THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 9, 1994 TAG: 9410090143
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHRISTINE M. POINTS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
If competition is what athletes thrive on, the U13 premier division players were in their element Saturday in Norfolk, as they joined more than 300 teams in the 11th annual Columbus Day tournament.
The action on area fields will continue today, with players from nine states and Canada, and the U13 competition typefies the high caliber of the soccer being played - of the 16 teams playing in that age group's premier bracket, seven are state cup champions and one a runner-up.
In the U13s, today will determine if the the two regional division champions, the Jamestown Jammers, two time state cup champions in North Carolina and national Regional 3 champion, and the Langhorne Strikers from Pennsylvania, state cup and national Regional 1 champs, will face off.
``This age bracket has a lot of good seed teams,'' said Greg Bogart, a Jammers coach. ``We're really hoping to play the Strikers in the finals. It will be interesting to see how we rate against one of the other top four teams in the nation.''
The Jammers won their first match yesterday against the Braddock Road Warhawks, 2-1.
``The Hawks really played well,'' Bogart said. ``They really kept the pressure up in the second half.''
``We were kind of in a slump out there this morning, we don't usually have to play so early'' said Michael Bogart of the Jammers. ``We're pretty sure we can make it through our next games without any problems.''
Even on the toughest teams striving on victory, the players seemed to have a healthy respect for their opponents.
``The competition out there is tough,'' said Kit Edwards of the Amherst Express, a team out of Buffalo New York, who lost their first match to the Bethel Bobcats, state cup champs of Connecticut.
The Express has another element that makes them a team to watch, Laura Mallia. In a division of approximately 275 kids, she is the only girl.
``Laura really earned her spot on the team,'' said Express coach Peter Matheisz. ``She is one of the most aggressive defensive players the team has.''
``The competition on the boys travel league is more of a challenge,'' said Mallia, who has played on boys teams for the last three years. ``I'm probably going to switch to the girls teams in the next year or so.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by BILL TIERNAN
A goal is netted in Columbus Day play by the Virginia Beach FC Blaze
U14 team. Nethers Providence (Pa.) goalie Kyle O'Neil, right, and a
teammate can't stop the ball.
At left, Beach FC Blaze teammates congratulate Joe Bucholz, center,
on his goal. More than 300 teams and 14,000 players, coaches and
spectators participated in the 11th annual tournament. Above, a pair
of Raleigh Caps U14 players relax a minute to survey the action on
the Norfolk Academy field.
by CNB