The DME boy’s soccer team last weekend traveled to Montverde, Florida for two matches. They took on Vaughan Azzurri, from Canada, Friday night; the following day, they took on Montverde’s SIMA Gold team.
The games were held at the Montverde Academy soccer fields for the SIMA Friendlies showcase, where a large crowd had gathered to watch the high level of soccer that was about to be showcased throughout the weekend.
Friday night’s game, DME Academy struck first, with a goal from Charles Christian, the team’s newest addition, who comes all the way from Ghana. DME Academy struck again with a late goal from Pootanet Petchtae to finalize their win of 2-0. Kol Bennet was stone-cold in the net and secured another shutout on the season.
Saturday’s showdown against Montverde’s SIMA Gold team was a hard-fought battle, with each team netting goals. In proving his value to the DME team, it was Christian that put one in the back of the net for the DME boys, securing the tie for the team.
DME Academy, comprised of a group of determined, dedicated, and diverse players, faced off against the nationally ranked team in this highly-anticipated match. Despite being heavily outmatched on paper, DME refused to back down and put up a fierce fight against the highly favored Montverde. When the last whistle blew, DME managed to hold their ground against the top team in the country, fighting to the end for the tie. In DME’s augural season, they surprised spectators and teams alike. But not themselves or their coaches.
“This weekend the boys faced many challenges and rose to the occasion during both games.” States Kioki Hutchings, Assistant Director of Soccer at DME. “They are a special group to be working with and I believe they have put DME soccer on the map after both of these battles.”
After the game, Todd Eason, Director of Soccer, and Kioki Hutchings were crowded by college scouts and coaches from Wake Forest, Notre Dame, the University of Maryland, the University of Portland, the University of South Florida, Boston College, and the University of Central, Florida, all inquiring about the star-studded DME roster.
DME Soccer continues to make a name for itself on the field, wherever they travel to. To learn more about the young program, check it out here!
DME Academy High School boys’ soccer team arrived in sunny Bradenton, Florida ready to take on their competition at the annual IMG Cup. This year was DME’s first appearance at the showcase and despite being the underdogs, the team was determined to make a splash and prove themselves on the field.
As the first game approached, the boys were nervous but also excited about the opportunity to showcase their skills. From the opening whistle, it was clear that DME didn’t drive 4 hours for anything less than a win. They fought hard and played with heart, and in the end, they emerged victorious with a 4-1 win over Blau Weiss Gottschee from New York City.
The second game of the tournament was no different, as the DME boys dominated on the field and secured another win, this time against another team from New York, The Smithtown Kickers. They beat the kickers with a score of 3-0. Kol Bennet proved that he was a brick wall in between the pipes for DME, not letting in any goals against them. The team was starting to gain some momentum and their confidence was growing with each victory.
As the final game of the tournament approached, DME knew that they had a chance to make a statement. They took to the field with fierce determination and never let up.. In the end, their hard work paid off as they secured a 3-0 win over Cedar Stars Academy from South Hackensack, New Jersey.
“Our final competition of the year couldn’t have finished any better for our first season. We’ve captured a lot of attention over the last five months and have been shown great respect from opponents, supporters, coaches, and peers for our performances. Although our dominant play on the field is exciting to watch, I was most impressed with how the players developed brotherhood. Throughout the season it’s hard not to notice the culture the boys created. Because of this, we’ve become very successful and we were proud to display this at the IMG Cup.” says Todd Eason, Director of Soccer at DME Academy.
Eason goes on to say, “Of course, there were outstanding individual performances but that was consistent throughout the showcase. Many colleges have shown interest in our players and I see it being very competitive for certain players like James, Diomande, Adrian, Mikal, and Ethan.”
With the first half of the DME soccer season wrapped up, they are hopeful to remain undefeated as the second half approaches.
If you are interested in joining the boys’ soccer team at DME Academy, you can learn more about it here!
DME soccer recently competed in its first out-of-state matches. After experiencing a lot of local success, this was an incredible opportunity to challenge the team and take their talent to North Carolina.
On Friday they played against Combine Academy out of Lincolnton, NC, and on Saturday they competed against One7 Soccer Academy from Charlotte, NC.
With each game, the team faced different sets of challenges and scenarios. The first game was toe-to-toe for the whole match with DME losing a man in the 40th minute. They continued to play through the loss and ended with a 0-0 draw against Combine Academy.
Their second game was played on a beat-up pitch which challenged their technical ability and conditioning compared to the previous game. Although these elements were unexpected, the players embraced this as an opportunity to come together as a team, working alongside one another for a 7-1 win over One7 Soccer Club.
When asked about the results of the two matches, Todd Eason, Director of DME Academy Soccer, said, “Overall this was a great experience that allowed us to further our development and team dynamics. Collectively, all the boys did well. Each player contributed in positive ways, allowing us to be the more dominant team on the field.”
What’s more, the DME soccer athletes traveled to North Carolina with two DME basketball teams. This gave the athletes across both sports the chance to support one another in their games. All around it was a successful trip for DME soccer and was an opportunity for DME student-athletes to build camaraderie across different sports.
Next week, December 17th – 19th the DME Soccer team will be heading down to Bradenton, FL for the IMG Cup where they will face off against some of the top teams in the world. Blau Weiss Gottschee on Saturday. On Sunday, the boys will play the Smithtown Kickers and on Monday they will wrap it up with a tough match against the Cedar Stars Academy.
Catch some of the upcoming matches and learn more about the DME Academy soccer program!
The DME Academy 2012 girls team showed no signs of slowing down after yet another tournament win, this time in Orlando, Florida at the OC Lake Nona Season Opener.
“What a showing! The girls did a phenomenal job this weekend. They never took their foot off the gas and showed everyone what it means to play for DME. Winning the trophy was great, but the passing and team play impressed me.”- Coach, Jared Antista
The 2012 girls soccer team kicked off their competitive schedule last May and after three tournaments and now two championship trophies, the groundwork is being laid for a successful future. This U11 team dominated the competition at Lake Nona this past weekend (August 21st & 22nd, 2022). The tournament showcased top teams from Florida including two ECNL-R squads, Swan City from Lakeland & Orlando City. A tough FC America team also competed in pool play but none challenged DME this go around.
The girls finished with a perfect record of 4-0, scoring 27 goals and conceding just 1. In the last 8 games, they are undefeated, 7-1-0, scoring 52 goals and conceding only 3. It’s a complete team effort. Offense, defense, Goalie play, and coaching.
“These girls have become true winners this summer. Not by scoring more goals but through their minds. The “play like a champion” mentality may have seemed to appear out of nowhere, but it has been brewing through their dedication, training, and effort.” Coach, Scott Morgenroth, former IMG Academy coach.
You’re on notice soccer world, DME Academy soccer is on the rise. To stay up to date and to learn more about DME Academy’s rising soccer program, take a look here!
Todd Eason, Director of Soccer at DME, has been at the forefront of assembling the perfect team to compete at the middle-school level for girls soccer in the upcoming 2022-2023 season. DME is extremely excited to have these amazing athletes representing the Academy on and off the field. This group will up their competition and bring their talent to the national stage, and will be a force to be reckoned with across the country.
The new DME Academy girls’ team consists of 11 of the top 7th graders in the Florida area. Remember these names because you’ll be hearing about them a lot in the upcoming years.
“DME Academy has been super excited to see our middle school girls’ soccer program evolve over the last year to a full team for the 2022-23 season,” said athletic director Laura Stegall. “Todd has put in countless hours developing this roster and it is exciting to see the program come to fruition. I look forward to watching these ladies compete.”
Some of the girls- Cora Wingard and Payton Robinson to name a few – will be representing DME as full-time student-athletes in the fall of 2022, where they will be able to take classes online and focus on their soccer skills. Riley Doran’s family has also done a lot to help with the recruitment efforts for this upcoming season.
“I’m pleased to announce and be associated with the first middle school team to represent DME Academy,” said Eason. “Our coaching staff has worked hard on identifying some of the most talented young players in our community. With the combination of our returning players and the seven new additions, I look forward to seeing this group compete at an extremely high level. Our focus on academics, character development and training regiment will bring much deserved attention and opportunities for our young student-athletes.”
If you’re interested in joining our soccer family, improve your game and see why DME is an academy on the rise, click here to learn more about all of our soccer programs.