Bethesda Internationals

18 Dec. '09.   Several seniors have verbally committed or have been accepted into their schools of choice and are college bound in 2010:

-  Ben Fernandez:  Catholic University - Accepted 

-  Erik Opsahl:  St. Johns University - Verbally committed

-  Jamie Thoma:  St. Johns University - Verbally committed 

-  Matt Harlow:  St. Johns University - Verbally committed

-  Nicholas Van Hollen:  Georgetown - Accepted

-  Nick Alers:  Yale - Accepted

-  Nathaniel Howell:  Wesleyan - Accepted

-  Patrick Mehlert - American - Accepted

-  Seth MacMillan:  Princeton - Accepted

11 Dec. ‘10.  The Internationals returned to the highly acclaimed CASL Boys Showcase for a 6th and final appearance as a club team.  Its first game of the tournament found them matched up with an opponent from last year’s Boys Showcase, Wellington Wave Premier, whom Inter prevailed over in that contest, 2-0.  The 1st half was evenly played with both sides taking 5 shots on goal and 2 corner kicks each which were all unsuccessful as well as committing 5 fouls each (including 1 handball on Inter), and the half ended scoreless.

In the 2nd half, the even play continued with the Wave taking 2 shots on goal and setting up 2 corners while committing 3 fouls.  Inter stepped up its physical play, committing 10 fouls and also managed 2 shots on goal and 1 corner kick.  Around the 10th min. mark, Jamie T. struck a ball towards goal from 22 yds right which went wide right, but at about the 13th min., Vitalis crossed a ball from the left side into the middle around 16 yds. center, where Jamie T. collected the ball and fired a hard shot which sailed into the upper right corner to put Inter up, 1-0.  The Wave found the equalizer about 11 mins. later after a Wave player collected a ball inside the left box near 10-12 yds. to strike a shot into the net.  Inter had chance to take the lead at the 31st min. off of a shot by Vitalis from near 23 yds. left but the ball sailed wide left, and the match ended in a draw several minutes later, 1-1.

On Sat., 12 Dec., for its second match, the Internationals faced the Dallas Texans 92 Red (Scott) and controlled most of the play.  In the 1^st half, Inter’s strong defense denied the Texans from setting up any shots and just 1 corner kick which was unsuccessful.  The Dallas team committed only 1 foul while Inter committed 2 fouls.  Inter was held to 3 shots on goal and 1 corner kick which were all unsuccessful except one.  About mid-way thru the half, Vitalis collected a through-ball from (?) and maneuvered 1v1 inside the box towards goal, striking a shot which deflected off the GK onto a defender and into the goal to put Inter up, 1-0, at the half.

In the 2^nd half, Inter held the Texans to just 1 dangerous, point-blank shot in the box on goal which Mike M. made a great diving save to stop and 2 corners which were unsuccessful while committing 3 fouls.  Inter setup 3 shots on goal and created 4 corner kick opportunities which were all unsuccessful and no fouls committed, and the match ended, 1-0, Pachuca.

For its 3rd match on Sun., 13 Dec., due to overnight rain and field conditions, the match kick-off time was delayed by one hour and the game truncated to 30 min. halves.  Inter was unable to setup any shots or corner kicks in the contest while committing 2 fouls in the 1st half and 3 in the 2nd (YC/Erik for a hard foul).  Velez attempted 1 shot in the 1st half and 3 in the 2nd while committing 2 fouls in the 1st and 1 in the 2nd, and the match ended in a scoreless tie, 0-0.

24 Nov. '09.  The Internationals return to the premier CASL Showcase once again and will face several top teams from around the country, including our friends from Region I, LMSC Velez (PA-E) who bested Inter at the recent BSC Thanksgiving tournament, 2-0; and, our other friends from Region III, Wellington Wave Premier (FL), whom Inter bested at last year's CASL event; and, a new foe from Region III,  Dallas Texans 92 Red/Scott (TX-N).   Inter is looking forward to another challenging and successful event ahead to give our senior players exposure to those college coaches who are attending for recruiting purposes as well as attending the NCAA Final Four to be held in Cary, NC, during the CASL Showcase 11-13 Dec.

23 Nov. '09.  The Internationals will be participating in the nation's premier tournament, Disney Soccer Showcase, for the 4th year since U15.  It  will be facing some of the best teams in the nation, including our new friends, Javanon 92 (KY), who bested Inter at the Blue Chip Showcase this past spring, 3-0; and, our friends from last year's Disney Showcase, Andromeda U17/U18 Academy, who battled Inter to a 0-0 draw; and, a new foe, Texans SC/DTH U18 USSF (TX-S).  

It will be another important event for our seniors to display their skill and talent for the many college coaches who will be attending for recruiting purposes before commitment deadline next 1st Apr. 2010: 

Group A:

Edmond OFC 92 (OK)

Kendall Soccer Coalition White (FL) 

Solar U18 Academy (TX-N)

YMS Xplosion (PA-E)

Group B:

Baltimore Bays Chelsea USSF Academy (MD)

Dallas Texans Academy (TX-N)

Ohio Premier Eagles Green (OH-S)

Triangle United Gold (NC)

Group C:

Andromeda U17/U18 Academy (TX-N)

Javanon 92 (KY)

Pachuca FC USA Internationals (MD)

Texans SC/DTH U18 USSF (TX-S)

Group D:

Beachside (CT)

Concorde Fire Elite 91/92 (GA)

Lonestar Red 92B USSF (TX-S)

LMSC Velez (PA-E)

22 Nov. '09.  Despite being without 6 key players for this weekend's tournament due to injuries (3) or other commitments (away in school or with family or training abroad), the Internationals played valiantly in its 3 matches against 3 top-ranked teams in Region I and nationally, YMS Xplosion (PA-E) - 1st, LMSC Velez (PA-E) - 4th, and GFA 91 Elite (VA) - 5th.

In the 1st match on Sat., 21 Nov., against the top-ranked  Xplosion and one of Inter's arch-rivals from Region I Premier, the Internationals played YMS mostly even in the 1st half, holding them off the board and allowing just 2 shots from around 20-22 yards out which both sailed wide right.  The Xposion committed 3 fouls (including 1 offsides) while Inter committed just 1 foul.   Lacking an available, true striker due to injury rehab and release of another to the very YMS team in his home PA-E (who was playing defense for YMS in this match), Inter was held to no shots taken but did manufacture 2 corner kicks which were unsuccessful.

In the 2nd half, Inter played much more physically, committing 6 fouls (including a YC shown to Philip for a hard foul, and 1 offsides) while YMS committed 3 fouls (including 2 offsides).  Both sides stepped up its offensive intensity with Inter setting up 7 shots/scoring chances, including a shot at the 8 min. mark by Jamie T. from mid-field near 25 yds. which went wide right and deflected over the end line for a corner kick; a shot by Jamie M. at the 18 min. mark near 18-20 yds. out which went wide right; a shot by Vitalis from 25 yds. left which the GK caught; another shot by V from 25 yds. right which went wide right; a header attempt in the box by (Nate?) which went wide; and, at the 37 min. mark, a shot by Stephen from 20-22 yds. right after a nice maneuver to free himself for the shot but the GK read the angle well and caught it.  Inter also created 4 corner kick opportunities but all were unsuccessful.  After Inter was unable to clear the ball away around the 9 min. mark, the Xplosion collected a ball close-in and struck the go-ahead goal past Seth.  YMS also setup 7 shots on goal, including a long-ball behind the back line to a player on a break-away, but Seth came out to make a great stop/save.  YMS also created 3 corner kicks which were all unsuccessful.  The Xplosion would secure the win with a nice cross from 25 yds. left into the box, far post to an unmarked player who easily headed in the 2nd goal, and the match ended, 2-0, YMS Xplosion.

'Out of the frying pan into the fire', the saying goes.   In the 2nd match on Sat., Inter faced its other friends/arch-rivals from Region I Premier, LMSC Velez, ranked 4th in the country via GotSoccer.  In its earlier 1st contest of the day, the Velez were edged by GFA 91 Elite, 0-1.  LMSC came out strong at the opening bell, moving the ball around well to setup a number of scoring opportunities and stymied the Internationals from any real scoring threat throughout the match, save for a couple of unsuccessful corner kicks.

In the 1st half, Inter was held to just a single, unsuccessful corner kick while committing 6 fouls, including a questionable call in the box on Mike N. which resulted in a successful PK by LMSC at the 17th Min. mark.  The Velez launched 6 shots on goal, including a shot from 20 yds. left which hit the cross-bar, 2 others which went wide left, and 3 stops by Mike M. including a great finger-tip save off of a blast from 18 yds. center.  Velez also created 2 corner kick opportunities which were unsuccessful, while committing 4 fouls, and the half ended, 1-0, Velez.

In the 2nd half, LMSC kept ut is tight defensive play, holding Inter to just 1 shot by Patrick 18-20 yds. center which the GK punched out away.  Inter committed 4 foulds (including 1 offsides) and Velez also committed 4 fouls.  LMSC continued its strong offensive play, setting up 4 shots on goal which all but one went awry.  At about the 18 min. mark, a ball was ineffectively cleared out of Inter's box and fell to the feet of a Velez player who sent an easy strike into the net which resulted in Velez's 2nd goal and the match ended, 2-0, Velez.

In the 3rd contest on 23 Nov., Inter faced another old local rival, GFA 91 Elite, who prevailed in the last meeting at the USYSA Regionals, 1-0.  At the opening whistle, Inter kicked off and played with muchg more focus and determination, moving the ball around well to setup a number of scoring opportuniti8es while effectively defending GFA, holding the Elite to just 3 shots, 2 awry and 1 on target, and no corners.  Inter also took 3 shots but created 5 corner kick situations.  GFA committed 7 fouls (including 1 offsides) while Inter committed 6 fouls.  Inter struck first at the 11 min. mark off of a right CK by V into the box where Jamie M. collected the ball to punch in the go-ahead goal.  GFA would find the equalizer goal at the 18 min. mark on a counter-attack with a long ball that dropped in behind the back line who were unable to close before a hard-struck ball from 5 yds. center found its way past Seth into the net.  At the 27 min mark, V launched another well-placed right CK into the box where Ben located himself into an unmarked spot near far post to knock in the 2nd goal, and the half ended, 2-1, Inter.

In the 2nd half, GFA stepped up its physical play and offensive intensity, setting up 3 shots and 1 corner kick which were all unsuccessful while committing 10 fouls (including 1 handball & 1 offsides).  Inter setup 3 shots and 1 unsuccessful corner kick, including a shot by V at the 4 min mark from 18 yds. left which went wide left.  One min. later, off of a right CK by V into the box, Ben's header attempt was caught by thge GK.  Inter committed 4 fouls, and after a foul on Nate at the 39th min. mar, Patrick's free kick into the box was cleared away and the match ended, 2-1, Pachuca.