UNDER-17 BOYS
FC DALLAS 98 PREMIER 3, FC ALLIANCE 98 BLACK 1
The FC Dallas 98 Premier under-17 boys team wanted to be aggressive early.
It paid off with three first-half goals and a 3-1 victory over FC Alliance 98 Black from Tennessee in the under-17 boys championship match Thursday on the final day of the U.S. Youth Soccer Region III Tournament at Burns Park in North Little Rock.
Thursday’s results
At Burns Park, North Little Rock
BOYS UNDER-14 Houstonians 2001 (Texas) 3, GSA 01 Premier (Ga.) 2
BOYS UNDER-15 Dallas Texans 00 Red 1, United FA 00 Premier (Ga.) 0
BOYS UNDER-16 CESA 98 Premier (S.C.) 3, Houston Express 2 (S.C. 3-1 in PK)
BOYS UNDER-17 FC Dallas 98 Premier 3, FC Alliance 98 Black (Tenn.) 1
BOYS UNDER-18 NASA 15 Elite (Ga.) 6, FC Dallas 97 Gold 2
GIRLS UNDER-14 Tophat 19 Gold (Ga.) 2, Sunrise Sting 00/01 (Fla.) 0
GIRLS UNDER-15 Tophat 18 Gold (Ga.) 2, Solar Chelsea Elite 00 (Texas) 1
GIRLS UNDER-16 Tophat 17 Gold (Ga.) 6, 99 Lady Lobos Rush Premier (Tenn.) 0
GIRLS UNDER-17 Tampa Bay United 97 Premier (Fla.) 3, Tophat 16 Gold (Ga.) 2 REGIONAL CHAMPIONS (14) Boys: Under-13, SCUFC 01 Elite (Fla.); Under-14, Houstonians 2001 (Texas); Under-15, Dallas Texans 00 Red; Under-16, CESA 98 Premier (S.C.); Under-17, FC Dallas 98 Premier; Under-18, NASA 15 Elite (Ga.); Under-19, GSA 96 Premier (Ga.).
Girls: Under-13, Albion Hurricanes 02 (Texas); Under-14, Tophat 19 Gold (Ga.); Under-15, Tophat 18 Gold (Ga.); Under-16, Tophat 17 Gold (Ga.); Under-17, Tampa Bay United 97 Premier (Fla.); Under-18, 97 Louisiana Fire Navy; Under-19, Tampa Bay United Premier (Fla.). NOTE Regional champions qualify for the National Championships on July 21-26 in Tulsa
FC Dallas 98 Premier qualified for the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships, which will be July 21-26 in Tulsa.
FC Dallas 98 Premier Coach Scott Dymond employed his strategy with temperatures reaching into the 90s at game time at approximately 10:20 a.m., and he said that was key.
"It's so hot," Dymond said. "To get those goals, it forces the other team to chase the game. The boys played fantastic and took care of things in the first half."
Gerber Chavez scored two goals and Matthew Gonzalez had the other for FC Dallas 98 Premier, which is based in Frisco, Texas, and is sponsored by Major League Soccer club FC Dallas.
Chavez scored in the ninth minute, putting the ball past FC Alliance goalkeeper Stephen Wise for a 1-0 lead. Four minutes later, Gonzalez made it 2-0 with a goal from 20 yards out.
Chavez added his fifth goal of the tournament in the 39th minute, taking a loose ball in the box and putting it past backup goalkeeper Eli Lewis for a 3-0 advantage.
"He's so dangerous up front," Dymond said. "He's deceptive. He's creative. Physically, he's got all the tools. He's a special player, and I hope he can do that in nationals as well."
FC Alliance 98 Black had its chances in the second half and finally converted when Lucas Altman scored in the 90th minute to cut the lead to 3-1. But that was it for the team based out of Knoxville, Tenn., which had practiced together only three weeks leading up to the regional tournament because of the high school season in Tennessee.
"The heat took its toll on us, but it was a great accomplishment for us," FC Alliance 98 Black Coach John Schneider said. "They're a better team than us. I don't want to take anything away from them. They were fantastic. Things worked out probably the way they should've."
UNDER-18 BOYS
Georgia beats Texas
The NASA 15 Elite Under-18 boys team from Georgia scored three goals in the final three minutes to hold off FC Dallas 97 Gold 6-2 in the under-18 boys championship.
FC Dallas 97 Gold cut the lead to 3-2 in the 86th minute on Mark Trompeter's goal, but NASA 15 Elite took over from there.
Jad Arslan, Jad Elkhalil and Cal Jennings scored for NASA 15 Elite in the final three minutes to seal the victory. Jennings' goal completed a hat trick, and he finished with 13 goals in the tournament.
Elkhalil had two goals for NASA 15 Elite.
Emmanuel Kiwele also scored for FC Dallas 97 Gold.
UNDER-17 GIRLS
Florida tops Georgia
Tampa Bay United 97 Premier of Florida overcame a 2-0 halftime deficit and went on to beat Tophat 16 Gold of Georgia 3-2.
Olivia Ross-Johnson, Samantha Betters and Elizabeth Wissman all scored for Tampa Bay United 97 Premier.
Grace Jackson and Taylor Meneide scored for Tophat 16 Gold in the first half.
Sports on 06/26/2015