The US Beach Soccer National Championships we fought in California
Shoreline BSC and Canada BSC made beach soccer history in the USA as they lifted the club trophies on the nation’s West Coast.
Between 6 and 8 December, the San Diego Tourism District along with Visit San Diego hosted the first US Beach Soccer National Championship (USBSNC) on the popular South Mission Beach in San Diego.
It marked a great number of firsts for beach soccer in the United States. This first-time event saw nearly all the best female beach soccer players in the country compete in what was the largest gathering of top female talent to date.
In addition, they competed not only the largest cash prize ever in the USA, but also equal to the men. This was a momentous occasion for female athletes in the age of equal pay. It matches the same cash purse given at the World Winners Cup this past October.
On the Men’s Pro side, there was also a high level of talent even with big name domestic teams missing from the competition.
Canada BSC saw many familiar faces from Toronto as well as CONCACAF legend Grieven Pacheco and long-time NorCal BSC player David “Guero” Mondragon facing their former teammates in the final of the USBSNC.
In addition, US National Team coach Francis Farberoff joined the Canadians. The NorCal boys led by US legend Yuri Morales and Alan Grady looked to keep the title on the west coast, but it was not meant to be. Mondragon had two bicycle kicks closely contested and well defended, but still not enough to beat the defender and keeper to edge out Norcal BSC for the title 3-1.
The women’s side demonstrated a truly fantastic display of talent and competition. The last four sides included the NorCal BSC who just recently took fourth at the World Winners Cup in Alanya, Turkey and are ranked ninth in the Beach Soccer Worldwide ranking. Also competing was Shoreline BSC, HRSC from Virginia Beach, and the Bahamas Beach Soccer National Team.
In the third-place play-off HRSC edged out the Bahamas in a well fought tie with the result ending 7-5.
The final was super hyped between long time rivals NorCal BSC and Shoreline BSC. Shoreline had brought in Player of the Year nominee Molly Clark from England, as well as her teammates Katie James and Rebecca Barron.
In addition, they had former Dutch and Euro goalkeeper of the year Annelies Martjin, as well as fellow Dutch player Jitske Haanstra, and four US Women’s National team players in Bethany Haynes, Lauren Leslie, Christine Yount, and captain Megan Wharton.
NorCal which also rosters four US National Team players with Jeané Sunseri-Warp (NorCal captain), Kilee Quigley, Samantha Witteman, and Paxton Scott joined with the group to win a decisive victory against Shoreline BSC in the opening match of the event on Friday the 6th, but Shoreline flipped the result in the final, winning on penalty kicks after a thrilling match.
US Beach Soccer National Championship Champions
Men’s:
Champions: Canada BSC (Toronto, Canada)
Runners-up: NorCal BSC (San Francisco, CA)
3rd place: HRSC Elite (Virginia Beach, VA)
4th place: Bahamas WNT (Nassau, Bahamas)
Women’s
Champion: Shoreline BSC (San Diego, CA)
Runners-up: NorCal BSC (San Francisco, CA)
3rd place: Castaways BSC (Oceanside, CA)
4th place: SoCal Legacy (San Diego, CA)
Coed Adult:
Champions: Sonics (San Jose, California)
Runners-up: Team Sacto (Sacramento, California)
Boys ’02
Champions: Oside Barca Boys (Oceanside, CA)
Runners-up: Kodiak (San Diego, CA)
Girls ’03
Champions: Oceanside Breakers (Oceanside, CA)
Runners-up: Shore Thing (Iowa City, Iowa)
Boys ’04
Champions: NorCal Jaguares (Pittsburg, CA)
Runners-up: Vallejo United Intermilan (Vallejo, CA)
