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Washington Timbers girls claim national soccer title

U-17 squad goes undefeated at tournament

By Paul Danzer, Columbian Soccer, hockey and Community Sports Reporter
Published: July 14, 2015, 12:00am

Possession soccer paved the way for a girls soccer team from Vancouver to claim a national championship.

The Washington Timbers Green, a team of girls born in 1997, posted four consecutive shutouts to win the U.S. Youth Soccer Presidents Cup National Tournament. A 2-0 win on Sunday over a team from Cincinnati made the Timbers champions in the girls under-17 age division of the tournament at Overland Park, Kan.

“The other teams had players who were bigger, faster and stronger, but across the board we were the better soccer players,” said Steve Bowmer, an assistant coach with the Timbers. Bowmer said the Timbers’ ability to possess the ball played a significant role in posting four shutout wins in hot and humid conditions.

Head coach Senad Ramic said the team’s cohesiveness was critical to its success.

“The girls played as a unit together. Anytime somebody made mistake the re was somebody there to back her up,” Ramic said.

Goalkeepers Lili Delgadillo and Emma Jimenez both had a strong tournament. Delgadillo was honored as the tournament’s top goalkeeper, and Jimenez made saves on a breakaway and a penalty kick during the first half of the Timbers second round-robin match.

“Both keepers had a fantastic week,” Bowmer said.

Bowmer added that all 18 players contributing was significant as temperatures reached the upper 90s.

“It certainly was not ideal playing conditions,” Bowmer said.

The tournament ran Thursday through Sunday and featured four regional champions. Wins in their first two round-robin games on Thursday and Friday clinched a spot in Sunday’s championship match for the Timbers.

The Timbers began the tournament with a 2-0 win over Charlotte United FC of North Carolina. Alex Sanders and Kaili Brundage scored the goals.

On Friday, Sanders scored again in a 1-0 win over the Huntingdon Valley Pride of Pennsylvania that clinched a spot in the championship match. On Saturday, the Timbers played Cincinnati West United to a scoreless draw that set up a Sunday morning rematch for the tournament title.

In the championship match, which kicked off at 7:30 a.m. Central Time on Sunday, goals from Rylee Macdonald and Brundage provided the victory over Cincinnati West. Macdonald scored from 20 yards late in the first hall off a pass from Madison Smit. Brudage sealed the victory with a second-half goal assisted by Sarah Yang.

“I am really proud of my team as we have been working hard at this,” said Nicolle Ohama, one of the Timbers Green team captains. “It has been our goal for the past five years and it is a dream come true.”

The Washington Timbers squad qualified for the national tournament by winning the U.S. Soccer Far West Region Presidents Cup tournament. They were given a wildcard entry into regionals after placing second in the Washington Youth Soccer President’s Cup state tournament.

Also playing for the Washington Timbers at the nationals were Taylor Germer, Meleah Kainu, Makyla Croco, Alexa Bowmer, Riley Gray, Amanda Shi, Jillian Bolke, Alyssa Mehan, Mason Minder and Brooke Shirley.

About half of the girls on the roster have played together under Ramic for much of their youth soccer careers. Others returned to the Washington Timbers club for the 2014-15 season. Most of the players for this team are entering their senior year of high school. Ramic said that most of the players plan to play one more season together.

Separate from the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship, the Presidents Cup tournament provides the opportunity for second-tier youth soccer teams to compete for a national trophy.

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Columbian Soccer, hockey and Community Sports Reporter