VA Rush – Ralph Downey Memorial Tournament Coverage Central

Welcome to the 2012 Ralph Downey Memorial Tournament “Coverage Central” section of The Soccer Wire.

This weekend The Soccer Wire will have a roving reporter on site at this traditional classic hosted by Virginia Rush. Jimmy LaRoue will be posting regular updates here, with the help of our editorial staff back in the home office. We’ll be tweeting on @thesoccerwire and @VARushSoccer Twitter feed should also be busy. Look for longer-form summaries in the evening, and throughout the weeks after the last 2012 ball has been kicked.

Got a tip for us or really interesting story about what it took for your team to make it to this great event? Any fond memories from year’s past? What is your team doing around the beach the rest of the weekend? Use the comment feature below to add your thoughts.

Check out all the articles on the tournament, as well as the @VARushSoccer Twitter feed on our Soccer Wire Ralph Downey Page

Official tourney home page at www.varush.com

Direct link to schedules here.

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DAY 2

8:00: The teams have finished play and another year of Virginia Rush Soccer Club’s Ralph Downey Memorial Classic in Virginia Beach is in the books. The weather cooperated, and teams have had the opportunity to bond at the beach.

We took a number of photos over the two days of competition at the Hampton Roads Soccer Complex and had the chance to talk to a number of coaches after the games, so look for more of that coming soon. In the meantime, here are the champions and finalists from each boys and girls bracket.

The host club Virginia Rush took home three championships and 10 more of its teams were finalists. Old Dominion Soccer Club of Virginia Beach, SOCA of Charlottesville and Keystone Soccer Club of Pennsylvania also won two championships.

Boys U-19 Nike: Damascus Inferno (MD) 3-1 over WWPSA Biancoverdi (NJ)

Girls U-19 Nike: 1st place: Fayetteville SC Force U18 (NC) 3-0-1, 2nd place: Virginia Rush Swoosh (VA) 3-1-0

Girls U-19 Swoosh: Lady Hotspurs (PA) 3-1 over Bloomsburg Trappers SC Teal Wave U18 (PA)

Boys U-10 Nike: Waldorf Predators (MD) 4-0 over Rush Academy White (VA)

Boys U-10 Swoosh: 1st place: SOCA Galaxy (VA) 3-1-0, 2nd place: Virginia Rush Academy Royal (VA) 2-1-1

Girls U-10 Nike: Calvert Wolves (MD) 2-0 over Virginia Rush Academy Blue (VA)

Girls U-10 Swoosh: SOCA White Lions (VA) 1-0 over Rush Twisters (VA)

Boys U-11 Nike: ODSC Lions (VA) 5-0 over OBX Storm (NC)

Girls U-11 Nike: Virginia Rush Blue (VA) 3-2 over Keystone U11 Girls White (PA) – (PKs)

Boys U-12 Nike: Virginia Rush Academy Blue (VA) 4-2 over Pleasure Island Canes U11 (NC)

Girls U-12 Nike: Keystone U12 Team 1 (PA) 3-0 over Virginia Rush Academy Blue (VA)

Girls U-12 Swoosh: Keystone U12 Team 2 (PA) 2-0 over Virginia Rush Academy Black U11 (VA)

Boys U-13 Nike: Manchester United (VA) 2-1 over Virginia Rush Academy Black (VA)

Boys U-14 Nike: ODSC Pirates (VA) 5-1 over Waldorf Blaze U13 (MD)

Girls U-14 Nike: Virginia Rush Nike (VA) 1-0 over Virginia Rush Swoosh (VA)

Girls U-14 Swoosh: 1st place: Central Virginia United SC White (VA) 3-0-1, 2nd place: CSA Intensity (MD) 3-1-0

Girls U-15 Nike: 1st place: Foothills Galaxy (PA) 4-0-0, 2nd place: Alliance SC Hammers (MD) 2-1-1

Boys U-16 Nike: Herndon Storm (VA) 1-0 over Virginia Rush Nike U15 (VA)

Boys U-16 Swoosh: 1st place: OBX Storm (NC) 3-1-0, 2nd place: LMVSC Patriots (VA) 2-0-2

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3:00: Waldorf Predators defeated Rush Academy White 4-0 in the Boys U10 Nike final at the Ralph Downey Memorial Classic.

The two teams had faced each other in the opening match of the tournament, with Rush prevailing 1-0. After that, Waldorf beat a trio of Rush teams, including the group final.

The Boys U13 Nike final between Manchester United of Virginia and Virginia Rush Academy Black is underway, with the majority of the other finals in the boys and girls brackets scheduled to begin within the next 90 minutes.

Some finals matchups already set include:

• Boys U11 Nike – OBX Storm (NC) vs ODSC Lions (MD)

• Boys U14 Nike – ODSC Pirates (MD) vs Waldorf Blaze U13 (MD)

• Girls U10 Nike – Calvert Wolves (MD) vs Rush Academy Blue (VA)

• Girls U12 Nike – Keystone U12 Twam 1 (PA) vs Virginia Rush Academy Blue (VA)

Other groups, such as the Girls U15 Nike and Girls U19 Nike will crown their champions from the first place teams in those respective groups.

Stay tuned as we bring you all the championship results.

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1:00 FSCI Phoenix of Fredericksburg didn’t immediately know after its loss in its second game whether it would advance to the semifinals of the Girls U19 Swoosh bracket of the Ralph Downey Memorial Classic.

Phoenix opened with a 1-0 win over Lady Hotspurs of Pennsylvania, but fell 2-0 to Virginia Rush Swoosh U16s.

But after learning it had won the tiebreaker over Rush to advance, the Phoenix was not looking back.

Phoenix, just finishing its second year as a travel club, was hoping for better today against Bloomsburg Trappers SC Teal Wave U16 of Pennsylvania, but a frantic, last-minute rally fell one goal short.

“The first game we came out and played much better,” Phoenix coach Donnie Wheeler said. “We controlled the pace of play a little better.

“The second game we were just flat. … They outworked us. They deserved to win.”

He said if the team came out today and played “free and easy,” the team would be fine.

Unfortunately, the Phoenix’s semifinal ended in a close loss, but Wheeler said the team would use the experience to get better.

11:00: Through a quirk in the Boys U16 Nike bracket, the Herndon Firecats and Virginia Rush Swoosh U16s are in the process of playing twice within a matter of about three hours.

Because both teams are currently 2-0-0, and the other two teams in the bracket are 0-2-0, Herndon and Rush have already qualified for the bracket championship game.

Herndon won its two games by a combined 8-1 margin, while Rush won both of its games 5-1.

Teams in the Ralph Downey Memorial Classic are in the process of wrapping up group play and beginning semifinal action as it literally and figuratively heats up at the Hampton Roads Soccer Complex in Virginia Beach.

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8:45: Fayetteville SC Force U18s are off to a 2-0-0 start in Girls U19 Nike group action, and will look to finish undefeated in the group by winning its game against MVAA The Force of Maryland today.

Take a closer look at a squad that features N.C. State verbal commit Karly Gustafson, the team’s goalkeeper, as well as Alyssa McCray, a speedy striker coming off a meniscus tear that kept her out of action for the past five-and-a-half months.

8:00: Here are more updates as to where things stand going into the second, and final day of play at the Ralph Downey Memorial Classic.

Boys U-14 Nike: ODSC Pirates finished atop Bracket A with a 2-0-0 mark, while in Bracket B, Waldorf Blaze and Virginia Rush Swoosh U13s finished tied with a 1-0-1 mark. Those three, along with Virginia Rush Swoosh, are in the semifinals. ODSC Pirates will play Virginia Rush Swoosh U13s, while Waldorf Blaze faces Virginia Rush Swoosh.

Boys U-16 Nike: Herndon Storm has dominated this group thus far, winning both of its games and outscoring its two opponents 8-1. Virginia Rush Nike U15 has also won both of its games. Both have beaten X Soccer Club Blue Devils and Lusitana Sports Futebol U16 Boys and face each other this morning. Herndon and Virginia Rush Nike U15 will play each other twice today–first in group play, and then in the final, since they will finish as the top two teams in the group regardless of results from the last set of group games.

Girls U-10 Nike: Calvert Wolves and Virginia Rush Harris/Rush Black finished atop Bracket A and Bracket B, respectively, with 2-0-0 records. Bracket A second place team Virginia Rush Academy Blue (1-1-0) and Bracket B second place team SOCA Purple Comets (1-1-0) also reached the semifinals. Calvert Wolves will face SOCA Purple Comets in one semi, while Virginia Rush Harris/Rush Black will face Virginia Rush Academy Blue in the other.

Girls U-10 Swoosh: Bracket A first place Rush Blue Angels (2-0-0) will face Bracket B second place Rush Twisters (1-1-0) in one semifinal while Bracket B first place SOCA Navy Force Disasters (2-0-0) will face Bracket A second place SOCA White Lions (1-1-0).

Girls U-11 Nike: Virginia Rush Blue and Virginia Rush Academy Grey will face off this morning to determine who will finish atop Bracket A and play in the group final later today. Both are 2-0-0. In Bracket B, Keystone U11 Girls White has outscored its two opponents 14-0, including an 11-0 win over Virginia Rush Legend. Rush Royal and Rush Academy White are 1-1-0 and tied for second.

Girls U-12 Nike: While Keystone U12 Team 1 has clinched a spot in today’s final with one more group game remaining, the teams below it are tightly bunched, and any one of them could make it to the final.

Girls U-12 Swoosh: Keystone U12 Team 2 leads Bracket A with a 2-0-0 record, while Virginia Rush Academy Black U11 leads Bracket B with the same record and has outscored its opponents 16-1. One more round of bracket games takes place this morning to determine spots in the semifinals.

Girls U-14 Nike: Virginia Rush Nike has secured a place in the final, but the second place team in the bracket to face it has yet to be determined with one more game in bracket play left this morning. In Girls U-14 Swoosh, Central Virginia United SC White U13 lead the group with a 2-0-0 record, while three teams are tied at 1-1-0 marks.

Girls U-16 Nike: Foothills Galaxy of Pennsylvania lead the bracket with a 2-0-0 record. Teams in the bracket have two more games this morning to determine the bracket champion.

7:30: Good morning everyone. It’s been a very active day one, and we’re going to lead you into the morning with an update on the group standings:

Boys U-19 Nike: WWPSA Biancoverdi of New Jersey holds the top spot at 2-0-0 after two, 3-2 wins–against Damascus Inferno and Churchland Soccer Dynamo. Those two teams are tied for second at 1-0-1. Sunday’s early games will decide the top two teams and who plays in the group final. With a game against winless Virginia Rush Nike, WWPSA Biancoverdi would appear to be one of the two teams that will be in the 2:20 p.m. final, but with teams playing their third game of the weekend, anything can happen.

Girls U-19 Nike: Fayetteville SC Force U18 of North Carolina is the only spotless team in the bracket, picking up wins against Northern Virginia SC Jr. Majestics 93 (3-0) and Virginia Rush Swoosh U17 (1-0). Force coach Aaron Wood said the team was playing with seven guest players among a group coming off high school seasons and preparing for its summer club season. Three teams are 1-0-1 and each team has two games remaining to determine the bracket champion.

Girls U-19 Swoosh: FSCI Phoenix of Fredericksburg coach Donnie Wheeler wasn’t immediately sure after its 2-0 loss to Virginia Rush, but because it has given up fewer goals, the Phoenix advances to the semifinals, where it will play Bloomsburg Trappers SC Teal Wave U18 of Pennsylvania. In the other semifinal, two western Pennsylvania teams will square off–Lady Hotspurs will face Foothills United.

Boys U-10 Nike: Virginia Rush Academy White currently holds down the top spot at 2-0-0, while two more teams are 1-1-0 with a berth in the playoff final at stake.

Boys U-10 Swoosh: SOCA Dynamo of Charlottesville sits atop the bracket undefeated, while three other teams are 1-0-1. Teams have two matches each to sort out the tournament sandings.

Boys U-11 Nike: AYSO 1475 Nitro FC and Suffolk Impact are both 2-0-0 and have advanced to Sunday’s semifinals, with each set to face one-loss teams to determine who will play in the final.

Boys U-13 Nike: Fruitland Galaxy and Pleasure Island Canes are tied with two wins each atop the group and are in the semifinals. Virginia Rush Academy Blue plays Fruitland in one semi, while Virginia Rush Royal takes on Pleasure Island in the other.

The rest of the updates will be coming shortly.

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DAY 1

6:00: Thanks for joining TSW for Day 1 of the tournament. That is it from me, Roger Gonzalez, for the day, but it is not all you will get from the site! More updates are still to come throughout the evening and night courtesy of our talented writers. As always, stay tuned to our Twitter feed for even more information, and be sure to join me back here tomorrow for even more coverage!

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3:30: Here are some news and notes from Jimmy LaRoue out of Virginia Beach.

– After a week of wet weather in Virginia Beach, the sun, a summer breeze and warm temperatures have welcomed the more than 100 teams participating in the Virginia Rush Soccer Club’s Ralph Downey Memorial Classic this weekend.

– The fields at the Hampton Roads Soccer Complex have dried out and have given way to some high-caliber action in the boys and girls U9 through U19 age groups. Most teams have either completed or are in the process of completing their second games of the day.

– While many teams are using the tournament as a wrap-up to their spring seasons, some, like Fayetteville SC Force U18, are using it as a precursor to its summer season.

– All the teams are using the tournament as a bonding opportunity, with the oceanfront a nice backdrop.

-The tournament is named after Ralph P. Downey, a founding member of Rush Soccer who passed away Feb. 28, 2012. Downey was a member of the committee that helped create the Hampton Roads Girls Soccer League in the late 1980s. He was also a disabled Army veteran who served his country and received a Purple Heart.

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12:30: Plenty of scores rolling in courtesy of Jimmy LaRoue!

Boys U10 Swoosh: SOCA Sky Earthquakes 5, SOCA Revolution R23 (Challenge) 2

Boys U10 Swoosh: SOCA Dynamo 5, Virginia Rush Academy Royal 3

Boys U11 Nike: AYSO 1475 Nitro FC 4, ODSC Lions 2

Boys U11 Nike: Suffolk Icepack 5, Virginia Rush Academy Royal 0

Boys U14 Nike: ODSC Pirates 1, Virginia Rush Swoosh 0

Boys U14 Nike: Virginia Rush Swoosh U13 2, Waldorf Breeze 2

Boys U19 Nike: WWPSA Biancoverdi 3, Damascus Inferno 2

Boys U19 Nike: Churchland Soccer Dynamo 5, Virginia Rush Nike 1

Girls U10 Swoosh: Rush Blue Angels 9, Rush Cyclones 1

Girls U10 Swoosh: Rush Twisters 5, Norfolk United Northside Stars U9 0

Girls U12 Swoosh: Keystone U12 Team 2–3, Rush Thunder 2

Girls U12 Swoosh: NYSL Longhorns 1, Virginia Rush Peninsula Tsunami 0

Girls U12 Swoosh: Virginia Rush Academy Black U11 7, NYSL Vapors 1

Girls U14 Swoosh: CSA Intensity 2, Rush Classic 0

Girls U19 Nike: Virginia Rush Swoosh U17 2, Gunston Elite U18 1

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11:00: Good morning everyone! Welcome to the VA Rush – Ralph Downey Memorial Tournament Coverage Central! I’m Roger Gonzalez. Jimmy LaRoue is on site at the tournament and will be sending updates throughout the competition! So, be sure to stick with us for the latest throughout the day!