Local teams advance at State Cup
BY JASON THOMPSON Gulf Breeze News jason@gulfbreezenews.com

Vickrey

The Bayside U-16 boys soccer team advanced to the second round of Florida Youth Soccer Association State Cup action with a win and two ties in the first round of preliminaries last weekend in Land O'Lakes.

The Baysiders opened play Saturday with a 0-0 with the CPUSA Spartans. They tied the Miami Strike Force 1-1 later on Saturday before beating the Satellite Beach Soccer Club 6-0 on Sunday.

The win gave Bayside second place in Group G - the Strike Force won their other two games to win the group. Both teams will advance to the challenge round of 16 April 26- 27 in Sarasota.

Bayside includes GBHS varsity player Jack Begley and most of the Dolphin junior varsity team.

Bayside's boys aren't the only local team moving on in State Cup Competition. The Pensacola Futbol Club's U18 team, the Lady Wolves, finished runner up in Group B at the North Collier Regional Park in Naples.

They opened play with a 4-1 win over the Blackwatch Soccer Club before beating West Pasco Youth 3-1. They then tied the IUS Arsenal 2-2 on Sunday. With IUS Arsenal posting shutout wins in each of their first two games, they won the group.

Rodgers

Scoring against Blackwatch were Breezy Hupp (twice, from Choctaw High School), Kristin Sutton (Tate) and Courtney Jenista (Catholic). GBHS junior Jesse Vickrey assisted on Jenista's goal.

Hupp, Jenista and Ali Verdung (Tate) all scored against West Pasco Youth. PFC led IUS Arsenal in the closing minutes before Arsenal scored the equalizer.

Hupp and Sutton scored in that game, with Vickrey setting up Sutton's goal. Also playing for the Lady Wolves were GBHS juniors Alyssa Smith, Amanda Green and Aubrey Curington. Senior Noelle Robles and junior Jessica Majewski are also on the roster, but neither made the trip.

PFC's U14 team won Group J with a 3-0 win over Florida Red Star Sunday in Naples. GBMS eighth grader Samantha Welsh scored the final goal. The Lady Wolves tied Clay County 0-0 on Saturday.

PFC's U13 team played scoreless ties with the Florida Soccer Alliance Lightning and the Renegades. In between those matches was a 3-0 loss to the Clearwater Chargers. The U13s will have to play in the second round of preliminaries April 12-13 at the Pine Island Park in Plantation.

GBHS sophomore Maggie Rodgers had two goals and an assist for the U16 First Coast Kyx Elite, who won Group F at the Palm Bay Regional Park in Palm Bay.

Rodgers had the assist in the Kyx's 1-0 win over the Space Coast United Storm. She scored a goal in their 6-0 win over the Naples Youth Soccer Club and another goal in a 2-0 win over the Jensen Beach Soccer Club.

The Challenge Round of 16 will be April 26-27 in Palm Bay. The final four for all age divisions is May 17-18 at the Pace Soccer Complex.