ECNL RL Girls U18/19 Champions: FC Stars Blue
Most Outstanding Player: Ava Mazzaferro
FC Stars Blue claimed the East on Tuesday, as they rallied from two goals down to defeat PDA Blue 3-2 to win the ECNL Regional League Girls Playoffs - East U18/19 Championship.
PDA Blue advanced to Tuesday's final as the Group A winners, as they went 3-0 in group stage play without conceding a goal in wins over Select South, VSA, and NLSA Surf. In Group B, FC Stars Blue clinched the top spot with clean sheet wins over Penn Fusion SA and PDA White, before finishing group stage play with a 2-1 win over East Coast Surf SC.
In the first half it was PDA Blue who got off to the fast start when Caroline Sardeira got a ball at the top of the box, dribbled it in and around the goalie for the finish to make it 1-0.
PDA then doubled their lead when they forced a turnover that led to Kaylee Lauber firing in a long distance shot to make it 2-0.
FC Stars rallied before halftime though. Savannah Parker got FC Stars on the board with a left footed shot from outside the box that she lofted over the keeper and then Hannah Murphy tied things up at 2-2 right before half, finishing off a perfectly placed pass across the face of goal.
Both teams had chances throughout a tightly contested second half, but with about five minutes left in the game, it was Murphy who got past the PDA defense on a long ball played over the top, which she was able to fire home to give FC Stars the 3-2 advantage.
Despite the deficit, PDA threw numbers forward and created multiple chances in the final minutes from both free kicks and corner kicks, but the FC Stars defense held onto their one goal edge to clinch the Girls U18/19 Regional League East Championship.
After the game, Ava Mazzaferro was named the Most Outstanding Player for her outstanding defensive effort for FC Stars.
ECNL RL Boys U18/19 Champions: PWSI Courage
Most Outstanding Player: Lysander Diaz-Flores
On the boys' side of things, PWSI Courage came away as the winners in the East, as they knocked off Lancaster FC on penalties to claim the ECNL Regional League Boys Playoffs - East U18/19 Championship.
Lancaster FC advanced to Tuesday's final as the Group A winners, going 3-0 with wins over World Class FC (4-3), VA Reign FC (5-3), and Maryland United FC (3-1). On the other side, PWSI Courage picked up seven points in the group stage to win Group B. PWSI opened group play with a 2-2 draw against Pipeline SC, before picking up a pair of 1-0 victories over FSA FC and Western United Pioneers.
PWSI had a number of standout players throughout their season and most notably in the playoffs that helped them reach Tuesday's final.
Masoud Baig shined for PWSI throughout the week, scoring the game-tying goal in the 2-2 draw with Pipeline, while also scoring the winner against FSA. Tremain Amos has also been strong in the PWSI attack. Meanwhile in the midfield, Lysander Diaz-Flores, who was coming off an ACL injury showed a great deal of poise and leadership in the midfield in his first competitive games since returning from the injury.
Defensively, PWSI has been led by right back Andrew Menendez, who has played every minute all season, while left centerback David Galeano has also been vital to the success of the team.
In the championship match, the game was a tight battle throughout, with neither side able to find the breakthrough goal in the opening half of the match. It wasn't until the second half that Diaz-Flores hit an absolute rocket from outside the box that gave PWSI the 1-0 advantage.
Late in the second half though, Lancaster FC found the equalizer on a ball played through the box that got to the back post, where Chayse Snyder ran onto it and blasted it in to knot the game up at 1-1.
After the two goals though, neither side could find a winner at the end of regulation, or in extra time, so it would take penalties to decide the champion of the East.
In the shootout, PWSI converted all three of their kicks from the spot, while goalkeeper Dennis Villalta made two huge saves and forced a miss to see PWSI claim the championship 3-1 on penalties.
After the game, Diaz-Flores was named the Most Outstanding Player for his incredible work in the midfield, as well as his outstanding strike that opened up the scoring.
