LANCASTER, Calif. (June 20, 2009) – The US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships semifinals were in full swing today with the action and team spirit at its highest level so far this week. Fans filled the sidelines and teams had an added motivation knowing today's match could earn them a slot in the championship round.

The winners of tomorrow's games will qualify for the US Youth Soccer National Championships in Lancaster, Mass., July 21-26, at Citizens Bank Fields at Progin Park.

Five defending US Youth Soccer Region IV Champions have the opportunity to win back-to-back titles tomorrow, and Under-19 Girls CO Rush Nike (CO) has the chance to advance to the National Championships and capture back-to-back National Championships.

Utah's Avalanche Premier Under-19 Girls took control of the first half of the game against Washington's Shadow-Bushey with goals by Shantel Flanary and Nikisha Fernandes in the 18^th and 41^st minutes. Down 2-0, Alison Fenter put Shadow on the boards in the 59^th minute. Jamie Nelson netted a 66^th minute Avalanche goal and Fernandes hit her second in the 73^rd minute for the 4-1 lead. Fenter put a second up for Shadow, but it wasn't enough, and Avalanche won 4-2.

With the Eagles (CA-S) Under-19 Girls, looking to go for a 3^rd National Championship title and CO Rush Nike out to defend their 2008 National Championship title the two teams gave their all on the field. CO Rush had the lone goal of the game in the 84^th minute thanks to Emmalie Pfankuch. The 1-0 win earns CO Rush a slot in the Region IV Championships match where they will play Avalanche Premier of Utah, a team they tied with in prelims.

In one of many games that went into overtime today, CO Rush Nike Under-19 Boys pulled out a 4-2 victory over Oregon's WSM Gunners. It was 2-2 at the end of regulation after Drew Williams and Casey McCool goals in the 5^th and 41^st minutes for WSM and goals from Rush's Patrick Freeman and Steven Emory in the 79^th and 90^th minutes. In overtime, Edward Prugh had a 92^nd minute shot and Emory pulled off his second goal in the 113^th minute. Colorado faces Cal South's DMS 11 in the finals.

The Under-19 Boys DMS 11 (CA-S) had a shutout in today's game against NM Rush Premier (NM). Zachary Hendrickson had the first DMS goal in the 21^st minute, followed by back-to-back goals from Daniel Steres and Robert Mediaros in the 46^th and 48^th minutes. Steres had another in the 67^th minute and Kenton Boswell finished off the 5-0 win in the 85^th minute.

Under-14 Girls, So Cal Blues took an early lead over fellow Cal South team, X-treme Breakaway with goals from Amber Munerlyn in the 10^th minute and Sydney Fuertes in the 17^th minute. Munerlyn extended the Blues lead to 3-0 in the 61^st minute for the win and a seat in the finals.

It was a battle of cross-state teams, for the Under-14 Girls from Cal North's Mustang Blast and Cal South's SD Surf White. Stephanie Amack had a 52^nd minute Mustang goal and SD Surf's Margaret Gulczynski's evened the score in the 70^th minute. The 1-1 score remained until the end of regulation and throughout the overtime period leaving the game to be decided by PKs. Mustang won that battle for a slot in the finals to play the So Cal Blues.

Sereno (AZ) teams in the Under-15 Boys and Girls age group have both earned spot in the Region IV championship matches.

The Under-15 Girls had a 2-1 win over Evergreen Green (WA) in today's game. Sereno 94 White's Danielle Leon netted one in the 18^th minute and Evergreen's Lindsay Licht evened the boards in the 26^th minute. Lucy O'Leary gave Sereno the lead 2-1 lead with a 29^th minute goal. Sereno held onto that lead to capture a semifinals win. Sereno will play So Cal Blue in the finals match.

Sereno 94 White Under-15 Boys earned their seat in the championships match after today's 4-1 victory over Washington Premier (WA). Angel Rascon scored the first three Sereno goals in the 19^th, 53^rd and 75^th minutes to complete a hat trick, and Nicholas Cavaretta hit Sereno's fouth goal in the 78^th. Bryce Joling scored Washington's goal in the 50^th minute. Sereno will play Arsenal FC (CA-S) in the championship match.

The Under-16 Boys age group had close matches today as both were decided in overtime. The game bringing together two Cal South teams, Arsenal FC and West Coast FC, went into overtime after West Coast's Juan Mendoza had a 44^th minute goal and Arsenal's William Roman had a last minute goal in the 80^th. Andre Lara had the sole Arsenal goal in the 88^th minute for the 2-1 win.

The first 15 minutes of the Under-16 Boys game between Foothill MVLA Raptors of Cal North and New Mexico's Elite FC Gladiators was action packed. The Gladiators' Julio Velasquez scored one in the 3^rd minute, but Foothill's Juan Magana-Alvarez evened the score in the 8^th minute. Teammate Joshual Prasad put Foothill in the lead with a 15^th minute goal. Foothill thought they had the win, but Gladiators' Nico Muniz put one away in the 80^th for the 2-2 tie. With the help of his teammates, Muniz netted 84^th and 92^nd minute goals in overtime for Gladiators' 4-2 victory.