Youth: Cote ousted from RSL Florida

Jim Cote is no longer the Girls Directors of Coaching for RSL Florida Soccer Club after being asked to resign by the club’s Board of Directors earlier this week.

Cote, whose girls under-18 side went 4-0 in the Predator division of the Disney Soccer Showcase last week, said he was shocked when the board asked for his resignation. Cote became the DOC when current University of Tampa head coach Adrian Bush resigned his position with the club in August 2008.

“When I took over for (Bush), the club had started to falter a little bit,” Cote said. “They asked me to step in, I stepped in, there were still major concerns at the club, and I did what I was asked to do. I hired seven new age-group coaches on the boy’s side, I put in coordinators to make the training under the proper structure. You’re going to ruffle some feathers along the way because it’s part of the job. People aren’t going to want to just change, but you have to change in order to be able to develop.”

RSL Florida Club Administrator Ellen LaVielle said via e-mail that RSL President David Laxer was travelling, and unavailable to comment until Monday. The board is holding a meeting on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at the Bern’s Steakhouse business offices, neat Bern’s in South Tampa, and Cote said he will be allowed to make a statement at that meeting. Cote also said he has received great support from the parents and players since the decision was made, and hopes that the club’s season won’t be derailed with the FYSA State Cup beginning in late March.

Cote said that no matter what comes out of Sunday’s meeting, he will remain committed to the remainder of the season with the team’s he is involved with coaching.

“I made a commitment to those kids, and I won’t let them down, I’ll stay and coach the teams,” Cote said. “There was just no pre-warning, no forewarning. I was in Miami two weeks ago for the Orange Classic, I didn’t even have a team down there, I just went down to help because we had five teams down there, and the president never said a word to me about it the whole time. And they won’t give me a reason, I said ‘just give me a reason, that way I know what I’ve done wrong, and for future endeavors I can fix it,’ but there’s been no reason given. They’re just going in another direction.”

Youth: Lombard, Zwetsch, Carter lift RSL to Disney title

LAKE BUENA VISTA – RSL Florida’s girls under-18 team got a pair of goals in the opening seven minutes from Zoe Lombard and a pair of excellent finishes from Connor Zwetsch in the second half as it rolled to a 5-0 victory against the Clearwater Chargers in the final of the Disney Soccer Showcase on Sunday afternoon at the Wide World of Sports Complex.

Lombard gave RSL the lead in the second minute, capitalizing on an excellent pass by Niki Carter to fire home. Lombard then latched onto a through ball into the right channel in the seventh minute, rifling her shot home from just inside the penalty area.

While Lombard scored the goals, the manner of Carter’s assists drew praise from RSL coach Jim Cote.

“They were just incredible assists,” Cote said. “Two at the beginning if it and then one to Connor at the end.”

Clearwater coach Mike Mannino said he thought giving up the early goals was too big a hole for his side to dig out from, especially against a team of RSL's quality.

“A minute and a half you give up a goal, it’s tough to battle back from, and then they got a second one before we were able to even it up,” Mannino said. “Going down 2-0 to a good team like that, they beat us today, and they were the better team. They deserved it.”

RSL could have added to its lead just before halftime, Arielle Anahory having her shot well saved, but in the 56th minute it became 3-0 as center back Amy Werdine sent a long ball over the top of the Chargers defense that allowed Zwetsch to beat the offside trap. Zwetsch then touched the ball around the advancing goalkeeper before finishing into the empty net.

Carter then set up Zwetsch’s second nine minutes later, an angled ball into the top of the penalty area again putting Zwetsch in behind the Chargers defense before she deftly volleyed into the right corner of the net.

Anahory completed the scoring in the 76th minute giving her side its first Disney title, something which meant a lot to Lombard.

“Especially because this was our last Disney tournament, there’s no qualifier left, it’s good to go out with a win,” Lombard said.

The Brandon Flames girls under-15 team also brought home a title, winning a penalty shootout 5-3 to defeat the Ponte Vedra Storm after the sides had played to a 2-2 tie after regulation and overtime.

The Flames had started strongly, Shea Rhoney going close to giving her side a lead in the first 10 minutes with a shot that was well-saved at the left post. The Flames took the lead from the penalty spot in the 19th minute as a long free kick bounced into the penalty area, and Aubrey Riggins was brought down as she moved in on goal. Caroline Evers stepped up and converted from the spot, shooting low into the right corner.

Jackie Simpson then doubled the Flames advantage 10 minutes later, driving a shot from the right side of the penalty area into the left side-netting of the goal. The finish drew praise from Flames coach Randy Belli.

“She’s a super athlete, and she plays in the center of midfield because she is so strong there, wins every ball and is a good one-on-one defender,” Belli said of Simpson. “But she has the ability to smack a ball and get forward, and it was good angle and a good finish. I would like to be able to use her more up front, but she’s such a good defender.”

Ponte Vedra put a scare into the Flames late in the first half when Taylor Valentine fired a fierce shot from outside the penalty area on target, only for Flames goalkeeper Dayton Wetherby to save well diving to her right.

The shot appeared to lift the Storm, and Valentine continued to lead the charge, tying the game seven minutes after the break as her shot from just outside the penalty area dipped underneath the crossbar into the net. Brandon had a chance to restore its two-goal advantage just after the hour-mark, but Evers saw her close-range shot come back off the crossbar.

Valentine then tied the game with 10 minutes to go, striking a free kick from 25 yards sweetly over the defensive wall and into the left corner of the net. Belli said he thought the Storm’s pressure in the second half caused problems for his side, which at times lost its composure and gave the ball away in poor positions.

“Credit to them, they’re a super group of athletes, and I think they caused us problems when they went high pressure, but they kept their backs back a bit so we couldn’t relieve pressure in behind their back four,” Belli said. “Every time we were relieving pressure, it was still in front of their back four, and they were coming at us. We got to the point where we started playing like donkeys and started smacking the ball every time we got it.”

Neither side was able to break the deadlock in overtime, sending the game to a shootout. There, Evers, Kalynne Heyer, Emily Jones, Rhoney and Amber Coca all converted from the spot, while the Storm missed on their first attempt, giving the Flames the title.

“I feel bad for Ponte Vedra to have to drop a game like that,” Belli said. “They’ve won it a couple of years in a row, and it was nice of them to let us have a chance at winning it.”

Youth: RSL, Clearwater U-18s set to meet at Disney

LAKE BUENA VISTA – RSL Florida and the Clearwater Chargers girls under-18 teams will face each other on the final day of the Disney Soccer Showcase after both sides completed pool play with three wins out of three on Saturday afternoon at the Wide World of Sports Complex.

RSL fell behind early against the Farmingdale Freedom, but rallied to earn a 3-1 victory to win Pool B.

The Freedom started well, putting good passing sequences together, and capitalized on a moment of hesitant defending to take the lead in the 11th minute, a low first-time shot finding the bottom left corner of the net.

RSL responded well, though, and in the 26th minute Zoe Lombard worked a good give-and-go with Thea Linkfield, breaking through the Farmingdale back four before firing into the left corner of the net. RSL almost took the lead a few moments later as the Freedom only half-cleared a cross from the left, and Jordan Johnson drove a shot off the bottom of the left post.

RSL controlled the bulk of the game from that point on, with Johnson and Colleen Lynch holding sway in midfield to allow RSL to create scoring opportunities. Niki Carter gave her side the lead in the 57th minute, heading home from close range after a good cross from the left by Ellen Moore, and then Lynch added a third in the 73rd minute on a brilliant shot from over 25 yards out into the top right corner of the net.

“We know she can do that,” Cote said. “She doesn’t think she can do that, but we know she can do that a lot. She has the ability to really hammer a ball and so it was nice to see her get that.”

The Chargers closed out their group play with a 2-0 victory against the Concorde Fire, setting up a rematch from the Showcase Qualifier in September. Then RSL won 2-0 in the tournament semifinals.

“We wanted to get the game against Clearwater again,” Cote said. “It was how it turned out in the qualifier, and it’ll come down to the two of us again tomorrow, so it’s exciting.”

The Chargers girls under-17 team wasn’t able to move on as it fell 4-2 to the Michigan Hawks. The Chargers needed a win to have a chance of winning its group, having drawn their first two games of the event.

The Brandon Flames girls under-15s had already won their group, and closed out pool play with a 0-0 draw against the Dynamo FC from Indiana. The Flames will face the Ponte Vedra Storm on Sunday afternoon to complete the tournament.

Youth: RSL earns second Disney victory

RSL Florida’s girls under-18 coach Jim Cote wasn’t particularly happy with his side’s intensity on Thursday night, even though they came away with victory in its opening game of the Disney Soccer Showcase.

Apparently, his side got the message. On Friday night, RSL’s pace down the wings was the key as it defeated West Virginia United 4-0, setting up a game on Saturday against the Farmingdale Freedom from New York that will determine which side advances as the group winner.

“They knew that I wasn’t happy last night,” Cote said. “The captains got them going without me saying anything tonight, so they were ready to go.”

Thea Linkfield and Niki Carter both had strong performances, and were each rewarded with a goal for their efforts down the flanks. Cote said Linkfield, Carter and Jordan Johnson, who moved from her normal central midfield spot to play out wide at times, were pivotal in getting behind the current West Virginia state champions defense, creating numerous chances.

“They’re a quality team,” Cote said. “I think the pace and field was too big for them. Thea and Niki and Jordan Johnson, they just couldn’t handle the pace of those kids.”

Should RSL win, it could face the Clearwater Chargers, who earned their second win in as many games with a 3-2 victory against Laroca FC from Utah.

Also picking up its second win in as many games was the Brandon Flames girls under-15 side, which used a strong first half to defeat the Greensboro Twisters 5-2, winning its group in the process.

Brandon took a 3-0 halftime lead, but the Twisters rallies to cut the lead to 3-2 early in the second half. The Flames were able to retain their composure, though, and added another pair of goals to put the game away.

“(Greensboro) was good,” Flames coach Randy Belli said. “I don’t think the score was indicative of how good that team is.”

The Flames have now scored nine goals in their opening two games, something that Belli credits to the way the side is executing when faced with good opponents.

“I think a lot of players are stepping up and performing well,” Belli said. “It’s been a solid team effort. We’re getting a lot of goals scored from a lot of different players, and they’re playing well within the system. I think they believe in each other, and they’re pushing hard to be in the right places, make the right decisions and do the right things, and that’s what’s generating all the goal scoring.”

The Clearwater Chargers girls under-17 team was the only local side not to win on Friday, as it earned a second straight tie, 2-2 against the Scorpions SC. That leaves the Chargers in third place in its group, but a win on Saturday against the Michigan Hawks would put them at least into second place in the group and a fourth game on Sunday.

The Chargers could even win them the group should they get the right result in the other game in the group on Saturday.

Youth: Chargers girls can't find winner in Disney opener

LAKE BUENA VISTA – The Clearwater Chargers girls under-17 team earned a tie in its opening game at the Disney Soccer Showcase on Thursday afternoon, but was unfortunate not to come away with a win as it controlled the flow of the game, and the majority of possession, in the second half of its 1-1 tie with the Hibernian FC Express from New Jersey.

“In the second half, we did a much better job of playing the way we normally play,” Chargers coach Sergei Stopak said. “A team that passes, supporting each other, trying to find our rhythm. I thought that was missing in the first half, but in the second half it was there. We were a little unfortunate not to find that final finish, but when you come to Disney, that’s what you expect from the competition.”

Jen Casey gave the Chargers the lead in the first half, but Hibernian tied the game just before halftime. From then on, the Chargers were in control, and scored early in the second half, only to see the goal taken away for offside.

Sierra Lelii was effective leading the Chargers attack, and Stopak thought she had done well in leading the line.

“I really thought she was going to beat that final defender and get that opportunity,” Stopak said. “In fact, we did, but we got too greedy to put it in the net, and we got caught offside for it, but she made a difference out there.”

The Chargers will face the Scorpions SC from Massachusetts in their second game the Scorpions routing the Michigan Hawks 5-1 in their opener.

The Chargers under-18s earned victory in their opening game of the event, taking a 1-0 win against the Ohio Elite Academy.

Elsewhere, the Brandon Flames girls under-15 team trailed at halftime, but after some adjustments were able to earn a 4-1 victory against Albertson SC from New York, Shea Rhoney scoring a hat trick for the Flames.

“(She had) brilliant composure,” Flames coach Randy Belli said of Rhoney. “Just going after the outside back and creating problems for the other team.”

Albertson’s three forwards caused problems for the Flames in the first half, pressuring the defenders and midfielders as they tried to find their passing rhythm, but in the second half the Flames started playing longer, angled passes to stretch the defense and create openings.

“They did a really good job pressuring us in the first half,” Belli said. “We just adjusted our tactics a little bit, started playing some longer diagonal balls because they were really leaving the opposite wide player or forward open, so once we started finding that player, and then settling down and playing a little bit I think the rust came off, and we created a lot of chances.”

RSL Florida’s girls under-18s also won, but the victory wasn’t as easy as the 5-1 score against KUFC from Illinois might make it seem.

“It was a quality team,” RSL coach Jim Cote said. “It was 2-0 at halftime, but they were all over us to start the second half, we just got one ball in behind them and three passes, boom, it was in the goal, then we got another on quickly after that. They were a very good team, we just got the breaks with the goals. I don’t think 5-1 was indicative of the game.”

Cote said he wanted to see better intensity from his side when they face West Virginia United, the defending West Virginia state champions, on Friday evening.

“It’s a big game tomorrow night,” Cote said. “At times we looked very, very good today. The issue with the team is that sometimes we think we’re better than we are, and we don’t play with that level of intensity.”

Youth: RSL boys fall short at Disney

LAKE BUENA VISTA – RSL Florida’s two representatives at the Disney Soccer Showcase saw their tournaments come to an end on Tuesday, as both the boys under-16s and under-17s failed to advance out of their respective groups.

RSL’s under-16s played well from box to box in their final game, but a failure to convert scoring opportunities in the final third led to a 1-1 tie against the Michigan Jaguars. According to Coach Steve Wolf, that had been the theme for the side’s week, as they finished with two draws and a loss.

“From box to box, we dominated the games, but in the final third, in the box, we weren’t good enough to finish teams off,” Wolf said. “We didn’t have the killer instinct, the timing wasn’t there, we just couldn’t finish in the final third.”

Wolf was pleased with the way his side played overall, with Zach Higgins having a strong tournament in the center of midfield. Wolf said he thought the way Higgins thinks about the game sets him apart from a lot of players his age.

“He’s by far our most intelligent player,” Wolf said. “He almost plays like he’s in his thirties, he sees things and then he steps into situations defensively and just reads things. A very smooth player, very calm, always in control, and he’s very important for us in midfield.

RSL’s Under-17s finished an up and down tournament with a tough defeat, 6-0 to the Baltimore Bays. Coach Alex Delgado said there were just times when the team you faced was better, but he was happy with the way the side kept their heads up and kept working hard.

“Today, we were just out-matched,” Delgado said. “Sometimes it’s ok to say the other team was better than you, and they were better. We came out fighting though, we missed a couple of opportunities early, and when you have a team like the Baltimore Bays Academy team, they’re not going to let you breathe.”

Delgado was happy with the week overall, however, a win against Campton United from Illinois, currently ranked No.14 in the nation according to gotsoccer.com a highlight.

“Hopefully we gained a little respect from teams out here,” Delgado said. “We showcased ourselves well, and I think a couple of our guys caught some people’s attention out here, they did excellent. (Robert) Menke in the middle, (Kyle) Eichoff in the middle and Tevin (Gage) out wide had another amazing showcase, it was excellent.”

Hillsborough County United’s boys under-18s also fell short of advancing after a 1-0 defeat against Commack SC in its final game dropped them to third place in the group, as did HCU’s under-15s, which managed to end the tournament on a high note with a 7-4 win against the Albertson Academy from New York.

The Clearwater Chargers under-18 and under-16 teams both advanced through, each side winning its respective group. The Under-18s played to a 0-0 draw with the Forsyth Fusion, sending them through to a game against Tennessee’s FC Alliance on Wednesday afternoon.

The under-16s, playing up in the under-17 division, completed pool play with a third victory, defeating FC Solar from Texas 2-1. The Chargers will face HCU’s under-17 side, which advanced with a pair of wins and a tie, closing with a 1-1 draw against Huntsville from Alabama.

Youth: HCU, Strictly perform well at Raleigh Boys Showcase

Hillsborough County United’s boys under-17 team earned three wins in three games at the Raleigh Boys Showcase Soccer Series, while Strictly Soccer (2-0-1) and RSL Florida (1-1-1) also performed well at the showcase event.

The event, which is a major one for college recruiting with 28 divisions alone in the boys under-17 division, was disrupted on Sunday due to bad weather with some games being shortened in length. That didn’t appear to affect HCU, and Coach Eric Sims said while he thought the team struggled defensively at times in their opening game, a 3-2 win against North Meck Soccer Club from North Carolina, he was pleased with the was the team settled down and played in its final two games. He was happier, though, that his player’s performances had put them on the radar of a number of major college programs.

“We played very well at times,” Sims said. “Some players definitely stood out, and we were able to get them the exposure that they needed. That was really the point of coming, winning the three games was a bonus, but really we wanted to get the players exposure and I think they did that.”

Strictly Soccer earned a pair of victories, 4-2 against the Richmond (Va.) Strikers and 1-0 against the Albion (Tx.) Hurricanes, before a 0-0 tie against Central Jackson (Miss.) in its final game. Coach Hans Burt said the three games offered three very different types of opponent, something he thought would help better his side.

“It was a good weekend,” Burt said. “We scored four the first game, played wide open, the second game we struggled, played a lot of defense but executed a free kick for a goal, and then today’s game was very physical, so a little bit of everything.”

While the Under-17 event was purely a three-game showcase for each competing team, Strictly’s under-16s took victory in the Premier Questra Division, a 1-0 victory against Alpharetta on a goal by Thomas White giving Strictly the title.

The side was missing Tarik Salkicic, who had competed for the U.S. Under-17 team at the Nike friendlies in Phoenix last weekend, but Burt said he was very pleased with how the team had learned to play without their standout midfielder.

“They’ve played about 12 games without him,” Burt said. “Through the summer he had some issued with injuries, and regional stuff, and we’ve done well in good competition, but to come up here without Tarik and play national-level competition, and play the way we played was just phenomenal.”

RSL Florida's under-17s opened with a 1-0 win against Great Falls (Va.) before earning a 1-1 tie against the Augusta (Ga.) Arsenal and a final day defeat to the Potomac Cougars.

Youth: Washington earns redemption, RSL boys earn Super-Y title

TAMPA – Penalty shootouts usually lead to a pair of emotions: Joy for the winners, and disappointment for the losers.

For RSL Florida’s Raeshaun Washington, the biggest emotion was a sense of redemption.

Washington’s low shot into the right corner of the net gave RSL Florida's boys under-15 side a 5-3 shootout victory against Mountain WFC from Vancouver, B.C. in a shootout after the two sides had played to a 1-1 tie through regulation and overtime at the Ed Radice Sports Complex on Tuesday afternoon.

“I started off real, real tough,” Washington said. “I was struggling throughout the game, but then I managed to put the ball in the net. It’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

Washington’s error in the 30th minute, losing possession to Mountain's Mike Jasinski who proceded to move in on goal and tie the game, proved a pivotal moment in the game. After RSL had held control over the contest, taking the lead when Nathan Dalton seized upon an opportunity in the 18th minute after Rheese Wiltshire’s centering pass had been deflected to a defender, the equalizer, and the first goal RSL had conceded all tournament, appeared to throw the team out of its rhythm.

That continued into the second half, where tired legs and minds started to play a role. Neither side was able to create any real opening, a low free kick by RSL's Jean Cenoble just before full time flashing through the 6-yard box and behind for a goal kick.

After 20 minutes of overtime went scoreless, the game went to a shootout. There, RSL’s Zach Higgins, Travis Jehs, Jacob Frahm and Kody Thomas each scored, and Kody Parker’s save on Mountain’s third shot of the shootout left the game on Washington’s foot. After a false start caused by a lightning warning siren, the referee, who had begun to take the teams off the field, was told by tournament officials to complete the shootout, and Washington, undeterred by the brief delay, slotted his shot home.

“That says a lot about his character,” RSL coach Steve Wolf said. “He knew he made that mistake, and good players know when they make a mistake they’ll admit it, they’ll take responsibility for it, and they’ll move on, and that’s what Raeshaun did today. He had a great tournament.”

Washington’s shot at redemption, though, wouldn’t have come about if not for a brilliant save by Parker, who read the shooter perfectly, taking off to his left before the ball had been struck to push it aside.

“I was watching him, and he was looking in the opposite corner, and whenever somebody does that, I always dive the other way,” Parker said. “He was looking the other way, so I just went for it.”

The title is the first Super-Y championship in RSL's history, and Wolf said he was very proud of the way his side had battled through, playing their fifth game in as many days.

“Extremely proud,” Wolf said. “I think when you get to this stage in this type of tournament where you’ve played five games over a stretch of four or five days, I think it’s more about the heart and the mind. The legs are gone, it’s all about your mind and your heart, and your willingness to get through it and to win.”

Mountain coach Andrea Agnolani said he was also proud of his side.

“I think overall it was a good game,” Agnolani said. “Everybody had to give out whatever they had left in their engine, and it was a fair game in the end. After the goal was scored, we had a great chance at the end of the first half, but then in the second half, neither team had any close chances to capitalize, so a fair game, and then the penalty shots are just a lottery.”

A lottery to which Washington held the winning ticket. Already having won the Sparta Cup and Region III Premier League this season, Washington said this title, in addition to the others, meant a great deal to him and his teammates after they had come close but fallen short in previous events.

“We usually are used to silver,” Washington said. “Now we have the gold, and it’s a big thing for us. We had a monkey on our back, and it just finally came off.”

Youth: Cleveland rallies to defeat RSL girls in Super-Y Final

TAMPA – Soccer coaches often say the most important time in any game is the five minutes following a goal.

That proved to be the case in the girls under-17 final of the United Soccer League’s Super-Y North American Finals as the Cleveland Internationals got goals from Kate Allen and Megan Gallagher to rally from a goal down to defeat RSL Florida 2-1 on Tuesday morning.

After Cleveland had the better of the first half, RSL came out sharply to start the second. Zoe Lombard had a cross that shot through the 6-yard area, but Connor Zwetsch wasn’t able to get a decisive touch as the ball went through for a goal kick. Zwetsch also had a pair of chances, one that forced a save from the Internationals goalkeeper and another that she sent wide after stealing possession from a defender.

Zwetsch did finally break the deadlock in the 65th minute, picking the ball up in midfield before beating three defenders on a run into the left side of the penalty area and flicking the ball past the advancing goalkeeper with the outside of her right foot.

“They left a gap open, so I just took the gap and took on the two people in front of me,” Zwetsch said. “I had a good angle, so I just found my around them and tapped it in with the outside of my foot.”

But then, as the RSL players were expecting, Cleveland upped its game. As RSL struggled to find a way out fron its own half, the Internationals we able to build a five-minute spell of pressure. That pressure culminated in a turning shot from 25 yards by Allen that flew into the top left corner of the net.

“I was going to shoot with my left foot,” Allen said. “But then I turned and I had an open shot, so just thought I’d hit it, I was looking far post and luckily it went in.”

As RSL’s opener had spurred on Cleveland, the equalizer led to RSL increasing its intensity, and Niki Carter had a shot well saved as she and her teammates pushed to retake the lead.

RSL’s Jessica Giblin then came inches away from restoring the advantage as she fired a free kick from 30 yards out that came back off the underside of the crossbar and away to safety.

“I thought it looked good,” Giblin said. “It was up in the corner, and I could only hope for the best.”

That near-miss took on even greater meaning shortly after, as Gallagher rose to head home a corner from the left that clipped the underside of the crossbar before dropping into the goal. RSL coach Jim Cote said after the game that he told his team that sometimes, it just wasn’t going to be, and the differences between Giblin’s near-miss and Gallagher’s goal only amplified that sentiment.

“It’s a game of inches,” Cote said. “I’m proud of the girls, I thought Amy Werdine was special all weekend, and obviously Connor showed her worth, and Jordan Johnson, every girl contributed, we got big boosts from kids that normally don’t give us that, (Jessica Jagielski) was fantastic this weekend, and again, they were all fantastic. Hats off to the Internationals, they were great, we’re a little disappointed, but proud as well.”

Allen said after the Internationals had been eliminated in group play a season ago, to return and earn the title was a very special feeling.

“Considering we didn’t do so well last year, to come back left us hungry to win this one,” Allen said. “It’s huge for us, considering what we’ve gone through this past season. We’ve grown a lot as a team, and to come back from last year and win this was really big for us. It feels good.”

Youth: RSL boys cruise into Super-Y Final

TAMPA – A pair of first half goals by Kody Thomas, and a fourth straight shutout, moved RSL Florida’s boys under-15 team into the final of the United Soccer League’s Super-Y North American Finals after a 3-0 victory against the Westchester Flames on Monday afternoon.

In a far better performance than in its final group game, RSL controlled the flow of the game from the outset, and took the lead in the 25th minute when Nathan Dalton picked up the ball outside the penalty area after a clearance, and angled a cross from the left to the far post where Thomas was on hand to head home.

Thomas then doubled RSL’s advantage in the 33rd minute, working a quick give and go with Travis Jehs before his shot from the left side of the penalty area deflected off a defender into the net.

RSL put the game out of reach 11 minutes into the second half when Rheese Wiltshire’s corner from the left was flicked in at the near post by Jean Cenoble.

“First half we came out a lot better than yesterday,” RSL coach Steve Wolf said. “I think we knew something was on the line and we had a sense of urgency. A little more disciplined in our shape, and we did the business.”

While the Flames did manufacture some chances, a looping shot that went off the top of the crossbar the closest they came to pulling a goal back, RSL’s defense remained solid. Wolf said he was pleased with the performances of center backs Winston Lightbody and Raeshaun Washington, and the way the team was defending as a whole.

“I think defending as a team in the modern game is so important,” Wolf said. “When you can keep a game tight and you can rely on your defense, because there’s going to be days when you’re not on to finish, but if you know that you can keep a team at bay, it says volumes about the team.”

RSL will face Mountain WFC from Vancouver, B.C. on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at the Ed Radice Sports Complex, and Wolf said he hoped the players would embrace the opportunity they have in front of them.

“I told them, ‘don’t take this for granted, because you never know when you’ll get this chance again,’ ” Wolf said. “It’s the chance of a lifetime, it’s all about trying to create a moment and create memories by winning the championship.”

Youth: RSL girls rally, advance to Super-Y Final

LAND O’ LAKES – RSL Florida’s girls under-17 team rallied from a two-goal deficit, scoring twice in the final five minutes to earn a 3-2 victory against the Fort Wayne Fever and advance to the final of the United Soccer League’s Super-Y North American Finals on Monday afternoon.

RSL trailed 2-0 early in the second half, but got back into the game on the hour-mark. Connor Zwetsch’s pass towards the top of the penalty area was picked up by Jessica Giblin, who ran at her defender. Giblin lost possession briefly, but regained it and turned to her right, where Thea Linkfield was on hand to shoot low into the right corner of the net.

The goal appeared to energize RSL, as the mid-eighties temperature appeared to begin to take a toll on the Indiana-based squad, and Giblin, Zoe Lombard and Linkfield each had chances shortly after to tie the game.

Fort Wayne did have an opportunity to restore its two-goal advantage with just over 10 minutes to play as Jordan Pawlick knifed through the RSL defense, but in alone she shot wide of the target.

That miss would come back to haunt Fort Wayne in the 86th minute when Jessica Jagielski sent an angled pass into the penalty area looking for Linkfield. Linkfield wasn’t able to get to the ball first, but the pressure she placed on the retreating defender caused a miscommunication between the defender and her goalkeeper, and the defender redirected the pass into her own net.

Linkfield then found the game-winner in the 89th minute, flicking a long clearance to Niki Carter before making a run forward. Carter took the ball, and sent it back to Linkfield, who ran into the left side of the penalty area and shot low into the right corner to complete the comeback.

“Thea and Zoe, the work they did up front for the first 25 minutes was incredible,” RSL coach Jim Cote said. “Then here at the end with Thea, who was relentless, and Niki and those girls just battling. None of those goals were pretty, but the crossed the line, so we’ll take it.”

Fort Wayne had taken the lead in the 29th minute as Marlee Disher capitalized when RSL goalkeeper Jordan Hatton mishandled a header back to her by Amy Werdine, Disher stealing the ball and finishing into an empty net. The Fever then doubled their lead in the 52th minute as Pawlick scored in a sharp first-time finish after a good through-ball had set her up. Cote, though, thought the warm conditions would take a toll on the Fort Wayne players and was proved correct as RSL carried most of the game from the 60th minute.

“I said at the beginning of the tournament, on day one, you’re never going to be out of a game here,” Cote said. “You play in this arena, and the heat, and all these teams are coming from the colder climate, so you’re never going to be out of a game.

“You could see late in the first half their kids were getting tired, and were asking to come off, so I knew if I kept rotating the (players), which is why it’s important to have 18 here who can play, that someone is going to make a difference.”

RSL will face the Cleveland Internationals in the final on Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. at the Ed Radice Sports Complex. RSL defeated Cleveland 3-2 in group play at last year’s championship, but the Internationals were impressive in a 5-0 semifinal with against Seacoast.

“They’re very deep, so we’re going to have our hands full,” Cote said. “We took one away from them last year, and I’m sure they’ll want to get one back on us.”

Youth: RSL boys out of sync, but still earn victory

TAMPA – RSL Florida’s boys under-15 team didn’t perform as sharply as in its opening two games, but a late second half goal by Taylor Cook proved enough to send them into the semifinals of the United Soccer League’s Super-Y North American Finals with a 1-0 victory against the Alliance Academy on Sunday afternoon.

After a scrappy game, RSL appeared to move into a higher gear late in the second half. That pressure culminated when Jarrett Link picked the ball up in midfield and pushed forward. Link had the ball knocked away from him just outside the penalty area, but the ball came to Enrique Barboto, who slid an angled pass to his left to Cook, who shot low into the right corner of the net.

RSL goalkeeper Cody Parker made a pair of good saves to preserve the lead as RSL completed group play with three wins from three games.

“We didn’t play well at all, but when you’re in a tournament, you get the result, and we move on, and that’s the main thing, we move on to tomorrow,” RSL coach Steve Wolf said. “Hopefully we’ll have a better performance tomorrow.”

RSL will play the Westchester Flames in the semifinals, kicking off at 3 p.m. at the Ed Radice Sports Complex. Wolf believes if his side can regain the offensive rhythm it had in its first two games which allowed it to control possession and the pace of the game, it should result in a stronger performance.

“I think the main thing tomorrow is to try and find the rhythm that we had in the two previous games,” Wolf said. “Try to develop a rhythm. Today, there was really no rhythm. We had a bit of a rhythm through the midfield, but we gave away the ball too cheaply, our central midfielders did, and we didn’t do that the first two games.”

Youth: RSL girls underwhelming in final group game

LAND O’ LAKES – RSL Florida’s girls under-17 team completed pool play with their third win out of three on Sunday afternoon, but did so in an underwhelming performance that saw them concede a pair of goals in the first 15 minutes before a late flurry gave them a 5-3 victory against the MPS Renegades.

The Renegades took the lead in the sixth minute, a lifted ball from the midfield finding Scout Benson, who lifted her shot over an advancing goalkeeper. RSL Florida answered a minute later, Thea Linkfield breaking through on the left to shoot home, but MPS retook the lead in the 13th minute, Stephanie Ribeiro driving a low shot from the right side of the penalty area into the bottom left corner of the net.

At that point, RSL coach Jim Cote had seen enough, and in order to liven his team up, withdrew a player, putting his side at a 10-on-11 disadvantage.

“I said when we started to play soccer, we would put another player on. ‘Til then, we were just playing with 10,” Cote said. “If you’re going to walk around, what does it matter if we have 11 or seven? And that’s what we were doing, for the first 25 minutes we were walking around, that just because we had the RSL shirt on the other team were going to walk away and hand us the match.”

The players appeared to get the message quickly, and despite being a player short began to take control of the game. Jessica Giblin had a pair of shots well saved, and then five minutes for the break Ellen Moore tied the game after Zoe Lombard made a run down the right and centered, Linkfield’s initial shot was blocked but Moore came in on the right to knock home the rebound.

Giblin then hit the post early in the second half, but while RSl continued to have the better of the play, it wasn’t until 12 minutes remained that they took the lead for good. Moore stole the ball in midfield, and slid a pass through to Niki Carter on the right. Carter crossed the ball through the six-yard box, and Jessica Jagielski was at the far post to put home the finish.

RSL made it 4-2 in the 82nd minute, Taylor Batye winning possession, this time on the left, and her quick pass through released Lombard for a low shot to finish. Jagielski then scored her second a minute later, capitalizing after Lombard’s shot had been partially blocked, and while MPS pulled a goal back with three minutes to play, Isabelle DeSouza scoring from a corner after her initial shot had been tipped over the crossbar, RSL closed out the victory.

Cote was full of praise for Jagielski, who brought excellent energy to the team off the bench.

“We knew that when you play a team like that that sit in and are condensed, you need to be able to get flank play, you need to be able to have quality service,” Cote said. “Thea was getting it down the left side, we weren’t really getting it down the right, and (Jessica) came in and gave us a huge boost. She had three or four serves that should have been goals, and then she tucked away a couple and got an assist on one. She was the difference in the game today.”

RSL will face the Fort Wayne Fever in Monday’s semifinals. The Fever finished second in Group C, and advanced as the wild card after a pair of wins in three games, scoring 11 goals in the process. Cote expected his side to be sharper with the tournament entering the knock-out stage.

“We’re just looking forward to the opportunity of playing whoever we play,” Cote said. “At this point, there’s going to be four good teams left, and now you’ve got to take care of your business.”

Youth: RSL boys cruise into Super-Y semifinals

RSL Florida’s boys under-15 team cruised into the semifinals of the United Soccer League’s Super-Y North American Finals with a 4-0 victory against the MPS Crusaders at the Ed Radice Sports Complex on Saturday afternoon.

As in its opening victory, RSL was able to control the tempo of the game in midfield, using its wide players to create chances against the Crusaders. RSL coach Steve Wolf said he was very happy with the way the side had played.

“I think what I was happy with was our possession,” Wolf said. “We kept the ball well, and it opened up things so we can go forward. We kept the ball well in the midfield, and that opened up the flanks for us to penetrate.”

In addition to the way they possessed the ball, RSL was also also to use it’s strength to its advantage, Wolf saying that often his players were able to overpower their opponents with not only their speed but their strength.

Kody Thomas, Rheese Wiltshire, Travis Jehs and Jarrett Link all scored for RSL, and Wolf said the priority for the side now is to maintain its momentum into Monday’s semifinals with a positive performance against the Alliance Academy on Sunday afternoon.

“We don’t want to let off (Sunday),” Wolf said. “We want to keep the momentum and keep playing the way we have to play. Worry about ourselves and just try to get better with each and every game. It’s very important.”

Youth: RSL girls move into Super-Y semifinals

LAND O’ LAKES – RSL Florida's girls under-17 side moved into the semifinals of the United Soccer League’s Super-Y North American Finals as a strong opening 25 minutes led to a 3-0 victory against the West Michigan Fire on Saturday afternoon at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center.

RSL was the sharper side to open the game, controlling possession well, cleaning up loose passes from the Fire while getting to 50/50 challenges quicker. The last of those factors also led to numerous free kicks going RSL’s way, as the Fire were often late in the challenge. That appeared to cause frustration among the Fire’s players and coaches, which was only exacerbated when RSL was awarded a penalty in the 19th minute when Thea Linkfield was pushed down from behind in the penalty area. Jordan Johnson stepped up and side-footed her shot into the right corner to give RSL the lead.

The goal, though, seemed to refocus the Fire, and they began to play better, gaining more possession and starting to develop their own rhythm. But a turnover in midfield gave RSL a chance to counter-attack, and Jessica Giblin’s ball forward allowed Niki Carter to use her pace to get behind the Fire defense and shoot home into the left corner of the net in the 36th minute.

RSL coach Jim Cote said he was very pleased with the way central midfielders Johnson, Giblin and Amy Werdine had controlled the game from the outset.

“I said to them at halftime that the first 25 minutes were fantastic,” Cote said. “The intensity was high, we were doubling down, triping down on players, team soccer defending was what we needed to do, that’s what I said we had to do before the game.”

Cote said he was also very pleased with the way his side defended, limiting the Fire’s opportunities as they had against Princeton on Friday.

“The back four I thought was fantastic,” Cote said. “It’s the same thing as yesterday, we didn’t give away a lot of chances, and that’s the thing I try to preach to them, that defending is everything and they’ve got to beat all 11 to score, and I think we’ve done a good job of that over the first two days.”

A similar pattern emerged in the second half, as the Fire frustrations led to first their head coach being sent from the sidelines, and then a pair of players being shown two yellow cards, which led to their ejections and the game ending 11-on-9. Between the two sendings off, Zoe Lombard scored RSL’s third, running onto a long ball and flicking her header past an advancing goalkeeper into the vacant net.

RSL will advance as the winner of Group B regardless of its result against the currently winless MPS Renegades on Sunday, and will play Monday at 1 p.m. in the tournament semifinals. Cote said he thought the way the team had performed so far was indicative of the bond the players shared.

“I think they’re excited to see each other again,” Cote said. “I think the excitement of getting the group back together again and realizing what a special group we have, although they’ve had a wonderful year, the energy level to play with each other is certainly there.”

Youth: Higgins lifts RSL boys to victory

Zach Higgins first-half header proved enough to give RSL Florida’s boys under-15 side a 1-0 victory against the TSF Academy from New Jersey in its opening game of the United Soccer League’s Super-Y North American Finals at the Ed Radice Sports Complex on Friday afternoon.

Higgins rose to head home Travis Jehs’ corner kick from just outside the six-yard box, and RSL was able to control the tempo for the rest of the game with a display of ball possession that impressed RSL coach Steve Wolf.

“I was happy with the way we possessed the ball,” Wolf said. “I thought we possessed the ball well through midfield and kept the ball.”

RSL will face MPS Crusaders in its second game of pool play needing a victory to extend its chances of reaching the semifinals. With only the group winner advancing from each of the four-team groups, victories are at a premium for every team.

“I told them to enjoy it tonight, but tomorrow we have to be hungry to play another game,” Wolf said. “We start at zero again tomorrow, and do it all over again.”

Youth: Linkfield gives RSL girls opening victory

LAND O’ LAKES – Thea Linkfield scored in the 84th minute to give RSL Florida’s girls under-17 side a 2-1 victory against Princeton in its opening game of the United Soccer League’s Super-Y North American Finals at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center on Friday afternoon.

After numerous missed chances to take the lead in the second half, Linkfield latched onto a pass by Colleen Lynch, and then drove a low shot into the right corner of the net to put RSL ahead. The victory, though, was almost grabbed away in the final minute, when RSL goalkeeper Brittany Bennett was unable to hold a shot by Princeton's Emma Carp, and Amanda Redding put home the rebound. But Redding was ruled to be offside when Carp’s shot was taken, wiping out the goal and preserving a vital three points for RSL.

RSL had taken the lead in the 25th minute, Linkfield finding Jessica Giblin, who sent a through-ball to Connor Zwetsch, who broke through the Princeton defense and shot home from 15 yards out. Princeton hit back from the penalty spot five minutes later, though, Capr shooting low to the right to tie the game.

RSL then had a pair of chances before halftime to take the lead, but Giblin and Amy Werdine were both denied. Werdine then shot wide in the second half before Nicci Carter and Linkfield had opportunities saved and Giblin shot wide after beating Princeton’s offside trap.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic, though, as Bennett made a pair of good saves to keep the game tied before Linkfield’s winner.

RSL will face West Michigan Fire Juniors, which defeated the MPS Renegades 5-3 in their opening game, on Saturday afternoon. Victory there would put RSL in a strong position to make Monday’s semifinals.

“The game tomorrow is probably the deciding factor in who goes out of our group,” RSL coach Jim Cote said. “Overall, it was a good performance by Connor (Zwetsch), Amy Werdine was good, and our goalkeeper played well at the end when we needed a couple of saves.”

Youth: RSL Girls confident entering Super-Y Finals

After the disappointment of being eliminated on goal difference in the opening round last season, RSL Florida’s girls under-17 team is looking forward to making one final attempt to win a championship at the United Soccer League’s Super-Y North American Finals, which begin on Friday afternoon.

“We’ve had a really good summer and fall together,” RSL coach Jim Cote said. “Scored a lot of goals and given up very few, and they’re looking forward to the opportunity.”

Last year, the opening game of the tournament proved critical for RSL as they fell 1-0 to the Cal Odyssey. As with any tournament that features pool play, a positive result in the opening game is going to be critical if the side is to advance. Cote, though is optimistic for his team’s chances, as his players have continued to play well to start the high school season, boosting their confidence ahead of the weekend.

“The high school is great because our kids are scoring a lot of goals, and they have a different level of confidence,” Cote said. “I think we have seven or eight players on our team who are already over the 10-goal mark for their high school teams, and that builds confidence.”

What should also help the team is its familiarity with one another. In previous season’s the sides RSL sent to the Super-Y Finals were often an amalgam of two, or more, teams. This season, all 22 players have been together for close to a year, with 18 of them having played together for two years. While the side will be missing defenders Kara Buono and Linsdey DiLeonardo to injury, Cote believes the team has the depth to where the incoming players won’t miss a beat.

“This group of 22 have played together all year, trained together, know each other inside and out,” Cote said. “18 of the 22 have been together for two years now, so they feel good about themselves, they have a little bit of arrogance about them, not cocky, but arrogance. They feel they’re a good team, and that they can compete with anybody.”

That’s an attitude they’ll need to maintain as they face a tough opening group. With the three group winners and one wild card second placed team advancing to the semifinals, RSL will need to be at its sharpest to move on.

“We open on Friday at 3 against Princeton which, you’re playing out of New York, New Jersey, that northeast region, you’ve got to be pretty good to get out of that, that’s the first task,” Cote said. “Then we get Chicago and then MPS renegades, which I believe lost in the final last year, so we have three good teams in our group, we’re going to have to let the chips fall where they may and get after them.”

Youth: RSL Florida earns Region III Premier League title

RSL Florida’s boys under-16 squad completed an undefeated season, and won the club’s first Region III Premier League title with a pair of victories over the weekend.

Travis Jehs and Ricky McEwan found the net for RSL on Saturday evening as it defeated CESA Premier 2-0, and McEwan struck again on Sunday, scoring the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win against Columbia United.

According to RSL coach Steve Wolf, earning the title was not just special for the players, but important for them. The side has suffered disappointment in the past in big events, losing in the final of the Florida State Cup in the last three seasons.

Wolf believes now they have won a major title, sealing it with a pair of strong victories, the team’s confidence will grow and it will allow the team to relax more when facing pressure situations. The last west Florida side to win a Region III title was the IMG Academy's girls under-18 side in 2007, which contained a number of local standouts, but RSL's victory is believed to be the first title won by a Tampa-based team.

“I think this is very important for the guys psychologically,” Wolf said. “To get past this point and to win something big, because they’ve been through going to State Cup three years in a row and losing in the final. Now we’ve stamped our ticket to regionals, I think we can be a little more relaxed and a little less pressure on us going into State Cup.”

Making this step, where a team learns to perform under pressure, especially with a title on the line, can be a key moment in a player’s and a team’s development.

“That’s something that champions do,” Wolf said. “That’s what it’s all about, learning to deal with pressure and winning. Hopefully we can keep progressing from here.”

Youth: RSL Under-16s on verge of Premier League title

TAMPA – For RSL Florida boys under-16 coach Steve Wolf, his first experience with the Region III Premier League has been a thoroughly enjoyable one.

“It’s very exciting,” Wolf said on Thursday evening at RSL’s training fields. “This is the first season I’ve been in this league and coached in this league, and the competition is great. It’s really first class, I’ve really enjoyed it.”

Part of that enjoyment has come from the success his side has found. The squad enters the final weekend of the season undefeated and on top of the league with two games to play. The Florida State Cup runners-up for the last three seasons, victory would be a major accomplishment for the side, and earn it an automatic berth to next year’s Southern Regional tournament in Baton Rouge, La.

According to Wolf, a big key to the side’s success this season has been its resiliance. In three of the seven games RSL has played so far, they have rallied to win after facing deficits. That has filled Wolf, who began coaching the side in July, with an immense sense of pride.

“We’ve had three games where we were behind by a goal and we came back and won those matches, so from that aspect I’m very happy with the boys,” Wolf said. “Just knowing that we can be in that situation where we’re down, but we still have come back and won matches. I think that’s something to be very proud of.”

The Region III Premier League is made up of teams in the Southern region that finished as either the champion or runner-up of the State Cup tournament earlier this year, giving every team high-level competition on a regular basis. After finishing sixth out of ten teams as an under-15 side with a 3-3-3 record last season, RSL captain Zach Higgins said the team has shown greater maturity this season, taking every challenge it has faced in stride.

Pair that with the side’s determination to outwork its opponents in every contest, and the 6-0-1 record it currently holds is easy to explain.

“This experience has definitely been good,” Higgins said. “Considering the fact that we were only at .500 last year, this is a big improvement for us. I just think we’ve been working a lot harder to get better, working a lot harder in the games to outwork the other team. That’s what it’s all about.”

With games remaining against CESA Premier and Columbia United from South Carolina, both of whom sit below .500 currently, RSL doesn’t want to relinquish the hold it has on a potential title.

“It does you no good to play well for the first seven games and then mess up all your hard work in the final two games,” Higgins said. “It definitely would mean a lot to win the league and get a secured spot in regionals.”

That reward would also mean a lot to Wolf.

“I think our approach has been excellent,” Wolf said. “The table so far reflects on our performances, so (we’ve) just to go out and play the way we’ve been playing, to prepare the way we’ve been preparing, and to relax.

“I think the main thing is to relax and play.”