Estudantez wins gold at soccer tournament2 min read

By
Jeff Bear
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Thanks to the Estudantez AZ Clube Do Futebol soccer club, soccer is becoming more popular in the Verde Valley, and recent results show that it is competitive as well.

Both the Northern AZ Estudantez U17 and Estudantez Boys U12 South teams took first place at the Ahwatukee Foothills Soccer Fest at the Tempe Sports Complex from Oct. 18 to 20.

The annual festival held in Tempe, Phoenix and Chandler, brings teams from around the country to compete against the best club soccer teams in Arizona. This year, 288 teams competed.

The Estudantez U17 team began the tournament with a big 4-1 win over Barcelona AZ, in which Diego Robles, a player on loan from the Salt Lake Soccer Academy, scored the first two goals, assisted by Kenny Ayers and Jesus Dominguez. Francisco Hernandez scored the team’s third goal, assisted by Jose Aviles, and then Aviles scored the final goal with an assist by Jesus Estudillo.

In the second game, Estudantez U17 tied San Tan Legacy 2-2 with goals by Robles and Aviles, assisted by Aviles and Angel Avakian, and won its third game 3-1 over Tucson Tanque Verde with goals by Hernandez, Ayers and Aviles, with two assists by Ayers and one by Estudillo.

In the Gold Medal game, Estudantez U17 beat Sereno 4-2. The first two Estudantez goals were scored by Alex Borgan, assisted by Estudillo and Hernandez, the third goal was scored by Aviles, assisted by Ayers, and the final goal was scored by Rene Diaz assisted by Dominguez.

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Estudantez U17 coach Juan Carlos Aguilar, who has coached the team for seven years, was thrilled with the victory.
“We have been to many soccer tournaments as a team, and we have many victories and defeats,” he said. “Yet this tournament was the best moment and win for me as their coach.”

For the full story, please see the Friday, Nov. 29, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.

Jeff Bear

Jeff Bear began his journalism career in 2003 as a graphic designer and sports reporter at the Weekly Register Call in Central City, Colorado. In 2007 he began working at the Canyon Courier in Evergreen, Colorado, as a graphic designer, but soon transferred into the editorial department where he worked as a copy editor and sport reporter under Editor Doug Bell. After a stint as a graphic designer at American Classifieds in 2009-10, Bear began working in 2011 as a copy editor at the Arizona Daily Sun, in Flagstaff. While at the Daily Sun, Bear was tapped by the late Randy Wilson to report on local sports including Northern Arizona University and Olympic medalists training in Flagstaff for the 2012 Olympics. In 2013 Bear began working at the Red Rock News in Sedona, Arizona, where he was an assistant editor and sports editor. Bear has two daughters, Angela and Jessica, with his wife Nina. He is a singer and guitarist, an avid cyclist and hiker, and enjoys camping with family and friends.

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Jeff Bear
Jeff Bear began his journalism career in 2003 as a graphic designer and sports reporter at the Weekly Register Call in Central City, Colorado. In 2007 he began working at the Canyon Courier in Evergreen, Colorado, as a graphic designer, but soon transferred into the editorial department where he worked as a copy editor and sport reporter under Editor Doug Bell. After a stint as a graphic designer at American Classifieds in 2009-10, Bear began working in 2011 as a copy editor at the Arizona Daily Sun, in Flagstaff. While at the Daily Sun, Bear was tapped by the late Randy Wilson to report on local sports including Northern Arizona University and Olympic medalists training in Flagstaff for the 2012 Olympics. In 2013 Bear began working at the Red Rock News in Sedona, Arizona, where he was an assistant editor and sports editor. Bear has two daughters, Angela and Jessica, with his wife Nina. He is a singer and guitarist, an avid cyclist and hiker, and enjoys camping with family and friends.