Region I’s Dennis Mensah Tops the Tournament with Three Goals
Soccer News: The annual US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (US Youth Soccer ODP) Boys Thanksgiving Interregional finished Monday in Casa Grande, Arizona. The three-day tournament, which took place at Grande Sports World featured elite boys teams in the 2001 and 2002 age groups from each of the four US Youth Soccer Regions.
The players were selected from US Youth Soccer State Association and Regional level evaluations. Throughout the week, players will attend training sessions and compete in matches against other Regions, in front of U.S. Soccer national staff and collegiate coaches to maximize their exposure for selection to the next level of play.
With programs in all 55 US Youth Soccer State Associations, US Youth Soccer ODP, the original Olympic development program, is available to any player. US Youth Soccer ODP is the only elite player development program that can claim members of Major League Soccer, the National Women’s Soccer League, and the majority of current and past national and youth national team members, as alumni.
Highlights from Day 1:
2001 Boys: Region I v. Region IV
Region I took control of the 2001 age group with a 4-0 victory over Region IV. Jack Eskay began the scoring just three minutes into the match before Virginia’s Maxim Bjarnason doubled Region I’s lead just before halftime. Vermont’s Francis Nardiello-Smith scored Region I’s third goal in the 45th minute, and Virginia’s Dennis Mensah scored the final goal of the match four minutes later as the final score read 4-0.
2001 Boys: Region II v. Region III
Region II and Region III fought to a 1-1 draw on day one of the tournament. Minnesota’s Herbert Endeley struck first for Region II in the 20th minute, and it would take until the 47th minute for Region III to respond with 2015 US Youth Soccer National Championship semifinalist GSA Premier 01’s (GA) Liam Butts equalizing.
2002 Boys: Region I v. Region IV
Region I got a crucial three points to open the tournament after a narrow 1-0 victory over Region IV. After a scoreless first half, Joseph Scally, who won the 2015 US Youth Soccer Eastern New York State Cup with Sachem Destroyers (NY-E), broke the tie in the 48th minute, and Region I’s strong defensive effort preserved the shutout.
2002 Boys: Region II v. Region III
Joining Region I at the top of the group is Region II after a 1-0 win over Region III. Diego Olivares of Kansas scored the game’s only goal as the Region II defense held strong to complete the clean sheet.
Highlights from Day 2:
2001 Boys: Region II v. Region I
Region I won its second game in as many days with a 2-1 victory over Region II. Virginia’s Dennis Mensah got Region I off to a dream start with two goals in the second and 13th minute to give him three for the tournament. 2015 US Youth Soccer Region II Championship semifinalist PSG MI Nova 01 Black’s (MI) Gabriel Parra brought Region II back within one with a goal in the 17th minute, but Region I was able to hang on for the 2-1 win.
2001 Boys: Region IV v. Region III
Region III earned its first win of the tournament by defeating Region IV 2-1. After his two-time US Youth Soccer National Championship participant GSA 01 Premier (GA) teammate, Liam Butts scored for Region III yesterday, 2014 and 2015 National Championship Best 11 forward Kendall Edwards scored back-to-back goals in the 51st and 52nd minutes to give Region III the 2-0 lead. 2014 US Youth Soccer Region IV Championship semifinalist La Roca South 99/00 Premier’s (UT) Taylor Booth cut Region III’s lead in half with a goal in the 57th minute, but that would be as far as Region IV’s comeback attempt would go as Region III gained the victory.
2002 Boys: Region II v. Region I
Region I and Region II battled to a 1-1 draw on the second day of competition. Thomas Corral Chavez of Massachusetts began the scoring in the 10th minute for Region I, and the lead would hold for over 50 minutes of play until Charles Strine, who reached the finals of the 2015 US Youth Soccer ODP Region II Showcase with the Michigan ODP team, equalized for Region II in the 61st minute.
2002 Boys: Region IV v. Region III
Region IV notched its first win of the tournament after defeating Region III 2-1. After 43 minutes of play, South Carolina’s Juan Zuniga broke the scoreless stalemate for Region III. After that it was a pair of 2015 US Youth Soccer ODP Region IV Tournament team players from Washington that led Region IV’s comeback as Joshua Atencio and Thai Wichienwidhtaya scored in the 53rd and 60th minute respectively to ultimately give Region IV the win.
Highlights from Day 3:
2001 Boys: Region I v. Region III
Region III secured its spot at the top of the 2001 group with a strong 3-0 win over Region I. 2014 US Youth Soccer Region III Champion and 2014-15 National League Blue Division runner-up GSA 01 Premier’s (GA) Liam Butts began the scoring in the 20th minute for Region II. At the beginning of the second half, Tanner Tessman, who won the 2013 and 2015 US Youth Soccer Alabama State Cup with Birmingham United (AL), doubled Region III’s lead before Butt’s GSA teammate; Natnael McDonald scored the final goal of the match in the 58th minute.
2001 Boys: Region II v. Region IV
Region IV earned its first win of the tournament with a 1-0 victory over Region II. Two-time member of the US Youth Soccer ODP Region IV Championships Tournament Team for New Mexico, Jayson Baca scored the match’s only goal in the 17th minute and the Region IV defense kept Region III off the board for the entirety of the match.
2002 Boys: Region I v. Region III
Region III had five different players find the back of the net in a 5-1 win over Region I. Kaya Ignacio of South Texas, Florida’s Tavon Mussenden, Georgia’s John Franks and Zaki Obafemi-Carpenter all scored for the first time in the tournament for Region III, while South Carolina’s Juan Zuniga netted his second goal in as many days. Eastern New York’s Joseph Scally joined Zuniga at the top of the goal scoring leaderboard as his second goal of the tournament was Region I’s lone goal in the match.
2002 Boys: Region II v. Region IV
Region II finished at the top of the 2002 age group thanks to a 1-1 draw with Region IV on the final day of play. 2015 US Youth Soccer ODP Region IV Championships finalist with Washington 2002, Joshua Atencio broke the scoreless stalemate in the 28th minute with a goal for Region IV, but just two minutes it was Region II’s Julian Pelligrini, who won the 2015 Ohio North State Cup and will play in the 2015-2016 US Youth Soccer National League with Challenger Crew Jrs. 01 Black (OH-N), who equalized. Despite two goals in quick fashion, neither team was able to find the back of the net again as the match ended in a tie.
Congratulations Jacob Daniel’s Region III 2001 Boys and Oliver Condell’s Region II 2002 Boys!
