58°F

Clear

wind 0 mph

4 am: 54°F Clear

6 am: 51°F Clear

8 am: 56°F Sunny

10 am: 65°F Sunny

More Weather

Print | E-mail to a friend YOUTH SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS

Share This |

Soccer champions are crowned

July 08, 2009 @ 12:00 AM

GRANT TRAYLOR

The Herald-Dispatch

BARBOURSVILLE -- After five days, 280 teams that started the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships were pared down to 18 champions who celebrated Tuesday morning at the Barboursville Soccer Complex.

Now, those teams move on to the US Youth Soccer National Championships on July 21-26 in Lancaster Mass.

Five defending Region I champions started the day attempting to retain their titles from last year, and four were successful.

Each victory by a defending champion came by one goal in tightly-contested matches.

In the U-14 boys championship, Eastern New York's Dix Hills Thunder scored the only goal of the game on Richard Robinson's shot in the 20th minute to thwart New Jersey's NJSA 04 United, 1-0.

At U-17 girls, New Jersey's PDA Fire outpaced Eastern New York's Albertson '91 Fury, 3-2, to defend its crown.

Both east Pennsylvania's defending champs are once again taking home hardware after a pair of 1-0 wins in the oldest girls' divisions.

FC Bucks Vipers scored with just two minutes left on a goal by Madlyn Evans and held off New Jersey's Montclair United to win 1-0 in the U-18 girls division. In the U-19 girls division, FC Delco Fury II held off a relentless second-half attack by Maryland's Freestate Shooters and scored the game's lone goal in overtime on a shot in the 103rd minute by Brooke Stokes to defend its title.

The only defending champion to fall in defeat came at U-15 girls where Virginia's Chantilly Burn got a goal in each half to end the back-to-back dreams of FC Stars of Massachusetts in a 2-0 decision.

There were also a pair of championships that had state bragging rights on the line.

In the U-12 boys 8v8 championship, VYS Premier Red defeated Great Falls Cougars 2-0 in a rematch of the Virginia state championship game last month. The teams are located only two miles from each other.

Meanwhile, it was East over West in the U-12 girls title match. East Pennsylvania's Spirit United Gaels ran away with the title and Bryce Watts scored a pair of goals in a 4-1 win over Beadling (Pa.-West).

Two matches even went to penalty kicks to decide the region champion.

In U-19 boys, Maryland's Casa Mia Bays needed PKs to hand East Pennsylvania's FC Delco Blast a 2-1 loss.

In U-16 Boys, Eastern New York's Hicksville Strikers evened the match 1-1 after Matthew Wendelken's goal in the 70th minute then got the win over Virginia's McLean MPS Hurricanes, 2-1, after going to kicks.

In other action, New York West's Empire-Syracuse earned the championship at U-12 girls 8v8 after defeating PWSI Courage 96 Red 2-1. Empire-Syracuse is the team that defeated the WV Chaos in the semifinals.

Connecticut's only team in the championships emerged victorious at U-12 boys when Beachside earned a 1-0 win over Eastern New York's Manhattan Kickers 96.

New Jersey swept the U-13 classification with wins in both divisions. At U-13 boys, Piscataway Chelsea defeated Maryland's Bethesda Fire, 3-2, on the strength of three goals in 10 minutes while at U-13 girls, the PDA Slammers got a 1-0 win over Eastern New York's East Islip Red Dragons.

While one Massachusetts champion went down at U-15 girls, another was crowned at U-14 girls when Scorpions SC defeated Premier League champ PDA Celtic of New Jersey, 1-0, on Brooke Sweeney's goal in the 46th minute.

At U-15 boys, the Premier League champs, Spirit United Celtic of East Pennsylvania, defeated Maryland's Baltimore Casa Mia Bays, 1-0. Keegan Rosenberry had the goal in the 49th minute.

There were two border wars for Hudson River bragging rights, and Eastern New York came out on top of New Jersey in both.

At U-16 girls, Eastern New York's Syosset Rough Riders got a pair of goals from Liana Cornacchio, including the game-winner in the 100th minute to outlast New Jersey's Montclair United, 2-1. At U-18 boys, East Fishkill Thunder of Eastern New York made Mike Dix's goal in the 28th minute stand for a 1-0 win over New Jersey's PDA Cruyff.

Maine's only entry into the championships went down on Tuesday as East Pennsylvania's YMS Explosion defeated Seacoast United, 2-0, at U-17 boys in overtime with goals by Emanuel Sanchez (95th minute) and Eduardo Guerrero (105th).

Focus Zone

2010 Friends of Coal Bowl

The Mountaineers will try to extend their winning streak when the Herd hosts WVU Friday, Sept. 10, in Huntington.

College Football Preview

Check in with all your favorite college football teams to see what's on the horizon for the 2010 season.

High School Football Preview

Check out previews of all of the Tri-State's high school football squads for 2010.

MU Back to School

Whether you are an incoming freshman or a veteran at Marshall, there are a few things you should know about the upcoming weeks. Check here for more.

Health Challenge

The Huntington Health Revolution is a 90-Day Challenge that is a lifestyle change plan. Are you ready for the challenge?

Marshall Plane Crash

Check here to find original stories, photo galleries, victim information and coverage of the filming of the 2006 movie "We Are Marshall."

Tri-State Fact Book

This guide offers information about Tri-State municipalities and services.

100 Years of History

A look back at 100 years of Tri-State history through The Herald-Dispatch. Ten of the biggest stories of the last 100 years in our area, as voted on by readers, plus hundreds of photos.

Purchase a photo reprint

Our professional photographers are always out and about in the Tri-State. If you know of an image you would like to purchase, click here to fill out the form.

Bride Guide 2010

Need advice on planning your upcoming nuptials? Check out the Bride Guide, which includes a rich list of possible wedding reception sites, sorted by seating limits.

Tri-State Visitors' Guide

Check out great shopping, dining, lodging and other entertainment opportunities in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.

Tri-State's Wanted

The Herald-Dispatch's “Tri-State’s Wanted” list has featured several fugitives since June 2006, many of whom have been captured.

Send us your youth sports photos

Send a photo of your favorite Little Leaguer or cheerleader for our youth sports photo galleries.

Send us your pet photos

If they're furry, feathered or slimy, send us photos of your pets to display in our online galleries.

Birthdays and Babies

Want to announce a birth or wish a friend happy birthday? Click here to view galleries and fill out the form.

Chris Jackson/The Herald-Dispatch

FC Delco Fury II goalkeeper Katelyn Frey stops Freestate ShootersÕ striker Tiffany McCarty during the U-19 Girls Championship Tuesday, July 7, 2009, at the Barboursville Soccer Complex. The Fury went on to win 1-0.