St. John's University Athletics
SJU Soccer Player Leads Team to National Title
7/31/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Wingert, playing for F.C. Delco Black, based in West Chester, Pa., helped the team win the Pennsylvania state championship. F.C. Delco Black then advanced to the Region I Championship (Maine to Virginia) and captured that title to reach last weekends national championships.
Four teams advanced to the Snickers United States Youth National Championships and participated in a round-robin from July 25-27. The top two teams advanced to Sundays championship game.
F.C. Delco posted a 2-0-1 record during the round robin portion, with its only tie coming against the River City Rush, based out of Sacramento, California.
In Sundays championship game, Wingerts shot from about 35 yards out just 10 minutes into the game provided the difference, giving F.C. Delco Black a 1-0 win. I caught their keeper out of position, Wingert recalled. The ball ended up knuckling a bit, and he couldnt keep up with it.
F.C. Delco and River City played to a 2-2 tie in last Fridays final round robin game, but Wingerts team was able to make his goal stand to win the national title. It was amazing, he said. Its the biggest goal Ive scored in my life. We had some more chances after that, and we had to hold them, but it stood for the rest of the game.
For Wingert, it was his first national championship in his last competition at the U-19 level.
F.C. Delco is the best club youth team in the country, so this is a pretty big deal, Wingert said. Ive been trying to go to Nationals since I was about 14-years-old. I had never been a part of a regional championship either.
We had a very strong team and won both. Its a great feeling and Im hoping to carry it over this year at St. Johns.
Wingert was a BIG EAST All-Rookie selection last year for the Red Storm. He played in 21 games, starting 20, and finished tied for sixth on the team in scoring with six assists.
The Red Storm open the season on August 31 at Indiana.
