The U14 Challange league is starting up this weekend or should I say the season before the cup season is starting up. What are the predictions out there? I know some do not like the fact that parent's are interested in their kids lives to some extent. However, having such interest in the prior years post it makes sense to start another. Good luck to all and let's get the party started!
In the U-14 Boys South Carolina Challenge Fantasy League....
The first draft pick by "Chico's Red Army", is.......Ricky Garbanzo.
(Everybody else is playing for second place.)
Favorites for this season I think would have to be Columbia United FC.
CESA PREMIER Boys Best in Class!!!!!
New Players and New Coach.
According to the schedule on the league website, the U14 Girls Challenge Division started last Saturday with a match between LCSC Burn and CESA Challenge, but the results are not posted yet. Anyone know the score?
I was referring to the the Columbia United Fc u14 Boys. The new coach has added quite a few new players.I think they should have the beating of most teams unless like themselves teams have added many new talented players.
CESA Premier wins State Cup and picks up 2 of the best players from the 2nd place team. They also add Nick Finotti as coach....
How can they not be the preseason pick to win it all?
Maybe I should restate the title of the thread as I was referring to the U14 Boys Challange League. Not that the ladies are unwelcome! Last years CESA Premier was by far the best team last year. 2 of the best players? Who is the second? BTW - Tega Cay was way way overrated last year. So the new players really don't impress me much. Bridge was inconsistent last year and I doubt they improved their personnel but who knows. The Columbia teams were weak last year but should be new and improved. It will come down to the three "super" clubs. Also, Finotti changes teams so much it is hard to keep up with him. I hope the boys learn everything they can from him this year for you don't know where he will be next.
CESA premier is the team to beat until dethroned!
Did Finotti add any players from the CESA challenge team or has all the new talent been aquired from other clubs?
Girls side CESA PREMIER hands down. (u14 Premier Girls)
Which CESA Premier on the girls side?
If you aren't impressed by Ricardo, you aren't watching the game. He is a very enjoyable player to watch. Very smooth and technically sound. He's only the best player or one of the top 2-3 players at age in the State and the defending state champ picked him up.
The other young man is a very strong player as well.
I was told that the Bridge U-13 team was playing up at U-14 this season...any truth to that?
Yup, thats where they are listed to play according to the SCYSA website. Same with '93 CESA Premier.
I assume both will drop to U13 for the Spring.
Big Daddy: I couldn't disagree with you more concerning Ricardo. It appears he only scored 7 of the 8 points for the CESA team in that tournament. Obviously he has to step it up to become a better player.
Heh heh. Yeah.....he should be ashamed.
Seriously, I have no kids on this team....but my son's team scrimmaged them and '92 Premier are really good. Great team to watch even when you are on the other side.
I say the same thing abot the '93 Bridge team. Its fun to play teams like these because besides being fun to watch, its a great measuring stick for yourself. Play well....and know you're on the right track. Get smoked....and know you have more work to do.
I too saw where Ricardo added to his career points total this past weekend. He obviously is a very good player. My point was directed more in the way of Tega Cay not being a very good team last year and trying to get some of you engaged in "trash" talk. It worked! CEAS's program continues to improve! When will it stop!
Soccer16: Since I say nice things about CESA a bunch, here's my list of things CESA hasn't done:
- CESA hasn't won a regional title [excludes consituent clubs.]
- CESA hasn't finished first RIIIPL-East regular season.
- CESA hasn't had all of its competing teams finish in the top 3 in RIIIPL-East.
- CESA hasn't won a national title.
- CESA hasn't placed anyone on the national team [excludes constituent clubs.]
- CESA doesn't use Climacool material in their practice shirts.
- Etc.
Seems like they have a long way to go.
Re: Tega Cay, I couldn't disagree more.
I've known that team since they were U8 and the Steele Creek Rhinos. The single biggest thing I've always loved about them is their toughness and resiliency. Those kids never quit and were never out of a game.
Knowing the kids they have lost over the years I would have thought they'd have tanked last year....and call them overrated if you want, somehow they ended up as the 2nd best team in the state. Don't ever count them out. Losing the kids they did will hurt....but until they fall apart on the field I believe they will find a way to still be a pretty darned good team.
16,
You are way out of bounds saying TC was not very good last year. Ricky and Asa were the best one-two punch in the state. Obviously CESA had more balance and more depth and proved to be the better team last spring. CESA Premier will be much improved again this year with the addition of Ricky.
I saw the Tega Cay team play twice up at the Carowinds tourney...Defensively they looked pretty good but they lost that one two punch up front...I think they will have a hard time finding the back of the net..They played very hard last weekend and wish them the best of luck
I stand by my "opinion" regarding TC. I really don't want to call kids out on the message board. Some of the best one-two punch in the state had to do with their physical ability rather than skill. I gotta beleive that the new CESA player will show more improvement than TC as a whole team. Note that I consider all of the teams at this level good but there is always someone better and/or worse. The games are coming let's enjoy the season. Just curious but what was the overall competition level at the carrowinds tournament for the U14's? (poor, average, good, excellent)
I saw about four or five games in this age group and I would say that the level of play was good with a couple of average teams thrown in..
16,
"I gotta beleive that the new CESA player will show more improvement than TC as a whole team."
You have to explain this one to me......?
The new CESA player just has to bring what he does to the team..He will be better because he will have better support around him...T.C. has to fill that void that is left after losing two impact players
That was my point! Now a follow up question: What's more important the player or the team?
Thats a subjective question.
If a parent is asking the question....then the individual player is most important. If a coach or Club official is asking the question, then the team is likely more important.
Neither is a better answer, it simply depends on perspective and circumstances.
Hello All...new to the board and I certainly enjoy the topics, the discussions and the banter. Regarding the Carowinds tourney, first of all, well run as always, secondly as far as the competition it appeared to me that the bulk of the teams were number 2 teams from the respective clubs. This comes not only from observation but from also talking to many parents from other clubs. 2 personal examples, U17 Girls, This Bridge team is a well oiled machine and dominated their bracket. Would they have been better served by either playing up or quite possibly playing in a tourney that would have posed more of a challenge. 2nd example, U14 Girls, my daughters team came in second in their bracket but all 4 games were closely contested and the competition was fun. The Bridge Club should be proud of their weekend......but.....it was obvious that these teams were in a tournament pitted against teams much less talented. Who knows, maybe this was their plan, enter a tourney, get timing in place and prepare for the season. Thanks all.
Saw the 2 games this weekend...bridge 92 & 93 vs CFU
Both games ended in a draw 93's: 2-2 and 92's: 0-0
Couple unbiased observations:
CFU is gonna be a force to reckon with when they gel and get in shape. The 93's wore them down, in the 2nd half they were dragging. They have size and speed, the more they play together the better they will be...seems to be a move in the right direction for the Columbia area. The Cameron boy now has players to play with him. The Bridge 93 team seems to be getting better, seem to have added some size and still have some great ball skills, but still think they will have a hard time with some of the bigger 14's teams, however from what I learned this weekend they are playing 14 in the fall and 13 in the spring...they will breeze through the spring then...have to be choice for State Cup at 13. The Bridge 92 team seems to be going in the opposite direction. They have lost the Ballentine boy to a broken leg, however their defense seems to be holding its own, their sweeper did a fine job against a bigger faster CFU line. Their problem is offensive...too many 1v1 players. Was told they added some Myrtle Beach players and they have yet to gel together. I just don't think they have a forward that can finish.
I was not overly impressed with Columbia United. They are lucky the cup season is in the spring. They certainly need to gel as a team. However, they will only improve with time. I heard that they had only 1 or 2 scrimmages prior to this weekend. It would stand to reason that they will only improve on this weekends mediocre performance. There defense was not particularly challanged this weekend. I think it still will come down to the super clubs for the cup. Lexington lost their star player to the '93 Bridge team which does not bode well for them and TC lost 2 of their players to CESA. It looks like the consolidation of talent is to the detriment of the smaller clubs.
Soccer16: Two subjects: detriment and Lexington.
With respect to the consolidation of talent being to the detriment of the smaller clubs -- it appears to me that the trade-off is whether less competitive clubs "suffer" or individual players "suffer." I tend to favor the individuals.
With respect to Lexington: at the select level, Lexington is one of the largest clubs in the state in terms of fielding select teams. I think that Lexington is clearly the "diamond in the rough" of South Carolina clubs -- tremendous potential and player base.
The trouble with Lexington, from what little I can tell, is that it is less a club than a loosely-knit collection of teams. It's almost impossible to talk about it as a club. For example, the Lexington U17B team picked up some great players and has two region pool players and based on coaching talent and players should be an incredibly strong contender for a state title. There are other teams that are moving in the opposite direction. With all due respect to the folks there, I perceive little cohesive strategy or even tactics apparent from the outside at the club level.
Hope you all had a great summer. The title of the thread could use a spell check - so going forward, accurate spelling is optional, which is a great relief for me. Looks like the rich get richer - and CESA Premier will win it all again. Good luck to all this season!
Cole
Sorry not CFU I guess...but rather CUFC
Where are our two favorite posters for this thread? Last season they tore the internet up going back and forth and so far...not one post...Did the kids move on to football?
Chico My comments were directly related to the age group U14 not the club as a whole. I will need to start another "misspelled thread" to discuss the clubs if necessary. Man I start the thread and then I get penalized for spelling. You guys are tough!!!!!!!!!!
SOCCERFAMILY: I honestly didn't know because I thought it might have been one of the Charlotte clubs -- thanks!
Soccer16: I'm sorry if I did a tangent -- you're right, the name of the thread gives the context -- I just couldn't help but throw out my $0.02. Thanks for giving us a thread to do it in!
Yes the winners will be the U 14 CESA Girls Premier team who have won the State Cup for the last two years at the U 13 and U12 age groups. Last year indicated their potential as they won the Brentwood tournament in Nashville and Girlsrock in Savanna plus the challenge league.
This year the new players have added strength and skill to the team and they won their 4 games at Saturdays Impact Rock in Knoxville. On the updated
www.collegeinsoccer.com web site they are now ranked 8 th in the region and 27 th in the nation.
Well done Girls
1977
Is this the same group of girls, CESA U-14 Premier that beat the CESA U-13 Premier Boys 3-0 two weeks ago? If so that team is loaded.