Two PA West teams capture regional Presidents Cup championships

CONSHOHOCKEN, PA. — Teams from Allegheny Force and Beadling SC returned home to Western Pennsylvania with championship trophies after winning their age divisions at the US Youth Soccer Eastern Presidents Cup on Tuesday.

Beading SC won the 12U Girls age division with a 1-0 win over Eastern PA’s West Mont United in Tuesday’s final. The win was their fourth in five games and the their third clean sheet at the five-day tournament.

In another battle between West and East, Allegheny Force was able to capture the 16U Girls championship on penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw with Keystone Athletic.

Allegheny opened the scoring in the first half with a goal by birthday girl Serena Carnahan but Keystone Athletic responded with a penalty kick from Madison Merrell to tie things up in the second half and took a lead early in the second overtime period. The two goals were the first scored against the Force in five games.

Allegheny found an equalizer off a rebound from a free kick put in by right back Allison Porter to level things at 2-2.

Into penalties, Keystone Athletic had a tough break when a shot hit the underside of the crossbar and didn’t cross the goal line. Allegheny was clinical on their kicks throughout and clinched things when keeper Julia Beam made a save to open the fifth round of kicks.

“We were able to focus at the right time, we were able to pick ourselves up, fight back, create a few chances,” said Force head coach Sotiri Tsourekis. “We got the luck we needed at the right time; that gave us a little extra to get into the shootout and that momentum  carried into the shootout.”

The regional title was a first for the Force, which has been to the regionals of the competition multiple times before but never to a final.

“We’ve had a squad that’s been together a long time,” Tsourekis said. “It’s a testament to them committing to the team.”

The Force qualified on Monday for the National Presidents Cup when they beat Virginia Valor FC 1-0 to advance to the final. The National Presidents Cup will be held in Wichita, Kansas July 7-11 and will feature teams from the 13U-19U levels.