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soccerislife: There are Charleston area clubs not allowing more talented kids to play together? How do they enforce that?

soccerislife, there is another possibility for a person to be able to say something like that.

A person that has been around the soccer community in the low country and to have either experienced or been in the aftermath of the merge of Hungry Neck with MP and also the rise and fall of Trident United. Speculation mixed with a few key events/statments, forms a pretty solid basis to make such a strong statement.

I have heard about the CESA U-17 girls game at State Cup. Seems to me that they were not as well matched as originally thought. I heard that the Challenge team packed 7 & 8 in the box the whole game. What would have happened if they would have played soccer. I believe the premier team would have won by 5 or 6 goals. I understand that this method may have won the game,and I do say may.

Look at it, you try to go to overtime and to PK's to win. Remember, this premier team has been tested in many games against the best in the country. As I understand it, the keeper for the premier hardly touched the ball all game and only made a save or two, while the keeper for the challenge team made great saves the whole game. I think we forget the abilities these players have. I don't know who the keeper is for the premier team, but I know that when it was her time to perform she stepped up and made the play.

That is the different between premier teams and challenge team, players that are asked to perform in overwelming circumstances. Where ever this premier keeper plays HS soccer it would be worth the price of admission to watch her play. It like watching the last shot in a basketball game or a last second field goal. The pressure is on.

Great job to both U-17 girls keepers. From one who knows.

You would win the opportunity to

Nice article in the Charlotte Observer last week on Dom Wren and the Discoveries U-16 boys:

Posted on Thu, Dec. 14

SCHOOL AND CLUB TEAMS
Coach wins his 2nd title of 2006

DENNY SEITZ
dseitz@charlotteobserver.com

ROCK HILL - The past year has gone by too fast for Northwestern High soccer coach Dominic Wren.

After a springtime that included the school's first soccer state championship, Wren will end the year with memories of another championship fresh on his mind.

The Rock Hill-based Discoveries Soccer Club's Under-16 team became state champions Sunday when it defeated a pair of national powerhouses in the semifinals and finals.

The team, known as Mutiny, beat Bridge Football Club 2-1 in the semis and then downed Carolina Elite Soccer Academy 2-1 in the finals.

Mutiny had lost to both Greenville-area teams by lopsided scores earlier in the season.

"We'd never beaten either of the teams," Wren said. "And we had a rough season. Really, this is amazing," he said.

Mutiny, composed of players from Rock Hill, York and Fort Mill, began play in August with the state championship as a goal. It was reasonable because five underclassmen from the Northwestern High team that went 26-2 were also playing for Mutiny.

But six losses and six ties in 29 games left Wren fearing the team was better than average but not quite championship material.

Things gelled at the perfect time.

"We just started playing well," said Wren, whose team gets a break now while high school soccer is under way. Mutiny will resume play with a regional championship match in Oklahoma City in June.

"The way it works out is great," said Wren, the only coach to win a state high school championship and club championship the same season.

The championship was clinched on a late goal by sophomore Robbie Benson. Another star on the team was Enzo Martinez, who earned S.C. High School Player of the Year honors last year, his freshman season.

Martinez is young but already getting lots of attention from Division I college coaches, Wren said.

Most of Martinez's 2006 teammates at Northwestern High graduated to college soccer scholarships, including eight teammates who all went to Spartanburg Methodist together.

"In high school, we wanted to win for the seniors," Martinez said. "It was all about believing in each other and believing in team. We've done that in club too. I could have played a lot better than I did, but we won the championship. That's what our goal was."


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Denny Seitz: 803-327-8500 ext. 31