October 10, 2003

State Cup Finals Set for U15-U18 Boys on Saturday

The fall portion of the 2004 State Cup is proving the soccer in Utah is growing deeper and more competitive. In the four boys divisions currently being contested, all but one defending champion have been knocked off. Only U16 Inter FC Premier, coached by Mark Graham, has advanced to the final and earned the right to defend its title. Inter FC will play in the final against Patrick Rennie's Sparta Premier squad. Inter FC must be considered the prohibitive favorite. Not only is Inter FC the defending champion, but the team is undefeated this fall, with a 10-0 league record and a spotless State Cup run. But Inter FC will face a familiar foe, having beaten Sparta 2-0 last May in a State Cup semi-final match. This rivalry will be renewed at the West Jordan complex on Field G at 2:00 PM.

The championship reign of the U15 Impact Black team was cut short in semifinal action. After winning its first State Cup in a scintillating final match in May, Impact Black fell to Rangers 89 in a semi-final match. The Rangers, who won the previous two titles, seek to recapture the crown against Sparta Premier, which advanced to the final despite its third-place standing in league. This title game is scheduled on Field I at 1:00 PM.

Long-reigning champions have fallen in the U17 and U18 competitions. In perhaps the most stunning upset of the tournament, Danny Parkhurst's two-time defending champion Advantage team found itself on the wrong side of the result of its semi-final match against Cougars. Having shed the curse of its long-time nemesis, Tom Angelos' Cougars 86 team will now face Sparta Premier in the final. Under the guidance of veteran coach Phil Roberts, Sparta has cruised to the final, scoring 15 against only two. The U18 championship match will be played on Field I at 4:00 PM.

A new champion will also emerge in the U17 competition. After three consecutive championships, Danny Ortiz's Strikers saw their trophy-run end in a shoot-out against Rangers 87 in the quarterfinal round. Dave Wooley's Rangers then advanced to the final after amassing an impressive plus-14 goal differential in State Cup competition. The Rangers will meet Sparta Premier, which earned its spot in the championship match by winning Group C, surviving an early scare from the Firebirds in the quarterfinal, and then overcoming an early deficit to beat UFC Blitzz in a tough semi-final match. The U17 champions will be determined in a match beginning on Field H at 3:00 PM.