Nado Select GU8, GU9, BU9, BU10, GU11, and BU11 participated in the 2010 Crusaders Cup in preparation for the Presidio Season.

Although the GU8 and GU9 (playing up in the GU10 bracket) did not make it out of their brackets, both teams walked away with with some positive experience. Coach Ruiz had this to say, “Both teams have a lot of things to work on and it was great watching them play. I think that we have strong players on both teams and it is a matter of developing their technical skills so that they continue to have success in soccer. We will be all set for the 2010 Crown City Classic and are hoping to have a strong showing.”

BU9 had a great tourney, winning 2 of the 3 games that they played. They finished 2nd in their bracket, beating CSC 4-2 and Vista Storm 3-2 as well as losing to Scripps 4-1. “The team is full of talent and it was a weekend full of awesome goals. I can’t wait to see what they do next!” said Coach Brantuas.

As for the BU10, this was their first tournament and they made it to the Championships. “They played very hard all weekend and the final was hard-fought. We ended up losing 3-1, but I was very impressed with the soccer the team played all weekend. I’m looking forward to a very promising season.” said Coach Neves.

The GU11 had a grueling task ahead of them as they played in the u12 bracket. With a team composed of both u10 and u11 players, their skill and determination proved to be tough competition for the much bigger u12 teams. Nado tied FC Heat 1-1 in game one. Camie Nembach had a spectacular goal, catching the keeper out of position and hitting the ball over her head to tie up the game in the final minutes. The second game ended in a 0-0 tie against Hotspurs. Anabella Del Rio did an amazing job as keeper, shutting down several Hotspur scoring opportunities. This 0-0 result was positive for Nado as it secured them a spot in the semifinals. The team played tough in the semifinals, but lost 3-0 to a strong Vista Storm team. “This was our first tourney and to make it to the semis in an u12 bracket is extremely positive. We definitely have some things to work on, especially our positioning and shape. It is all apart of the learning process and I am certain the girls will catch on to the 11v11 game soon.” said Coach Abder-Ruhman.

BU11 AAA also played in the u12 bracket. The first game was won 8-1 and the second, 2-0. The team felt confident going into the semifinals, but ended up with a 2-1 loss to CSC. Coach Neves commented on the BU11, “There are definitely some things we need to work on, but this team is definitely had some outstanding moments of play. In the semis, we made some costly mistakes, but I think the boys learned a lot. They really proved themselves going into the second half a goal down. We will be playing top teams in Presidio this upcoming season and I can’t wait to see what we accomplish.”

Featured Player: Sophie Hecht played tough all weekend as center defender for the GU11.