The Aiken Fire was extinguished in the end, but not before the local soccer team blazed another successful trail in the United States Youth Soccer Association Southeast Regional tournament last week.
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Vying for a second consecutive trip to the USYSA National Tournament, Aiken's 16-and-under boys select team advanced to the regional final July 1 in Greensboro, N.C., before dropping a heartbreaking 1-0 decision to the Dallas Texans.
Coached by Justin Rhodes, the Fire defeated teams from Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma to advance to the USYSA Elite Eight before falling short of a trip to Washington later this month for the Final Four.
The team advanced to the Final Four in the 15-and-under division last summer.
During their recent run, the Fire got great goaltending from Mike Gustavson, and solid team defense and goal scoring from Jamal Geathers, Stephen Rumble, Eric Baffour and Rob Sucher.
KIDS GOLF: Three area youth golfers qualified for the U.S. Kids World Golf Championships, to be held July 30-Aug. 2 at Williamsburg National Golf Club in Williamsburg, Va. The event will be televised on The Golf Channel.
Blake Hadden of North Augusta won the South Carolina state title in the 9-year-old division with a nine-hole score of 37 at Fort Jackson Golf Course in Columbia.
Jake Carter won the South Carolina boys 4- to 6-year-old division with 38, while McKenzie Talbert captured the girls 4-8 division with 37.
The U.S. Kids Golf Georgia championship will be held today at River Pines Golf Club in Alpharetta.
For more information on the U.S. Kids Golf program, go to www.uskidsgolf.com.
SWIMMINGLY WELL: As the Aiken Augusta Swim League gears up for this weekend's CSRA All-Star meet at Augusta Aquatics Center and the state championship meet at the Georgia Games, more honors are on the way for two dozen ASL athletes.
The swimmers will be honored at the Georgia All-Star Ceremony on July 19 at Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta.
Swimmers qualify for All Stars by posting at least one National AAA time during the 2002 Long Course or 2002-03 Short Course seasons.
The ASL All-Stars are: Chris Rogers, Josh Andrews, Martin Kata, Tedd Torgesen, Cheryl Durden, Chris Lietzow, Christian Kata, Alex Rogers, Ryan Freed, C.J. Hendry, Katie York, Rebekah Moody, Ginny Millar, Trey Charlton, Megan Greely, Whitney Fletcher, Laura Beth Thomas, Alisa Kasraii, Mary Catherine Ivey, Richard Droghini, Justin Kata, Chloe Kirby, Jamie Pelfry, Britt Roaden and Sharon Rogers.
"This is the largest contingent of athletes in several years that ASL has sent to the All-Stars, and we are very proud of them," ASL head coach and Director Ken Heis said.
Reach Rob Mueller at (706) 823-3425.
