FC Sonic Head Coach, Dave “Weitie” Weitzman, has been selected to coach the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) All-Star team alongside NPSL Technical Director, Matt Driver.
Weitzman will be with the All-Stars for a week as they travel to Madison, Ala. and Atlanta, Ga. to showcase the league’s talent.
While in Madison, Weitzman’s All-Stars will challenge the host city’s NPSL team, Rocket City United, to an exhibition match. Aside from playing host to the All-Stars, Madison will also be the site for the 2011 NPSL semi-finals and championship game.
This will be Weitzman’s second time coaching soccer in Madison in as many years. Last year, his FC Sonic squad won the Northeast division earning them the right to travel to Madison and compete for the NPSL national championship. Unfortunately, FC Sonic was unable to bring home a championship but Weitzman is excited to be back.
“It has been a wonderful honor to be down here assisting and co-coaching with Matt Driver for the last week,” remarked Weitzman.
Weitzman is not the sole All-Star representative for FC Sonic, joining him is midfielder, Cody Antonini.
“Cody is a great player, he’s a two-time All-American from Muhlenberg College and has been with our organization for the past three years,” said Weitzman. “Everyone in our organization thinks very highly of him. He’s very sound technically and works hard to comply with his defensive responsibilities. He can play multiple positions, has a great head on his shoulders and is overall just a great kid.”
After their weekend in Madison, Weitzman and the All-Stars will travel to Atlanta where they will play the Atlanta Silverbacks of the North American Soccer League (NASL). The NASL represents the second tier of the US professional soccer pyramid. Their league is just one step under Major League Soccer (MLS) and is comparable to Major League Baseball’s (MLB) AAA league in respects to professional baseball’s league hierarchy.
The NPSL All-Star team is a great way for players to gain exposure and experience playing against “next-level” competition. Many of the league’s players aspire to play soccer at the highest level, either for an MLS team or for one of the other premier-level professional clubs around the world.
“Having the NPSL do the things they have done over the past year such as the All-Star week and giving our kids the opportunity to play against NASL teams has been been great for our league and its players,” explained Weitzman. “These events will improve our teams and give our players more exposure throughout the country and I believe the league is doing a great job at the administrative level.”

According to Weitzman, FC Sonic as an organization also benefits from the exposure generated by events such as NPSL’s All-Star Week. Aside from their players and coaches gaining professional experience, youth clubs and organizations associated with FC Sonic also reap the rewards.
“[FC Sonic] has been distributing free tickets to come see our games within our surrounding communities including Easton, Bethlehem, Allentown and beyond,” said Weitzman. “ We hope that young soccer players will come out and watch players like Antonini and former FC Sonic All-Stars Ricky Mucelli and James Graf so that they can emulate the things those players do on the field and aspire to be as good, if not better than them.”
This season, FC Sonic (9 wins, 1 loss, 2 ties) narrowly missed contending for an NPSL national championship two seasons in a row. They finished second in the Northeast-Keystone conference, just two points behind 2011 NPSL third-place winners, Erie Admirals.
With a strong foundation in place and quality players and coaches leading the way, FC Sonic is looking forward to the 2012 season and has already begun the pursuit of a national championship.
Written By: Ulises Terrones

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh head men’s soccer coach Dean Koski has named Ryan Hess as a new assistant coach, rounding out the current staff of Koski, Michael Benn and Michael O’Connell. Hess comes to Lehigh from nearby Moravian College where he enjoyed a standout playing and coaching career, with a coaching stint at Muhlenberg sandwiched in between. He is also a captain for local FC Sonic, a team which features a number of Mountain Hawks’ players.

2011 Camp Registration

2011 Camp Release

Date: Monday, August 8th through Thursday, August 11th, 2011

Location: Iron Lakes Sports Dome - www.ironlakessportsclub.com

Costs: $130.00 Per Person

Camp is limited to High School Boys only and 40 players maximum.

Stay tuned for updates on FC Sonic’s playoff hopes…

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/ac-crusaders-lose-third-game-in-row/article_cb4be5f8-aaaf-11e0-b901-001cc4c03286.html

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – The downside of what began as a good first season continued for the AC Crusaders soccer team on Saturday at Egg Harbor Township High School.

FC Sonic, the leading team in the National Premier Soccer League’s Northeast-Keystone Conference, edged the Crusaders 1-0, the third loss in a row for AC after a 4-0-3 start. FC Sonic, of Bethlehem, Pa., is 8-1-2 and tops the Keystone with 26 points.

The only goal came on a penalty kick by FC Sonic center midfielder Ryan Hess in the 20th minute of the second half. Hess blasted one into the right corner as Crusaders goalie Tim Van Liew dove the other way. The PK was called when Crusaders midfielder Rich Stone took down Sonic forward Luis Devia inside the 18-yard line.

“We tied AC last time (2-2 on June 4) so we knew it would be a tough game,” said Hess, 24, a former player at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa. “They came out strong, but I think the goal hurt their spirits.”

There’s nothing complicated about the Northeast-Keystone Conference playoff system, because the team with the most points is the only one to advance. The top Keystone team plays the No. 1 team in the Northeast-Atlantic Conference, and the winner advances to the NPSL’s Final Four in late July in Madison, Ala.

“We had a lot of good chances in the first half, but that’s something that’s happened much of the season,” said Barry Lynch, the Crusaders’ co-coach with Nenad Gorgiev.

Sonic coach Dave Weitzman pointed out many players who led to the win.

“AC is a very good team and they really challenged us in the first 20 minutes,” Weitzman said. “Hess really came through for us, with his veteran leadership, and (goalie) Charlie Sales made some huge saves. Lou Devia created the opportunity that led to the penalty kick. (Forward) Chris Roell did a good job getting pressure. AC committed forward and we countered with Justin Kamine. He got his head on everything in the second half.”

Van Liew (six saves) made a big one-handed stop in the 30th minute. A Sonic shot went off the right post in the 40th minute and AC midfielder Billy Swetra cleared out a loose ball. AC’s Rodney Aguirre booted on from in close early in the second half, and Sales made the stop. Sales made a good save on Swetra in the 62nd minute. Roell sent a high shot on goal in the 69th minute, and Van Liew got a hand up and made the save.

“It was frustrating because we had a lot of chances in the first half,” said Crusaders forward Edward Campbell, 22, a junior at Lindsey Wilson College (Ky.). “It was hard for us to get forward once they put six men behind the ball defensively.”

The Crusaders play at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the New Jersey Blaze in South Brunswick, and host the Pocono Snow at 6 p.m. Saturday in the season’s final game.

“Our guys have played well this year, and we may bring in a few new guys next year to strengthen us.” Lynch said.

After the convincing shutout of Buffalo on Friday night, FC Sonic turned their attention to taking on an undefeated Erie team in a Sunday matinee on June 26 at Lehigh’s Ulrich Stadium. Two weeks earlier, at Erie, the Admirals got the best of Sonic with a goal in the 88th minute for a 1-0 win.

From the outset of Sunday’s match, Sonic head coach Dave Weitzman felt that his team did not have their legs under them after the tough match against Buffalo. Erie began creating good chances, but failed to convert as Sonic goalkeeper Charlie Sales was a stalwart in the net. In the middle of the half, Weitzman replaced forward Shastri Spencer with the UCSB bound Chris Roell, with the hope that Roell would help the team maintain some possession time. The move paid off, as just seconds before the halftime whistle, Roell took a ball deep on the flank, out-muscled and faked out an Erie defender and hit captain Ryan Hess with a pinpoint pass. Hess drew the next Erie defender and slipped the ball to Lehigh forward Joe Puleo on his left, and Puleo took one touch and put the ball under Erie’s keeper for a 1-0 Sonic lead.

The second half saw Erie dominate play, determined to knot the score. Despite waves of offensive thrusts, the Sonic defense and keeper Sales were resolute, denying Erie the equalizer. Finally, the inevitable occurred, and Erie’s Oliver Gage scored in the 77th minute to tie the game. Erie continued its pressure, until a Sonic counter in the 88th minute. The Sonic’s Cody Antonini, late of Muhlenberg College, found back Jordie Ciuffetelli (Lehigh University)making a long run out of the back and got the ball to him. Ciuffetelli’s first touch was not ideal, but the Admiral defender was unable to clear the ball, and Ciufetteli gathered it up and beat the Erie keeper for the gamewinner.

After the game, Ciuffetelli said “I could have done better on my first touch, but I stayed with the play, pounced on the ball and put it in.” Coach Weitzman observed, “Jordie is a competitor who hates to lose. He took it upon himself to make a long run, looking to score, and he made it happen. I have a lot of confidence in Jordie and the rest of the team. It’s like coaching an all star team; the players make the coach look good.”

Next on tap for FC Sonic is a home match against local foe Pocono Snow on July 1 at 730pm. On July 9, the Sonic travel to Atlantic City to take on the undefeated Crusaders, hopefully with first place at stake.

The Sonic had defeated Buffalo 1-0 on the Blitzers home pitch two weeks ago, and the visitors were determined to turn the tables this time. Nevertheless, toward the end of a very even first half, the Sonic’s Shastri Spencer sent a fine ball to forward Joe Puleo to create a one-on-one situation with the Buffalo keeper. Puleo got the better of it by placing a fine shot off the far post and in for a 1-0 lead in the 34th minute. Sonic captain Ryan Hess added a goal via penalty kick in the 39th minute, and midfielder Sean Baker chipped the ball over the keeper and scored his first ever NPSL goal in the 90th minute to cap off the scoring. Sonic netminder Tony Hernandez made several fine saves to secure a clean sheet.

The win keeps FC Sonic near the top of the table in the NPSL Keystone Conference, with a key matchup with the undefeated Erie Admirals ahead on Sunday, June 26 at 430pm at Lehigh’s Ulrich Sports Complex. The winner of that game will remain firmly in the battle for first place in the conference.

From the start of the match, it was all Sonic, all the time. The Blaze were outmanned and outgunned, and the Lehigh Valley side showed no mercy. The first half included Sonic scores by Justine Kamine and Joe Puleo, as well as a well placed direct kick tally by captain Ryan Hess, for a 3-0 halftime lead. Second half action brought more of the same, as Sonic super sub Ryan Wetherhold (Parkland HS/Lafayette College) celebrated twice after a couple of slick goals, and a late score by stalwart Cody Antonini finished off the Blaze at 6-0.

The Sonic goal explosion was tempered a bit by some disappointing news. Midfielder Dan Odenwelder (Moravian Academy/Lehigh University) is out indefinitely, having needed surgery for a broken nose suffered in last weekend’s match at Erie. Even worse, forward Todd Ervin found out this week that his season is over, as he faces shoulder surgery, the result of an injury at Buffalo last Sunday. The bad news was softened a bit, as forward Joe Sales reported that he is recovering from a hamstring injury, and he hopes to return to the lineup soon.

“As has happened before, the Erie/Buffalo road trip took a bit of a toll on the team, both physically and in the standings, but the boys rebounded nicely tonight,” said team president Fred Stellato. “With the injury losses, the depth of the squad will be tested over the next few weeks. Tonight, the likes of Justine Kamine and Ryan Wetherhold stepped up and showed that they can carry on for their sidelined mates,” Stellato added.

Coach Weitzman was happy with the play of the entire roster after the match, but he knows that the next two home games hold the key to the Sonic season. He remarked, “We must knock off both Buffalo and Erie and get the six points next weekend, and I’m confident that the boys are up to the challenge.”

On Friday, June 24, Buffalo rolls into Bethlehem, looking to make up for last week’s loss to the local side. And on Sunday afternoon, June 26, Erie invades the Lehigh pitch, with the Sonic boys poised for revenge after last weekend’s last minute loss to the Admirals. Both home matches are destined to be battles to the end, and the Lehigh Valley will be treated to top shelf soccer as staying at the top of the Keystone Conference standings will be at stake for all three teams.

SONIC GOALS: Kamine, Hess, Puleo, Wetherhold (2), Antonini

ASSISTS: Spencer, Barnold, Roell, Famili

The Sonic, playing without center back Collin Costello (formerly of Freedom HS), moved Dan Odenwelder (Lehigh University) to the back line and brought in Nate Squire (Muhlenberg College) to solidify the central midfield. The locals controlled the first fifteen minutes of the match on a rainy and cold (58 degrees) night as Muhlenberg’s Cody Antonini sailed an early shot just over the crossbar and Shastri Spencer created two strong scoring chances with crosses that were cleared for corner kicks. The match became very physical and not many calls went the way of the Sonic side. The teams traded opportunities and went into the halftime knotted at zero.

Admiral forward and leading scorer, Afrim Latifi, was frustrated on the night and was issued a yellow card for dissent in the second half. Some minutes later, the Sonic’s Odenwelder went up to clear an Admirals flighted ball and took a knock that sent him off for the remainder of the match.

Finally, in the 88^th minute and after two fantastic chances by Sonic, one being a Toric Robinson blast that was headed off the line by defender Mike Kennedy, the Admirals took a throw in resulting in the ball bouncing around in the Sonic box, begging to be cleared.  The ball eventually fell to Erie’s Brian Fitzgerald who smashed the ball into the back of the net just to the right of outstretched Sonic keeper Charlie Sales. The Sonic valiantly put together a final few good opportunities before the referee blew the whistle on an Erie win.

Desperately needing to stay near the top of the Keystone Conference table, the Sonic then traveled to Buffalo NY on June 12 to take on the Blitzers at All-High Stadium – more well known as the stadium in the movie ”The Natural” – and one of the best venues in the NPSL. Sonic came out flying and, in the 6^th minute, Lehigh’s Joe Puleo scored the eventual game winner off a Todd Ervin pass, beating the Buffalo keeper high and to his right with a left footed blast. In the second half of another physical game, Ervin had to come off the pitch with a shoulder injury. Sean Baker (Salisbury HS / U. of Richmond) made his Sonic debut late in the match and nearly gave Sonic a second goal with a fine scoring effort. Nevertheless, the Puleo tally held up for a 1-0 Sonic victory.

Overall, Coach Weitzman was pleased with the effort from the boys. “I wish we had not conceded the three points to Erie, as we were hoping to come away with at least one point from that game. We also lost a few players to injury, and we are unsure of when they might return to action. A week’s rest followed by four consecutive home games will be nice so we can regroup for the second half of the season,” said Weitzman.

The NPSL Keystone Conference is crowded at the top. FC Sonic currently sits in first place at 4-1-1 and with 13 points. The Erie Admirals are in second place with a 4-0-0 record and with 12 points (two games in hand). The Reading Revolution sit in third place with 12 points and a record of 4-0-2, including a loss to Erie. AC Crusaders are in fourth place with a 3-0-1 record and 10 points (two games in hand).

Next FC Sonic Lehigh Valley match is Friday, June 17, at Lehigh University Ulrich Soccer Stadium against the NJ Blaze at 7:30pm.

SONIC vs. Erie: Sales C., Barnold, Odenwelder (Puleo), Ciuffetelli, Schwab, Robinson, Hess, Squire, Spencer (Whitmeyer), Ervin (McIntyre), Antonini

SONIC vs. Buffalo: Hernandez, Barnold, Squire, Ciuffetelli, Schwab, Robinson, Hess, Ervin (Wetherhold), Puleo (McIntyre), Antonini, Whitmeyer (Spencer/Baker)

As of 6.13.11 -

Goals:

Puleo (3)

Hess (2)

Costello, Barnold, Roell, Sales J.,Ervin, Antonini (1)

Assists:

Ciuffetelli (4), Spencer (3), Hess (2), Costello, Ervin (1)

Saves:

Sales C. – 13

Hernandez – 10

Shutouts: 3 – Hernandez (1) / Sales (2)

Goals Against: 6 (2 US Open Cup Qualifier)

Goals for: 11 (1 US Open Cup Qualifier)

* Costello’s goal was in the US Open Cup Qualifier & Ciuffetelli assisted on the goal