National championship finals schedule determined in Under-17s
U17G – Dallas Texans Red v Eclipse Select
U17B – Everest Soccer Club v Andromeda 91

Official web site: http://championships.usyouthsoccer.org with stories, videos, photos and more

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (July 25, 2008) - The top eight Under-17 soccer teams in the United States, four boys and four girls, took to the fields tonight knowing that only four would play another day in the 2008 US Youth Soccer National Championships taking place at Burns Park Soccer Complex in North Little Rock, Ark. Big crowds, big dreams and big expectations filled the air tonight as the final pieces to the national finals were put into place. 

National champions will be crowned over the weekend in the Under-14 through Under-19 Boys and Girls age groups beginning on Saturday night with the Under-14 and Under-15s. The remaining age groups will play Sunday morning. 

Dallas Texans 91 Red faced one of the surprises of the tournament, FC Bucks Vipers (E-PA) who were undefeated coming into the match. A partisan Texans crowd served as the 12th player tonight against the Eastern Pennsylvania side that found themselves down three after the first half. The Texans first goal came off a Kim Castleberry cross that Becka Rivera one-touched (4:00) over the keeper's head. The second was another Rivera/Castleberry combo. This time it was Rivera assisting Castleberry in the 28th. The third goal came off a set piece that Marissa Holden served to Marissa Allen who flicked in the header in the 37^th. The Vipers would strike in the 80^th off a Madlyn Evans goal. Despite the Vipers successes earlier in the week, the 3:1 Texans win moves the Vipers out of Sunday's final. The Dallas Texans (NTX) and Eclipse Select (IL) control the Under-16 and Under-17 Girls finals on Sunday.

Director of coaching for the lady Dallas Texans, Ryan Higginbotham said, ""We [Texans] knew we had to go out and get a win against a very good Bucks team tonight. We tried to come out with a more intensity. This competition is the greatest in the country. The intensity, the atmosphere, the other teams who are out cheering for you, the refereeing is quality – the whole thing put together, it raises your level and it means so much."" 

Looking to gain a positive result, Slammers FC (CA-S) played Eclipse Select 90-91 (IL) who, with a win, would earn a chance at the Under-17 Girls national title. Tied at one, Leah Fortune scored in the 73^rd to give Eclipse the go ahead goal. It took Nicole Lipp less than 10 minutes to double the advantage in the 82^nd. Eclipse will face Dallas Texans, who they defeated in round robin (2:1) Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for the Laura Moynihan Cup as Under-17 national champions. 

Coming into tonight's Under-17 Boys play, Andromeda 91 (N-TX) and Everest Soccer Club (OH-N) led the standings with a win and a loss. The two sides played to a 1:1 tie yesterday while FC Delco Hammerheads (E-PA), who this year qualified for their third national championships, sat on the outside looking in with a win and a loss needing a positive result tonight and help from Diablo Black Pearl 90 (CA-S) who played Everest.

Rising to the challenge, Everest's Jordan Smigel scored the first of two goals on the night in the 40^th. Smigel's second strike seven minutes later gave Everest the 2:0 lead after the first half against Diablo Black Pearl 90. Trying to get back into the match, Miguel Perez cut the Everest advantage in half (79:00) however the Ohio boys would hold and continue their run in the championship.

FC Delco Hammerheads and Andromeda 91 played in front of the largest crowd of the night with more than 1,000 in attendance. The crowd's energy matched that of the play and FC Delco surged first with a Kyle Soroka header in the 29^th. Andromeda's Chad Caldwell scored the equalizer in the 32^nd. Just as the second half began, off an Andromeda cross, Ryan Morales from the opposite post drove a header to the far post that just avoided an in-flight defender's head to earn the game winner (49:00) and solidify the Texan's reservation in Sunday's final. Andromeda Soccer Club will be well represented in Saturday's finals with the Under-17 and Under-18 Boys. 

""We got down in the first half and you feel the intensity after the beginning it was a tough game. To get to the finals, both teams needed to win. There was a lot of pressure and intensity and you could tell that right from the start,"" said Michael Powers, director of coaching-girls for Andromeda. ""The final is going to be a tough match; it has to be for a national championship. It is great for the individual player, the team and the club; to continue the tradition that the 90s (2007 Under-17 Boys national champions) have started for us and the philosophy of the club.""

Complete schedules and game results are available throughout the day at http://Championships.USYouthSoccer.org.

US Youth Soccer National Championships
Day 3 Evening Session Results - Preliminary Matches

Under-17 Boys
Andromeda 91 v FC Delco Hammerheads, 2:1
Goal scorers:      AND - Ryan Morales (49:00), AND - Chad Caldwell (32:00), DEL - Kyle Soroka (29:00)

Everest Soccer Club v Diablo FC Black Pearl 90, 2:1 
Goal scorers:      DIA - Miguel Perez (79:00), EVE - Jordan Smigel (47:00), EVE - Jordan Smigel (40:00)

Under-17 Girls
Dallas Texans 91 Red v FC Bucks Vipers, 3:1
Goal scorers:      BUC - Madlyn Evans (80:00), DTX - Marissa Allen (37:00), DTX - Kimberly Castleberry (28:00), DTX - Becka Rivera (4:00)

Eclipse Select 90-91 v Slammers FC, 3:1
Goal scorers:      ECL - Nicole Lipp (82:00), ECL - Leah Fortune (73:00), SLA - Jayden Barrett (11:00), ECL - Carly Smithe (1:00)


US Youth Soccer National Championships
Complete Finals Schedule

Saturday, July 26
6:30 p.m.     Field 1     Under-14 Boys Arsenal FC (CA-S) vs. NJSA 04 Gunners
6:45 p.m.     Field 2     Under-14 Girls FC Stars of Massachusetts (MA) vs. ARYSL San Juan Spirits (CA-N)
7:00 p.m.     Field 3     Under-15 Boys Baltimore Casa Mia Bays (MD) vs. Solar Red (NTX)
7:15 p.m.     Field 4     Under-15 Girls So Cal Blues-Dodge (CA-S) vs. Dallas Texans 93 Red Dallas (NTX)

Sunday, July 27
7:30 a.m.     Field 1     Under-18 Boys Andromeda 90 (NTX) vs. Shattuck-St. Mary's (MN)
7:45 a.m.     Field 2     Under-18 Girls Colorado Rush Nike (CO) vs. Sting 90 (NTX)
8:00 a.m.      Field 3    Under-17 Boys Everest Soccer Club (OH-N) vs. Andromeda 91 (N-TX)
8:15 a.m.      Field 4      Under-17 Girls Dallas Texans 91 Red (N-TX) vs. Eclipse Select (IL)
10:00 a.m.    Field 1     Under-16 Girls Eclipse Select (IL) vs. Dallas Texans Red (NTX)
10:15 a.m.    Field 2      Under-16 Boys Dallas Texans 92 Red vs. Real So Cal Blue (CA-S)
10:30 a.m.     Field 3     Under-19 Girls Slammers FC (CA-S) vs. Force Football Club (MI)
10:45 a.m.     Field 4     Under-19 Boys KC Wizards Jrs. (MI) vs. Solar 89 (NTX)

For complete statistics please go to http://championships.usyouthsoccer.org.

The 2008 US Youth Soccer National Championship Series is the country's most prestigious national youth soccer tournament, providing over 185,000 players on more than 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer's 55 state associations the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play.

The US Youth Soccer National Championships cap a yearlong series of competitions for boys and girls teams in multiple age groups as teams earn their way from the top team in their state to the regional championship tournaments. State Cup champions and selected wildcard teams in most age groups are eligible to compete in one of four US Youth Soccer Regional Championships. The champions in the under-14 through under-19 age group from each regional event converge to enjoy the nation's top competition.

The James P. McGuire Cup is the oldest trophy in youth sport dating back to 1935 with the inaugural youth championships. The under-19 boys age group as the National Champion will hoist the McGuire Cup. This is the 73rd anniversary of the storied cup.

Annually the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides the nation's top collegiate coaches with the premier stage to identify and scout the most coveted players in the country. In 2008, over 600 coaches attended the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships including the majority of the top 25 men's and women's programs based on the final 2008 NSCAA/adidas National Rankings for NCAA Division I schools.

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About the United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer)
The Game for ALL Kids!^® is the largest youth sports organization in the country and largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3.2 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, and over 900,000 administrators, coaches and volunteers in 55 member state associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game. For more information, visit www.USYouthSoccer.org.

About the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series
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 yearlong 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 four the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships. Champions (U-14 through U-19) from each regional event advance to the US Youth Soccer National Championships.  Adding to the excitement in 2008, the national championships will feature two teams from the newly formed US Youth Soccer National League in the U-15 and U-16 age groups.  Overall the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides the nation's top collegiate coaches with the premier stage to identify and scout the most coveted players in the country. 

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