PDA U-17/18s Earn First Development Academy National Title

 

Brian White Scores Goal, Assists Jared Stroud Tally as PDA Blanks First-Season Club Bethesda-Olney

CARSON, California (July 19, 2014) – Brian White recorded a goal and an assist and the Players Development Academy defense held Bethesda-Olney in check to earn a 2-0 victory and win the 2013-14 Development Academy U-17/18 Championship on Saturday night at StubHub Center.

This marked the first time PDA has earned a national championship in the Development Academy. PDA also caps off the season with a 24-3-4 overall record and an unbeaten postseason stretch with a 5-0-1 record.

PDA immediately increased the pressure on the Bethesda-Olney defense in the second half with two shots on frame in the first two minutes, then broke through with the game’s first tally about five minutes later.

White scored the first goal of the game in the 53rd minute. After a shot by Jared Stroud, Bethesda-Olney keeper Joe Bogan and Bethesda-Olney defender Ismael Lapp-Kamara came together to clear the rebound, causing a loose ball that fell to White in front of the net. He took one dribble to his right and shot to give PDA a 1-0 lead.

PDA pushed the lead to 2-0 in the 69th minute when White tapped a pass to Ryan Peterson alone in the middle of box. The darting Peterson took one touch to fire a shot to the upper right corner of the net and pad the PDA lead.

Both teams had chances in a spirited first half of a game that featured two of the most prolific scorers in the Development Academy this season in White and Bethesda-Olney’s Jeremy Ebobisse.

Ebobisse was responsible for Bethesda Olney’s first chance of the game in the ninth minute, when his diving header in front of the goal was astutely deflected by PDA goalkeeper Joe Ohaus wide of the goal.

Jake Rozhansky nearly put Bethesda-Olney on the score sheet in the 22nd minute. His running, right-footed shot from just outside the box was tipped wide by a diving Ohaus.

PDA created a quality scoring opportunity in the 42nd minute as Daniel Mooney attempted a half-volley that was just out of the reach of Bethesda-Olney goalkeeper Bogan, but the shot hit the left upright and caromed back out to the middle of the box.

Bethesda-Olney responded in the 44th minute with a shot of its own from Sam Schmidt, who found himself with space along the left side. He dribbled toward the goal and tried a right-footed bender that ended up just wide of the right post. 

While trailing 2-0 in the closing 10 minutes, an urgent Bethesda-Olney side generated one of its best chances of the game in the 81st minute when Ebobisse dribbled through the middle of the PDA defense and forced Ohaus off his line. Ohaus dove at Ebobisse’s feet and tipped the ball just enough to allow the defense to recover and clear the ball.