The Naugatuck Youth Soccer Boys 2008 capped off a perfect run at the US Youth Soccer Eastern Presidents Cup with a 4-0 victory over the Southern Chester County SA Dragons on Tuesday, winning the 15U Championship and securing a berth to the National Presidents Cup next month in Wichita, Kansas. Naugatuck won all five of their matches at the Eastern Presidents Cup, which was hosted by US Youth Soccer in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, outscoring their opposition by a tally of 13-2.
“Naugatuck is a small town with so much talent. With the help of friends and family, we were able to come to Regionals,” said Jaime Pereira, head coach of the Naugatuck Youth Soccer Boys 2008. “In the Final against Southern Chester County SA Dragons B08, we had a strong start and an opening goal in the second minute of the game by Alex Carbone. Our team then became even more dangerous, and the second goal of the game was put in by Nico Soden in the first half. The Dragons came back strong in the second half, but we got them in counter attacks, scoring two more goals by Jayse Danuszar and Nico for a 4-0 win. We loved this experience in a very organized tournament!”
Naugatuck opened the Eastern Presidents Cup with three consecutive victories in group play, defeating Southern Chester County SA Dragons B08 (PAE), NJ Stallions 08 Boca EDP (NJ) and BVB International Academy Pittsburgh 08B Premier (PAW) by a goal differential of 7-1. After winning their group, Naugatuck met Arlington SA 2008B White (VA) in the semifinals, where a back-and-forth match resulted in a 1-1 draw in regulation before heading to penalty kicks. Kaleb Vaituzis, who is normally a center back, stepped into goal for Naugatuck during the shootout and blocked two shots, helping his team secure a 4-2 edge in penalties. Naugatuck then faced the Southern Chester County SA Dragons for the second time in the tournament, claiming the 15U Eastern Presidents Cup Championship following an impressive 4-0 performance in the Final.
Next up for the Naugatuck Youth Soccer Boys 2008 is the National Presidents Cup, which takes place from July 7-11 in Wichita, Kansas. As expected, making the trip to Kansas will carry significant expenses for the team. With Naugatuck Youth Soccer being a small community organization, the club does not maintain a large budget for tournament travel. Therefore, a GoFundMe campaign has been created to help alleviate the costs for their trip to the National Presidents Cup, where they will have a goal of bringing home a national championship to the State of Connecticut.
The US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup provides a progressive environment for teams seeking a series of unique challenges highlighting competition, camaraderie and community.
