Courtesy: Post Gazette.com

Futsal's appeal enhanced by local team's victory

Thursday, July 26, 2007

By Chris Adamski, Tri-State Sports & News Service

Being crowned champion of a national tournament is impressive enough. Doing it in convincing fashion takes it into a new stratosphere.

But that's exactly what a club indoor soccer team, comprised of players primarily from PG East-area locales, did earlier this month in Anaheim, Calif. The team of 10 players won the under-16 boys age group of the Futsal indoor soccer national championship.

The team, dubbed Pittsburgh6, went 5-0 and out-scored opponents, 24-1, in taking home the title.

"It was a good experience for the boys," said David Flavius, who served as the team's coach. "Futsal requires quick feet and understanding of the sport. They had to beat some Hispanic kids from South America who grow up with futsal and play it at the grass-roots level. It's a great accomplishment."

Futsal is the international term for five-on-five indoor soccer played on a playing surface with no walls. Pittsburgh6 is a compilation of players who play outdoor soccer together the past four years for Penns Forest Football Club.

To advance to the national finals, Pittsburgh6 -- whose "home" facility was the Monroeville Sports Center -- won a state qualifier in January and then the Northeast region tournament in Downingtown, Pa., in February. After the long layoff, the team only had a handful of practices this summer after outdoor soccer obligations were fulfilled. Pittsburgh6 defeated MACSA Yellow of San Jose in the championship match, 1-0.

"It's a real good feeling," said Joe Rajakumar, a forward who was the team's captain. "We worked real hard for it. It started up back in January, winning the state cup and regionals and finally all the way to nationals."

Rajakumar led the team with seven goals during the national tournament, and his Gateway High School classmate, Scott Scheinberg, is the team's goalkeeper who permitted one goal.

The defensive scheme and execution of Pittsburgh6 played a tremendous role in winning the championship, backing up Scheinberg.

Flavius, who has played for the Riverhounds since 1999, credited the team's diamond configuration for its success. While most teams played a two-forwards, two-defenders alignment, Flavius said Pittsburgh benefited from having one striker ahead of the play, ready to lead an attack, and two players on the outside while in the defensive zone.

"[Flavius] stuck with us and helped out a lot," Rajakumar said. "And our parents were real supportive. It was expensive and it was nice of them to get us out there."

Other players on the roster include defender Jordan Eddens (Woodland Hills), forward Kory Kiefer (Southmoreland), forward Garrett Laird (Franklin Regional), defender Mike Liebdzynski and forward Robbie McCamy (Central Catholic), forward Evan Phillips (Plum), forward Jeff Simmons (Gateway) and defender John Bercik (Freeport).

"Some of them have the potential to go far," Flavius said. "A lot of them, this year will be their junior year in high school, and a lot of them will see all that effort pay off right now and hopefully beyond.

"There's some very good skill here, some very good talent."

Flavius is the Riverhounds' all-time leading scorer, with 52 goals, and led the team in scoring last season.



Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com