LV team to play for U.S. crown

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, July 17, 2002 | 8:49 a.m.

Tyneside United conquered the 13-team Las Vegas Premier soccer league, but it won't be satisfied unless it brings a national championship to Las Vegas.

"We're all excited," midfielder Phillip Detmer said after Tyneside became one of four teams to qualify for this weekend's men's open National Cup tournament in Oakford, Pa. "We want to do well and make a name for ourselves and the state.

"We have always been overshadowed by the California teams. Growing up, playing against them, it was difficult to compete with them."

Now the team with a 20-0-1 Premier league record will see how it matches up against the rest of the country.

"It's a big deal. It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Detmer said. "I've played soccer most of my life and I've never competed in a national tournament until now."

To reach the National Cup, Tyneside United beat two California teams, one from Utah and another from Colorado to win the Region IV championship.

Tyneside will play the Region II champion, the AAS Eagles of Chicago, on Friday. The winner advances to play for the national title against the winner between Region I and Region III.

Detmer, a former Bishop Gorman High School and UNLV player, founded the team last year with Jeff Canarelli, a Green Valley High graduate who played for St. Mary's College.

The friends took over the Las Vegas Arsenal team to form Tyneside United. The team is named after Canarelli's favorite English Premier team, Newcastle United, formerly known as Tyneside United.

Despite missing the last nine regular-season games with a knee injury, Canarelli led the team with 15 goals in 12 games. Detmer was second with 11 goals and first in assists (17), followed by Alberto Zermeno with 10 goals. Goalkeepers Emmet Meilbrecht and Kenny Tewsley allowed just 13 goals in league play.

While sidelined, Canarelli continued as the team's coach and played sparingly in the regionals.

"It's a great way to come back," he said. "No team in Las Vegas has done this, so everyone is excited about the opportunity to win a national championship."

Detmer and Canarelli hope this year's World Cup, in which the U.S. team surpassed expectations, will help increase soccer's popularity here. Canarelli said 10 Tyneside players work as Las Vegas youth coaches.

"Soccer is growing," Canarelli said. "The players on our team are doing everything we can to promote the game. The majority of the team grew up playing youth soccer in Las Vegas. In the U.S., it's very difficult to make a living at it. We'd like to see more money and support for the game."

The team is seeking sponsors to help with travel expenses. Anyone interested may call Detmer at 401-6888.