The Arsenal U16 Boys advanced in the California Youth Soccer Association state tournament last weekend by winning their preliminary flight.  On Saturday the team began with a scoreless tie against an aggressive team from the Fresno area.  The next day on Sunday the Arsenal boys registered a win against the Folsom Rangers by a score of 4-0.  Later that afternoon the boys scored two goals in the closing minutes in a 2-0 victory over a Santa Rosa team.  Preliminary competition ended with the Arsenal boys not giving up a single goal while scoring six.

This impressive showing comes on the heels of the team winning the highly competitive CYSA East Bay Bronze Fall League which featured strong teams from soccer powerhouses Mustang, Ballistic, Fremont, San Ramon, and Dublin among others.  The Arsenal boys claimed the league championship by winning 11 games and losing only one while notching 44 goals for and only 14 against. 

The CYSA state competition continues this coming weekend at noon in Elk Grove with the team taking on the Santa Rosa Turfbreakers, winner of the Sacramento Metro League first division.  The Arsenal boys faced the Turfbreakers in two of this past summer’s tournaments, defeating the Turfbreakers 3-1 and losing to them 2-0 so the team expects a close and hard fought match.

Players names: From Photograph

Front row: Tony Iniguez

Second row: Bryant Acosta, Thomas Watabayshi, Peter Park, Brendan Duhow, Alex Perez

Top row: Coach Steve Castellano, Eric Endert, Ivan Flores, Chris Rydman, Cristian Ramierz, Zach Coan, Alex Newman, Jose Cisneros, Joe Sarchett, Anthony Ray, Ryan Castellano, Coach Doug Duhow.