WAIPAHU, Oahu --- The Maui United Soccer Club 94 boys team won the under-16 division at the USYS State Cup last weekend to earn a berth in the regional tournament.
Maui United jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Mattias Thompson and Max Bowman and held on for a 2-1 victory over the Honolulu Bulls on April 18 at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.
The day before, Maui United edged long-time nemesis Rush Nike 1-0 on a second-half goal by Thompson.
This year's Far West regional tournament will be held June 21-27 in Albuquerque, N.M.
It will mark the third straight year that a Maui United team qualified for the event as a state champion --- the MUSC 94 girls did it in 2008 and the 96 boys did so last season.
Two other Valley Isle teams suffered heartbreaking losses in their respective finals.
The MUSC 97 boys gave up a pair of late goals in a 3-2 setback against the Bulls in the U13 championship match and the U12 Excel boys dropped a 2-0 overtime decision to Abunai.
The defending champion Maui United 96 finished second in the under-14 division.
Also competing in this year's State Cup were Maui United's U16 girls and U11 boys, Excel's and Manuia's U14 girls, Pookela's U13 girls and Pono's U12 girls.
