Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, November 22, 1993 TAG: 9311220099
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The setting was reminiscent of a television commercial touting imported beer, or maybe a brokerage firm:
Two businessmen chatting at their leisure.
Tim Berry and Paul Sharp stood in the middle of River's Edge Sports Complex on Sunday afternoon, wearing wide grins, watching kids play and kidding each other.
As president and vice president, respectively, of the Roanoke Valley Youth Soccer Club - known as the Roanoke Star - Berry and Sharp had reason to be lighthearted.
The third annual First Virginia Bank Fall Soccer Classic, a vital fund-raiser for the Star program, was in full swing, and everything was running smoothly.
Berry and Sharp oversaw a 34-hour weekend sporting event that involved 175 teams, 110 referees and 287 games on 25 fields at 11 sites throughout the Roanoke Valley.
Considering the planning and coordination required, they had every right to yuk it up a little.
Twenty-three divisional champions were crowned Sunday. The teams ranged in age from under-9 to under-19.
"The weather's just great," Sharp said.
"That's my responsibility," Berry said.
"Well, it did cost a few extra bucks," Sharp added.
Suddenly, a division championship game on a nearby field was over, and it was time for Berry and Sharp to get back to work. There were trophies to be presented and congratulatory speeches to be made.
Only one Roanoke Star team - the U-15 men's White - won its division, but four other Star squads reached their respective finals. The U-15 victory was especially significant, however, as the Stars shut out the Virginia State Cup winners, the Braddock Road American Eagles, 2-0. Roanoke's Steve Hamblen scored both goals.
Other division champs included teams from York, Pa. (under-13 men's gold); Severna Park, Md. (U-19 women); Knoxville, Tenn. (U-13 women); and Charlotte, N.C. (U-13 men's blue). Teams from eight states were represented in the tournament.
The consensus was that win or lose, the 2,500-plus players, their coaches and their families enjoyed themselves.
"We love it here," said Ed Falco, coach of the U-13 women's champion Knoxville Lady Stars. "We have a special relationship with the Roanoke Star because [Star executive director] Danny Beamer has done some clinics for our club. We wanted to return something to the Star. This is our third year here, but the first time we've won."
A Northern Virginia team, the Fauquier Flash, was celebrating at a fast-food restaurant on Franklin Road in Roanoke. The New River Royals upended the Flash 5-0 in the title game, but you couldn't tell that in the restaurant.
"This makes two years for us as a traveling team, and this is the first time we've ever gotten this far," said Ken Stoehrmann, the Flash's manager. "Usually by Sunday afternoon we're back home watching the Redskins on TV."
Approximately 20 college coaches, particularly interested in the under-19 teams, watched games during the weekend.
"I think it's great to have a tournament of this caliber right in our back yard," said Jerry Cheynet, Virginia Tech's coach. "Roanoke has really bumped up the quality of its soccer in the past few years."
Cheynet watched the under-19 Men's Gold final between Roanoke Star White and Arlington International.
Although the Stars, one of two teams coached by Beamer, had not given up a goal in three previous tournament games, International was too strong. Striker Alexander Reyes beat Star goalie Chris Andres twice in the second half to provide the margin of victory.
Reyes, whose father, Eladio, played for the Peruvian national team at the World Cup in Mexico in 1970, downplayed his contribution. "I made the easy ones," Reyes said, "but I missed a lot of shots, too."
Andres was spectacular in goal, especially in the first half. He deflected a barrage of Arlington shots, some almost by reflex.
"We've played against this team before," Andres said, "and you have to pump yourself up to equal their level of intensity.
"But that one stop in the first half was just a flail. They caught me leaning the other way and I just threw whatever I had in the direction of the ball. Luckily, it hit my foot."
by CNB