US Youth Soccer Region IV

Champions Crowned at US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships

California South Wins 10 Titles, Arizona and Colorado Win 2, California North and Nevada Win 1

LAS VEGAS (June 24, 2007) - Sixteen US Youth Soccer clubs won regional titles today and the 12 teams representing the Under-14 through Under-19 boys and girls divisions have earned berths in the US Youth Soccer National Championships July 24-29 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, a suburb of Dallas.

Of the teams advancing the Under-18 Boys Arsenal have won four US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships and three national championships; the Under-16 Boys Real So Cal have won three US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships and two national championships; and the Under-17 Girls Eagles have won two US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships and one national championship.

A new addition to the US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships is the first girl's team from Nevada to ever win a regional championship, the Under-12 Neusport FC 95 Green. Nevada's last US Youth Soccer Region IV Championship win was a boy's team in 1984. Neusport's coach Eric Garriss said, "We worked for the last three years to get to this point." The team hopes to continue their success at the regional championships and make it to the national championships as Under-14s. Today Zhane Dikes scored with an assist from Jessell O'Dell in the 23^rd and O'Dell scored off an assist from Ayana Williams in the 51^st. There were over 300 local fans today offering an assist for the girls in today's final as well.

The Under-18 Boys Arsenal from southern California are no stranger to the high stakes of the US Youth Soccer Region IV Championship finals. Today the team won their fourth regional championship and is poised to set another record in the US Youth Soccer National Championships as they seek their fourth consecutive title next month. Arsenal went up against the Colorado Rush where Hector Jimenez, Arsenal's center midfielder, scored right before the half giving Arsenal a breather going in to halftime. Cito Soriano scored right after the half to solidify Arsenal's lead and seal the 2-0 victory.

Colorado Rush's coach had good things to say about today's competition, "We are very glad to have another crack at Arsenal. There was nothing that we wanted more than to come out and beat you guys. It is harder to stay number one than be number one, and you guys did it this week."

Real So Cal's Under-16 Boys are on their way back to a third US Youth Soccer National Championship in July. Between having a goalie that has won the Golden Glove the past two years at nationals and having a strong offense, Real dominated today's game against Oregon's WSM International winning 4-0. Christopher Cummings scored in the 10^th minute and they kept the pace up from there. Norberto Rodriguez scored twice before the half was over (28:00) (42:00). Russell Jackson found the back of the net in the 79^th to put the finishing touches on the game.

The Under-17 Girls Eagles from California South have had a second regional title as a goal for the past three years since winning their first US Youth Soccer National Championship in 2004. They failed to qualify for the Region IV championships the past two years after losing in penalty kicks in the finals of the California South US Youth Soccer State Championships. Today, their dream was realized but not easily. The Eagles scored first with Gracie Gartrell finding the back of the net in the 20^th, but the Slammers, a fellow California South team, were not easily defeated and Judy Christopher scored in the 80^th. After a scoreless overtime, the game went to penalty kicks, just like the finals of the last two state championship losses for the Eagles. The Eagle's coach said, "We have prepared to win in any way. We told Shana, the goalie, that if she saved one, the rest of the girls would take care of the rest."

The Eagle's scored the first four penalty kicks and then Shana saved the fifth. The Eagle's Emily Cressy scored the final goal to send her team to their second US Youth Soccer National Championship.

California North' only champion, the Under-19 So. San Jose/San Juan Ruckus, are advancing to the US Youth Soccer National Championships to compete for the oldest of the 12 Championships, which has been played annually since 1935, except during World War II. Ruckus's coach Billy Wiskel said, "Any time you can represent a region, especially Region IV with so many great teams, it is a great honor. This is such a great way to end a youth career. This is an amazing accomplishment; the high point."

"The first half Surf gave us everything we could handle. They are a great team. At the half, we got organized. This was the first time during regionals that we were not on top at the half. The first half we didn't control the pace."

Tad Bobak, coach of the Under-15 Girls So Cal Blues, said, "The players concentrated and focused mentally and physically today and with that focus they stayed committed to their game plan throughout the game. We have had the same commitment through state and regionals and will now as we advance on to nationals. Our main goal all year has been to make it to nationals."

The Under-15 So Cal Blues beat Washington's Crossfire Premier 91, 1-0, with the lone goal from Rachel Manning (42:00).

Complete scores from today's action are below.

More than 250 top boys and girls US Youth Soccer teams from 14 state associations have competed for the US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships, June 18-24, at Bettye Wilson Soccer Complex and the Kellogg Zaher Sports Complex in Las Vegas. Daily reports and complete results from the tournament are available on www.USYouthSoccer.org and http://Championships.USYouthSoccer.org.

Regional winners of the Under-14 through Under-19 brackets earn a berth to the 2007 US Youth Soccer National Championships to be played July 24-29, at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, a suburb of Dallas.

Today's Scores:

Under-12 Boys
(CAS) FC Barcelona 3, (WA) Eastside FC 94 Red 0
Goal Scorers:
Barcelona- Cristian Cruz (9:00), Eduardo Calzada (27:00) (36:00)

Under-12 Girls
(OR) Southside Ireland 0, (NV) Neusport FC 95 Green 2
Goal Scorers:
Neusport- Zhane Dikes (23:00), Jessell O'Dell (51:00)

Under-13 Boys
(CAN)Santa Clara Sporting 3, (CAS) X-treme Italia III 6
Goal Scorers:
Santa Clara Sporting- Julio Morales-Zavala (4:00) (52:00), Angelo Longoni (36:00)
X-treme- Derek Vogel (10:00), Henry Rios (24:00), Eduardo Quezada (30:00) (62:00) (69:00), Jordan Gutierrez (68:00)

Under-13 Girls
(CAS) SD Surf White 3, (CAN) Mustang Rampage 2
Goal Scorers:
Surf- Alexandra Bailey (2:00), Kate Perry (65:00), Nicole Sherwin (73:00)
Mustang- Amanda Davis (43:00), Amanda Elertson (60:00)

Under-14 Boys
(CAS) Force SC 0, (CAS) W1 West Coast FC 1
Goal Scorers:
West Coast- Fabian Arroyo (39:00)

Under-14 Girls
(CAS) W1 Arsenal FC White 0, (CAS) Slammers FC 1 (PK 4-1)

Under-15 Boys
(CAS) W1 FC Barcelona 1, (AZ) Sereno White 3
Goal Scorers:
Barcelona- Amilcar Oliveros (49:00)
Sereno- OG (13:00), Gibran Silva (56:00) (67:00)

Under-15 Girls
(WA) Crossfire Premier 91 0, (CAS) W1 So Cal Blues 1
Goal Scorers:
So Cal- Rachel Manning (42:00)

Under-16 Boys
(OR) WSM Internationals 0, (CAS) W1 Real So Cal 4
Goal Scorers:
Real- Christopher Cummings (10:00), Norberto Rodriguez (28:00) (42:00), Russel Jackson (79:00)

Under-16 Girls
(CAN) W1 Pleasanton Rage 3, (OR) FC Portland Sapphire 1
Goal Scorers:
Pleasanton- Ahsha Smith (48:00)

Under-17 Boys
(CAS) SD Surf White 3, (CO) Real CO National 4
Goal Scorers:
Surf- Amani Walker (17:00) (20:00) (100:00)
Real- Alexander Greenman (51:00), Antonio Rosales (63:00), Taylor Kemp (112:00) (119:00)

Under-17 Girls
CAS) W1 Slammers FC 1, (CAS) Eagles 2 (5-4 PK)
Goal Scorers:
Slammers- Judy Christopher (80:00)
Eagles- Gracie Gartrell (20:00)

Under-18 Boys
(CAS) Arsenal FC 2, (CO) CO Rush Nike 0
Goal Scorers:
Arsenal- Hector Jimenez (45:00), Cito Soriano (47:00)

Under-18 Girls
(CAS) W1 Slammers FC 1, (CAN) Mustang Blast 0
Goal Scorers:
Slammers- Alyssa Davila (68:00)

Under-19 Boys
(CAN) So. San Jose/San Juan Ruckus 1, (CAS) SD Surf White 0
Goal Scorers:
Ruckus- Jeffrey Meyer (87:00)

Under-19 Girls
(AZ) Sereno White 2, (CAS) So. Cal Blues 1
Goal Scorers:
Sereno- Kiersten Dallstream (7:00), Emiko Schwab (41:00)
So Cal Blues- Lauren Robertson (67:00)

2007 US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships | Champions

Girls

Under-12
Neusport FC 95 Green (NV)
Under-13
San Diego Surf White (CS)
Under-14*
Slammers FC (CS)
Under-15*
So Cal Blues (CS)
Under-16*
Pleasanton Rage (CN)
Under-17*
Real Colorado National (CO)
Under-18*
Slammers (CS)
Under-19*
Sereno White (AZ)

Boys

Under-12
FC Barcelona (CS)
Under-13
X-treme Italia III (CS)
Under-14*
West Coast FC (CS)
Under-15*
Sereno White (AZ)
Under-16*
Real So Cal (CS)
Under-17*
Real Colorado National (CO)
Under-18*
Arsenal FC (CS)
Under-19*
So. San Jose/San Juan Ruckus (CS)
*Advance to US Youth Soccer National Championships