Posted by Sheldon Shealer, editor

The following is the EA SPORTS High School Girls All-America team for 2008. The players were selected based on high school accomplishment.

Forwards

Lauren Alwine, Hummelstown (Pa.) Lower Dauphin, Virginia

Brittani Bartok, Martinsville (N.J.) Pingry School, North Carolina

Laura Heyboer, Hudsonville (Mich.) Unity Christian, Michigan State

Courtney Jones, Monte Vista (Calif.), North Carolina

Amanda Lisberger, Brentwood (Calif.), Texas

Tiffany McCarty, Washington (D.C.) St. John's, Florida State

Casey Short, Naperville (Ill.) Central, Florida State

Midfielders

Whitney Sharpe, West Des Moines (Iowa) Valley, UCLA

Christine Nairn , Severn (Md.) Archbishop Spalding, Penn State

Ashley Rape, Addison (Texas) Greenhill School, Duke

Teresa Noyola, Palo Alto (Calif.), Santa Clara

Bri Rodriguez, Aurora (Ill.) Waubonsie Valley, West Virginia

Michelle Spacciapolli, San Diego (Calif.) Cathedral Catholic, Boston College

Beth West, Aurora (Colo.) Grandview, Texas A&M

Defenders

Natalie Garcia, San Pasqual (Calif.), San Diego

Paige Maxwell, Medina (Ohio), Ohio State

Danielle Russell, Long Beach (Calif.) Wilson, San Diego

Keepers

Karen Blocker, Severn (Md.) Archbishop Spalding, Liberty

Jessica Dulski, Pittsford-Mendon (N.Y.), Connecticut

Hannah Turpen, San Clemente (Calif.), Utah

A trio of St. Louis standouts highlights this year's EA SPORTS Boys Soccer All-America team. EA SPORTS honors players based on their high school accomplishment. It is different than the NSCAA All-America honors, which does not run on a school-year calendar and often is influenced by membership; and it is different than Parade, which focuses on the best high school-aged players, who are not always representing their high school.

For bios on all players, visit the all-america section of EA SPORTS.com.

Forwards

Chris Agorsor, Owings Mills (Md.) McDonogh School, Virginia

Kevin Bick, Louisville (Ky.) St. Xavier (junior)

Will Bruin, St. Louis (Mo.) DeSmet, Indiana

Enzo Martinez, Northwestern (S.C.) (junior)

Uche Onyeador, Potomac Falls (Va.), George Mason

Brian Ownby, Glen Allen (Va.) Deep Run, Virginia

Casey Townsend, Traverse City (Mich.) West, Maryland

Luiz Yamashita, Miami (Fla.) Varela, Virginia Tech

Midfielders

Jose Altamirano, San Diego (Calif.) Southwest (junior)

Sam Garza, Flower Mound (Texas) Marcus, Denver

Ian Kalis, Dallas (Texas) Jesuit, Duke

Matt Kassel, Bridgewater (N.J.), Maryland

Dave MacVane, Saratoga Springs (N.Y.), South Carolina

Luke Norman, Stoney Creek (Mich.), Wake Forest

Defenders

Watt Williams, Raleigh (N.C.) Broughton, North Carolina State

Shawn Barry, Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage, Virginia

Tommy Meyer, St. Louis (Mo.) University, Indiana

Roger Downes, Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Loyola Marymount

Keepers

Louis Soffner, St. Louis (Mo.), University, Indiana

Jan Trnka-Amrhein, Dedham (Mass.), Noble and Greenough, Duke

Posted by Sheldon Shealer, editor

THE NEWS: As no surprise, the U.S. thrashed Costa Rica 4-1 to win the CONCACAF women's under-17 title Sunday in Trinidad. The U.S. had secured a under-17 world championship berth simply by reaching the final. Four first-half goals, two by Tani Costa, made certain a U.S. victory.

MY TAKE: The qualifying for this year's inaugural women's under-17 world championship has done little but confirm the gap between the haves and the have-nots in women's soccer. Three of the four-seeded teams at the world championships will be the U.S., Germany and Brazil. Of course, it is my feeling that the under-17 worlds will help, ultimately, close the gap. As more countries train elite females for international competition, the gap between the likes of the U.S. and the rest of the world will start to narrow. So, you can look at this event in the short term and it confirms the U.S. position in world women's soccer, or you can look at it as another developmental stage that ultimately will improve the game world-wide.

Posted by Sheldon Shealer, editor

We have saved the strongest group to last. Perhaps the age had something to do with it, but defenders were the deepest skill group at ESP. Some coaches felt it was a combination of solid defenders and a group of attack players who have not yet developed a killer instinct to go to goal. Whatever it was, here are the coaches picks as top defenders:

1. Trevor Hubbard, Dallas, Texas

Class: 2010

Club: Solar 92

High School: Highland Park

Notes: Hubbard might not have the name recognition as others at ESP, but his performance really improved his stock. Like several top defensive players at the event, Hubbard can play in the mid or in the back. During matches he was always in position to receive the ball. He was good at overlapping and passes well. At time, he came from the back to get into the attack. Watch for this player in the near future.

2. Nicholas Alers, Bethesda, Md.

Class: 2010

Club: Potomac Internationals

High School: Country Day School

Notes: Alers possessed a tenacity at the back and a ability to read the game that drew college scouts' attention. He was steady throughout the three matches. He reads the game well and he broke up plays without committing fouls.

3. Sebastien Ibeagha, Edmond, Okla.

Class: 2010

Club: Tulsa Thunder Black '92

High School: Deer Creek

Notes: Ibeagha can play defensive mid or in the back. He's very skilled at holding the ball. He was among the more composed players at ESP with the ball at his feet. He is the younger brother of a former youth All-American who plays at Duke. Look for Ibeagha to enter Residency this fall.

4. David Caban, Kenosha, Wis.

Class: 2011

Club: Chicago Magic Academy

High School: Lake Forest Academy (Ill.)

Notes: Caba was consistently his team's best player at ESP. He was solid in every aspect of defending, from winning balls to playing forward to getting into the attack. He has a strong foot, as well.

5. Joe Sofia, Dove Canyon, Calif.

Class: 2010

Club: Irvine Strikers U16 Academy

High School: Mission Viejo

Notes: Sofia was skilled at stepping up and winning balls played forward by the attacking team. He also was solid at playing the ball forward, not just simply clearing it.

Others Who Impressed:

Jack Coleman, Norman, Okla.

Nolan McKeever, Lilburn, Ga.

Ryan Metts, Raleigh, N.C.

Nick Palodichuk, Battle Ground, Wash.

Josh Sylvia, Las Vegas, Nev.

Ross Tomaselli, Wilmington, N.C.

Paul Yonga, Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Posted by Sheldon Shealer, editor

After evaluating the players and talking to the coaches, we have finalized the list of top midfielder prospects from the recent ESP camp in Denver, Colo.

1. Lepe Seetane, Louisville, Ky.

Class: 2010

Club: United FC

High School: Trinity

Notes: Perhaps the smallest player at this year's ESP was also the best. Seetane was very quick and technical. As one coach put it, "his ideas and abilities are far beyond any field player here. Another coach added, "He can be a decisive player. The only concern, obviously, is Seetane's size. At times he did get pushed off the ball, but his play going forward and setting up teammates made him the jewel of the event.

2. Joshua Gatt, Plymouth, Mich.

Class: 2010

Club: Michigan Wolves Academy

High School: Catholic Central

Notes: Gatt moved around the field during the week at ESP. Techincally he was very sound. He accelerates well with the ball. As a midfielder, he made runs at defense. When he slide back to right back, he sured up the defense and was an assest coming out of the back and working his way into the attack.

3. Tony Kattreh, Jacksonville Beach, Fla.

Class: 2010

Club: 91 KYX

High School: Fletcher

Notes: Kattreh and Gatt were a close call fro No. 2. In Kattreh's final ESP group match, he dominated the play and ran the team. He moves around the entire field. He wins balls. He looks to get back on defense, as well.

4. Christopher Nieto, Dallas, Texas

Class: 2010

Club: Solar '92

High School: Lake Highlands

Notes: Nieto was exceptionally strong at serving the ball. He was technically sound and likes to go forward. For his ESP team, Nieto seemed like the only player to get his squad quality scoring chances.

5. Mauricio Diaz DeLeon, San Diego, Calif.

Class: 2010

Club: FC San Diego

High School: San Diego HS

Notes: Diaz DeLeon is a tireless worker on the wing. At his best, Diaz DeLeon was involved in the attck and moved up and down the field with a lot of energy.

6. Jon-Paul Medina, Fresno, Calif.

Class: 2011

Club: California Odyssey Red

High School: Bullard

Notes: Medina showed excellent ability and confidence on the ball. He visualizes the game well and moves the ball quickly.

7. Harrison Petts, Zionsville, Ind.

Class: 2010

Club: Carmel United U16 Academy

High School: Zionsville

Notes: Petts is a true right-sided player with strong services. His ESP coach felt Petts was among the best midfielders at the event.

Others Who Impressed:

Leon Carby, West Hartford, Conn.

Sebastian Lletget, San Francisco, Calif.

Edward Mullin, Durham, N.C.

Ryan Neil, Mission Viejo, Calif.

Michael Raley, St. Inigoes, Md.

Scott Thomsen, Brick, N.J.

Posted by Sheldon Shealer, editor

The consensus among college scouts was that this year's ESP camp did not feature many top-flight forwards. However, there were a group of players who stood out. Take a look at who we liked at forward from this year's event with our Top 3 player rankings.

1. Christian Alvarado, Anaheim, Calif.

Class: 2010

Club: Fullerton Rangers

High School: Anaheim

Notes: Alvarado is a first-year elite club player and his game shows a lot of upside. At 16, he is already 6-foot-1, 160 pounds. He's a hard worker on the field and is always looking to go toward goal. He has expressed an interest in staying on the West Coast for college.

2. Jon Guzman, Gaithersburg, Md.

Class: 2010

Club: Baltimore Casa Mia Bays

High School: Quince Orchard

Notes: Guzman has a knack for finding the net. He was very dangerous during the matches. When the team needed to settle play, it put the ball at Guzman's feet. He showed an ability to hustle back on defense, as well. His only drawback is a need to improve in the classroom to be considered by more colleges.

3. Zack Foxhoven, Littleton, Colo.

Class: 2010

Club: Colorado Rush

High School: Chatfield

Notes: A player with youth national team experience, Foxhoven showed signs of being a standout. The ESP camp did not feature many standout attacking players this year, yet the three mentioned where ahead of the field. Foxhoven's older sister is a national recruit.

Others Who Impressed:

Salvador Bernal, Las Vegas, Nev.

Orlando Castaneda, Bethpage, N.Y.

Cole Chapleski, Broomfield, Colo.

Dylan Gaydosh, Federal Way, Wash.

Sergio Lopez, San Diego, Calif.

Alex Martinez, Rock Hill, S.C.

Dale McDonald, Roosevelt, N.Y

Posted by Sheldon Shealer, editor

THE NEWS: FC Lehigh announced this week that it has added Emmaus (Pa.) girls soccer coach Rob Rooney to the club staff. The club also added successful boys high school coach Bob Hartman, from Moravian (Pa.), to the staff.

MY TAKE: Quite often we hear stories of clubs and club coaches looking down on high school coaches and programs. The addition of Rooney to FC Lehigh is a refreshing change as a forward-looking club sought the best possible candidate to serve as girls youth director - and it just so happened that individual was in the high school ranks. Rooney, a former college coach, has been highly successful in his four-year stint at Emmaus with his girls teams compiling a 65-10-1 record and the team has been a frequent visitor to the spring girls FAB 50 the past four seasons.

Posted by Sheldon Shealer, editor

A trio of past Parade Players of the Year highlight today's look back on the prep careers of U.S. men's soccer Olympians. This is a snapshot of the prep accomplishments for the midfielders and forwards to complete our look back.

Freddy Adu - The Heights (Md.)/Bradenton Academy (Fla.) ... Adu played one year of high school soccer at little-known Heights School in Potomac, Md. He earned Washington Post second-team All-Met honors. Following his freshman year, Adu entered the US Soccer Residency program before becoming the youngest professional player in 100 years of American major sports. He was a two-time Parade All-American, and named Player of the Year in 2002.

Michael Bradley - Bradenton Academy (Fla.) ... Did not play high school soccer.

Maurice Edu - Etiwanda (Calif.) ... Edu scored 35 career goals and had 33 assists while twice earning All-County honors at Etiwanda. He was a high school All-American his senior year.

Benny Feilhaber - Northwood (Calif.) ... Feilhaber ended his four-year varsity career with 45 goals and 28 assists. He helped Northwood to a section title his junior year. He was an All-CIF pick as a senior and earned all-league honors as a junior and senior.

Stuart Holden - Houston (Texas) ... No high school information available.

Sacha Kljestan - (Calif.) ... No high school information available.

Danny Szetela - Clifton (N.J.)/Bradenton Academy (Fla.) ... Szetela was the Parade All-America Player of the Year in 2004 while at Residency. He played one season of high school soccer at Clifton, earning All-State and All-America honors prior to Residency.

Jozy Altidore - Boca Prep (Fla.)/Bradenton Academy (Fla.) ... Altidore got his first call to varsity soccer - amazingly - as a seventh-grader. Shhortly thereafter, Altidore was pulled into Residency, the second-youngest player (next to Freddy Adu) to join the program. He was the Parade All-America Player of the Year in 2006 before signing pro.

Charlies Davies - Brooks School (Mass.). ... Davies played four years of high school soccer in the New England Prep School League, which left him overlooked by the usual high school honors committee. However, Davies was a Parade All-American and EA SPORTS All-American his senior year. He was a four-time all-league pick and finished his high school career with 101 goals.

Brian McBride - Buffalo Grove (Ill.) ... McBride came out of high school more than a decade before most of his Olympic teammates. However, like many of the above, McBride was a Parade All-American (in 1989). He scored 33 goals as a senior and 80 for his prep career.

Robbie Rogers - Mater Dei (Calif.) ... Rogers was a two-time Parade All-America selection prior to attending the University of Maryland. At Mater Dei, he played for coaching legend Martin Stringer, who recently retired.

Posted by Sheldon Shealer, editor

THE NEWS: The Florida High School soccer state championships are heading north - to Tampa.

The state association recently accounced that the 2009 and 2010 boys and girls semifinals and finals (played in the winter season) will be contested at the University of Tampa's Pepin-Rood Stadium.

The state championships have been held at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale the past five years.

Wharton High School, whose boys team made the FAB 50 after winning last year's Clas 5A state title, will serve as host school.

MY TAKE: The move to Tampa makes the state tournament accessible for more of the state's soccer fans and state tournament participants. Although the Ft. Lauderdale area, which includes nearby Miami, is the state's soccer hotbed in terms of talent, most of the state tournament participants will find Tampa a closer drive. Last year, of the 20 boys teams at the state tournament, five where from the Ft. Lauderdale area and only six would have found Ft. Lauderdale closer than Tampa. On the girls side, only five of the 20 participants were closer to Ft. Lauderdale than Tampa. In this day of trying to save money on transportation, it appears the relocation of the soccer state tournament to the central part of the state will be a benefit for a majority of teams.

Posted by Sheldon Shealer, editor

Broughton is undefeated in its last 50 matches and winners of back-to-back state titles in North Carolina's highly competitive Class 4A.

Broughton was the FAB 50 No. 1 team last fall and finished the school year as the overall No. 1 ahead of winter No. 1 Varela (Fla.).

Can the Caps keep it rolling in 2008?

Despite the graduation of State Player of the Year Watt Williams (North Carolina State), Broughton returns a trio of All-State honorees from last year: keeper Scott Goodwin, midfielder Kevin Stam and forward Brandon Haynes.

Broughton's connection with US Development Academy club power CASL means the Caps have a steady influx of top youth players. In fact, coach Izzy Hernandez expects no fewer than six CASL players in Broughton's starting lineup this fall.

Unlike St. Xavier (Ky.) and McDonogh (Md.), a pair of Top 5-caliber programs, Broughton is limited to an instate schedule this year. However, Broughton competes in Cap 7 Conference, which includes fellow state powers Leesville Road, and the Caps will compete in the Mellow Mushroom and Brittany Showcase events.

Posted by Sheldon Shealer, editor

A perennial FAB 50 team for the past decade, McDonogh will turn to a loaded junior class in an effort to retain its lofty state, regional and national standing.

The Eagles were 21-1-4 last year and earned a FAB 50 No. 6 final ranking.

However, gone from that squad are Gatorade Player of the Year forward Chris Agorsor (Virginia), forward Andrew Bulls (UMBC), defender Jake Levin (Penn), keeper Tommy Caso (Bucknell) and Tyler Fiorito, a Princeton signee for lacrosse.

Defender Marquez Fernandez, midfielder Mamadou Kansaye and forward Julian Griggs were all part of this year's ESP Camp in Denver, Colo. Griggs is a rising sophomore while Fernandez and Kansyae will be juniors.

McDonogh plays in one of the nation's most competitive high school soccer leagues - the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA), which features storied powers Calvert Hall and Archbishop Curley, along with Loyola and Mount St. Joseph.

McDonogh coach Steve Nichols is the coach of national club power Casa Mia Bays, and a number of the young Bays players find their way to McDonogh. The Bays' older team featuring Agorsor won the US Development Academy national title last week.

Posted by Sheldon Shealer, editor

A year ago, St. Xavier in Louisville, Ky., etched its name into the state record books as undefeated state champions. This year's squad has a chance to do one better.

With seven returning starters, led by national recruits Kevin Bick and Kyle Schickel, St. Xavier not only is a preseason state favorite but also a serious national title challenger. In fact, this St. X squad is the strongest national title challenger from kentucky since Ballard in the late 1990s.

Bick plays for the Chicago Magic in club soccer, and will miss the first week of training since he will be playing in South America. Schickel and star defender Nick Jones play for perennial Louisville club power Javanon, while wide mids Ryan Smith and Kyle Richard play for up-and-coming United, with Lepe Seetane.

As for recruiting, Bick is leaning toward Indiana, Notre Dame and Louisville. Schickel is high on Northwestern's wish list. Smith and Richard were ODP regional holdovers, giving St. Xavier the on-paper talent to compete with any high school in the country.

If St. X can post a second straight undefeated season - which includes three matches against out-of-state foes, it will mean an undefeated streak in the 50s and that might be hard to argue against when it comes to the debate for No. 1.

Posted by Sheldon Shealer, editor

ESPN High School Soccer has learned that Chelsea Peterson, a rising senior at East Grand Rapids (Mich.) has verbally committed to Michigan State.

Peterson was a Michigan Division II first-team All-State selection this past spring as a junior.

The midfielder also plays defense for the ODP Region II squad.

Posted by Sheldon Shealer, editor

Enzo Martinez and Kira Campbell are the SCSoccer.com Super XXII Players of the Year for the 2008 spring season.

Martinez, a junior, led Northwestern to its second boys soccer state title in three years, scoring 50 goals with 22 assists as the team rolled up a 23-2-0 record and a FAB 50 No. 2 final ranking. Martinez has 143 career goals and 69 assists.

Campbell, a senior who has signed with South Carolina, helped Lexington to a 21-3-0 record.

For the complete South Carolina Super XXII, visit: http://www.scsoccer.com

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

Johnny Gailes has been named to replace Doug Kidd as boys soccer coach at Watauga High School in N.C. Kidd has been one of the state's biggest advocates, running the state coaches association and helping to create many of the postseason award programs.

Posted by Sheldon Shealer, editor

The Mewis family got the U.S. off to a hot start in its 6-0 victory over Costa Rico on Friday, in the first-ever under-17 women's CONCACAF qualifier.

Kristen Mewis assisted her younger sister, Samantha, on the first goal for the U.S., coming in the third minute. The outcome had a decidedly Nike Premier 50 touch as three former NP50 players factored in the scoring - Kristen Mewis (one assist), Samantha Johnson (one assist) and Vicki DiMartino (one goal, one assist) were all former NP50 invitees.

Courtney Verloo (two goals, two assists) and Julia Roberts (one goal) also factored in the scoring.