Soccer News: 14 State Associations Fight For Regional Title
The 2015 US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships kicked off June 22, at the Simplot Sports Complex in Boise, Idaho. State champions, US Youth Soccer Far West Regional League champions and select wildcards hoped to get off on the right foot on day one to ultimately advance to the knockout rounds.
The top 238 US Youth Soccer boys and girls teams from the 14 State Associations that make up US Youth Soccer Region IV compete for the regional title. States represented are Alaska, Arizona, California North, California South, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Six champions from 2014 are back to defend their regional title – Under-13 Girls So Cal Blues Baker (CA-S), Under -15 Boys Real Colorado National 99/00 (CO), Under-16 Girls Pride Predators 99 (CO), U-17 Boys Santa Barbara SC White (CA-S), Under-18 Boys LVSA 97 Red (NV) and Under-19 Boys Santa Barbara SC White (CA-S).
Of these six defending region champions, only Under-19 Santa Barbara is a defending US Youth Soccer National Champion, but their Under-17 counterparts are two-time national champions (2012, 2013). Under-16 Eastside FC 98 Red (WA) represents the only former national champion on the girl’s side.
Recaps of Today’s Games:
Under-13 Boys
Total Futbol Academy (CA-S) took sole possession of first place in Group B with a 2-0 victory over local BNSC Galaxy (ID) thanks to Cameron Harper’s first half brace in the span of two minutes. Westside Timbers 01 Copa (OR) and NM Rush 02 (NM) are in tie for second place as the teams battled to a 2-2 draw on day one. Timbers took the early lead as Diego Trejo-Martinez began the scoring in the 15th minute, and Angel Romero Ulloa doubled the Oregon side’s lead just seven minutes later. However, it was Isai Rivas who responded for Rush with a pair of goals in the second half that allowed his side to pull even and grab a crucial point on the opening day.
Under-13 Girls
So Cal Blues Baker (CA-S) produced a convincing day-one performance with a 10-0 win over Elite FC Phasers 02 (NM). Blues won the region championship last year, but will be looking for its first trip to the National Championships in the Under-13 Girls age group.
Capital FC Timbers 2001 Red (OR) also claimed a victory in Group A with a 3-2 win over Heat FC 02 RM (NV). Mackenzie Davis got Heat off to a dream start with a goal in the second minute, but Timbers’ Paige Alexander netted goals in the 12th and 20th minutes to take the lead. Kallie Harding added a third for Timbers in the 37th, but Taryn Phillips brought Heat back to within one goal. However, the Nevada side was unable to break down the Timbers defense for the third time, and the match ended 3-2.
Under-15 Boys
Defending regional champions and nationals runners-up Real Colorado National 99/00 (CO) needed some late-match heroics to avoid dropping their first game against Rio Rapids SC 00 (NM). Rio Rapids looked to be in control of the match after a 60th minute goal from Luca Seazzu, but Real’s Jameson Barnard responded in the 73rd minute to knot things up at one.
The 1-1 draw allowed Capital FC Timbers 99 Red (OR) to take sole possession of first place in Group A thanks to a 5-1 win over Missoula Strikers Black PR (MT). Alan Cruz Ramirez netted a hat trick for the Oregon side to go with goals from Isai Juarez Mendoza and Caleb Lounsbury, while Missoula’s goal came from Matthew Baldridge.
Under-15 Girls
Carlsbad Elite 99 (CA-S) has already qualified to its second straight National Championships via the US Youth Soccer National League, but that didn’t stop them from securing a 4-0 win against ISC Gunners 99A (WA). Carlsbad got goals from four different players in Emily Knepler, Brooke Miller, Emma Bushee and Kameryn Hoban.
Joining Carlsbad at the top of Group A is La Roca Premier PO (UT) after a 7-1 win over NM Rush SC 00 (NM). Anna Escobedo scored a hat trick to go with goals from Rylee Hunsaker, Sammie Murdock, Olivia Wade and Abbigail Graham, while Rush’s goal came from Alexis Keller.
Under-16 Girls
La Roca FD (UT) put the Under-16 Girls field on notice by avenging last year’s regional semifinals loss to defending region champs and national semifinalists, Pride Predators 99 (CO) with a 2-0 win today. Lindsay DiReda scored early in the second half to take the lead for La Roca, and Ally Olcott doubled the Utah squad’s lead in the 65th minute.
Legends FC 98 (CA-S) will join La Roca at the top of Group B after a 6-0 win over BNSC Premier (ID). Legends got braces from three players as Alexis Vera, Averie Middleton and Gabriella Hinojosa all found the back of the net twice.
Under-17 Boys
Four-time Region IV and two-time national champion Santa Barbara SC White (CA-S) started its quest for a fifth regional title in six years with a 2014 Region IV Championships finals rematch against SC del Sol 98 Colavecchia (AZ). It took 63 minutes for the first goal of the match to be scored as Antony Andoyan found the back of the net for Santa Barbara. Seven minutes later it was 2014 US Youth Soccer National Championships Best XI player Sahid Conteh, who scored the game-winner against SC del Sol in the 2014 finals, doubling Santa Barbara’s lead as the matched ended 2-0
Under- 17 Girls
Some late game drama was in the air in the match between Rush 98 (HI) and Capital FC Timbers 97 Red (OR) that saw two goals in the final minutes. Rush’s Kiilaweau Awea started the scoring in the 17th minute, but Anna Norrenberns knotted the score back up with a goal of her own in the 31st minute. Cami Naomi Keliinui responded for Rush just seven minutes later to regain the lead, and the scoring ceased for almost entire game. Megan Cornett’s 87th minute goal for Rush appeared to be an insurance goal, but ultimately ended up being the difference between the teams as Baylie Cameron scored for Timbers in the 88nd minute, but the Oregon group ran out of the time as the match ended in a 3-2 win for Rush.
The other match in Group A provided a little less drama as La Roca Premier (UT) notched a convincing 6-1 victory over NM Rush 98 (NM). Paige Stevens and Haley Stafford both netted braces to go with goals from Brbinley Adams and Brianna Sims. NM Rush was able to find a late goal in the second half courtesy of Jessica McDow.
Under-18 Boys
LVSA 97 Red (NV) got their regional title defense off to a solid start today with a 5-1 win over Real Colorado National (CO). Last year LVSA’s Miles Mcrae led all scorers as LVSA claimed the top four goal scorers in the age group. Mcrae got off to a great start this year with a pair of goals to go with goals from Jackson Dietrich, Daniel Nunez and Daniel Moran, while Real’s goal came from Cody Ross.
In the other Group B game, FC Milpitas Elite 96 (CA-N) and BYSL Ballistic drew 2-2 in a back-and-forth match. Wilver Barajas allowed FC Milpitas to get on the scoreboard first with a goal in the tenth minute, but merely two minutes later Traigen Ledzema tied the score up. The score would remain that way until the 65th minute, when Sergio Franco regained the lead for FC Milpitas, but Ballistic proved its resilience again with the equalizer coming from Jordan Garcia just five minutes after going down 2-1. Neither team was able to break the tie as both teams earned a point on day one.
Under-18 Girls
CDA Sting Premier (ID) gained a critical three points in Group A thanks to a 4-1 win over So Cal Blues Dido (CA-S). Margot Vietri broke the scoreless stalemate in the 43rd minute for CDA, but the Blues equalized in the span of two minutes thanks to a goal from Danielle Solaru. The second half belonged to CDA as Vietri added her second goal of the match, and the Idaho team got insurance goals from Megan Lowery and Mercedes Schmeling.
Santa Clara Sporting 96 Green (CA-N) narrowly edged out NW Nationals 96 Red (WA) in a 1-0 victory. After 83 minutes of scoreless play, Sporting’s Ashley Kendrick finally broke through for the only goal of the match.
Under-19 Boys
Santa Barbara SC White (CA-S) dug a hole by going down two goals in the first half against Santa Clara Sporting 95 Green (CA-N) in a match that featured two semifinal teams from the 2014 US Youth Soccer National Championships. 2014 National Championships Best XI player Bradley Bumgarner scored twice, but the defending region and national champs were able to rally in the second half with a goal first from Diego Vasquez and then from 2014 National Championships Best XI player Miguel Padron’s penalty kick after 2014 National Championships Golden Ball winner, Geoffrey Acheampong was taken down in the box.
Regional winners of the Under-13 through Under-19 age groups earn a berth to the 2015 US Youth Soccer National Championships, July 21-26, at Mohawk Soccer Complex in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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-14 through Under-18 Boys and Girls age groups to complete the field of 96 teams.
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Daily reports and complete results from the tournament are available online. Follow the moments from the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series on Twitter and share the moments with us on Facebook.
