The LAFC Chelsea BU11 Black team participated in the 2009 Cal Cup in San Bernardino over two weekends spanning February 21 through March 1. LAFC Chelsea advanced through pool play to the last rounds of competition, facing a very skilled and talented CZ Elite (Silver Elite) team in the Final round. Although CZ Elite ultimately prevailed, Coach Martinez expressed extreme pride in the tremendous intensity that the boys exhibited to get to the Final Match.
Congratulations Boys!
After a disappointing loss in the semifinals at the Nomads Coaches Showcase in San Diego, Brian Smith’s GU14 team won the Diamond Bar Walnut Valley Shootout — playing in the GU15 bracket — and beating their nemesis, South Coast Bayern twice. In the words of their coach, Brian Smith, “It was truly a great team effort. We moved the ball very well and created lots of scoring opportunities and didn’t allow ourselves to get pushed around by the older girls.”
In their first tournament after the recently completed high school season, LAFC Black GU16 traveled to Temecula for the Arsenal Winter Showcase and returned champions. Incorporating several new players, and under the guidance of coach Teddy Chronopoulos, the team dropped its first game 1-0 to Eastside Chelsea, state ranked 3rd in Oregon.
In their second game LAFC Black found their footing against Temecula United and scored a convincing 3-0 victory behind a crisp header from Alyssa Conti, a strike from distance by Michelle Gonzales and a slotted goal by Marissa Manzano.
In the semi-final match against host Arsenal Red, LAFC scored in less than a minute when Katie Gancedo let one fly from 30 yards out and dropped it in deftly under the crossbar. Not to be outdone, Edith Dominguez followed with an unassisted left-footed Olympic goal from a corner kick. Michelle Gonzales scored her second goal of the tournament on a penalty kick after Daisy Cabrera was fouled in the box. Celina Valencia capped off the scoring in the 5-3 victory with two goals in less than five minutes on opportunistic runs down the middle, one being fed by a sublime pass from Daisy Cabrera.
In the finals LAFC Black once again faced Eastside Chelsea for the championship. With the benefit of the team having played a few games together, LAFC Black’s back line of Taylor French, Savannah DeSousa, Sam Whitehead, Lori Cuerington and Allison Hill shut down Eastside Chelsea’s attack to lead LAFC Black to a 1-0 championship victory on Alyssa Conti’s second goal of the tournament.
Well done girls!
The GU14 LAFC Chelsea team participated in the Arsenal Winter Showcase the weekend of March 14-15th and came out victorious. This was the first tournament for this group of girls under the banner of LAFC Chelsea and they did not disappoint. After getting out of pool play, they faced a very physical and well coached RSF ATTACK Green team in the finals. Our girls were able to get up 2-0 early in the match and were able to keep their opponents at bay until the final whistle blew. Final score LAFC Chelsea 2, RSF Attack Green 1.
Congratulations to the girls and to Teddy for a job well done!
Los Angeles Futbol Club (LAFC/Chelsea), one of the largest youth soccer clubs in the Western region, has reason to celebrate its girls’ program these days. The Girls Under 14 Team recently won the 2009 Diamond Bar Walnut Valley Winter Edition Shootout. And the Girls Under 13 soccer team is on a roll, capturing two large Southern California tournament championships in the last month and moving forward into Western Regional play.
Based in La Canada and drawing players from throughout the San Gabriel and San Fernando Valley, the club’s 24 girls’ teams are becoming quite successful under President Don Sheppard, Director of Coaching Teddy Chronopoulos and Director of Girls’ Coaching Brian Smith.
The LAFC Chelsea’s GU13 team brought home the first State Cup Championship title for the girls division in the club’s history on Saturday, February 28, 2009. As a result of their outstanding team play, the squad earned an invitation to represent Southern California in the President’s Cup U.S. Regional Tournament in Washington State this June. They followed that win by capturing the 2009 California Cup on March 8 and will be representing Southern California in the US Club Regional Tournament in San Bernardino, also in June. “We are very proud of these girls and what they have accomplished. And if they are able to win these tournaments, they will be going to Denver and Virginia in July to compete in two National Tournaments,” reports Club President Don Sheppard.
In the State Cup competition there were 103 other teams from throughout Southern California stretching from Santa Barbara and Bakersfield in the North to teams from San Diego in the South. The girls exhibited a stifling defense, shutting out each team leading up to the championship game over the course of four weekends of play and eight matches. Offensively, the team featured a balanced attack with 11 different players contributing to 30 goals. During the final championship game the girls played against a determined Simi Valley Eclipse team, defeating them 3-1.
President Don Sheppard was the most enthusiastic and vocal cheerleader during both the semi-final and championship matches. The girls were thrilled to have his support, along with their families, Director of Girls‘ Coaching Brian Smith, Coach Yarda Hruska, and a large contingency of LAFC/Chelsea families, who cheered the team on to success.
Immediately following their Championship win, the team drove from Lancaster to San Bernardino to begin play in the California Cup. Over two weekends of play and six matches, the girls again demonstrated the strength of their teamwork, only allowing three goals to be scored against them and striking 18 balls into their opponents’ nets. They played a very talented Fram team in the finals on March 8 but prevailed 4-1.
Coached by Teddy Chronopoulos, a former MLS player and head of Coaching for the Club and Assistant Coach Makenzie Pedrotti, a CIF soccer standout from La Salle who is now playing at Cal State Dominguez Hills, the girls are preparing for the June tournaments where they hope to prevail against some strong competition from throughout the Western States.
“Our club’s emphasis is on developing our girls’ teams through a focus on foot and ball skills, a strong passing game, speed and intensity,” says Chronopoulos. “We have 24 girls teams ranging from GU9 through GU19 and we believe that in a year or two we will have girls playing at the highest levels of club soccer on a consistent basis.”
The GU13 team started at the Bronze level three years ago, moved up to Silver in its second year of competition and to Silver Elite last Fall. “With the strength and skill they are exhibiting in these matches, we fully expect to be strong competitors in the Silver Elite division in the GU14 year, and hope to move to Gold for their GU15 year,” says Coach Chronopoulos.
Girls who are interested in joining the club should contact Teddy Chronopoulos 626-399-2553 or Brian Smith 626-818-6016
The tournament started with LAFC Black up against AC Brea on a cold and rainy Saturday morning. After a solid 2-0 win with high quality goals scored by Kaitlyn Kelleher and Hailey James, the rain began to pick up. The team was to face Fram CQ in their second match of the day. A great goal by Kaelin King saw LAFC up 1-0 at the half. The second half was a repeat of the first, but it soon became obvious that LAFC Black was the more fit of the two teams. A magnificent save by substitute goal keeper Katie Smither, saw not only her second clean sheet of the day, but allowed LAFC Black to advance 1-0 into the semi-finals. LAFC Black would face the Slammers FC G95 in the final. Slammers FC is a Gold team and a formidable opponent! A talented and quick Slammers team moved the ball well and scored a goal within the first five minutes of play. LAFC Black was not to be deterred and battled back. A great defensive contest ensued that saw both sides playing very well. A quick breakaway once again saw Kaelin King score the equalizer and both teams went into the half tied at 1-1. During the second half, with approximately 12 minutes left to play, a great cross into the six yard box saw Hailey James finish and LAFC Black was up 2-1. Once again the midfield and defense played well and secured Black’s 2-1 victory and the Championship!
The BU13 White team had their first tournament win on 2/22, taking home the trophy in the DBWV Shootout Tournament. LAFC defeated Los Gauchos (Redland) in the finals, 2-1, after defeating San Clemente United in the semi-finals. All the boys had a great day, but special kudos to our goalie, Alberto Rodriguez-Garcia, who remained calm in the PK shoot-out, allowing only one goal through for San Clemente, resulting in a 3-1 PK score for LAFC. PK’s also played a role in the finals game, with each team scoring on a PK in the first half. But LAFC prevented any other goals from going in, and finally scored a second goal on a series of passes to win the game!
Congratulations to all the boys!
