The spring 2009 soccer season began with the U14 boy’s team, Wilson FC, coached by Mike Feehan and Bob Mochan, with a chip on their shoulders. During the previous season, the team had lost in the finals of the EPYSA Challenge Cup in double overtime, with only 10 players. The other 6 players of the team had a previous commitment that weekend and attended a school sponsored band trip to Virginia.
The season began with a round-robin format with each team playing 3 games. There were 29 teams in the U14 age group. WJSC beat the Ukrainian Nationals 6 – 0 and Vereinigung Erzgebirge United 7 – 1. The team played a scoreless tie against the Langhorne Strikers. WJSC advanced based on points to the quarterfinals and defeated the Hulmeville Thrashers 5 – 0. The 4 – 3 double overtime semi-finals victory against the team from Lower Merion provided another opportunity to avenge last year’s loss. The final, against the Fox Chase Gunners resulted in a 1 – 0 victory for Wilson FC.
As winners of the EPYSA Challenge Cup, the team was invited to participate in the National President’s Cup. On May 30th and 31st, Wilson FC traveled to Cranberry, PA (northwest of Pittsburgh) to compete against Challenge Cup winners from western PA, eastern NY, and western NY in a round-robin format in one of 3 Region 1 qualifiers. The top 2 teams from the Region 1 central division play against the winners from the Region 1 north and south divisions in New Castle, Delaware on June 20th and 21st at the Kirkwood Soccer Complex.
Wilson FC defeated the team from western PA 6 – 0 and the team from western NY 3 – 0. They lost to the eastern NY team 2 – 3, but qualified for the Region 1 finals.
The two games on Saturday at Kirkwood were in the pouring rain on fields covered with puddles. Against the Maryland team, we came back from a 2 – 0 deficit to tying the game at 2 – 2. We played a team from NJ in the afternoon and won 3 – 0. Sunday, all fields were closed except the one turf field. Our rematch with the eastern NY team resulted in a 1 – 0 victory and a trip to the Nationals in Raleigh, NC on July 17th – 19th at the WRAL Soccer Complex. Winning teams from the other three Regions are from Missouri, Texas, and California.
It has been a tremendous experience for all the players, coaches, and families; a great opportunity to play against other high caliber teams and for the players and parents to bond.
Coach Mochan and I have over 60 seasons (including indoors) of experience coaching soccer. The team started to form at the U9 age group, with 5 of the current 18 players from this original team. 6 additional players and coach Mochan were added at the U10 age group and another 3 at U11s. The last player to join the team was in the spring of 2009. The team consists of a bunch of athletes that participate in a number of sports other than soccer; basketball, baseball, track, swimming, lacrosse, water polo, diving, wrestling, and the martial arts. At the early age groups, the team played in the Reading-Berks Junior Soccer League winning several league championships, but left at the U12 age group seeking better competition. The team has played in the LANCO and Lehigh Valley Leagues, also winning league championships. The team is currently playing in the DELCO League. The team consists of the following players.
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Player Name
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Position
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Adam Bainbridge
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Forward, Mid
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Trevor DePaul
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Mid, Forward
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Jonah Bowman
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Forward
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Kyle Eshbach
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Forward
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Alex Feehan
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Stopper
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Bryan Fegley
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Forward, Mid, Defender
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Wes Frebel
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Mid
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James Kiefer
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Defender
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Jason Krut
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Mid, Forward
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Kyle Lorenz
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Keeper
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Ben Mochan
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Mid, Defender
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Bryan Muchoney
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Mid, Forward
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Zach Post
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Mid, Forward
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Matthew Reinoehl
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Sweeper
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Eric Rodrigo
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Forward, Mid
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Ryan Schumacher
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Mid
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Mack Trexler
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Mid
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Jason Vottero
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Defender
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