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Tuesday, November 21, 2006

The air was cool from a chilly wind throughout Championship Tuesday at the 2006 Super Y-League North American Finals at Ed Radice Complex in Tampa, Florida, but for 10 teams, the day couldn’t have been any more perfect, especially for the Chicago Magic and Schulz Academy. Even the home side HC United had reason to celebrate in a tournament where they were not the favorites to win. And while one championship cup will remain in Tampa, five are headed to the West Coast.

The schedule put the tournament hosts in two of the three 9:00 finals to open the day’s championship action. The U13 Boys came up empty in a 4-0 loss to Cal Odyssey, but saw the U17 Boys win a bracket that had a number of powerhouses such as Kendall SC and New York Red Bulls by edging, ironically, the hosts of the Super-20 League Finals from several months ago, Seacoast United in a thrilling penalty kick shootout that went six rounds after a scoreless draw.

[click photos for larger version]

U16 Boys: Schulz Academy 1 :: 0 Los Angeles FC

Perhaps it was fitting they were the last team to win on the day as Schulz Academy edged Los Angeles FC 1-0 in the U16 Boys final to claim their third straight Super Y-League championship after winning the U14 and U15 titles the past two seasons.

It didn’t look like they would be successful in defending their title, coming in as the second place club out of the Southeast Division at 5-1-3, but they went 2-0-1 in their group and topped DVSC 2-1 in the semifinals.

"Although we were struggling in our local leagues, we had belief in our players that we would do well this week," said coach Joseph Schulz.

That belief was fulfilled with Julian Serrato and Edvin Worley combining for the championship winning goal in the 69th minute. Serrato went on a breakaway up the left side to the end line before sending the ball back to Worley at the edge of the box. Worley struck the ball on the volley cleanly, sending the winner inside the left post.

"This year was really special because the teams we played were all really good," added Schulz. "It is extremely difficult to win at this level where if we have a bad day, you are out. It’s a tough job managing the players just the right way for three years, using the right players and making the right subs. Another obstacle is the loss of players to the pros like Josmer Altidore, who is with the Red Bulls of MLS now after leading us to the championship last year. It is not easy losing players of that caliber and staying this competitive in what has become the number one tournament of the year for us competitively.

"I am so proud of this group. There is a core group of guys who have been together since they were eight or nine, playing under tough circumstances often times without a home field."

U17 Boys:  HC United 0 :: (5-4 PK) :: 0 Seacoast United

The defense that propelled Seacoast United to the U17 boys North American Final began to dictate the flow of their match with Southeastern and hometown power HC United. Entrenched in their half of the field, Seacoast’s game plan mimicked that of World Cup Champion Italy in that they would defend full-out and look to score on a quick strike counter attack.

HC United’s advantage of enchanting individual one-on-one attacks, primarily through a gifted midfield led by Anthony Force, led the assault of a fortified Seacoast back four.

“Anthony is the best pure athlete I have ever coached,” said HC United Head Coach Eric Simms. “He brings the work ethic up a few bars on this team and really sets the tone of our game with his play through the midfield.”

The finalists from New Hampshire’s counter attacks were quick and produced two dangerous first-half attempts on net. Midfielder Nathan Baker, pushing forward from his midfield position loosed two rising fastballs that barely missed the woodwork and ended up somewhere in west Tampa.

A third Seacoast counter opened the second half of play with a jailbreak ball played forward and in behind the HC United defense. Steven Tobson ended the threat with a textbook, but ill-advised slide tackle from behind in the box. The skilled defender found nothing but ball and play went on to a roar of applause from the HC United bench.

A midfield stalemate filled the middle of the second half before HC United, with ten minutes remaining, had the opportunity of their season ripped away by Seacoast’s last line of defense – goalkeeper Christopher Devine. The New Hampshire net minder cut down the angle of an HC United striker and fully extended to his right side to break up a close range blast. The exceptional save led the teams into another 20 minutes of overtime.

Devine brick-walled HC again in the first overtime, covering a laser destined for the upper-90. Seacoast’s most valuable player of the final took flight and nicked a piece of a sweet strike taken by United’s Andej Gulan.

HC United’s high pressure first overtime subsided and the second period was without any nail biting highlight. The stage was set for more brilliance out of Seacoast’s Devine against the drooling forwards from Hillsborough County who, thanks to the defending of New Hampshire’s backs got very few good looks at Devine.

The Tampa-based club took Devine out of play through the first three rounds of the shootout. Devine guessed wrong on all and thanks to a diving save to his left by Clete Goddard in the second round, HC United led 3-2 going into the fourth. Seacoast United drew even in that round with a miss by United and a tally to the left corner by Joseph Corsello. Late overtime sub Eric Ferson revealed the purpose for his entry as he obliterated a ball into the upper right side of the net for a 4-3 Seacoast lead. HC evened it with their last kick by Fernando Gonzales.

Devine stepped out of net and took the sixth round kick for Seacoast but was unable to convert. He struck the ball well but missed, just above the right corner. David Stoval finally ended the drama with a slow pause… and finish to the lower left side of the net to give HC United the title of Champions of North America.

"I always say that the team that should have won in regulation loses in penalties so I was worried, especially with as good as their goalie had been during the game," added Simms. "Maybe after today I’ll change my mind a little bit."

“Group play was what prepared us for games like this,” said Simms following the match. “All the teams in our group were outstanding. The Santa Cruz County Breakers were outstanding in the semifinal yesterday and today Seacoast gave us everything they had. Ben Foerstner was the player of the tournament for us but all 19 guys we used contributed. It was a team effort.”

“We held well in the back in all our games,” said Seacoast’s player of the match Christopher Devine who is being recruited by American University and the University of New Hampshire, amongst others. On the spectacular save in the first overtime, Devine said, “I saw him come across the top of the box and get by one of our defenders. I saw it in all the way and just tried to get a hand on it. It was a great shot but I knew right away I could get to it.”

U13 Boys:  Cal Odyssey 4 :: 0 HC United

In the other championship match, it was looking like a scoreless affair was also on tap as the first half went goalless. Halftime adjustments from coach Imad Tuzzi proved the difference as they made some changes in midfield and had their striker play with more depth and holding the ball less.

"Our goalkeeper Matt Dishing saved us a lot," said Tuzzi, referring to the difficult start to the match."

The result from the changes was four goals in the most lopsided scoreline of the day with Greg Antognoli scoring twice. Jon Paul Medina struck for a goal and two assists with Ruben Chavez also notching a pair of helpers. Villyan Bijer also put one into the back of the net.

"The team concept is everything," added Tuzzi. "It’s always a good feeling for the kids to win a championship. I am so happy for them.

The victory gave them an unbeaten championship season for the year, reaching the finals with an 11-0-2 record and going 2-0-1 in group play before advancing to the championship in penalties 4-3 after a 2-2 semifinal draw against Schulz Academy.

U14 Girls:  Washington Crossfire 1 :: OT :: 0 CASL

HC United was not the only team to see extra time as the Washington Crossfire and CASL also went to overtime in the U14 Girls Championship in the third game of the opening slate.

The scoreless match was decided on a strike eight minutes into overtime on a strike from Maggie Graham took a loose ball 20 yards out from goal and smashed it on a half volley into the upper left corner, avenging their 2-1 loss in the opening game of group play on Friday.

"We had a rough start and the first game against CASL was a wake up call. It was the first ever SYL loss and it was a bit of a shock to the system. From there on though, it was a great team effort," said coach Peter Hattrup, who has come full circle in the USL family having won championship with the Seattle Sounders in the USL First Division.

"It’s great, but I didn’t win this. The girls won this championship. I told the girls the other day though that I had a lot of big moments of my career here in Tampa and it would be great if I could get it back to a high note," said Hattrup, referring to his collegiate Division II championship with Seattle Pacific over the University of Tampa in 1983 and the career-ending knee injury he suffered playing for the defunct Tampa Bay Mutiny in Major League Soccer’s debut season in 1996.

"This was a great experience," added Hattrup. "This level of competition did not exist when I was a youth player."

U15 Girls:  Reading Rage 1 :: 2 Real Southern California

With two finals going to extra time, it became a log jam at the awards stage as the three 9:30 games wrapped up with a third Pacific Coast team present to claim their championship medals along with two of the three Chicago Magic sides that would take the stage on the day to receive the championship honors.

Real Southern California made it two championships for the state of California with a 2-1 victory over the Reading Rage in the U15 Girls Championship. After playing to a 1-1 draw on the second day of group play, the Pennsylvanian side drew first blood in the final Tuesday with a strike from Jordan Gregru 10 minutes into the fixture.

RSC rebounded with an immediate tally in the first minute of the second half with a strike from defender Jessica Stadheim. And despite missing head coach Christie Walker, who was away with the US Women’s Under 16 National Team as an assistant coach in Boca Raton, the girls battled for the victory delivered by Megan Connor in the 53rd minute.

Connor took the ball up top with a fantastic dribbling effort before launching a shot from the top of the box to the lower left corner under the outstretched diving goalkeeper Haley Zinn.

U16 Girls: Chicago Magic 2 :: 1 Wolfpack Blue

U15 Boys: Chicago Magic 2 :: 0 Los Angeles FC

U14 Boys: Chicago 2 :: 1 New York Red Bulls

The last two games of the morning matches saw the Chicago Magic rebound from dominating play from their opposition to claim two titles, including a repeat performance by the U16 Girls, who claimed the lone title for the club the year before.

The U16 Girls took the lead in the 11th minute of action against Wolfpack Blue out of Southern California with a penalty inside the right post from Jill Dunn, who stepped to the spot after Tori Burchett was taken down. The goal highlighted an early period of control in possesion that the Magic saw turn to their foes before the 20 minute mark.
 
Chicago held the advantage to halftime, but saw Wolfpack level the match as they continued to press the Magic defense, forcing numerous corner kicks. With three minutes remaining, however, Burchett again proved the hero when she beat a defender to the end line, cut in and beat the goalkeeper Roxy Barker one-on-one for the game-winner at the perfect time according to coach Scott Fonfara, who was limited to 12 players for the tournament.

"We were exhausted and they had no time left to score. The girls had a lot of character. We knew we had a bullseye on us as the champs from last year. To repeat is tough enough, but with the circumstances and the level of competition this was fantastic."

The U15 Boys Magic similarly spent much of the first half in their own end, defending against the controlled possession of the Los Angeles Football Club with occasional trips down for chances on the LA end.

Their fortunes found them in the second half, however, with Phil Galounis scoring on an assist from Kevin Bick, who also scored in the final. Jordan Maman recorded the shutout against an LA side that had scored 14 goals in group play and their semifinal match.

The 2-0 win pushed the Chicago Magic’s all-time Super Y-League championship total to seven since their first title in 2003. It also became the third time in which the club had two teams take home championships in the same season (2003, 2004).

But the Magic, who came into the tournament as the number one overall club in the SYL preliminary First 11 rankings, did not stop there, claiming a third championship in the U14 Boys bracket with a 2-1 win over the New York Red Bulls in one of two 11:00 fixtures. Chicago became the first club in SYL history to win three titles in one season with the victory.

The Red Bulls took the initial lead 18 minutes in on a set piece from goalkeeper Travis Ives. The Magic got the goal back within five minutes courtesy of Reed Losee, however, to put the match back on level terms. Loose came into the tournament as one of the leading scorers on the team, but hit a dry spell that had seen him go with a goal in the first four games of the tournament. With the draught over, Losee also provided the winner with three minutes left when Jacob Bushue sent a cross into the box that was flicked on by Oliver Mayer before Losee redirected the ball into the upper right corner from inside the six.

"I was telling our assistant the night before that if we were gonna win, we would need him to score to win the championship," said coach Mike Matkovich.

"It was a good day, we’re going to go play the lottery now," he added in reference to their sweep of the three finals they were in. The club brought six teams to the tournament. "I think in this day and age in youth soccer it is getting harder and harder to win championships and to win three in one day is a tribute to everyone involved with the club."

"It’s great to see a team that starts from scratch at the beginning of the year and improve as the season progressed," Director of Youth Soccer and Player Development Giovanni Savarese said of the U-14 Red Bulls. "They had a good Super Y season, but they kept on improving and showed in Super Y Finals that they were getting better and better. We are very optimistic of the future."

"I am very proud of the academy because first of all, they showed that they are professionals off the field. It’s definitely something people notice right away," Savarese said. "They’re improving as players and getting better everyday and everyone knows we are developing a good environment in the academy."

U13 Girls: DVSC 1 :: 2 Arsenal FC

The other 11:00 fixture saw Arsenal FC out of Southern California capture the U13 Girls title with a 2-1 victory over DVSC of Northern California. Arsenal came into the final in eye-opening fashion with 16 goals in their three group play games and a 4-0 semifinal victory over the Cleveland Soccer Academy.

Surprisingly, after giving up just one goal previously in the tournament, Arsenal fell behind on a fourth minute goal from Allie Begin. The Cle Kooiman led side tightened up its defense and changed its tactics to open the game up by spreading the DVSC defense to great success.

Alexis Weaver scored the equalizer in the 28th minute and Jacqueline Sostre hit the winner in the 52nd to give a third title to a representative from the Coast Soccer League, which serves as the Southern California Division. Stacey Huddleston started the winning play on a set piece from the left side from 22 yards out, finding Sostre inside the six for the deciding tally.

"We played brilliantly," said Kooiman. "We did we really well today but came out flat before turning it around. We had a lot of tough competition that was not necessarily reflected in the scores.

U17 Girls: Parsippany SC 0 :: 3 West Coast SC

The first of the two 11:30 games to come to a close was the U17 Girls Championship between Parsippany SC and West Coast SC, who became the fourth Californian side to win a championship on the day.

Sarah Reese and Felisha Gonzales led West Coast to the title with a 3-0 win. Reece scored the opening tally in the 27th minute on a 35 yard free kick for the lone goal of the first half.

Coming off the bench, Gonzales put away the next two goals from inside the six, knocking home a free kick and a cross in the second half to give her seven goals on the week.

"Gonzales is a natural goal scorer. She’s been with us for two years and had a great week," said coach Gus Casteneda. "The kids worked really hard and it was not easy to put away having tied them earlier 1-1 in group play."