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U17 88 Blues Ranked 3rd in the Nation

Far West Regional US Soccer Championships

June 24, 2006 - Boise, Idaho. 2006 US Youth Soccer Association Far West Regional Championship Tournament. The U17 Santa Cruz County Breakers 88 Blue boys soccer team lost 1-0 to the two time defending National Champion U17 Arsenal soccer team in the Semifinals of the 2006 US Youth Soccer Association Far West Regional Championship tournament.

The Breakers went down 15 minutes into the match to a penalty kick awarded on a questionable call in top far corner of the penalty box. Despite a tactically exciting match with a number of chances on goal for both sides, this would be the only score of the match ending the Breakers dream of playing for their first Regional championship.

The U17 Breakers 88 Blue, anchored by some exceptional saves by keeper Jeremy Delre, were the only team in this Regional Championship to hold the National Champion Arsenal scoreless from the run of play. As semifinalists in one of four USYSA Regional tournaments that lead to the National Championships the Breakers end this season as one of the top 16 teams in the United States.

U17 Santa Cruz County Breakers Beat New Mexico State Champs

Boise, Idaho - June 22, 2006. U17 Santa Cruz County Breakers boys soccer team beat New Mexico State Champion Albuquerque United FC 1-0 to advance to the Far West Regional Semifinals. Ben Poser headed the game winner on a 40 yard throw in by Walker Linares Jeremy Delre and Philip Bliss combined in goal for the shutout. The Breakers face the defending National Champions, Arsenal FC from Cal South at 9;00 this Saturday in the semifinals in Boise, ID

About U17 ARSENAL FC. the Alta Loma, Calif., team repeated as U.S. Youth Soccer national boys champs, winning the U-15 title in 2004 and the U-16 crown in '05. Moving up to U-17s last fall, they were Premier League champions in the Coast Soccer League and swept all four games at the Nike Friendlies, including a 2-1 victory over the U.S. U-17 national team. This years U17 team has 7 players in the U18 Mens National team pool.

U17B Santa Cruz County Breakers Win Bracket at Far West Regional US Youth Soccer Regional Championship Beat #2 Ranked Team in Country to Advance to Quarterfinals

Boise, Idaho - June 21, 2006. The U17B Santa Cruz County Breakers started this USYSA Regional Championship Tournament much like the US National Team at the World Cup, in the ‘Group of Death’. After a 3-0 defeat in their opening match against a fast athletic Nevada State Champion (LV Premier 89) the Breakers found their rhythm much like the US did against Italy in their second match after an opening 3-0 defeat at the hands of the Czech Republic. In the second game of the tournament, the Breakers beat a very disciplined Sereno Golden Eagle team, a perennial Arizona powerhouse, 2-0 on goals from Marco Del Real and Colby Moore. This kept the Breakers hopes of advancing to the quarterfinal knock out rounds of the Regional Championships alive.

To do so, however, the U17B Breakers, three time California North State Champions, would have to play some of their best soccer of the year to beat the second ranked team in the Nation, the Colorado Nike Rush. In World Cup terms, this was the U17B Breakers ‘Ghana’ match– a must win!

The Breakers came out on fire, scoring a goal in the first five minutes of the match. The goal was a spectacular driven ball by Alberto Mata from 20 yards out from the left side of the penalty box into the right upper corner past the outstretched arms of a diving Rush goalkeeper. With a very physical and fast paced match the scored was 1-0 at half time. The second half was played at break neck speed up and down the pitch with The Rush pushing hard to score the equalizer but the Breakers sustained the onslaught only to gain score a second goal on a counterattack that found Jose Gonzalez running at the Rush central defenders before threading a wonderful pass through to a streaking Simon Evans in the box who’s one touch shot put the Breakers up 2-0.

The Rush were now frantically attacking and the Breakers were under great pressure. This Rush team are a seasoned successful team that rarely giving up goals were a determined bunch. However lightning struck for a third time as the Breakers found space and used great ball movement in transition to drive deep into the Rush half. After patient control and ball movement. Erik Espinoza took the Rush defenders wide in their penalty box on the dribble before cutting back and drilling a low driven ball into the near corner to put the Breakers up 3-0.

The Breakers finally made a crucial mistake giving the ball up in their half and were punished by a low driven shot to pull the Rush back to 3-1. After a final ten minutes of relentless pressure the Rush finally found their 6’3’ target player at the far post on the end of a huge cross, who buried it past a diving Jeremy Delre. Three minutes later the final whistle blew and the Breakers had claimed victory and the bracket.

Breaker goalkeeper Delre played one of his best games this season in goal that was highlighted by two spectacular saves, one in each half. This first time victory over the Colorado Nike Rush resulted in the Breakers advancing to the Quarterfinals for a second time in team history. They will face the New Mexico State Champions, the Albuquerque United Football Club 89 Thursday June 22nd at high noon in Boise. The winners of this Far West Regional tournament will play the other three Regional Champions in the USYSA National Championship tournament in late July.