Youth National Championships - Finals set
Published 7/27/2007 10:57:27 PM by staff from usyouthsoccer.org
Under-19 Boys
The Under-19 Boys Dallas Texans Red 88 team played the Chicago Magic to determine their fate for advancing to the finals. Magic coach John Hannan explained how tonight’s game “was a different type of game” for them. Magic had already secured their place in the finals based on their earlier success, so the game was all up to the Texans. The Texans had to win or tie to advance, and their keeper Maros Valko, a native of Slovakia, helped achieve the tie. Valko moved from Slovakia to play soccer in America last year. He originally played on the Under-18 Texans, but coach David Hudgell felt that with his talent and heart would be a great fit with the Under-19 team at nationals.
The Texans have extra support and pressure from the hometown crowd and packed sidelines. When asked how the team reacted to the large crowds, Texans coach Hudgell said that “the players were a bit edgy. Everyone wants to play, and everyone wants to play well in front of their friends and family.”
For Chicago Magic head coach Hannan, winning the national championship would “show recognition as far as years of development” for the club. When asked what winning the national championships would mean to the Texans team Hudgell said, “It would just mean everything to win it at home the last time they play together as a team.” The Dallas Texans Red 88 and the Chicago Magic will meet again Sunday at 7:30 a.m. to determine the national champion.
Under-19 Girls
Tonight’s Under-19 Girls division provided excitement and ultimately confusion for the teams. The bracket featured numerous scenarios on who could advance. CASL Spartan Elite tripled their goal total for the week in the 3-1 win over Sereno White. Sarah Winslow scored in the 64th and teammate Allie Sadow added another five minutes later. Sereno’s Nicole Dobrzynski scored in the 75th in an effort to begin the climb back. It was Winslow again in the 87th to solidify the win, 3-1. At the conclusion of the match, a cautious CASL team awaited word from the Carmel United and PWSI Cardinal match. The result of the match was not final due to a protest that is currently under review by the national championships committee and US Youth Soccer Board of Directors.
Under-17 Boys
Andromeda 90 (N. TX) found its best opportunities in the last five minutes of the match to score the two goals needed to tie FC Delco 89 (E. PA) and become a national finalist. The Andromeda knew going into tonight’s game that they needed to at least tie to earn their spot in Sunday’s final. Andromeda’s Anthony Gerhart said, “After the first goal our momentum shot up. We realized that we needed to at least tie to move on, so we kept pushing it back inside the box.” In regards to being one of the top two teams in the nation, Gerhart said, “It’s unbelievable. I never would have though about it when I started select (soccer) and I never thought about it building up to be one of the best two teams in the nation and us being one of them.”
Andromeda’s head coach Oscar Borgarello said, “As a player I was here once, but as a coach, in 20 years, this is my first time. Everything has to go your way and this is our time. We have one more game to play against a team that I was very, very impressed with.”
FC Milwaukee and Real Colorado Nationals were keeping one ear open for the loud cheering from Andromeda and FC Delco during their match to be sure they knew what outcome was needed for its teams to advance. Milwaukee won 2-0 and earned their berth in Sunday’s final. In today’s match, Ethan Finlay scored the first goal off a volley (22:00) and Mario Falsetti finished a corner off a header (60:00).
Milwaukee coach Tony Wright said, “We are happy to get a chance to play Andromeda again. In the first game we learned their tendencies, players and style.”
FC Milwaukee and Andromeda 90 face off for the Don Greer Cup on Sunday, July 29 at 9:30 a.m.
Under-17 Girls
Sunday’s final game will be a more intense repeat of tonight’s Dallas Texans 90 Red vs. Eagles SC match. The finals schedule had already been determined before today’s match as both teams won their first two preliminary games. Today the Eagles’ Kelsey Owen got the game started with a goal in the 8th but it would be the Dallas Texans taking the win with scores from Kelsey Blincow and Anne Kendzior in the 19th and 23rd respectfully.
Under-18 Boys
Terryville, New York, is now on the soccer map. The Under-18 Boys Terryville Fire defeated the Arsenal FC (CA-S) for the first time in four years in the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, 1-0. A Terryville win would secure a place in tomorrow's championship final.
Terryville head coach Rich Flaim said, "This feels good. I told the boys that you have to believe that you can win and if you believe with all your heart you can do anything. We are excited to be here. I told the team if we want to be the champions, we have to beat the champions."
Arsenal had already secured their place in tomorrow’s final thanks to two wins. It was Terryville Fire had everything to gain.
"We woke up today knowing how good they are. They play the type of soccer you like to see and want to emulate," said Flaim. "To win a national championship – there are thousands of coaches that haven't anything like this yet. But we haven't won anything yet, we’ve just earned a chance."
Under-14 Boys
PDA Larsson knew they were at the top of their bracket going into this morning’s match against the Michigan Wolves Black. After a 1-1 tie today, both Larsson and the Wolves will advance to Sunday’s championship game.
“We did well and did what we had to do today,” said PDA Larsson’s head coach John Murphy. “We used field players in the goal since we only have one goalkeeper here this week. You do what you have to to survive.”
Johan Hernandez scored PDA’s goal after the ball was crossed from the right Hernandez had a strong header from eight yards and that found the back of the net. To give Hernandez’ legs some rest before the finals, he then filled in as keeper and did a great job of holding the Wolves back.
Under-15 Girls
“It’s a thrill! All of the girls are pumped,” said Tom Anderson, PDA Fire’s head coach. “We moved back around well and we made them (ELA Elite) chase. Our girls really outworked them. They had good skill as well, but we have a great bench and we are not afraid to use it.” The PDA fire won 2-0 today against
Illinois’ ELA Elite.
PDA’s Kristen Niederhaus scored the first goal in the 10th minute from the top of the box on a ball dropped back from the forwards. In the 40th, Julie Vajda scored off a combination of beautiful passes and she finished with a goal from her left foot. The ELA goalie got her hands on it, but couldn’t stop it.
Anderson gave a lot of credit to the ELA goalie saying that she did an outstanding job. In regard to their upcoming championship match, he said he learned that the So Cal Blues are too strong in the middle and he will not continue to hit it up the middle.
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