Three Teams Knotted in the Under-18 Boys Division

ORLANDO, FL (July 28, 2005) – The US Youth Soccer National Championships continued early Thursday with the second day of Preliminary Round play at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex. For teams vying for a National crown, today was a must-win situation as Sunday’s finals were on everyone’s mind.

In the Under-18 Boys division, the PDA Conquistadors (NJ) grabbed a needed victory with goals from Jamie Franks (26^th minute) and John Stamatis (77^th minute). PDA was solid defensively as the boys from New Jersey, including Harvard-bound defender Michael Giammanco, shut down a talented Dallas Texan and U.S. Under-18 national team player, Lee Nguyen.  Nguyen leaves tomorrow for Northern Ireland to join his national team side in pursuit of the Milk Cup.   “I have been looking forward to this opportunity (the National Championships) since last year,” said Lee Nguyen (Texans).  “I really wanted to win this.”

“They (Texans) have a great team and player in Lee Nguyen and we were able to shut him down today,” said PDA Coach John Murphy.  “If we had to play 10 times, who’s to say we would come out on top.  If we lost today, then we had nothing to play for tomorrow. Same thing tomorrow, if we lose, we go home, if we win, we play for the National Championship.”  PDA plays FC Milwaukee Friday, who now has a one win (PDA), one loss record after Real Colorado National (CO) outlasted Milwaukee, 2-0, in this morning’s action.

For the Under-19 girls, a match between Colorado Rush Nike (CO) and Carmel United Commotion (IN) is  nothing short of a friendly rivalry; today’s game was a classic. After Caroline Lea scored in the 77^th minute for Colorado, Como had the chance to tie with a penalty kick opportunity. But Colorado goalkeeper Rachel Zollner was a wall, denying the goal.

“I was thinking I have to make this save or we won’t have a chance to move on tomorrow,” said Zollner of the save. “I stepped up and made a move. It was a half guess, half instinct thing.”

The St. Louis Soccer Club Under-15 Girls (MO) defeated a talented PDA team, coming from behind to win 3-1. PDA’s Kiley Williams scored in the 24^th minute only to have St. Louis’ Chelsey Russell retaliate with a goal in the 49^th minute that tied the match. Julie King of St. Louis, 22 minutes into the second half, broke the 1-1 tie and Blake Miller put the game away one minute later.

“The first half they (PDA) put on a clinic on how to play soccer, they just didn’t finish their chances,” said St. Louis coach Gary Miller. “We had to try and adjust and we finished our chances very will.”

The St. Louis Soccer Club was not the only team to comeback from a 1-0 deficit. In a similar fashion the Tulsa Soccer Club 91 Under-14 Boys (OK) defeated So Cal United (CA), 3-1 to give Tulsa a chance to advance.  In the Under-15 Boys division, the FC Greater Boston Bolts (MA) beat CASL Elite (NC), 2-1, and the Nomads SC (CA) overcame the Campton Raptors (IL), also with the same score. On the girl’s side of the bracket, the Dallas Texans 90 Red (TX) team fought back with five unanswered goals for the San Diego Surf (CA), taking the 5-1 victory.

One of two defending National Champions (Arsenal and Eclipse Select – Under-17 Girls) Arsenal FC was locked and loaded today scoring five goals to Vardar’s (MI) none.  Arsenal FC coach Steve Lucey said, “I believe that we played well today, a 5-0 win against a final four team is great.  I think there’s a mystique about being a National Champion.  I’m not sure if they thought they could beat us today.”

Play resumes at 7:00pm with action in the Under-17 and Under-16 divisions. 

The 2005 US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, providing approximately 129,000 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. 

2005 marks a special year for the four teams in the Under-19 Boys age group at the US Youth Soccer National Championship as the National Champion will hoist the James P. McGuire Cup, the oldest trophy in youth sport dating back to 1935 with the inaugural youth championships, on the 70th anniversary of the storied cup. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the Under-19 Girls Ross Stewart Cup and 20th Anniversary of the Under-16 Girls Patricia L. Masotto Cup. The U.S. Soccer Federation initiated youth championships with the James P. McGuire Cup (Under-19 Boys) in 1935. Since its creation in 1974, US Youth Soccer has added 11 divisions to the National Championship tournament, most recently with the Under-14 and Under-15 Boys and Girls divisions in 2001 to create the series current format.

Annually the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides the nation’s top collegiate coaches with the premier stage to identify and scout the most coveted players in the country. In 2004, over 500 coaches attended the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships including the majority of the top 25 men’s and women’s programs based on the final 2004 NSCAA/adidas National Rankings for NCAA Division I schools.

US Youth Soccer National Championships

Day 2 Morning Session Results – Preliminary Matches

Under-14 Boys

Tulsa Soccer Club 91 (Oklahoma) 3, So Cal United (California South) 1  

Goal Scorers: Zachary Zerrenner (So Cal) 23:00, Thomas Shannon (Tulsa) 28:00, Scott Zingerman (Tulsa) 65:00, James Gorss (Tulsa) 69:00

Chicago Magic (Illinois) 2, Potomac Cougars (Maryland) 0

Goal Scorers: Phillip Galounis (Chicago) 62:00, Ryan Stokes (Chicago) 70:00

Under-14 Girls

Edmond Soccer Club 91 Black (Oklahoma) 6, Beadling (Pennsylvania West) 0

Goal Scorers: (2) Alexandria Hampton (Edmond) 8:00, 26:00 Catherine Rawls (Edmond) 13:00, Megan McMahon (Edmond) 35:00, Caitlin Mooney (Edmond) 50:00, Jasmine Simmons (Edmond) 64:00

So Cal Blues (California South) 3, Ohio Elite (Ohio South) 0  

Goal Scorers: Charney Burk (So Cal) 38:00, Alexis Deol (So Cal) 48:00, Charney Burk (So Cal) 70:00

Under-15 Boys

FC Greater Boston Bolts (Massachusetts) 2, 89 CASL Elite (North Carolina) 1

Goal Scorers: James Carpenter (CASL) 45:00, Sheanon Williams (Boston) 72:00, 80:00

Nomads SC (California South) 2, Campton Raptors (Illinois) 1

Goal Scorers: Nino Markovic (Campton) 24:00, (2) Elio De la torre (Boston) 25:00, 47:00

Under-15 Girls

St. Louis Soccer Club (Missouri) 3, PDA Power (New Jersey) 1

Goal Scorers: Kiley Williams (PDA) 24:00, Chelsey Russell (St. Louis) 49:00, Julie King (St. Louis) 67:00, Blake Miller (St. Louis) 70:00

Dallas Texans 90 Red (Texas North) 5, San Diego Surf (California South) 1

Goal Scorers: Caroline Shevlin (Surf) 15:00, Jessica Schuveiller (Dallas) 23:00, (2) Lucy Keith (Dallas) 35:00, 45:00, Kelsey Blincow (Dallas) 61:00, Rachel Shipley (Dallas) 79:00

Under-16 Boys

Arsenal FC (California South) 5, Vardar (Michigan) 0

Goal Scorers: (2) Cesar Macias (Arsenal) 29:00, 44:00, Hector Jimenez (Arsenal) 55:00, David Paul (Arsenal) 66:00, James Gamboa (Arsenal) 79:00

Solar 89 SC (Texas North) 4, FC DELCO Black V (East Pennsylvania) 1

Goal Scorers: David Reyes (Solar) 20:00, Tuan Doan (Solar) 34:00, Cameron Brown (Solar) 41:00, William Caston (Solar) 58:00, Max Allen (FC Delco) 66:00

Under-18 Boys

Real Colorado National (Colorado) 2, FC Milwaukee (Wisconsin) 0

Goal Scorers: Brad Stisser (Real) 44:00, 67:00

PDA Conquistadors (New Jersey) 2, Dallas Texans Red 87 (Texas North) 0

Goal Scorers: Jamie Franks (PDA) 26:00, John Stamatis (PDA) 77:00

Under-18 Girls

Laguna Hills Eclipse (California South) 4, KC Dynamo (Kansas) 2

Goal Scorers: (2) Michelle Enyeart (Laguna) 31:00, 75:00, Amy Rodriguez (Laguna) 36:00, 77:00 Sarah Jewel (KC) 39:00, Lauren Isenhower (KC) 46:00

Bethesda Excel (Maryland) 4, Sting 87 Royal (Texas North) 1  

Goal Scorers: Amanda Poach (Bethesda) 27:00, Natalia Mann (Bethesda) 31:00, Leslie Hill (Sting) 56:00, Erin Moore (Bethesda) 63:00, Brittany Tegeler (Bethesda) 72:00

Under-19 Boys

Sockers FC (Illinois) 1,Reston RFC (Virginia) 0

Goal Scorers: Paul Mongillo (Sockers) 60:00

Atlanta Fire United (Georgia) 4, Nomads SC (California South) 1

Goal Scorers: Ryan Roushandel (Atlanta) 34:00, 75:00, Mark Buchholz (Atlanta) 40:00, Jason Le (Nomads) 77:00, Phillip Raby (Atlanta) 85:00

Under-19 Girls

Stars of Massachusetts (Massachusetts) 2, Dallas Texans Red 86 (Texas North) 2

Goal Scorers: Krystal Bailey (Dallas) 44:00, Jenna Lind (Dallas) 47:00, Lauren Vecchione (Stars) 57:00, Dianna Mastromauro (Stars) 88:00

Colorado Rush Nike (Colorado) 1, Carmel United Commotion (Indiana) 0

Goal Scorers: Caroline Lea (Colorado) 77:00