Top H.S. soccer players to showcase skills

Nassau's best high school soccer players will showcase their skills in front of collegiate scouts from across the region later this month, county officials announced Thursday.

Forty area male high school athletes will participate in the first Nassau County Executive Cup, scheduled for July 23 on the stadium turf field at the Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale.

Cup participants were selected from among 162 Nassau soccer players after enduring three demanding tryouts.

"These young stars will have the opportunity to showcase their abilities in front of a myriad of college coaches invited from all over the tri-state area, as they continue their pursuit of playing soccer at the collegiate level," said Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano.

The Executive Cup is organized by AND Go Sports, a Hicksville company that guides student athletes through the college recruiting process and helps them obtain scholarships.

After the game, the Long Island Rough Riders, the region's only professional soccer franchise, will play a match against the Mineola Portuguese Soccer Club. The Rough Riders play in the Premier Development League of the United Soccer League while the Mineola club plays in the Long Island Soccer-Futebol League.

The event is free and the gate opens at 3:30 p.m. The high school showcase begins at 4:45 p.m. while the professional match begins at 7:30 p.m.