Storybook Ending For U13 Bays Chelsea's Undefeated 2009-10 Season

Bays Chelsea 13 Boys put the finishing touches on an incredible season by winning in Barboursville, West Virginia at the 2010 Region One Finals.

In January 2009, the three Bays U12 teams: Bays Juventus, Bays Casa Mia and Bays Colts began to come together for player evaluations. In the Bays Club, there is no designated "Premier" team for U8-U12. It was very clear to all that the group selected for the 2009-10 Chelsea side would be a special one. By mid June 2009, selections were made for the Bays Chelsea U13s and the team was ready for competition in August.

Over a span of close to a year, the Bays Chelsea 13s competed in 59 formal matches. The boys finished their run yesterday by being crowned Regional Champions and earning their 53rd win of the year. The Bays Chelsea 13s completed an undefeated 2009-10 campaign with a record of 53 wins - 6 ties and ZERO losses.

Head Coach Brandon Quaranta "There are many challenges and achievements ahead for this group, but the players need to appreciate this incredible accomplishment. We played some very tough teams all year long and its really amazing that this group always found a way."

Finding a way was never more evident this past week at the Regional Finals.

Although the scores may not indicate, the Chelsea boys were put to the test in bracket play. The difference was about 10 minute spans where most of the goals were scored. Up to that point in time, they were tough matches.

Scores in bracket play:
5-1 win over Bayside FC of Rhode Island
5-1 win over Stars United of PA
4-0 win over Far Post of Vermont

In the Semi Final, the Bays Chelsea 13s took on NEFC Manchester United of Massachusetts. Chelsea 13s had one of their best halves of the year as they recorded 4 goals in the first half putting the MA side on their heels early on. The match ended 5-0.

This set up a Final with a team the 13s tied earlier in the year: PDA Keane of NJ.  Due to the teams being on their 5th match in 5 days and a difficult surface, both sides were stymied offensively. As the minutes rolled off the clock, the difference was going to be ONE play to decide things. It appeared PDA Keane's forward would make that play as late in the game, he was successful in dribbling by a couple Chelsea defenders to get into a 1v1 situation with GK Colin Miller. As the forward shot, "Big Dawg" Miller was up to the save as he stopped a point blank blast.

In the final moments of the match, central defender Zack Ridgely made no mistake about a defensive clearance up the field as he sent the ball high and about 50 yards long. With forwards Eric Spalt and Juwan Kearson on the run while the ball was in the air, the PDA central defender had trouble clearing the ball once it took a bounce about 20 feet into the air. Spalt was able to toe poke the ball toward the end line and to the left of the goal. Kearson ran to the ball but he had another defender draped on his first touch. Kearson cut inside with the outside of his right foot and the defender lost the tackle leaving no way for him to recover. Kearson then took one touch toward the goal to improve his angle and converted the game winner passed the diving PDA keeper. The Bays Chelsea players erupted but quickly regained composure for a PDA side that would surely try to answer. As the referee blew for the kickoff, he shortly thereafter blew the game's final whistle. The players erupted again in celebration.

Bays Chelsea U13s were Regional Champions and completed an undefeated season recording their 53rd win of the year.

Special Congratulations to this group of boys. The results have been great, but the will displayed by this group to get better and better with each training session has been nothing short of remarkable.

Congratulations to the Players.......OUR U13 Regional Champions:

Brett "Sundance" Ebel (Boise St.), Chris "Machine" Haskins, Colin "Big Dawg" Miller, Connor Smith, Eric Spalt, Frank Assaro, Gavin Barger, Joey Jones, "Magic" Juwan Kearson, Mike Shinsky, Morgan Lussi, Nate "Rock" Hall ("he's Greased Lightning!"), Reggie Belgrave, Tyler Gabarra, Xavier Brezniak and Zach Ridgely.

Congratulations to the Coaches:

Brandon Quaranta, Jack Quaranta, Pat Healey, Frank Assaro