2011 Schwan’s USA CUP Final Results

BLAINE, Minn. (July 23, 2011) – Championship games for all divisions of the 27th annual Schwan’s USA CUP, presented by puma, were played on Saturday, July 23, at the National Sports Center (NSC) in Blaine, Minn., 20 minutes north of Minneapolis/Saint Paul.

Minnesota teams won 11 of the 14 top-level 11v11 championship divisions, the home states best showing in years. Last year, Minnesota teams won only five top-tier USA CUP championships. Visiting teams from Canada, Denmark and Nebraska also won titles.

The final day of the tournament was marked by a morning weather suspension for lightning. Play was suspended at 8:32 a.m. and the suspension lasted for 2 hours, 58 minutes. This marked the fourth day, out of eight, that this year’s Schwan’s USA CUP was forced to suspended games due to either lightning or high heat indexes. While some games were delayed and rescheduled this week, all games were played.

This year’s tournament featured over 15,000 athletes on 942 teams from 20 states and 17 countries, making it the largest youth soccer tournament in the Western Hemisphere. The weekend and week-long tournaments together will generate an estimated $20.4 million in economic impact.

Here are the scores for Saturday’s games, in the highest flight for each age group:

12 boys: Minnesota Thunder Academy 99e, Woodbury, Minn. 3, Oakville Soccer Club, Oakville, Ontario, 0.
12 girls: Minnesota Thunder Academy 99 Nike, Twin Cities, Minn. 3, CSR Rapides, Candiac, Quebec 0.
13 boys: Woodbridge Strikers 98, Vaughan, Ontario 5, CS Herediano, Heredia, Costa Rica, 0.
13 girls: PSA Dynamite, Plymouth, Minn. 2, Tony Glavin Green, St. Charles, Mo. 1.
14 boys: St. Paul United Elite, St. Paul, Minn. 2, Minnesota Thunder Academy Elite 97 Blue, Twin Cities, Minn. 0.
14 girls: Prior Lake Splash, Prior Lake, Minn. 2, Tonka United, Minnetonka, Minn.  0.
15 boys: Minneapolis United Black Premier, Minn. 2, MTA Elite 96 White, Twin Cities, Minn. 2. (Minneapolis United wins in OT shootout.)
15 girls: Cottage Grove United, Minn. 2, Prior Lake Storm, Minn. 1.
16 boys: Viva Fortaleza, Omaha, Neb. 2, Downtown United, New York, N.Y. 1.
16 girls: BFSC Black Storm, Burnsville, Minn. 0, Coon Rapids 0. (Burnsville wins in OT shootout.)
17 boys: Minneapolis United Blue Premier, Minneapolis, Minn., 1, Oshawa Turul, Oshawa, Ontario, 0.
17 girls: Kolding Q, Hedensted, Denmark 1, Wayzata Warriors, Minn. 0.
19 boys: Valley United Cosmos, Apple Valley, Minn 1, Rudbeckianska, Vasteras, Sweden 0.
19 girls: Wayzata Rage, Minn. 2, Southeast SC Glory, Twin Cities, 0.

Scores and brackets for all divisions can be found on the Schwan’s USA CUP website:

Here are game summaries for Saturday’s championship games in the top division for each age group:

12 boys: Minnesota Thunder Academy 99e, Woodbury, Minn. 3, Oakville Soccer Club, Oakville, Ontario, 0.
Tired legs and a big field led to a largely uneventful regulation period before Woodbury’s Minnesota Thunder Academy turned it on in the second five-minute extra time period, burying three goals in a span of about four minutes to capture a deceptively one-sided 3-0 win in the U12 Boys championship.
MTA managed only one shot on goal during regulation time, but Kohel Adams, made MTA’s first shot of extra time count to give it a 1-0 lead in the 67th minute. Tshaplaw Yang extended the lead a minute later, powering a shot into the far-side netting from the top of the penalty area. As Oakville pressed to find a way back into the game in the final minutes, Alexander Galbraith put the final exclamation on the game for MTA, beating the Oakville goalkeeper to a through pass and rolling the ball into the empty net in stoppage time.

12 Girls: Minnesota Thunder Academy 99 Nike, Twin Cities, Minn. 3, CSR Rapides, Candiac, Quebec 0.
Minnesota Thunder Academy (MTA) 99 Nike’s Mikayla Hughes started the game off to a fast start, scoring in the the first five minutes of the game. In the second half, Quebec fought back, but couldn’t put the ball in the net.  MTA’s Morgan Turner added a second goal, and Ellen Schneider scored on a penalty kick, making the final score 3-0.

13 boys: Woodbridge Strikers 98, Vaughan, Ontario 5, CS Herediano, Heredia, Costa Rica, 0.
After losing a heartbreaking final in 2010, the Woodbridge Strikers conquered USA CUP in 2011 with a dominant performance against CS Herediano. Woodbridge used a relentless defensive effort to break up Herediano’s passing lanes and was ruthless in front of goal en route to a 5-0 victory and the title they’d waited a full year for.
Woodbridge had a goal disallowed and hit the crossbar inside the first 10 minutes, but its pressure told in the 16th minute when Francis Ameyaw latched onto a through ball and finished comfortably from 12 yards out. Julian Cardillo missed two chances to double the Strikers’ lead, but he converted with a curling shot from the left side of the box to give Woodbridge a 2-0 lead shortly before halftime.
Herediano applied pressure in the first 15 minutes of the second half, coming close to grabbing a goal. But Woodbridge peppered the goal in the last 15 minutes.  Number 10 Antonio Sacco scored the 3rd goal of the game with a header. Pietro Brucolleri scored the 4th goal in the 48th minute. In the 57th minute Sammy Valotta was cool as ice with a nice finish after a slick one-two from a set piece in stoppage time.

13 girls: PSA Dynamite, Plymouth, Minn. 2, Tony Glavin Green, St. Charles, Mo. 1.
Heavy rain during this game affected play, as poor visibility and field conditions slowed both teams down. In the 12th minute of play, a handball in the box resulted in a free penalty kick to PSA. A save by Tony Glavin Green’s Jordyn Kelting would keep the score 0-0. The muddy field seemed to get the best of the players as they kept slipping on both sides. The half would end at 0-0.
Returning from the half, PSA’s Carly Goehring scored two minutes into the game. Moments later, teammate Sarah Harrison would score, doubling up PSA’s score making it 2-0.
In the 39th minute of play, Tony Glavin Green’s Abbie Rademacher would score, putting them on the board. While a yellow card was given to Tony Glavin Green for attacking the goalie, the free shot would be missed and PSA went on to win the girls’ 13 Gold Flight USA CUP championship 2-1.

14 Boys: St. Paul United Elite, St. Paul, Minn. 2, Minnesota Thunder Academy Elite 97 Blue, Twin Cities, Minn. 0.
Kapaw Htoo notched a goal and an assist on Luke Haakenson’s second half goal to lead St. Paul United Elite to a 2-0 victory over their hometown rivals, Minnesota Thunder Academy Elite 97 Blue.

14 Girls: Prior Lake Splash, Prior Lake, Minn. 2, Tonka United, Minnetonka, Minn.  0.
Prior Lake dominated play in this Under 14 Gold Flight final and completed their championship run without allowing a goal during the entire tournament. Tonka United rarely threatened during the match, but their strong defense kept Prior Lake off the board through the first half.
The Splash broke through in the second half when Abbigail Soderholm slammed home a finish from Katherine Ward, putting the Splash up 1-0 in the 38th minute. Just two minutes later Kaija Ornes sealed the victory with another goal and Prior Lake cruised home from there to take the championship.

15 boys: Minneapolis United Black Premier, Minn. 2, MTA Elite 96 White, Twin Cities, Minn. 2. (Minneapolis United wins in OT shootout.)
Both teams came out very strong as soon as the game started. MTA scored first on a goal by Ralph Cooper. This would remain the score at the end of the half.
Five minutes into the second half, MTA scored again, doubling their lead with the goal by Samuel Forsgren.
In the 49th minute of play, Artist Curiskis scored on a free kick to put Minneapolis United on the board. Then, in the final minute of the game, Taylor Funk scored on a header, putting the score at the end of regulation at 2-2 and sending the game into overtime. After a scoreless overtime, Oscar Campbell scored on the seventh shootout attempt, finishing Minneapolis United Black Premier’s comeback win.

15 Girls: Cottage Grove United, Minn. 2, Prior Lake Storm, Minn. 1.
Both teams started out with very aggressive plays. Slide tackles and early substitutions lead to a battle from the start. In the first 5 minutes, Cottage Grove had three shots on goal—all coming up short. The half would end 0-0 as neither team was able to score, despite each team having their chances.
The second half was a more balanced back and forth between the two teams. It wasn’t until the 36th minute of play that Tessa Rykken would score for Prior Lake making it 1-0 Prior Lake.
Minutes later Temilola Ogunrinde would put Cottage Grove on the board, tying the score in the 39th minute of play of 1-1. In the 44th minute of play, Cottage Grove had three chances to score, but Prior Lake’s goalie, Blakely Fraasch made three beautiful saves in a row.
Just as exhaustion started to take over, Cottage Grove’s Anna Keys scored in the 52nd minute, putting them ahead. Cottage Grove would go on to win 2-1 over Prior Lake Storm.

16 Boys: Viva Fortaleza, Omaha, Neb. 2, Downtown United, New York, N.Y. 1.
Abel Alvarado scored during the first overtime for Viva Fortaleza as they defeated the Downtown United Soccer Club from New York City 2-1 in the 16 Boys Gold Flight final. The game was a classic case of speed versus brawn as the quick-footed New York side challenged the bigger and stronger Viva squad. Downtown United struck first when Oliver Streitz scored after a nice diagonal through ball in the 14th minute. The goal energized Downtown and they produced several good counter-attack opportunities.
Viva started taking control of possession late in the half and that work paid off when Jose Marquez scored the equalizer in the 25th minute. Both teams clamped down the defense in the second half and neither side could produce the game-winner at the end of regulation.  Alvarado’s goal in the 3rd minute of overtime came after a series of crisp passes down the left side into the box and the eventual championship producing goal from 12 yards out.

16 girls: BFSC Black Storm, Burnsville, Minn. 0, Coon Rapids 0. (Burnsville wins in OT shootout.)
Neither team could seem to put the ball in the net, as this game would go on to have a 0-0 score at the half. Lots of communication took place on the field, but nothing seemed to drop. The second half would also remain at 0-0.
After two scoreless overtimes, the score remained 0-0 and was forced to go into a shootout. Both teams would miss their first two shots, but each team would go on to make the rest of their shots. BFSC Black Storm ended up winning with Alexandra Jones’s goal putting them ahead 4-3 in the shootout.

17 boys: Minneapolis United Blue Premier, Minneapolis, Minn., 1, Oshawa Turul, Oshawa, Ontario, 0.
Garmina Paygar-Flangiah scored the game’s only goal early in the second half as Minneapolis United Blue Premier won its age group for the second year in a row with a 1-0 victory over Ontario’s Oshawa Turul on the Exhibition Field at the National Sports Center.
Minneapolis United had the better chances in the first half and were lucky not to be two goals ahead inside the game’s first 15 minutes. Oshawa’s Jacob Stire cleared a Tyler Brooks shot off the line in the sixth minute, and the Minnesota side rang the crossbar with a free kick from the edge of the penalty area in the 12th. Oscar Vasquez also had a chance to put Minneapolis United ahead in the 27th minute after stealing the ball from the defense, but he shot directly at Oshawa goalkeeper Carmelo Cammisuli.
Paygar-Flangiah scored the winner in the 33rd. Goalkeeper Tanner Granger kept the shutout for Minneapolis United.

17 girls: Kolding Q, Hedensted, Denmark 1, Wayzata Warriors, Minn. 0.
Samantha Matheson of Kolding Q broke through a scoreless match with a goal in the 43rd minute as the side from Denmark defeated the Wayzata Warriors in the 17 Girls Gold Flight championship match. Neither side had many chances in the first half, with Kolding Q getting the best opportunity in the 20th minute on a cross that was deftly saved by the Wayzata keeper.
Kolding Q had several chances in the second half before Matheson floated a goal in over the keeper from 16 yards out on the right side. Wayzata responded with heavy pressure late in the match as they desperately tried to score the tying goal and force overtime. Kolding’s Q’s keeper Titti Hansen was forced to make a nice save off a header in the last minute to preserve the victory.

19 boys: Valley United Cosmos, Apple Valley, Minn 1, Rudbeckianska, Vasteras, Sweden 0.
In a rematch of last year’s U19 boys championship game, the Valley United Cosmos prevailed with a 1-0 victory over the seemingly unstoppable Rudbeckianska team from Sweden. The Swedish high school team has won four of six Weeklong divisions stretching back to 2006.
The unpredictable weather once again changed the game. Right out of the starting gate, the game played at a modified red flag condition shortening halves to 30 minutes instead of the regulation 45-minute halves.
In the first half, both teams came out strong and ready to take this year’s title. After only three minutes, the Cosmos were on the defense as Rudbeckianska pushed hard, with two quick shots on goal from Tjarnhell and Johansson. Then around the five-minute mark, Cosmos came back fast with their first shot. This began the back and forth play of unsuccessful shots. The first half ended scoreless, but Rudbeckianska seemed stronger after Valley United tallied three yellow cards in the first half.
The second half began with the same back and forth play. At the 40th minute, Apple Valley’s Ryan Johnsrud shot hard from the corner, but Rudbeckianska goalie Christos Voglis made the save. This gave the half new life, but not in Apple Valley’s favor as Maxwell Rindels and Brandon Wolf both got yellow cards in the 47th and 51st minute. That was the end of the road for Wolf, as it was his second yellow card of the game. Then in the 56th minute, Apple Valley proved strong as midfielder Maxwell Rindels headed the ball over the down goalkeeper, Voglis, and it rolled in the net. With only four minutes left, Rudbeckianska didn’t have enough time to come back, and the 19 boys title changed hands for 2011.

19 girls: Wayzata Rage, Minn. 2, Southeast SC Glory, Twin Cities, 0.
Wayzata was the dominant team today as they cruised home to a 2-0 victory over the Southeast SC Glory in the 19 Girls Gold Flight championship match. Right from the beginning Wayzata put on the pressure and had numerous corner kicks throughout the early part of the half. Despite numerous chances, the score remained tied at the half. That quickly changed in the first minute of the second half as Sarah Guidera scored on a breakaway after a defensive lapse by Southeast led to the relatively easy goal.
Southeast came close to tying when Mary O’Brien slipped through the defensive left side of Wayzata on a through ball. Only a diving save by Rage keeper Megan Pyrz kept Southeast off the board. In the 57th minute, Rebecca Pederson made no doubt who would win when she slammed home a strike from the left side that ricocheted off the near post and in for the insurance goal.