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Heads above the rest
Javanon 87 has a last shot at nationals
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
By Tania Ganguli
tganguli@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
Under a canopy beside a soccer field, taking shelter from the thick Cincinnati heat, three referees sat fanning themselves, slumped backward on black, plastic folding chairs.
It was halftime of a soccer tournament at Xavier University. The Javanon Soccer Club's 19-and-under team, Javanon 87, entered the tournament to stay sharp during its week off between the regional tournament it had just won and the national championship series.
Javanon, based in Louisville, led 2-1, and the referees were impressed by what they had seen.
"We saw a couple of goals," said one, his voice lingering on "goals."
"You don't see goals like that in the pros," replied another, his voice lingering on "pros."
Within the first 30 seconds of play, Javanon's blond, mop-top striker Tommy Clines tore through his opponents' defense and shot the ball into the top corner of the net. Later in the half his teammate -- quick, compact midfielder Darren Yeagle -- repeated, outrunning two defenders for a nearly open shot.
What seemed extraordinary to some was ordinary for a team that dominated its competition throughout the summer.
As the only Javanon team to win its region twice, Javanon 87 is one of the most successful teams in club history to never have won a national championship. It won the state cup, it won its region and tomorrow it will play its first game of the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship series in Des Moines, Iowa. The team that grew up as one of the best youth soccer teams in Kentucky has one final chance to prove it is the best.
Javanon will face FC Delco Black IV from Eastern Pennsylvania at 12:30 p.m. The team will play Arsenal FC from Southern California at 10:30 a.m. Thursday and Western FC from Florida at 8:30 a.m. Friday.
The top two teams from pool play compete Sunday for the championship.
The players have been playing together for years. Most of the current Javanon team members have played together since before high school; some played on the same high school teams. After graduating high school last year, they scattered to various colleges, where most continued playing soccer.
As soon as the college men's soccer season ended, the other national championship was on their minds. Team captain Adam Boyer took control before a coach was in place and began calling his Javanon teammates after the fall season.
"I just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page," Boyer said.
Last season Javanon won the state cup but didn't go much further. After that summer, Javanon sent 13 players to NCAA Division I programs.
"I think playing in college has made a lot of guys better," Yeagle said.
Midfielder Chad Hagerty landed at Saint Louis University, which leads the NCAA in tournament appearances and championships, and Yeagle landed at Indiana, which leads the NCAA in tournament victories and is second in championships.
Hagerty played as a freshman and started four games, but Yeagle's experience was more humbling.
Yeagle's accolades at Trinity High School were almost gaudy. He played for the U.S. National U-20 Pool team. He was a Parade All-American. He was Kentucky's Mr. Soccer.
Then he redshirted his first year at Indiana.
"I didn't really know what to do because I've never really sat on the bench before," Yeagle said. "I talked to the coaches, and they thought it would be best for me so I could play four years."
Gaining that perspective took time.
"He was devastated -- I was devastated," said Bruce Yeagle, Darren's father and Javanon 87's coach this season. "I think we both were in tears. Looking back it was probably the best thing that happened to him because it made him work harder."
Proving himself is one motivation that fuels Darren Yeagle's desire to make a statement by winning a national club title.
Winning this national championship is also about unfinished business.
"The first time I felt like our goal was to win regionals, so we were just happy to get to nationals," said goalkeeper Patrick Pittenger. "This year we think we should win nationals."
Their last-chance season started with a new coach, who brought in a new formation and some new players to help run it. Bruce Yeagle implemented a center-heavy system, with three players in the back, six midfielders and one striker.
The system has worked.
Javanon didn't lose until regionals -- in a game it played after having qualified for the next round. Last week Bruce Yeagle said his team hasn't been tested yet in a game and mused, leaning forward and widening his eyes, "Are we really that good?"
To find out, he entered the team into last weekend's club tournament at Xavier. He said he hoped playing older players would give his team a much-needed test before taking on the nation's best U-19 teams.
Javanon won its first three games 4-1, 5-1 and 6-0. In the tournament's final game, the team took a 1-0 lead into halftime. Second-half red cards to Pittenger and Boyer put Javanon two men down, resulting in a 3-1 loss. Bruce Yeagle said his team was affected by the heat and played unfocused. He said that focus wouldn't stay a problem.
"This is our last year," Darren Yeagle said. "We don't want to lose it again."
Tania Ganguli can be reached at (502) 582-7172.
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