Local Soccer Champs’ Next Goal Is U.S. Title

The Valley United Stars, a 12-and-younger girls’ soccer team, won their second consecutive state championship Sunday and will get a shot at the national title in Casper, Wyo., in June.

“We’re still flying high,” said a Stars dad and team manager, Vic Fodor. “It’s a phenomenal feeling.”

The Reseda-based Stars, who won the California Youth Soccer Assn./National Cup tournament (known as the State Cup) last year, are known regionally as a force in girls’ soccer. Until a close loss in January, the Stars had won 81 consecutive games and 14 consecutive tournament championships.

The Stars were favored to repeat in the State Cup championship, held this year in Huntington Beach, but ran into trouble early on against a scrappy team from Orange County. The SoCal Blues beat the Stars 1-0, but the Stars advanced to the final four by winning two other tournament games.

In a semifinal match, the Stars shut out a team from Torrance 2-0 to advance to the final against the Irvine Strikers.

In the championship match, the Stars won the coin toss, took the opening kickoff and drove the length of the field to score the game’s first goal. Only 15 seconds had elapsed.

“We were going crazy,” said Fodor. “On the other side of the field, there was complete silence.”

The Stars scored another goal in the second half to seal the victory and ensure a berth in the national championship tournament, to be played June 16 to 22 in Wyoming.

The Stars, who normally practice three times a week at Reseda High School, will take three weeks off before preparing for a “friendly” tournament to be played locally later this month.

To get ready for the national tournament, the Stars will resume their rigorous practice schedule and play in three additional tournaments, Fodor said.