CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Nov. 30, 2015) – The annual US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (US Youth Soccer ODP) Boys Thanksgiving Interregional finished Monday in Casa Grande, Ariz. The three-day tournament, which took place at Grande Sports World featured 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.

Highlights from Day 3:

2001 Boys: Region I v. Region III
Region III secured its spot at the top of the 2001 group with a strong 3-0 win over Region I. 2014 US Youth Soccer Region III Champion and 2014-15 National League Blue Division runner-up GSA 01 Premier’s (GA) Liam Butts began the scoring in the 20^th minute for Region II. At the beginning of the second half, Tanner Tessman, who won the 2013 and 2015 US Youth Soccer Alabama State Cup with Birmingham United (AL), doubled Region III’s lead before Butt’s GSA teammate; Natnael McDonald scored the final goal of the match in the 58^th minute.

2001 Boys: Region II v. Region IV
Region IV earned its first win of the tournament with a 1-0 victory over Region II. Two-time member of the US Youth Soccer ODP Region IV Championships Tournament Team for New Mexico, Jayson Baca scored the match’s only goal in the 17^th minute and the Region IV defense kept Region III off the board for the entirety of the match.

2002 Boys: Region I v. Region III
Region III had five different players find the back of the net in a 5-1 win over Region I. Kaya Ignacio of South Texas, Florida’s Tavon Mussenden, Georgia’s John Franks and Zaki Obafemi-Carpenter all scored for the first time in the tournament for Region III, while South Carolina’s Juan Zuniga netted his second goal in as many days. Eastern New York’s Joseph Scally joined Zuniga at the top of the goal scoring leaderboard as his second goal of the tournament was Region I’s lone goal in the match.

2002 Boys: Region II v. Region IV
Region II finished at the top of the 2002 age group thanks to a 1-1 draw with Region IV on the final day of play. 2015 US Youth Soccer ODP Region IV Championships finalist with Washington 2002, Joshua Atencio broke the scoreless stalemate in the 28^th minute with a goal for Region IV, but just two minutes it was Region II’s Julian Pelligrini, who won the 2015 Ohio North State Cup and will play in the 2015-2016 US Youth Soccer National League with Challenger Crew Jrs. 01 Black (OH-N), who equalized. Despite two goals in quick fashion, neither team was able to find the back of the net again as the match ended in a tie.