|
|
||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||
|
 |
|
|
Clemson Tops Wolfpack To Reach Round Of 16 Clemson advanced to the Final 16 as the 12th-ranked Tigers scored three second-half goals in defeating N.C. State 3-0 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Raleigh, NC Tuesday afternoon. Clemson improves to 13-5-3 overall, while N.C. State ends the 2005 seasonwith a 11-7-1 record. The Wolfpack were seeded 14th in this year's tournament. The Tigers are ranked 12th by Soccer America and 15th by the NSCAA. N.C. State is ranked 18th by Soccer America and 23rd by the NSCAA. In the NCAA Tournament, the Tigers are unseeded. Clemson's Hector Quintanar scored his fifth goal of
the year at the 68:17 point into the match. Bradley Gibson played the
ball to Randy Albright. Albright crossed the ball to
Quintanar who sent a shot inside the right Danny Poe completed the scoring for Clemson with 14:37 left in the match. Mark Buchholz crossed the ball from the right. Poe sent a diving head shot inside the left post for his second goal of the year. Clemson will play the winner of the Indiana-Notre Dame match this weekend. Indiana and Notre Dame will play tonight (November 22). Clemson-Dane Richards (Unassisted) 50:36 Shots: Clemson 16, N.C. State 7 Top of PageLiberty Wins Big South, D-II Berth ROCK HILL, S.C. - Third-seeded Liberty University scored
three goals in a 22-minute span Top of PageClemson's Rhyne Goes In Supplemental Draft Forty-eight players have been selected in the 2005 Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft held via teleconference call from League headquarters on Friday. The four-round Supplemental Draft allowed MLS clubs to continue to add to their rosters,which this year have been expanded to incorporate an all-time high of 28 players (18 Senior Roster players and 10 Developmental Roster players). With the first selection, Real Salt Lake drafted midfielder Steve Rhyne from Clemson University, followed by Club Deportivo Chivas USA, which used its first selection on a local product - goalkeeper Javier Barragan from Cal State Dominguez Hills. Barragan was one of eight goalkeepers selected by seven different teams on the day. FC Dallas led all teams with six selections, followed by the Columbus Crew and Los Angeles Galaxy which selected five players. The complete order of the picks can be found by clicking on the following link: http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/mls/events/supplementaldraft/2005/search.jsp?sort=Pick&order=asc Top of PageBattery To Host Three MLS Teams The Charleston Battery will host the second annual Carolina Challenge Cup March 19 – 25 at Blackbaud Stadium, Daniel Island. This year's teams include the holders, Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew, 2004 MLS Cup Champions DC United, 2003 MLS Cup Champions the San Jose Earthquakes and the Charleston Battery. DC United's young soccer sensation Freddy Adu is expected to make a return visit to the tournament; in 2004 he scored his first ever professional goal in DC's 2-1 victory over the Charleston Battery. Charleston Battery President, Nigel Cooper, "We are thrilled to be able to field such a strong line-up for the 2005 Carolina Challenge Cup. The tournament’s reputation is growing and the caliber of the teams on offer is a testament to that. Last years competition was a great success and I’m confident that this year will be bigger and even better." The match schedule features three exciting double-headers. Charleston opens the tournament on Saturday, March 19 vs. the Columbus Crew; kick off is set for 6 PM. The second game of the day features an all Major League Soccer match pitting D.C. United against the San Jose Earthquakes; kickoff is set for 8:15 PM. Match-day two on Tuesday, March 22 sees the Columbus Crew take on the San Jose Earthquakes at 6 PM. The second match of the double header features the Charleston Battery and DC United, with kick off set for 8:15 PM. The tournament concludes on Friday, March 25 with a final double-header as the Battery battles the San Jose Earthquakes at 6 PM. An intriguing final match features a battle between MLS's Supporters' Shield champions (and reigning Carolina Cup Champions) the Columbus Crew & 2004 MLS Cup Champions D.C. United; kick off is set for 8:15 PM. D.C. United United acquired soccer's hottest young prospect prior to the start of the 2004 season, selecting Freddy Adu with the first overall pick in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. Adu featured heavily for United in 2004 playing 30 games, scoring 5 goals with 3 assists. By playing in MLS Cup 2004 at just fifteen years of age Adu became the youngest player ever to win a championship in a major U.S. professional team sport. United Goalkeeper Nick Rimando, midfielder Ben Olsen and forward Alecko Eskandarian were all called into the current US Men’s National team training camp. Columbus Crew The Crew bowed out of the 2004 MLS playoffs in the Eastern Conference Semifinals with a 2-1 aggregate score loss to the New England Revolution. Columbus is the only MLS side in this season's Carolina Challenge Cup that has not won an MLS Cup but in 2002 the Crew did win the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The Crew had four players called into Bruce Arena’s latest US National Team camp; goalkeeper Jon Busch and defenders, Frankie Hejduk, Chad Marshall and Tony Sanneh. San Jose Earthquakes The Earthquakes roster features two US Men's National team players, midfielder Brian Mullan and forward, Brian Ching. San Jose's defense is anchored by Canadian Men's National Team goalkeeper and 2003 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, Pat Onstad. San Jose also recently traded for former Furman stand-out, midfielder Ricardo Clarke. Charleston Battery First year Head Coach, Mike Anhaeuser has solidified the Battery roster in the off-season adding former US Men’s National team midfielder Chad Deering, as well as inking some young prospects including College of Charleston midfielder, Troy Lesesne. 2005 Carolina Challenge Cup Game Schedule Tuesday, March 22 Columbus Crew vs San Jose Earthquakes 6:00 PM Friday, March 25 Charleston Battery vs San Jose Earthquakes 6:00 PM Tickets Series Tickets (includes all three double-headers) Season Ticket Holder Series Tickets Group Discount - Discounted rates are available for groups of 10 or more please call (843) 971-4625. For More Information, Contact: Top of PageThe Charleston Battery made College of Charleston defender Drew Cavanagh the #2 player selected in the 2005 USL First Division College Draft. Forward Drew McAthy of NCAA Division I runnerup UC-Santa Barbara was drafted #1 by the Puerto Rico Islanders. Old Dominion University midfielder Kevon Harris, who played last summer with the Chesapeake Dragons, was taken in the first round by the Virginia Beach Mariners with the #4 overall pick. Atlanta took Clemson striker Steve Rhyne with the #7 pick. Rhyne played last summer with the PDL Carolina Dynamo. The Richmond Kickers took UNC Pembroke midfielder Sasha Gorres, a Division II All-America, in the first round with the #10 overall pick. 2004 PDL Championship MVP Justin Cook of the Central Florida Kraze was drafted 12th by the Portland Timbers. The Ohio State forward scored the lone goal in the championship two minutes from regulation to give the Kraze the title. In the second round Charleston selected College of Charleston midfielder
Troy Lesesne (#14), and Virginia Beach selected forward
Doco Wesseh (#16) from Judson (IL) College. Wesseh scored
33 goals with 13 assists in four summers playing in the Premier Development
League. Atlanta’s second round pick was Western Kentucky defender
Ron Plute, and Wake Forest forward Scott Sealy
went to Vancouver as the #20 overall selection. Top of PageChicago Edges Battery In Double OT The Charleston Battery's Lamar Hunt US Open Cup run ended with a semifinal loss to Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire in double OT at Benedetti-Werhli Stadium in front of 1,877. Substitute forward Dipsy Selolwane headed home the golden-goal winner in the 107th minute. Chicago advances to the final where they will face the Kansas City Wizards in Kansas City on September 22. The A-League Battery had reached the semifinal with three teams from Major League Soccer. The game featured an hour weather delay after the first-half because of lightning and threat of tornado in the Naperville area. The Battery created the first chance of the game in the 14th minute. Midfielder Ted Chronopoulos played a pass around the outside for forward Greg Simmonds to chase. Simmonds latched onto the ball just outside the box but his right-footed attempt crashed into the side netting. Two minutes later Simmonds and Chronopoulos combined again this time leaving Chronopoulos in a scoring position at the left-hand side of the 18-yard box. Chronopoulos fired a shot on-goal but former USC goalkeeper Henry Ring was well positioned and made the save. The Battery's best chance of the first-half fell to midfielder Gabe Valencia in the 24th minute. Valencia picked up the ball in space midway inside the Chicago half. He took two touches then whipped a dipping shot at the goal forcing a good one-handed save from Ring. In the 35th minute the Fire's Jamaican international midfielder Andy Williams received a looping pass just inside the box. He hit an excellent first-time volley but Battery goalkeeper Dusty Hudock dropped to his right and turned the ball around the post for a corner. In the 62nd minute Gabe Valencia was first to react to a goal-mouth scramble but his attempt from 5-yards was smothered by Ring. The Battery were forced to swap goalkeepers late in the second-half after Dusty Hudock was injured contesting a cross. The Battery had an opportunity to win the game in the 106th minute from a corner-kick. Substitute midfielder Chris Goos drove the ball into the middle of the goal but defender Steve Klein's snap header went straight to Ring at the near-post. The Fire scored the winner in the second period of OT. Defender Orlando
Perez whipped a ball into the middle from wide on the left. Dipsy
Selolwane met the cross and directed a header past substitute
goalkeeper Chris Doyle. Players Not Used - DJ Countess, Leonard Griffin, Alex Boucicant, Scott Buette, Danny Clanton SHOTS: 19 (Ralph 6); SAVES: 6 (Ring 6); FOULS: 14 (Brown 4); CORNER KICKS:
8; OFFSIDES: 4; PENALTY KICKS: (NONE); CAUTIONS: (NONE); EJECTIONS: (NONE) Players Not Used - Henrik Jensen, Nick Downing, Josh Smith, Nigel Henry SHOTS: 11 (Simmonds 3); SAVES: 9 (Hudock 6, Doyle 3); FOULS: 20 (Martinez 3); CORNER KICKS: 4; OFFSIDES: 11; PENALTY KICKS: (NONE); CAUTIONS: (NONE); EJECTIONS: (NONE) Top of PageFurman Women Picked #1 In Southern GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Southern Conference women's soccer
coaches have "Any recognition is great and we are honored to be picked first,
but it Furman topped the poll with 10 of 12 first place votes while UNC Furman, 15-5-2 overall and 10-0-1 in SoCon play a year ago, have collected The Lady Paladins open their 2004 campaign Friday night at Auburn before 2004 Women's Soccer Preseason Poll 1. Furman (10) 120 2004 Women's Soccer Preseason All-League Team GK- Andie Hinshaw, Furman Top of PageWolde Harris Signs With Charleston The Charleston Battery has agreed to terms with two seven-year MLS veterans, Wolde Harris and Ezra Hendrickson. Harris comes to the Battery from the Kansas City Wizards while Hendrickson arrives from Major League Soccer's Dallas Burn. A forward, Harris's seven year MLS totals include 206 games played, 50 goals, 31 assists, 131 points. Hendrickson a right-footed defender played 192 games in MLS scoring 23 goals with 30 assists for a total of 76 points. Charleston Battery Head Coach, Chris Ramsey. "Hopefully these two players will bring a bit of much-needed grit and experience to the squad. They both come highly recommended and know that the expectations at the Charleston Battery are very high." Wolde Harris In 2000 Harris was traded to the New England Revolution where he would spend three years scoring another 24 goals in 84 games played before moving to the Kansas City Wizards late in the 2003 season. Harris saw post season action in six of his seven years with Major League Soccer and was a starter in the 2002 MLS Cup match vs. a LA Galaxy side that also featured Ezra Hendrickson. Harris, 5-10, 190 lbs, 29 yrs., has represented Jamaica at the full National
Team level. Ezra Hendrickson While with the Galaxy Hendrickson made 29 playoff appearances as LA made the playoffs for six consecutive seasons (1997 - 2002). He was a starter in the Galaxy side that won the 2002 MLS Cup. Hendrickson has appeared in three MLS Cup matches during his career (1999, 2001 &2002). In addition to his MLS Cup success Hendrickson was named the LA Galaxy's MVP in 2001, the same year that the Galaxy won the US Open Cup and the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Hendrickson was traded to the Dallas Burn in June 2003. Hendrickson, 6-3, 185 lbs, 32 yrs., has 50 caps for St. Vincent &
The Grenadines including seven 2002 World Cup qualifiers and is expected
to participate in qualification this summer. Top of PageDUE WEST, SC---Serge Lipovetsky has been named head coach of the Erskine College women’s soccer program, announced by Director of Athletics Chip Sherer Tuesday. Sherer also announced that Ben Freakley, a former assistant coach at the College of Charleston and Georgia Southern, will replace Lance Watkins as the Erskine men's coach. Lipovetsky comes to Erskine after serving as a graduate assistant at Florida State University for the past year getting his master’s in Physical Education/Teacher Education. In 2002, Serge served as the assistant women’s soccer coach at Iowa State University, where he helped with on-the-field training and goalkeeper training. He currently is coaching ODP in Florida, while training various soccer programs, as well as in the Tallahassee United Football Club. Lipovetsky currently holds several coaching licenses, including a National “A” License from the United States Soccer Federation as well as an Advanced Goalkeeper Diploma Level III from the National Soccer Coaches’ Association of America. Serge has a great deal of professional playing experience as well. He was a member of the Tallahassee Tempest in 1998, after playing for several different teams overseas. Freakley played collegiately for the Georgia Southern Eagles after playing high school soccer in Texas, Pennsylvania and Georgia, where he was team captain his senior year. He earned his undergraduate degree in public relations in 2000 and his masters degree in sport management in 2003. Freakley currently serves as U-10 age group coordinator for the Mount Pleasant Soccer Club. He holds a USSF ‘B’ license and a NSCAA Advanced Diploma. Freakley was recently married to the former Melissa Cox of Marietta, GA, who played women’s soccer at Georgia Southern. Top of PageUSC Names Molinary Men's Assistant COLUMBIA, S.C. - Bert Molinary, who most-recently spent eight years as the head men's soccer coach at Hampden-Sydney College, has been named assistant men's soccer coach at the University of South Carolina, head coach Mark Berson announced. Molinary, who replaces Donn Heikkila, will assume responsibilities in all aspects of the Gamecock program, including recruiting, administration and player development. "We are very pleased to have Bert join our staff," said Berson. "He brings a wealth of experience after six years as an assistant and eight years as a head coach in college soccer. Bert is a tremendous recruiter and a tireless worker, who has been a proven winner at the collegiate level." During his tenure at Hampden-Sydney, Molinary compiled an impressive list of credentials, including a 94-57-6 (.618) overall record, with his victory total and winning percentage rating as the best in school history. Along with his record number of coaching victories, he guided the Tigers to a national ranking of 22nd in 1997, marking the first-ever appearance by a Hampden-Sydney soccer team in the national poll. Molinary served six seasons as an assistant coach at Hampden-Sydney prior to taking over as the program's head coach. In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Molinary served as the Chairman of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Soccer Coaches Committee, as the South Region Chairman of the NSCAA Men's All-America Selection Committee, and as a member of the NCAA Selection Committee. A native of Columbia, S.C., Molinary played two years for former Hampden-Sydney head coach Mike Reilly at Spartanburg Methodist College. In those two years, SMC compiled a 29-5 record and in 1985, reached the Southeast Region Finals of the NJCAA Championships, attaining a final national ranking of seventh. Molinary is a 1984 graduate of Spring Valley High School, where he played for the highly respected coach John Boulware. Top of PageSouth Carolina Winter Coaches Workshop Set The eighth annual Winter Clinic of the South Carolina High
School Soccer Coaches Association (SCHSSCA) will be held, Jan. 23-24,
2004 at the Clarion Town House Hotel in Columbia, SC. Kevin Heise, Director Pre-registration is $50.00 and must be received by Tuesday, January 20, 2003. Late registration (to be conducted on site at the Winter Clinic) is $60.00. SCHSSCA Winter Clinic Schedule
Top of PageHinshaw
Ties Record For Saves Furman goalkeeper Andie Hinshaw tallied a school record-tying 19 saves to lead the Lady Paladins to a 0-0 draw with 24th-ranked Clemson at Eugene Stone III Soccer Stadium in Greenville, S.C. Clemson controlled play early in the match, outshooting Furman 9-0 in
the Clemson, 7-2-2, regained the advantage in possession during the overtime "I'm content with the result tonight, but not satisfied," said
Furman head "To do this without Kate Johnson, Tara Marker and Alice Martin, is a wonderful statement to our depth. Clemson is an excellent soccer team and is very well coached" added Lee. Hinshaw's 19 saves tied the school record set by Sarah Kesler
against Along with holding a 26-7 edge in shots, Clemson had eight corner kicks to Furman's five. Clemson tallied only one save, while Furman posted 20 stops. Furman, 7-4-1 on the season, returns to action on Friday night when it Scoring: Shots: Furman --7; Clemson --26 . Corner Kicks: Furman --5 ; Clemson --8 . Saves: Furman --20 ; Clemson --1. Fouls: Furman --13 ; Clemson --12. Top of PageThe Charleston Battery will test itself early by hosting a pair of Major League Soccer teams prior to the start of the 2002 A-League. The Battery will play the Dallas Burn at Blackbaud Stadium on March 30, and then host the New England Revolution two weeks later on April 13. The game with the Burn will be the first-ever between the two clubs. Among the Burns' top players is former Duke All-America Jason Kreis, who is the #3 all-time leading scorer in MLS with 66 goals. The Burn also features one of the top young American players, Eddie Johnson, who was the leading scorer on the U.S. U-17 national team last year The game with New England matches two teams that met twice a year ago. The second meeting came in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup with the Revs winning 2-1. "I'm delighted to get the opportunity to play teams of this caliber during our preseason," said the Battery's first-year head coach Chris Ramsey. "Both teams feature some of the top soccer talent currently playing in the U.S. The MLS season will be underway when they arrive, so they will be firing on all cylinders." Of all of the 10 teams in MLS, New England probably has had the most player turnover. Several high profile players came from Miami and Tampa Bay when those two franchises were folded by the league. New England picked up Alex Pineda Chacon, who led MLS in scoring last year, and MLS' 2000 scoring championship Mamadou Diallo. They will join former Clemson striker Wolde Harris on the front line. The Revs also picked up U.S. Men's national team defender Carlos Llamosa and midfielder Steve Ralston in the dispersal draft. Also on board for the 2002 season is Taylor Twellman, who has been a reserve in the German Bundesliga for 1860 Munich for the last two years. A-League Draft Picks The Battery picked three players in the recent A-League draft, taking Furman standout and Georgia native Matt Goldsmith as their territorial pick. Goldsmith is a former member of the U.S. U17 and U20 teams. In the first round the Battery chose Southwest Missouri State defender Chris Brunt. In the second round they chose Jamaican forward Nicholas McCreath, who starred at the University of Rhode Island. In 2001, the Battery A-League draft produced one Battery player, Clemson's Pablo Webster, who played 15 games in Charleston last year. The other two picks a year ago, Corey Gibbs (Brown) and Robert Russell (Duke) are currently playing professionally in Europe. Top of PageBattery Signs Raul Diaz Arce and Justin Evans The Charleston Battery has signed forward, Raul Diaz Arce and Justin Evans, for the 2002 A-League season. A five-year veteran of Major League Soccer, Diaz Arce spent the 2001 season with the Colorado Rapids. The San Miguel, El Salvador native, is second all time in MLS goals scored with 82 goals in 150 matches, and third all time in points (193). Evans, 25, spent the off-season with the MISL Cleveland Crunch. "These are two more great additions to the 2002 Battery roster,” said Charleston Battery coach Chris Ramsey. Raul is a player of notable pedigree and has proved himself in Major League Soccer and more than 60 times at the International level. Although he has not been playing competitively lately, he is in very good shape and is raring to go. "Justin Evans has shown great spirit in training, in the Seamus Donnelly fashion. I think he is going to be an asset to the squad as his work-rate is similar. I'm hoping the skills he's learned from indoor soccer will transfer to the outdoor game where he already has a good track record with both MLS and A-League experience under his belt." The Battery has also received Shaker Asad on loan from the New England Revolution. Asad is a native of Raleigh, NC and was a Project 40 player with the Miami Fusion before being picked up in the dispersal draft by the Revs after the Fusion was disbanded. Dias Arce is expected to pick up the scoring potential the Battery had sought from veteran MLS Eric Wynalda forward, who suffered a torn ACL in a preseason exhibition game with New England. Wynalda’s injury has been confirmed by Dr. Bert Mendlebaum in California, surgery has been performed and Wynalda is lost for the current A-League season. In 1996, Diaz Arce was DC United's number one draft pick in the inaugural MLS draft. In two years he scored 38 goals and added 8 assists in 50 matches played. He was a member of the team that won consecutive Major League Soccer championships in 1996 and 1997. Also while at DC United he won the US Open Cup in 1996 and was a runner-up in 1997. Diaz Arce scored the first ever goal in DC United's history on April 20, 1996, during a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy. Diaz Arce also played with New England, San Jose and Tampa Bay before moving back to D.C. United in 2000. Evans A native of Pittsburgh, PA, Evans began his pro career in 1999 with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in their inaugural year. He led the team in assists (14) and minutes played (2,501). His 14 assists were second best in the A-League for that season. In the fall of 1999, Evans played for Petro Plock of the Polish First Division, starting 6 games and scoring 1 goal. Evans was drafted in the second round of the 2000 MLS SuperDraft by the San Jose Earthquakes and appeared in 13 matches, starting nine games before being traded to the Chicago Fire. He played in 8 games for the Fire recording 1 assist, before moving midway through the 2001 season to the Dallas Burn. With the Burn, he played in 9 matches, including 2 playoff games. Top of PageWynalda Out With Probable ACL Tear The Charleston Battery lost more than a game in a preseason 2-1 loss to the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer last Saturday night. Forward Eric Wynalda's 2002 A-League season is now in doubt after suffering a probable anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear midway through the second half. The initial diagnosis was a torn ACL. He flies to California late this week to consult with US Men's National team doctor, Dr. Bert Mandlebaum. If the tests are positive he will undergo surgery, on Saturday. "The initial evaluation is that I've torn the ACL in my right knee, however until we get the results of the MRI we won't be 100% sure,” said Wynalda. “Personally speaking, I am devastated." Charleston Battery President, Nigel Cooper, said, "Obviously we are very disappointed. Eric's attitude and his work ethic since he arrived have been exemplary. He's been setting the right example on and off the pitch and we were excited about what he could bring, not just to the Club, but to the league as a whole. The main thing now, is that he gets the correct treatment and gets over this as quickly as possible." Wynalda, 32 is the all time leading goal scorer for the US Men's National Team, with 34 goals in 106 matches. He has appeared in three World Cups (1990, 1994 and 1998) and in 2000 was voted the Honda Player of the Decade. In 1999 Wynalda suffered a similar injury, but to his left knee, while on loan from the Miami Fusion, to Leon of the Mexican First Division. Wynalda, who has played for five MLS teams, was with the Chicago Fire last season. He scored the first goal in MLS history in the league’s first game. He was playing with San Jose at the time. Top of PageWhen Rick and Kaye Branan's youngest son, Brett, signed to play soccer at Clemson they made a family decision to move South from their home in Lakeville, Minnesota. Among the things they packed up and brought to South Carolina was a Premier Development League soccer franchise. The Branans are a soccer family. Their oldest son Ryan played soccer for Drake University, and middle son Dustin is an All-Ivy junior at Brown. Back home in Minnesota the Branans fielded the Twin Cities Phoenix during the summer. In relocating the franchise in South Carolina they considered different options, and after meeting with Scott Halkett, president of the Greenville Lions, and owner Miguel Banda, they decided that the Upstate region of South Carolina was the right fit for a PDL team. "The opportunity to team with the Lions organization, a program that has in just one year demonstrated a level of professionalism and experienced great success, and also be able to work with players from several of the top collegiate soccer programs in the country, is really exciting for Kaye and I," said Rick Branan. "We think the ability of the Lions organization to offer programs for youth through professionals to the residents of the Greenville area will set a standard for other professional clubs to follow." By joining with the D3 Pro League Greenville Lions, the relocated PDL team was the third and final piece in an unprecedented club structure that can take a young player from the Y-League through the PDL amateurs right into a Division III professional career without ever leaving the club. The Lions are now the only Division III club to offer this structure. Both the PDL and D3 Pro League Lions will play home games at Sirrine Stadium in downtown Greenville. Actually, several dates are set as back-to-back doubleheaders The PDL team will draw heavily from the collegiate talent available in the area. At the Division I level, Furman, USC and Clemson will provide a local talent pool within easy driving distance from Greenville. The PDL team will play both D3 Pro League and PDL teams. The latter will make up a PDL division with teams from Raleigh (NC), Williamsburg (VA), Richmond (VA) and Baltimore (MD). The Lions will also sponsor five Y-League teams this summer, including boys teams in the U14, U15, U16 and U17 age divisions. The other will be a U14 girls team "I am very excited about this club structure that we are putting in place," said Halkett. "We could see a U-14 player climb the ladder in our organization and fulfill his dream of playing professional soccer and never have to change clubs. This structure will give every local youth soccer player the opportunity to grow to the highest level." http://www.eteamz.com/greenvillelions Top of PageKevin Heise, Bookland-Cayce boys soccer coach and president of the South Carolina High School Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association, was recently selected as the 2001 Coach of the Year for South Carolina by the National Federation Coaches Association and the National Federation of State High School Associations Newberry College has hired Winthrop assistant coach Roger Williams to replace Bobby Ladimir, last year's South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year. Ladimir has been hired by Lenoir-Rhyne as it's new men's coach The annual summer SCACA All-Sports Clinic will be held July 28-31 at the North Charleston Convention Center/Coliseum. The soccer portion of the clinic will be held July 29 from 10:00 am until 3:45 pm The Charleston Battery has signed former Republic of Ireland defender Terry Phelan, who played for Ireland in the 1994 World Cup Finals in the U.S and has 42 international caps for his country. At one point in his career he was the most expensive defender in the world, after transferring from Wimbledon to Manchester City in 1992 for a record $4 million transfer fee Erica Devine of Riverside HS was the $1,000 recipient of the Taco Bell Viking Cup Senior MVP Scholarship, which is awarded to the top college-bound senior among the final four teams in the Taco Bell Viking Cup. Riverside finished second in the tournament behind Mauldin Two Waccamaw HS seniors have signed NCAA letters-of-intent to play college soccer next fall. Trey Janes, son of former Waccamaw head coach Rob Janes, will play at Division III Centre College (KY), while Joel Sapp has signed with Limestone College Kaye Brownlee, a senior at Furman University, has received one of the NCAA’s 87 postgraduate scholarships for graduate studies given to female student-athletes each year. She is the first Furman female athlete to win this award Ian Fuller was named Clemson’s MVP, while Nick Rivera received the Coaches’ Award at the Tigers’ Soccer Banquet. Fuller has been drafted with the #21 overall pick by the MLS New England Revolution Greenville’s Marc Aleksinas, a senior at the Taft School in Connecticut, has signed to play soccer at Vanderbilt. Top of PageFurman’s Nusum Gets Glasgow Rangers Tryout Furman University All-America John Barry Nusum is scheduled to take part in the Umbro College All-Star Game in February, but first he is in Scotland for a professional tryout with the Glasgow Rangers. Nusum, who leaves Furman as one of the Paladins’ all-time great collegiate stars, has played internationally with Burmada’s National team. Should Nusum return to the USA, he is scheduled to play in the prestigious Umbro Select College All-Star game in February. The trial was arranged by Bermuda's national senior coach Mark Trott during the Christmas holiday break. During that break Nusum scored six goals to lead his club team, Wolves, to the Dudley Eve Trophy championship. Nusum scored 16 goals as a senior at Furman, finishing his career with 71 goals and 39 assists. He was one of three finalists for the 2001 Hermann Trophy, symbolic of college soccer’s national Player of the Year. Top of PageCLEMSON, SC-Oguchi Onyewu scored the game-tying and game-winning goals in leading Clemson to a 3-2 double overtime win over Alabama-Birmingham in the NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament Round of 16 at the Tigers' Riggs Field Sunday afternoon. Clemson down 2-0, scored two goals to even the score in the last 10:06 of regulation to force overtime. Onyewu, a Missouri Athletic Club National Player of the Year candidate, scored the game winner at the 106:55 mark in the second overtime period when he headed in a pass sent from just outside of the penalty box by Oscar Bringsved. UAB struck first in the match as they scored late in the first half at the 39:59 mark. Nelson Mata crossed the ball from the right side of the field to Flavio Monteiro who headed the ball in from 12 yards out for his seventh goal of the season. The Blazers took a 2-0 lead early in the second half when Martin Rey took a pass from Bubba Garcia and placed a shot in left corner of the net from about 11 yards out. Despite out shooting the Blazers 23-5 for the match, the Tigers found themselves down two goals with just over ten minutes to play in the match. Their first goal came at the 79:54 mark when Nick Rivera headed in a crossing pass from Brett Branan. Chase Hilgenbrinck was also credited with an assist on the play as he played a pass to Branan to start the run. Then with just over a minute left in the match, Onyewu headed in a pass from Paul Souders for his sixth goal of the year. Brad Gibson started the run with a long pass up the right side line to Souders who dribbled passed several defenders before crossing the ball to Onyewu. After a scoreless first overtime period, Onyewu scored the game winner for his third game winning goal of the season. "It is impossible to put into words just how proud I am of this team," said Clemson Head Coach Trevor Adair. "The guys never gave up and they simply would not be denied. I told them to take all the experiences they have gained throughout the season and that is exactly what they did." The Tigers now will advance to meet No. 4 seed Indiana on Sunday afternoon in Bloomington, IN. The time for the game has not yet been set. Indiana defeated Rutgers 3-0 on Sunday to advance to the Elite Eight. It will be Clemson's ninth appearance in the Final Eight ever, and the third trip under Adair. Top of PageKenneth Cutler scored a "Golden Goal" in the 124th minute to give Clemson a 1-0 victory over Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It was the second-latest game winning goal in Clemson history behind Henry Abadi's score at the 139:12 mark in a 1-0 win over South Florida in 1973. The win was also the 100th for head coach Trevor Adair at Clemson. "There is no quit in this team," said Adair after the game. "It is a pleasure to coach them. Kentucky fought hard and made it difficult for us. To be a champion, you have to have a lot of depth and a lot of luck. Today, we had both." Clemson and Kentucky, meeting on the pitch for the first time ever, waged a defensive struggle for most of the game until the Tigers broke through three minutes into in the third overtime. Brett Branan served a ball into Ross Goodacre, who found a streaking Cutler down the right side of the 18-yard box. Cutler collected the ball and beat the goalkeeper with a shot to the far post. "I guess I picked a good time to score my first goal of the year," said Cutler. "For some reason, I thought I was going to score this game." Both teams had their chances in 90 minutes of regulation, but the game took its toll on the Tigers. Already playing without ACC Tournament MVP Ian Fuller and second-leading scorer Steven Rhyne, Clemson entered the second overtime period even more shorthanded after injuries to Dimelon Westfield, Oguchi Onyewu and Fabio Tambosi. Kentucky took advantage in the first two overtime periods and had several chances to end the game. In the first overtime, Nathan Fleetwood centered a cross to the six-yard box that was headed by Chris McAlpine. The ball was stopped at point-blank range by Clemson goalkeeper Doug Warren, who made one of his eight saves on the day. Warren came through again in the second overtime when Fleetwood found himself wide open with the ball just inside the 18-yard box. Fleetwood settled the ball and sent a shot towards the right side of the goal that was deflected by Warren and bounced off the right post. "It was one of those games where our goalkeeper had to keep us in it," said Adair. Warren's play set up Cutler's heroics for Clemson's second overtime victory in the NCAA Tournament since 1979. The other win also came under Adair, a 1-0 decision over South Carolina in 1997. The Tigers improved to 18-4 on the year and ended the Wildcats' season, who finished with a 14-6-1 mark. Clemson will advance to play the University of Alabama-Birmingham, which defeated South Carolina 3-2, on Sunday at 2:00 PM at Historic Riggs Field. Scoring Summary
Top of PageCLEMSON, S.C. (Sunday, November 18, 2001) - Ian Fuller scored a goal in the first half and the Clemson Tigers played strong defense to captured the Atlantic Coat Conference tournament championship with a 1-0 win over the #2 ranked Virginia Cavaliers. Goalkeeper Doug Warren and defender Oguchi Onyewu led the defensive effort for the #9 ranked Tigers, who won at home on Riggs Field in front of a crowd over 3,033. The loss was Virginia’s (17-1-1) first of the season. Clemson (17-4) captured its 13th ACC championship. It was the Tigers second since the ACC tournament was first played 15 years ago. "The team showed unbelievable character, more character than I’ve ever seen in a team," Clemson coach Trevor Adair said. "It seems as if winning the ACC championship is harder than winning the national championship because you have to play three tough games in four days." The winning goal came off a ball that Brett Branan headed to Fuller, who struck a left-footed shot just inside the right post. It was his third in the tournament and 11th this year. It came in the 37th minute of play. Fuller has scored at least one goal in Clemson’s last four games. It was the first goal allowed by the Cavaliers to an ACC opponent this year. In a streak that includes six regular season games, plus the firtst game of the tournament, Virginia had posted shutouts. Virginia tried hard in the second half to gain the equalizer, but Warren came up big with four saves, several of which were exceptional. "Defense wins championships and that couldn't be more true than today," Adair said. "What you need to win the ACC championship is luck, depth and a team that will not be denied." Actually, Clemson didn’t have Fuller in the second half, as he sat out the last 45 minutes with a pulled hamstring. In fact, the Tigers played the second half without their top three scorers of the season, all injured. Virginia was without two key starters, forward Ryan Gibbs and defender Jonathan Cole, both of whom were injured in U.Va.’s 1-0 semifinal decision over Wake Forest. Top of PageClemson Soccer Raises $3,500 For Red Cross Clemson,
SC - Simply by washing cars for three and half hours on Wednesday
afternoon, the Clemson Men's Soccer raised close to $3,500
dollars to be put towards the Red Cross Disaster Relief Effort
that is taking place due to the terrorist tragedies that occurred
early last week. The car wash, which took place in the parking
lot of Papa John's Pizza on College Avenue, started at 3:00
in the afternoon and the number of people that gave money to
the cause were too numerous to even count. The car wash was
free of charge and all of the money was raised through donations
from people in the Clemson community. As Clemson Head Coach
Trevor Adair watched
the terrible events of last week unfold on television, he immediately
began thinking of ways his team could help aid in the relief
effort. "When
a tragic event like that happens you have such a helpless feeling,"
said Adair. "You want to help but you are so far away
that it is difficult to know what to do. Because we did not
have any games this week, I thought it would be good to get
our team involved with the community and help in some way.
It ended up being a very rewarding experience for our players
because they were able to contribute to the disaster relief
effort and help those people who are need." "I have
never seen anything quite like it," Assistant Coach Andy
McMahon said. "The people and the town of Clemson
are simply amazing." "People were driving by holding
ten and $20 bills out of their car windows, and one lady was
even crying as she handed us a $100 check." While the
attacks of last week have not slowed the spirit of the Clemson
Tigers soccer team, they have forced the rescheduling of two
of their games. The Tigers home game against Duke that had
been originally scheduled for September 14 will now be played
at Historic Riggs Field on Wednesday, November 7 at 7:00 and
their game against Wake Forest on November 7 has been rescheduled
for Saturday, November 10 at 7:00. Top of PageOnyewu Delays Professional Career Clemson sophomore defender Oguchi Onyewu has returned to school and will turn down an offer by the French club FC Metz to turn professional this fall. He will complete the fall semester at Clemson, compete for the Tigers, and then consider his professional opportunities. Onyewu drew the attention of professional scouts with his play during the FIFA Under-20 World Championships this summer. He spent a week in France, training with FC Metz, which is the professional club of U.S. national team defender David Regis. Onyewu was reported to have been offered a contract, but decided to delay any decision until after the fall semester. Clemson Head Men's Soccer Coach Trevor Adair said that the All-ACC back had returned to Clemson and will play for the Tigers this fall. "Oguchi had been on a trial with FC Metz in France this summer, but has returned to Clemson," said Adair. "We are pleased that he has returned to help us compete for the National Championship." Onyewu went through both Clemson practices on Monday. Clemson begins the fall semester on Wednesday. Clemson will open its regular season August 31 at Cal State Fullerton. Onyewu had an outstanding freshman season when he started all 20 games. He had five goals and five assists on the way to a first-team All-ACC and first-team All-South season. He was just the second Clemson freshman to make first-team All-ACC since 1981. Top of PageVanderbilt
Names Ronnie Coveleskie Hill Vanderbilt University named former College of Charleston coach Ronnie Coveleskie Hill today as the new head coach of the Commodore women's soccer program. Hill becomes the fourth head coach in the program's 17 year history. "Ronnie has the perfect balance of experience and youthful enthusiasm that fits the needs of our women's soccer program," said Vanderbilt Director of Athletics Todd Turner. "She is one of the finest young coaches in America and under her leadership I expect our program to continue to gain prominence." For the past two seasons Hill has been the head coach at the College of Charleston where she compiled a 15-21-3 record. In her first season as a head coach in 1999, she led the Cougars to an 11-8-1 season, the best record in the history of the program. "It is a honor to be associated with a challenging academic institution like Vanderbilt," said Hill. "The support that the athletic department gives to women's soccer is tremendous. It is an exciting time to become a member of this program." Prior to arriving in Charleston, Hill was an assistant coach at UNC-Charlotte where she assisted former Vanderbilt head coach Robbie Church in starting the 49ers' women's soccer program. Her first coaching position was at N.C. State, where from 1993-1994 she was the Wolfpack's goalkeeper coach. At the club level, Hill was coach of the Charlotte Soccer Club that won the 1998 state championship and reached the regional semifinals. She has also served as a regional and state coach in the Olympic Development Program for several years. As a player, Hill was a member of the inaugural women's soccer team at Duke University, earning the program's first scholarship. From 1988-91, she was a goalkeeper for the Blue Devils and still holds Duke's career record for the lowest goals against average. She graduated from Duke in 1992 with a degree in Sociology. Hill will make her Vanderbilt coaching debut on August 31 when the Commodores host UT-Chattanooga in their season opener at the Vanderbilt Soccer Field. Top of PageGreenville
County Schools Capture Greenville County high school teams played in three South Carolina state championship games, and came away with three championship trophies. Two of those three went to Christ Church. Riverside also swept the boys and girls AAA championships. The Christ Church boys (14-10-0) routed Williston-Elko (18-2-0) 9-1 in the Class A title game, while the Lady Cavaliers (15-4), playing in their first state championship game, downed Hanahan 2-1 for the AA-A title. Class AAA Boys Riverside (25-3-0) won the Class AAA championship with a 1-0 win over Brookland-Cayce on a goal by Jon Eggart, who was named the game’s MVP. Brookland-Cayce (26-2-1) had opened the season with a 4-2 win over Riverside. The win marked the second straight state title for Riverside. It marked the first S.C. prep state championship for first-year head coach Chris Crist. He credited his defense for shuting down a strong Brookland-Cayce attack that included Player of the Year Troy Lesesne. Class AAA Girls Riverside returned to Greer from the state finals with a girls state soccer championship. Nothing new. The Lady Warriors have done it before. In fact they have done it several times. Riverside won the 2001 AAA girls championship with a 4-1 win over A.C. Flora. It was Riverside’s ninth girls state championship in the past 11 years. Casey Wampole, Jamie Feather, Lindsey Beam and Pam Pryor scored in the title game. Class AAAA Boys Dorman (21-2-1) captured the AAAA boys championship with a 1-0 ejection-marred win over top-ranked Ridge View (25-1-1). The game-winner came in the first six-minutes of the game on a goal by Christian Buchmann. There were four yellow cards and two ejections in the game, including the ejection of Ridge View head coach Kevin Darling. Class AAAA Girls Bryn Post, the state’s leading scorer, got the game-winner on a second-half direct kick from 23 yards out as Richland Northeast downed top-ranked Hillcrest 2-0. The Cavaliers finished the season 21-5 after dropping the final, while Richland Northeast finished the year 15-3-3. The Rams goalkeeper had three crucial first-half saves in the win. “We’ve played against a lot of great defenses, and Hillcrest certainly falls into that category,” said Rams coach James Raymond, “but I have yet to see a team that can mark Bryn one-on-one.” Post, a sophomore, finished the regular season with 50 goals and 12 assists for 112 total points. Class AA/A Boys Bishop England (19-3-1) took only three shots in the frist half, but scored on all three and cruised to a 5-2 victory over Chapin (19-4) in the AA/A boys chamnpionship game. It marks the ninth state title, and the fourth consecutive. Mark Frey got the three-goal explosion started 5:17 into the first half, and after Chapin answered three minutes later on a head by Julian Levkoff, Tommy Kandl and Lawrence Smith stretched the Bishop England lead to 3-1 before halftime. Top of PageGamecocks Hire Smith Shelley Smith, the 2000 Northeast Region Coach of the Year at the University of Rhode Island, has been named the new head coach at the University of South Carolina. She replaces Sue Kelly, who resigned at the end of the fall season. Smith has been the head coach at URI for the past four seasons. She took a team that was 2-16 her first year to 12-6 in her second season. This past season URI made the Atlantic-10 semifinals, a first for the program’s history, and finished the season 15-4-1. “I am very excited about the opportunity to coach for the University and in the SEC,” said Smith, a native of Bennington, VT, and a two-time All-American at the University of Vermont. She has also played for the USL W-1 Boxton Renegades since 1996. Smith, who holds a USSF B license and the NSCAA Advanced National Diploma, is married to Jamie Smith, a 1994 graduate at providence College, where he was a four-year starter. He has been an assistant coach in the men’s program at Brown University for the past two seasons. The Bears advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA playoffs this past season. Smith will be only the second women’s head coach at the University of South Carolina. Top of PageRay Leone Resigns Less than four weeks after taking the Clemson women to their third NCAA tournament quarterfinals in four years, Tiger head coach Ray has resigned as the school's head coach to take over the reins of the Arixona State. In making the announcement, Leonne called the decision "very emotional and very difficult." He officially starts in Tempe February 1, but will shuttle back and forth until then. “It’s very emotional and very difficult and it’s going to be very difficult telling our team,” Leone said. “It’s not one of those things in life you can easily explain and I’m not sure they’re going to understand right away.” Leone’s wife Tracey was Clemson’s first women’s coach, starting in 1994. Ray served as an assistant to Tracey for four years before becoming associate head coach in 1998, and co-head coach in 1999. He assumed the head position last season when Tracey took leave of absence to devote herself to the United States Under-16 national team. The Tigers advanced to the NCAA tournament each season of their existence, advancing to the quarterfinals in 1997, 1999 and 2000. Last season, Clemson (19-3-1) became only the second school other than 17-time national champion North Carolina to win the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title. “We had every intention of never leaving Clemson, but sometimes events happen in life that things change,” Ray Leone said. “The decision to leave was so difficult. It took so much thought. It took two visits to (ASU). The (Clemson) team is a large part of our life. They were like our kids.” Leone takes over the five-year old program from Terri Patraw, who resigned in early December after compiling a 50-42-3 (.542) since the program was started. Early indications were that Leone was assembling a banner recruiting class for 2001 and he said he thought most or all would honor their non-binding oral commitments to attend Clemson. “I like the chances that (the anticipated freshman class) is strong and it’s going to stay because they love the school and they love the team,” he said. Leone started his college coaching career at Berry, where his teams went 49-13-5 (.769) with three straight Final Four appearances and a NAIA championship in the second year, 1987, when he was NAIA “Coach of the Year.” From 1990-94, Leone initiated the Creighton program and led the Lady Jays to a 50-35-5 (.583) mark. Tracey served as his assistant. Leone was not specific about his reasons for changing jobs. “It’s an opportunity for us to accept a new challenge, a little bit of a chance to stop the crazy lifetstyle,” he said. “It’s about thinking about two or three years down the road, when we both may not be coaching full blast. “I wouldn’t have left if I didn’t think (ASU) could have the same success (as Clemson)." Top of PageJanuary 2001 Notes Furman’s junior goalkeeper Scott Blount (3.56, Economics) was named to the men’s first team NSCAA-didas Scholar All-American. Coker College senior midfielder Tiffany Ewart from Florence, was named to the women’s second team with a 3.61 average in Biology/Chemistry Defending Class AAA Sate Champion Riverside High School has hired former Mars Hill coach Cris Crist as the school’s new boys coach. Riverside finished last season 22-0 and defeated Middleton 1-0 in the state final. The Warriors had won eight state titles under former coach William Hosea, who is now the coach at Region II-AAA rival J.L. Mann in Greenville Columbia College started its women’s soccer program in the fall of 1999, and played a winless season with only 14 players. Coach Patrick Faulds’ team won two games last fall. Columbia is seeking Division II status in the NCAA The fifth annual Winter Soccer Clinic, sponsored by the South Carolina High School Soccer Coaches Association, is scheduled for January 12-13 at the Clarion Town House Hotel in Columbia Francis Marion University’s Murray Hartzler, has been named the women’s NSCAA/adidas Region Coach of the Year for the Southeast Region of NCAA Division II. Hartzler will be honored at the NSCAA Convention later this month in Indianapolis, and he is a candidate for Division II National COY Former Clemson standout Beth Keller (Hilton Head) was drafted by the Philadelphia Charge of the WUSA. Nancy and Julie Augustyniak, seniors at Clemson this year, were drafted by the Atlanta Heat The Charleston Battery hosted the Charleston Recreation League finals at Blackbaud Stadium. The winners were J. Bisto (adult women), Charleston 30 (men’s 1st division), and ASR (men’s 2nd division) Battery coach Alan Dicks has visited his native England during the off season, scouting for potential players for the Charleston A-League team. Top of PageThe Citadel will field its first women’s soccer team in the fall of 2001, and Winthrop University has announced plans to put its first women’s soccer team on the field in the fall of 2002 Murray Hertzler, men’s and women’s soccer coach at Francis Marion University, was recently named the school’s Director of Athletics Heather Duncan and Lutz Perner, both two-sports student athletes at Francis Marion, were recently named the Peach Belt Athletic Conference’s 1999-2000 Outstanding Male and Female Student Athletes of the Year. It is the first time two student athletes from the same school have been selected for that honor Presbyterian head coach Brian Purcell has been named the South Atlantic Conference’s women’s Coach of the Year, while Blue Hose two-time All-America sweeper Courtney Swanson (Tega Cay, S.C./Ft. Mill HS) was named SAC Player of the Year USC head coach Sue Kelly has resigned. Kelly, the only women’s head soccer coach at South Carolina, posted a 55-57-5 career mark with the Gamecocks. Her team finished the 2000 season with a 4-16 overall mark and 1-8 in the SEC after losing 3-0 to Florida Furman’s women had a 23-match unbeaten streak broken by UNC Greensboro (1-0) in the finals of the Southern Conference tournament Francis Marion’s Katie Roberts was named the Peach Belt Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Roberts (Frederick, MD) scored 14 goals and added eight assists for 36 points Two South Carolina players earned first-team All-Peach Belt honors. They were junior forward Jennifer Walsh (Beaufort) of USC Spartanburg, and freshman teammate Dawn Soule (Irmo), a defender USC Aiken saw its women’s season end when Francis Marion’s Susie Harris scored three minutes into overtime. The Patriots (12-8-1) set a new record for wins in a season, while goalkeeper Kellie Young finished the season with 118 saves and seven shutouts, both new school marks. Top of PageAugustyniak
Twins Key For Classics, Clemson Atlanta - Julie and Nancy Augustyniak aren’t prolific scorers. The twin sisters may not even be the most vocal players on the team. But if you were a coach and you were looking for a couple of players to build a team around, the Augustyniaks would be at the top of your list. Call them steady, call them dependable. Whether it has been with the Clemson Tigers or the W-League’s Atlanta Classics, the Peachtree City, Ga., natives have used a simple formula — train hard and work hard — to help establish themselves as two of the top players in the South. "They are very talented players," said Ray Leone, who is co-head coach of the Tigers with his wife, Tracey. "But more than talent is they are dedicated and very, very conditioned athletes." That sentiment is shared by Michael Sabatelle, who has coached the Augustyniaks the last four summers with the Classics. "They started from day one and have played every minute of every game," Sabatelle said. "Those are two of the most dominating players on the field in every game." The statistics would seem to indicate otherwise for the sisters, who will be seniors this season at Clemson. Julie, a 5-foot-6 midfielder/defender has scored six goals and 17 points in her collegiate career, while Nancy, a 5-5 defender, has four goals and 13 points. But what stands out about the Augustyniaks is that they have both started all 66 games in their Lady Tiger careers and. "They take the game seriously," said Leone, of the sisters, who were the only two players to come in as freshmen and start every game. Their play was a key ingredient in the Tigers’ march to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament in 1997. In 1998 Clemson, which has advanced to the tournament in each of the program’s six seasons, reached the Sweet 16, and last year the Tigers made it to the Elite Eight again, where they lost to Atlantic Coast Conference rival and eventual national champion North Carolina. "They weren’t as polished when they came in, but they were both big-game players," Leone said. "We could see that when they played in a big-time tournament that they were cool under pressure. Over four years, they have gained experience. They are also much stronger. They aren’t kids anymore. They are strong, strong athletes." This season, the Augustyniaks are looking forward to taking on a bigger role, particularly when it comes to leadership. "I think it is going to be one of those things like no regrets," Julie said. "That is something that I try to live by. I don’t want to finish off my season thinking, ‘Maybe we could have made it to the Final Four, or maybe if I would have trained harder before the season even started’ because I think that is the most important part." The Augustyniaks have taken care of their pre-pre season training the last four seasons by playing with the Classics. And while they played most of a recent win over the Jacksonville Jade on defense, Sabatelle said that doesn’t mean that’s all they can do. For instance, Sabatelle said Julie scored three goals in two recent games when the team was short on forwards. You get the sense that Nancy, who converted a penalty kick against the Jade, could do the same thing. "They are versatile, they are fit, they are fast and they are skilled," Sabatelle said. Not only will playing in the W-League help the Augustyniaks prepare for their final collegiate season, but Nancy may have gained an extra edge this summer when she was selected to be a member of the U.S. under-21 women’s national team that played three matches in France in May. The U.S. went 2-1 on the trip and Nancy said she played about 30 minutes in a win over FC Juvisy and 10 minutes against the French U-21 team. She didn’t play in a 3-1 loss to the French National team. "I was trying so hard to do good that I couldn’t do the simple things," Nancy said. "I was having technical breakdowns right and left, but it was a great experience, and I made the most out of it." UCLA coach Jillian Ellis, who served as head coach for the U-21 team, said she was impressed with Nancy’s play but that she needed to be better prepared mentally. "At this point, Nancy has to come to camp and she has to finish in the top 15 players," said Ellis, who said Nancy’s next opportunity to attend camp may come in January 2001. "She has to assert herself more and play with more confidence." Nancy will have an opportunity to show Ellis she is ready on Aug. 25 when Clemson opens its season against UCLA in the Clemson Nike Kickoff Classic, and Ellis thinks she will be ready. "I told her the next time I see her play she has got to be the best player on the field," Ellis said. "She has to make me think I have to have her back in camp." Judging from Leone’s comments, Nancy and Julie will be ready to impress Ellis in the season opener. "A lot of players are waiting for them to take charge of the team," Leone said. "It is their turn, and they have earned it. It is going to be a big responsibility, but I know they will fill it." And if you have any lingering doubts whether the Augustyniaks are the right players to lead the Tigers, just ask Sabatelle. "It’s probably their commitment and dedication to the franchise and the team," said Sabatelle, when asked what was the important thing in describing their role on the Classics. "To be reliable, to be dependable, to be conscientious and hard-working and willing to do whatever it takes to help us win. I think that is a bigger factor. Their play is a bonus, but all of that is more important." Sounds like just the kind of player any coach would want. Top of PageBig
Time Rivalry In S.C. Spartanburg, S.C. — Three years ago when Gary Bordogna returned to Spartanburg High School for his second tour of duty as the head boys soccer coach, he found the situation truly disheartening. The program was in shambles. All the work he had poured into Spartan High soccer from 1980-83 seemed to have all been for naught. Strangely enough, when it came time to model the rebuilding effort after a successful team in the area, Bordogna selected none other than cross-town-rival Dorman High School. They have one of the best programs in the state," said Bordogna, "so we made it our goal to elevate ourselves to that level." Now after only two seasons of rebuilding, Spartanburg appears poised to take their heated rivalry with Dorman to the next level of fierce competition. The two teams are both ranked in the top-10 among the state’s 4A schools, and the bitter foes are scheduled to battle on April 14 at Dorman and on April 26 at Spartanburg. At 12-0, Spartanburg is ranked #4 in the AAAA rankings, while Dorman trails closely behind at #9 with a record of 11-2. Throughout the young 2000 campaign, Spartanburg has been led by a trio of senior captains — T.J. Walsh, Jared Ragone, and Bryan Tracy. Sophomore sweeper Jared Clifford has made outstanding contributions to the team as well. Across town, Zach Stewart, Mark Stuermann, and Tim Mittman have been the crucial components in energizing Dorman to a strong start this season. Despite being in only his inaugural year at Dorman, head coach Carlos Osorio is well aware of the deep animosity between Spartanburg High and his team. "It’s pretty fierce," said Osorio with a slight twinge of anticipation in his voice. "I’ve lived in Spartanburg since 1980 when I came to play college soccer at USC-Spartanburg, so I’ve known about the rivalry for some time." The Spartanburg-Dorman rivalry is not a new tradition by any stretch of the imagination, and it encompasses not only soccer but all of the year-round contests between the schools. Since Dorman was built in the early 1960s, a constant battle has raged over which school is superior in the city of Spartanburg. A year ago, Dorman swept the series in soccer, handily defeating Spartanburg at home and squeaking by in double overtime only two days later on the road. Bordogna hopes that the latter match will prove to be a forecast of the exciting soccer matches to come from these two sqauds. "Things are different this year," said Bordogna. "Our kids want to win for bragging rights, and they’ve shown that they have the work ethic to accomplish what they want to do." But as Spartanburg and Dorman take the field twice this month, something greater than bragging rights will be at stake — the Region II-4A title. Both teams are currently undefeated in Region play. "It looks like it’s going to be between the two of us for the Region championship," said Osorio. "The key for us is going to be preparing for every game with the mindset that it is for the championship. "We’ve often struggled with focusing and preparing for weaker opponents. If we’re want to compete with Spartanburg for the title, we can’t afford to drop games along the way because we weren’t ready to play." "This rivalry is already big enough," said Osorio. "As coaches, our main job is to keep the kids composed and prepare for every game with the same intensity. In the long run, it’ll help us out." It’s the same for Spartanburg High School, and Bordogna couldn’t agree more. Top of PageWando
Loaded With Talent Mt. Pleasant, SC — If there’s one school to watch this spring in South Carolina-4A soccer, it’s Wando High School. Rich in soccer tradition, the Wando name has found its way to the top spot of the boys and girls pre-season prep polls, and the school will once again be expecting great things from its soccer programs in 2000. Both teams have three past state championships to their credit and hope to be in hot pursuit for a fourth state title. Tom Reilly, the #1 ranked Wando boys head coach, will rely heavily on a strong class of 10 seniors this season as the team attempts to prove itself deserving of its number-one ranking. "We have been fortunate to have a good group of seniors," said Reilly. "We’re looking forward to the seniors bringing along the younger players." In particular, Reilly will be looking to the three senior captains —Robert Simpson, Robert James, and Tommy Costanzo — for leadership that he anticipates will complement the promising potential of nine sophomores and freshmen. "Our primary goal is to get this diverse group of seniors and younger players to develop team chemistry," said Reilly. "The wins will take care of themselves, and we’ll find our place in the region (Region VI-4A)." Reilly, who started the school’s soccer program in 1980, is entering his 20th season as head coach at Wando. In addition to Reilly’s experience and expertise on the sidelines, Wando also will have the luxury of relying on highly-regarded senior fullback Montae Seabrook on the field. Seabrook was recently awarded the prestigious honor of Gatorade Player-of-the-Year for the state of South Carolina, and he enters the 2000 season widely regarded as one of the state’s best. "Montae is truly a special soccer player," said Reilly. "He has great speed and a good vertical jump, and he’s strong in the air. He keeps himself composed, and he’s an extremely effective marking back. He hasn’t allowed a goal to be scored against him this year or last year." The Wando boys finished 21-4-1 last season and were eliminated in the state semifinals by Summerville, the eventual state champion. If the team can fulfill its dreams of a state title this year, it would be the team’s first since 1994. Wando’s girls, ranked #2 in the preseason poll, have their sights set equally as high for the 2000 campaign. Coming off a 19-3 record in 1999, the team graduated seven seniors from a year ago, and head coach Scott Ferguson will be directing a young team with only two seniors this season. While the team will be lacking in experience, there will be no void in the area of talent. Senior goalkeeper Whitney Quick, who recorded a school-record 18 shutouts as one of the state’s top keepers in 1999, may be the state’s best in 2000. Ferguson identifies Quick as the team’s primary leader on the field. "Whitney should be able to step up and provide leadership by example," said Ferguson. "She has lots of experience that we hope she’ll be able to transfer to the younger players. "It going to be a learning experience for many, but we have to throw them in the fire and see what happens." The Wando girls look to be especially young on defense but hope to make up for that weakness with a strong midfield that includes Abi Nicholes and Lauren Dike. Junior forward Claire Wigfall, the state’s second-leader scorer last year, will anchor the team offensively. She already is off to a hot start in 2000 after scoring six goals in the team’s first two games — a 10-0 clubbing of Berkeley and a 6-0 win over Stratford. Ferguson also is excited about his wingers, Allison Cave and Sarah Kersey. ‘We have loads of speed at the wing," said Ferguson. "Allison has excellent speed, good vision, and the ability to take the ball acrossthe field." If the Wando girls can find the right balance between experience and young talent, they should contend to win their first state crown since 1997. "Wando never settles for anything less than winning the region and competing for the state," said Ferguson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
