Players That Impressed: ECNL Boys 2023 Las Vegas National Event

The ECNL Boys held their latest National Event of the 2023-24 season over the weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada. ECNL Las Vegas featured 160 teams from across the league’s U15-U18/U19 age groups (Results).

Below are some of the top players from the weekend’s event sorted by graduation year. You can also nominate a player who stood out during the event through the following link.

2027

Austin Roberts | Midfielder
Pipeline Soccer Club 09 (MD)

Scored seven goals, including two hat tricks, and added two assists to spell a strong weekend for Pipeline. Across all three games, he was a key contributor in eight of their ten goals in Vegas.

2026

So. Much. Fun. Thanks @ECNLboys for letting me rep @HeatFCNV in the National Selection Game pic.twitter.com/1UIIACC5QS

— VegasChase2026 Chase Stewart – Class of 2026 (@VegasChase2026) December 16, 2023

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Isak Medhaug | Midfielder-Defender
Seattle United 08 (WA)

Alternating between the midfield and defense, Medhaug was highly effective at closing down the center of the pitch and creating long, sustained possessions for Seattle. Medhaug can make the timely tackle and then immediately pick out a teammate with a crisp pass. Due to his relentless defensive work, Seattle limited opponents to just one goal scored.

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Michael Reddy | Goalkeeper
Seattle United 08 (WA)

Alongside Medhaug and the Seattle defense, Reddy blanked Solar (1-0) and Legends FC (3-0) while holding a potent DKSC attack to just one goal (4-1). Between the posts, Reddy leads the defense with his acrobatic diving saves and by making smart decisions as to when to speed up play or slow it down. He also works seamlessly with his defenders to shore up gaps and make adjustments on the fly.

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Justin Chen | Midfielder
Crossfire Premier 1 08 (WA)

Sparked the Crossfire attack on matchday one with a brace against CESA Triumph. He added two more goals in their wins over Slammers FC (8-2) and SAFC (3-2), pushing his goal scoring haul to four on the weekend. Chen has a clever first touch and can use it to immediately force defenders on their heels. Chen alongside teammate Zach Hume was named to the ECNL All-American team last season.

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Zach Hume | Midfielder
Crossfire Premier 1 08 (WA)

The reigning ECNL Player of the Year provided expert leadership in all three matches for Crossfire, helping the team retain their form under significant pressure. Hume knows exactly when to press the gas on the attack and when to hold off, slowing down play to force the opposition to chase. He scored in the 8-2 win over Slammers on matchday two.

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Oscar Ayala | Midfielder
Minnesota Thunder Academy 08 (MN)

Halted the opposition’s advances through the counter-attack and showed his dominance by playing tough, physical defensive work in the midfield. Ayala was also an asset on the attack and provided an assist over the weekend. Overall, his work on both sides of the pitch was integral to the Thunder earning an undefeated record.

2025

Rahul Kuthiala | Midfielder-Forward
Lonestar SC Red 07 (TX)

Bagged a brace while adding an assist in Lonestar’s seesaw 5-3 win over VSA Rush. Kuthiala, who previously played for Austin FC in MLS Next, showed his attacking prowess by making darting runs off of the ball and connecting with teammates on pacey, diagonal passes in open space. He was also an asset on set pieces, with his two goals coming off of a penalty and a free kick respectively.

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Cole Essner | Midfielder
Sporting Nebraska 06/05 (NE)

Earned Most Valuable Player honors for his standout performance in the National Selection Game, leading the East to a 2-0 victory. For both the East and Sporting, Essner was highly effective at maintaining the midfield’s shape and withstand pressure from the opposition. He has verbally committed to playing college soccer in 2025 at Creighton University.

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Bryan Beck | Defender
Solar SC 06/05 (TX)

Anchored Solar’s defense by making multiple key clearances in their three wins over Eclipse Select (2-1), Utah Avalanche (2-1), and Washington Premier (1-0). Beck was effective at timing his track backs so that he can get enough space between himself, the attacker and the ball and snuff out any potential goal-scoring chances. From the left-back position he can also create counter-attacking opportunities, using his speed to change the field of play. He also scored off of a Free Kick, hitting a low effort past the goalkeeper.

Great weekend in Vegas with the boys. #solaru19ecnl @ECNLboys @Gosset41 @TheSoccerWire @PrepSoccer pic.twitter.com/BHDi5j0ZGr

— Bryan Beck (@BryanBeck_2005) December 17, 2023

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James Bowman | Forward
St. Louis Scott Gallagher 07 (MO)

Buried the game-winning goal in the 60th minute to lift SLSG over United PDX 1-0. Bowman possesses lightning speed and is always looking for little gaps in the defense to exploit. He is also an expert passer and can deliver highly accurate passes to teammates at a variety of speeds.

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Jackson Stubbs | Defender
RISE SC 07 (TX)

Stifled attackers advances with timely tackles and constant pressure all throughout the weekend. In addition to excelling on the soccer field, Stubbs also plays basketball at the guard position for Randle High School. That experience shows as his defensive style in soccer relies upon close marking and superb footwork. Thanks to his defensive prowess, RISE defeated Pride SC 1-0 to cap their weekend.

2024

Ethan Yoshiwara | Goalkeeper
Oregon Premier FC 06/05 (OR)

Shut out the Rockford Raptors on matchday one, making multiple key saves in Oregon Premier’s 3-0 win. He continued his strong form between the posts in successive close victories over Atlanta Fire (3-2) and Germantown Legends (2-1). At 5’10” Yoshiwara can parry high shots over the bar or wide to end goal-scoring opportunities. He previously played for the Portland Timbers in MLS Next and futsal in Spain.

2023

Ryan Clanton-Pimentel | Right Back-Midfielder
Lonestar SC Red 06/05 (TX)

Set the tone for a strong attacking weekend for Lonestar in their first match against Concorde Fire, scoring a goal and adding an assist in their 2-1 win. He would add two more goals for Lonestar, pushing the team to an undefeated record (3-1 over Seattle United and 5-0 over Sporting Iowa).