Local club soccer team qualifies for national championships

The South Jersey Futbol Club U-17 boys soccer team has qualified for the U.S. Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup for the second straight year after winning the region title last weekend. Pictured are (from left): Back row – coach Mike Pellegrino, Dylan Blauvelt, Matt Brook, Mario Grdic, P.J. Brittain, Nick Telvacchio, Ben Hanneman, George Arsenis, coach Lou Paone; front row – Ryan Pellegrino, Danny Alejo, Hunter Paone, Brian Calderon, Julian Cruz, Trevor Paone.

The South Jersey Futbol Club U-17 boys soccer team is heading to the U.S. Youth Soccer national tournament for the second straight year.

Trevor Paone, Matt Brook and Nick Telvacchio each scored goals in the team’s 3-0 win over the Pennsylvania Fusion Predators in the U.S. Youth Soccer Eastern Region Finals championship game in Barboursville, W. Va., last weekend.

Most of the players on the SJFC team hail from Atlantic and Cape May counties. They are rising juniors and seniors at Ocean City, Mainland Regional, Egg Harbor Township, Cedar Creek, Atlantic County Institute of Technology, Atlantic City and Southern Regional high schools.

SJFC qualified for the region tournament by winning the New Jersey State Cup championship in late May.

South Jersey Futbol Club advances to the U.S. Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup in Westfield, Ind., July 11-15, along with three other region winners — Chicago Rush (Midwest champion), Brownsville Galaxy-Texas (South champion) and 7 Elite Academy-Utah (Far West champion).

Last year, SJFC placed third at the national final four after going unbeaten in four games (1-0-3).

South Jersey Football Club reached the East Region semifinal round by going 2-0-1 in pool play. The team beat GPS Delaware Revolution (8-0) and FC33 West Virginia (9-1) and drew with Pipeline Red-Maryland (1-1).

SJFC then topped Stamford, Conn., 3-0, in the semifinal round before the victory by an identical score over the Fusion Predators in the title game.

Brian Calderon posted three shutouts in goal over the five games, while SJFC players Julian Cruz (eight), Paone (five) and Brook (four) were the top three goal scorers in the tournament.