CINCINNATI - Whatever the many good and continuing changes being made in American youth soccer,  the adidas Blue Chip Showcase reminded me today that it should continue as a fixture in the elite level calendar and the college recruiting process.

The event is put on by Cincinnati-based club Classics Hammer FC with sponsorship from adidas and Cincinnati produce-giants Chiquita. (I once interviewed for a job at Chiquita and they served me shrimp while I was waiting. I don't know what that has to do with this story but it brings back a warm memory and also makes me hungry).

Back to the event, the organizers do a good job of making it excellent by keeping it simple. 36 top U17 teams get to play 3 games in 3 days each, on good fields. The schedule and field layout (at the Clear Creek complex) help the scores of college coaches on hand to see a lot of games and players, and there are a lot of friendly faces around to see that everyone has whatever they need (even solitary media figures).

Special mention should also be given to Showcase organizers for choosing to take some time to honor the passing of Cincinnati native and U.S. serviceman Matt Maupin, whose remains were recently discovered in Iraq after having been captured in 2004. A funeral service is being held in downtown Cincinnati Saturday and the procession will go right past the soccer fields Saturday morning. Thousands of yellow ribbons are already lining the route, and games will be stopped as the funeral motorcade passes by.

In lesser matters, the soccer on display was mostly good Friday morning and afternoon. Some reports on select match reports follow, but first a few details on a couple of other games.

Wolves win, Javanon draw

Defending Region II champions Michigan Wolves took a 3-1 win over St. Louis area club Metro United. Ross Seagram, Shane Lyons and Scott Zech scored for Wolves, with Adam Stensland converting a penalty for Metro.

Louisville-based club Javanon looked good in moving to a 2-0 lead over Ontario side London Cobras. Tony Wilbar converted a penalty after Jacob Kemper was fouled in the area, and Ryan Garvey made it 2-0 for Joe Williams' side. The Canadians scored two late goals to steal a draw from the match.

Wolves and Javanon will play a much-anticipated contest Saturday morning.

 Saturday Updates: Javanon defeated Wolves 1-0 behind a well-struck free kick from Kyle Schickel.

 

AYSES 1, FC DELCO 0

Maybe the best match of the day pitted defending Region I champion FC DELCO against North Texas State Cup winner AYSES Gold.

In the end, a drive by Andrew Van Woesik, that took a wicked deflection off a defender to find the back of the net, was the only difference between the two teams in a 1-0 contest.

But that's not to say there wasn't plenty of action. Both teams showed a willingness to go forward in numbers and with a lot of talented players on hand, it made for an enjoyable match to watch.

Van Woesik created the first good chance for the Dallas-area team, serving a ball in that Zachary Adler met with a flick-on header, requiring DELCO keeper Alex Wimmer to react quickly in order to make the save. After the AYSES goal, DELCO's Jordan LeBlanc began to stamp his impression the game. The midfielder is a very good-looking college prospect with a fierce determination to win balls in the middle and the ability to play with at his feet. He may want to reel in some 2-footed challenges when better refereeing is on hand, but that aside, there's nothing in this play that college coaches won't like.

The Philadelphia-area team nearly equalized later in the 1^st half when Greg Cochrane sent over a good free kick that Travis Cantrell volleyed just over the bar. Jordan Obrant was causing some anxiety with his running down the left for DELCO, while Chris Harmon's good run and shot forced AYSES goalkeeper Tyler Atwell into an alert save.

In the 2^nd half, AYSES started brightly, with Jared Griffin putting in some good work on the ball before playing it to Joshua Koeppe, whose dipping shot went just over the bar. Jeremy Huynh then played a long ball that the speedy Griffin ran onto, getting behind the defense. With 2^nd-half goalkeeper Micah Collins rushing out and defensive midfielder Brian Forgue hustling back to harry the shot, Griffin's effort  went wide.

Lafayette-bound senior Wayne Maminski began to play a bigger role in the match, attacking effectively on the right. He had one shot blocked but the rebound came to LeBlanc who was  upended just outside the area. On the resulting free kick, Maminski's shot handcuffed the goalkeeper. The rebound was headed into the goal but the effort was ruled out, apparently for offside.

Forgue was a vocal leader on the field for DELCO and looks like another good  college prospect from Adrian Cox's squad.

DELCO nearly equalized near the end of the match when Maminski's free kick found the head of Alexander Ockford, but the bullet header was cleared off the line by AYSES midfielder Huynh, and the rebound fell straight to the goalkeeper, allowing the match to end at 1-0 for the Texas side.

 

FORT WAYNE FEVER 1, TEAM OHIO 1

This ended up being a nice tactical game. The Indiana team, coached by Bobby Poursanidis, plays a nice brand of soccer, knocking the ball around well. They will leave disappointed however after Team Ohio's  Tyler Pollock hit a 20-yard bomb for the tying goal in the closing minutes. Pollock had chested down a long free kick from Brian McGue, before executing a textbook turn and rasping the shot into the back of the net, leaving Fever goalkeeper Cullen McLeod, who had made some good saves to that point, with no chance.

Team Ohio Started brightly with Andrew Edler making a run down the right before crossing to Anthony Chindavong, whose header was saved by McLeod. Fort Wayne's Brent Helton countered on the other end with a good move and a hard shot that 1^st half Ohio goalkeeper Jim Crum saved. Team Ohio was getting good play from a pair of athletic defenders, Adedola Adedapo and Eric Newman. Fort Wayne also was getting solid defensive play from Michael Walbridge, who reads the game very well but also has a good pair of feet.

Fort Wayne's next attack saw  Daniel Smead set up Helton for a shot that went wide. On the other end, Casey Blankenship drew a free kick from 20 yards out, and Eric Stevenson hit a free kick that McLeod tipped over the bar. Stevenson is a very talented midfielder who makes good decisions on the ball and shows great technique in both the strike and the pass.

Fort Wayne responded with an attack involving Jesse Sharp and Kegan Harkenrider, but Adedapo raced in to make the clearance. Grant Welter then sent in a good corner that Sharp headed on goal, but Crum made a fingertip save to keep the match scoreless.

The Fever pressure paid off shortly afterward however, as Sharp sent a good ball down the left for Harkenrider, who then played the ball across the front of goal for the onrushing Helton, whose finish was deadly to make it 1-0 Fort Wayne.

Fort Wayne played well enough to win in the 2^nd half, controlling a lot of possession, but they couldn't put the match away despite some good efforts on goal by Wyatt Sorg and Tyler Huber. Stevenson created more chances for Team Ohio but in the end it was Pollock who earned hero status for his team.

 

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS 0, VARDAR 0

This match was long on industry but a little shorter on fluid play. That might have changed if Paul Rideout's Kansas City side had finished a little better in the early going. Christian Duke, Mohammed Ramahi and Alex Sweetin all saw efforts go close, with Vardar's goalkeeper Mark Selleck also doing his part to keep the KC side at bay.

KC"s Sweetin was a star player in midfield, combining grit with skill and passing. Vardar's Jeffrey Heath is a terrific athlete and a hard worker, sure to find a place in some college program of note.

The 2^nd half featured more midfield battling and somewhat fewer chances, with Ramahi and Ethan Bauer having the best chances for KC, and Justin Peterson coming close for Vardar, the match ending in a scoreless draw.