The 2008 Columbus Express Orange team won the Indiana Presidents Cup title last weekend. Team members include, front row from left, Axel Cardoso, Eli Ostrom, Ryder Meek, Gavin Fugate, Nick Mann; and second row, coach Ty Smith, Marckenson Paul, Emilio Quintero, Luke Moore, Arno Risner, Lane Woodard, Eduardo Aranda-Michel and Brody Johnson.
Submitted photo
Columbus will be represented in a United States Youth Soccer regional tournament in a couple weeks.
The Columbus Express 2008 Boys Orange will be headed to the USYS Midwest Presidents Cup Regional in St. Louis that will run June 13-17. The group play is June 13-15, with the semifinal matches on June 16 and the finals June 17. The regional winners will play in the USYS Presidents Cup Nationals in Tampa, Florida, July 11-15.
The roster is made up of mostly local soccer players, including Columbus North’s Alfredo Madero, Brody Johnson and Axel Cardoso; Columbus East’s Ryder Meek, Eduardo Aranda-Michel, Emilo Quintero, Eli Ostrom, Jonathan Sylva, Ryan Turner and Santiago Gonzalez and Hauser’s Nick Mann.
In the semifinal match Saturday, they defeated Indy Eleven 1-0. Meek earned the shutout in goal.
In the finals against Indy Phoenix, they prevailed 1-0. Johnson scored the goal for the Express. Meek once again earned the shutout in goal.
“The boys are a great group of kids,” CESC director of coaching Ty Smith said. “There is very little ego in the team. They have a good temperament at training. They genuinely like each other. They try to play attractive and poised football. We have been battle-tested throughout the winter and spring in our leagues and events. We have a solid steady defense, sound midfielders and a few wildcards that can score.”
The same team also won the Indiana Presidents Cup and the USYS Midwest Presidents Cup Regional in 2022, making them the first Express team to make it to the USYS Presidents Cup Nationals. Columbus East boys soccer coach Sam LaVelle coached the team in 2022.
“I told the boys a few weeks ago that I have really enjoyed coaching and training the group,” said Smith, who was named Indiana Soccer’s Director of the Year in February. “When Sam LaVelle took the East job, we switched teams, and last year was a bit of a bandaid for the 08s. They didn’t get the attention they deserved from me. This year, there was no late transition period, and we have been able to start together since November.”
For the season, the 08 Boys Orange finished second in the US Club Soccer’s NPL with a 7-1-2 record. They scored 43 goals and allowed only five. They also finished second in the Indiana Soccer League’s Premier Division with a 3-2-2 record.
The draws for the regional are still to be determined. However, one thing the team does have on its side is the experience.
“We have a core group of guys that have been to regional before. They understand the importance but also are not the wide-eyed middle schoolers they were in 2022,” Smith said. “The draw of opponents will be important, but I’m of the mindset that if you want to win it, it doesn’t matter who you play. As long as we value the ball in attack, hunt in transition and stay organized on defense, I think we can make another run to nationals.”
Espejel, Alliance win State Cup
Columbus North’s Angel Espejel plays on the Alliance Eleven team that won the State Cup last weekend at Grand Park.
Angel Espejel
Espejel is the only player from Columbus on the team, which includes athletes from Bloomington South, Bloomington North, Center Grove, Roncalli and Indian Creek.
Espejel and the Alliance Eleven advances to the Midwest Regional in Kansas City.
