'91 Liverpool Red Win US Youth Soccer National Championships, Internationals Third
The Eastside United FC '91 Liverpool Red U18 boys won the US Youth Soccer National Championships in July against Minnesota's Shattuck-St. Mary's. The 1-0 victory was played at the Overland Park Soccer Complex in Overland Park, Kans., on July 25. Only one other Oregon team has ever won a US Youth Soccer National Championship, universally recognized as the most competitive and prestigious youth soccer competition in the country.
The Liverpool had an uneven start to the tournament, losing to Minnesota, 1-0, on the first day after getting lost on their way to the complex and arriving just minutes before game time. The team played well, however, and David Mikhail, Steven Hughes, David Cameron and Ethan Olson all threatened.
They took control in the second game, beating the '91 TUSA Gold from Carolina, 3-1, but only after TUSA took the early lead. Ricardo Carrillo turned the tide with the Liverpool's first goal three minutes later. After that, the Liverpool never looked back, defeating the YMS Xplosion from Pennsylvania East, 3-0, in game three.
Game four — the finals — was a rematch between the '91 Liverpool Red and Minnesota's Shattuck-St. Mary's. The U18 Boys US Youth Soccer National Championship is played for the Andy Stone Cup, in recognition of the 19-year US Youth Soccer volunteer and past member of the National Board. It is the highest achievement any classic U18 boys' team can obtain.
It was a hard game. Mikhail gave the Liverpool the first — and only — goal at minute 29. A ball came through midfield and the Minnesota keeper committed to it, but Mikhail beat him and coolly struck it softly but surely into the back of the net. The rest of the team did their part, especially keeper Ryan Harding, who made save after save.
Head coach Bill Bateman, assistant coach Marc Evans and team manager Helen Harding did a heck of a job with these young men. They not only comported themselves with distinction on the field, but behaved like champions off the field as well. In addition to the Andy Stone Cup, the team won the Fair Play award for the U18 Boys' Division. Steven Evens won the Golden Ball Award as the most valuable player in the U18 Boys' age group and Ryan Harding won the Golden Ball Award as the top goalkeeper.
"Third in the nation isn't bad," said WSM Internationals U19 Boys' head coach Monty Hawkins in characterizing his team's performance during the medal ceremony after the final match. It was a tough road for the Internationals, who were at the National Championships last year as Region IV's U18 Boys' Champions.
The Internationals lost their first game, 1-0, against a strong FC Delco Hammerheads team from Eastern Pennsylvania. Star player Patrick DeYoung suffered what everybody thought was a broken ankle, and was out for the rest of the tournament. Erik Hurtado was fouled badly at minute 75, and an Internationals player retaliated, only to earn himself a red card.
The second game for the Internationals was against the Ohio South Crew Juniors. Tyler Smalley and Erik Hurtado scored two for Oregon and keeper Erik Wilson made some great saves, but the Crew Juniors proved to be too much for the embattled Internationals, with a 4-2 victory for Ohio. There was one rather unique moment when an Internationals player who was on the bench received a red card for abusive language after expressing his displeasure at having another Internationals player get a red card for the same offence. Two reds in 10 seconds.
Between the injuries and the cards, it wasn't going to be for the Internationals. Still, coaches Monty Hawkins and John Bain, and team manager Carol Smalley can be proud of these fine young men. By getting to the US Youth Soccer National Championships, they achieved twice what only a handful of teams from Oregon have ever done once.
The US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides more than 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer's 55 State Associations the opportunity to showcase their abilities against the best in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play. The year-long competition begins with over 185,000 players in the US Youth Soccer State Championships. These champions and selected wildcard teams, through US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues, advance to compete in one of the four US Youth Soccer Regional Championships. Champions (U10 through U14) from each regional event advance to the US Youth Soccer National Championships. The National Championship Series provides top collegiate coaches with the premier stage to identify and scout the most coveted players in the country.
US Youth Soccer — "The Game for All Kids" –is the largest youth sports organization in the country and the largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than three million players annually, ages 5 to 19, and over 900,000 administrators, coaches and volunteers in 55 member State Association. Oregon Youth Soccer and US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game. For more information, visit www.OregonYouthSoccer.org or www.USYouthSoccer.org.