Youth Academy: 2010G USA Cup Champs

FC Wichita’s 12-year-old youth girls soccer team, made up of players from all over the Wichita metropolitan area, won the USA Cup championship for their age division on Saturday in Blaine, Minn. The U.S. Cup is the largest youth soccer tournament in North America and winning the 11-on-11 gold division is one of the most prestigious titles that can be attained for a youth team. FC Wichita 10G is the first girls team in the organization’s history to win a USA Cup title. 

The team consists of Addie Bloomquist (Goddard), Adrie Bootsma (McAuliffe), Macie Bystrek (Andover), Riley Curfman (Mayberry), Regan Daugherty (St. Elizabeth Ann Seton), Tenzlee Finkeldei (Eisenhower), Paisley Florio (Maize South), Hope Garner (Derby), Skylar Johnson (Maize South), Kimberly Johnston (Brooks), Charley Kerschen (St. Elizabeth Ann Seton), Delia Lyddane (Andover Central), Kylie Meier (Andover), Emma Mosley (Trinity) and Alexa Rapp (Maize South).

Bryan Perez, a former Wichita Wings player and current technical director of FC Wichita Academy, served as the team’s head coach, while Brandon Finkeldai was the assistant coach. FC Wichita went undefeated in five games over the week, which included a 2-1 win over JaHbat FC in the semifinals on Friday and a 3-2 victory in penalty kicks on the eighth shooter over Manitou FC from Minnesota in Saturday’s championship game. In pool play, FC Wichita defeated Manitou FC (2-1) and JaHbat FC (4-2) and drew with Fire SC (1-1).

In the championship game, Johnston and Bystrek scored the goals in regulation. After a scoreless overtime, the game went to penalty kicks with Meier and Johnson converting their chances, while Curfman scored to give FC Wichita the advance and then Lyddane, the goalkeeper, saved the penalty kick to clinch the trophy for FC Wichita. The U.S. Cup title was just the latest in a standout summer for the team, which also won the Real Colorado Cup in Denver on Memorial Day weekend — another rare accomplishment for a Wichita club.