Final matchups set at US Youth Soccer Region I Championships

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SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. (Via US Youth Soccer) – Final matchups have been set as teams battled in semifinal games today at the 2017 US Youth Soccer Region I Championships at the Publix Virginia Training Center/FFC Park in Spotsylvania, Va.

18U Girls Beadling 99 (PA-W) topped the defending champions Syracuse Development Academy (NY-W) to set up a rematch of a 2016 semifinal match with FC Pennsylvania Strikers (PA-E). Penn Strikers are one of three teams that have already qualified for the 2017 US Youth Soccer National Championships via the US Youth Soccer National League playing in tomorrow’s finals. Beadling Head Coach Erik Duffy talked about that level of competition here at Regionals and why it’s important to play at this level.

“For our girls, we have a lot of them that will play in the next level in college,” said Duffy. “So to come here and compete against the other girls they’ll be playing with and against at that level is very important. It’s the only way to find out where you are and what you need to improve on. [Penn Stikers] are a strong team, they’re always in it and already going to Nationals. I think it’ll be a high level game, and they’re a good team so we’ll have to do our best to compete with them”

Even at Regionals, Duffy focused on the importance of making the most of the time here to prepare yourself for Nationals.

“It’s important to be able to make it to Nationals because it’s an end all,” continued Duffy. “To be one of the final eight teams that get to go is incredible. When you play in games maybe there are some [outside of Nationals] where you can have an off game but at Nationals teams will punish you and expose you for where you need to develop. And that’s what soccer is about, to learn where you need to get better and work on it.”

One 2016 champion, HBC Impact 00 (NY-E), has advanced to defend its title, while two others were knocked out in today’s semifinals.  

Girls 
15U Girls SJEB Rush 02 (NJ)* 0-2 Loudoun 02 Red (VA)
17U Girls HBC Impact 00 (NY-E)* 1-0 (OT) LMSC Storm (PA-E)
18U Girls Syracuse Development Academy (NY-W)* 0-5 Beadling 99 (PA-W)
*2016 Regional Champion

2017 US Youth Soccer Region I Championships Finals Preview

12U Boys: Watchung Hills SA-NJ Elite (NJ) vs. Stamford YSL (CT)
Watchung Hills SA-NJ Elite (NJ) has scored 25 goals while conceding just twice to set itself up as an imposing opponent for Stamford YSL (CT). Similarly, Stamford scored 17 goals while allowing just two through its four games. With both teams containing the top five goal scorers in their age group, the final is bound to be filled with goals.

13U Boys: LMSC Invictus (PA-E) vs. Real JFC (NJ)
Real JFC (NJ) looks to keep its perfect record alive against LMSC Invictus (PA-E). LMSC defeated Group A winner SCS United 2004 Elite (PA-W) in its semifinal. SCS had scored 16 goals through group play and the LMSC defense managed to hold them at bay to let its own attack get the job done with four goals in today’s match. Real JFC defeated Eastern Regional League representative and Group C winner Bethesda Blue (MD). Real scored three goals before allowing a late consolation goal in. The New Jersey side will have to be wary of late goals, as LMSC came back from 2-0 down to win 4-2 in its semifinal.

14U Boys: Beadling 2003 (PA-W) vs. Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals 03 Elite (PA-E)
Beadling 2003 (PA-W) and Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals 03 Elite (PA-E) face off in an all Pennsylvania 14U Boys final. Beadling, finally conceded its first goal through four games in today’s semifinal but should gain confidence from defeating the Eastern Regional League representative Bethesda SC Blue 02 (MD). Ukranian Nationals fell behind early in its semifinal but came back from a 2-1 deficit to win 3-2. That type of win shows the type of fight that Ukrainian Nationals will bring to the final.

15U Boys: BRYC 02 Elite (VA) vs. DE Rush 02 (DE)
One team got it done in OT while the other got in done with kicks from the marks. No matter the road, both BRYC 02 Elite (VA) and DE Rush 02 (DE) will meet in the 15U Boys final. Both teams come into tomorrow’smatch with perfect 3-0 records with DE Rush allowing just one goal all tournament and BRYC allowing just two. With both these teams playing in their first Region I Championships final, the game could come down to who keeps their nerves the best in such a high stakes match.

16U Boys: Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals 01 Black Premier (PA-E) vs. Match Fit Academy FC 2001 Black (NJ)
Match Fit Academy FC 2001 Black (NJ) hasn’t been lighting up the scoreboards on the way to the finals, but they have been getting the job done with a solid defensive effort. Match Fit held two clean sheets through group play while allowing just two goals on the way to the finals. Match Fit will need to find a way to shut down the potent Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals attack led by two of the top three scores in the age group, Dane Harmaty (4) and Matthew Stevenson (4).

17U Boys: SOCA Elite 00 (VA) vs. Baltimore Celtic SC 2000 (MD)
SOCA Elite 00 (VA) and Baltimore Celtic SC 2000 (MD) have both only allowed two goals each through semifinals. Celtic’s Justin Gielen sits on the top of the age group top scorers with seven goals and SOCA will have to be wary of his goal scoring ability. SOCA boasts age group top scorers number two and three with Daniel Starr (6) and Campbell Brickhouse (5). It should be an offensive minded contest when these two teams meet in tomorrow’s final.

18U Boys: Baltimore Celtic SC Christos (MD)vs. Dix Hills Hurricanes (NY-E)
Each year Baltimore Celtic SC Christos has gotten closer to getting to the Regional final. In 2015, it missed out on the semifinals, and last year fell in the semifinals. The Maryland side has returned again and has earned its way into the finals for the first time. Dix Hills Hurricanes is also a side familiar with Regionals. It has been competing since 2014 making an appearance in the final but falling just short in 2015. Dix Hills got a taste of Nationals last year, advancing through the US Youth Soccer National League, and lost a close 1-0 game in the final. The Eastern New York team will be itching to get back but must go through a tough Baltimore Celtic team who final has its shot in the finals.

19/20U Boys: Penn Fusion 98 (PA-E) vs. Dix Hills Elite (NY-E)
This Penn Fusion 98 side has advanced to at least semifinals every year it has competed in Regionals since 2013 as 14U Boys. This will be its third final and Penn Fusion has won both times it has previously been in the finals (2013, 2015). Penn Fusion has the lowest goal count in its age group this year, but their defense is giving them chances to win. Dix Hills Elite will be looking to advance to Nationals after defeating a tough Loudoun 98 Red (VA) team in OT. Defeating a team that has been to Nationals on multiple occasions is no small task and this Dix Hills team will use that momentum to try to carry it to its first Regional title. Despite the result, both teams will be heading to the 2017 US Youth Soccer National Championships with Penn Fusion already qualifying via the US Youth Soccer National League. This will be Dix Hills Elite’s fourth trip to Nationals.

12U Girls: Loudoun 05 Red (VA) vs. DE Rush 05 (DE)
Loudoun 05 Red (VA) held Century V Gold (PA-W), a team that had scored 24 goals in preliminary play, scoreless in its 12U girls semifinal. The Virginia side will be looking to repeat that result in the final against Delaware Rush (DE). Rush defeated Pipeline SC Black (MD) for the first time in this team’s history and will hope to leverage that boost of confidence to a Regional title.

13U Girls: SDFC Yellow (NJ) vs. Arlington (VA)
Both of these teams, SDFC Yellow (NJ) and Arlington (VA), have some high powered goal scorers. Between the two teams, they have four goal scorers with five or more goals through four games. Alyssa Kenealy, who tops the goal scoring chart, has scored seven goals for Arlington with at least one in each game. SDFC Yellow will look to keep Arlington’s attack down while being the first team to find the back of the net against the Virginia side.

14U Girls: SMS Power (MD) vs. SDFC Yellow (NJ))
The 14U Girls final will have a SDFC Yellow (NJ) team that will be looking to hand SMS Power (MD) its first loss of the tournament. On the flip side, SMS Power will be looking to keep its stalwart defense going as it has only allowed one goal the entire tournament. Each team will be looking forward to advancing to Nationals for the very first time if they can earn a victory.

15U Girls: Beach FC 02 Red (VA) vs. Loudoun 02 Red (VA)
The 15U Girls Region I Championship final will be a clash between two great teams from Virginia. Both teams have made the most of their first trip to Regionals combining to score 35 goals through semifinals while allowing just 11. Loudoun will hope to ride the momentum of defeating the defending Regional champions, SJEB Rush 02 Academy Blue (NJ) to its first Regional title. The game could be full of goals with Beach FC tied for the most goals scored through the semifinals with 19.

16U Girls: Fury Athletica (WV) vs. Greater Binghamton FC (NY-W)
Fury Athletica (WV) defeated Eastern Regional League representative FC Frederick 01 (MD) 4-2 to advance to the final. Fury’s Ariana Christiansen and Rhea Kijowski both added to their age group topping goal tally and now sit at five each. A Fury win would make them the first team from West Virginia to advance to Nationals. Greater Binghamton FC (NY-W) has failed to move out of group the last two Region I Championships and now finally have the opportunity to advance to Nationals after earning a spot in the finals. Binghamton’s defense has only allowed one goal and could cause the Fury attack some fits.

17U Girls: HBC Impact 00 (NY-E) vs Princeton SA (NJ) 
The 17U Girls final will be a rematch from 2016 where HBC Impact defeated Princeton SA 1-0. HBC Impact will also be looking for its third straight Region I Championship title after also winning in 2015. Also of note, HBC impact carries a perfect win record through its appearances at Region I Championships events. Opposite of that, Princeton only has two losses in the last two Region I Championships, one of which was in last year’s final to HBC. Both teams will have to come up with something special on offense to win, as both teams combined have only allowed seven goals total through this year and last year’s events.

18U Girls: FC Pennsylvania Strikers (PA-E) vs. Beadling 99 (PA-W)
FC Pennsylvania Strikers (PA-E) and Beadling 99 (PA-W) are common Region I opponents and know each other well through various US Youth Soccer competitions. Last year, Penn Strikers defeated Beadling 2-0 in the Regional semifinals and in 2015 they faced each other in group play. Strikers conceded its first two goals of the tournament in semifinals in its 6-2 win, while Beadling defeated the defending Regional Champions 5-0. Both teams will be fiercely battling for the Regional title but, despite the result, both teams will advance to the National Championships with Penn Strikers already having qualified via the US Youth Soccer National League.

19/20U Girls: YMS Premier Xplosion 98 (PA-E) vs ASA Coyotes (MD)
This 19/20U Girls final is between two spectacular sides with a long list of history at the Regional Championships level and at the National Championships level. The Coyotes won the 14U Girls National Championship in 2012 and have competed in almost every single National Championships since then, only missing in 2015. YMS Xplosion are the defending 17U Girls National Champions and have competed in their age group final of every National Championships for four years running. With YMS having already qualified for Nationals via the US Youth Soccer National League, Coyotes and Xplosion will both find themselves back at Nationals in the quest for a National title after they face off in tomorrow’s final.

Finals Schedule:

Regional winners of the 13U through 19/20U age groups earn a berth to the 2017 US Youth Soccer National Championships to be held July 24-30, at the Toyota Soccer Center in Frisco, Texas.

The US Youth Soccer National Championships will consist of US Youth Soccer Regional Champions in the 13U through 19/20U Boys and Girls age groups as well as the US Youth Soccer National League qualifiers in the 15U through 19/20U Boys and Girls age groups to complete the field of 96 teams.