Vancouver Whitecaps are running their inaugural Boys' College Showcase at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey this weekend.
With 65 games scheduled over the three days, the Whitecaps Residency teams took centre stage today and were left unbeaten at the end of it all, with some great performances on display for around 30 educational establishments in attendance from across Canada and the US, and even Ghana.
The Whitecaps U14 side kicked off proceedings this morning with a 2-1 win against Surrey United U-15 of the EA SPORTS BC Soccer Premier League.
That set the stage nicely for the U18's and U16's, and their USSDA match ups against strong California side De Anza Force.
The Caps U18's made it five wins out of five on BC soil, with a hard fought 3-2 victory over a Force side, whose first half performance belied their status at Western Conference leaders.
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Vancouver took the lead in the 24th minute when Yassin Essa danced up the right wing and centred perfectly for Spencer DeBoice to hit it high into the net from four yards out.
De Anza came out like a different team in the second half and took the game to Vancouver, their pace troubling the Caps defence and leading to two quick goals after some sloppy defending.
To the Caps credit they showed their metal and Ben Fisk led the comeback.
After skinning a defender in the 70th minute, Fisk's cross was turned into his own net by a Force defender for 2-2. Then with eight minutes remaining, Fisk scored the winner after burying a Wesley Cain cross to the back post, aided by a goal-line fumble by the Force keeper.
It was a good win and the guys are still looking good for securing a July playoff spot.
The Caps U16 have also really come on to a game of late and are now unbeaten in five matches after a 2-2 draw this afternoon against a De Anza side who are just above them in the Western standings.
I haven't seen a lot of the U16's this season but was very impressed by their play today. What a difference to the team I saw down in Tukwila against Seattle in December.
The pace of the game was fantastic, with some great touches and skill, and the Caps looked so much the better side in the first half, taking the lead with a 30th minute Brody Huitema penalty and doubling their lead with a second half strike from Matthew Chow.
De Anza fought back and scored midway through the second half, before levelling with a controversial penalty with just four minutes remaining.
The Caps will feel hard done by, but they have some rising stars in the team, perhaps none more so than the mightily impressive Brody Huitema.
It will be interesting to see which of the Residency players may have caught the eye of the scouts in attendance today. Two of the Caps U18 guys have already committed to playing for Simon Fraser University Clan in the next NCAA season.
Both Residency sides are back in USSDA action in Surrey next Saturday, with a double header against another Californian side, Pateadores.
With the Caps away in Philadelphia, PVR the game, get yourselves along to Newton Athletic Park and #SupportTheFuture.
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