Youth sports: Walnut Creek U-11 United Wins a Pair of Tournaments

The U-11 Walnut Creek United boys soccer team is on a roll.

The United won one of Northern California's biggest tournaments, the Mustang Stampede, and then followed it up with a win over the Mustang Red Bulls to win the Walnut Creek Summerfest.

The weekend started off with a 3-1 win over the Heritage Celtics with two goals by Nicholas Bland and one by James Person. The next game was a 1-1 draw against the Mercury Green with the tying goal coming from Bland.

Walnut Creek followed that with a 4-3 win over the Almaden Lightning to advance to the finals of the tournament on a strength of hat trick from James Person and a game-winning from Yanni Polyzos. 

The final game was a match up against the Mustang Red Bulls, which were ranked No. 2 in Northern California and were averaging over six goals a game. James Person scored a goal in the first half to take a 1-0 lead into halftime, but a quick breakaway after the break by Mustang tied the game. Person was taken down by a Mustang defender late in the game which resulted in a penalty kick, which was converted by United's goalie Ross Gruen. 

The defense of Kellen Dresdow, Ian Nicholas, Jake Gaines and Gruen limited one of the best offenses in the state to only one goal in the finals.

"The boys have done amazing since I took over last March," coach Chris Rodd said. "They keep on improving from week to week and it is amazing the progress that I have seen in all of the players. I really couldn't ask for a better group of eleven year old kids to coach."