REGION I YOUTH SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP UPDATE

2017 US Youth Soccer Region I Championships – Semifinal matchups are set 

US Youth Soccer Region I Preliminary games update – Day 3 of 3

Competition was at its peak on the final day of preliminary play at the 2017 US Youth Soccer Region I Championships as teams battled for a spot in Monday’s semifinal matches.

The Regional Championships carry a tradition as a proving ground, as every team must earn their way into the competition and everyone has to work hard if they want to leave as Regional Champions.

No game is an easy match no matter how you qualify for the event. Under-16 Boys Philadelphia Ukrainian National’s 01 Black Premier (PA-E) advanced to the Region I Championships as the Eastern Pennsylvania wildcard but have proved they belong through the first three games.

Ukrainian’s Assistant Coach Dan Harmon said his team goes into every game respecting the level of competition at Regionals and how advancing to Nationals would take their club to the next level.

“What’s beautiful about this event is that you’re going to find the top soccer in the country in this Region, pound for pound,” said Harmon.

“Whoever comes out of this tournament has a really good chance to win the National Championship,” added Harmon. ” It’s an honor to get here and these kids treat it that way and they respect the competition level.”

“We have three teams down here. If we were to have one of those three teams go to Nationals, it would take this club to the next level. We’ve been building for the last decade trying to build our club to a National Championship level caliber play,” said Harmon. “We want good athletes, standout citizens, students and families to be involved with our club.”

“For us to get to Nationals it would really take this club to the mark that we’ve been trying to get to.”

Highlights from today’s US Youth Soccer Region I games:

Boys Recaps
16U Boys Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals 01 Black Premier (PA-E) are heading the semifinals with its, 3-0, victory over McLean Green 01 (VA). McLean started the game strong with an early chance on a long ball but the finishing touch flew over the goal. Ukrainian’s Dane Harmaty gave his team the lead in the 13th minute after receiving a cutback pass to the 6-yard box and finishing his chance.

Ukrainian’s high press was giving McLean’s players fits and Matthew Stevenson made them pay for an error, stealing a pass and lacing a booming shot for a 2-0 lead. McLean started the second half as quickly as it did the first playing a long ball over the top, but the McLean attacker couldn’t get a clean shot around the keeper. Matthew Stevenson made it 3-0 in the 62nd minute, finishing off a deflection that landed at his feet in front of goal.

McLean kept pressing and had a shot hit the post, and the follow up header chance was saved on the line by the keeper. At the final whistle, the score remained 3-0 in favor of the Ukrainian Nationals sending them through to the semifinals with a perfect 3-0 record through group play.

17U Boys SOCA Elite 00 (VA) are advancing to the semifinals after a 4-0 victory over Alliance FC (NH). SOCA scored its first in the 34th minute when Brandon Mahon intercepted a pass outside the Alliance box and hit a knuckling bomb into the right side netting. Campbell Brickhouse added SOCA’s second after winning an Alliance punt. Brickhouse blew by a defender and then calmly rolled his chance by the Alliance keeper.

Carter Spilman and Daniel Star added early second half goals and now the Virginia side advances to the semifinals after its win.

Dix Hills Hurricane (NY-E) just need a tie against BRYC 99 Elite (VA) in order to advance to the 18U Boys semifinals. Hurricane’s started off on the right foot with a Samuel Steinberg goal midway through the first half. BRYC battled back in the second and earned an equalizer when George Smith found the back of the net in the 76th minute but Dix Hills’ defense held and they earned the point they needed in order to advance.

BRYC, despite being knocked out, will advance to the 2017 US Youth Soccer National Championships as winners of the US Youth Soccer National League Blue Division.

Girls Recaps
15U Girls SJEB Rush 02 Academy Blue (NJ) got the point it needed in a, 1-1, tie with Pipeline (MD) in the final game of group play. Rush started as the aggressors and put an early chance off a cross over the top of goal. Rush again had a chance to take the lead but, as the 1v1 developed, Pipeline keeper Lucy Griffin was up to the task and made a huge save.

Rush again had a chance to take the lead on a penalty call, but sailed the kick over the top of the goal.

The New Jersey side finally got its break when Mackenzie Clement out hustled her defender to the ball and took a sliding shot that found its way beyond a diving Griffin. Towards the end of the half, Griffin again came up big for Pipeline stopping yet another 1v1 chance in on goal.

With Rush having the superior goal differential, Pipeline had to push for a win. They leveled the match early in the second half when a Laney Cornelius corner sailed beyond the Rush keeper for a goal. Pipeline continued to push for the winning goal but Rush held on for the 1-1 tie.

“We play against Pipeline a lot and they always battle us and we knew it would be a tough game,” said Rush Head Coach Dave Barbour. “We’ve been focusing on defending our Regional title since losing at Nationals. With our focus on our opportunity to get back we’re now only two wins away from that”

FC Stars (MA) needed a victory for a chance to force a possible tiebreaker opportunity in the 16U Girls Group B. Stars started off strong and had the majority of the possession in the first half but couldn’t convert. The closest opportunity for Stars came midway through the half as a ball bounced around in the box and was cleared off the goal line by Fury Athletica (WV).

Stars frustration continued early in the second half when a deep booming shot hit the crossbar and the ensuing follow up shot from close range went wide. Fury waited for its chance and converted in the 51st minute when Arian Christiansen got in on goal and finished from close range. Christiansen doubled the advantage in the 61st minute when she received a chipped ball that floated over the defense and hit a first-time shot by the keeper.

Fury finished the scoring with a goal by Maggie Dickey and finish undefeated on the way to the 16U Girls semifinals.

After winning a Region I title in 2015, Pennsylvania Strikers (PA-E) fell just short in the finals in the 2016 Region I Championships. Strikers are back again this year and have made a splash through the group stage. Penn Strikers are once again headed back into the knock out rounds at Regionals after defeating Arlington 1999 Red (VA) 5-0 in its final game.

Emma Weirich started the scoring in the 12th minute followed by two goals from Karla Mesaros. Mesaros finished her hattrick in the 80th minute and then Francesca Pellerito finished the scoring just two minutes later. Mesaros, with her five goals through three games, has already tied her tournament topping total from 2015.

Schedule of tomorrow’s semifinal games: