Locals fall at soccer regionals

PHOENIX - All three local teams lost Monday in their first-round games at the US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships on Monday.

The Coeur d'Alene Sting U15 girls lost 2-1 to Players Soccer Club from Las Vegas.

The Sting U14 girls gold fell 2-0 to Northwest Nationals Red of Washington.

The Idaho Thunder U18 boys (Briseno) lost 7-1 to Serano 94 White of Arizona.

The Sting U15 girls tied their game with the Players Soccer Club in the 60th minute on a goal by Maddi Ward, assisted by Megan Lowery.

Players, which scored late in the first half, scored the go-ahead goal in the 75th minute on penalty kick. A Sting player was called for bumping an opposing player in the upper body from behind in the penalty box.

"It was a pretty soft call," Sting coach Dan Hogan said. "Technically they call it a foul, but not one you typically see called at a tournament."

The Sting also had a goal early in the second half called back on an offside call which may also have been questionable, he said.

"That's the way it goes some days," Hogan said. "Overall, I thought we played pretty well. They played a style we haven't seen - they would sit back and counter attack. They gave us lots of room in the midfield, and we didn't know what to do with it."

The Sting U15 girls play the Legends Football Club of Southern California today at 7 a.m.

The Sting U14 girls gold plays the Orchard Valley Heat of Northern California today at 9 a.m.

The Idaho Thunder U18 boys play the WPFC 93 Black of Washington tonight at 9.