Scarsdale Varsity Players Compete at the Disney Girl's Soccer Showcase

Nayumi Parente, Carly Rubin and Allison Stafford, all on the Varsity A soccer team at Scarsdale High School, are also members of a club soccer team that competed at the Disney Girls Soccer Showcase in Orlando over New Year's weekend and won a championship in their age group. The team, New York Soccer Club Elite 2000 Sapphire, won its U-17 bracket against top teams from Colorado, Kentucky and Florida and then, in a thrilling contest prevailed over the winner of the other U-17 bracket, New Jersey-based STA Morris United, by a score of 1-0.

A total of 346 girls teams from throughout the United States competed in the 2016-2017 Disney Girls Soccer Showcase at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando. This year's event featured teams from 36 states, in age groups ranging from U-15 to U-19, representing the highest level of girls' soccer in the country. More than 200 college soccer coaches attended the tournament and watched the games to identify and observe potential talent for their programs.

Parente, a striker, Rubin, a mid-fielder, and Stafford, a defender, are each key members of NYSC Elite 2000 Sapphire, which won its first game against a team from Kentucky 2-1, tied its second game against a very physical opponent from Colorado 1-1 and won its bracket with a convincing 4-0 win over a team from Jacksonville, Florida. Taken together with their 1-0 victory in the championship game, the team collectively outscored its opponents by 8-2 over the course of four games. The fact that they surrendered a total of only two goals was especially noteworthy.

The experience was a memorable one for all three girls and the closeness and camaraderie among all the players was great to see. Each of the girls is looking forward to continuing the season during the spring of 2017, which will include a trip to Richmond, Virginia in March to compete in the Jefferson Cup, another high profile national girls soccer tournament. And when the 2017-2018 school year begins in September, they each expect to continue their soccer career at Scarsdale High School, hoping to carry over some of the magic they brought to the 2016-2017 Disney Girls Soccer Showcase toward their goal of a third straight section championship for the Raiders.