Players That Impressed: Jefferson Cup 2025 Boys Showcase

The 2025 Jefferson Cup Boys Showcase Weekend was held March 28-30 in Richmond, VA, featuring many of the best teams in the country. (RECAP)

The event, hosted by the Richmond Strikers, featured hundreds of college coaches from across all divisions. The Jefferson Cup has been one of the nation’s top-ranked youth soccer tournaments for over four decades, playing host to around 2,000 total teams annually.

Below are some of the top players from the Jefferson Cup Boys Showcase sorted by graduation year. You can also nominate a player who stood out during the event through the following link.

2028

Adam Mathapha | Defender
SYC MLS Next 2010

A standout defensive force, this versatile player excels at any position on the back line. He brings intelligence and tenacity to the SYC defense. As a key player with an impressive 0.75 GA/M, Adam demonstrates exceptional positioning and decision-making, elevating the team’s overall defensive performance.

2027

Owen Kammerer | Midfielder/Forward
Cincinnati United Premier 2009 Gold

Buried the go-ahead goal early in the first half to give CUP an early 1-0 lead against Richmond United. Kammerer worked effectively alongside Maddox Rose, Austin Harding, and Alex Hou to unlock Richmond’s tight defense, giving CUP an emphatic 4-0 victory.

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Harley Kerr | Defender/Midfielder
Arlington Soccer ECNL 2009

Switching between the midfield and defense Kerr was effective at maintaining possession for Arlington in their 3-1 victory over Oakville on Sunday. His pace and delivery on his passes are always on point, and he has a strong awareness of where his teammates are on the field, which helped Arlington keep their opponents at bay.

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Ben Angus | Defender
St. Mary’s Soccer 2008 Premier

Anchored a St. Mary’s defense that allowed just two goals in the Elite Division, shutting out Cleveland Force ECNL 08 while holding off FC Boston 2008 Boys NAL and Skyline Elite ECNL 2008B (2-1 in both games). Angus is more than willing to mix it up with attackers and can make the decisive clear needed to give his team time to reorganize.

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Joseph Thompson | Defender
St. Mary’s Soccer 2008 Premier

Thompson and the U-17 St Mary’s defense held a clean sheet, and only conceded 2 goals in the second division of the Jefferson Cup. Joseph is a 2027 right outside back that used his speed and calmness on the ball to direct his team to securing first place in their division.

2026

Sean Lowry | Defender/Forward
VDA ECNL 2008

Alternating between defense and the forward position, Lowry’s explosiveness down the right flank paid off for VDA against Black Rock. In the second half, he showed that he is more than willing to take a crack at burying his right-footed effort off of the far left post into the back of the net.

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Ricardo Oliva | Defender/Midfielder
VDA ECNL 2008

A captain in every sense of the word, Oliva leads by example on the pitch. Whether on defense or in the midfield Oliva works seamlessly with his teammates to plug gaps and retain possession in even the thickest of traffic.

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Axel Gallegos | Defender
Richmond United ECNL 2008

Formed a strong 1-2 partnership alongside Kendall Tabib in Richmond’s victory over Cincinnati United Premier Gold, clearing out multiple dangerous balls in the second half. His spatial awareness allowed for Richmond to operate the offside trap to perfection.

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Colby Macomber | Goalkeeper
Richmond United ECNL 2008

Faced considerable pressure in the second half against CUP but held his own helping Richmond earn the 1-0 shutout. Between the post,s Macomber showed off his excellent footwork, timing his dives to meet the ball and avoid contact.

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Jay Bhatt | Goalkeeper
Charlotte Soccer Academy ECNL 2008

Sprawled out to make two electric diving saves in the second half, using his athleticism to avert disaster. Bhatt is highly comfortable with the ball at his feet and was integral in CSA’s victory over Alleycats.

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James Gray | Winger
STA Soccer 2008 ECNL

Operating down the right side, Gray was a difference maker for STA against Real Colorado National. Gray has a quick first touch and can use it to force his opponents out of position. On the defensive end he applied consistent pressure on Colorado’s back line, forcing them to make dicey passes and clears in traffic.

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Chase Holcomb | Goalkeeper
Real Colorado National ECNL 2008

Faced considerable pressure against a high-pressure STA team but maintained control inside of his box. His patience and timing were particularly on point during set piece,s making the diving stop on a low-curving free kick midway through the first half. It paid off with Real Colorado holding on for the 1-0 victory.

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Tommy Sowis | Forward
Coppermine SC 2008 ECNL RL

Smashed home the go-ahead goal for Coppermine in their 1-0 win over SYC U17 MLS NEXT. His smooth dribbling skills allow for him to weave through defenses and exploit gaps along the back line quickly.

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Christian Tshiteya | Midfielder/Forward
Northern Virginia Alliance ECNL 2008

Fired a low, curling free kick into the back of the net early in the first half for NVA against SUSA FC Academy. His set-piece prowess aside, Tshiteya is dangerous with open space in front of him and can use his speed to hit difficult shots on target or set his teammates up at the far post.

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Matt Benavides | Midfielder/Forward
SUSA FC ECNL 2008

Buried a brace against NVA on Saturday, including a cracking free kick strike in the second half to put his team within one. While he is deadly with the ball at his feet, he is equally effective off the ball, making small cuts against defenders to force them out of position and open up play for his teammates.

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Reid Campbell | Winger/Midfielder
Richmond United ECNL 06/07

Smashed a left-footed volley on Saturday to help Richmond hold off Black Rock FC | Northwood U19 3-2, his second goal in as many matches. Campbell’s speed and pace off of the ball destabilizes defenses, and he can hit shots at a variety of speeds anywhere in the attacking third.