FASA Hotspur U-13 boys book another trip to Super-Y national finals

By Roger Gonzalez

Thanks to consistent performances all summer long, the Frederick Area Soccer Association’s Hotspur 98 squad made it back to the biggest of stages. A second-place finish in Super Y-League’s South Atlantic Under-13 boys division (thanks to a record of 7-1-4) clinched a spot for the team in the Super-Y national finals at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. from Dec. 7-11.

They join FASA Impact U-15 girls, who will also make the trip for the Super-Y national finals.

“It’s a strong age group,” said coach Keith Marine. “When they were U-12, they went to State Cup finals and lost to Braddock Road [Youth Club], and two years [in a row] now qualifying for Super Y nationals.”

At last season’s nationals, the team lost every game it played as injuries and inconsistency plagued the team.

“The goal of the players was to get back and prove something,” Marine said. “They left Florida with a very bad taste in their mouths.”

Marine has much more confidence this season as the squad has no star, just a roster of very good players.

“A lot of Super Y teams, the majority of teams have one or maybe two guys who are the go-to scoring guys,” the coach said.

“Out of the 31 goals [scored this season], nobody scored more than seven and we had multiple players with four, five, six goals.”

Nolan Marine had six goals and four assists. Chas Parker and Jeremy Hokenson both bagged five goals.

Now, they plan on turning things around in their second shot.

“[We are] thrilled to death,” Marine said. “There isn’t a player that’s not going. I’m confident that they are going to go down there and compete.”

Sixteen teams will battle come December for the right to be called the nation’s best, and FASA Hotspur will be one of them.

“It’s going to be a competitive environment,” said Marine, who noted that he wants his team to improve on defending set pieces. “I’m very confident that we will be able to compete with these teams.”