Coach Hector Garcia said “Incredible performance by our State 48 Sporting FC U13 UPSL team as we earned a well-deserved 2-1 victory. Nathan Torres, our goalkeeper, came up big with some amazing saves, while Ricardo Lemus and Abraham Loera both found the back of the net. Our midfield was led by Khristopher Aragon, Hector Garcia and Adrian Guzman, who controlled the tempo all game long. Jacob Sahagun brought great intensity on the right wing, making a huge impact throughout the match. Two players who really stood out were Gavin Hansen in the midfield and Eli Martinez in the defense, who both showed tremendous effort and leadership. I am very proud of everyone’s teamwork and determination. A truly great start to the UPSL Academy League, with a +15 goal differential in 3 games.
Coach Armando Juarez said “Our State 48 FC 2019 Boys Black (North) team won the Academy League Championship final against strong competition. Milo Valenzuela scored 2 goals, and the entire team played quite well – great job winning the Championship!”
The State 48 FC 2013 / 2014 Girls Black (Avondale) team played their last home game of the season – and what a way to finish! Coach Celia Rascon said “The team came out strong, setting the tone early and keeping control of the match with confident possession and teamwork throughout. We secured a solid 2–0 victory, with our captain, Valentina Acevas, finding the back of the net and Nickolle Velasco adding another goal to seal the win. Every single player stepped onto the field with intent, determination, and persistence. A true team effort and a great way to close out the home season!”
Coach Rogelio Aragon said “The State 48 FC 2017 Boys White (Avondale) team had an extraordinary run in the Arizona Academy League and emerged as Champions! On Friday, we faced an undefeated team in the semi-finals that had beaten us previously – but that didn’t stop us from taking on the challenge. It was our defensive effort that got us the 2-0 shutout victory in an intense back & forth game that took a lot of energy and grit. For the Championship Final on Saturday, we faced our brothers from the State 48 FC 2017 Black (Avondale) team in another tough and intense battle from beginning to end. We came out scoring first on an outstanding shot by Ezra Sanchez. Then, moments later, the game was tied by a great free kick by our opponents. It was a game that either squad could have won as both teams had opportunities on goal. In one of the last chances of the match, our winger AJ Cordova made a great dribbling run and was fouled. Gyzer Aragon stepped up to hit a great free kick for the winning goal to become AZ Academy League Champions! Our goalkeeper, Moises Perez, came up big with some key saves in both games. Ezra Sanchez was truly incredible as our striker and put 2 very important goals in the back of the net when we needed them most, while Nathan Palafox-Nagy contributed 1 goal as well. AJ Cordova had non-stop energy, hustle and toughness in the midfield all game long, while Jovani Moreno and Jhovanny Soledad supported him in keeping the momentum. Johan Gallardo, Kai Gonzalez and Gyzer Aragon were tremendous on the defensive end and protected the goal with everything they had. I am extremely proud of our team for their tenacity and hard work – amazing job team!”
Coach Jake Bolanos said “The State 48 2015 Black (Buckeye) team had an excellent match this weekend, winning by the score 5-1. Notable performances from Ethan Rodriguez, who was a defensive powerhouse and Dominic Westphal, who controlled the center of the midfield. Our goals were scored by Matteo Morales (2 goals), Rayan Boare, JJ Gutierrez and Eli Moreno with 1 goal each. Great job team!”
The State 48 FC 2015 Elite team had an impressive run at the Mayor’s Cup in Las Vegas, finishing as Finalists. Coach Alessio Altomare reported “We got 2 wins the first day and headed to the semi-finals where we competed against a highly ranked local team. We won 4-2 and moved on to the finals, where we came up short. Really successful first out of state tournament for us; Luis Diaz dominated defensively, Enzo Altomare was the top scorer, and everyone else showed great talent, leadership and camaraderie on and off the field.”
The State 48 FC 2010 Boys Black (El Mirage) team showcased their skill and determination this past weekend at the Las Vegas Mayor’s Cup. Coach Sean Venesky said “We opened the tournament with a strong 1–0 victory, setting the tone early. The momentum carried into Game 2, where the boys delivered a 9-1 masterclass, highlighted by Nolan Steele’s clean sheet, assist, and goal – with and a hat trick from Santiago Gonzalez in a dominant team performance. We lost the third match in a close contest that was decided by a penalty kick; despite the setback, the team’s overall effort was outstanding, finishing 3rd in the group with 10 goals for and just 2 against. More than the results, the weekend was defined by growth, chemistry, and pride as the boys bonded both on and off the field. Another strong step forward – on to the next challenge!”
Coach Rudy Urquiza said “The State 48 FC 2016 White (Avondale) team won their final Arizona Academy League match 4-0. Our goals were scored by Nolan Alvarez, Cuyrie Hall-McDaniel and Adam Urquiza on a beautiful free kick goal. Our defense was outstanding, with some great flying saves from goalkeeper Omar “Campos” Cortez. Our passing was dynamic and fluid – great game overall. I’m very pleased with the progress of this team!”
Coach Moises Perez said “The State 48 FC 2015 Copper (Avondale) team brought home another win by dominating the entire game. We have been adjusting the way we are playing, and the team is absorbing the information well and putting their hard work into game days! AJ Nava scored 2 goals, with Dallas Gomez and Kevin Solis scoring as well. It’s amazing to see how these kids can perform!”
Our State 48 Sporting FC semi-professional teams both had outstanding performances this past weekend, with our Premier team notching a 3-1 victory and our D1 team winning 4-2 in the UPSL.
Congratulations to all our State 48 FC players and coaches – we are very proud of you!
One Family, One Mission!
