• u19 Netforce
• u17 ECNL Explosion
• u17 Courage 92
• u16 ECNL Cardinals
• u15 ECNL Hotspur
• u15 Courage 94
• u14 Freedom
• u13 Harkes United
• u12 Independence
• u10 Pride 99
• u10 Elite
• u9 FCV United

FC Virginia sends three teams to State Cup final four weekend

Oct 26, 2009
The Fall 2009 Virginia Youth Soccer State Cup is down to the final four teams for boys and girls under-15 through under-18 age groups, and thanks to impressive quarterfinal performances this past weekend, FC Virginia will be represented in Richmond within every age group that they entered a team.

The under-15 Hotspur breezed to a 5-0 victory Saturday over fellow WAGS Division 1 rival Northern Virginia Jr. Majestics, while the under-16 Cardinals had a tighter match, but same result with a 2-0 victory over VISTA Omni.  Both teams join the under-17 Explosion, who qualified for the final four several weeks ago in a 1-0 defeat of fellow FC Virginia under-17 team, the Courage.

No other club in the Commonwealth has three girls teams represented at the finals weekend, and with matches scheduled without overlap, each team should get to spend some time cheering on another in Saturday’s semifinals at West Creek Field complex in Richmond.

    Game Schedule (Previous State Cups: Champion/Finalists/Semifinalist)
    9:00 am – VSA Heat Blue (2/0/1) vs FCV Hotspur (1/0/0)
    11:00 am – BRYC Azul (5/0/0) vs FCV Explosion (0/2/1)
    1:00 pm – McLean Strikers (0/1/2) vs FCV Cardinals (0/0/1)

Game Previews:
U-17: The Explosion and Azul are old State Cup foes; having faced each other in four of the five years in which both teams have competed at the Cup level. The Azul have never lost a State Cup match, boasting an impressive record of 21 wins, with 89 goals scored and only 8 allowed. Their most impressive year was at u14, where they allowed 0 goals, winning the final over Beach FC Piranhas 4-0. The Explosion faced the Azul in both the u12 and u13 final, losing 1-2 and 1-0 respectively. The teams matched up again in the u15 semifinal, with Explosion coming up short with a 3-5 loss, but scoring more goals on the Azul than any other team has ever done in State Cup. Last year the two teams faced up again, but all the way in the beginning of the competition in the round of 16. It was a match worthy of a final, but the Azul still squeaked past on their way to a 5th consecutive state crown. The two teams latest encounter was over Labor Day at the adidas Greensboro Shootout, where they traded fluke goals for a 1-1 draw.

U-16: The Cardinals fly in to Richmond with their strongest team ever, in a re-match of last year’s semifinal against the McLean Strikers. The Strikers ended up losing to the Chantilly Burn in the final by a tight 0-1 score, an impressive performance against the team that went on to win Regionals and impress at the National Championships this past summer. It was the highest finish ever for the Strikers, who boast a lifetime State Cup record of 11 wins and four losses, scoring 44 total goals, while allowing just seven against. The Strikers are also the only team to have defeated the Burn in State Cup, knocking them out in the quarterfinal round of the u12 competition. The teams have never met in State Cup before, but the Cardinals did earn a 2-1 win over the Strikers in their first WAGS game of the fall season. The Cardinals (who changed their nickname from “Synergy” last year) have had one of the toughest histories of facing strong opponents in the early rounds of State Cups, drawing eventual Finalist McLean Fusion in the opening round of the u12 year (taking them to PKs), followed in the u13 year with a first round lost to VAR Nike, and then battling the Burn in a 0-2 loss in the round of 16 in their u14 season. This is the strongest the team has ever been, and nothing short of a State Cup championship will satisfy them.

U-15:  The Hotspur are looking for a return visit to the champions circle after a disappointing early exit from last year’s u14 competition, despite being the defending State Cup Champions at u13. Standing in their way is the defending champion VSA Heat, who also won the cup (and Region I) in the u12 year. The Heat have been the top team in the state overall since results really started being counted at u12, but have proven vulnerable of late in both tournament and league play. The two teams have matched up once already this season in WAGS play, with the Hotspur taking a 1-0 decision. Overall in State Cup play the Heat have only lost once, with 11 total wins. They’ve scored an impressive 45 goals while allowing just 5 in three years of competition. If league play is any indicator of form, the Heat’s 6-1 demolition this past Sunday of perennial powerhouse and fellow State Cup semifinalist CYA Firecats should be all the warning the Hotspur need to that this will be as tough a game as ever. However, just like the other two FC Virginia teams, nothing short of state championship will satisfy the impressive group.

When They Win
When the FCV teams come out on top in Saturday’s semifinals, they’ll each play in the final on Sunday. Here are their potential opponents.

U-17: A victory by the Explosion over the Azul would see them face either Beach FC Piranhas or Richmond Strikers in the final. The Piranhas are 13-5 lifetime in Cup competition, with 27 goals for and 14 against. They’re the only team other than the Explosion and Azul to ever make a final, losing to the Azul three years running. The Strikers have only made the semifinals one other time in five years of Cup play, but that was just this past year. They have a total State Cup record of 7 wins and 5 losses, with 21 goals scored and 19 allowed.

U-16: A victory by the Cardinals over the Strikers would see them match up against either the Chantilly Burn or VA Rush Nike. The Burn are the three-time defending Champions, and also won the Region I tournament this past summer, qualifying them for a trip to the National Championships. They boast an impressive all time Cup record of 15 wins and 1 loss, with 45 goals scored and just 5 allowed in four years of play. Nike are in their first final-four weekend since their only other appearance back in the u13 competition, where they lost to the Burn 0-3. They lost last year in the round of 16, and lost to the McLean Strikers the year before in the quarterfinal phase. They’re overall State Cup record is 6 wins and four losses, with 13 goals for and 10 against.

U-15: A victory by the Hotspur over the Heat Saturday would lead to a final against either the CYA Firecats or Richmond Kickers Elite. Both teams are perennial contenders for the Cup, neither ever going out before the semifinal round. The Elite won the 8v8 competition in the u12 year, lost to the Hotspur in the semifinal at u13, and lost to the Heat last year in the u14 final. Their all-time record in State Cup play is 10 wins and 2 losses, with 27 goals scored and 12 allowed. The Firecats made the semifinals at u12, lost to Hotspur in the u13 finals, and lost last year in the semifinals to the eventual champion Heat. Overall in State Cup play they’ve scored 28 goals while allowing 11 in 9 wins and 3 losses.

Go FCV!