May 21, 2009 – After a thrilling semifinal win in penalty kicks, Kendall SC’s U15B White defeated RSL Florida in the FYSA State Cup final for the second year in a row to claim back-to-back state championships. Meanwhile the U19 Boys and Girls teams each earned a spot in the State Cup semifinals and will be competing in the Final Four on May 30 and 31.
U15B White
The possibility of being one of a select few teams to win back-to-back Florida state championships seemed a daunting task back in August for the U15B White. Not the least that the team would be under the guidance of a new coach – Marcos Colman. But from the beginning Coach Colman demanded commitment from every player. He made it clear that teamwork, conditioning, dedication and desire would be the cornerstones of this program…and that the search for personal glory had to be set aside. With this mindset, the boys began training 4-5 days each week and played up in the U16 division in order to prepare for the challenge of repeating as State champions.
By the time State Cup started the team understood Coach Coleman’s direction, and it was becoming increasingly clear that they might just be able to reach the final again. They proceeded to earn a spot in the semifinals after defeating Gainesville and HCU in the first round, Island Coast in the Sweet 16 and Jacksonville in the elite eight. While other favorites failed to advance – Kendall SC stood tall and made it to the Final Four once again!
May 16 seemed to be a long time coming, particularly because Kendall SC would not be alone in their triumphant return - last year’s Final Four teams, RSL and Weston, had made it that far as well. First, though, Kendall SC had to face a very determined Blackwatch team. After taking the game to penalty kicks following double overtime, the team’s fate was left in the capable hands of goalie DJ Suarez…and DJ made the save that put them through to the final. To add to the drama the Kendall SC boys soon learned that they would be pitted in a rematch against last year’s finalist: RSL.
The championship game did not start off well for Kendall SC. RSL took control of the game early, and it appeared that having to play through double overtime the day before may have worn the Kendall boys out. RSL capitalized with a well-struck shot only ten minutes into the game. Fortunately, RSL’s goal was also a wake-up call – and by the end of the half Kendall SC had begun to find its rhythm and the defense led by Alessandro Mion and Daniel Cortez kept RSL at bay for the rest of the game.
Unfortunately, Cortez was injured when he knocked heads with another player and had to leave the game. Concerned, the Kendall SC players knew they had to carry on. Undaunted, the defense and mid-field applied pressure to RSL and began to create opportunities. With eight minutes remaining in the second half it paid off when Ivan Shapiro headed a ball over the defensive line to a rapidly approaching Nahuel Medina who deftly put away the equalizer!
Time was running out, but Kendall SC had not only found their rhythm and scored the equalizing goal, but the RSL team became desperate and took down a Kendall SC player just outside the eighteen. The choice was simple, and Mati Treuman stepped to the ball as RSL hurried to put together a wall and mark each man…but to no avail, as Mati bent the ball around the wall with pinpoint accuracy it went inside the near post!
The chants could be heard immediately – ‘ole, ole, ole, ole…ole, ole’ and they carried on through the final minutes all the way to the whistle…Coach Colman and the U15 boys were state champions – again.
The boys will now continue training as they prepare to represent the State of Florida in Dallas, Texas at the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships June 17-24.
U19 Girls and Boys
Also over the weekend of May 16-17 Eddie Aguirre’s U19G White earned the honor of becoming the first Kendall SC girls team to reach a State Cup semifinal. A 2-0 win over Port St. John Soccer and ties against Hudson Lady Cobras (2-2) and Sarasota Storm (2-2) were enough to advance in second place in their group. Kendall SC matches up against IMG Academy on May 30 at 3 pm in Weston Regional Park.
Meanwhile, the U19B White, sporting a line-up of former Miami FC Kendall Development Academy players now in college, earned the top spot in their group with convincing wins over West Pines United (4-1) and Jacksonville Jaguars (6-0) and a shorthanded 2-2 tie with Strictly Soccer. Kendall SC will face Players Club of Tampa Bay in the semifinal on May 30 at Noon in Weston Regional Park.
