FRISCO, Texas (June 18, 2019) – North Texas teams 13-Under Girls Impact FC 06 Bertelsen, 16-Under Boys Sporting United 03, 16-Under Girls Solar 03 Wells and 17-Under Boys Dallas Kicks 02 Selecao claimed US Youth Soccer Southern Presidents Cup titles.
The tournament took place June 12-16 in Round Rock, Texas. Of the 13 North Texas teams that competed in the event, 11 progressed out of group play, and six competed on the final day of play. Regional winners will now advance to the 2019 National Presidents Cup, which takes place July 10-14 in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
13-Under Girls
Impact FC cruised through group play by collecting a trio of shutout wins over USAMP Stars (SC), Lady Lions 06 (TX-S) and OK Energy FC Central Green (OK). Impact forward Vivian Geesbreght collected six goals in group play, including a hat trick in a 4-0 win over USAMP. Impact collected a fourth consecutive shutout in a 1-0 semifinals win against 06 WHYFC White (NC). Impact would concede three goals in the finals, but the North Texas side would come roaring back in the second half courtesy of another hat trick from Geesbreght and the game-winner in the final minute from Sadie Paul.
13-Under Boys
Dallas Rebels 06 got off to a strong start in group play by scoring 12 goals in the opening match against MS Rush 06 Premier (MS). Dallas Rebels secured Group B with one-goal wins against Alianza Gold 06 (GA) and OK Energy FC Central (OK). Dallas Rebels would fall short in the semifinals to eventual champions Miners FC (TX-S). Israel Pina led Rebels with four goals.
14-Under Girls
Madison Bourzikas scored the first three goals of the tournament for Sparta FC 05, and Kaitlyn Hatchew added a fourth in a 4-2 win against Smyrna Soccer 05 Red (GA). Sparta would add a second straight two-goal win in a 2-0 victory against Texarkana SC 05/06 (AR). Sparta finished off a perfect group stage with a 1-0 win against CASA Pride 05 (SC) as Bourzikas found the back of the net in every game. Sparta’s quest for a regional title fell short to a fellow Texas side as Sparta fell to FC Westlake 05 Red (TX-S) in kicks from the mark after regulation and extra time ended in a 1-1 tie.
14-Under Boys
FC Lil Warryors 05 Nava won their opening match against VHSA Steamers 05 Black II (AL) 4-0 courtesy of a Jose Pantoja hat trick paired with a goal from Jorge Medina. Edwin Romero and Jiovanni Munoz would each net a pair of goals as FC Warryors would defeat Katy Premier Diamond (TX-S) by the same score. Pantoja found the back of the net twice more as FC Warryors finished group play in style with a 3-0 win against LA Fire 05 Black (LA). Pantoja scored his age-group leading sixth goal in the semifinals, but FC Warryors ultimately fell to eventual champions OKC United FC Mejia (OK) 2-1.
15-Under Girls
KEFC battled 04 CR Burgundy Rapids (NC) to a 2-2 draw in each team’s first match of the tournament. KEFC followed the draw with three straight one-goal wins against Forza Sports Academies 04 Black (TX-S), Covington YSA Tigers 04/05 (LA) and MSC Lady Strikers Premier (TN) in the semifinals. In a rematch of the first day of play, KEFC fell 1-0 to Burgundy Rapids in the final. Natalie Salazar and Merari Salcedo led KEFC in scoring with two goals apiece.
15-Under Boys
FC Dallas 04 ETX Premier began the tournament in impressive fashion with 7-0 wins against Briarwood Ambassadors Gold 04 (AL) and UFA Forsyth 04 Red (GA) before a 3-1 win against HSC PSG Academy (FL) propelled the North Texas team into the semifinals. Emmanuel Rodriguez and Nathan Eidam scored in a 2-1 win against 04 NCF GUSA Gold (NC) in the semifinals, but R9 Ronaldo Academy (FL) would get the upper hand in a 3-1 win against FC Dallas in the finals. Uriel Barroso tied for the age group lead in goals with five in as many games.
16-Under Girls
North Texas Presidents Champions Solar 03 Wells and runner-up Americas FC each finished at the top of their respective groups with Solar sporting a 2-0-1 record, while Americas won Group A with a 2-1 record. Amaris Jasso and Olivia Rueckert found the back of the net in Solar’s 2-0 semifinals win against Tennessee Soccer Club Premier (TN). The run for Americas FC would end in the semifinals with a defeat at the hands of MSC Lady Strikers (TN). Solar struck first against MSC Strikers in the finals when Faith Adje scored, but MSC would equalize as the match went into extra time. Georgia Guenther’s penalty-kick goal would be the difference in overtime as Solar won its second Southern Presidents Cup title in three years. Ashlyn Laughley of Americas would finish at the top of the age group with eight goals.
16-Under Boys
Sporting United 03 (TX-N) used strong wins against FC Westlake 03 (TX-S) and Alabama Rush 03 (AL) to move to 2-0 in the group. Damian Castorena scored the lone goal as United edged out 03 PGSA Stars (NC) 1-0 in a battle of 2-0 teams looking to secure a spot in the semifinals. In the semifinals, Auden Quinonez and Davda Jabateh found the back of the net in a 2-1 against Klein FC Aztexas (TX-S). The North Texas side would find itself with a 2-1 deficit late in the match, but goals from Bryan Vallejo and Castorena gave Sporting a 3-2 win and ultimately a Southern Presidents Cup title.
17-Under Girls
Frisco Fusion 02 found itself with quite a difficult schedule as the North Texas Presidents Cup champions rebounded from a day one loss to eventual champions Plant City FC Lancers (FL) with a 1-1 draw against eventual finalists 02 NCFC Gold North (NC). Kylie Locke and Arie Pearson scored for Fusion in a 2-1 win against 02 Lady Lobos Rush Elite (TN) to end the tournament on a high note.
17-Under Boys
Dallas Kicks began the tournament with Quintil Cardona and Giovanni Aguilar each netting a pair of goals to defeat 02 Burgundy Rapids (NC) 4-1. Kicks would then rattle off four straight shutout wins against SSC02 (AL), Gainesville Soccer Alliance (FL), Soccer Paradise (FL) and CFA Correcaminos (GA). Aguilar and Eric Martinez combined with a Cardona hat trick in the finals as Dallas Kicks won 5-0 over CFA. Cardona finished the tournament leading the age group with six goals.
18-Under Girls
Defending regional finalists Q Factor 01 began the tournament with a scoreless draw against NUSA Maroon (TN) before earning shutout wins against Tiger SC Southside Heat (GA) and Ajax 01 White (TX-S). Q Factor fell to eventual champions Rage FC (TX-S) on the fourth day of play. Tanya Storia scored two goals for Q Factor, while Melissa Hernandez scored the third.
18-Under Boys
OU United and fellow semifinalists Klein Celtics 2001 (TX-S) drew 2-2 on the first day of play. Baltazar Jiminez scored a pair of goals, while Jose Carranza and Renzo Osaderuk chipped in goals well as OU United won 4-3 against OEFC East 01 Green (OK). OU United would score four times on day three to clinch a spot in semifinals with a 4-2 win against CRFC Sky 01 (SC). OU United’s run would end in the semifinals for a second straight year after a 2-1 defeat against AUSA (GA).