RICH
MANNING JOINS SANTA CLARA COACHING STAFF
Congratulations
are in order for Blues coach Rich Manning who was offered and accepted
a job as a Division I assistant coach at his alma mater Santa Clara University.
Santa Clara Women's Coach Jerry Smith asked for Manning's assistance this Summer prior to the Far West Regionals. Rich was torn between deciding what to do but has had thoughts of moving to the college ranks for the past couple of seasons. No doubt Rich will have a tremendous impact on the players and program at Santa Clara just as he has had with the Blues.
The Blues will miss Rich Manning who guided his last Blues team to back to back state championships, then recently helped Santa Clara get to the NCAA Final Four, but we wish him the best. "It is a blow to our club but a great opportunity for Rich. Rich, you will always be considered a big part of the Blues no matter where you are"!
SUMMER
TOURNAMENTS
In review of the Blues 1998 season, as usual the Blues Summer
tournament season began with the powerful San Diego Surf Cup, as
the U14 Blues picked up where they left off capturing their second consecutive
Surf Cup title. Then the club took all the teams to the Mission Viejo
tournament with outstanding results, five teams in the finals and two tournament
championships (U19 & U14). Finally the Blues took eight (U11-U18) teams
to the Pleasanton Friendship tournament in the tall grass of Northern
California. On the final day of the tournament, all Blues teams were
in the semifinals, five eventually went on to the finals with two second
place finishes (U13, U17) and three championships (U12, U14, U15).
BLUES MEET MIA AND WOMEN'S WORLD CUP
Several
members of the Southern California Blues younger teams took a field
trip to Beverly Hills to attend a press conference with Women's World
Cup Super Star Mia Hamm.
The press conference was to announce the sponsorship of Mattel Toy Company for the Women's World Cup in 1999. Mattel will kick off their sponsorship of the Women's World Cup with the introduction of the World Cup Barbie doll.
The Blues girls had the opportunity to play some small sided soccer games
with Mia, they spent some time with her and got lots of autographs, and
got to keep their Barbie Jerseys. Blues News is not sure about how much
the girls took to the idea of the World Cup Barbie but they loved Mia.
BLUES
1998-99 CSL STANDINGS
Coast Soccer League competition ended with the completion of the younger
league cup. In review of the league season the Blues club captured three
league championships (U10 South, U14 Gold, U18 Premier). The Blues teams
also had good results in the League Cup Tournament getting one team
to the quarterfinals, three to the semifinals, five of nine entered teams
to the finals, and came
away with three CSL Cup championships (U10, U15, U17). Excluding
the U9 "Baby Blues" who were outgunned in the U10 South division, the club
compiled impressive overall league results this
year ending up with 74 wins, 17 losses, and 31 ties for a winning percentage
of .734, scoring an average of 2 goals a game, while surrendering an average
of .7 goals against.
| TEAM | WON | LOST | TIED | FINISH | LEAGUE CUP | STATE CUP |
| U09 (U10 SOUTH) |
0 | 14 | 0 | LAST PLACE | DID NOT ENTER | |
| U10 (U10 SOUTH) |
12 | 0 | 2 | QUARTERFINALS | ||
| U11 (U11 GOLD) |
6 | 4 | 4 | THIRD | SEMIFINALS | QUARTERFINALS |
| U12 (U12 GOLD) |
8 | 2 | 4 | SECOND | QUARTERFINALS | SEMIFINALS |
| U13 (U13 GOLD) |
7 | 4 | 3 | THIRD | SEMIFINALS | SEMIFINALS |
| U14 (U14 GOLD) |
10 | 0 | 4 | SEMIFINALS | ||
| U15 (U15 GOLD) |
7 | 1 | 6 | SECOND | SEMIFINALS | |
| U16 (U16 PREMIER) |
5 | 3 | 2 | THIRD | FINALIST | FINALIST |
| U17 (U18 PREMIER) |
10 | 0 | 4 | |||
| U18 (U19 PREMIER) |
9 | 3 | 2 | SECOND | FINALIST | SEMIFINALS |
SURF GIRL'S CUP
Over last year's Thanksgiving Weekend Blues teams from U10 to U18 competed in the Surf Thanksgiving Girls Cup and achieved historic results. Of nine Blues teams representing the club over the holiday weekend, eight were still alive on the final day of the tournament. Of those eight teams, five advanced to the finals. Of those five (U10, U14, U15, U16, U17), all five captured the Surf Girls Championship. Congratulations goes out to all five teams, great job!
BLUES 1998-99 STATE CUP REVIEW
In
exciting semifinal and final play the U14 Blues captured their elusive
state championship 2-0 against the defending champion Surf. The final
game was close all the way until Stacey Mescher scored the second goal
for the Blues with the Surf pushed up in an attempt to equalize. Shannon
Munoz opened the scoring for the Blues 25 minutes into the match.
On a sadder Blues note the U15 Blues were upset by the Surf 1-0 in the semifinals, the U18 Blues lost in semifinal play 3-0 to MV Mirage, and the U16's gave everyone thrills en route to their second state cup finals appearance. Here U16 Blues player Vicky Bloom's season saving goal in the last 30 seconds of the final pool play game. The goal tied the game 1-1 with seconds remaining and saved the team from elimination from state cup. You need a real media player to see the goal. They came up short, however, as once again in the state cup finals rematch they were defeated 2-0 to perennial state cup champion Surf who also won the regional championship.
VICKY BLOOM'S LAST SECOND GOAL
Also triumphant in the state cup were the U17 Blues pulling off their third championship in as many years beating the Claremont Stars 2-1 at Rancho Capistrano. The U14 and U17 championships mark the club's ninth and tenth in it's brief ten year existence.
The younger state cup was also success for the Blues as all the younger teams (U10, U11, U12, U13) demonstrated the usual Blues dose of individual skill along with a maturing level of decision making. Each of the teams advanced out of group play into the knockout rounds. The U10 Blues who may have been favorites to win it all were upset 2-1 in the quarterfinals by Del Mar Sharks. The U11 Blues also lost in quarterfinals to the PQ Premier 2-0.
In more state cup competition the U12 Blues were six minutes away from their first ever finals appearance. It was not to be, however, when on a corner kick the powerful Mission Viejo Elite was able to tie the semifinal match. The game went into overtime where the U12 Blues gave up two more goals dashing their hopes of a state championship.
Of all the Blues younger teams the U13 Blues had the toughest path to the championship. They met one of the eventual state cup champions in group play and the other finalist in the semifinals. The Blues put up a great fight losing their semifinal 1-0 on a corner kick goal to the dancing and celebrating Slammers.
REGIONALS
SPLIT IN TWO VENUES!
In
ancient Blues News, in addition to outstanding 1998-99 Summer and Coast Soccer
League results, the Blues club won two 
CYSA-South state championships (U14,
U17). In Far West Regional competition held in Bakerfield for older teams
the U17 Blues suffered a bitter penalty kick loss in semifinal play to eventual
champions Colorado Rush. Capping
off a wonderful season while the U17's were playing up in Bakersfield the
U14 Blues team evened the FWR score capturing the club's third ever Far
West Regional Championship in San Bernardino at the CYSA-South Complex defeating
the representative from Northern California in the final on a Tessa Baker
goal. The 98-99 U14 Blues also represented Cal South well winning the Kellogg's
All-Star Bowl. They then met Tony the Tiger and were presented at halftime
of the MLS All-Star Game at Qualcom Stadium.