Butler Players To Compete For National Championship

Butler sophomores Matt Hedges and Ben Kissick will get a shot at a national championship when they travel to Lancaster, Mass., to compete with the Indy Burn U-19 boys soccer club at the 2009 US Youth Soccer National Championships, July 21-26.  The Burn is the first U-19 team from Indiana to advance to the nationals since 1988.

Hedges and Kissick, who completed their first season at Butler last fall, helped their club team capture the U-19 title at the Region II Championships at Yankton Trails Park in Sioux Falls, S.D., June 20-24.  Indy Burn posted a 2-1 record in pool play and received a wildcard berth in the semifinals, where it defeated Omaha FC, 2-0.

The Indianapolis club then captured the title over Scott Gallagher (Mo.), 1-0, on a goal by Hedges in the 78th minute.  The Butler player gathered a corner kick from teammate Yogi Snider and blasted it into the net for the game-winner.

Champions from the four US Youth Soccer regions will gather at Citizens Banks Fields at Progin Park in Lancaster, Mass., and begin pool play on July 22.  The top two teams in pool play will compete for the James P. McGuire Cup on Sunday, July 26.