TWO MORE KENDALL SC TEAMS QUALIFY FOR DISNEY SHOWCASE
U16B White and U18B White will join U15B White and U17B White after winning the Disney Showcase Qualifier
September 10, 2007 – Kendall SC’s U16B White and U18B White each emerged as champions after a grueling weekend of play at the Disney Showcase Qualifier in Orlando. The two teams will now join the U15B White and U17B White at the Disney Showcase this December, in what is generally considered one of the country’s top five youth soccer tournaments. The U15 boys earned an automatic berth by winning the Premier grouping at last year’s Showcase and the U17 boys did the same by winning the FYSA State Cup championship last May. That makes Kendall SC the only Florida club with a team competing in every age category at the Showcase.
The U16B White produced an outstanding defensive performance, allowing only one goal in five games en route to the championship and outscoring opponents 13-1. First-round victories against South Carolina’s Columbia United FC Elite (3-1), Florida Soccer Alliance Lightning (2-0), and Jacksonville Fury (3-0) set up a semifinal match-up against Strictly Soccer Select (FL), in which they prevailed by a 2-0 margin. The title game offered more of the same with a commanding 3-0 victory over Hillsborough County United (FL).
For their part, the U18B White bounced back from a 2006-2007 season of frustration and close calls by generating a 15-goal barrage and a scoring a huge victory in their first tournament of the new year. Kendall SC’s five wins included convincing performances against two Florida Final Four teams - Strictly Soccer Select (3-1 in the first round), and West Pines United (4-0 in the semifinal) - demonstrating that they still belong among the elite teams in the state. The first round also produced victories against Georgia’s Darlington Soccer Academy (1-0) and Orange County HABU (6-1) and the tournament final featured a 2-0 decision over Team Boca 89-90 White.
Two other Kendall SC teams came close to qualifying for the Showcase after reaching the semifinal round, but failed to advance to the final, which would have represented an automatic berth. The U15G White finished second in their group in the first round, scoring wins against RSL Florida Elite (2-0) and Space Coast United Storm (3-1) and losing to eventual tournament champion Inter United Krush (1-2). The semifinal turned into a frustrating performance against last year’s FYSA State Cup winner, Melbourne Beach Tsunami. After taking a 2-1 lead into the second half, Melbourne equalized it and the teams deadlocked through overtime. Unfortunately, the Tsunami prevailed to take the victory 5-4 on PK’s.
The U17B Blue also reached the semifinals before dropping a 0-2 decision to eventual champion RSL Florida. Kendall SC had finished first in its group in the preliminary round after defeating Dunedin Stirling (3-2) and Orlando FC (2-1) and tying Georgia’s Forsyth Fusion Premier 0-0.
Other Kendall SC teams participating in the Showcase Qualifier were the U14B White, who finished tied for second in their group with a 1-1-1 record and the U18G White who tallied one draw and two losses to finish third in their group. |
