Three Connecticut Junior Soccer Association (CJSA) teams punched their tickets to the US Youth Soccer (USYS) National Presidents Cup after reaching the final round of the USYS Eastern Presidents Cup this week in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Raising the trophy as champions for their respective age groups were the Stamford FC 13U Boys and Wethersfield SC 15U Girls, while the Naugatuck 14U Girls also reached the last day of the tournament as finalists.
“We are incredibly proud of the outstanding performance of our Connecticut clubs at the US Youth Soccer East Region Presidents Cup in Philadelphia,” said Josh Krusewski, Executive Director of the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association. “Congratulations to the Stamford 13U Boys and Wethersfield 15U Girls on bringing home regional championships, and to the Naugatuck 14U Girls for an inspiring run to the final. Your hard work, dedication and sportsmanship represent the very best of Connecticut youth soccer. We wish you all the best as you prepare to compete on the national stage in Tampa next month.”
The Stamford FC 13U Boys opened up the regional tournament with three consecutive victories in group play, outscoring their opposition by an incredible 19-2 tally to secure the top seed from their bracket. In the semifinals, Stamford FC continued their offensive explosion with a 4-1 win over Phoenixville Area SC (Eastern Pennsylvania) to set up a championship appearance against Arlington Soccer Association (Virginia). The two teams engaged in an incredible battle for the 13U Boys Trophy, but it was Stamford FC who emerged victorious after blanking the Virginia side, 1-0.
“I want to thank the Eastern Presidents Cup organizers, the great facilities and the professionalism throughout the event. I want to thank CJSA for its consistent and continuous support over the past months preparing us for all this,” said Stamford FC coach Jason Segovia. “Our success was a collective group effort by all our families. From the fundraising to get us here to the team meals and activities while at the event, the boys couldn’t have been more prepared to perform than they were. We look forward to representing CJSA and the Eastern Region at Nationals in Tampa.”
The Wethersfield SC 15U Girls also went on a five-game winning streak at the USYS Eastern Presidents Cup, first registering three victories in group play by a cumulative score of 11-2. Next up for the Connecticut team was a semifinal meeting with Next Level Soccer Athena (Maryland), where Wethersfield SC kept their offensive momentum rolling en route to a decisive 5-1 result. Opposite them in the championship match was Arlington Soccer Association (Virginia), and the two teams eventually moved onto penalty kicks when regulation and extra time left them knotted up at 0-0. Wethersfield SC was able to emerge victorious from the shootout, securing the win and earning them the 15U Girls Eastern Presidents Cup Championship.
“The experience was excellent, hotels were great, and USYS hosted an incredible event,” said Wethersfield SC coach Luigi Guerrera. “The girls played five intense matches, and I couldn’t be more proud of their performance.”
The Naugatuck 14U Girls also enjoyed an incredible run at the USYS Eastern Presidents Cup, kicking things off with three clean sheets and a 6-0 scoreline to win their group. Next on the schedule was a semifinal pairing with Huntingdon Valley AA Union (Eastern Pennsylvania), where Naugatuck picked up a fourth consecutive shutout on a 3-0 result. The final match-up of the tournament was against Old Bridge SC Thunder (New Jersey), and a highly competitive battle eventually resulted in a razor-thin 1-0 defeat to the New Jersey side. By reaching the final, Naugatuck secured its place in the USYS National Presidents Cup alongside the Stamford FC 13U Boys and Wethersfield SC 15U Girls.
Connecticut was also represented at the USYS Eastern Presidents Cup by the New Fairfield SC 12U Boys, Wethersfield SC 12U Girls, South Windsor SC 12U Girls, North Haven SC 13U Girls, Meriden SC 14U Boys, Soccer Club of Ridgefield 15U Boys and Naugatuck 17U Boys.
The National Presidents Cup will take place from July 11-15 in Tampa, Florida. Hosted by US Youth Soccer, the Presidents Cup provides a progressive, competitive environment for teams seeking a series of unique challenges highlighting competition, camaraderie and community.
For any local businesses or supporters who would like to make a donation to our qualifying teams to help offset the cost of travel and lodging for the National Presidents Cup in Tampa, please contact the CJSA State Office by calling (860) 676-1161 or emailing office@cjsa.org.