During the recent Holiday Season the Pittsburgh Riverhounds hosted their 3^rd Annual Holiday Classic Tournaments at the Greentree SportsPlex. Over 90 teams from the Tri-State area participated in the three-day event, making the SportsPlex the place to be to watch the area’s most talented players showcase their abilities.

The Holiday Classic included two different tournaments, kicked off by the high-paced 3v3 and wrapped up by a physical, yet sophisticated 6v6. These two events were exciting for players, coaches, spectators and staff members who were all in attendance.

The layout of multiple fields for the 3v3 Classic creates an atmosphere of intense action every 20 minutes.  The tight playing dimensions encourage imagination and creativity from each player looking to excite the crowd with the up-tempo pace set each time the whistle blows.

The two-day event was broken up into morning and afternoon pool play that determined which teams advanced into the single elimination playoff brackets.  The tournament saw a total of 4 different age groups compete in their guaranteed matches. 

On a frigid December morning, the U-8/9 girls and boys age groups braved the gusty winds and snow flurries to open the Classic with multiple nail-biting moments, highlighted by a penalty shootout in the boy’s finals match.  As the tournament moved into the afternoon, the U-10/11 girls’ teams heated up the SportPlex and competed at a rapid pace, while setting a standard for the upcoming boy’s teams who followed.  The boys rounded up match day one with some thrilling scores and unbelievable soccer action.

Match day two began with sixteen U-12/13 girls teams playing on all four fields.  The girls enhanced the tournament’s soccer savvy with a speed of play yet to be seen during the Classic.  The afternoon age groups comprised of the U-12/13 boys and the U-14/15 girls impressed the Riverhounds Staff with their fitness level, by playing multiple back-to-back matches and raising the quality of soccer on display.  The night cap saw the boys add the intense and physical aspects of the sport making each match extremely important to earn the points needed for the coveted playoff berth.

6v6 Classic Recap

The final two match days of the Classic saw the 6v6 bring creativity and physicality to each match.  The two turf fields within the SportPlex provide the young soccer stars the opportunity to excite the crowd with a stadium-like atmosphere. 

The Classic’s match day three began with the U-14/15 girls competing to earn as many points as possible in each match.  The sense of urgency to receive the critical rest during the first round of the playoffs was felt by all who were in attendance. 

The girl’s playoff rounds bred an intense environment for the players and coaches alike. The two semi-final matches varied in style as Santa’s Helpers knocked off Plum Purple Haze and the Bah Humbugs scrapped past the Hotspurs.  Santa’s Helpers earned the championship medals by pulling away from the Bah Humbugs in the final ten minutes.

Match day four of the Classic witnessed the boys U-16/17 age group improve the quality of soccer inside the Plex. The physical size and play of the teams added a new flavor to the Classic, allowing for powerful strikes, strong tackles and quick counter attacks.

Three of the six teams competing for the championship medals were playing up in age.  Every side battled to the last whistle and displayed high levels of soccer maturity and comprehension to the style of play required to reach the finals.

Century United and Storm exchanged equal blows during their semi-final match, with a goal called back for the Storm and Century’s give and go inside the box ended in the shot sailing just over the bar.  The end result was a penalty shootout, seeing Storm advance by converting three to Century’s one.

Storm, riding the high from the semi-final shootout, handed Junior Fire their first loss in the Classic and walked away with a deciding victory in the finals.

On behalf of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, thank you for your participation in the Classic.   

Keep Kicking It!!

John Rotz, Director of Tournament Operations