FC Spokane’s River City Cup set for this weekend

The Plantes Ferry Soccer Complex in Spokane will be busy this weekend as 82 teams from the greater-Spokane area and a few visitors come together for the River City Cup, hosted by FC Spokane, which will have 24 teams in action.

The event, which raises money for cancer research through Coaches vs Cancer, will feature boys and girls brackets for each age from U11-14 with a pair of mixed older brackets, U15/16 and U17-19, at the upper end of the spectrum.

The list of clubs from the area is vast with eight representing Spokane Foxes/Pumas and five each from the Sabers, Breakers, Cheney Storm and XiFA. Spokane Valley FC United will have four teams along with the Scotties. Washington East is fielding three teams.

Four INW teams headed to USCS National Cup XI in Chicago

Four teams from the Inland Northwest are part of a 20-team contingent from the Northwest that are participating in the US Club Soccer National Cup XI this weekend, July 27-29, in Waukegan, Ill. The foursome consists of a pair of Spokane Shadow teams and the Idaho duo of Valley Thunder (Lewiston) and Idaho Thunder (Post Falls).

The other 16 Northwest clubs are from the other side of the Cascades. The event features 122 teams (64 boys, 58 girls) competing for 20 titles (10 for each gender).

The four INW teams are headed to the greater Chicago area as winners of the Northwest Regional tournament held June 23-26 in Seattle. The Spokane Shadow teams, a fraction of a successful turnout at the Northwest Regionals, will be competing for the U16 Boys Super and U15 Girls Premier championships. Courtesy of their Northwest Regional performances, the Idaho Thunder will be vying for the U17Boys Super crown while Valley Thunder, advancing as runners-up from the Regionals, are in the U16 Girls Premier bracket.

Five clubs find success for Idaho at USCS Regionals in Seattle

Idaho Thunder - Champions, U17B Super Group

There may have been only seven teams from five different Idaho-based clubs at the US Club Soccer Northwest Regional tournament June 23-26, but they certainly acquitted themselves quite well with four teams advancing from group play. Three teams reached the final in their respective bracket with the Idaho Thunder’s lone team winning the U17 Boys Super championship.

“The Thunder U17B put all egos and attitudes aside, playing as a team determined to win regionals,” said Briggs Anderson, the team’s coach and the club’s Director of Coaching & Player Development. “All players played as a single unit not allowing for any weakness on the field. The intensity and team work put the Thunder back in Nationals where they will try to build on last year’s finalist result."