Blackhawks soccer club head to USA Cup

By MATTHEW DAVIS

A girls 16-and-under soccer team from the Blackhawks youth soccer club in the Midway Como area will carry memories of a late teammate at the USA Cup on July 19-23.

Fischer Anderson, a St. Paul Central student and a defender for the Blackhawks U16 girls team, passed away in January. Blackhawks U16 players will wear a patch with Anderson’s No. 23 patched on their jerseys at the upcoming tournament.

“Fischer was a headstrong player, tough defender and an invaluable asset to this team,” Blackhawks coach Rebecca Scott said.

Some the players also attended Central with Anderson last school year. Blackhawks U16 players Natalie Ierien said her grew in pulling through the tragic loss of a teammate.

“I describe my team in a lot of ways, but the one description that I think is the most important is strong,” Ierien said.

The Blackhawks went 6-4 this season and will play in its third USA Cup with this group of players. Most recently, they took part in the 2014 tournament, but they went overseas to play in the Gothia Cup in Gothenburg, Sweden last year.

“That was sort of the USA Schwan’s Cup of Sweden,” Ierien said.

In its 32nd year, the USA Cup at the National Sports Center in Blaine has the western hemisphere’s biggest soccer tournament for youth. Teams from all over the world come to play in the tourney, which begins with an Olympic-style opening ceremony.

“The first year my team and I went, we were able to meet and take photos with a lot of foreign teams,” Ierien said. “That was very fun, and I hope we can do that again this year.”

The Blackhawks first play the teams in their respective pool before entering a tournament bracket, similar to the World Cup’s format.

The Blackhawks have a solid goalkeeper in Liz Wirt. They also are strong in midfield play with Abigail Moseman at center midfield.

“Her performance technically and as a team leader was very helpful both offensively and defensively throughout the season,” Scott said.

Moseman played for the Central girls varsity team last fall, and Wirt played for Cretin-Derham Hall. Other Blackhawks players will look to crack respective varsity lineups this coming autumn.

For now, they will look to make the most of the upcoming USA Cup. Scott wants her team to do well but have fun too.

“It is important for this team to enjoy their last bit of soccer together before the age group changes,” Scott said.

And a final chance to play for Anderson together too.