National Presidents Cup

Congratulations to all teams that participated at the 2022 US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup!

Click on the drop down menus to view the awards in each  group.

2022 National Presidents Cup: Day 4 (Finals) Recap

Champions were crowned on Sunday at US Youth Soccer’s 14th annual National Presidents Cup at Bryan Park in Greensboro, N.C. This marked the first year in the competition’s history that 19U’s competed for the title.

New Jersey led the field with three teams claiming the cup, while Cal South (2), Eastern Pennsylvania (2), Arizona (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Missouri (1), South Dakota (1), Virginia (1), and Wisconsin (1) had champions as well.

US Youth Soccer’s East Region had the most teams crowned (6), with the Midwest (5) and Far West (3) following.

19U Girls: Lakeshore United FC G U-19 Navy 03 (WI) 2-1 ALBION SC Central Cal SM G03 Academy (CA-S)

ALBION struck first in this one, going ahead on a Jennifer Vera goal in the 14th minute. Both sides were in attack mode from that point on but couldn’t muster up enough to add to the scoresheet and went into the half with the Cal South side up one.

Lakeshore United came close to tying it up when Ashley Ternes put in a promising ball off of a free kick, but the connection just missed, and the opportunity fizzled out. Rylee Brotz and Alayna Lloyd also had near-misses, with it seeming like it wasn’t going to be the Wisconsin side’s day.

There was a change in the tide midway through the second half, as ALBION’s Annette Vargas was sent off after receiving a second yellow, and Lakeshore United had new life. The Cal South side did its best to see this one out,  but Meghan Zwicker brought her side back from the dead with the last kick of regulation. She converted after the ALBION defense couldn’t clear a corner and sent this final to extra time.

ALBION had a difficult task ahead and did an admirable job. Alexis Acosta made a fantastic diving save to keep the game level early in the first period, but Ternes gave the Wisconsin side the lead in the 104th minute — a perfectly connected volley.

Lakeshore United held on, even though ALBION gave them everything they had in the last minutes.

18U Boys: Bethesda Green (MD) 2(5)-2(6) PK ECU 2004 B Maroon (IN)

Bethesda and ECU traded chances early in this one, but the Maryland side went ahead first. Edwin Torres was able to capitalize after a free kick wasn’t cleared, opening the scoring in the 26th minute.

Andy Palma Villegas doubled his side’s lead seven minutes later, and Kadin Nuri had a shot hit the post not long after that, making it seem like they might run away with it. Bethesda couldn’t add to the lead, though, and went into the half up two.

ECU, led by some tactical changes and a passionate team talk, came out of the intermission swinging. Ivan Turcios quickly trimmed his side’s deficit to one after pouncing on a loose ball inside the area. The Indiana side kept up the pressure and finally found an equalizer in the 80th minute. Andrew Place was the scorer, sending another riveting final to extra time.

Both teams committed to going for the win, but no separation could be found between them. Bethesda had to endure some nervy moments in the extra periods after going down a man but held on to see this one decided from the spot.

In one of the more thrilling shootouts, ECU came out on top, 6-5, and claimed the cup.

19U Boys: Synergy 2003/2004 Boys Premier (IL) 0-4 RSL-AZ Yuma 03 Boys Quintana (AZ)

RSL-AZ Yuma imposed its will from start to finish, with Hector Gutierrez opening the scoring for the Arizona side in the 12th minute.

Synergy had chances to level the game but found themselves down two heading into the break after Erick Mejia Chabolla connected on a shot from outside of the box in the last minute of the half.

Nikolas Jurgovan almost brought one back for the Illinois side, but RSL-AZ Yuma’s Jesus Torres put his body on the line and threw himself in front of the shot. Cameron Baker and Will McNulty almost connected after some passing, too, but it wasn’t to be for Synergy.

Mejia Chabolla put this one on ice in the 63rd minute, scoring his second, and then added his third — and the team’s fourth — for good measure in stoppage time.

17U Boys: Deer Park Soccer FC Maroon 05B DDL (STX) 1-2 NJ Surf South Marlton 05B (NJ)

Deer Park and NJ Surf drew in their meeting one day earlier, the last group stage game for both teams, which was a sign of how even they were.

Both teams traded blows early, with Deer Park looking to play through Sebastian Farias, its talented forward. NJ Surf proved difficult to break down and found themselves in front after a goal by Andrew Hummel in the 35th minute.

It was a similarly-played second half, with Farias finding room to operate, but the Surf defense threw multiple defenders his way to stifle any chances. The South Texas side finally got its opportunity in the 70th minute after Juan Rodriguez drew a penalty kick and Nathan Martinez slotted it home. Deer Park thought they found the go-ahead goal ten minutes later, but the ball never crossed the line, and these two sides were tied after regulation.

There were chances aplenty in the extra period, but tired legs made it seem that this one was going into a shootout. The New Jersey side kept pressing, though, and Hummel found the winner for NJ Surf in the 115th minute.

2022 National Presidents Cup: Day 3 Recap

Group play concluded on Saturday at US Youth Soccer’s 14th annual National Presidents Cup at Bryan Park in Greensboro, N.C.

15U Girls: DASC 07G Legends 1 (SD) 3 – Thorns North FC 07G Red (ID-WC) 2

DASC and Thorns North FC both had quick goals in this back-and-forth affair. Regina Stoeser scored for the South Dakota side in the second minute, and Marisol Stosich responded seven minutes later to level the game.

Thorns North’s Kennedy Hartzell gave her side the lead 20 minutes later off a free kick from 35 yards out, which took a difficult bounce right in front of the keeper and went in untouched. It was soon a level match again, as DASC’s Joely Sterud finished a cross from the left side of the field, and the teams went into the half tied.

The South Dakota side had multiple chances early in the second half to break the deadlock but couldn’t convert, with Ella Top unable to convert on a breakaway. The knot was untied in the 58th minute, when Nyah Aware sent in an inviting cross that Camren McGuire slotted into the back of the net to take the lead.

DASC’s Brynn Skogen tried to add an insurance goal but couldn’t find the finishing touch — which saw the game end in a nervy affair. Nora Weaver ultimately preserved the win for her side, stifling multiple chances by the opposition, and will move on to the finals tomorrow.

18U Girls: BRSC 03/04 G Red (LA) 0 – Iron Valley United Thorns ’04 (PA-E) 2

Iron Valley, needing a win to advance to the finals, imposed its will early in this match with two quick goals. Lillian Young and Abrielle Miller both converted chances, with goals coming in the 3rd and 16th minutes, respectively.

The Eastern Pennsylvania side kept up the pressure all half and had multiple chances to add to the lead, but BRSC’s defense stood strong and kept the deficit at two.

Iron Valley continued to create chances and get through on goal in the second half, with Young and Madison Julian the closest to finishing opportunities, but BRSC’s Rylie Kuyper led her side and held the opposition scoreless after the intermission.

16U Boys: Chicago KICS FC 2006 CITY MWC (IL) 1 – Tuzos Garfio 06 (AZ) 0

Chicago KICS and Tuzos Garfio entered the match with the Arizona side needing a win to advance to the finals. They traded chances early in this game, with KICS coming closest to going ahead in the early moments. Kevin Lara Guillen put in an inviting cross that Erik Sanchez connected with, but his header hit the post and went out of play. Leonardo Diaz also had a good opportunity, taking a free kick from 25 yards out that needed a diving save by Tuzos Garfio’s Eric Renteria Duran to keep the game scoreless.

The Illinois side finally broke through in the 37th minute as Omar Gonzalez finished a solo goal to enter the break ahead.

Tuzos Garfio decided on a different approach in the second half, attempting more shots from outside of the box, as KICS’ defense held its ground inside of it. It ultimately led to them being caught on a counterattack, but the last defender, Luis Hernandez Parra, made a last-second slide tackle to keep the game in reach.

The Arizona side ran out of time to grab an equalizer, coming close a few times, which saw KICS move on to the finals tomorrow.

19U Girls: Dynamo STX. Girls 2003 (STX) 1 – Centre Union 03/04/05G (PA-W) 4

Dynamo caught the Pennsylvania West side sleeping early, as Ayloni Garcia started things off with a goal in the 2nd minute. It was a wake-up call that Centre Union needed, coming into the match hopeful of advancing, and they responded quickly. Trinity Prestash answered three minutes later to make it a new game.

Centre Union used that goal as a jolt of energy and was a different team for the rest of the half. Prestash added a second in the 23rd minute from a Rachel Sickeri assist, and then Sickeri recorded one of her own in the 34th  to go into the break up 3-1.

The South Texas side settled in after the break and was able to create some chances, but the Centre Union added a fourth in the 50th minute, Sickeri’s second, that wrapped this match up. Prestash and Sickeri were a difficult duo for their opponents all week but found themselves needing one more score to advance on goal differential in the dying minutes and were unable to get one.

14U Boys: Columbus Express 2008B Orange (IN) 1 – AVFC Boys 2009 (CA-S) 3

AVFC entered the group’s final match needing a win to advance. It took both teams time to settle in, with chances created but nothing finding the back of the net.

George Diaz lifted the deadlock for the Cal South side off a rocket from 30 yards out in the 24th minute. The Golden State side almost doubled the lead after Raphael Placencia put Diaz through on goal a few minutes later. Ryder Meek, Columbus Express’ keeper, did his part in spoiling the chance and getting his side into the break with a chance.

The Indiana side found more space to attack in the second half and almost leveled the game a few times. Daniel Peraza added a much-needed insurance goal for AVFC in the 63rd minute, which proved vital immediately, as Julian Jackson finished a solo goal for Columbus Express’ first just seven minutes later.

Joseph Rodriguez helped put the game on ice for the Cal South side, drawing a penalty kick in the 73rd minute. Lucas Gonzalez stepped up for his side and converted, solidifying the win and sending AVFC to the finals.

17U Girls: Charlotte Independence SC South Mat Blue G 2005 (NC) 5 – Victory SC 2005 Girls (PA-W) 1

Charlotte Independence and Victory both entered needing a win to earn a spot in the finals. The Pennsylvania West side had some early chances, trying to play through Tessa Charpentier and Adlie Abraham, but couldn’t convert.

The North Carolina side had chances of their own and ultimately struck first, a Chama Kabwe strike in the 37th minute that gave them the lead heading into the half.

Victory leveled the match as Samantha Sharrer opened the scoring for her side in the 51st minute, but it was all Charlotte Independence from that point on.

Anna Jackson answered immediately for the North Carolina side, pouncing on a shot that Victory’s keeper couldn’t handle, restoring the lead just six minutes later. Kabwe added her second in the 60th minute, and Charlotte Bell scored her first of the game three minutes later off a goal kick miscue to break this one open.

Charlotte Independence advanced to the finals in style, adding one more, an Anna Canty goal in the 73rd minute that came from a well-placed Lillian Jobe cross. 

2022 National Presidents Cup: Day 2 Recap

Friday marked the second day of US Youth Soccer’s 14th annual National Presidents Cup at Bryan Park in Greensboro, N.C.

13U Girls: Campton United 2009 Girls USYS Red (IL) 3 – 09 CSA North/Hville Roma G (NC) 0 

It was an evenly contested first half, with both teams finding chances but neither able to break down the opposition’s defense enough to find the opener.

Campton came into the second half determined to break the deadlock — and did. Boey Herren added the team’s first in the 44th minute, and then Brooklyn Grossi converted a penalty kick in the 57th, which was awarded after a shot by Sophia Wollenberg hit a defender’s hand inside the box.

Wollenberg got her goal six minutes later, putting the finishing touches on a 3-0 win for the Illinois side.

19U Girls: ALBION SC Central Cal SM G03 Academy (CA-S) 1 – Centre Union 03/04/05G (PA-W) 3 

Centre Union flexed their muscle early, tallying the opener off a Trinity Prestash goal in the 14th minute. Rachel Sickeri provided the assist and was a key cog for the Pennsylvania West side all game, showing an ability to pick the right pass often.

ALBION tried to find a response and thought they did, but a goal was disallowed after being ruled offside. Centre Union’s Allison Little did her best to add to the team’s lead, taking multiple shots that almost found their way into the back of the net, but was unable to apply the finishing touch as the game went into the break 1-0.

ALBION settled in quickly during the second half and found some chances early on but couldn’t get one to go their way, with Angelina Tapia having a promising shot of hers saved.

Centre Union finally added some needed insurance from goals by Stefanie Hoyt in the 72nd minute and Prestash’s second in the 85th minute, which proved vital. Annette Vargas clawed one back for the Cal South side in the dying minutes, scoring a free kick from the right side.

17U Girls: Colorado Rush 2005G DPL (CO) 5 – Victory SC 2005 Girls (PA-W) 3

Colorado Rush came out of the gates swinging, with Sydney Azuero scoring in the 4th minute. Averie Byerly added a second in the 12th, and then Sunnie Yarnell added the team’s third in the 16th minute, capping off a terrific start.

Victory’s Adlie Abraham brought one back for the Pennsylvania West side, but Rush’s Makahl Chambers was able to restore their three-goal lead before the half.

The Colorado side added one more, Yarnell’s second of the day, before facing heavy pressure. Victory mustered up two goals late, from Tessa Charpentier and Jaiden Emehizer just two minutes apart, but couldn’t find an equalizer.

13U Boys: CFJC 2009B PREMIER (IL) 2 – FC LEGENDS UTD 09B RED (NTX) 5

FC Legends had the first real chance of the game in the opening minutes, with Kabili Yuoh providing a low cross to Luke Soliz, whose shot hit the post and went out of play. Yuoh made his own chance count minutes later, scoring the game’s first goal in the 7th minute.  CFJC bounced back, leveling the game in the 26th minute from a Noah Barnett goal.

FC Legends were knocking on the door to add another before the half but couldn’t. Both teams found much more success in the second period, which was a high-scoring affair.

Jeronimo Roldan broke the tie in the 48th minute for the North Texas side, but Barnett scored a second to even it up for CFJC in the 63rd. Roldan added a second of his own one minute later, a shot from outside the box that deflected off a defender and floated above the keeper’s head.

Kaifa Yuoh put the game in his hands for FC Legends from there. He added two insurance goals from clinical finishes, just two minutes apart, that were too much for the Illinois side to handle.

14U Girls: FC-1 Girls 2008 Elite Blue (IL) 4 – Villareal NTX 08G (NTX) 2

Villarreal’s Aaliyah Roberts started things off in this game, finishing a chance from outside the box in the 3rd minute. Claire Georgees leveled the match for FC-1 seven minutes later. The rest of the half featured a back-and-forth affair, with both teams playing through their midfield, but no breakthroughs.

FC-1 wasted no time once the second half started, though, scoring three goals in the first five minutes. Georgees added her second from a perfect cross by Morgan Link, and Kaya Schneider and Link had goals of their own as well.

Roberts was able to grab one back for the North Texas side in the 50th minute, her second, but it wasn’t enough in the end.

18U Girls: Northern Utah United Tsunami 04G – SC (UT) 1 – Iron Valley United Thorns ’04 (PA-E) 1 

Iron Valley’s Julie Marrero fired home the opening goal in the 16th minute for Iron Valley — the first half’s only one.

The Eastern Pennsylvania side had a chance at another early in the second but couldn’t convert. Iron Valley’s keeper, Margaret Webb, was forced off due to injury, and Tsunami amped up the pressure from that point on. Tyniah White had an opportunity but saw it saved.

It looked as if the match would end 1-0, but Brittney Egbert’s 75th minute goal saw the teams draw — a crucial goal that kept Tsunami in second place, two points ahead of Iron Valley.

2022 National Presidents Cup: Day 1 Recap

Thursday kicked off US Youth Soccer’s 14th annual National Presidents Cup at Bryan Park in Greensboro, N.C.

13U Boys: FC LEGENDS UTD 09B_RED (NTX) 1 – Anaheim FC B2009 Aguirre (CA-S) 0

FC Legends started off today’s group stage with multiple early chances but struggled to find the back of the net. Anaheim FC evened out the match with some success on counterattacks, where Giovani Munoz was extremely difficult to mark.

Kabili Yuoh, FC Legends’ captain, put in a total effort during the first half, playing all over the pitch and often displaying a fantastic burst of acceleration throughout. He was a one-man fast break, carrying the ball 50 yards up the pitch just before half, but the Anaheim FC defense tracked back in time to see the match go into the break scoreless.

FC Legends opened the scoring early in the second half, with Kaifa Yuoh breaking the tie in the 39^th minute. Anaheim FC dialed up the pressure right after and were knocking on the door the entire half. The North Texas side’s defense was up to the task, with multiple last-second clearances and saves. Zaid Rivera had the best chance for Anaheim late, using a perfectly executed turn to get by the last defender. He was in on goal with just the keeper to beat, but North Texas’ Luke Baker made one final save to preserve both the shutout and win.

16U Girls: North Union United 06F Wave (PA-E) 0 – KC Athletics Napoli 06G (MO) 0

The opening ten minutes were evenly contested with North Union having the better chances. KC Athletics Napoli had their own chance off a corner kick in the winding seconds of the first half, as Samantha Larkins put in a ball that North Union’s goalkeeper, Karsyn Cox, struggled to gain possession of. There was a resulting frenzy in the box, but no harm came of it.

The teams entered the break scoreless but not without chances. North Union’s Larissa Evans had multiple shots on target early in the second half and KC Athletics Napoli countered once more, with Ava Jacobi firing a shot that went just wide.

Minutes after that chance, KC Athletics Napoli’s Annabelle Totta was in on goal with just the keeper to beat, but couldn’t finish the opportunity, which saw the match finish as a scoreless tie.

14U Girls: Villareal NTX 08G (NTX) 2 – Select G08 (NV) 4

Select opened the scoring early, with Francesa Androvandi finishing a chance in the 2^nd minute, and then Elliot Lujan adding a second seven minutes later.

Even though it seemed as if the game was getting away from Villareal, they clawed back to level the game. Aaliyah Roberts had both goals for the North Texas side, which were just seven minutes apart, the second a shot from outside of the box that made its way into the top corner.

Select regained the lead before half, however, as Cristal Lara added the team’s third.

The second half had chances for both teams to score, but the defenses were up to the task and kept the score as is for most of the half. Select’s Ella Claggett put the finishing touches on the goal, though, with a nice finish in the 62^nd minute.

15U Boys: Pennsylvania Rush 2007 Rush (PA-E) 3 – Minnesota Rush (MN) 3

The two ‘Rush’ sides, from Eastern Pennsylvania and Minnesota, put forth one of the best matches of the opening day.

Minnesota’s Owen Spaeth opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a great finish. The Eastern Pennsylvania side applied some pressure after the opener, with Harry Bates creating multiple chances on the right side of the field. Pennsylvania Rush was able to level the game in the 25^th minute, with Sardor Kurbanov the goalscorer.

Minnesota Rush regained the lead nine minutes later, courtesy of a goal by Cadel Wolf, but Pennsylvania Rush soon leveled via a Harry Bates equalizer in stoppage time.

The Eastern Pennsylvania side continued the second half how the first ended, with Andriy Popelnytskiy opening the period’s scoring in the 41^st minute. It took until the 79^th minute, but Ethan Mueller once again leveled for Minnesota, capping off a fantastic game.

13U Girls: 09 CSA North/Hville Roma G (NC) 0 – Heat FC G10 (NV) 1

Heat FC opened the scoring in the seventh minute from a Chloe Mashore goal.

Both sides were able to create strong build-up play throughout the first half, but the goal remained the difference heading into the break.

Heat FC’s Isabella Leyva was the hero for the Nevada side, though, saving a penalty kick from CSA North’s Paige Carr in the final seconds of the match to preserve the 1-0 win.

16U Boys: Barcelona (NJ) 1 – CHICAGO KICS FC 2006 CITY MWC (IL) 1

CHICAGO KICS’ Roman Marsh started things off in this match, firing home the first goal in the 18^th minute. It was an extremely level first half, with the score remaining as so for the rest of it.

Barcelona ramped up the pressure in the second half and finally found an equalizer from an Anthony Fitch goal in the 61^st minute.

Both teams had chances late, but none could find the winner. No chance was closer than Barcelona’s Felipe Matar Grandi hitting the crossbar on a shot with just a few minutes remaining.