The Internationals U16 Girls will compete for US Youth Soccer’s National Championship held July 26-30 in Des Moines, Iowa. Four teams in each age group (U14-U19) have advanced through the first two legs of the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series where more than 10,000 teams began the journey at their US Youth Soccer State Championships. State champions advanced to the regional competition, which ended on July 5, where more than 900 teams played in one of four regions. The national championship field consists of these regional champions.

The 2006 US Youth Soccer National Championship Series is the country’s most prestigious national youth soccer tournament, providing over 185,000 players on more than 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer’s 55 state associations the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play. The US Youth Soccer National Championships cap a yearlong series of competitions for boys and girls teams in multiple age groups as teams earn their way from the top team in their state to the regional championship tournaments.

Internationals U16 Girls National Championship Schedule
Round Robin Play
Wednesday, July 26 8:30 AM
G16 Field 9 Internationals (OH-N) v FC Greater Boston Bolts (MA)
Thursday, July 27 10:30 AM
G16 Field 8 Real Colorado National (CO) v Internationals (OH-N)
Friday, July 28 12:30 PM
G16 Field 7 Internationals (OH-N) v Edmond SC 90 Black (OK)
National Championship Finals
Sunday, July 30 8:30 AM
8:30 AM G16 Field 8 Patricia L. Masotto Cup

You can follow all of the action at championships.usyouthsoccer.org.

Our Journey to the National Championships

The campaign to the National Championship began on a snow covered field in Columbus, Ohio on March 25th. Although the spirit was willing, nature made the change to the full-sized pitch difficult as we held on in a hard-fought Midwest Regional League contest to earn a draw with Ohio Premier 1-1. Sunday provided minimal improvement in the weather, but we earned a 3-0 victory over Lexington FC in the morning, but fell in the afternoon 0-1 to Ohio Elite, the eventual Red Division winners and Ohio South State Cup Finalists.

The MRL campaign continued on April 29th in Indianapolis with a 3-1 victory over the eventual Illinois Sate Cup Finalists Eclipse Select, and a second draw with FC Pride 2-2. The U-16 Girls MRL Red Division play concluded with a 2-1 victory over Dynamo Red, this year’s Indiana State Cup Champions, earning a 2nd place Red Division finish and entry to the playoff round in the MRL Premier Division.

The MRL provided the highest possible competition for Region II teams, so earning a spot in the playoff rounds improved our ability to prepare for State Cup. The Internationals met Ohio South’s State Cup Champions in our first MRL Playoff Round Match at Wittenberg University on May 15th as a final preparation for or own State Cup. We prevailed 2-0 to improve our position in the MRL and to set the stage for the weekend’s preliminary round State Cup games.

We met Penine United on May 17th at Copley in our first State Cup match up and prevailed 3-1. Saturday found us at Pacesetter Park for our second preliminary round game and we easily dispatched Greater Akron Premier by a 12-2 score. CSA/NEOFC provided our next obstacle to State Cup but again the Internationals prevailed 2-0. Sunday’s final preliminary contest, in a ferocious crosswind, proved no deterrent as the Internationals again prevailed, 4-0 over Cleveland United-PK.

As a final preparation for State Cup finals, the International traveled to Ft. Wayne, Indiana for a second MRL playoff game against the eventual Illinois State Cup and MRL U-16G Champion Chicago Magic. In a hard fought contest, the Magic prevailed 1-0, dimming our MRL Championship hopes but providing a wake-up call for the coming weekend’s State Cup Finals.

June 3rd found us at Copley, Ohio in the Sate Cup semifinals matched against Cleveland United-JS. The Internationals defense stayed strong, and the Internationals found the net four times to earn a 4-1 victory and a chance to avenge last year’s State Cup championship loss to Ohio Premier. The Internationals squad was excited, but quickly went to work against the Ohio Premier 11 to earn a 2-0 halftime advantage. The second half began with OP looking to even the score but two quick Internationals goals dispatched OP, who scored a lone goal after the Internationals had increased the margin to 5-0. Internationals earned the final goal for a 6-1 final score and its first trip to the Region II Championship as Ohio North State Cup Champs.

After State Cup, the team quickly turned their focus to winning a Regional Championship. The coaching staff structured a demanding training schedule consisting of soccer training, strength, conditioning, and agility training as well as team-building and mental preparation.

Travel to Appleton, Wisconsin for the Region II Championship found us in a rematch against our neighbors to the south, the Ohio South State Cup Champion Classics Hammer. The match was hard fought, with the hammers evening the score in the second half of play. It seemed that the Hammers were poised to avenge the earlier loss at Wittenberg, but a foul outside the box in the waning minutes of play gave the Internationals a set play and a chance to seal the victory. Courtney Mercier lofted a short service into the box that Paige Maxwell headed into the back of the net, giving the Internationals the victory, and rallying the team to a new level of commitment and desire to excel.

Sunday the 25th of June found us in an afternoon affair against the Eclipse Select from Illinois. Again we prevailed by a 2-1 margin, and a win or tie against the final first round opponent on Monday would insure us a place in the semifinal games on Tuesday.

Sunday’s match in Appleton pitted us against the Minnesota State Cup Champions Bangu Tsunami. We scored two first half goals, then held on for a 3-1 victory and an appearance in the semifinal round against the Michigan Hawks with three wins against no losses in the preliminary rounds.

Play in the semifinal game against the Hawks on the 27th day of June found the Internationals up against their own goal for much of the first half. The Michigan squad maintained possession and attacked unrelentlessly but the Internationals would not concede a goal. A second half cross by found our forward with her back to the goal but an athletic, backwards, diving header lofted over the keeper’s head and into the goal to put us up 1-0. Later in the half, our outside midfielder found one of our forwards alone at midfield. She took several touches at a dead run on the ball then screamed a shot into the back of the net from 25 yards to seal the victory at 2-0. We will play for the Region II Championship!

Ominous weather the morning of the 28th delayed the start of the game by 30 minutes as players and officials waited for the U-16 Girls Championship Match between the Internationals and the defending National Champions St. Louis FC. Defensive play prevailed in the first half as neither team could find the back of the net. Ten minutes into the second half, St. Louis scored their first goal and the Internationals future was as cloudy as the skies above. Twelve minutes later, the St; Louis defense was forced to foul in the box to prevent a certain goal. The Internationals delivered on the ensuing penalty kick and the sky began to brighten as well. Neither team could manage another goal in the ensuing regulation time. The first fifteen minute overtime passed without either team able to score, so the teams lined up for a final attempt to end the contest before PK’s. Again in the 12th minute of the second overtime, the Internationals found themselves alone in the box with an easy shot on goal to determine the outcome. The St. Louis goalkeeper made a lunging tackle from behind, again earning the Internationals a PK. Again we converted, and with several minutes remaining, appeared to have earned the Championship. St. Louis was not to be denied, and their pride as National Champions kept their determination alive as they earned a corner kick with what appeared to be time expired. The referee allowed the kick, and as the game waned, we were unable to clear the ball and St. Louis found the goal to tie the game. Internationals took the ensuing kick off, but time expired without further scoring. Penalty kicks would determine Regions II’s U-16 Girls entry to the National Championship. Internationals won the coin toss for the right to take the first kick. Our initial attempt was blocked by the St. Louis keeper, and their player found the net to go up 1-0. The next Internationals attempt found net and our keeper guessed correctly to even the scoring at 1-1 after round 2. The third round proved a repeat of the second, with the Internationals keeper making a phenomenal second save to put us up 2-1. Both opponents converted their fourth attempts, so the score stood at 3-2 for the fifth and final kick. An Internationals successful conversion would seal the Championship and set the stage for the opportunity to replace the National Champions. With confidence and ease, the outcome was made clear, and the enjoyment of the moment of victory was instantaneously overwhelming. The Internationals family shared cheers, tears, and the exhilaration of the happiness of what can happen when we share in the experience of One for All, and All for One, Internationals!

After giving the team a few days off to decompress and regenerate their bodies, the coaching staff again set a challenging schedule in preparation for the National Championships. The team has been together almost every day over the past few weeks and is prepared and excited for the challenges in front of them.

Good Luck Ladies!! The entire Internationals Family is proud of you!!

International U16 Girls
Head Coach: Zdravko Popovic
Assistant Coach: Keri Sarver
Assistant Coach: Scott Ramsey
Manager: Kim Krawczak

Roster: (Click here for full roster with player profiles)
AUGUSTIN , THERESA #23 D SILVER LAKE
BURKE , LAUREN #8 M MEDINA
CANEPA , HANNAH #27 M LAKEWOOD
GALLAGHER , LINDSEY #0 GK STRONGSVILLE
GUZIK , CAROLYN #28 M/F AVON
JOHNSON , HANNAH #3 M/D MEDINA
KOVACS , KELSEY #24 M OREGON
KRAWCZAK , KERRI #13 D STRONGSVILLE
MARINELLI , GABRIELLE #12 D TOLEDO
MAXWELL , PAIGE #10 F MEDINA
MERCIER, COURTNEY #11 M ERIE, PA
MORONT , TAYLOR #2 F TOLEDO
MORRIN , GABRIELLE #7 GK PERRYSBURG
NYE , BROOKE #4 M SYLVANIA
RAMSEY , ALISON #15 M/D BRECKSVILLE
TAYLOR , BROOKE #14 M SYLVANIA
VINICKY , KRISTIN #6 M BROADVIEW HTS.
YOUNG , KAY #1 M DOYLESTOWN

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