Sports: Black Watch claim national title

Black Watch claim national title

By JEREMY RASMUSSEN

TAMPA -- On Aug. 1 the Black Watch under-14 boys soccer team officially became the Black Watch under-15 boys soccer team. But before its advancement, the young squad had one last feather to add to its cap -- a national championship.

Black Watch won its age division of the SuperClubs National Championship at Orlando's Seminole Soccer Complex (home of the U.S. women's national team) during the last weekend of July.

SuperClubs is an independent organization of elite youth soccer clubs that compete annually in United States Youth Soccer Association-sanctioned regional tournaments around the country. Regional winners advance to the national finals in July.

Black Watch began its season last Thanksgiving by winning the SuperClubs regional title with a 3-0 victory over the Brandon Flames at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.

The team faltered against some other top-notch competition in the Tampa Bay Sun Bowl and in the Florida Youth Soccer Association State Cup, exiting both events after the second round. But the SuperClub title was always in sight.

"We were competitive all year, but we just didn't get over the hump," coach Rocco Pecora said. "When we won (SuperClubs) regionals, we got momentum. We made it our plan to go after that title all summer."

In the SuperClubs final, Black Watch clobbered West Pembroke from South Florida 4-0.

"Pembroke spread out the field and ended up giving us huge passing lanes," Pecora said. "Justin Hampton stuffed everything through the middle and we just ate it up."

Hampton, the team captain, played center midfield in the final, but was also used at sweeper and forward in the tournament. Speedy forward Chris Gilbert was also a terror, averaging two goals per game in the tourney.

Goalie James Cobb also put together several shutouts.

"(Cobb) was cautious with ball, and his distribution was superb," Pecora said. "He was able to put the ball over the attackers' heads, which put us on the counter-strike quickly."

Now, as under-15 players, the team has set even loftier goals. It is raising money to play overseas in next June's Holland Cup.

"It's the next step for us," Pecora said.

WEGERLE MAKES NATIONAL TEAM: Black Watch under-17 and Jesuit High player Bryce Wegerle has been called up to the under-18 national team.

Wegerle is the son of former Tampa Bay Rowdie (and Black Watch coach) Steve Wegerle, and the nephew of former U.S. national team member Roy Wegerle.

A day after returning from Alabama, where he played for 16 days in a regional Olympic Developmental Player (ODP) training camp, Wegerle got a call from under-18 national coach George Gelnovatch. The next day, Wegerle was on a plane to train with the national team in Rhode Island.

"I was hoping to get a chance to rest after two weeks of playing in Alabama in 100 degree weather, but when an opportunity like this comes along, you can't pass it up," Wegerle said.

Wegerle will be in a pool of 22 players from which a traveling squad will be selected to play in international competitions in South America and Europe next summer.