Tom Berridge
Yeo Alex Yoon of Burnaby scored the game-winning goal that gave Mountain WFC its first Super Y-League continental championship title.
Yoon completed a perfect run for the Vancouver Whitecaps and B.C. Soccer Association affiliate in the North American finals, coming on as a substitute to score the opening goal in Mountain's 2-0 victory over TSF Academy from New Jersey in the under-16 boys' final.
The boys, including goalie Toscanny Pandu-Oesman and Nolan Moore of New Westminster, won all five matches at the championships in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Mountain opened with a 3-0 victory over Northern Virginia Royals Nov. 21.
Yoon then helped the team to another 3-0 win, scoring twice against Florida's Schulz Academy the following day.
Mountain also enjoyed a 4-3 win over Super Nova from Pennsylvannia before reaching the final with a 1-0 victory over previously unbeaten CZ Elite Soccer from California.
The u-16 boys won the Super Y Northwest division with a record of 7-2-1.
The Super Y title was the second-ever for the Whitecaps. Their u-13 boys were North American champs in 2004.
Four other Mountain teams also competed at the NorAm championships.
The u-14 boys, including Burnaby Selects Jordan Campbell, Jordan Lashar, Justin Siglos, Faisal Arif and Gilbert Kyne and Cliff Avenue United products Alex Golding and Lucas Sweda, topped Group C with a record of 2-1, but lost its semifinal 3-0 to eventual champion Cal Odyssey.
The Northwest champs had a 14-1-1 league record.
The u-15 boys, with Burnaby Selects Daniel Gazzola, Marcin Kostecki and Danny Chahal, placed second in Group B with a 2-1 record. The Mountain team dropped a 2-1 decision to Group A runner-up Parsippany SC in the consolation round.
The u-15 boys were undefeated in league play with a record of 7-0-3.
The u-13 boys won their consolation match 2-0 over winless Quickstrike FC after finishing second in Group D with a 1-1-1 record.
The Mountain team included Burnaby Selects defender Tyler Leonard, Cliff Avenue United midfielder Sean Murphy and South Burnaby Metro Club middies Nicholas Leonard and Nico Giuriato.
The u-13 boys finished second in the Northwest Division with a record of 9-4-3.
The girls' u-16 team drew its final consolation match 2-2 with Washington Freedom following a third-place finish in pool play.
The Mountain team was made up of nine Burnaby girls.
The Northwest league champs included Burnaby Girls' goalkeeper Zoe Miceli and clubmates Alisha Penev, Sage Rinaldo, Meghan Leahy, Melina Gomez, Marissa Di Lorenzo and Amy Lawrence. Also on the squad were Cliff Avenue United's Michelle Di Spirito and Dayna Naismith.
The Mountain girls tallied 24 goals while allowing just four against in league play.
© Burnaby Now 2008
