The Vail Valley U16 boys soccer team placed second at the USA Soccer National Presidents Cup, which finished on Tuesday in Wichita, Kansas.
Joel Rabinowitz/Courtesy photo
The Vail Valley Soccer Club U16 boys team claimed a runner-up finish at the USA Soccer National Presidents Cup in Wichita, Kansas this week. Vail lost 2-0 to DCFC South Oakland in Tuesday’s championship game, the last match of the five-day tournament.
“It was a great experience for the boys,” said coach Joel Rabinowitz. “We came out of there thinking there was some would’ve, could’ve, should’ve, but we felt we could compete with anyone across the country, which was good to see.”
The top two finishers from each of the country’s four regions met in Wichita for the event, which brought 104 teams across U13 to U19 age groups. During the opening ceremonies at last week’s nationals, players traded practice jerseys and other apparel. Rabinowitz said the Vail Resorts, Vail Valley Foundation and Town of Vail gear was a hot commodity.
“Everyone knows Vail,” he said. “That stuff was coveted.”
The Vail Valley Soccer Club’s U16 boys team played five games in five days at the 2024 National Presidents Cup in Wichita, Kansas from July 12-16.Joel Rabinowitz/Courtesy photo
The first three days of the tournament consisted of group play, with the top two teams from the ‘A’ and ‘B’ pools advancing to the semifinals. Vail was the only Colorado club to get out of the group stage in the entire tournament, but they didn’t get off to an amazing start.
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“We definitely dug ourselves a hole,” said Rabinowitz, who’s squad tied DCFC South Oakland 0-0 in its opening match last Friday and lost to Keystone FC from Central Pennsylvania 1-0 the following day. On Sunday, they put things together. Goals from Carlos Gardea and Marco Rosales propelled Vail to a 2-0 win over the Southern region’s Texas representatives, the Laredo Heat.
“We knew if we won the game against Texas, who was a great squad, more than likely, in every scenario except one — which almost happened — we were going to get through,” Rabinowitz said. “We felt we hadn’t played out best soccer yet and we knew what we had to do.”
The Vail Valley Soccer Club U16 boys team gets ready to play a match at this week’s National Presidents Cup soccer tournament in Wichita, Kansas.Joel Rabinowitz/Courtesy photo
In the semifinals, Vail went down 1-0 at the half against New Jersey’s Ocean United Warriors.
“It was nice to see panic didn’t set it,” Rabinowitz said. “The goal was simple: really, just try to win the half.”
Gardea once again got his squad going, scoring early in the second.
“I think Carlos really stepped up his game through regionals and nationals. He’s a playmaker more than anything,” Rabinowitz said. “You could see the momentum absolutely change when we put one into the back of the net.”
Alfonso Gallegos scored the game-winner to send Vail to a championship rematch against South Oakland. After a scoreless first-half, the Detroit-based team capitalized on a corner kick to go up by one. They replicated the play 15 minutes later to secure the title.
“They played a lot different against us the second time around,” Rabinowitz said of his opponents, who kept five athletes sitting in the back and looked to counter throughout the game. Even though the season ended in defeat, Rabinowitz reminded the young team what a privilege it is to make it so far.
“What I told the boys at the end is not many teams get to play on the final, final day of the season,” the coach stated. “They got to play in the final and they weren’t outclassed or outmatched by any means. You’ve got to tip your heat to DCFC.”
Fourteen years ago, Rabinowitz also took a U16 boys team to the Far West regional championship in Salt Lake City. Though that group failed to advance to the national tournament, they formed the Battle Mountain nucleus that went 20-0 and won the 4A state title in 2012. With the high school season kicking off next month, Rabinowitz — who was thankful for the team’s supporters and parents — said this Presidents Cup nationals experience will “build confidence” in his players, who are headed to either Eagle Valley or Battle Mountain programs in the fall.
“It’s still about putting in that work and not getting complacent, but I think it’s good things for soccer in the valley,” he said. “And I look forward to being on the field with some of them — and playing against them.”
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Publish date : 2024-07-18 10:49:49
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Author : News-Sports
Publish date : 2024-07-18 14:49:49
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.