Dec. 8
At the PA Classics Winter College Showcase in Manheim, Pa.:
• The 01/02 Boys finally conceded a goal, but that didn’t stop them from taking home a 3-1 win over Lititz Youth SC (Pa.). Austin Rocke, Giuseppe Croce and Anthony Rowan scored to give the team a third straight win.
• The 03 Boys fought through the cold to finish with an unbeaten weekend, earning a 2-1 win over Patriot FC (Pa.) and finishing with a come-from-behind, 2-2 draw against Radnor (Pa.) that left the two team tied atop their group. Sam Farner scored three goals on the day, while Gregg Sprenkel had the Hounds’ first goal in the draw.
• The 04 Boys turned out a convincing effort from start to finish in a 2-0 win over New York SC. The back line never let their opposition break through with good support from the midfield, which in turn found their forwards moving well off the ball.
• Alex Hauskrecht scored a hat trick for the 05 Boys against the NC Force (Md.), and the team held strong for a 3-1 win despite playing down a man for the final 20 minutes after a sending off.
• Not being able to finish hurt the 02/03 RDA II Boys once again, as they fell 3-1 to Victory Express even after playing a good game in possession.
• The 04/05 RDA II Boys split their Sunday matches, falling 1-0 to the PWSI Courage (Va.) before rebounding for a 4-1 win over Arsenal FC.
At the GTT Winter Turf College Showcase in Columbia, Md.:
• The 03 East Girls finished atop their group after splitting two matches on the second day. The team won 3-1 over Baltimore Celtic before losing 4-1 to Baltimore Union. Those results gave them six points to finish level with the Celtic side they defeated.
• The 01 East Girls completed their perfect weekend with a hard-earned 1-0 win over FCGB Center of Excellence (Md.) to make it three wins from three matches.
• The 04 East Boys were tripped up in their final match of the weekend, falling 1-0 to Baltimore Union.
Saturday, Dec. 7
At the PA Classics Winter College Showcase in Manheim, Pa.:
• The 01/02 Boys kept it clean in the back, recording a pair of shutout victories. The Hounds opened the weekend with Luke Peperak scoring twice and Austin Rocke netting the other goal in a 3-0 victory over Baltimore Celtic. Rocke scored again as the team dominated play in their second match, but a standout performance by the goalkeeper from Coventry FC (Md.) limited the RDA to a 1-0 win despite 15 shots on goal.
• It will have to wait until Sunday for the 03 Boys to hit the scoresheet, as they battled to a scoreless draw with the Baltimore Bays North in their only match of the day. Their group remains wide open, however, with only four total goals being scored in the day’s three matches and no team above three points.
• The 04 Boys face a winner-take-all match against New York SC to end their group Sunday after earning a win and a draw. Bubby Towns scored as the Hounds were held to a 1-1 result by FC Europa (Pa.) in their opener, but they kicked things into gear in their second match with goals from Anders Bordoy, Towns and Luke Lenz in a 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Stallions. Both the 04 Boys and NYSC have four points and a +3 goal differential entering the final match.
• It was a mixed bag for the 05 Boys, who began the day playing well on all parts of the field during a 3-0 win over FC Revolution (Pa.). The group defended well as a team and transitioned through midfield well in the win, which saw two goals from Alex Hauskrecht and one from Thomas Ruffcorn. A flat first half in the second match doomed the team, however, as they fell 3-2 to PSC Academy (N.J.) despite goals from Hauskrecht and Sam Norris.
• The 02/03 RDA II Boys were stymied by a lack of finishing in the final third in their opening match, as an edge in possession didn’t translate to a result in a 3-0 loss to Liberty FC (Pa.). The team put a point in their account and started finding the net in their second match, a 3-3 draw with White Clay SC (Pa.).
• Fielding a mix of 04, 05 and 06 boys, the 04/05 RDA II Boys were trying to find their rhythm on the fly and did well in the first half connecting passes and switching the point of attack. An early second-half goal by FC Delco Barça caused some panic in the team, however, and an injury left the team with only a goalkeeper as their other sub in a 2-1 defeat. The team gets more time to build chemistry with two matches Sunday.
At the GTT Winter Turf College Showcase in Columbia, Md.:
• The 04 East Boys got off to a tough start with a 5-0 loss to BRA/USA United (Md.), but they shook off the defeat to win their second match of the day over Bayshore FC (Md.), 3-2.
• Two good tests awaited the 01 East Girls, and they passed both with a 3-2 win over Central Carroll SC (Md.) and a 2-0 win over Salisbury United (Md.) to put them atop their group.
• Unlike the other RDA sides, the 03 East Girls only got one game on the opening day, but they made it count with a 2-0 win over Davidsonville FC (Md.).
At the Winter Indoor Classic in Morgantown, W.Va.:
• The 10 East Boys went through the tournament unbeaten at 3-0-1, defeating FC Alliance South (W.Va.) by a 3-2 score in the championship game after the two teams drew during pool play, 3-3. Afterward, the coaches said they were proud of how the boys maintained focus and made the minor adjustments needed to change the result in the final match.
• The 09 East Girls also finished unbeaten at 1-0-2, despite a few mistakes on the ball, but the players remained committed to building out of the back and playing the right way. They also turned a 2-2 draw in their first match into a 3-2 win in the final game, a rematch with FC Wheeling.
• The 10 East Girls opened with a pair of losses to separate FC Wheeling sides, but they got progressively better as the day went on, finishing with a 6-3 win over the Tri-State Force (W.Va.).
