Players That Impressed: Jefferson Cup 2024 Boys Showcase

The 2024 Jefferson Cup Boys Showcase Weekend was held March 22-24 in Richmond, Va., featuring many of the best teams in the country. (RECAP)

More than 140 college coaches attended the event hosted by the Richmond Strikers, which has been one of the nation’s top-ranked youth soccer tournaments for over four decades.

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.

2027

Jayden Choi | Defender
Northern Virginia Alliance ECNL 08 (VA)

Helped build, long sustained possessions out of the back for Virginia, using quick diagonal passes to help find and locate targets in the midfield. Choi was also instrumental in stemming counter-attacking chances before they started, marking attackers closely and forcing them to go away from goal. He also showed that he can contribute to the attack, providing the go-ahead goal in Virginia’s win over NCFC Youth. Thanks to his efforts, NVA allowed just one goal while finishing undefeated across their three games (2-0-1, 22 points)

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Dylan Mazzarella | Midfielder-Forward
STA ECNL 09 (NJ)

Securing a Championship Division bracket title for STA Dylan was part of a smothering defense that held tight after giving up an early goal in the bracket final. His ability to gain possession in the defensive third and quickly turn it into offensive momentum through ball control through the midfield and accurate passes and full field passes into the offensive third helped set up scoring opportunities for the forwards and a championship for the STA boys.

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Daniel Cotsalas | Midfielder-Forward
Stony Brook LGN Samurai Blue 09 (NY)

Kept two clean sheets and made a penalty save to keep it 1-0 and win the game. He is currently on trial for the rest of the season at NYCFC in MLS NEXT.

2026

Jake Goetting | Forward-Attacking Midfielder
Eastshore Alliance FC ECNL RL 07 (CA)

The US Youth Soccer ODP National Team member showed off his breakaway speed and playmaking abilities throughout the tournament, proving to be a constant threat up top. He consistently set up scoring chances for his teammates, including an impressive assist on a goal by Sam Shah. Goetting also plays for Project 510, which is a UPSL/USL2 reserve team for the Oakland Roots of the USL Championship.

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Chase Snyder | Midfielder-Forward
Keystone Athletic FC Premier 07 (PA)

Pulled Keystone level against Potomac Soccer with a cracking strike midway through the first half. The 2026 midfielder-attacker broke through their defense and hammered a strong shot on target. Snyder has a nose for goal and can make the small, short runs necessary to break through defenses and give his team the best chance at goal.

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Alexander Lupanicci | Midfielder-Defender
Maryland United FC ECNL 08 (MD)

Roaming the defensive third. Lupanacci can cover a large amount of ground in a short period of time, making him difficult to beat on counter-attacks. He is also efficient his runs timing them so that he can place tackles and clears cleanly. Lupanicci is coming off of a high school season in which he earned All-Conference Second Team Honors.

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Ignacio Aguilar | Midfielder
SYC MLS NEXT 08 (VA)

Hammered home the equalizing goal in SYC’s 1-1 draw with Maryland United, a high curling effort past a strong defensive line. Despite the stiff opposition he kept working throughout the second half for any advantage. Aguilar’s deep runs into the box posed problems for defenses all weekend and helped give the SYC attack a spark late in games.

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John Semelsberger | Forward
Torpedoes SC Red 08 (NJ)

Buried a hat trick to carry Torpedoes past Richmond United 3-0. In the attacking third, Semelsberger is constantly working looking for small gaps in the defense to exploit. His late run on the second was a textbook example of how to play behind a teammate and be prepared for the rebound.

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Connor Faello | Midfielder-Defender
SUSA FC Academy 08 (NY)

Alongside Ronaldo Guillen, Faello provided SUSA with a 1-2 attacking punch in their 2-1 win over St. Mary’s Soccer. Faello’s blistering free kick effort in the 23rd minute came after a long sustained period of dangerous drives into the St. Mary’s box. Defensively, Faello supplied constant pressure on SMS through the center of the pitch, giving them little room to create attacking chances and forcing them wide.

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Lincoln Bauer | Defensive Midfielder
St. Mary’s Soccer NL 08 (MD)

Provided SMS a needed lift in the second half, cutting their deficit in half with a left-footed shot into the back of the net. The All-State Honorable Mention from Leonardtown High School continued to press SUSA throughout the second half, forcing them to make emergency clears and high risk passes. Although SMS came up short against SUSA (1-2), they did start the bookended the weekend with a pair of draws against ECNL competition (2-2 against NCFC Youth and 1-1 against Northern Virginia Alliance).

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Malachi ‘MJ’ Winn | Midfielder
Maryland United ECNL 08 (MD)

MJ netted the team’s opening goal in a commanding 4-0 victory over Charlotte SA. He continues to use his pace to put opposing defenders on their heels. His ability to turn and play in tight spaces helps him escape pressure and break the line of defense off the dribble or pass. Throughout the showcase, MJ and his teammates dominated possession of the game.

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Aaron Kibaya | Midfielder
Tonka Fusion Elite 08 Black (MN)

With his quickness on the ball and off the ball, Aaron was an important factor to his team’s chance creation and defensive performance throughout the showcase. His work ethic and technical abilities such as his dribbling and passing made him a dangerous force against all his opponents over the weekend. Even while playing out of position, Aaron adapted and helped out his team in different positions during the games.

2025

Matthew Munoz | Forward
STA ECNL 07 (NJ)

Buried STA’s first goal of the weekend with a smartly taken left-footed effort, giving them the early advantage and eventual victory over St. Pauli Blackhawks. In closed spaces, Munoz can weave through defenders with close, consistent touches and using all points on either foot.

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Charles Gerber | Midfielder
Baltimore Celtic ECNL 07 (MD)

Scored Celtic’s lone goal in their tough 1-0 win over Charlotte Soccer Academy, making the darting run towards the back post to finally break through their stout defense. In open space, Gerber can make the small cuts needed to create goal-scoring opportunities for his team. He is also an ace with his finishing, leaving little for defenders to work with.

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Mike Griffith | Goalkeeper
Baltimore Celtic ECNL 07 (MD)

Blanked Charlotte Soccer Academy in their Jefferson Cup opener, using his athletic prowess to hold back one of the top attacking units in the ECNL. His punch out save in the 72nd minute off of a bullet one-time effort from CSA, helped spark his Celtic teammates and galvanized the team to push forward. In the 68th minute he made another strong diving save this time ensuring a long distance strike went wide of the post.

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Martin Strasburger | Defender-Midfielder
Charlotte SA ECNL 07 (NC)

Working alongside Levi Bankrier, Strasburger helped unlock Celtic’s disciplined defense, forcing them to go wide and thus giving his teammates through the middle to space to work with. On the defensive side, he limited Celtic’s wingers influence on the match, forcing them inside into heavy traffic.

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Juan Herrera | Goalkeeper
Charlotte SA ECNL 07 (NC)

Held a potent Celtic attack to only one goal in their opener, making multiple diving saves throughout the match and only getting beat off of an excellent far post run. Throughout the weekend Herrera showed remarkable poise under pressure and worked with his backline to shore up gaps and limiting passing lanes. Alongside Strasburger, Herrera limited opponents to just one goal allowed, which included a tough 0-0 draw against SYC U17 MLS NEXT and a 4-0 win over SUSA FC.

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Brody Haims | Fullback-Winger
Eastshore Alliance FC ECRL 07 (CA)

Facing significant pressure late in the second half against a surging Arlington 07, Haims led the backline with his expert marking and key clearances late. On a dangerous cross in the 70th minute, Haims worked his way into the far post area crushing a dangerous chance into open space. In their finale against St. Paul, Haims worked the outside of the pitch perfectly to help create space for his teammates to building attacking plays from.

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Joseph Margita | Forward
Arlington SA ECNL 07 (VA)

Co-captained Arlington to a come-from-behind win against Eastshore Alliance. Against significant pressure up top and often having to take on multiple defenders, Margita led his attack by example supplying the both goals in the second half to get the result. Margita was an ECNL Mid-Atlantic All-Conference First Team member last season for Arlington.

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Osi Onwudiwe | Midfielder
SYC MLS NEXT 07 (VA)

Helped light the attacking spark for SYC against SUSA, shifting the team an attacking posture and creating chances for his teammates to capitalize. Through a combination of strength, speed and technical awareness Onwudiwe can drive directly at defenses and force them to either make a costly tackle or get out of position. His work inside the attacking third helped create Sam Valley-Reyes’ penalty kick goal in their 4-0 win against SUSA. Over the course of the match he would score two of the team’s four goals and assist on another.

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Brayden Dang | Defender
Lehigh Valley United ECNL 05/06 (PA)

Anchored a Lehigh defense that allowed just three goals throughout the weekend, highlighted by their 3-0 shutout victory over Virginia Union ECNL 06/05 in the Platinum  Division. Playing as a center-back, Dang held a high line against Union’s attackers giving them little space to operate within Lehigh’s half of the field. He was also instrumental in leading the counter-attack providing high curling crosses to the outside.

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Cal Lackner | Midfielder
Pipeline SC ECNL 07 (MD)

Set the tone for another high-scoring Championship Division run for Pipeline, burying their first goal just six minutes into their match against Beach FC (3-1 win). Lackner can take whatever space he finds inside of the attacking third and make it work to his advantage.

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Luis Sanchez | Defender
Richmond United ECNL 07 (VA)

Working alongside defenders Clavio Ascari, Carson Davis and Cole Druckner Sanchez halted all of Wake FCs attacking chances on Saturday, co-captaining them to a 3-0 win. Sanchez can make the quick track backs on defense to stem the counterattack and immediately switch into attack-mode. He followed Saturday’s effort with an equally impressive performance on Sunday, limiting Pipeline’s high-scoring attack to just one goal in their 2-1 victory to earn top honors.
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Davin Lysik | Midfielder
Penn Fusion ECNL 06 (PA)

Played up an age group with Penn Fusion’s 06s and looked more than comfortable, scoring all three goals in their 3-0 win over Loudoun. A set piece specialist, Lysik buried free kick goals with his right foot and added a third off of a 22 yard bomb in play off of his left. He added a fourth goal in their 3-1 win over Tampa Bay United, with another goal off of his right foot.

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Nathan Hall | Goalkeeper
Richmond United ECNL 07 (VA)

All season, goalkeeper Nathan Hall has anchored a talented Richmond United defense, and it would prove to be no different this past weekend at the Jefferson Cup. Finishing at the top of a loaded Championship flight, Richmond was the only team in their age group and flight to end the weekend 3-0. Throughout the weekend Nathan showed exceptional composure commanding and organizing his backline while under pressure from some talented attacking offenses. Making a number of crucial and timely saves throughout the tournament, Nathan’s reliability between the posts led a talented Richmond United team to another impressive result.

2024

Cam Bohn | Midfielder
Lehigh Valley United ECNL 05/06 (PA)

The Lafayette College commit scored the second of Lehigh’s goals against Virginia Union. Serving as their number nine, Bohn can press defenders with either his driving runs into the attack or his crisp, diagonal passes into open space.

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Drew Waller | Forward
Charlotte Soccer Academy ECNL 05/06 (NC)

The North Carolina commit tore up his final Jefferson Cup, earning a brace in their 7-0 win over Aztec Boston. He also showed that in late matches that he can be relied upon to deliver, scoring the game-winning goal in their 2-1 win over Loudoun ECRL.