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DYSA collecting more hardware

Soccer teams earn slew of tournament titles
The under-16 boys Durango YSA United team took first place at the Kick It for the Cure soccer tournament Nov. 16 in Phoenix.

A busy fall season for the Durango Youth Soccer Association culminated with championships at several big tournaments.

Four teams recently competed in the Kick It for the Cure Tournament in Phoenix, while another six teams participated in the Gaylord Sheppard Tournament in Albuquerque.

Highlighting the Kick It for the Cure event was a first-place finish by the under-16 boys Durango YSA United team. The U15 girls Durango United Blast took third as the tournament, and the U14 boys Durango United Thunder also placed third.

Four teams won first place at the Gaylord Sheppard Tournament, including the U11 boys Durango Warriors, the U12 boys Durango Rangers, the U12 boys Durango Inferno and the U11 girls Durango Heat.

The U10 boys Durango Impact placed second in Albuquerque, as did the U10 girls Durango Dynamite.

One of the most exciting DYSA championship games of the fall season came a week earlier, when the U14 girls Durango Diablos won the championship match of the Soccer at the Summit tournament Sept. 21 in Flagstaff, Arizona. It was the second tournament win of the year for the Diablos, coached by RJ Parke, as they also won the Black Canyon Invitational earlier in the year.

The Diablos trailed 1-0 at halftime, but the defense buckled down in the second half, and the Diablos were awarded a late penalty kick when a handball was called in the box against their opponent. Sasha Kozak stepped up and make the penalty kick right as regular time expired, sending the match to a shootout.

Caroline Knight, Stella Padgett and Kylie Phipps all made their penalty kicks, and goalie Haley Szczech made two clutch saves, including the game winner, to give the Diablos the win.

Another massive win came for the U12 boys Inferno, coached by Durango High School head coach Dalon Parker, at the Colorado Soccer Association Cup. The Inferno were able to take first place. The U10 girls Dynamite, coached by Brian Baca, also took first at the CSA Cup.

Rounding out the action was a slew of teams participating in “Socctoberfest” in Farmington. Taking first at Socctoberfest was the U14 boys Thunder, coached by Dawson Emrich, U12 boys Rangers, coached by Jordan Alexander and the U11 boys Warriors, coached by Derek Freeman.

The U10 girls blitz, coached by Lauren Milliet and Savannah Seiter, took second at Socctoberfest, and the U10 boys Impact, coached by Dave Foster and James Russell, took third.

The Durango Youth Soccer Association will hold its annual Durango Shootout May 8-10, 2015.

heraldsports@durangoherald.com



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