Do You Believe In Miracles? PSC U12 Boys Pull Tournament Upset

The Pasadena Soccer Club U12 Black Lions went 3-0-1 overall at the Arundel Cup Soccer Tournament over the weekend of October 10, claiming the championship in a 9-1 defeat of the Broadneck Soccer Club Blue Angels in the tournament final.

The final proved to be a lopsided affair, but the Black Lions reached the championship game by way of a momentous upset in the semifinals, when Pasadena knocked off the previously undefeated Brooklyn Park Cyclones, 1-0.

Shawn Werner’s goal off a beautiful through-ball between defenders from Cole Gembicki and a hockey-assist long ball forward from Dillon Stevens was the winner in Pasadena’s victory over Brooklyn Park, which entered its meeting with the Black Lions at 9-0 overall with a 56-2 scoring advantage in Anne Arundel County league play and tournament play combined. The Cyclones’ lone goal allowed in the tournament was the decisive score in their loss to Pasadena.

Mike Jerosimich, director of coaching at Pasadena Soccer Club and the head coach of the PSC U12 Black Lions, said the team switched from a 3-3-2 to a 4-3-1 “Christmas tree” formation, which disrupted Brooklyn Park’s attack. The Black Lions also employed a man-to-man defense in the box, taking away Brooklyn Park’s passing lanes.

Eric Taylor made an amazing defensive bicycle kick to save a goal, Stevens’ long passes forward kept opponents scrambling, Tyler Mervine was outstanding as goalkeeper and Werner was the tournament’s Golden Boot Award winner with eight goals as the U12 Black Lions claimed the championship.

The PSC U12 Lions, comprising Werner, Stevens, Taylor, Mervine, Gembicki, Faustino Baysic, Alex Contreras, Aaron Golden, August Goodman, Maxx Gray, Daniel Heller, Lucas Panzer, Lucas Schneider, Jacob Simard, Jared Snyder, Matthew Sutter, Stephen Sutton, Jason Vasquez and Chase Wingert, impressed themselves and everyone watching with the upset victory over the Cyclones.

“After the game, the Arundel Cup field director said, ‘That was the best boys tournament game I’ve ever seen,’” said coach Jerosimich, who added that his boys were focused in executing the game plan. “I am most proud of the boys for believing in themselves and for following my game plan and performing each assignment: talking to each other, keep in their Christmas Tree position areas, covering man-to-man, passing outside immediately and pressuring the ball on defense,” he said. “They listened, they believed and they gave all they had to give.”

The team is coached by Jerosimich and assistant coaches Ryan Stankovic and Steve Thompson. April Sutter is team manager.