Fredericksburg Gunners U15 Boys Shooting to the Top
F.C. Fredericksburg Gunners Press Release - www.fcfred.com
Friday, July 18, 2008
FREDERICKSBURG, VA - Through the first six games of the 2008 Super Y-League season, the F.C. Fredericksburg Gunners U15 Boys team has proven itself capable of competing with the nation’s best. The Gunners currently have a record of 4-1-1 and have placed themselves in a great position to compete for the division title.
On Wednesday, the Gunners routed the defending SYL National Finalist, the Northern Virignia Royals, 7-1 at Hellwig Park in Manassas. Forward Ryan Zinkhan led the way with a four goal performance while Tyler Holliday, Jordan Grantz and David Salazar each added a goal apiece. Goalkeeper Dylan Yeargin made several quality saves and added an assist to cap off a great performance between the pipes.
This victory was the team’s third in a row and fourth in five games. It was also the first time the Gunners have swept the Royals in a season series following a 2-1 victory at Patriot Park on July 9th. The Gunners are lead by PDL Head Coach Cristian Neagu. "This is my second year with this team and we seem to have found a little bit of rhythm. We are playing with a lot of confidence at the moment and it’s fun to watch this team compete at top form," said Neagu.
The Gunners opened the scoring early when Zinkhan pounced on a loose ball at the top of the box, took three touches to escape from a Royals defender and then blasted a low shot of the post and into the back of the net. Zinkhan took the Fredericksburg lead to 2-0 when he outraced the Royals defense and slotted the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper. Just before halftime, Tyler Holliday was the first to react to a corner kick that bounced in the box and he calmly finished his chance from four yards away to take the Gunners lead to 3-0 at the break.
The opening of the second half proved more of the same as the Gunners were able to capitalize on numerous chances to put the game out of reach. Just three minutes after the break, Zinkhan found the back of the net again as he used his pace to penetrate the Royals backline and coolly finished into the lower corner to make the score 4-0. The Royals pulled one right back as they were able to capitalize on a corner kick and bring the score to 4-1. The Gunners then put the game out of reach by scoring three quick goals. Zinkhan added his fourth of the day, then David Salazar flicked the ball over the goalkeeper to score on a breakway and finally Salazar sped past the Royals defense and slotted the ball to Jordan Grantz who buried his finish into the lower corner.
The Gunners backline led by Trevor Sherwin, Scott Phillips and Bryan Musante were tested by the tricky Royals forwards but were well up to the task. Throughout the game the defense used well-timed tackling and good positioning to thwart the Royals potent attack. Dylan Yeargin was a big presence in goal making numerous saves and using great distribution to begin many Gunners attacks on the day.
The Gunners know there is a still a long way to go as they have only completed 6 of their 12 regular season games. "To be able to compete for the division title and earn a trip to the National Finals, the boys are going to have to prove they are up to the challenge,” stated Technical Director Eric Dutt. “The Super Y-League season demands consistency over the entire summer and only the most deserving team will advance on,"
“Cristian has done a tremendous job of leading this team to their highest potential thus far. It puts them in an exciting position for the rest of the season," added Dutt.
The U15 Boys Gunners return to action this Sunday, July 20th at home against the Hampton Roads Piranhas.
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