The fall season continued with week two in the USYS National League Conferences, Managed by EDP Soccer. The top USYS leagues in the region saw more than 175 matches played over the weekend across the four conferences. The National League Conferences provide competing teams the opportunity to qualify for the 2022 USYS Eastern Regional Championships through league play and also a chance to earn their place in the 2022-2023 season of the prestigious USYS National League P.R.O. competition.
JUMP TO: Mid Atlantic | New England | North Atlantic | South Atlantic
North Atlantic Conference
In the 14U Boys Academy Division, division newcomer Chelsea Piers Shoreline SC entered the match coming off a big win in week one, with its opponent, White Plains YS Academy National 08, looking to bounce back from a 2-0 defeat.
The first 20 minutes of the match were dominated by the Chelsea Piers Shoreline, but White Plains YS was able to break through on a counterattack and score the first goal of the match on a Manuel Bonilla strike. The second goal for White Plains came on a 40-yard shot by Noel Janc, which put White Plains up 2-0 at the end of the first half. White Plains YS added another goal in the second half to win by the score of 3-0.
“The 08 Boys persevered to earn the win behind the efforts of their defense, which held Chelsea Piers to zero goals,” said Alejandro Galeano, Director of Coaching for White Plains YS. “It was a must-win for the 2008 team after dropping its first game, 2-0, against Brooklyn Italians.”
In the 13U Girls Academy Division, STA 2009G NL EDP came into the match off a tough 2-1 win against Albany Alleycats, as STA played its first away game of the season at Cedar Stars Academy Bergen 09 National, who lost their first match 3-1 to PSA North.
In a seven-goal thriller, STA won the match, 5-2. STA’s Sarah Mihanksy opened the scoring spree with a goal in the 22nd-minute — the first of her two goals that accompanied an assist. Other goals came from Addison Emge, Lauren Simon and Lia Perez. The game-changing moment was just 7 minutes into the second half when Cedar Stars Bergen scored but STA produced an immediate reply just 30 seconds later.
“My main game team talk before we started was to make sure that we are clinical in front of goal when the chances come,” STA coach Mike Bello said. “The girls did exactly what I asked for, and I couldn’t be more proud of this team.”
In the 14U Boys Premier I Division, both Asphalt Green 08 and French Football Academy Kante entered after posting wins on opening day and met on Saturday at iconic Randalls Park to try and find separation at the top of the table. Led this year by coach Papa Diene, the FFF Academy boys took control of the game very early on with their recognizable style. A long sequence of short and dynamic passes led to a cross and a volley from Mohamad Najdi.
The second half added two more goals for the home team all coming from a dynamic duo of outside midfielders, Kristina Rakowski assisting his opposite winger Nana Wadieh. The game would finish 3-0 in favor of FFF Academy.
“I am very proud of this group. The level of commitment, engagement and passion they are putting in the work we are doing weekly is just fantastic. The identity, philosophy and brand of soccer we are looking to produce is nothing less but demanding. The journey is just starting, and I cannot wait to see what the future has for us,” Diene said. “Thanks, as well, to Asphalt Green for really bringing us a tough opposition and wishing them a great season ahead.”
All scores for the North Atlantic Conference can be found here.
Mid Atlantic Conference
In the 14U Boys Premier I Division, PA Rush 08 and Torpedoes SC 08 Red both came into the match following tough defeats in week one, and the teams looked to push for the win to keep pace with the top of the table on Saturday. In a closely contested match, PA Rush came away with a 2-0 victory. Niclas Barrales scored in the first half on a breakaway, and he added another goal in the second half on a perfectly placed pass from the right flank by Tyler Millinger.
"It was a good home opener for the 08 Rush Boys,” said team captain AJ Okoniewski. “We played a complete match against a very tough opponent. Coach Sheku did a great job preparing our team for the Torpedoes. We now turn our focus on Ironbound SC."
"I am really proud of the boys for all the hard work they have been putting in,” said Rush coach Sheku Bangura. “All week leading up to the game, we talked about having a fast start. I was thrilled to see the boys execute what we have been working on in practice. Our goalkeepers and back line came up big for us in this game. For our team to hold a team like the Torpedoes scoreless shows a lot of character."
In the 13U Girls Premier I Division, White Clay SC 2009 Girls looked to get off to a strong start to their season when they traveled to Wall Elite Spirit for their opening match. Meanwhile, Wall Elite looked to get in the win column after an opening day set back to Lower Merion SC.
Megan Farrell scored for Wall Elite with a right-footed shot from about 15 yards out midway through the second half to give Wall a 1-0 advantage. White Clay’s Jade Delcollo scored an unassisted goal late in the second half to tie the match at 1-1, which would end up as the final score.
“I thought both teams tried to build the ball out of the back and connect passes to create chances,” White Clay coach Cesidio Colasante said. “We were fortunate to get the draw against Wall.”
In the 14U Boys Academy Division, New Jersey State Cup champion NJ Premier FC 2008 looked to bounce back from its loss at PA Dominion when it hosted PDA Hibernian Matthaus, who looked to improve to 2-0-0 in the Sunday afternoon match up.
Despite the quality shown by NJ Premier FC throughout the match, PDA Hibernian was able to finish its chances and keep NJ Premier FC off the board, to come away with an important early-season result.
All scores for the Mid Atlantic Conference can be found here.
South Atlantic Conference
In the 14U Girls Premier I Division, SAC 2008 Pre-Academy hosted its league opener against Keystone FC Premier 08, which won its first match of the season, 2-1, over NLS Athena 08. Keystone FC continued its winning ways with a 2-0 win thanks to goals scored by Isabelle Putt and Sophia Shaw.
"It was an evenly divided first half with each team having opportunities,” Keystone FC coach Kevin McKee said after the win. “Belle [Putt] was able to put a rebound past SAC's outstanding keeper late in the first half, and then a goal off a corner by Soph [Shaw] early in the second half put us in control of the game."
In the 14U Boys Premier I Division, Baltimore Celtic 08 Predators, division runners-up in spring 2021, looked to make it two wins out of two when they traveled to Liverpool FCIA Central MD 2008 on Sunday. Liverpool FCIA came back from a one-goal deficit behind goals from Matt Kin and Roberto Merlos to win 2-1.
"Celtic did a great job of disrupting our rhythm early in the match and took a deserved 1-0 lead. The Liverpool FCIA-MD boys did well to respond with a goal shortly before the half to draw even on a PK by Matt Kin,” Liverpool FCIA head coach Mike Kin said. “Our ability to control possession in the second half led to the go-ahead goal coming off a corner from Matt Kin, headed in emphatically by Roberto Merlos.
“The game was played at a fever pitch and both teams displayed a tremendous amount of grit and quality. This is our second win in as many games against Celtic going back to the end of the spring season. We consider this a great accomplishment considering their depth and quality."
All scores for the South Atlantic Conference can be found here.
New England Conference
In the 13U Girls Premier I Division, Ginga FC 2009 Elite National hosted Sporting CT 2009 Girls on Sunday morning at Beckerman Athletic Center. As did each game in the division during week one, the game finished in a 1-1 tie.
“We played a good Ginga team that is difficult to play against,” Sporting CT coach Dylan Hogan said. “They opened the scoring in the first half before we equalized in the second after Molly Benson put in a very good corner kick where Mackenzie Pierce battled to put the ball in at the back post. Both teams pressured each other and moved the ball well to create chances but neither one of us could find a winner.”
In the 14U Boys Academy Division, Seacoast United 2008 NH Elite hosted Western United Pioneers 2008 Elite, who were looking to open their season with two wins and stay at the top of the table.
Western United Pioneers got the game's opening goal in the first half when Carlos Vindas scored off a set piece. In the second half, they put the game away on a goal scored by Gavin Coughlin to win, 2-0.
“We controlled the ball well throughout the first half and had many opportunities to break through a tough Seacoast defense that was well organized,” Western United Pioneer coach Ian Primo said. “Our final third play has to be coached better and executed going forward if we wish to compete with the other top programs. Overall, it was a good result and a solid performance over a tough team on the road.
“Give Seacoast credit. They stuck to a certain game plan, and it kept them within striking distance until late in the second half. Our defense was strong, led by our goalie, Nick Dion. We look forward to top quality opponents the remainder of our season and continue our goal of getting better each performance.”
All scores for the New England Conference can be found here.