Published
7/30/2008 8:21:18 PM
by
staff
from
soccermogul
The Solar 89 boys capped a dominate performance from North Texas sides at the 2008 USYSA Youth National Championships as Texas teams took 7 of the 12 titles.. Solar 89 has been in the national title game three times in their storied career. In each of the previous finals, Solar fell short. Looking to keep the trend, Kansas City Wizards Juniors aspired to etch their name in the James P. McGuire Cup, the oldest youth sports trophy (established in 1935).
"I've heard a lot of people say, if you are going to win one; this was the big one to win. So maybe it was meant to be all along. I didn't think so at the time, but now I do," said Kevin Smith, Director of Coaching for Solar SC. "I'll be old and I'll be sitting on my rocking chair one day and I'll be looking at this (team autographed game ball) and remember this day. It wasn't given to us. We had to earn this all the way. It wasn't given to us on a plate. They had a lot of disappointments but they kept fighting and clawing. They were very confident today and they have been confident for a lot of years. We just got pinned to the post a few times. This is special to me and I will treasure this for the rest of my life."
This match-up was a collegiate all-star game with All-Americans and future professional players on each side. As time neared expiration, Solar earned a free kick from 35 yards out that Hunter Jumper got on the end of and with all of his remaining energy slotted to give Solar their seemingly impossible national crown in their final year of the tournament as Under-19s.
"The fact that we won this and the fact that we are ending on top together just makes everything. The fact that we won means the whole world together," said Hunter Jumper, a freshman at University of Virginia. "It was 90 minutes of intense physical. Everything was 50-50. It was a battle out there for 90 minutes. We were lucky enough to get a free kick in the last 30-45 seconds. It was just great. I hit the ball well; as clean as I wanted to and just happen to be on it. It is the greatest feeling ever."
Published
2/10/2010
by
Shane Barrow
from
soccermogul
Dallas Cup XXXI is looking to be quite the tournament with U18 sides from Japan, USA and Mexico joining Chelsea, Tottenham and Tigres.
Published
7/26/2009
by
Shane Barrow
from
soccermogul
The Balitmore Casa Mia Bays grabbed the 2009 McGuire Cup with a 2-0 victory over NASA Elite from Georgia behind goals from Mark Jaskolski and Brendan Klebanoff.
Published
7/16/2009
by
Shane Barrow
from
soccermogul
Carmel United of Indiana won the 2009 U18 Development Academy championship with a 1-0 victory over DC United at the Home Depot Center in California.
Published
7/16/2009
by
Shane Barrow
from
soccermogul
Derby County Wolves and Cal Odyssey will fight it out on Friday for the U16 Development Academy championship at the Home Depot Center in California.
Published
7/14/2009
by
Shane Barrow
from
soccermogul
The U18 Academy final is set for 2009 and it will be DC United against Carmel United on Thursday night in Carson, California.