CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Nov. 29, 2015) – The annual US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (US Youth Soccer ODP) Boys Thanksgiving Interregional continued Sunday in Casa Grande, Ariz. with all age groups resuming action. The three-day tournament, which is taking place at Grande Sports World features elite boys teams in the 2001 and 2002 age groups from each of the four US Youth Soccer Regions.

 

The players were selected from US Youth Soccer State Association and Regional level evaluations. Throughout the week, players will attend training sessions and compete in matches against other Regions, in front of U.S. Soccer national staff and collegiate coaches to maximize their exposure for selection to the next level of play.

 

With programs in all 55 US Youth Soccer State Associations, US Youth Soccer ODP, the original Olympic development program, is available to any player. US Youth Soccer ODP is the only elite player development program that can claim members of Major League Soccer, the National Women’s Soccer League, and the majority of current and past national and youth national team members, as alumni.

2001 Boys: Region II v. Region I

Region I won its second game in as many days with a 2-1 victory over Region II. Virginia’s Dennis Mensah got Region I off to a dream start with two goals in the second and 13^th minute to give him three for the tournament. 2015 US Youth Soccer Region II Championship semifinalist PSG MI Nova 01 Black’s (MI) Gabriel Parra brought Region II back within one with a goal in the 17^th minute, but Region I was able to hang on for the 2-1 win.

2001 Boys: Region IV v. Region III
Region III earned its first win of the tournament by defeating Region IV 2-1. After his two-time US Youth Soccer National Championship participant GSA 01 Premier (GA) teammate, Liam Butts scored for Region III yesterday, 2014 and 2015 National Championship Best 11 forward Kendall Edwards scored back-to-back goals in the 51^stand 52^nd minutes to give Region III the 2-0 lead. 2014 US Youth Soccer Region IV Championship semifinalist La Roca South 99/00 Premier’s (UT) Taylor Booth cut Region III’s lead in half with a goal in the 57^th minute, but that would be as far as Region IV’s comeback attempt would go as Region III gained the victory.

2002 Boys: Region II v. Region I
Region I and Region II battled to a 1-1 draw on the second day of competition. Thomas Corral Chavez of Massachusetts began the scoring in the 10^th minute for Region I, and the lead would hold for over 50 minutes of play until Charles Strine, who reached the finals of the 2015 US Youth Soccer ODP Region II Showcase with the Michigan ODP team, equalized for Region II in the 61^st minute.

2002 Boys: Region IV v. Region III
Region IV notched its first win of the tournament after defeating Region III 2-1. After 43 minutes of play, South Carolina’s Juan Zuniga broke the scoreless stalemate for Region III. After that it was a pair of 2015 US Youth Soccer ODP Region IV Tournament team players from Washington that led Region IV’s comeback as Joshua Atencio and Thai Wichienwidhtaya scored in the 53^rd and 60^th minute respectively to ultimately give Region IV the win.