Vanguard Soccer Club Headed For Europe

Dave Irby, Concordia University men’s soccer coach, and three of his players are headed to Europe July 22 to play exhibition matches with his club team.

Joining Irby for matches in Germany and Austria are sophomore goalkeeper Tom Pfotenhauer, sophomore forward Steve Steele, and senior defender Joey Alexander. In addition, former Concordia coach and Vanguard captain Ed Brown, who lives in Oslo, Norway, will also join the team.

The Vanguards, based in Orange County, play in the Premier Division of the Pacific Soccer League.

In preparation for their overseas matches, the Vanguards will host the Korean Hallelujah professional soccer team at Concordia at 3:30 p.m. on July 14.

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Concordia officials also announced that three Orange Lutheran High graduates--Matt Stiles, Fred Allen Jr. and Nathan Mercier--are among the eight soccer players signing letters of intent to attend the university this fall.

Stiles was the Olympic League’s most valuable player and a first-team All-Southern Section pick. Allen was named to the section first team and Mercier was first-team all-league.

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Kenneth Force, 39, of Garden Grove, finished first in the Open Division of air rifle shooting (with assistance) and archery Friday in the fourth day of the National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Washington, D.C.

Kevin Schaefer, 40, of Orange, took first in the Novice Division, winning the 100- and 200-meter sprints. Force is representing the Army and Schaefer the Air Force.