Cerritos Memorial Challenge Cup Draws International Competition
The 2014 Cerritos Memorial Challenge Cup drew more than 600 teams from around the Southwest and as far away as France for three days of exciting youth soccer competition. Here are the Cerritos Champions and Finalist in the top rated youth soccer tournament. This highly competitive youth soccer competition was heralded by coaches as one of the year’s best soccer tournaments.
The 19th annual Cerritos Memorial Challenge Cup took place over the Memorial Day weekend, with more than 600 teams coming from across the country as well as Mexico, Canada and France for three days of exciting competition. The tournament takes place in the city of Cerritos, located in southern Los Angeles County, on 78 fields across 30 venues. The Cerritos Memorial Challenge Cup is the largest Memorial Day soccer tournament on the West Coast and is considered by many as the best in California that weekend. GotSoccer.com has ranked it as one of the Top 10 tournaments in the nation.
“This was our largest tournament to date, with a total of 630 teams participating,” said tournament Director Alex Camargo. “Most people have no idea how much work and detail goes into planning our event. We have 78 fields and 30 venues all going off at the same time. It’s absolutely incredible how all of our volunteers, referees, players, coaches and families come together to make this all happen. Our satisfaction is when we get out on the field and everything comes together from the first kick offs all the way through to the award ceremonies.”
Although the majority of participating teams come from Southern California, the tournament draws large numbers from Northern California as well as Arizona and Nevada. This year Xolos de Tijuana sent several teams to compete and went home with the Boys U15 Nike and Boys U17 Nike Flight titles. However, the award for most dedicated – and long range – team would have to go to the Selection Team LA that traveled from France to compete in the Boys U16 Select Flight.
Every year teams return to the Cerritos Memorial Challenge Cup because of the excellent competition and environment. According to Camargo, “great competition,” “excellent fields,” “well run,” “incredible up-to-date scoring,” and “outstanding awards” are just some of the compliments that are expressed every year by participants.
SoccerNation columnist and one.Soccer Schools Technical Director Lloyd Biggs, who also coaches at Real So Cal, brought his BU12 and BU13 teams to the tournament. In the BU12 Nike Flight, Real So Cal White, the No. 8 team in Cal South according to GotSoccer.com, took Bracket C and advanced as far as the Quarter-Final round. In the BU13 Nike Flight, Real So Cal White finished third in Bracket E and did not advance.
This is always a great tournament,” said Biggs. “It’s an amazing achievement by the management to direct such a large tournament but manage to keep control of the ‘details’ required for success! Balanced level of play, good playing surfaces, games kicking off at the right time. What I also like is the communication; the directors are always sharp getting back to you and do their very best to accommodate coaching conflicts.”
San Diego Surf Soccer Club’s coach Steve Hill coached two teams in the tournament and thought the competition was very strong, “Cerritos was a great tournament this year, highly competitive. Our U12 Academy team won after playing many of the same very tough teams as in National Cup. The top teams were here; LAFA, LA Galaxy Academy, GSA, TFA just to name a few. Definitely a great weekend of soccer.”
DMCV Sharks Soccer Club’s Director of Coaching Billy Garton, who is a former professional with the EPL’s Manchester United agreed, saying “The number of elite teams competing at Cerritos Memorial Challenge is great.”
“We would like to thank our friends from France, Canada, Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Northern California and Southern California,” said Camargo. “Their participation enhances the spirit of great competition internationally and nationally at our tournament.”
Directors of Coaching as well as team coaches were all in agreement; the competition was very strong and the tournament was a huge success.
2014 Cerritos Memorial Challenge Cup Champions and Finalists
Age Group / Flight | Champions | Finalist |
Boys Under 8 Nike | FC Golden State Academy | Total Futbol Academy |
Boys Under 8 Select | Inter-America California Aztecs | Inter-America Guerreros |
Boys Under 9 Nike | Total Futbol Academy | Futbol Academy So Cal |
Boys Under 9 Select | FC Golden State Academy Gold | LV Pros 05 Copa (NV) |
Boys Under 10 Nike | FC Golden State Academy | Fullerton Rangers White |
Boys Under 10 Select | Total Futbol Academy Orange County | LA Premier FC Black |
Boys Under 11 Nike | DMCV Sharks Garton | Celtic Academy |
Boys Under 11 Select | Downtown LVSC Academy (NV) | LA Galaxy South Bay Navy |
Boys Under 12 Nike | San Diego Surf Academy Select | Los Angeles Futbol Academy |
Boys Under 12 Select | Hacienda Wolves Paco | LA Premier FC |
Boys Under 13 Nike | Chivas USA Academy | FC Golden State Academy |
Boys Under 13 Select | UIFC Nacional | Bakersfield Blades |
Boys Under 14 Nike | FC Golden State White | Fram Erush |
Boys Under 14 Select | Pateadores LA White | Arsenal FC West |
Boys Under 15 Nike | Xolos De Tijuana (Mexico) | Arsenal FC |
Boys Under 15 Select | IE Surf Kooiman | Arsenal FC-S |
Boys Under 16 Nike | Juventus SC Heat (Cal North) | Fullerton Rangers White |
Boys Under 16 Select | Downey FC Aquiles | BRM-KCFC |
Boys Under 17 Nike | Xolos De Tijuana (Mexico) | Albion SC White South |
Boys Under 17 Select | Bullard United Blue (Cal North) | TVSA Hawks Academy |
Boys Under 19 Nike | Milan FC (Cal North) | Atletico Santa Rosa Academicos (Cal North) |
Girls Under 8 Nike | Eagles SC Kelly | Irvine Slammers FC |
Girls Under 8 Select | FC Golden State 05 | OC Premier 05 Orange |
Girls Under 9 Nike | Beach FC Perez White | CDA Slammers FC Alvarez / Macias |
Girls Under 9 Select | LA Galxy South Bay Elite | CDA Slammers FC Petrus |
Girls Under 10 Nike | San Diego Surf SC GU10 Academy | CDA Slammers FC Alvarez |
Girls Under 10 Select | CDA Slammers FC Martinez | FC Golden State |
Girls Under 11 Nike | Eagles SC | CDA Slammers FC Macias |
Girls Under 11 Select | OC Premier Future | Strikers FC North |
Girls Under 12 Nike | Eagles SC | Real So Cal White 01 |
Girls Under 12 Select | Milan SC Duncan | South Slammers FC Vaught |
Girls Under 13 Nike | So Cal Blues Ali | Downtown LVSC (NV) |
Girls Under 13 Select | FC Golden State Black | AVFC Predators |
Girls Under 14 Nike | West Coast United White | GLB Fury |
Girls Under 14 Select | Arsenal FC Red | OC Premier Black |
Girls Under 15 Nike | Downtown LVSC (NV) | Strikers FC Whitfield |
Girls Under 16 Nike | CDA Slammers FC Camargo | FC Golden State |
Girls Under 17 Nike | Downey FC | FC Golden State Premier |
Girls Under 19 Nike | CDA Slammers FC Camargo /Barahona | CDA Slammers FC Rees |