A select team is designed to unite some of our club’s best players from across Western New York. The Select squad provides some of our athletes with the opportunity to play with new Empire United teammates and to compete at exciting, high level events.  In December, Empire United sent a U15 Boys Select to the CASL tournament in Raleigh, North Carolina with excellent results.

The CASL tournament was the first outing for Empire United Select BU15 team.  The boys were placed in the Elite Copa Group with Strictly Soccer Futbol Select (Fl) and Atlanta ASA Extreme 95 Elite (Ga).  Although the weekend saw bad weather with average temperatures around 35 degrees and much rain, the Empire United boys from Western New York had a great soccer weekend.

Empire United Select started off their campaign against Strictly Soccer.  As expected for a team’s first game play was choppy however the boys played better as the game progressed and Empire won 2-0.  Empire totally dominated in the second game against Atlanta ASA and won 4-1.  With two wins the team advanced to the semifinals against TAP Barcelona (Va).

Empire faced a big, technical and fast TAP team on a slippery field that challenged both teams.  This was a hotly contested match with two contrasting style of play.  TAP preferred the direct route whereas Empire United Select focused on ball possession and combination sequences.  Empire’s composure and ball control proved superior as Mike Keogel scored the games only goal from a corner kick served by Jeff Fafinski.

What started as a new team with players getting use to each other had been evolved to a confident group that was ready for a championship game against FC Frederick Premier (MD).  The game was played in a cold and a steady drizzle that made sloppy conditions worse.  The game went back and forth.  FC Frederick had speed in the front and a few technical players in the middle.  Empire Select had great team depth and balance.  Empire prevailed as Haile Marr scored the winner late in the second half for a 1-0 victory.

This was a great weekend for the Empire Select U15 Boys which included the opportunity to watch the Men’s Soccer NCAA final four. Next up: the 2010 Ultimate Spring Kickoff in Long Island in February.