ORLANDO, FL (July 20, 2004) - The US Youth Soccer National Championships got underway today at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, with each team playing its first of three preliminary round games. The Championship setting is complete with five immaculate playing fields, electric scoreboards and lights for evening play.

Representing Hawaii in its first-ever National Championships appearance, the Honolulu Soccer Club Bulls downed the Baltimore Bays (Maryland) 3-0 in Under-19 Boys action. Hawaii's Duke Hashimoto opened scoring early with a tally at the 2-minute mark, Satoshi Mitsuda followed with a goal at 25:00 and the final tally of the evening came from David Gualdarama late in the second half.

"We started out nervous and were fortunate enough to get a goal that helped us loosen up," said HSC Head Coach Phillip Neddo. "Pressure makes great players like it makes great friends, and in step one we responded to the pressure."

Last year's US Youth Soccer National Runner-Up Bethesda Excel (Maryland) downed the Windy City Pride (Illinois) 3-2 in Under-17 Girls evening action. Bethesda's Natalia Mann opened scoring at the 11-minute mark, followed by teammate Ashley Myers at 31:00. The Midwest Region's Windy City Pride rallied back with goals from Brittany Boch at the 34- and 54-minute marks. Not to be outdone, Excel's Hayley Siegel found the back of the net for the game winner in the 75th minute.

In the Under-19 Girls division, six-time Regional Champions HBC Fury (Eastern New York) tied the Eclipse Select (Illinois) 2-2. While in Under-19 Boys action, Scott Gallagher of Missouri downed 84 CASL Elite (North Carolina), 2-1.

Play resumes tomorrow at 7:30 am with the action in the Under-18 division. Games continue with the Under-17's at 9:30 am and the Under-16 group at 6:30 pm.

The 2004 US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, providing approximately 124,000 players on 7,200 teams from US Youth Soccer's 55 State Associations the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play, is the country's most prestigious national youth soccer tournament. The US Youth Soccer National Championships cap a yearlong series of competitions for boys and girls teams in multiple age brackets.

About US Youth Soccer - US Youth Soccer-The Game for ALL Kids!® is the largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3.2 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, in 55 member state associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game.

US Youth Soccer National Championships
Day 1 Results - Preliminary Matches

Under-14 Boys
Hockessin Blizzard (Delaware) 3, Tampa Bay Kickers (Florida) 1
Goal Scorers: Matthew Palmer (Tampa) 22:00, (2) Matthew Margiotta (Hockessin) 32:00, 40:00, Joe Crowley (Hockessin) 44:00
Rockford Raptors (Illinois) 2 vs. Celtic Harps (California South) 2
Goal Scorers: Rigo Ramirez (Celtic) 10:00, Mario Gutierrez (Celtic) 35:00+, Brad Horton (Rockford) 41:00, Shawn Johnson (Rockford) 52:00

Under-14 Girls
Eagles (California South) 2, Mt Laurel United Strikers (New Jersey) 0
Goal Scorers: Gracie Gartrell (Eagles) 64:00, Emily Cressy (Eagles) 70:00+

ESC 90 Black (Oklahoma) 3, Michigan Hawks (Michigan) 0
Goal Scorers: Jordan Calhoun (ESC) 45:00, Kelsey Boswell (ESC) 61:00, Kyndall Treadwell (ESC) 67:00

Under-15 Boys
Solar 89 (North Texas) 1, Arsenal FC (California South) 1
Goal Scorers: David Reyes (Solar) 15:00, Ryan Peterman (Arsenal) 68:00
Chicago Magic (Illinois) 1, Bethesda United (Maryland) 1
Goal Scorers: Steven Wujek (Bethesda) 21:00, Pete Sabo (Chicago) 28:00

Under-15 Girls
PDA Fury (New Jersey) 0, Mustang Blast (California North) 1
Goal Scorers: Shannon Lacy (Mustang) 75:00
Michigan Hawks (Michigan) 0, Dallas Texans 89 Red (North Texas) 0

Under-16 Boys
Chicago s Magic (Illinois) 1 vs. Texans 87/88 (South Texas) 2
Goal Scorers: Richard King (Texans) 5:00, Arturo Rodriguez (Chicago) 51:00, Jonathan Yanez (Texans) 69:00
FC United '87 (Washington) 3 vs. Casa Mia Bays (Maryland) 1
Goal Scorers: Ciaran O'Brien (FC United) 18:00, Jonathan Ports (Casa Mia) 35:00, (2) Corey Kelmel (FC United) 77:00, 78:00

Under-16 Girls
Renegades (Florida) 1 vs. PDA Wildcats (New Jersey) 2
Goal Scorers: Brianna Schooley (Renegades) 23:00, Gina DeMaio (PDA) 75:00, Elisabeth Redmond (PDA) 78:00
Slammers FC (California South) 2 vs. Eclipse Select (Illinois) 2
Goal Scorers: Whitney Engen (Slammers) 5:00, Brianna Bak (Slammers) 6:00, (2) Lauren Switzer (Eclipse) 17:00, 24:00

Under-17 Boys
Albertson Red Storm Clash (Eastern New York) 1, ISC Strikers (Cal-S) 0
Goal Scorers: Thomas Lobben (Alberston) 6:00
Scott Gallagher (Missouri) 2, Weston (Florida) 0
Goal Scorers: Theodore Novak (Scott Gallagher) 30:00, James Dickson (Scott Gallagher) 43:00

Under-17 Girls
So Cal United (California South) 2, Dallas Texans 87 Red (North Texas) 1
Goal Scorers: Caitlyn MacKechnie (So Cal) 6:00, Skylar Andrews (Dallas Texans) 37:00, Kathleen Oakes (So Cal) 77:00
Bethesda Excel (Maryland) 3, Windy City Pride (Illinois) 2
Goal Scorers: Natalia Mann (Bethesda) 11:00, Ashley Myers (Bethesda) 31:00, (2) Brittany Boch (Windy City) 34:00, 54:00, Hayley Siegel (Bethesda) 75:00

Under-18 Boys
Busch SC (Missouri) 0, Texans 85/86 (South Texas) 0
Sereno '86 White (Arizona) 2, FC Greater Boston Bolts (Massachusetts) 1
Goal Scorers: Mike Fuciot (Boston Bolts) 50:00, Brandon McDonald (Sereno) 56:00, Michael Manone (Sereno) 79:00

Under-18 Girls
San Diego Surf (California South) 1, Michigan Hawks (Michigan) 0
Goals Scorers: Amy Epsten (San Diego) 89:00
World Class U18 Girls (New Jersey) 4, United Quest Red 85 (Georgia) 2
Goal Scorers: Ashley Stinson (United Quest) 2:00, (2) Amanda Lebo (World Class) 28:00, 41:00, Nicki Gross (World Class) 67:00, Joni Vickers (United Quest) 70:00, Denay Riley (World Class) 83:00

Under-19 Boys
Scott Gallagher (Missouri) 2, 84 CASL Elite (North Carolina) 1
Goal Scorers: Kevin Robson (Scott Gallagher) 12:00, Steven Curfman (CASL) 48:00, Adam Lanter (Scott Gallagher) 82:00
HSC Bulls '85 (Hawaii) 3, Batimore Bays (Maryland) 0
Goal Scorers: Duke Hashimoto (HSC Bulls) 2:00, Satoshi Mitsuda (HSC Bulls) 25:00, David Gualdarama (HSC Bulls) 76:00

Under-19 Girls
HBC Fury (Eastern New York) 2, Eclipse Select (Illinois) 2
Goal Scorers: Kim Lorenzen (Eclipse) 22:00, Bristyn Davis (HBC Fury) 40:00, Cindi Brenner (Eclipse) 77:00, Amanda Ferranti (HBC Fury) 88:00
GSA 85 Phoenix Red (Georgia) 1, Pleasanton Rage (California North) 0
Goal Scorers: Courtney Foster (GSA) 24:00