Kirkwood SC takes Under-14 Girls crown
Worth the travel – Alaska Under-17 Girls capture title

KIRKWOOD, Del. (July 20, 2008) – Eight US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup Champions have been crowned from each of the Under-14 through Under-17 age groups for boys and girls. Games were played at the Kirkwood Soccer Complex in Kirkwood, Delaware.

The 32 teams have qualified for the Presidents Cup from 13 US Youth Soccer State Associations. The Presidents Cup provides teams a tournament experience at an elite level, for teams not typically given the opportunity.

2008 US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup Champions

 

Host club, Kirkwood Soccer Club, sent one team into the finals. Kirkwood SC Freedom (DE) Under-14 Girls lost to Texas Rush Nike (STX) in round robin play yesterday, but today was a new day, and the tables were turned.

Two minutes into the game, Casey Harney put Freedom up 0:1 when she put one past the keeper. Teammate, Amy Stevens, followed up with another shot in the 38^th minute to give Freedom a 0:2 lead. A strong defensive presence from the Freedom rejected any shots from the Rush to secure the championship title for Freedom.

In the Under-14 Boys division, West Texas United (NTX) was tied 1:1 with TSA Team America (VA) at the end of regulation. The game was decided by a series of five PKs, and West Texas came out on top, 5:4, at the end of the kicks.

West Texas United claimed the championship title in the Under-14 Boys and Under-16 Girls divisions.
 
"It has been a great experience for the kids to be able to travel to different places. I think the competition has been great. Our league prepares us for this because our league is tough," said head coach Chad Barden of West Texas United (NTX) Under-16 Girls. "Today was a hard-fought game both ways. I think that overall, we controlled the game fairly well and controlled the pace for the most part even though there were times we got out of synch. But, once we were able to put a goal away, we were able to keep possession of the ball enough to control the game."

 

Controlling the ball is what West Texas did throughout the tournament. They finished with a 3-0-1 record for the weekend after taking a 2:0 victory in today's championship game against Coastal United (NC).

Although North Carolina took second place in the Under-16 Girls, the JSC Jammers Gold (NC) Under-15 Boys were able to capture a crown to take back to North Carolina.

It was a single goal by Justin Jones of the Jammers that decided today's game against GSPAA Elite (MD). Jones slammed one in the back of the net in the 48^th to give the Jammer a 0:1 lead.

 

For more information please visit www.USYouthSoccer.org/PresidentsCup/.  

 

Results from Championship Games

Results from Consolation Game

 

For more information and updated scores and schedules for the Presidents Cup, visit www.USYouthSoccer.org/PresidentsCup/ or www.USYouthSoccer.org.

 

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