The US Youth Soccer National Championships are currently underway at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, and a pair of Tennessee State Soccer Association (TSSA) teams have officially punched their tickets to the semifinals of the competition. Advancing from group play after winning their respective brackets is Germantown Lady Legends 08 Black (15U Girls) and Pateadores 2008 Blue (15U Boys), with both teams set to compete in the semifinals on Saturday.
After falling by the slim margin of 1-0 to STA-MUSC 2008G NL EDP on Tuesday, Germantown Lady Legends 08 Black rebounded with a 1-0 win over Keystone FC Premier 08G (EPA) on Wednesday and a 2-0 victory against MS Rush United 08G Premier (MS) yesterday. The consecutive wins helped the Lady Legends win their group, and they will now face FC Somers Lady Hammers in the semifinals at 10:30 AM ET on Saturday morning.
Pateadores 2008 Blue opened group play with an impressive 4-1 victory over Players SC 08 Elite Boys on Tuesday, finishing off an unbeaten run in their group with a scoreless draw against Brentwood SC (LIJSL) 2008 Premier Man City NL the following day and topping KC Legends Billy Goat FC 08 on Thursday, 1-0. By winning their bracket, Pateadores 2008 Blue will now meet SC Wave Cadence 08 (WI) for an 8:00 AM ET kickoff on Saturday morning in the semifinals.
Also representing Tennessee at the USYS National Championships were 2007 Lady Lobos Rush E64 (16U Girls), 2004/05 Lady Lobos Rush E64 (19U Girls), NUSA 06G Maroon (17U Girls) and Chattanooga Red Wolves 06G (17U Girls).
2007 Lady Lobos Rush E64 earned two victories against a single defeat in group play, finishing second in their bracket. 2004/05 Lady Lobos Rush E64 also had an incredible run at the USYS National Championships, going unbeaten in their group with two wins and a draw. St. Louis Development Academy 2004G Rangers (MO) finished with seven points in that bracket as well, but they received the bid to the semifinals on a slim goal differential.
Tennessee had two teams competing in the 17U Girls Division in NUSA 06G Maroon and Chattanooga Red Wolves 06G, with both sides representing the state at a high level. NUSA 06G Maroon recorded a win matched with two defeats, while Chattanooga Red Wolves 06G earned a pair of victories against a single loss in their group. The six points made them even with RUSA G2006 Gold (NJ) in that bracket, but RUSA advanced to the semifinals on a narrow goal differential.
The USYS National Championship Series is the country’s most prestigious national youth soccer tournament, providing winners from each state the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play.
