Pocono Cup Soccer Tournament2003 Premier Champions |
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What an unbelievable 2 weekends of soccer. After battleing all the poor weather during the start of the soccer season, and having to deal with all the canceled practices, and looking to find time for the rescheduled regular home games, despite the odds, ALL the teams showed up for the Pocono Cup - ready and in mid-season form. The teams were focused and were hungry for the best competition. With over 200 teams representing 9 states and 27 different soccer leagues, the 2003 Pocono Cup Premier Soccer Tournament was a major success. Mother Nature gave us 2 perfect weekends and the teams provided over 900 extremely competitive games. Who could as for more? On the girls side of the action, South Jersey has proved itself as the dominate force to be reckon with. With the majority of their teams qualifying for playoffs and three of them crowned Champion, South Jersey has developed some of the strongest talent in recent years and will be known as one of the best organizations in girls youth soccer. Two teams from Pennsylvania represented themselves very well over the weekend in the Under 15 age group. The FC Philadelphia United and the Lehigh Valley SC performed beautifully in the final which showcased some great speed and playmaking from both teams. One of the best matches of the weekend came from the unassuming, youngest age group. A team from NY, the Elite Stars and a team from PA, the Pennridge Stingers faced off in the Under 10 final. With the match tied in regulation at 1-1, the two teams battled through a scoreless OT and ended up in a penalty kick shootout to decide the champion. The stingers capitalized on a 3-1 margin to end the match as a recorded score of 4-1. With Mother Nature providing a much needed perfect weekend for soccer, the Boys action was as exciting and intense as ever. Just about every select program in the Tri-state area was represented as well as some of the top premier club teams from 7 different states. The newest edition to the powerhouse roster of the Pocono Cup teams included 3 entries from the Tri-State Soccer organization. With 2 of the 3 teams winning the Cup and the 3rd placing a respectable 2nd, it is clear that the new kid on the block is the one to beat. We expect to see more great teams in the future from this exciting organization. Long Island Select put out a strong showing as they do each year at this tournament and this year was no different. They proved that they have was it takes to put points on the board and get the job done in the Under 13 AB bracket against a very talented MOSA select team from NJ. And in the most exciting final match of the day, the Under 14 CD group demonstrated what good good competition is all about. The penalty kick shoot out finish featured some outstanding goaltending and some pressure shooting. Congratulations to all the Champions. Your performance here at Pocono was nothing short of spectacular. (Currently updating web page)
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