Beachside SC are Regional Champs

Connecticut U12 Boys Team Goes 5-0 in West Virginia

July 12, 2009

The Beachside SC U12 boys team won the U.S. Youth Soccer Region 1 championship, becoming the first U12 boys team from Connecticut ever to do so.

The regional tournament pits the state champions from 15 states from Virginia to Maine against each other. Beachside SC’s U12 boys, U14 boys and U17 boys teams represented Connecticut, all having won the state championship for their respective age groups May 31.

Beachside SC

Beachside SC's Griffin Garner (left) celebrates his goal against FC Westchester. (Photo by Carl McNair)

The tournament was staged in West Virginia July 2-7.

The competition consisted of a round robin phase, a semifinal and a final game. Beachside won all three of its round robin games by an aggregate score of 11-1 before beating area rivals FC Westchester, 3-1 in the semi and the Manhattan Kickers, 1-0 in the final.

FC Westchester scored first in the semifinal, but a superb low shot across the goalkeeper from Kyle Casey tied the game before a powerful header from Griffin Garner provided the winner. A few minutes from time, Austin Sims dribbled by FCW’s keeper and tapped in the third to secure the victory.

The U12 final was a hard fought game with exhibitions of high quality ball control and passing from both teams. Beachside managed to keep Manhattan out of its penalty area for the most part and, early in the second half, Austin Sims cracked a 35-yarder into the top right corner of the goal to win the game.

Beachside SC draws 90 percent of its players from Fairfield County. The U12 team includes boys form Ridgefield, Wilton, New Canaan, Darien, Greenwich, Westport, Fairfield, Monroe and Trumbull.

The U12s were coached by Gabe Stan, a USSF ‘B’ licensed coach and former player with Rapid Bucharest in Romania.

The Beachside U17s reached the semifinals without conceding a goal and then lost a close semifinal to another New England team, Seacoast United.

“One champion and one semifinalist is by far the best ever showing at regionals by our club over the last 15 years,” said Beachside President Mickey Kydes. “This success is a culmination of every player’s, parent’s and coach’s effort, commitment and support throughout the year. It is, in my opinion, a club-wide achievement.

“There was so much to be proud of as a club this past week. But witnessing all three of our teams play this past week, what made me most proud, and very optimistic looking forward was the distinctive style of play exhibited at the highest level by all three teams. Under extreme pressure, and below average playing surfaces all of our Beachside teams demonstrated a very effective and attractive style of play.”