Wins over Tennessee SC 16 (2-1) and Boise Nationals Italia (5-0) ended group play with a very unique situation, Eclipse tied with game one opponent and defending National Champions MSC Coyotes Green, resulting in a penalty kick shootout to determine a finalist.
In game two of group play, Connecticut FC and Team Chicago battled it out to a scoreless draw. Although both teams had many chances, with each taking more than 15 shots, a strong defense on both sides prevented any scoring. The 0-0 result made a win in their final match a necessity for Team Chicago to advance.
West Coast FC (CA-S) and Raiders FC Premier needed kicks from the spot to decide the Under-18 Boys champion. It was no surprise the teams were tightly-matched, after Raiders won, 1-0, in a National League game earlier this year. West Coast looked like it would get payback after Gage Zerboni scored off of a long throw in by Brian Way in the 65th minute. It looked like that goal would hold up after a late bicycle kick by Raiders forward Chi Bertrand was blocked, and the ensuing shot hit the crossbar. However, Kyle Hamann headed a ball from Roberto Torres into the net for a stoppage-time equalizer that sent the game to overtime. West Coast held off a series of Raiders shots in the overtime periods, and the game went to penalties to decide the winner. Each keeper made two superb diving saves, but when Raiders’ fifth attempt was chipped over the bar, West Coast keeper Ricky Brown stepped up to the spot with a chance to win the championship. Brown’s shot flew into the right side of the goal, and his team erupted in celebration, as West Coast won a thrilling Under-18 Boys National Championship. West Coast took home the Under-14 Boys National Championship in 2009.
The 78th McGuire Cup final featured a pair of talented Under-19 Boys teams in Lehigh Valley United 93 (E-PA) and Chicago Fire Academy . The game got off to a quick start, with each team coming within inches of taking the lead. In the early minutes of the game, LVU had a shot roll across the turf before striking the right post and staying out of the goal. Chicago was just as unlucky, as a strike from outside the box beat a diving Logan Keys, but it too hit the post to keep the game scoreless. LVU managed to take the lead when Shane Campbell made a run to the back post and headed in a cross to put his side up, 1-0. Chicago pressured the Pennsylvania side in search of an equalizer, and the Fire were rewarded when they earned a penalty kick with about 15 minutes remaining in the game. However, the shot went just wide to the left and LVU remained in front. Chicago couldn’t find a tying goal in the final minutes, as LVU held on to win the storied McGuire Cup as Under-19 Boys National Champions.
After falling to Elite SC Black in the finals of the Illinois Presidents Cup, it looked as if the SASA Spirits' Presidents Cup journey was over. When a Wild Card spot opened at the Midwest Presidents Cup, SASA seized the opportunity and went on to bring the Regional title back to Springfield.
Despite finishing second in group play, the Chicago Fire Academy advanced to the Under-19 Boys semifinals as the Wild Card. A 2-1 win over Kentucky's Javanon in the semis, set-up a rematch against NFC Blue who handed the Fire their only loss in group play. In the championship, the Fire kicked off the match with a goal in the 7th minute, and ended it with another (90th), avenging the previous loss and allowing them to hoist the Midwest Regional Championship trophy.
The Illinois State Cup is the most prestigious tournament in Illinois and the official state championship tournament of the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series. Don’t be confused by similarly named league tournaments claiming to be a "state cup" championship.
This annual statewide tournament for teams in the under 8 - 11 age groups offers youth soccer players an opportunity to experience a consistent and high quality statewide tournament in a fun, family-like atmosphere. It fosters stimulation and excitement about soccer in an effort to increase the players’ interest and love for the game.
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State Premiership Central & Southern Division
Registration Now Open For Expanded State Premiership
Illinois Youth Soccer is excited to announce the expansion of the Illinois Youth Soccer State Premiership to the new Central and Southern Division.
State Cup & Presidents Cup Fall Champions
FC United, NSA Premier Jaguars, Windy City Pride, Warren United Blazers, Ela Elite & Hawthorn Woods Elite Earn Spots For Midwest Championships & Midwest Presidents Cup
The Fall 2013 Chipotle State Cup & Sports Authority Presidents Cup has concluded with seven teams in the U15-U18 age groups earning spots in either the US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championships or the US Youth Soccer Midwest Presidents Cup. The Regional events will be in June of 2014 and these teams should be great representative of Illinois.
PHOTOS BY TSS PHOTOGRAPHY, OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF ILLINOIS YOUTH SOCCER
Eclipse & Team Chicago Win National Championships
Nine teams from Illinois were among the 88 squads that traveled to Overland Park, KS to compete against the best teams in the country for a US Youth Soccer National Championships. Two teams from Illinois, Eclipse Elite Black and Team Chicago Academy Botafogo, proved to be the best of the best, bringing National champion hardware back to the Land of Lincoln.
After tying all three of their matches at the Midwest Regional Championship, US Youth Soccer National League qualifier, Eclipse started the National Championships in familiar fashion, drawing 1-1 with fellow National League qualifier MSC Coyotes Green. This would be the last draw of the tournament for Eclipse, but not the last tie.
The two sides had to head to kicks from the mark to break the tie in the standings and determine who would move on to the National Championship match. Eclipse keeper Angelina LoDolce saved Coyotes first shot and MSC’s second flew over the crossbar as Eclipse was perfect in their attempts to win 3-1 and move on to face Ambassadors FC in the championship match.
In the National Final, Eclipse defeated Region II champ Ambassadors FC (OH-N) in overtime to earn the Under-15 Girls National Championship. Golden Ball winner and leading scorer Sarah Krause gave Ambassadors the lead in the 15th minute off a cross from Gabrielle Lo Presti on the left flank. With just seven minutes left to play, Eclipse was able to find the equalizer when Zoe Redei scored, taking the match to overtime. The late goal energized Eclipse, and in overtime they got three more goals for a 4-1 victory. Alissa Gorzak scored the game winner for Eclipse five minutes into overtime, and Redei found her second goal after beating an Ambassadors defender to the ball and sliding it under the keeper. Gorzak also got a second goal in the match, finishing the scoring.
For the tournament Gorzak (4 goals), Foster Ignoffo (3), and Redei (3) finished in the top 10 of goal scorers in the Under-15 age group.
"Winning the National Championship was an extraordinary accomplishment for this pool of players," Rory Dames, Eclipse Head Coach said. "The players and staff set goals last August and to see those goals accomplished speaks volumes about the hard-working, dedicated, and extremely talented pool of players Eclipse Select has at this age group. Our kids worked extremely hard for 12 months to be able to call themselves National Champions."
"I will not forget the looks on our players faces when they scored the goal to tie the game, nor the celebration that took place when the game ended," continued Dames. "The physical and mental toughness of our players is remarkable and we could not be more proud of what they have accomplished this year."
Although they were US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Champions, Team Chicago earned their spot at the US Youth Soccer National Championships because of their accomplishments in the US Youth Soccer National League. The National runner-ups last year, Team Chicago started their run at Overland Park with a 2-1 victory over Lou Fusz Wipke, another US Youth Soccer National League Qualifier.
In the final group play match, Team Chicago took care of business early and often, winning 3-0 over Oklahoma FC 96 to secure a spot in the National Championship match.
In a rematch of the final game of the National League season, Team Chicago once again defeated returning champ VSA Heat Blue (VA) to seize the Under-18 Girls National Championship. The match started with an early lead for Team Chicago when Zoe Swift scored in the 11th minute, but Cassidy Mercier evened the score for VSA when she headed the ball into the net in the 49th minute off a corner kick, and regulation ended 1-1 to force overtime. In the extra period, Zoe Swift stepped up for Team Chicago again, delivering the game winner and the national title for Botafogo.
"It’s obviously a fantastic feeling to win a U18 National Championship," said Phil Nielsen, Team Chicago Head Coach. "It’s the perfect culmination on an amazing youth career for these players. In the very last youth game before embarking on their college careers they got to play at the biggest stage and emerge victoriously.
"As one of my players tweeted late Sunday night: ’Today was so bittersweet. But mostly sweet’. The emotional toll of saying goodbye to your best friends who happens to also be your teammates was a heavy one for players, parents, and me. Our pre-game team meeting was not about tactics and not a rah-rah "let’s win for the Gipper" speech, but rather a very tearful and emotional goodbye and reminder of how lucky we have been to play together for all these years.
"For the girls it was obviously the highlight of their careers and a validation of all their sacrifices as well as their talents," Nielsen said. "A lot of people will take notice of the Team Chicago commitment to attractive soccer with this win."
In addition to the two National champions, Illinois also had two teams finish as US Youth Soccer National Finalists.
Fall State Premiership Division Teams
60 Elite Teams To Compete Against Each Other In Fall
The Illinois Youth Soccer State Premiership Division (SPD) is a state-run competitive division for premier teams registered with Illinois Youth Soccer member competitive leagues (IYSA Member League). This exclusive competition was designed to reduce costs and travel expenses for elite teams and allow the best teams in Illinois an opportunity to compete against the other top teams in the state while meeting the requirements for State Cup and Midwest Regional League (MRL). In Fall 2013 over 90 teams applied to be part of this exclusive competition. The following 60 teams were chosen to participate:
Crystal Lake Force & SASA Spirits Win National Championship
SASA Spirits and Crystal Lake Force took slightly different paths to the US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup in Auburndale, FL but both left the same way, as National Champions.
Cole Barkocy, Garrett Bronn, Edgar Chavez, Dominik Chece, Carlos Duran, Remy Edstrom, Nikolas Getzinger, Andrew Grabowski, Benjamin Kassel, Alexander Kern, Cade Klusendorf, Alex Lee, Gavin Rathjen, Sean Reardon, Justin Rutherford, Kevin Winslow; Coach: Kristian Rockall
In the final Crystal Lake jumped out to a 3-0 first half lead. Cade Klusendorf notched a pair of goals (8’ and 19’) as did his teammate Nikolas Getzinger (14’). Downtown SC started to make a comeback in the second half, with goals by David Orellana (45’) and Gomez Frank Barrios (55’), but Crystal Lake’s strong defense helped maintain the 3-2 win. "The biggest feeling associated with this achievement is one of pride," Kristian Rockall, CL Force Head Coach said. "I am proud of my team and what they have accomplished, not just for themselves and for Crystal Lake FORCE, but also how well they've represented Illinois and Region 2 along the way. It's great when a local team like ours, (where all the players live within 10 miles of each other) are able to compete and experience success at the Regional and National level.
"We're thankful that the President's Cup has created a platform for teams such as ours to play on such a grand stage. The President's Cup experience has been remarkable all the way through from Rockford to Overland Park and finally Florida. The tournament is very professionally run and the organizers do a great job of making it a special experience for the players. The facilities, the fields, the officiating and the media coverage have all been excellent and certainly helped to give our team an truly amazing experience that they'll never forget." For the tournament, 4 Crystal Lake players finished in the top 10 of goal scorers: Getzinger (3), Klusendorf (3), Carlos Duran and Justin Rutherford (1)
Emma Hughes, Katie Juhlin, Boyd Kendall, Sara Kinsella, Maddie Klintworth, Sameena Koriala, Rachel Mays, Taylor Parriott, Riley Ross, Alie Smith, Carolynn Smith, Shea Sullivan, Karmen Vicari-Endres, Macy Vorreyer, Beverly Watson, Kendall Ziel; Coach: Rhett Mays
SASA opened the National Tournament with a 1-1 draw against Pennsylvania's WCUSC Predators 98. From there on SASA would go undefeated in group play, beating Platinum FC Sanchez of California South and Florida's Cape Coral Cyclones en route to a rematch against the Predators in the National Finals.
In the championship, SASA was down 1-0 in the first half, but tfound their vigor in the second half and shifted the game in their favor. Within ten minutes, Maddie Klintworth (42'), Kendall Boyd (45') and Macy Vorreyer (50') all scored to give SASA the 3-1 advantage and the win.
"The girls are very excited," said Rhett Mays, SASA Head Coach. "The President Cup was an overall positive experience. It has the feel of a national championship for smaller clubs like ours. - like 1A in high school soccer in Illinois." The US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup is designed for those teams seeking additional challenges to play against teams of similar abilities for a national title. The cup provides a progressive, competitive experience to teams that might not otherwise get the opportunity to participate in a series of unique experiences highlighting competition, camaraderie and community from the state to regional to national levels of US Youth Soccer. The Illinois Presidents Cup for Girls U15-U17 is held in the Fall and for Boys U13-U17 and Girls U13-U14 in the Spring.
MIDWEST REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
Raiders FC, NSA, Team Chicago & Chicago Fire Bring Home Region II Championships
It was an impressive run by the teams from Illinois that advanced to the 2013 US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championships. Of the 20 teams that participated in the Region II tournament, 15 advanced to semifinals, 8 advance to the championship match for their age division and five; Raiders FC, NSA Rockets, NSA Jaguars, Team Chicago Botafogo and Chicago Fire Academy won a Regional title. The Jaguars gave NSA their second Region II championship of the tournament with their 1-0 win in the Under-16 Girls Final. After a 3-0 run in group play, the Jaguars and Eclipse Elite meet in a rematch of the U16 Illinois State Cup finals in the Regional semifinal. NSA topped their Illinois rival 3-0 to advance to the Regional Championship. In the final, Abbie Boswell’s early 12 minute goal, and NSA’s sound defense, helped keep the shutout and earned the Jaguars the championship. Boswell finished the tournament with 6 goals, tops in the U16 Girls Division.
Two other Illinois teams advanced to the Regional finals, falling short in hard fought matches. A goal in the 63rd minute was deciding factor in the Chicago Magic's loss in the Under-15 Boys Final to Michigan's Vardar.
2013 State Cup Champions
Click here for the official 2013 State Cup Brackets Congratulations to the following teams for winning the 2013 Illinois State Cup and advancing on to the 2013 US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championships:
Since 1966, even before its incorporation, Illinois Youth Soccer has been conducting this official annual state competition that is part of the national US Youth Soccer National Championship Series. The Illinois State Cup provides an opportunity for over 250 teams in the under 12 – 19 age groups to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition. Winners of the Illinois State Cup advance to the US Youth Soccer regionals and have the opportunity to qualify for the nationals. The national finals are a culmination of a year-long series of competitions at the state and regional levels providing approximately 185,000 players on 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer’s 55 State Associations to compete against the best teams in the nation. The Illinois State Cup is one of the largest State Cup competitions in the United States.
2013 Illinois Presidents Cup Champions
Teams Now Represent Illinois At The US Youth Soccer Midwest Presidents Cup In June
The 2013 Spring Illinois Presidents Cup has concluded and the spring champions will join the fall champions in representing the Land of Lincoln at the 2013 US Youth Soccer Midwest Presidents Cup in Overland Park, KS. Congratulations state Presidents Cup champs!
The Illinois President’s Cup qualifying tournament follows the same rules & procedures as the current Illinois State Cup. The Illinois President’s Cup champions advance to the the Midwest Regional President’s Cup from which they can qualify for the National President’s Cup Tournament.
2013 Illinois Cup
U8-U10 Titles Won, U11 Championship On May 18
The U11 finals will be held Saturday, May 18 at Sportscore Two with two teams earning their spot along the U8-U10 Champions
Sports Authority Becomes Official Sponsor Of IYSA
The Illinois Youth Soccer Association (IYSA) announced today that Sports Authority has become a sponsor of Illinois’ largest youth soccer organization and the Official Sporting Goods Store of the IYSA. “We are very excited to add Sports Authority as a sponsor of Illinois Youth Soccer,” said Mary Jane Bender, Illinois Youth Soccer Executive Director. “We only partner with companies that provide quality products and services and are at the top of their industry. Sports Authority certainly meets our criteria and we look forward to working with them.” Sports Authority is one of the nation’s largest Sporting Good Retail Store. They operate over 460 stores across the United States, with 35 stores in the state of Illinois alone. Sports Authority has a rich history, dating back almost a century, of being an industry leader in providing a wide assortment of quality, brand-name sporting goods. Sports Authority is dedicated to providing customers with the best shopping experience possible by consistently providing great brands at great values. “Sports Authority is incredibly excited to be partnering with Illinois Youth Soccer and we believe it’s a great fit for both Illinois Youth Soccer and Sports Authority," said Marisa Aurelius and Kiki Vander Weg, Community Marketing Managers for Sports Authority. "We are extremely passionate about communities, youth sports and all that are involved in both. We feel that we are not only getting involved and giving back to a great association, but we are becoming a part of a great soccer community." Exclusive coupons and special Illinois Youth Soccer shopping days are among the direct benefits members of Illinois Youth Soccer will receive from this new partnership. Because of their commitment to Illinois Youth Soccer and it’s 80,000 players, the Illinois Youth Soccer Presidents Cup will be renamed the Sports Authority Presidents Cup beginning in Fall 2013 Sports Authority has also made a three-year commitment to Illinois Youth Soccer’s Soccer For Success Program. Illinois Youth Soocer-Soccer for Success is the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s youth development program that uses soccer as a tool to combat childhood obesity. IYSA currently runs programs in 16 Chicago Public School (CPS), catholic school and community centers in the city and impacts over 800 kids each year . As part of their support of the Soccer For Success Program, Sports Authority will sponsor the Copa Chicago, the end of year tournament between CPS school that participate in the Soccer For Success Program. The Sports Authority Copa Chicago will be held June 1, 2013 at Adams Park, 1400 S. Loomis in Chicago. For details on Sports Authority , please visit www.sportsauthority.com
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