The tournament will see the top 212 boys’ and girls’ teams from 14 state associations in the U13 through to U19 age groups battle it out at Ankeney Park, Beavercreek.
The round robin games will be played from June 26-28, with the semi-finals being played on June 29, and the championship games taking place on June 30.
Southern Indiana pair Kady O’Farrell (Floyd Central) and Leah Mattingly (Providence) said they are hopeful of a good showing with their Javanon ’95 team.
The girls beat Commonwealth SC of Lexington 3-0 in the Kentucky State Open Cup championship decider, to add to its two titles won in 2007 and 2008.
Mattingly has played with Javanon for seven years and is one of two original members from the U9 team.
"This year is a very good opportunity for our team,” she said. “If we play well, we should have a chance to advance and make a good showing in the (later stages of) tournament."
O’Farrell has been with the team since last year, although she has been with the club for five years.
"There are going to be some tough, competitive teams that we are going to be playing against, but I am ready to kick some butt," she said. “Our team has really improved from last year, with new players and a new coach coming to the team.”
Meanwhile, Daniel Wilburn (Providence), Matt Kelecy (Floyd Central), Nick Blackwell (New Albany) and Jordan Vejar (Jeffersonville) are part of Javanon’s U16 team, which fancies itself to go well.
The team not only won the Kentucky State Open Cup, but also the Midwest Regional League Premier Division (Red), and hopes it can emulate the achievements of the club’s ’92 and ’91 teams, which both won regional titles last year and progressed to the national championship.
Javanon beat United 1996 -- a team featuring two more locals in the shape of Providence’s Brett Bass and Henryville’s Gabe Stewart -- by a 2-0 scoreline in the final, but the pair will also travel to the tournament as United earned a wildcard spot.
Javanon ’92, which has Trevor Bruner from Jeffersonville in its ranks, will be aiming for its third consecutive regional crown. It won its fourth consecutive state title – and sixth overall -- with a 1-0 final victory against Mockingbird.
State associations represented at the tournament are Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio North, Ohio South, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Regional winners of the Under-14 through Under-19 brackets earn a berth to the 2010 US Youth Soccer National Championships in Overland Park, Kansas from July 20-25.
Above: Southern Indiana duo Kady O’Farrell and Leah Mattingly pictured with their medals after winning the U15 Kentucky State Open Cup title with Javanon ’95. The girls play at the US Youth Soccer Region II Championships at Dayton, Ohio, this weekend.
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