Development Academy: Virginia Rush looking to build off showcase

By Jimmy LaRoue

Virginia Rush’s Development Academy teams will try to use the momentum from the 2012 Winter Showcase as it resumes Atlantic Division play this weekend when they host NJSA 04 Saturday.

Rush’s U-16s, who entered the showcase at 1-5-1, went 1-1-1 in the showcase, with the highlight being a 7-0 win over Met Oval Juventus. Rush also tied St. Louis Scott Gallagher Metro 2-2.

Rush’s U-18s had two wins and a tie in three showcase matches, 4-0 and 6-0 shutouts of St. Louis Scott Gallagher Metro and Met Oval Juventus and a 1-1 tie against Texas Rush. Those represented Rush’s first two wins of the 2012-13 season, as Robert Kerby had a breakout performance in Florida.

In other local action, McLean Youth Soccer is hosting the Richmond Kickers, who in turn will host NJSA 04 Sunday. McLean’s U-18s are 7-4-2 and tightly bunched near the top of the Atlantic Division standings. The Kickers’ U-18s are 3-6-2.

McLean’s U-16s are 3-8-2, while the Kickers’ U-16s are 2-8-1.

These games will be the last for academy teams for about a month, and no local clubs will be in action until Jan. 27, when the Kickers host Rush.