Youth scene: Soccer teams ‘plumb’ elite
Mike Plumb has twin 11-year-olds, Jason and AJ. The boys aren’t identical, but they sure are duplicating the same type of success with two Corona del Mar under-12 AYSO Region 57 soccer teams.
Their dad has led the way. Plumb is the coach of the teams Jason and AJ play for the CdM Galaxy and the CdM All-Stars.
Father and sons have two big upcoming tournaments, the AYSO Section 11 League Tournament and the AYSO Section 11 All-Star Tournament. Both are on the same site, the Chapman Sports Park in Garden Grove, but on different weekends.
The first one is the AYSO Section 11 League Tournament, which runs Saturday through Sunday. The Galaxy advanced to the eight-team tournament after winning the AYSO Area 11 Q title in January. The team opens with South Gate on Saturday at 11:45 a.m. on field No. 3.
Jason and AJ played instrumental roles in the Galaxy (16-1) reaching this stage of the season for the second straight season. Jason is the team’s goal scorer, recording 33, and AJ, a midfielder, has set up many of those chances.
While the Galaxy has scored a combined 65 goals in 17 matches, Plumb’s teams are built on defense first. His Galaxy defense has only allowed 15 goals.
Plumb said the other boys are as valuable to the team as his own kids. The other key members on the Galaxy are Logan Ip, Chase Habermehl, Charlie Hutchinson, Tyler Duss, Jon Paul Cernich, Bodie Kelsey, Grant Trider, Cole Junge, Jake Melcer, Kian Makoui, Kamdin Makoui and Ryan Martin.
Three players, the Plumb twins, and Ip, are also on the CdM All-Star team, which resumes play on Feb. 21, the first day of the two-day AYSO Section 11 All-Star Tournament.
This team is on a roll, outscoring six opponents, 36-1, during its AYSO Area 11 Q All-Star title run last month. The CdM All-Stars defeated Tustin, 7-0, in its final match of the seven-team tournament at Andersen Elementary.
“I have coached in AYSO for seven years, including All-Star teams that advanced to the section tournament last year and the year prior, but this is the best team I have ever coached,” Plumb said. “A lot of really talented kids that respond very well to coaching and play well together as a team. I couldn’t ask for a better group of kids.”
Every player on the CdM All-Stars has found the back of the net, including goalkeeper Christopher Sonntag. He played out in the field in the team’s last match.
The leading scorers for the CdM All-Stars are two strikers, Hudson Bond and Jason, who have eight apiece. The team is stacked, with Austin Floriani, Will Gooding and Patrick Beemer in the back, Chandler Touchard and Ip as defensive midfielders, Ryan Bartz, Jack Johnston and AJ as midfielders, and Tanner Touchard at forward.
“If they play to their potential,” said Plumb, who has led three CdM teams to the AYSO Section 11 All-Star Tournament, “they have a solid chance to win the tournament.”