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Contact: Brian Roberts (708-496-6773) [email protected]
Chicago Fire Juniors Announce Disney Junior Showcase
‘All Tournament’ Team and Golden Boot Winner
CFJ players return after a successful five-day stint at the Disney Junior Showcase in Orlando, Florida
Fire Juniors Elite SC MVP of the Tournament
Boys Player- Axel Alejandre Chicago Fire Juniors North (U13 Boys)
Girls Player- Ella Richards Chicago Fire Juniors City (U13 Girls)
Fire Juniors Elite SC Golden Boot Winner
Erik Gunera Calix (6 goals) Louisiana Fire Juniors (U13 Boys)
Fire Juniors Elite SC All Tournament Team
Goalkeeper
Nate Crockford Chicago Fire Juniors North (U13 Boys)
Defenders
Axel Alejandre Chicago Fire Juniors North (U13 Boys)
Elizabeth Fortuna Kentucky Fire Juniors (U14 Girls)
Lauren Doerr Chicago Fire Juniors South (U13 Girls)
Midfielders
Arianna Lombardi Chicago Fire Juniors South (U14 Girls)
Deryk Jones Louisiana Fire Juniors (U14 Boys)
Dalton Hass Chicago Fire Juniors North (U13 Boys)
Ella Richards Chicago Fire Juniors City (U13 Girls)
Erik Gunera-Calix Louisiana Fire Juniors (U13 Boys)
Shea Bechtel Chicago Fire Juniors West (U13 Boys)
Forwards
Jimena-Villamor Thompkins Chicago Fire Juniors South (U14 Girls)
Malachi Mulder Michigan Fire Juniors (U14 Boys)
Megan Hutchison Chicago Fire Juniors South (U13 Girls)
Nicholas Rolink Kentucky Fire Juniors (U14 Boys)
Ryann Anderson Chicago Fire Juniors South (U13 Girls)
Fire Juniors Elite SC Top Goal Scorers
Erik Gunera Culix (6) Louisiana Fire Juniors (U13 Boys)
Dalton Hass (5) Chicago Fire Juniors North (U13 Boys)
Shea Betchel (3) Chicago Fire Juniors West (U13 Boys)
Megan Hutchinson (3) Chicago Fire Juniors South (U13 Girls)
Lauren McDonald (3) Indiana Fire Juniors (U14 Girls)
Will Maricano (3) Florida Fire Juniors (U13 Boys)
Faith Mulder (3) Michigan Fire Juniors (U14 Girls)
Ella Richards (3) Chicago Fire Juniors City (U13 Girls)
Malachi Mulder (2) Michigan Fire Juniors (U14 Boys)
CHICAGO (November 30, 2015) — The journey began for the Chicago Fire Juniors players last summer, when hundreds of hopefuls took part in a three-day Identification Camp for talented players from the eleven clubs in the Fire Juniors network. The players that shined in the camp were selected to form four ‘Fire Juniors Elite SC’ teams. The teams were invited to attend the renowned Disney Junior Showcase in Orlando, Florida from November 25-29, 2015.
The teams arrived in Florida on Nov. 25 and traveled to the National Training Center in Clermont to train. The Fire Juniors Elite SC teams played friendlies against Florida Rush before taking to the practice field on Nov. 26 to develop team formations and set pieces prior to the showcase. The showcase kicked off on Friday, Nov. 27 with two days of group games, and semi-final and final games taking place on Sunday, Nov. 29. As a whole, the teams went 12-5-2 in friendlies and showcase games, with 43 goals for and 18 goals against.
Individual team results include:
Fire Juniors Elite SC U13 Girls kicked off their Disney preparations with a well-fought 3-2 victory over Florida Rush. In Game 1 of their group play the team overcame Tampa Bay (Florida) 1-0 but fell to Orlando City (Florida) 4-2. The team finished with a 2-1 win over Gwinnett SA (Georgia), that win saw the team advance into the semi-final on head-to-head results. The team ended their run in the top division of the showcase when they were narrowly defeated 1-0 by Arsenal FC Brown (California South).
U13 Girls Roster:
Ella Richards (Chicago Fire Juniors City), Kiara Pralle, Laci Jerkatis , Lauren Doerr, Megan Hutchinson, Rachel Wandless, Rachel Baumgartner & Ryann Anderson (Chicago Fire Juniors South), Payton Strausberger & Alaina Wildenradt (Chicago Fire Juniors WEST), Quincy McMahon (Indiana Fire Juniors), Ryleigh Anslinger (Indiana Fire Juniors South), Caroline Andres (Kentucky Fire Juniors), Brooke Javier & Josey Fountain (Lousiana Fire Juniors) and Mary Dziuba & Rylee Vruggink (Michigan Fire Juniors)
Head Coach: Nick Kolliniatis (CFJ South) and Luke Sheeky (Louisiana Fire Juniors).
Fire Juniors Elite SC U13 Boys went 5 games without a defeat in the pre-tournament friendly, group games and semi-final. Despite a spirited performance in the ‘premier’ division tournament final the team was narrowly defeated 2-1. The U13 boys kicked off Day 1 by securing a high scoring 4-4 tie in a pre-tournament friendly game against Florida Rush. The showcase got underway and the team continued their high scoring form with a 4-1 win against Orlando City YS (Florida). This was followed later that day by a 7-0 win over Florida Elite. In their final group game the team defeated Nashville FC (Tennessee) 3-0. In the semi-final, the team overcame the Chargers SC (Florida) 5-0. The team faced a very physical Weston FC (Florida) and despite a late goal Fire Juniors Elite SC were defeated 2-1 in the premier division final
U13 Boys Roster:
Quinn Malven (Chicago Fire Juniors City), Axel Alejandre, Charlie Crockford, Dalton Hass, Mateo Acosta & Nate Crockford (Chicago Fire Juniors North), Gustavo Mejia & Jesus Flores (Chicago Fire Juniors South), Shea Bechtel (Chicago Fire Juniors West), Will Marciano (Florida Fire Juniors), Chase Hatfield (Indiana Fire Juniors), Natnael Hamilton (Kentucky Fire Juniors) and Carlos Valencia Erik Gunera Kevin Rivera Oscar Tejeda Sebastian Ramos & Will Allen (Louisiana Fire Juniors).
Head Coach: Peter Baah (Indiana Fire Juniors).
Fire Juniors Elite SC U14 Girls overcame Florida Rush 2-0 in their warm–up game and continued their winning ways with a 4-0 win over Cape Coral (Florida) and 2-0 over West Florida Flames. Despite a late comeback the team were narrowly defeated 4-3 against Atlanta Fire (Georgia) and finished 2nd in their premier division group.
U14 Girls Roster:
Arianna Lombardi, Brenna Castillo, Hannah Rebhan & Jimena Villamor-Thompkins & Maria Castaldo (Chicago Fire Juniors South), Hannah Kostelz (Chicago Fire Juniors West), Carissa Burdick, Lauren MacDonald & Mia Glass (Indiana Fire Juniors), Caroline Donovan,Chloe Powell, Eliza Kelly, Elizabeth Fortuna, Katelyn Farmer & Olivia Lawson (Kentucky Fire Juniors) Anna Bennett, Faith Mulder & Teeghan Sauer (Michigan Fire Juniors).
Head Coach: Brett Gregory (Kentucky Fire Juniors).
Fire Juniors Elite SC U14 Boys kicked off their tour with a 3-0 win over Florida Rush in their pre-tournament friendly. The team defeated Lutz Rangers Newcastle (Florida) 2-0 in their first group game of the showcase. In their remaining showcase games, the team were held 1-1 by Atlanta SA (Georgia) and defeated 1-0 by Charlotte SA (North Carolina), finishing 2nd in the ‘premier division’.
U14 Boys Roster:
Cole Woodson & Julian Issar (Chicago Fire Juniors North), Shane Cameron (Chicago Fire Juniors West), Yianni Livieratos (Chicago Fire Juniors South), Caleb Hussain (Indiana Fire Juniors), Miles Kohel (Florida Fire Juniors), Nicholas Rolink (Kentucky Fire Juniors), Chad Cadiere, Deryk Jones, James Leaber, Marco Lagos Jr, Nicolas Pelias, Richard Montoya, Richard Kai McCurley & Winston Smith (Louisiana Fire Juniors), Kadin Shaban, Malachi Mulder & Tyler King (Michigan Fire Juniors).
Head Coach: Julio Paiz (Louisiana Fire Juniors)
A special thanks to all Fire Juniors Director of Coaching for nominating club players and technical staff in attendance Mike Matkovich (Chicago Fire Juniors South), Mike Dickey (Kentucky Fire Juniors) and Neathan Gibson (Michigan Fire Juniors). Along with support staff Jose Smith (Chicago Fire Junior South) and Sydney-Galves Daley.
ABOUT EMERGING TALENT PROGRAM
Fire Juniors Elite SC is part of the Chicago Fire's emerging talent program. ETP has four distinct player development programs which include Elite ID, Pre-Academy, Girls Premier and Wisconsin Fire.
For more information visit www.chicagofirejuniorscity.com/etp2
Facebook- www.facebook.com/FireJuniors
Twitter- www.twitter.com/firejrs
ABOUT CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB
Founded on the 126th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire, the Chicago Fire Soccer Club prepares for its 19th Major League Soccer season with six major domestic championship titles including the 1988 MLS Cup and 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006 U. S. Soccer Open Cup, and 2003 Supporters Shield. Anchoring Chicago’s growing soccer fan base, the Fire play at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill., located 15 miles from Chicago’s Loop. www.Chicago-Fire.com.
Tag(s): Press Room