Xplosion has tough draw at regionals

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
There’s more than one way to skin a cat as they say, or more directly, more than one way to reach your goal.
Such is the case for the Yardley Makefield Soccer (YMS) Xplosion U-17 boys team whose road to nationals looks much tougher this year than last.
Last year, YMS qualified through its top two finish in the USYSA National League. This year, the Xplosion had its chance to sidestep regional qualifiers by winning a National League playoff with Lower Merion Velez in a mid-April matchup at Drexel University.
But Velez won that all-important game with a late goal, finishing as the top team in the National League. The Dallas Texans–Houston Division punched the second ticket to nationals by claiming the runner-up slot.
In order for YMS to make it to nationals this year, they must take the top prize in their upcoming Region I tournament.
YMS qualified for this tourney by defeating their old nemesis Lower Merion Velez, 2-0, in the finals of the Region 1 Premier League last month. A week later, the Xplosion followed with a 2-0 win over Lower Merion in the EPYSA State Cup finals.
In the upcoming regional tourney however, YMS has an extremely difficult draw, says Coach Jim Powers, as it will face TSF Academy – the state champs from New Jersey, Virginia state champ Great Falls Elite and Maryland champion Pachuca in preliminaries.
If the Xplosion advances to the semifinals, they will most likely face – you guessed it – Lower Merion, who qualified as the Region Premier League Wildcard, a much less challenging draw, according to Powers.
YMS will be heading off to West Virginia next week as the Eastern PA representative, to compete in the regional tourney which kicks off July 3.
The US Youth Soccer Region I (East) Championships are slated to take place July 2 to 7 at Barboursville Soccer Complex, Huntington YMCA Kennedy Center and Scott Orthopedics Soccer Complex in Barboursville, West Virginia.
The US Youth Soccer National Championships are slated for July 21-26, at Citizens Bank Field at Progin Park in Lancaster, Massachusetts.