VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia – The spring soccer season got off to a tremendous start for the Samba TTP (Technical Training Program) U14 team with a first-place finish at the Spring Soccer Blastoff Tournament in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The Sambas went 3-0, scoring 14 goals and allowing none against the Virginia Rush Force (the local team), the OBX Storm (from the Outer Banks area of North Carolina) and the Dragons (of Binghamton, New York).

Kyle DiNicola tended the net for Samba throughout the tournament and although the action he faced was minimal, he managed to record all three shutouts. The defensive core of Matthew DeBrantes, Connor Reilly and Chris Meier fused with heart of the defensive central midfielders – Mike Vontobel and Sean Weir – to deny the TTP opponents almost any scoring chances (the defense allowed only a few shots at the net, only one of which DiNicola had to handle).

Outside midfielders Max Hoagland, James Cersonsky, Kenneth Lombardi and guest player, Drew Taylor, all contributed to the Samba’s effortless ball control and full field play. Attacking central midfielders Bret Lehner and Justin Miller solidified the offensive pressure combining play with forwards Anthony Florez and Tim Shuster.

In the opener, Samba defeated the Rush Force, 5-0, as Florez, Miller, Vontobel, Taylor and Cersonsky all found the back of the net with assists by Lehner, and Miller. In a 6-0 win over the OBX Storm (or “surfer dudes,” as the Samba players labeled them) Florez started things in the fourth minute with a creative finish in the box. Miller followed with two consecutive goals more (in the 25th and 55th minutes) and then Meier assisted both Shuster and Lehner in the 58th and 64th minutes, respectively.  Cersonsky nailed home a Taylor cross with only seconds left to play.

The Dragons – set to be Samba’s Sunday morning opposition – also defeated both of their Saturday opponents by scoring nine and only allowing one. Since the two teams had already clinched a spot in the tournament final later in the day, officials agreed that the morning division match would serve as the final.

A full 80-minute contest was agreed to and play began at 10:30 am. 

Physical play and the defensive strategy implemented by the Dragons did manage to stifle the Samba offense, but only with regards to finishing. The pressure continued constantly and as Samba dominated play, the Dragons found it difficult to play a ball across midfield without Vontobel, DeBrantes, Meier or Reilly stepping in, challenging and winning possession.

A 0-0 halftime score kept everyone on edge, but the second half belonged to Samba. Ten minutes into the half Lehner cleanly finished a rebounded Florez shot and then Weir lofted home another over the Storm keeper’s fingertips.

Tempers flared, bodies flew and frustrated Storm players chipped at ankles and legs. Vontobel then quickly stepped up to regain control with a clean tackle that won the ball and quieted the crowd as bodies flew. Soon after, Miller laced home the finisher past a bewildered keeper as the TTP’s snatched the 3-0 win and tournament first-place title.