Previewing the U.S. Youth Soccer national championships
By Jimmy LaRoue
With the U.S. Youth Soccer national championships set to begin next week, here’s a look at the local Region I champions heading to Rock Hill, S.C., as well as links to previews of both boys’ and girls’ brackets.
MSC Coyotes Green took the Under-14 Region I title and come into the national championships with a +75 goal differential in matches over the last year, and have 27 shutouts in its last 32 matches during the same time span. MSC Coyotes Green survived two PK shootouts to win the Region I championship and punch its ticket to Rock Hill.
The Bethesda Lions U-14 boys, meanwhile, are coming off of their second consecutive Region I title and have lost just nine of 78 games dating back to Nov. 2010.
BRYC 95 Elite had qualified for the U-16 girls Region I tournament on the strength of its State Cup title, and then outscored its opponents 12-2 and shutout MatchFit Chelsea 2-0 in the final to earn a berth in the national championships.
In the U-17 girls, VSA Heat Blue came out of Region I to play for a national championship, defeating Seacoast United of New Hampshire 2-1 in overtime.
Said the team’s coach Steve Smith about its approach heading into next week:
“You’ve got to go in there with the attitude that you have a chance to win. We are looking to get six points, and hopefully that will get us into the finals.”
More about the teams in the national championships:
Region I: MSC Coyotes Green (MD) (U-14 Girls)
How they got to Nationals
The MSC Coyotes won the Maryland State Cup by scoring 14 goals in four games without conceding a goal in the tournament. The Coyotes defeated SAC United Premier 1-0 in the finals to advance regionals. The Coyotes continued their undefeated streak at the Region I Championships, scoring 15 goals and again preventing their opponents from scoring in five games. The Coyotes defeated NJ Crush FC Dynamite in penalty kicks in the finals.
National Championship Series History
State Champs: 2011, 2012
2011 Regionals: Tied for first in their group at the Region I Championships but failed to advance on tiebreakers.
Regional Champs: 2012
Key Players
State ODP Players: Paula Germino-Watnick; Jade Ruiters; Clare Severe; Amanda Wilson; Emma Anderson ; Sarah Johnston; Juliana Comer, Julia Abbott.
Regional ODP Players: Mandi Wilson
National Team: Paula Germino-Watnick
Elizabeth Coletti tied for second in goals scored in the 2012 Region I Championship with four, and Anderson placed in the top-10 with three goals.
Interesting Facts
Two time Maryland State Cup Champions (2011 and 2012)
Keystone Cup Champions – 2011
Discovery Cup Champions – 2011
Annandale Cup Champions – 2012
The Coyotes have outscored their opponents 84-9 over the last 12 months.
The Coyotes have 27 shutouts in 32 tournament matches over the last 12 months
Coach Info
Alex Gould
Kevin Layton
Region I: U-14 Boys: Bethesda Lions (MD)
How they got to Nationals
The Bethesda Lions went undefeated in the 2012 Region I Premier League notching a 6-0-1 record scoring 23 goals and conceding only three. They won the 2012 Maryland State cup without allowing a single goal in four matches. The Lions continued their undefeated run through the Region I Championships for back-to-back titles sealing their berth to the 2012 National Championships
National Championship Series History
State Champs:2011, 2012
Regional Champs:2011, 2012
Interesting Facts
2 time NCSL Division 1 champions, Jefferson Cup 2011 Champion, Potomac Memorial Day 2010 Champion, Bethesda Thanksgiving Tournament 2010 Semi-Finalist, 2010 CASL Tournament Champion.
The Bethesda Lions have played together and been coached by Emile Mbouh and Phillip Gyau since the U-7 age group.
The Lions have lost only nine games in all competitions from November 2010 to date, in 5570 minutes of play, over the course of 78 games.
Coach Info
Emile Mbouh
- Currently holds his French Professional Coaching License
- Captain of Cameroon’s National Team in ’90 & ’94 World Cup
- Played in 4 African Nations Cups and earned 113 Caps for Cameroon
- Played Professionally in La Liga in Spain for Valencia, French Ligue 1 for Le Havre
Region I: BRYC 95 Elite (VA)
How they got to Nationals
BRYC started the 2011 Fall Season by winning the Virginia State Cup scoring 19 goals in four games and defeating McLean Fury Green 3-0 in the finals. After a challenging and competitive National League season in which BRYC finished with 2 losses and 5 ties and with both losses being 1-goal games, the team went on to finish first in the Region One Premier League, South Division, and then won the Region One Premier League playoffs. BRYC continued their dominance at the 2012 Region I Championships with a 12:2 goal differential overall and defeated Alleycat Lynx (E-NY) 3-0 in the semifinals and won against fellow National League competitor Match Fit Chelsea Beat (NJ) 2-0 in the finals.
National Championship Series History
State Champ: Fall 2011
Region Champs: 2012
Regional Premier League Champs: 2012
Key Players
Regional ODP Players: Christina Cardamone
National Pool Players: Carlyn Baldwin, Kaleigh Riehl
Kahla Seymour tied for the lead in goals scored at 2012 Region I Championships with five.
Interesting Facts
2010, 2011, 2012 US Indoor National Champions
The teams is made up of 2014 and 2015 player, and only one 2013 player.
Interesting Facts
Emily Gupton- East Carolina University
Coach Info
Larry Best
Region I: VSA Heat Blue (VA)
How they got to Nationals
After being one place away from quallifying to the National Championships via National League, VSA Heat tallied 19 goals and only gave up one in four games to win the Virginia State Cup. Heat defeated fellow National League competitor Herndon Firecats 2-0 in the finals. In the 2012 Region I Championships, Heat scored 15 goals and conceded four. VSA Heat came from behind to defeate Seacoast United (NH) in overtime 2-1 in the finals.
National Championship Series History
State Champs: 2007, 2009, 2012
Region Semifinalists: 2009
Region Champs 2012
2011-2012 National League 2nd Place Blue Division: 2012 (4-0-3)
2010-2011 National League 6th place (2-4-1)
Key Players
Daniela Neves tied for the most goals scored at the 2012 Region I Championships with four goals, including both in the final.
College Commitments
Ashley Herndon – James Madison
Meghan Cox – James Madison
Savannah Miller – Auburn
Haley Roberson – Auburn
Lindsay Egbers – Richmond
Caitlin Hite – East Carolina
Autumn Berry – East Carolina
Daniella Neves – West Virginia
Taylor Kerxton – Wake Forest
Vanessa Kovar – South Carolina
Christina Corbin – Coastal Carolina
Alexa Wagoner – Iona
Bergen Elkjer – Indiana State
Ivana Szwejkowski – George Washington
Interesting Facts
Head Coach Steve Smith and Assistant Coach Keith Cox led PWSI Cardinals to the National Championship Finals in 2007.
Coach Info
Steve Smith – Head Coach
Keith Cox – Assistant Coach
Kevin Hilton – Assistant Coach
Video highlights of Region I girls champions:
Video highlights of Region I boys champions:
For more about the other teams in the national championships from Regions II, III and IV, see below:
Read more about Region II:
Region II championships: Girls finals recaps (Chicagoland Soccer News)
Region II recap (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Here’s a story from Saginaw about the venue itself (MLive)
Video highlights of Region II girls champions:
Video highlights of Region II boys champions:
Video highlights of Region III girls champions:
Video highlights of Region III boys champions:
Read more about Region III:
Solar Eclipse: Local club turns lights off on opponents in South Carolina (Plano Star Courier)
CESA sends three teams to national championships (Greenville News)
Laura Foster, Allie Kington play big role for Tennessee Soccer Club (Knoxville News)
TCR girls ready for national title shot (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Video highlights of Region IV girls champions:
Highlights on Region IV boys champions:
Read more about Region IV:
Cal South takes 10 of 16 titles (LA Soccer News)
