3/30 – Friday Night 

4/7 – Easter NO PLAY

4/14 – Saturday regular times

4/21 – Saturday regular times

4/28 – Saturday regular times 

5/4 – Friday Night

5/12 – Saturday regular times

5/19 – Saturday regular times

Randy Cook and Enda Crehan will be on site to assist.

Referees are paid with the rate depending on the difficulty of the game. It is a great way to earn a few dollars and enjoy a different side of soccer. If you develop a good ability for refereeing and make yourself available for games, it is quite easy to earn several hundred dollars a year. PYSL pays referees for all of our league games and also for all the tournament games held at SRSC hosted by PYSL. We always show a preference where we can, depending on ability.

There will be a new referee course and a re-cert course very soon. There are very limited opportunities to take the course to become a referee in this region. Once the spring season has started there are no more courses to become qualified in 2012. If you want to qualify, now is the time to put your name forward. Once you pass the course, your qualification will last until January 1, 2013.  If you miss the course we will provide at SRSC, you will have to travel to Danville, Roanoke or Blacksburg to become certified.

The course is a weekend long for a new referees and one day for current referees who need to re-certify. We will try to have the course at SRSC if we have enough people. The course will also allow you to make yourself available to referee other leagues if you are not refereeing PYSL and also for high school games. High school games are assigned by a referee assignor from Roanoke who is not associated with PYSL.

There is no minimum age to take the course; however, we would prefer to only assign Assistant Referees who are 12 and older and Center Referees who are 13 and older.

Please email john.puckett90@gmail.com  if you have an interest in becoming a referee. We will advise of the course date once we have numbers.

The PYSL Office will have new office hours beginning this week.

Please note the following changes:

Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11:30am-1:30pm*  

Phone calls and emails will still be received and responded to Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during the hours of 9am until 2pm. 

On Saturdays, hours will be held at the Complex from 8am until 1pm. A PYSL table will be set up each Saturday in front of the SunTrust building, and I will personally be available at the table and on the fields during those times. This arrangement should be especially convenient to coaches needing to pick up KidSafe cards, shirts or other materials.

*All other days and times by appointment via email or phone call.

Thank you,

PYSL Director of Operations

PYSL Recreation Director

276-666-6201

soccer@pyslsoccer.net

Put Referee in the subject and the new referee assignor, John Puckett will be in touch.

Enda Crehan, the Director of Coaching at PYSL, says, "This is another example on the progress of the club with more players continuing their soccer education and their studies at the next level. Spencer and Cody have been great servants to the PYSL and we look forward to following them as they get their college careers under way. On behalf of the PYSL, I wish them the best of luck in their studies and their soccer careers."

"This is fantastic for our club, and really shows how far we’ve come in the past few years," PYSL Director of Coaching Enda Crehan said. "All credit go to Coach Robinson and his boys for the fantastic recognition and prestige that they’ve brought to our club. We’re looking forward to big things coming from that squad in the coming years."

"Our goal is to get as many of our coaches licensed as possible," said PYSL Director of Coaching Enda Crehan. "It directly benefits the players and the league, and will pay off dividends in the long run. To be able to offer it to high school and college coaches ensures that the players will have quality coaching even after they leave our program, so its really a brilliant program."

This is the third coach licensing course that the PYSL has offered in the last two years, and a D-Level Course is in the process of being organized for the coming months. Anybody who is interested in the D-Level Course should contact PYSL Operations Manager Danny Nadel for further information.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

By PAUL MONTANA - Bulletin Sports Writer

On Monday afternoon, the New England Revolution cut three rookies from its roster — none of them named Alan Koger. 

But, his father cautioned Koger on the phone that night: “It could be your turn tomorrow morning” to get cut.

Far from it.

Koger, a 2005 Magna Vista High School graduate who went on to play soccer at William & Mary, was offered a contract by New England on Tuesday morning, and he plans to sign with the team by Thursday.

“I told him on the phone (Tuesday), ‘When I said it was your turn, I didn’t realize it was your turn to be signing a contract,’” laughed Ebert Koger, Alan’s father.

Alan Koger was the 54th and final pick in the MLS Draft on Jan. 13, becoming the first Henry County native to be drafted by an MLS team.

In a phone interview from his hotel in Foxborough, Mass. on Tuesday, Alan Koger said that he was offered a contract at roughly 9:40 a.m. at the team’s practice facility just prior to a training session.

Koger had already seen several players emerge from the office of Michael Berns, the Revs’ vice president of player personnel, with folders containing “a bunch of pieces of paper, and I said, ‘Oh, it looks like contracts,’ Koger said.

Then Koger, too, got called in to speak with Berns, along with head coach Steve Nicol.

“I walked in, and (Berns) is like, ‘I just want to get to the point,’” Koger said. “He looked at (Nicol), and he looked at me, and he said, ‘Yeah, we want to offer you a contract.’

“And that was it, then we went to practice,” he added with a laugh.

Koger, 23, has not yet signed the contract — a 10-month deal for the league minimum for rookies, which is $31,250 according to multiple published reports. Koger said he will sign the contract by Thursday, the same day the team travels to Atlanta for its first exhibition matches.

Like in most professional leagues, drafted MLS players have no guarantees of signing a contract — particularly when you’re the last player in the draft, as Koger was.

It did help Koger that the MLS increased the allowable roster size from 24 players to 30 this season — it helped both the feasibility of making the team, and gave him a little added jolt of confidence.

It also helps when you score goals on three consecutive days.

That’s exactly what Koger, a forward, did in each of three intrasquad scrimmages held in Orlando, roughly two weeks into the tryouts. The former Region IV Player of the Year scored on a left-footed shot to the far post in the first scrimmage, on a diving header in the second, and on another left-footed blast in the third.

Koger, by the way, is right-footed.

“Obviously, scoring goals is what I’m supposed to do,” Koger said. “Fortunately, I was able to get some pretty nice goals, actually. I know that definitely got some looks, with my finishing ability. I was very happy with my performance.”

Koger didn’t even know he would be drafted in January, shortly after he graduated from William & Mary in December. As a result, he came into the first day of tryouts both out of shape and rusty.

“Day one, I’m not gonna lie, it was rough,” Koger said. “I hadn’t been playing much. I went home, went snowboarding and this and that. It was rough. The speed of play was a lot quicker, and playing on the turf as well was difficult.

“But after a couple days, I adjusted. And when we went down to the grass field (in Orlando), I feel like I really showed my ability to be a holding forward and score some goals. My confidence definitely rose, but I still had no idea. ... But the Orlando trip I definitely felt like was something that would put me in a position to get a contract.”

Shortly after practice ended Tuesday, Koger began making phone calls with the news of his contract offer — to his parents, brothers and girlfriend, and to some of his guiding influences in Henry County. Like Harry Lance, who coached Koger through his youth in the Piedmont Youth Soccer League.

“I got back from lunch about 1 o’clock, and about 1:30, Alan called,” Lance said. “I said, ‘Alan, what’s up?’ Because it was just an odd time of day for him to call.

“He goes, ‘Well coach, I’ve got some bad news: I’m going to be staying in Boston ’till November.”

Lance, in particular, knows what a milestone this is for Henry County.

“I told Alan, ‘You don’t know how big this is for our area,’” said Lance, who is hoping to make the trip to Atlanta to watch one of the Revolution’s exhibition games against the Columbus Crew and the Houston Dynamo this weekend. “A kid that came through PYSL, grew up in Henry County, went to Henry County public schools, and went on to play college soccer, and now pro.

“One thing I thought about is what this does for kids coming up through the system now, and kids who are wanting to play soccer. It’s not only that he got drafted and that he made the team, it’s the kind of person that Alan is. The great kid that he is is just a testament to hard work ... what it tells kids here is, anything’s possible.”

Koger, who played pickup soccer at the Smith River Sports Complex as recently as last summer, agreed.

“A lot of kids out there may not have too much hope coming out of Martinsville, but it kind of gives that story, the underdog story, where you can do anything, you know? As long as you work hard and put your mind to it,” he said. “So it means a lot to kind of be a role-model for some of the younger kids who are around the area.”

Although the Revolution scored just 32 goals in 30 matches last season — second-worst in the MLS — Koger recognized that he may not see much of the field as a rookie. He is vying for time with three other “true forwards,” along with several attacking midfielders who could play up top, he said.

But on the other hand, he just might play. Just like when he was drafted, he just might make the team.

And as for his plans to celebrate Tuesday night? “Relax, look over the contract, and hopefully something good’s on TV tonight,” he said with a laugh.

After all, he couldn’t celebrate too much. He’s got practice this morning.

With an impressive 11-6 win in the league final, Coach Richard Hall’s U-15 PYSL team won the 2011 Greensboro Sports Complex Indoor Soccer League Championship. What makes the championship even more impressive is the fact that the team was playing two years up in the U-17 age bracket.

The final was a story of 3’s: Three players (Landon Hill, Brandon Smith, and Carlos Sifuentes) each had three goals while Drewry Hall tallied three assists. Coach Hall also noted outstanding efforts from Bennett White and Jermaine Soyka in the final.

With the win, the squad finished 7-1, scoring a monstrous 125 goals while only conceding 40 during the eight-game session.

“The performance that the lads displayed this winter proves to the area what we’ve known all along: that this is one of the top teams in the region,” noted PYSL Director of Coaching Enda Crehan. “It’s fantastic for the boys and the club, and I’m extremely proud of each of them.”

The PYSL U-15 Boys look to carry the momentum outdoors as they begin their spring season in the coming weeks.

CHAMPIONSHIP SQUAD: Bennett White, Landon Hill, Jermaine Soyka, Drewry Hall, Carlos Sifuentes, Garrett Cooper, James Craig, Harrison North, Penn Hartsell, Brandon Smith

This is an excellent opportunity for coaches to develop and improve the quality of coaching provided to our players. The course will cover everything from how to structure practices to proper team management.

The cost for the course is only $40.00 for all PYSL coaches, and the PYSL will refund 50% of the tuition fee after the course has been completed and passed.

Any coach who has gone through a licensing program in the past can vouch for how valuable it was in the education of themselves and their players.

To register for the program, stop by the PYSL office during our general office hours (Tuesday-Thursday, 9am-2pm) to fill out the paperwork.

If you have any questions, email PYSL Director of Coaching Enda Crehan, or call him at (434) 549-3377.

By JOHNNY BUCK - Bulletin Sports Writer

Five years ago, Alan Koger capped a standout career at Magna Vista High School by signing a scholarship to play soccer at William & Mary.

On Thursday, history repeated itself, as Koger put the finishing touches on a stellar career with the Tribe by getting a chance to play at the next level of soccer.

A 23-year-old redshirt-senior at W&M, Koger was selected in the third round of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft on Thursday by the New England Revolution, a professional soccer team based in Foxborough, Mass.

He was taken with the final pick (No. 54) in the final round (third) of the draft.

Koger is thought to be the first player with local ties to be drafted by a professional club.

“Ever since I started playing soccer, I wanted to play professionally, but I definitely had no idea that I would have the chance to get drafted,” Koger said. “I was happy enough having played at William & Mary and having a pretty good career. It just shows that no matter where you’re from, you just have to work hard and things will come your way.”

Koger’s senior season was his best at W&M. His 10 goals and 22 points in 22 matches were both team highs. Each mark also ranked as third-best in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Koger’s play this fall for the Tribe did not go unnoticed. He earned first-team All-CAA honors and a second-team All-South Atlantic Region nod. Both were career bests; as a junior, he was a second-team All-CAA pick. He was named to the CAA’s All-Rookie Team following his redshirt-freshman season in 2007.

Koger will graduate among the Tribe’s top-10 players all-time in career shots (190), career game-winning goals (nine) and game-winning goals in a season (five, 2010).

He finished with 68 career points on 29 goals and 10 assists. He is the just the ninth player in the history of William & Mary’s program to get drafted by an MLS team.

It should come as little surprise then that Koger was a dominant high school player while suiting up for the Warriors from 2002-05.

A two-time all-state player, Koger was voted the Piedmont District’s player of the year in each of his last two seasons. He was also named the Region IV player of the year as a junior.

Koger finished his playing career at Magna Vista under co-head coach Harry Lance, who is now the head coach at Carlisle School.

“He was very talented, very strong, had a lot of balance and just had a passion and love for the game,” said Lance. “So yeah, I would definitely rank him as the best player I’ve ever coached on the high school level.”

The son of Elbert and Jantje Koger, of Spencer, Alan Koger was named to the PD’s first-team all four years in high school. He graduated as Magna Vista’s all-time leading scorer, and also played football (kicker, punter) and basketball (power forward) as a senior.

“I’m really excited for him, and I hope he succeeds,” said Lance. “It’s a huge challenge for him, probably the biggest challenge he’s ever faced in his soccer life. But I really wish him the very, very best.”

And as if just being there wasn’t enough, they did well.

With a 1-2 record, the PYSL U-15 Boys finished 4^th in their U-15 Premier bracket, and 3^rd in scoring. They opened the tournament on Saturday with two matches: a convincing 4-2 victory over FC Frederick Royal (MD), and a 4-0 loss to the FC Carolina Alliance 95 Premiership (NC) side, the eventual tournament champions. Sunday found a fatigued and tested U-15 side battle to a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to NC Soccer Fusion Premier (NC) in front of a crowd filled with parents, college coaches, friends, staff, and others.

The PYSL U-17 Boys also finished with a 1-2 record in group play for the weekend. They burst out of the gate on Saturday, scoring two in the first half against a strong, nationally ranked Florida Rush (FL) team, and held the 2-0 lead into the halftime break. The tournament-tested Floridians managed to edge their way back into the game in the second half, however, eventually taking the contest 3-2 in the waning minutes. The mentally tough PYSL side managed to bounce back for its next match, however, a tough battle against the host CASL Premier 17’s (NC). After a fluid and technical performance, PYSL ran away with a 2-0 win. Their final match was against the Columbus Crew U-17 Academy Team (OH), affiliated with the MLS team by the same name. After a strong performance, the PYSL side fell short in a 4-2 loss.

“Obviously we are incredibly pleased with the performances of both teams this past weekend,” said PYSL Director of Coaching Enda Crehan. “Their opponents have been involved in CASL and similar tournaments for years, and teams from their clubs have been coming for even longer. For both teams to not only be competitive with some of the best teams in the country, but to walk away with wins is really a special thing. It shows how far our club has really come over the past couple years. There's a buzz about our players in the collegiate coaching circles, and it really excites me."

Monday, November 15, 2010

By PAUL MONTANA - Bulletin Sports Writer

In the past, the Piedmont Youth Soccer League has lagged behind the Roanoke Star travel soccer program at just about every level.

The PYSL 15-and-younger team has at least put that notion in question.

In the championship match for the 16-and-younger bracket, the PYSL 15s fell in penalty kicks to the 16-and-younger Roanoke Star Elite in one of the final matches of the two-day Piedmont Shootout tournament at the Smith River Sports Complex.

The two teams played to a 2-2 draw before going to penalty kicks, where Roanoke prevailed 4-3.  

“Roanoke used to be the powerhouse, but we have slowly caught up, and we’re there,” PYSL director of coaching Enda Crehan said. “We’re there on a couple of levels with them.”  

“What I take out of it is, they didn’t beat us in the field of play,” said PYSL coach Richard Hall. “That’s the best Roanoke has to offer at the 16 age-level.”  

While Roanoke fielded a team comprised of mostly 16-year-olds, the PYSL players were all 15 and younger. At just about every position on the field, Roanoke had a significant advantage in both size and speed.  

But thanks to a sturdy defense, some fine goalkeeping from Koby Johnson and a tactically advanced squad that effectively moved the ball, PYSL hung with Roanoke even as the Star won the shots-on-goal battle 12-3.  

Twice, the PYSL 15s battled back from one goal down. Trailing 1-0, PYSL forward Misael Sanchez — who wreaked havoc on Roanoke’s defense throughout the evening — measured a shot from 30 yards away that clanged off the crossbar. Brandon Smith’s first rebound-header hit the crossbar again, but he made good on another rebound attempt to knot the score at 1-all.  

A few minutes later, Miles Bent gave Roanoke a 2-1 lead with a blast from 30 yards away. But pesky PYSL wouldn’t quit.  

With seven minutes remaining in regulation, outside back Penn Hartsell played a pretty pass down the sideline to Sanchez, who quickly whipped a cross into the penalty area. Roanoke keeper Ryne Bower appeared to have an easy save of the cross as it hopped into the box, but a hustling Smith headed the ball into the net just before Bower could get a grip.  

“Brandon is a torrential crasher,” Hall said. “When the ball gets to bouncing around, he’s a physical kid, he’s a strong kid. That’s where he’s at his best.”  

Johnson’s 10 saves — including several breakaway stuffs — kept PYSL in the game throughout and particularly as it moved to overtime, “in his most complete game so far,” Hall said.  

But to PYSL’s dismay, both Sanchez and Johnson — two of the players who had been integral to the 2-2 draw in regulation — sent their penalty kicks over the crossbar, and Roanoke came out with the win.  

The host club, though, walked away with plenty of respect from its peers.  

“I thought they were fantastic,” said Ryan Hambright, coach of the Roanoke 16s. “I thought that both of those kids that they had up top (Sanchez and Smith) could easily be elite-level players in any city, whether it’s Richmond, Virginia Beach, or any of them.”

The PYSL 15s — who have scored 59 goals while giving up just five this season in the Blue Ridge Classic League — won three games in a row en route to the final at the Piedmont Shootout, including a 1-0 win over a 15-and-younger Roanoke squad Saturday.

But the 15s weren’t the only PYSL players who found success in the Piedmont Shootout.

PYSL’s 17-and-younger team won the tournament by virtue of its 4-0 record in the 19-and-younger bracket, including a 2-1 win over the PYSL 19-and-younger squad.

PYSL 17s coach David Key pointed to defenders Miles Rachner and Nick Clark and forward Bryson Collins as having outstanding tournaments for his team. Rachner and Clark are Carlisle students, while Collins attends Martinsville High School.

“We did very well technically and moving the ball around,” said Keys, who has seen his team score 36 goals while giving up just four in the Blue Ridge Classic League. “Everyone contributed. It was a true team effort.”

The 13-and-younger PYSL team also won the Piedmont Shootout with a 2-0-1 overall record, including a 3-2 win over Roanoke’s 13-and-younger team Saturday.

PYSL also fielded two 11-and-younger boys teams (overall records: 0-3 and 1-2) and a 16-and-younger girls team (overall record: 0-3) in the tournament.

Other winners at the tournament were: Roanoke Star Elite (11-and-younger boys, 11-and-younger girls, 13-and-younger girls), Roanoke Valley Youth Soccer Club (12-and-younger boys), Salem Sabres Maroon (12-and-younger girls), GUFC (14-and-younger boys), Valley AFC Arsenal (15-and-younger girls) and ODSC Crunch (16-and-younger girls).

Sunday, November 14, 2010

By PAUL MONTANA - Bulletin Sports Writer

The first day of the second annual Piedmont Shootout travel soccer tournament at the Smith River Sports Complex attracted 3,000 to 4,000 people, according to SRSC director of operations Billy Russo and Piedmont Youth Soccer League director of coaching Enda Crehan.

“Everything is going great,” Russo said. “All the comments have been very good on all sides that I’ve heard. There aren’t any complaints. All the games are on time, which is really good.”

The crowd included an unexpected number of local patrons who did not have a child in the tournament, SRSC director of marketing Kimberly Payne said, including some from as far away as North Carolina.

“We saw lots of local people who must have read about it or heard of it through our advertising who just came to watch, so that’s really good,” she said.

Russo added that there also were college coaches on hand to scout the players.

Of the nearly 70 teams at the tournament, Russo estimated that 30 of them are staying in hotels this weekend, including teams from as far away as West Virginia and South Carolina.

The Dutch Inn is the main hotel for the tournament, and its rooms are sold out, Russo said. He added that “I wouldn’t doubt” that other hotels are also full.

Russo estimated that each out-of-town family may spend an average of $150 per day food, lodging and shopping. Estimating 16 players with families per team on 30 teams comes to a rough estimate of $72,000 funneled in from out-of-town tournament participants, by Russo’s calculation.

The complex also made more money from concessions Saturday than they did in the two-day tournament last season, according to Russo. In addition, both the SRSC and PYSL are selling merchandise in the form of T-shirts, sweatshirts, and even the noise-making vuvuzelas that became famous with their frequent use at last summer’s World Cup in South Africa.

“Everything’s selling tip-top,” said Crehan of the PYSL merchandise.

With none of the teams eliminated until tomorrow’s playoff games, that means another infusion of funds for the complex, the PYSL and the surrounding community.

And, of course, there’s the soccer, which from all accounts was high-quality under exceptional weather.

Said Crehan: “Everything went absolutely fantastic. All the teams are playing well, we had good results. The logistics have been perfect. The weather was great. It was just fantastic.”

The free coaching workshop that was cosponsored by the Virginia Youth Soccer Association and Piedmont Youth Soccer League last Wednesday was a huge success.

Paul Shaw of the VYSA managed a workshop that saw coaches from every level of the PYSL organization in attendence, as well as outside guests and prospective coaches.

PYSL Director of Coaching Enda Crehan said of the workshop, "With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, I just want to thank Paul and the rest of the VYSA organization for putting on this clinic. We like to take advantage of any opportunity to develop the coaching minds around area youth soccer, and it doesn’t get any better than this. We look forward to similar partnership in the near future."

Here are some pictures from the 11/3 evening:

PYSL Director of Coaching (Right) with VYSA Coachiing Education Director Paul Shaw

“Soccer will never be played on a Martinsville High School field.”

This was the attitude of the Martinsville and Henry County Parks and Recreations Department back in 1980 when CeCe Johnson, Anne Bagby, and Barbara Helmick began their dream of bringing soccer to the youth of the area.

The three founders noticed the large (and growing) Latino and Indian populations and jumped at the opportunity to organize a soccer league for the children. At the time, it was an alternative sport for those who weren’t interested in baseball and were too small for football.

While the opportunity and market for the league was there, the organization still took some time to get off the ground. Playing anywhere the women could find a flat patch of grass, they needed to find a place to call home. Furthermore, they needed people to coach and money to make it all happen.

Growth was slow to start, but a breakthrough came when William Hall donated a piece of property located off 220 Business. They eventually found men in the local area to who knew enough about the game and were willing to coach, and a substantial financial contribution was made by David Bailey which helped get the ball rolling.

As the PYSL grew, it also faced a fair amount of controversy. Apart from the Parks and Recreations Departments opposing the expansion of the program, the PYSL Travel Team (which was originally named the PYSL Cougars) was viewed as ‘elitist’. However, as the league grew and became more inclusive, this view became more and more diluted.

The Piedmont Youth Soccer League has now entered its 30^th year as an organization, bringing top quality youth soccer to the Martinsville area. Today the PYSL is proud to govern over 500 kids playing in the recreation division who range from ages 4-14.

The league also boasts 6 travel teams that are generally reputed as developing some of the best talent in the Blue Ridge Classic League. This year alone, the PYSL has had 5 of its players selected to the USSF Olympic Development Program, a feeder system to the US National Team.

Furthermore, all PYSL matches are played at the pristine Smith River Sports Complex, a top quality venue which plays host to professional tryouts, NCAA conference championships, top level high school matches, and much more.

In a time when PYSL success has become routine, it is often easy to forget the league’s roots. However, with spirit day approaching this weekend, we should all take a few minutes to appreciate the work that was put in before us, and appreciate our responsibility to work for those who will come after us.

A dream was realized 30 years ago. What will it become in 30 more?

Martinsville Bulleten, Jun 8, 1994

Some of the earliest PYSL coaches. George Hagel & Chad Henderson in the Grey and Red

Gary Helmick, Coach and Husband of founder Barbara Helmick

1984

1985

A crowd composed of parents, friends, college students, and college coaches were on hand to see the PYSL Select Team (which was a combination of PYSL u16, u18, and u19 players, along with a couple other selected local talents) take on the Averett Men’s Soccer Reserves Squad which rostered ex-PYSL players Matt Chitwood and Ethan Atwood. The electric atmosphere produced a handful of goals and technical displays of brilliance.

There are more quality development matches planned for the weeks leading up to the CASL College Showcase Tournament in November. The PYSL will see three of its travel teams in the tournament, which gives players exposure to college coaches at all levels of college soccer from all across the country.

The PYSL College Development Program is dedicated to giving players who want to play soccer in college an opportunity to do so. The new College Corner section of the website has great information that players and families can use to help make that step. For questions or comments about the program, feel free to contact the PYSL Director of Coaching, Enda Crehan.

Brandon Smith battles with a Chesapeake United player in the Hurricane's 4-0 VYSA State Cup victory last Saturday.

Cyrus Fitzpatrick opened up the scoring, finishing a feed from Jules Eastland. Misael Sanchez would make it 2-0 before long with the first of two goals on the day off a ball from Jermaine Soyka. Brandon Smith followed this by playing a ball to Grant Boaz, who put it past the Storm goalkeeper to make the score 3-0. Sanchez added one final insurance goal with a penalty kick conversion, closing out the scoring for the day.

With the win, the Hurricanes (15th seed) advance to the round of 16 where they will play the #2 seeded Rangers of the Great Falls Soccer Club. The game is scheduled to take place on October 2nd in Reston, VA. Be sure to make the trip and support our Hurricanes!

Koby Johnson, Christian Norris, and Fred Woodall have been selected to join the 1995 Boys squad, while Harrison Norris and Grey Ferguson have been selected to the 1997 Boys squad.

"It’s a wonderful honor for the boys and our program, and I’m extremely proud of each of them, as well as their coaches who have developed them as players," said PYSL Director of Coaching Enda Crehan. "Sending five players to the ODP pool really shows that we are emerging as one of the leading soccer powerhouses in the region, and I’m excited to see what the future brings for all of us."

There will be another tryout for the ODP team on August 20th. For more information on how to try out, contact Enda Crehan.

For a complete list of players who were selected, visit the VYSA website.

CLICK HERE to visit the new PYSL Facebook page