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| TWO Indiana Teams are 2007 Midwest Regional Champions! |
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 Two Indiana Teams Named 2007 Midwest Regional Champions!
After braving threatening thunderstorms, blistering heat and intense competition, two Indiana teams have been named 2007 US Youth Soccer Region II Champions – the U19 Girls CUSC Cyclones and the Girls U14 CUSC Academy. The U19 CUSC Cyclones posted a 2-0 win over FC Milwaukee to bring home the Championship while the U14 CUSC Academy won a nail-biter against the LFC Premier of Kentucky after a 1-1 tie in regulation ended in a sudden death penalty kick victory. These teams now advance to the final leg of the National Championship quest July 24-29 in Frisco, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, at Pizza Hut Park.
Indiana Youth Soccer is one of fourteen state associations in Region II whose annual State Cup National Championship Series tournament qualifies the top U13-U19 boys and girls teams from the state to advance on to regional level play. This year, Indiana proudly sent fifteen teams as representatives to the next tier of play in Des Moines' James W. Cownie and Hidden Valley Soccer Parks. This is the first year that more than one Indiana team has advanced to the National Championship Finals.
Indiana Youth Soccer congratulates the following Indiana State Cup Champions and Regional Qualifiers:
U13 Boys INDIANA WESTSIDE UNITED GREEN
U13 Girls INDIANA CUSC ACADEMY
U14 Boys INDIANA DYNAMO RED
U14 Girls INDIANA CUSC ACADEMY
U15 Boys INDIANA FC PRIDE
U15 Girls INDIANA CUSC ACADEMY
U16 Boys INDIANA FT. WAYNE FEVER
U16 Girls INDIANA CUSC FIRE
U17 Boys INDIANA INDY BURN EAGLES
U17 Girls INDIANA CUSC CARMEL CRUSADERS
U18 Boys INDIANA CARMEL COSMOS
U18 Girls INDIANA CUSC CROSSFIRE
U19 Boys INDIANA FT. WAYNE FEVER
U19 Girls INDIANA CUSC CYCLONES
U19 Boys INDIANA CUSC PREMIER
Weather Factors In
Participants and fans arrived in Des Moines by Friday to attend the 2007 Opening Ceremonies for the Midwest Regional Championships. At the annual ceremony, all Regional qualifying teams from each state are honored with a festive pre-tournament parade and picture gallery. Unfortunately, opening ceremonies had to be cancelled as severe storms – including heavy rain, high winds and tornado activity – rolled into Des Moines just in time to greet the teams.
Despite the stormy start on Friday, the 2007 Midwest Region II Championship Round Robin games began on Saturday with clearer skies and cooler temperatures. Many fans donned jackets to hold off the chill of the after-storm air. By Monday, temperatures spiked to a balmy 94 degrees, giving teams a chance to test their abilities in all kinds of weather.
Tough Competition Means Even Undefeated & Top of Division Teams Faced Elimination
Several Indiana teams ended their championship run with either an impressive undefeated record and/or elimination due to tie-breakers. On the Girls’ side, the U18 CUSC Crossfire, making their sixth straight appearance at the Region II Championships, went undefeated in Round Robin play, but missed advancing to the semi-final rounds despite their 1-0-2 record. The U13 Girls CUSC Academy also had a strong showing with fourteen finishes and only three goals allowed, but their 1-0-2 record was just short of advancement due to tie-breaker rules. In their second year as a qualifier to Region II play, the U15 Boys FC Pride’s 2-1-0 record left them tied with Missouri’s Scott Gallagher SC in the point standings and just shy of advancing to the next round of play.
Tournament Veterans Return for More
While many Indiana teams were experiencing their first trip to Regionals this year, several Indiana Youth Soccer teams are multiple year (5 years +) veterans of the experience including the U19 Girls CUSC Cyclones, the U18 Girls CUSC Crossfire, the U18 Boys CUSC Cosmos, and the U17 Boys Indy Burn Eagles.
Three Indiana Teams Advanced to Semi-Finals, Two Named Midwest Regional Champions
Three Indiana teams, including the Boys U14 Dynamo Red, Girls U14 CUSC Academy, and the Girls U19 CUSC Cyclones are among those 56 teams out of the original field of 212 teams who advanced to the semi-final round on Tuesday.
The U19 Girls CUSC Cyclones have advanced to Regional play every year since their first year of eligibility as a U13 team. On Tuesday morning, they faced a familiar rival – the former defending National Champion U19 Eclipse Select Black of Illinois – a team they have met over six times in Regional play, a team who has proven to be the “stopper” for them on several occasions. But not this year. In a highly-competitive match Tuesday morning, the Cyclones defeated the Eclipse 2-1 in regulation time. On Wednesday, the CUSC Cyclones downed FC Milwaukee 2-0 in regulation to take home the Championship.
Although it was the team’s first appearance at Regionals, the U14 Girls CUSC Academy advanced into the semi-finals with a confidence-boosting, undefeated record. In a semi-round match-up that might sound familiar, the CUSC Academy faced the Eclipse Select of Illinois on Tuesday morning. After an even match with a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation play, the CUSC Academy ousted the Eclipse with a 2-1 decision in penalty kicks. On Wednesday, the CUSC Academy faced a nearly identical match against LFC Premier of Kentucky in which a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation was decided in sudden death kicks from the mark, sending CUSC Academy home with the Championship.
Also in their first bid at regional play, the Boys U14 Dynamo Red advanced to this year’s semi-final round with a 2-0-1 record. The Dynamo Red team’s only tie came in the match up against the 2006 Midwest Regional Defending Champions Michigan Wolves. On Tuesday morning, the Sockers FC of Illinois ended the Dynamo Red’s Championship run, defeating them 1-0 after a hard-fought match.
Congratulations and Good Luck
Congratulations to all fifteen Indiana teams who have represented their state with competitive play and fine sportsmanship. Advancing to the Regionals is a tremendous success – a reflection of the hard work and dedication of players, coaches, families and clubs. We are all very proud of your accomplishments.
Indiana Youth Soccer wishes the best of luck to the two teams who have advanced on to the US Youth Soccer National Championship finals July 24-29, 2007 in Frisco, Texas, at Pizza Hut Park.
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