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Storm Academy captured the Super Y-League
crown in the Boys U-17 Division earlier this week.
From bigapplesoccer.com
A Very Happy Recap
A look at Storm Academy's Championship run. The Storm Academy boys soccer team has achieved the ultimate in youth soccer-the Super Y-League North American Championship.
The New Rochelle Raiders, playing as the Storm Academy, defeated the defending champion Chicago Magic 2-0 in a thrilling Boys Under-17 final in Tampa, Fla. earlier this week.
"That game really showed this team's character as we began the game with four of our starters on the bench," coach David Price said. "On top of that we had just 17 hours rest after our grueling double overtime win in the semifinal. I am so proud of these boys."
The team, which finished the regular season at 9-1-2, entered the tournament with modest expectations.
"Since all of our players had been with their high school teams we had barely had a chance to practice together since last July," team captain Michael McTigue said.
Nevertheless, Storm Academy won its first two games by 2-0 scores. In the first game SA defeated Parsippany SC and in the second game they beat Abbotsford Fraser of Vancouver. Against Parsippany Gino Olcese scored in the third minute and Sean Campbell put the game away with fifteen minutes remaining. In the second game the goal scorers were Julian Escobar and Juan Peralta.
With those games in hand and with pre-tournament favorite West Kendall (Miami) suffering a loss and a tie in its first two games, SA knew it was through to the semifinals before the side even played its final game in group play.
"We tried to rest players and to slow down the tempo of the game so we would be fresh for the semifinals," said assistant coach Carlo Acquista, the St. Francis College coach. "As it turned out having a chance to rest our players was huge for us."
The game against West Kendal ended with a 1-1 tie. Campbell scored the lone goal off a cross from David Golkin.
Entering the semifinals Cleveland Soccer Academy was the No. 1 seed and with good reason, according to goalkeeper Brendan Dunn.
"They had totally dominated their opponents in group play and arguably had some of the best players in the tournament" he said. "Their No. 21 was awesome."
For the first time in the tournament Storm Academy fell behind on a wind-aided goal by Cleveland in the first half. With less than eight minutes remaining, and their chances for a national title fading, Kevin Mesa took on right side of the Cleveland defense and blasted a left-footed shot under the keeper from what appeared to be an impossible angle.
With the score tied 1-1 at the end of regulation the two teams were forced into a pair of 10-minute extratime periods. During the break, Price, who promotes a very disciplined and defensive oriented approach, decided to improvise.
"I knew that we had some incredibly talented forwards who I usually keep in check," he said. "In the overtime period I unleashed them and asked them to go out there and do their thing."
That strategy paid off when Peralta beat five Cleveland defenders before slotting the ball by the keeper.
"That had to be one of the finest displays of soccer magic I have ever witnessed in my 20 years watching youth and college soccer," said Fordham coach Jim McElderry, a Storm Academy assistant coach.
Campbell added an insurance goal with four minutes left in the second overtime period and SA took its 3-1 win into the finals.
Entering the final against the Magic, the team was very short handed.
"We had a torn ACL, a broken nose and broken foot sitting on the bench along with one player who was serving out a red card," Price said. "That left us with just two substitutes including one of our goalies. We had to improvise which meant moving players out of position. It is every coach's nightmare to play in the national championship game with his starting goalie, central defender and central midfielder sitting on the bench."
The first goal came during injury time at the end of the first half when Kwame Holder headed in a beautifully placed corner kick by Escobar.
The second half began with the Magic pressing and seeming to have the better of the game. Goalkeeper Ilir Durakovic and defenders Andreas Cronis, Kevin Gluchowski, Jeyson Noriega and Kwame Holder were able to hold off the onslaught. However, it was clear that something had to change.
"We needed fresh legs and we needed them right away" central midfielder Chris Carlo said. "Bringing on Mesa and Dunn was huge. We needed them to get and hold the ball on the other end of the field."
The strategy worked and for the fourth time in the tournament Campbell scored the insurance goal. The volley came off a cross by Victor Hernandez. Some 19 minutes later that Storm Academy was celebrating their 2-0 victory and the North American Championship.
Noriega was named the tournament MVP.
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