BOISE, Idaho. (June 24, 2011) – Of the 232 teams that began the tournament, the dreams of 64 remain alive in the 2011 US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships as the quarterfinal round was completed today. There was a heightened sense of intensity as games kicked off at the Simplot Sports Complex in Boise, Idaho, for teams were competing for one of four spots in the semifinals.

Among the field of teams at the Region IV Championships are three defending national champions, Under-15 Girls Foothill MVLA Lightning (CA-N), Under-18 Girls So Cal Blues Dodge (CA-S) and Under-19 Boys Eastside United FC 91 Liverpool Red (OR). Only two remain in contention for a repeat championship as the first defending champ, MVLA Lightning, was knocked out in a penalty shootout today in the Under-15 Girls. So Cal Blues Dodge and Eastside United FC 91 Liverpool Red are still in the hunt to become back-to-back national champions.

Teams that competed in the 2010-2011 US Youth Soccer National League continued their success in the Region IV Championships.  Eleven of 12 National League teams that entered the tournament advanced to the quarterfinals, and nine of those teams have now moved onto the semifinal round.

A few highlights from today's matches...
 
Under-16 Girls Legends Breakaway (CA-S) just missed out on a direct path to the National Championships through the US Youth Soccer National League as they finished second to the 2011 Region III champions Hurricane FC (OK). But Legends took one step closer to gaining entry to Nationals as a regional champion as they defeated SC Del Sol (AZ) 8-0 in their quarterfinal matchup. Seven Legends goals in the first half included a hatrick from Tanya Samarzich, a double from Nicolette Martino and one each from Taylor Vargo and Kylie Sincox before Sincox added the eighth in the second half.
 
Defending Region IV champion Real Colorado National will take on Legends in the semifinals after downing Forza FC 95 Premier (UT) 4-1. Alex Anthony led the way for Real with three goals in a 20 minute span during the second half after Brianna Toelle opened the scoring in just the 3rd minute. Forza tried to claw back into the game with a Paige Coles goal in the 62nd, but Real held strong to move closer to defending their title.
 
Colorado Rush Nike 94/95 wasted no time in asserting themselves versus Las Vegas Premier 95 White (NV) as they scored in the opening minute en route to a 4-1 victory. Danica Evans put Rush on the board in the 1st minute, the first of her three first half goals. Premier pulled one back two minutes into the second half through Falon Miller, but Rush struck again nine minutes later from Morgan Stanton to lead Rush into the semifinals.
 
Mustang Blast (CA-N) are looking for redemption after dropping the 2010 Region IV championship match to Colorado Real, and they are back in the semis thanks to a 3-0 blanking of San Diego Surf White (CA-S). Ryan Walker started things off with the first of her brace in the 12th minute and Tyler Cunningham put Mustang up two just before the halftime break. The Blast backline held strong in the second half before Walker sealed the game with a stoppage time goal as Blast take on Rush tomorrow for a spot in the final.
 
Three Under-16 US Youth Soccer National League participants have advanced to the regional semifinals and Eastside FC 94 Red (WA) will have even more motivation in their matchup after eliminating La Roca 95 (UT) 1-0. In the final game of the National League season, semifinal opponent Albion SC (CA-S) defeated Eastside to take the automatic ticket to the National Championships. La Roca gave Eastside all they could handle, but a dramatic goal from Joseph Mancini in stoppage time won the game for Eastside and set up the rematch with Far West Regional League and National League rival Albion.
 
Downtown Rapids 95 Gold (NV) joins fellow National League competitors Eastside and Albion in the semifinals after defeating the Colorado Rapids 4-0. Juan Carlos Regalado Jr. posted a hatrick with goals in the 18th, 26th and 51st minutes before Antonio Velaquez sealed the game in stoppage time. Downtown will face defending Region IV champion Mt. Hamilton PAC Tigres (CA-N) in their semifinal match.
 
In a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal, Under-19 Girls Super Nova 91/92 (ID) reversed the score to take down United Neon (OR) 2-1. United lost by a goal in last year’s semifinal to the eventual national champion Laguna Hills Eclipse (CA-S), but this year Nova will get a chance to move on after Shalese Miller completed a second half comeback for Nova with her winner in the last eight minutes. United went on top in the 18th from Daniella Solis, but Nova leveled in the 67th from Amanda Soderlund to set up Miller’s game winner.
 
Super Nova will face So Cal Blues Dodge (CA-S) tomorrow thanks to a 4-1 win over East Fresno United (CA-N). After Lynn Williams put Fresno up in the 8th, the Blues exploded for three goals within 11 minutes, starting with Tawni Martino’s strike in the 14th. Greer Zerboni added another in the 21st and Jennifer Barrientos capped the spree in the 25th for a sudden 3-1 lead. Zerboni added her second in the 70th to put the game away and send So Cal into the semifinals.
 
Complete scores from the quarterfinal matches...

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