United We Win

Central Indiana has seen several local talents drafted by the NBA in recent years. Football talents make up several roster spots for major colleges across the country. And with so many that have Hoosier ties to the Beijing Summer Olympics this month, Indiana has become a hotbed for finding talented student-athletes. But there's another sport gaining recognition nationally because of local talent: boys soccer. Zionsville's A.J. Corrado scored a huge goal in the 52nd minute to guide Carmel United to a 1-0 victory against PDA (Zarephath, N.J.) in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy's under-16 championship game. Carmel United (25-2-7) finished with the best record among 64 teams in its division, securing the national title. Zionsville junior Harrison Petts and Greenwood's Austin Oldham were selected to the academy's starting 11. The all-Great Lakes Conference team also includes Corrado and Carmel's Michael Wignot. While girls teams have advanced in this tournament recently, this was the first boys team to accomplish the feat in two decades - and the first to win a title. U.S. Soccer introduced the academy last fall to enhance player development. The U.S. was divided into eight leagues of eight teams. Over 170 players tried out for Carmel United. For the tournament, the roster was set at 22. In addition to Corrado, Petts, Oldham and Wignot, Brebeuf's Jon Dawson and Carmel's Andrew Moor competed as goalkeepers. International's Ade Oluyedun was one of the team's primary scorers. Players might pay up to $5,000 to participate with the club - and some are awarded scholarships. The investment is worth it to many involved, though, considering the national attention, college recruiters and publicity involved. Be on the lookout this fall, as VYPE will dig deeper into the growing sport of soccer in Central Indiana in the pages of the magazine.