College Station —
The World Cup may be over, but there’s still plenty of action on the pitch as younger players battle over their respective championships around the globe. In the United States, US Youth Soccer is preparing for the National Championships being held at the end of this month.
Rockwall High School student athletes Niki McKnight and Miranda Larkin recently competed with their select soccer team, Sting 95, in the US Youth Soccer Region III Championships in Baton Rouge, La. in June, and are on their way to the national level.
McKnight is an RHS track athlete and vice president of the sophomore class and Larkin is a goalkeeper for both Rockwall High School and Sting 95.
Sting 95 has been one of the topped-ranked teams in the nation for the last five years with state titles for 2008, 2009 and 2010. Teams competing at regionals were from Florida, Oklahoma, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
A year after getting bounced on penalty kicks in the semifinals, Sting returned with unfinished business and didn’t disappoint. In the championship game, the Hurricanes out of Oklahoma put up the stiffest challenge, but couldn’t fight back after McKnight put in the game-winning goal in the eighth minute while Larkin did not allow a single goal clinching the Region III championship and advancing their team to the US Youth Soccer National Championships to be held in Kansas.
Prior to heading to Kansas for the US Youth Soccer National Championships July 20-25, McKnight and Larkin stopped by Seattle with their club team to lock up the Elite Club National League Championship held July 14-17. Sting defeated Arsenal out of California in PKs. If they can win in Kansas they will have won two National Championships in 2010.
On July 21 at 8 a.m., Sting 95 will face Beadling 94/95, a Pittsburgh team that is coming off winning the Pennsylvania state championship in the under-15 division. In a high noon showdown the next day, the Texas girls will face Real Colorado National. RCN beat the defending National Champion, Mustang Blast, in the Regional Final (3-2). The winning goal was scored in the 80th minute.
On July 23, 10 a.m. Sting 95 takes on Scorpions Elite at 10 a.m. on July 23. Scorpions Elite, a team from Massachusetts, placed second in the National League, losing to Hurricane FC which was their only loss in the National Championship Series.
The final game in the under-15 division will take place on July 24 at 5:45 p.m.
Sting 95 is coached by Antonio Pecorari and is based in Dallas.
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Related Photos
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Niki McKnight, above at right, works the ball against the defense in a recent competition against a stron Hurricane team from Oklahoma in USYS reginal competition. McKnight, along with goalkeeper Miranda Larkin, will represent Rockwall on the Sting 95 under-15 girls soccer team as they attempt to win a national championship at the end of this month. Courtesy photo
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Rockwall soccer pair heading to national competition with standout Dallas sqad
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