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Meet the Underdogs

Meet the USASA: Class of 2010

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Eight teams from the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) have qualified for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and will attempt to become the 2010 tournament’s Cinderella story. Will we see another Dallas Roma FC run from 2006? No one knows, but once again, TheCup.us has taken the time to introduce soccer fans to these largely unknown clubs. Click below to read about each club:

New York Pancyprian Freedoms (Eastern New York – Region I)

Brooklyn Italians (NPSL – Region I)

Kansas City Athletics (Kansas – Region II)

Detroit United (Michigan – Region II)

CASL Elite (North Carolina – Region III)

Legends FC (North Texas – Region III)

Bay Area Ambassadors (NPSL – Region IV)

Arizona Sahuaros (Region IV)

Sonoma County Sol (NPSL Champions)

2010 Meet the USASA: Bay Area Ambassadors

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Bay Area Ambassadors FC, 2010 USASA Region IV champions, make their U.S. Open Cup debut June 15 against Kitsap Pumas SC of the PDL.

It’s  a momentous occasion for the club from Hayward, Calif., a member of the NPSL Northwest Division. The Bay Area Ambassadors  were in fifth place in the six-team NPSL Northwest heading into their opening round Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game, but overcame adversity and emerged  as the winner of the Region IV tourney in Sacramento last month and thus earned a spot in the 97th edition of the tournament.

Not bad for a franchise in only its third year of existence. BAFC was started in 2008 by former Nigerian Olympic team member Tony Igwe and local businessman and real-estate broker Arif Khan to bring the highest level of amateur/semi-pro soccer to the Bay Area, Khan said.

Igwe, the team’s technical advisor, and Khan, the general manager, chose the NPSL for their club because there were several other teams in Northern California. The Ambassadors practice and play at Chabot College in Hayward.

While goalkeeper Sergio Valle is the main player to watch, the Ambassadors feature a mix of local college and non-college players. Coach Mohammed Mohammed has several players he’s developed from his youth club, including Yusuf Samy, Stefan Clemens and Pedro Osorio.

BAFC didn’t have it easy at the Region IV tournament. Three of its players were injured in the tournament opener. But the club made the regional final and won it with no substitutes, playing two games with only 10 men due to the injuries and two players unable to get international clearance.

Even with the obstacles, the Ambassadors cruised through group play, only allowing one goal in three matches. They defeated San Diego Boca FC, 2-0, Arizona Pros, 1-0, and the French Soccer Academy, 5-1. In the semifinals, it was a battle of unbeatens as Bay Area knocked off the Sacramento Gold 1-0 to qualify for the Open Cup. With the tournament berth already in place, Bay Area carried the momentum into the Region IV Open Cup final and booked a spot in the USASA National Cup Finals with a 2-0 win over fellow qualifier Arizona Sahuaros.

The Ambassadors fly into Seattle-Tacoma Airport on June 15 and play that evening at 7 p.m. in nearby Bremerton, home of the Kitsap Pumas, the Premier Development League qualifier from the Northwest Division.

2010 Meet the USASA: Detroit United

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Detroit United poses for a team photo.

Michigan usually has a consistent amateur competitor in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, a team you all might know as the Michigan Bucks. They’ve made the tournament a total of eight times in their 15 seasons, their most recent appearance coming in 2008. But instead of them, a different team is representing Michigan this time around. For the first time since 2001, a USASA team from the state has qualified: Detroit United.

Owner/manager George Juncaj started his soccer journey immigrating to the United States in 1983. He played semi-pro in Southern California for his first few years, before coming to Michigan when a new opportunity arose in 1993. He played with various amateur teams around Metro Detroit until fights between players and spectators (fueled by ethnic hatred) forced him to hang up his boots.

Juncaj returned to the local soccer scene in 2002, playing simple pick-up with some friends, when younger players started to come around and join in the action. At some point, others started to cause trouble, and that’s when he decided it’s time to start a team in a structured league.

The new team that Juncaj started would come to be known as Detroit United, and the name comes from his past experiences at the amateur level, as well as inflicting a change in how an amateur team in Detroit comes to be:

The logo for Detroit United

“The reason I came to Detroit United, I looked, and … you basically have ethnic groups. You have the White Eagles (a Polish club), you have Drita (Albanian), you have the Kickers (German), etc. … So I said, you know what, I’m going to put Detroit United, where it’s going to be an option, whoever lives in Detroit, they can come play for this team. And that’s exactly what’s happened. I have two, three guys from Africa, I have a guy from Israel, I have many from Europe, I have an Argentinean, I have a Brazilian, and I used to have a Chinese guy. I used to have a Japanese guy, but he left soccer, and he went to play pro baseball in Japan.”

Juncaj feels that it’s important to not have any barriers keeping certain players from his team, unlike the many ethnic clubs that dot the soccer landscape in the Detroit area. “I never ask a person ‘where are you from?’ It doesn’t mean anything to me.”

As mentioned earlier, there are many international players on the squad. However, the core group of the team is mostly American. The first player Juncaj was quick to point out is Tommy Eller. He’s described as a fast player, controlling the ball very well, and one of the most unselfish players in the game (winning an award in that respect). According to his coach, “he might be one of the better players in the state of Michigan.” Other players mentioned include his captain, defender Tom Stark, as well as goalkeeper Ryan Mathe, Zach Wilkes, and Worteh Sampson (the last two formerly suiting up for the pro indoor team Detroit Ignition). Sampson also played for a time with the Charlotte Eagles of the USL Second Division. Those five players are the core group of the team.

Another player that might be recognizable, if you have been following this year’s road to qualification, is Fernando Gatica. He scored twice in Milwaukee in the win over the Kickers, then scored again in the semifinal battle with Nebraska’s 402 Academy. Juncaj has praise for him, but mentions that his ego is a little inflated. “He’s not a star yet. He’s a very good player; he controls the ball, which basic Argentineans do. But, he’s also got to be a team player. … Nobody can win a game alone.”

Taiwo Olorunnimbe does an acrobatic goal celebration after putting Detroit United up 5-4 in overtime. Photo: Josh Hakala

Speaking of that Kickers win, Detroit United managed to finish the match with only 11 healthy players. 14 were set to make the trip, but two were held back as they traveled separately, then were involved in a minor car accident before even leaving the area. Then, early in the Milwaukee match, a Detroit United player had to be removed from the pitch due to an injury, forcing the team to make the only substitution they had.

Although Detroit United is a new entry into the tournament, they have a little history in qualifying. They made a run in 2007, qualifying for the Region II tournament along with Ann Arbor FC Elite (the team they defeated earlier this year 1-0 for the Michigan title that qualified them for the Region II tournament). In the quarterfinals, they defeated the NPSL’s Princeton-56ers 2-1 on a late goal by Humberto Toscan, then matched up with famed Chicago club RWB Adria with a spot in the Open Cup on the line. Unfortunately for the club, they lost 3-0, and with AAFC Elite also losing in the semifinals (to Bavarians SC), the state of Michigan lost both their chances for a tournament bid at the very end.

George Juncaj has high hopes for both his club, as well as soccer in Detroit in general. He feels his team could compete in the National Premier Soccer League, but believes there’s a structural problem with the league itself. “I want to go to the NPSL, but there’s really nothing there, not enough teams. You’d be playing the same team four or five times. It’s not fun. They only have five teams . (currently there are six in 2010) I told them, you get eight to ten teams, you call me.” He mentioned the Premier Development League as an option, but currently the rights to Detroit (as well as the rights to any USL level team) are held by Michigan Bucks owner Dan Duggan, who remains committed to his team, even after Juncaj says he sent Duggan offers to buy the club.

As for professional soccer in the area, Juncaj believes there’s a good chance for Detroit to provide great support. “I really do think we have enough people who love the game in which we can have not just a USL team, but we can have an MLS team…. I think that would be the goal for the younger generation. I love seeing Chicago, I love seeing Columbus playing because you feel closer to your home.” He hopes investors come around and give Detroit a spot on the big stage, and feels that between all the soccer-loving Americans in town and the different ethnic groups, support for a professional club could be outstanding.

Detroit United is set to open their 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup run in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, June 15, as they play the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of the USL Second Division. They look to show the ‘Hounds that United’s players are up to the task and well prepared to advance in the tournament.

2010 Meet the USASA: Kansas City Athletics

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One of two newcomers from Region II of the USASA, KC Athletics is eager to show its worth when it faces the NSC Minnesota Stars in the first round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The KC Athletics pose for a team photo prior to their US Open Cup qualifying match against the Des Moines Menace USASA in Des Moines, Iowa. Photo: KC Athletics

Founded in 2001 as a merger of Legends Soccer Club and the Kansas City Football Club, KC Athletics won regionals in its first year competing in the Snickers Nationals and ended up finishing third nationally in the competition. The following year, their Under 20 team won the national championship, but then the club went on hiatus with many of the players joining nearby PDL clubs like the Des Moines Menace and the Kansas City Brass. In 2004, the KC Athletics were reborn.

With many of the players from the Under-20 team still with the club, the Athletics entered US Open Cup qualifying for the first time this year. They became the first Kansas-based team to enter the tournament in several years.

Kansas City’s first qualifier was a thriller on the road against the Des Moines Menace USASA side. The Athletics overcame a 3-1 second half deficit, but then fell behind 4-3 late in the game, but battled back to tie it up. Player/coach Kyle Perkins scored three of the team’s four goals, as the match went into a penalty kick shootout. In the ninth round of the tiebreaker, goalkeeper Zach Brennan saved Des Moines’ attempt, and then immediately turned around to score the game-winning spot kick to send the Athletics into the semifinals.

In their final four match against AAC Eagles of Illinois, a “Win & You’re In” match, they played another high-scoring nail biter, this time in front of their home fans. The Kansas City Wizards offered the team a chance to play their Open Cup match against the Chicago-based Eagles at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, immediately following the Wizards Major League Soccer match against the Chicago Fire.

In the pouring rain, some loyal fans, as well as some of the Wizards players, stuck around to watch the Athletics come back to tie the game up twice and then took the lead in the 59th minute on Perkins’ second goal of the match. However, the Eagles would equalize in the 75th minute, and just like their previous game, a scoreless extra time period would send the match into penalty kicks. Just one save needed to be made, as KC advanced 5-3 in the shootout to qualify for their first US Open Cup

According to Perkins, one of the biggest surprises the team had was facing the level of organization that the other sides brought to the competition, something which he feels put them at the start at a bit of a disadvantage, as the amount of training time available for the team has been less than he would like.

They will travel to the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn. for their opening round match with the NSC Minnesota Stars on Tuesday. They are dealing with a number of injury and scheduling issues, as any USASA team does, so they will be without key players like former Kansas City Wizard Brian Roberts, and former Kansas City Comet Jason Woods. To replace them, the team has recruited former MLS player Scott Vermillion (Kansas City Wizards, Colorado Rapids, DC United),and local college standouts David Russell and youngster Larry Mason.

Perkins feels that they are better prepared moving forward and hope that their mix of former pros and local soccer talent will provide them with the ability to play up to the level of the 2nd Division Stars. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, he has been able to watch a few of the Stars’ matches and they have a gameplan, but knows that it’s hard to know how the team is going to react to playing against a professional team.

“I don’t know what to expect really ,” said Perkins. “We’ve got a starting 11 that we believe in and I think we’ll be alright.”

2010 Meet the USASA: Arizona Sahuaros

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When you’ve been the longest-lasting franchise in what is otherwise a no-man’s land for high-level soccer and you’re about to go to your fifth US Open Cup in 20 seasons of existence, the American soccer community knows who you are.

Such is the case with the Arizona Sahuaros, a highly regarded USASA club on hiatus for the second straight year from the NPSL. The Sahuaros might be the lonely oasis of soccer in the hot and dusty Arizona desert, but they have two things going for them as they head into the first round of the US Open Cup in 2010: History in the Open Cup and a defense-first mentality that causes opponents fits.

The Sahuaros under first-year coach Orhan Kraja, a native of Albania who has coached third-division football in Italy, have never advanced past the second round of the Open Cup. But their match against the defending PDL champion Ventura County Fusion Tuesday night will mark their third straight Open Cup berth.

Arizona’s roster is always in flux with its mixture of college players trying to stay in shape over the summer, young players trying to stay in the game and advance their careers and experienced veterans who have cut their teeth in higher professional ranks.  The Sahuaros are led by veteran goalkeeper Brad Swenby, who has played for the USL’s Minnesota Thunder and commutes to key Sahuaros games from Wisconsin.

The Arizona Sahuaros pose for a team photo with Boca Juniors of Argentina as part of the 2007 Copa PanAmericana. The Sahuaros played exhibition games against Boca and Mexican clubs Cruz Azul and Club America. Photo: Arizona Sahuaros.

Swenby and defender Mike Duhaney, the 1997 MLS Rookie of the Year with the Tampa Bay Mutiny, are expected to be with the club in California when they face the Fusion. Former MLS players Greg Vanney and Mike Munoz have other commitments and will not play.

That said, the Sahuaros bring a young team, for the most part, to Ventura. Those young players, with Swenby the rock in the net, played well enough at the USASA Region IV Cup in Sacramento last month to earn the second and final berth into the US Open Cup from the region, a credit to team president Ali Alexander and GM Mark Nabity for their work  and commitment to fielding a competitive team.

The Sahuaros run through the Region IV tournament was a difficult one, finishing 1-1-1 in group play. A 1-0 loss to the Sacramento Gold in their opener forced Arizona to get points in their last two matches.  The next match was a 10-1 drubbing of Yakima United, while the last was a 2-2 draw against Doxa Italia.

The nine-goal blowout proved to be the most important result as Arizona tied with three other clubs with four points, as the best second place team would book a place in the semifinals. With a plus-8 goal differencial, the Sahuaros would edge out Doxa-Italia (+6), San Diego Boca FC (+0), and the French Soccer Academy (-2) for a spot in the final four.

In the semifinals, the Sahuaros defeated Real San Jose 2-1 on a pair of goals from Pat Perkins. The second goal appeared to be a handball, but after consulting with the AR, the center ref let the goal stand.  Real San Jose pulled one back in the second half but it was too little, too late.

“I think our goalkeeper Brad Swenby was the key to our success this weekend.” said former long-time Sahuaros head coach Petar Draskin.  ”A few other players to recognize were Skelly Keller, Mitch Garcia, defenders Chris Green and Brian Green, midfielder Paul La Larva and forward Pat Perkins. This was the youngest team Sahuaros have ever brought to this event. Also, Seth George, a former pro, made his first appearance in a Sahuaros jersey.”

This year, the Arizona Sahuaros have become only the third USASA club to qualify for the US Open Cup three seasons in a row (2008, 2009, 2010). Los Lobos (Oklahoma) qualified from 1997-1999 and Mexico SC qualified four years in a row from 1999-2002.

The Sahuaros have been able to make it hard on PDL and USL teams in past Cups because of their emphasis on defense. Arizona’s belief in a system despite a constantly changing roster is what they claim to be the key to their success, along with playing games throughout Arizona to increase their exposure and tap into young talent from outside greater Phoenix.

2010 Meet the USASA: CASL Elite

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What started as a team designed to provide quality training competition for top-level club boys teams has turned into a pretty competitive side in its own right.

CASL Elite will make its debut in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on Tuesday night, as the team based in Raleigh, N.C., hits the road to play the Charleston Battery of the USL Second Division in a first-round match.

The team was put together to train and play against the upper level Capital Area Soccer League youth teams, including the club’s CASL Chelsea teams that play in the US Soccer Federation Development Academy.

But with a wealth of talent in the area, it became clear that CASL Elite – using the same name as the club’s former USL Premier Development League side – could be beneficial for everyone involved. The youth teams get tough opposition, while CASL Elite players get the chance to continue to play at a high level.

“It was a dual purpose,” CASL Elite player-manager Scott McGuinn said of the reasons behind starting the team, which is in its first season and is made up of predominantly former CASL and USL players.

There are at least six former professionals on the roster, five of whom were active as pros last year: goalkeeper Chris McClellan (Wilmington/USL-2), defenders Evan Brown (Seattle/MLS) and Tim Merritt (Miami FC/USL-1), midfielder Steven Curfman (Wilmington/USL-2) and forward Jacob Coggins (Charlotte/USL-2).

CASL Elite’s other ex-pro will have the most impressive resume of anyone on the field Tuesday.

Scott Schweitzer won three championships and an Open Cup title during his seven-year career with the Rochester Rhinos, and was an all-league selection four times. A two-time league defender of the year, he retired in 2005 and started his coaching career with Raleigh Elite PDL – the successor to the original CASL Elite team – before coaching the Carolina RailHawks of the USL First Division in 2007 and ’08.

The 38-year-old is an integral part of the CASL Elite team that went unbeaten to win the US Adult Soccer Association Region III tournament over Memorial Day weekend.

“He is our leader,” McGuinn said of Schweitzer, who also played two years in the French Third Division and eight seasons of professional indoor soccer. “His experience from participating in all of the prior Open Cup and professional matches truly carries a long way through our players and the way we approach the game.

“Whether it’s in training or on the sidelines, his approach is the same: Keep us organized and disciplined.”

That was key in the Region III final against Legends FC of North Texas.

Both teams already had secured Open Cup berths, but a spot in the USASA national semifinals was on the line. CASL Elite traveled with only 15 players for the tournament and one was suspended for the final because of a red card.

“We knew in the final we needed to be organized and disciplined – only to counter and get forward when we needed to,” McGuinn said. “Being that we have several players that are comfortable in many positions, it also allowed us to play players in spots where their ‘fresher’ legs would help.

“The gameplan worked to perfection. (Legends FC) tried to play fast and direct when they had the ball. We just kept it, made them chase and get really frustrated.”

Curfman, who spent 2007 with Real Salt Lake in MLS and 2008 with the RailHawks, scored the game’s lone goal for CASL Elite on a half-volley.

The team will make the four-hour trip south to South Carolina for a “Carolina Derby” against the Battery on Tuesday.

But a victory combined with a win by the RailHawks over the Charlotte Eagles would set up a “Raleigh Derby” against the RailHawks in the second round June 22.

“We want to be able to play and compete against the best competition available to us,” McGuinn said. “As far as the RailHawks, we think everyone on the team would want this one. It would be a tremendous opportunity for our community to come watch this potential matchup. There’s so many current and former ties between the two organizations.”

2010 Meet the USASA: Legends FC of North Texas

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“Oh the Legends of soccer have a great team this year. They have just polished off Manchester United and are looking to take the cup again…”

The logo was inspired by birthplace of Legends FC owner Kanish Ali, the province of Panjshir in Afghanistan. Panjshir literally means, in Farsi, “five lions.”

That’s the way Legends FC manager Kanish Ali says he and his teammates would joke around with English accents in the early days of the club. The team was founded in 1992 with friends who played together at the high school, college and club levels. “There was no MLS and you had not much to look forward to after college ball for any professional leagues. So this was our avenue of fun and friendship.” Ali says, having played and coached the team since it’s inception. He estimates he has spent $30,000 on the team during that time.

Ali is a native of Afghanistan who came to the United States in 1978 at the age of nine. Unable to go back to his native land due to the war with the Soviet Union, Ali’s family became citizens. Ali’s explains the team’s logo serves as a tribute to his birthplace. “The logo was inspired by the Panjshir province in Afghanistan. The Panjshir literally means, in Farsi, five lions.” Ali says. “The province was named after the feared five lions who roamed and hunted there. This beautiful area is known for its picturesque valleys, rivers, valuable gems and stones.” Ali says fondly of his former home.

You hear the phrase “Power Conference” every year leading up to the NCAA Basketball tournament, referring to leagues that routinely see a good number of their teams advance to the tournament. If there was such a thing in the USASA, the North Texas Premier Soccer Association (NTPSA) would fit the bill. Remarkably, eight of the last 14 US Open Cup spots allotted to USASA Region III teams have been claimed by clubs from the NTPSA.

The NTPSA is the home of Dallas Roma, who made history in 2006 by becoming the first USASA team to defeat professional club (Miami FC) and then an MLS team (Chivas USA) in Open Cup play. Azzurri FC have won the 2006 USASA Amateur Cup, as well as the 2003 and 2005 USASA Over 30 cup. With this year’s qualification, Legends is now even with league rivals Azzurri FC for three Cup appearances, and they surpass Dallas Roma’s two Cup runs.

North Texas teams in
The US Open Cup
2004 – Legends FC, Azzurri SC
2005 – Azzurri, Dallas Roma FC
2006 – Legends FC, Dallas Roma FC
2007 – Azzurri SC
2010 – Legends FC

Legends nearly made it 10 out of 14 cup appearances for NTPSA teams, but just missed qualifying for the cup in 2008 and 2009. In 2008, the team finished one point behind eventual qualifier ASC New Stars. Last year the team fell just short once again, dropping a 1-0 decision to eventual qualifiers Atlanta FC, finishing second once again. The 2009 qualifying team was put together on short notice, and team leader Ali could not travel with them due to the birth of his son. “They learned a lot from that trip” Ali says of the 2009 squad, most of whom comprised the roster of the Legends FC team that won the USASA U-23 Cup later that summer. “It was a very young team and they did very well but experience does count”. Twelve players from the U-23 cup winners are on this year’s team.

Ali also cited leadership as the big difference in this team from those of the past few years. He says twin brothers Esteban and Manuel Mariel are a couple of veterans who are setting an example for the rest of the squad. “Without their leadership and help, this team would not be together.” Ali explained. “They have put together the team and they also run and organize the training sessions. I usually go to these and participate to get fit and make sure we are progressing. In the past, I ran everything. I run my own company (Legends Roofing) and without their commitment and help it wouldn’t be impossible.”

A majority of the team is under 22 years old, and most of them have played together over the past few years at Southern Methodist University. Many of the players were involved in SMU’s teams that reached the NCAA College Cup tournament in 2006 and 2007. Many of them live and work in the Dallas area, and view Legends FC as a way to stay in view of MLS clubs looking for new talent. Some recent Legends FC players who have made that leap to MLS include 2009 Rookie of the Year Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Jason Thompson (DC United), and Ugo Ihemelu (FC Dallas).

Speaking of their opponents, FC Tampa Bay, Ali has nothing but praise for them. “We know they are a good team and have a lot of respect for them. We hope to give them a good game as they are the professional team coming in town. We have heart and dedication to do well. This is probably why we want to enter the Open Cup, The opportunity to play good teams.”

Meet the USASA: Class of 2009

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USASA logoDulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (Region I)
DC-based club has learned from their inaugural Open Cup berth in 2007

Emigrantes Das Ilhas (Region I)
“Immigrants of the Islands” making their first US Open Cup appearance

402 (Region II)
New Nebraska team has familiar names excited to play in Minnesota

Bavarian SC (Region II)
Milwaukee club making amateur-record sixth appearance in Pro Era

Atlanta FC (Region III)
The second year NPSL franchise adds first Open Cup berth to list of early success

Lynch’s FC (Region III)
Jacksonville club has plenty of changes coming, they hope one will be winning an Open Cup game

Arizona Sahuaros (Region IV)
On hiatus from the NPSL, the Sahuaros are back in the Open Cup for the third time in four years

Sonoma County Sol (Region IV)
Three-time cup participants are a family affair, on and off the field

2009 Meet The USASA: Lynch’s FC

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Lynch's F.C. - 2009 USASA Region III champions
Lynch’s FC – 2009 USASA Region III champions

The third trip to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for Lynch’s FC will mark the end of an era for the club. While the club shows no signs of slowing down, they will be without general manager Robert Apunte, who is hanging up his clipboard after 11 years with the club. During that time, he has helped Lynch’s (under four different names) become one of the top clubs in the state of Florida, and certainly one of the most consistent. In those 11 years, the Lynch’s FC resume includes two USASA Region III championships (2003, 2009) out of their 10 trips to the tournament, seven Beaches Adult Soccer League titles and more Professional Era US Open Cup appearances than any Florida amateur club (3).

While retiring to “spend more time with my family” has become a cliché over the years, Apunte means it. Even with the help of fellow club manager KC Braun, who handles all of Lynch’s behind the scenes work, all of the travel, practices and tournaments, not to mention a full-time job, can really take a toll.

“A club like this is a lot of hard work,” said Apunte, “All the travel, the practices, the tournaments … it can be hard sometimes.”

Apunte moved to New York City from Ecuador as a teenager in 1981. There he joined the Norwegian club Sporting Club Gjoa, a club founded in 1911 and still competes in the famed New York Cosmopolitan League. It was there he was inspired to manage his own club. After spending a year with the Brooklyn Italians, he went off to college and then returned to Ecuador to play soccer. His path led him to Jacksonville, Florida where he settled down, started a family and continues to call it home to this day. What he learned from his experience at SC Gjoa he applied to his management of DS United, and he attributes that education to the club’s current success.

Lynch’s F.C. will be without one of their bright young stars in their First Round U.S. Open Cup game against Miami F.C. But he has a good excuse. Nurdin Hrustic recently signed with Vfl Bochum of the German Bundesliga. Nurdin played club ball at Lynch’s F.C. and the Jacksonville Jaguars Soccer Club and also attended Jacksonville University. Photo: Beaches Adult Soccer League
Lynch’s FC will be without Nurdin Hrustic, one of their bright young stars, in their First Round US Open Cup game against Miami FC because he signed with Vfl Bochum of the German Bundesliga. Nurdin played club ball at Lynch’s FC and the Jacksonville Jaguars Soccer Club and also attended Jacksonville University. Photo: Beaches Adult Soccer League

The club was founded in 1999 as DS United and over the last 20 years the club has been known as “Sunrise,” “Lynch’s Irish Pub” and the team’s current name Lynch’s FC In 2003, they qualified for the first time as DS United and lost 4-1 to the Raleigh CASL Elite of the Premier Development League in their opening game. Four years later, they entered the 2006 Open Cup as Lynch’s Irish Pub and met their first professional team, the Charlotte Eagles of USL-2, but lost 2-0 in the First Round.

In this year’s opening round, Lynch’s FC will travel to Ft. Lauderdale to take on Miami FC of the USL First Division in the First Round. The winner will take on the team that emerges from the Charleston Battery (USL-1) and Atlanta FC (USASA – NPSL) match.

This year’s berth in the tournament was a thrilling one for the Jacksonville-based club. Heavy rain and waterlogged fields caused the event to move from Eagle Harbor Soccer Complex in Orange Park, Fla. to a turf field at Fruit Cove Middle School in St. Johns.

After a 2-2 draw in the opening game against the NPSL’s Pumas SC and a forfeit by the Greenwood Wanderers from South Carolina, Lynch’s FC had a big hole to climb out of in the final game against the Baton Rouge Classics. In their previous game, Baton Rouge received three red cards and lost to Pumas SC 5-0. Entering the final group game, Lynch’s and Pumas were tied with four points. Pumas was guaranteed a victory in their final match because they were scheduled to play Greenwood. That meant that not only would Lynch’s have to win, but they would have to top Pumas’ 5-0 result against Baton Rouge in order to advance to the Region III title game and earn a berth in the Open Cup.

Even with Baton Rouge playing without three of their best players, the goal of scoring six looked like an impossible task as the two teams were scoreless at the halftime break. However, it was a 17-year old who would provide the spark they needed off the bench. Tony Kattreh, only a junior in high school, came in as a sub just after halftime and made an immediate impact. He set up the first goal and scored the second to get the Lynch’s offense rolling. Ramak Niakan scored a pair and Pat Cannon also scored to give the club the 5-goal cushion they needed. Kattreh, the soccer and track star at Fletcher High School in Jacksonville, would score the sixth goal in the 89th minute to send Lynch’s to their third US Open Cup.

The club changed their name from DS United to one of their sponsors, a prominate pub in Jacksonville, FL.
The club changed their name from DS United to one of their sponsors, a prominate pub in Jacksonville, Fla.

Kattreh is just one of the club’s young talented players. Unfortunately for Lynch’s, their top young defender Nurdin Hrustic is unavailable for their Open Cup run because he recently signed with German Bundesliga club Vfl Bochum. Another young player from the club has moved on to bigger and brighter things is Tony Taylor, who is in the process of training with the US Under-20 National Team, and could be available for the Miami FC game.

The rest of the roster is made up of local players who have either gone to college or high school in the area. Some of the veterans on the club could be joining Apunte in “retirement” after this season. Midfielders Pat Cannon and Sean Steed, defenders Steve Command and Justin Lloyd and goalkeeper Greg Williams have played over seven years with the club and could make way for younger players next season.

Like most teams, Lynch’s FC is always looking to improve. While Beaches Adult Soccer League is a “very competitive league,” according to Apunte, the club is exploring their options for possibly joining the USL or the NPSL in the coming years. Apunte is confident that the club will continue to thrive after he and the veteran players are gone. The man who will play a major role in keeping the club rolling will be head coach Moses Williams who is also the director of coaching for the Jacksonville Jaguars Soccer Club (Note: The Jaguars club predates the NFL team with the same name). Williams is a talented coach who is always restocking the Lynch’s roster with local talent.

Modern technology has helped sports, especially for USASA clubs, like Lynch’s, who have a USL First Division opponent in front of them. All of Miami’s games can be viewed for free on USLLive.com, but Apunte says that they haven’t used the website all that much.

“We haven’t really watched a lot of film on them,” said Apunte. “We don’t worry about scouting too much. We know that they have a lot of good players and we’re just going to come out and play our game and see how it goes.”

2009 Meet The USASA: Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks

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dulles-sportsplex-aegean-hawksDulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks manager Jonathan Knight brings his club, new sponsor and all, into the 2009 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with a better view of their situation than in 2007. “You can’t measure the power of that experience.” Knight says of their 2007 trip to Harrisburg, which ended in a 4-0 loss for Hawks.

“I think in 2007 there was an unstated belief, a naiveté that we would get to this level every year.” The Hawks missed out on the 2008 Cup with a 3-2 loss to New York Pancyprian Freedoms in the USASA Region I semifinals, but now that they are back and more prepared for their 2009 trip to nearby Rockville, Maryland to face Real Maryland FC Knight says the Hawks’ road to this point has prepared them better for what lies ahead. “Now we’ve been to this point before and had more games against quality opponents. Our preparation leading up to the regional qualification process has been much more thorough.” Knight says.

The club’s quest for a berth in this year’s Cup nearly ended right where it began. On January 18, a combination of injuries and miscommunication left the team able to field only 10 men for their opening round match in the D.C./Virginia qualifiers versus World Bank. In the 35th minute an injured player stepped on the field to bring the lineup to 11, but the Hawks eventually found themselves down 1-0 with just two minutes remaining. The tying goal began off the foot of Knight, who was pressed into emergency service. Knight, playing outside back, passed to midfielder Watson Vaughan-Prather, who then found Mike Minai in the penalty area to draw the match level. An own goal off a corner kick in extra time put the Hawks up 2-1, and Minai netted the clincher from another assist by Vaughan-Prather.

”I don’t think that there was ever any doubt in the players’ minds that we would find a way, but as the game approached the end of regulation, you couldn’t help but think that the Cup run could have been over,” Knight says. Head Coach Doug Homer perhaps sums up the Hawks drive best. “No one player has overlooked the cold training sessions in January and February or the scrimmages on the road at Delaware and James Madison to visualize success against a professional side in the US Open Cup.” Homer continues “If dedication and commitment could be tattooed on all of our players, I’d bet you’d see 24 guys with this on the arms come June 9th.”

The one thing that hasn’t changed much from 2007 is the core roster of the club. Leading the squad are two players with professional experience, Carlos Garcia (William & Mary, Virginia Beach Mariners, Montreal Impact, Baltimore Blast) and Anders Kelto (Brown/Michigan State, New England Revolution) as well as team center midfield co-captains Mike Goldman (George Washington) and Watson Prather (Univ. of Wisconsin). Mike Minai (St. John’s/Temple), Ricky Schramm (Georgetown, Richmond Kickers, New York Red Bulls), Erwin Diaz (Univ. of Maryland), Corey Curnutte (Bucknell), Andrew Loia (Bucknell), Clayton Voss (William & Mary), Nidhal Charfi (American), Luis Martinez (American), Nick Carlin-Voigt (Kalamazoo), Alex Fatovic (LIU), and Nate Adams (West Virginia-bound) have all been welcome additions to the squad since 2007. Other players who played in the 2007 cup run are Alan Golden (William & Mary), Ricardo Valverde (VCU), Eddie Thurston (Brown), Nick McMorris, John Stephens (James Madison), Alex and Andreas Nydal (JMU, William & Mary), Trevor Martin (George Washington), Justin Bodiya (Duke), Andy Zayas (Philadelphia U), Bryan Vitagliano (Univ. of Maryland), William Fierro (St. Leo), and Geoff Thompson (Old Dominion).

One factor Knight hopes to improve upon from 2007 is the team’s fitness and stamina. The Harrisburg match in ’07 was still 0-0 after sixty minutes, but the City Islanders scored four times in the final half hour once the Hawks players began to tire. “They were a special team that went on to win the 2007 USL-2 championship, so we had nothing to be ashamed of,” Knight says of their 2007 opponents. As for their 2009 opponents, the Hawks are quite familiar with Real Maryland, having played them in two friendlies in February and March. Knight notes that much has changed since then. “That was an entirely different team that bears little resemblance to the Monarchs of today. We really respect what Coach Hudson is doing with that organization. I think the progress they’ve made in the last six months is immeasurable.”

An aspect of the team that is markedly different from 2007 is the name of the team. Now known as the Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks, the partnership was born in January 2008. At the time Doug Homer, coach of the US Maccabi in 2007 & 2008, worked with the Hawks to develop his training sessions for the Maccabi squad. Barry Gudelsky, one of the partners of Sportsplex Management Group, which owns Dulles Sportsplex and two other multi-sport facilities in the region, had been a long time Maccabi participant and supporter. Gudelsky had already sponsored a couple of the players on the Hawks for the Maccabi games, so he was familiar with the team. Doug and Barry both liked what they saw in the Hawks, in particular the commitment of the players to play for the love of the game and the high level of the team. Homer coaches with the Hawks as much as his schedule allows, and Gudelsky and his partners at Sportsplex Management Group have supported the team financially since January 2008. The team still asks for membership dues from the players, but without the financial support of Sportsplex Management, the Hawks would not likely be able to consistently pursue their team goals of a USASA amateur championship and Open Cup participation.

Above all else, Knight and his team will not take their Open Cup participation for granted. “Most of all, we know how hard it is to get these moments back.” Knight says.

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