May 23, 2003

Semi-Final Soccer Saturday at State Cup

Every entrant in the State Cup Tournament dreams of playing for the championship on Memorial Day. But no team can qualify to play on Monday without achieving victory on Semi-Final Soccer Saturday. The winners on Saturday will become State Cup finalists; the losers will be left lamenting opportunities lost.

Twenty-two semi-final matches, beginning with international-style walk-out and complete with fourth officials to help quell rising emotions, will be contested in three time blocks. Eight games start at 10:30; seven more at 12:30; and the last seven finalist will be chosen in matches beginning at 2:30. All games will be played at the West Jordan Soccer Complex. Click here for a match schedule or a map to the fields.

Spectators should watch to see if Avalanche can sweep through the semi-finals in the girls' divisions. The Sandy-based Avalanche club entered six teams in the tournament. All six have progressed to the semi-finals. On the boys side, the pride of Logan--the under-12 Soccerheads---are aiming to become the only Cache Valley team to qualify for the 2003 State Cup Finals. The Soccerheads, under the distinctive direction of Coach Morgan Carlson, advanced to the semi-finals with a nail-biting 1-0 conquest of the Blitzz. Uber-coach Dave Wooley's U.V. Rangers will try on Saturday to dash the Soccerheads' "Hoosiers" story.

The State Cup Tournament is the culmination of the seasonal year for teams from the Utah Youth Soccer Association's State Competition League, which is the state's premier youth soccer league. The spring portion of the 2003 State Cup Tournament involves every girls' age group from under 12 to under 19 and boys from under 12 through under 15. 148 teams entered this spring tournament. Eleven champions will be crowned on Memorial Day. These State Champions will represent Utah at the Far West Regional Tournament in Hawaii.