Beadling Teams Report... - Beadling News April, 1999

The Capital Cup Tournament in Manassas, Virginia, is comprised of 64 teams from the best youth programs in the United States and Canada. Most of the teams are winners or runners-up of their state cups, others are from local Virginia club teams. Over 250 representatives from colleges and universities attended. On Thursday night of the tournament there was an interactive seminar between parents, players, and college coaches, involving the issues of recruiting, contacts, and basic issues for the college bound soccer player. On Friday night there was a coaches reception at which myself and the assistant coaches, Ron Wilcher and Kevin Chitester, got to interact and speak with over 30 colleges about our players. Our players received various contacts and visits with colleges from this event.

Our opponents included the Hoover Rage from Alabama, the Indianapolis Inferno from Indiana, the LRSC Raiders from Virginia, and the Cincinnati Premier I from Ohio. We defeated the LRSX Raiders 5-0 with goals scored by Eric Bernosky, John Gearhart, Bryan Hopper, Matt Hayden and Reed Rickert. Shutouts by 'keepers Kevin Humberston and Antonio Loffreda. We tied the Hoover Rage 2-2, defeated Cincinnati 3-2, and lost 3-2 to Indianapolis.

Our roster was comprised of players from the U-18 Beadling Blue and Red teams, and the U-17 Beadling team, all of whom are seniors planning to attend college in the fall. Below is the roster, along with the colleges where they will be playing:

Matt Chitester (Hartwick), Scott Cross (Syracuse), Matt Hayden (Duquesne), Mike Lesonick (Allegheny or Bethany), Nate Montgomery (Pitt), Steve Olivarez (Duquesne), Mike Poskin (Marshall), Reed Rickert (Maryland), Bryan Hopper (Pitt, Penn State or Duquesne), Kevin Humberston (Geneva or Westminster), Ryan Henry (Marshall), Anthony Portuesi (Duquesne or Allegheny), John Gearhart (Richmond or Allegheny), Antonio Loffreda (Duquesne), Joseph Dyer (Western Reserve Prep Academy), Eric Bernosky (Duquesne or Pitt).

The tournament was a great opportunity for our players to display their technical and tactical abilities in the game of soccer. The Western Pennsylvania players demonstrated that they can play at the highest levels of competition. The comments from colleges about our players were extraordinary and very positive. I believe that all of the team will prove to be assertive players and individuals in the years to come.

The Beadling Boys Blue U-16 team, coached by Dave MacKenzie and Bobby Dyer, has ambitious plans for the 1999 spring soccer season. This PA West championship team and National League participant - Midwest region, has plans to travel to France in March to play in the 15th annual Tournois International de Football at Le Portel, hosted by Le Stade Portelois. Entrance to the tournament and plans for the trip are being coordinated by the French Soccer Network which accepts a limited number of premier teams from the US each year. The team will play friendly games as well as participate in the official tournament.

This tournament traditionally includes pro and semipro clubs such as Legia Varsovie (Warsaw, Poland), Kent Schools FA and Peterborough FC from England, Vanlose FC and Aarhus of Denmark and USC Boulogne of France. Players from these teams are apprentice-pros groomed to compete for positions in the Premier leagues in future years. They usually go to boarding schools for soccer players and play no other sports. They live soccer.

But this Beadling team is no stranger to good competition, either here in PA West, at large in the country or abroad. They are the 1998 PA West champions, winning the State Cup for the second year. Also in 1997 the team traveled to France to compete and win the Tournoi Loriol du Comtat in Carpentras, a suburb of Avignon. They beat similarly club-linked teams from France, Spain and Holland, and led by goalkeeper Matt Wesmiller they were awarded the Defensive Play Award as well, having given up no goals in the tournament. Now, two years later, they will take on even tougher competition. History predicts that the older the age level, the greater the division between the European and the American talent. However, at age 16, the birthyear 1980-81 Beadling team took third place in the Carpentras tournament, losing by one goal in overtime to the tournament winner in the semifinal competition. This year's Beadling U-16 team (birthyear 198283) returns to France with strong motivation.

The trip to France will also include 4-5 days in Paris where the team will have an opportunity to experience French culture, sightseeing, shopping, dining, and hanging out with French soccer players. The return to Planet Hollywood is a must! The team also hopes to attend two international soccer matches; RCL V LeHavre and France V Armenia. This team has strong family bonds and high support from their favorite fans - the parents. The players are not the only ones excited about the trip - thirty enthusiastic family members plan to make the trip as well!

The Beadling players, led by captains Andrew Dealy (Squirrel Hill), Matt Paradise (Plum) and Derek MacKenzie (Scott Twp), include Anthony DeIGreco (Baldwin), Mike DelGreco (Baldwin), Jonathan Diamond (Mt. Lebanon), Will Durkee (Shadyside), Darren Evans (Mt. Lebanon), Jim Gottermeyer (Bethel Park), Mike Jackson (Peters Twp), Matt Leven (Marshall Twp), Robbie Magilson (Plum), Matt Mehler (N. Versailles), Erinn Otterson (Butler), James Steidel (McCandless), Matt Wesmiller (Mt. Lebanon), Steve Worthy (Upper St. Clair) and Joe Zewe (N. Versailles). They are working hard at various jobs in their communities through formal employment and fund raisers to earn their way to France. It takes a lot of dedicated effort, both on and off the soccer field, to make this endeavor happen. These coaches and players certainly have dedication. We hope the experience will be GOLDEN!

The U-13 Boys proved that they were no turkeys going down to Bethesda the week after Thanksgiving and coming away with second place. They lost to the New Jersey State Champions in the final 2-1. Previously, they had won the Internationals Tournament in Cleveland beating two Cleveland teams, the Internationals 1-0 and the Cobras 1-0. In Philadelphia they won the 10th Annual Coin Reilli Invitational. Keep bringing back the trophies!

The U-18's Beadling Bobcats team, along with a couple of players from the U-17's, made a strong showing at a high level tournament in Florida. After a hard fought tie against the N. Carolina Twisters, they were unlucky to lose 0-1 to the Alabama Attack who scored on a second half breakaway after being put on the defensive all game by the Bobcats. Later they were matched against Northport CowHarbor from Long Island, a team which at U-16 were the National Champions. The Bobcats held them scoreless in an even game in the first half and in an exciting three minutes early in the second had a goal called back, a near miss and hit the crossbar twice. However, the Long Island team came back in a quick counter attack and ended up scoring the only two goals of the match. The Bobcats' hard work and skills paid off when they triumphed 5-0 in their consolation game v. the Philadelphia Sting. They had played well all tournament in a division which was the toughest in the age group. The Alabama and Northport teams both advanced to the semi-finals.

Numerous college scouts were at the tournament and expressed interest in many of the Beadling players. Five of the team's 14 seniors have signed letters of intent with Div. I schools, and college choices so far include Erin Marshall from Mt. Lebanon to Duquesne; Gretchen Ross from Shaler to James Madison; Stephanie Smyrl from USC to SUNY, Stoneybrook; Courtney Biddle from Franklin Regional to Mississippi; Jaqueline Fix from Center to Pitt; Kim Sturk from Bethel Park to Pitt; Ashley Wesmiller from Mt. Lebanon to Lafayette. Several others are still making visits and narrowing down their choices.

The Bobcats most recent excursion was to the PSU indoor facility - the third time they've been lucky enough to get to that meet. The good news is that they didn't lose any of their five games but the bad news is that they didn't win any either. However, five ties against such strong opponents as Pitt, PSU, Bethesda Scorpions, Virginia's State Champions Springfield, and Council Rock, the PA East State Champs, proves that the girls absolutely belong among the elite!

Under 12 Boys: Tim Tracy,Sean Langton, Evan Browne, Scott Dillie, Adam Gazda, Patrick Mc Afee, Marco Lofredda-Mancinelli, Eric Feduska, Andy Machi, Shan Gaur, Colin Fink, Mitchell Minerd, Joe Innerbrickler, Justin Kruljac, Michael Tardio, Eric Sloan