Second day complete at 2013 US Youth Soccer Region I Championships
Kingston, RI. (June 29, 2013) – The second day of preliminary matches has concluded for the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships, presented by the National Guard, at the University of Rhode Island in the town of Kingston, R.I.
For a complete list of scores from today’s games click here: [SCORES]
While some teams have already secured their spot in Monday’s semifinals, the fate of most will be decidedSunday for the chance to advance.
Notes from today’s games of 5 of the 10 returning 2012 US Youth Soccer Region I Champions…
Under-14 Boys
The returning 2012 U-13 US Youth Soccer Region I Champions Bethesda SC Blue PL (MD) cruised through day one with an 8-0 win. They looked primed for another big victory with two early first half goals from Thomas Hansan against their day 2 opponents Loudoun 98 Red (VA). Loudoun showed some great resilience and scored 5 unanswered goals, including a hat-trick by Giovanni Vasquez, to take a commanding 5-2 lead. Vasquez’s hat-trick was complemented by goals from Emin Kari and Ryan Pyszka in the 20th and 52nd minutes. Finding themselves with only nine players late in the game Bethesda pushed for a late comeback but came up short. They managed a consolation goal from Matthew Di Rosa to bring the final score to 5-3 in favor of Loudoun.
“The kids love the atmosphere here and we knew coming in that Bethesda is the best team here. We play them a lot. To come in here and be two-nil down and come back means a lot to the guys,” said Loudoun coach Mark Ryan. “We’ve got to stay focused and we want to win it. It’d be fantastic to make it to the National Championships.”
“We work really hard and obviously to come here and play against this level of opposition it’s fantastic. It’s an incredibly high level of competition here. These are the best teams up and down the east coast.”
Under-14 Girls
YMS Xplosion 98 (PA-E) is looking for back to back Region I Championships and to secure their first trip to the US Youth Soccer National Championships. After a 4-1 victory on day one, YMS came up against BRYC 98 Elite (VA), who was a semi-finalist in last year’s Region I Championships. In a tightly played game YMS was able to edge out BRYC 1-0 with a late goal from Caroline Foley and all but sealed their position in the semi-finals.
Under-16 Boys
Manhattan SC Paris Saint-Germain 96 (NY-E) has their eyes set on returning to the prestigious US Youth Soccer National Championships. After coming just short of qualifying for the finals last year at National Championships, Manhattan PSG has come out with a vengeance winning their opening match at Region I Championships 7-1 and following that up with a second day 6-1 win against Far Post SC Premier (VT). Ousmane Dia scored twice with his first in just the 4th minute of the game to start things off. Manhattan PSG would end with four goal scorers with Jack Harrison tallying two goals and Alex Zecena and Rhys McIntyre notching goals in the 34th and 36th minutes. Nicholas Minadeo scored in the 80th minute for Far Post SC to thwart the shutout.
“Our goal is to go back to the National Championships and keep getting better,” said Manhattan PSG head coach Wilson Egidio. “We have a game plan and a tournament plan. So far everything has gone the way we have hoped it would.”
“Our kids have a love for the game and that translates into the way they play and the dedication they put into it. We want to be able to play on the biggest stage.”
Under-18 Boys
Jamie Luchini continued his scoring ways at the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships with a brace in Beadling SC 94/95’s (PA-W) day two game against Rev Empire ROC Blue (NY-W). Luchini scored in the 25thminute and then slotted home a penalty kick early in the first half to put the game out of reach for the team from New York. Beadling played in last years US Youth Soccer National Championships but fell just short of reaching the final.
“We’ve got a great selection of kids and they have a little something to prove,” said Beadling head coach Peter Smith. “We still have a mountain we feel we need to climb. At the end of the day we just need to do this againtomorrow because you can’t take a game off. The competition only gets better and better.”
Under-19 Girls
FC Pennsylvania Strikers (PA-E) are looking for their third straight US Youth Soccer Region I Championship and a trip to the US Youth Soccer National Championships to defend their title. After a close 2-0 game on day one Penn Strikers looked in championship form with a 6-0 win against home town team Tidal Wave Tempest (RI). Penn Strikers got on their opponents early with a goal from Daija Griffin in the 2nd minute. Two more goals would come in the first half scored by Lauren Bernard and Gina DiTaranto. A brace in the second half from Katelyn Kraft, that followed a goal in the 56th minute from Shannon Senour, kept Penn Strikers on track to defend their title.
“These girls have been to the Region I Championships seven times in a row,” said Penn Strikers head coach David Shaw. “They’re a competitive group of girls who love the game and play for each other. I’d like to say it’s the coaching, but it’s the kids. They’re the ones that go out there and support each other.
Regional winners of the Under-13 through Under-19 age groups earn a berth to the 2013 US Youth Soccer National Championships to be played July 23-28, at Overland Park Soccer Complex in Overland Park, Kan.
The US Youth Soccer National Championships will consist of US Youth Soccer Regional Champions in the Under-13 through Under-19 Boys and Girls age groups as well as the US Youth Soccer National League qualifiers in the Under-15 through Under-18 Boys and Girls age groups to complete the field of 88 teams.
