The Poway Vaqueros team opponents in the United Soccer Leagues 2009 Super-20 National Finals have been announced.The Vaqueros will compete in Group C along with the Super-20 development team sponsored by the MLS Red Bull New York organization, the Reading Rage from Pennsylvania, and Alpharetta United from Georgia.Red Bull NY was the league season champion in the USL Mid Atlantic Group A, with a 9-0-1 record.Reading Rage was the Mid Atlantic Group B runner-up with a 6-1-2 record, and Alpharetta led the South Atlantic division at 6-1-1.The Vaqueros 8-2-0 record is good for the championship of the Southern California Group B competition.
The National Finals will be contested in Rockford, Illinois (northwest of Chicago) from July 30 through August 2.
Vaqueros Super-20 facts:
Of the 26 players on the Vaqueros Super-20 roster, 10 have played for Vaqueros for 10 or more years, 5 have played with Vaqueros for 3 or more seasons, and all but 3 played on the Vaqueros BU17 or BU19 teams in the Cal South State Cup National Division last Spring.
Vaqueros Super-20 players range in age from high school Seniors to college Juniors.The high schools represented include Poway HS, RB HS, Mira Mesa HS, and Orange Glen and San Pasqual in Escondido.Players who are current college varsity players are attending CreightonUniversity, ChicoState, HumboldtState, UC Irvine, and PalomarCommunity College.
Vaqueros Super-20 led all Southern California teams in goal-scoring (29), and yielded the fewest goals by opponents, (7).
The Southern California Division where the Vaqueros competed this season is composed of 2 teams sponsored by MLS clubs, 2 teams which are summer soccer training affiliates of NAIA colleges, and 4 community soccer club teams (like the Vaqueros).The Vaqueros record this year was 1-1 against the MLS-sponsored teams, 3-1 against the college-based teams, and 4-0 against the other club teams.
Vaqueros Shoot Down Galaxy
Erin Murphy Updated: Monday, June 16, 2008 11:29 am
Cristian Perez runs down his LA Galaxy oppostion to take possession of the ball.
James Delaney unleashed a shot in the 25th minute to give the Poway Vaqueros U-20 team a 2-1 victory over the LA Galaxy Rios on Sunday. The Galaxy held sole possession of first place in the United Soccer Super-20 League until yesterday, when Poway’s win created a three-way log jam at the top. The Galaxy previously routed Poway in May, 6-0, but this time the Vaqueros heeded the advice of coach Craig McGill and focused on playing the game rather than the famous name branded on their opponents’ jerseys.
“The wee little village team strikes again,” McGill said. “This is why we coach. The result is very pleasing, quite possibly the best results ever.”
Although Poway overtook Riverside MFGM on Saturday, 3-0, McGill worried the Vaqueros might struggle bouncing back against the Galaxy. His players proved his worry wasted as they used the previous day’s victory to their advantage.
Nate Jarman got the Vaqueros on the board less than two minutes into the first half off an assist by Zach Olow. Delaney found another hole in the 25th minute off a corner kick to give Poway a 2-0 lead. The Galaxy came within one in the 33rd minute, sending a header into the top of the net. Poway held possession for 60 percent of the first half, securing its lead heading into the second.
Poway saw its ranks thin as the game progressed. Jarman went down for a tackle in the 54th minute, hyper-extending his knee and taking the bench for the remainder of the game. Only minutes later, Jared Fenalson was complaining of a knee injury and joined Jarman on the bench.
Nonetheless, Poway found a way to maintain control of the game. Benjamin Henry nearly pushed the game out of reach in the 64th minute, but his powerful shot deflected off the Galaxy’s goalie.
The intensity and pressure picked up as Galaxy tried to even the score. Goalie Aaron Fenalson saved the equalizing goal when he leaped up towards the top of the net, deflecting the ball over the goal post off the tips of his fingers. Although the technically sound Galaxy found solid time in the box in the final minutes, Fenalson and defender Joel Bagby provided safety at the net.
The Vaqueros face the Ventura County Fusion on June 19th in Ventura and the Lancaster Rattlers at 2 p.m. on June 22 at Poway HS.
Poway Snakes the Rattlers
Erin Murphy Posted: Monday, June 23, 2008 9:55 am
Nate Jarman is tackled by a Lancaster defender.
Zach Olow split Lancaster’s defense in the 87th minute to earn the Poway Vaqueros U-20 crew a 1-1 draw in the last home game of the season. Sunday’s game was the first time the two teams battled each other in the Super-20 League 2008 season. The tie dropped the Vaqueros, who were in a three-way tie for first, into third place in the standings.
“We deserved at least a tie,” said Colin Garon, the goalkeeper coach for the Vaqueros. “It was an intense and chippy game, but the boys' frustrations cooled after halftime and they played a much better game.”
The first half was a physical game for both teams, as yellow cards were thrown right and left. Olow suffered an arm injury in the 15th minute after he was tackled on his way to the net. While he sat out the remainder of the half, his teammates fought hard to keep their opponents from scoring. With the collective effort of defenders Noah Hoeberg, Colin Wooster, Joel Bagby, Gunner Emery and Brian Romag, the Rattlers were held at bay until minutes before the half. The Rattlers took advantage of an opportunity in the 43rd minute when Poway goalie Aaron Fenalson went down on the right attempting to block a shot. Lancaster fired in the crossover from the left, taking the 1-0 lead into the second half.
The Vaqueros came back strong in the second half, but the multiple chances they created couldn't get by Lancaster’s defense. Bagby found one of the best opportunities of the day for Poway in the 55th minute, but his shot toward the net went just wide. The Rattlers attempted two shots but struggled to get a ball past Poway’s defense. With only minutes remaining, Poway pulled even when Emery sent a crossover to Olow, who powered the header straight into the net.
The Vaqueros are winding down their first season in the USL with only three games left. Lancaster will have the homefield advantage next weekend when it plays Poway again on June 28th.
Erin Murphy Updated: Monday, June 9, 2008 11:13 am
Achilles Schmelzer hops through a Ventura defender's legs to take the ball down for Poway.
The Poway Vaqueros U-20 slid by with a 2-2 draw on Sunday when a last-minute goal by the Ventura County Fusion was discounted due to an offside call. The game was a refreshing jump-start for the Vaqueros, who recently registered a 1-0 loss to the Bakersfield Brigade on May 31 and 6-0 loss to the LA Galaxy on May 24.
“It was tough today, but I’m pretty pleased with the result considering we had six new players playing together for the first time,” coach Craig McGill said. “Playing a team like Ventura with PDL players is good experience for a village team like us.”
Collin Wooster initiated the scoring for Poway when he nailed in a shot off a penalty kick in the 21st minute. With the home team boasting the 1-0 lead, the physicality of the match only intensified. Both teams fought to gain and maintain possession. Although Ventura’s Johnny Martinez found his way to the net to even the score, Poway didn’t back down from the competition. Zach Olow broke the deadlock off an assist by Cristian Perez, taking the Vaqueros into the second half with a 2-1 lead.
Aaron Fenalson subbed in at goal for Poway’s Keith Cline in the second half. Fenalson’s hands took some beatings as Ventura fired several hard attempts at the net. The competition grew fierce as tempers flared, yellow cards flashed and aggressions escalated. Ventura broke through Poway’s defense and found its way past Fenalson in the 80th minute to tie the game. In teeter-totter fashion, both teams ran wearily up and down the field to break the scoreboard’s standstill. In the final minutes, Ventura delivered a shot on goal, taking Fenalson to the ground and out of the box. Wooster stepped in the goal to provide security at the net but was unsuccessful. Ventura took to celebrating the shot prematurely as the goal was discounted.
“The game should have ended early but we didn’t take the chances we created,” McGill said. “We need to be smarter with possession.”
