- December 24, 2024
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Matanzas junior Diego Bernardi has made Puerto Rico's U-17 national soccer team. Bernardi is among 20 players who were chosen out of 47 in a tryout camp.
"It was a good experience," he said. "I had to fly over there. The weather was different. We had nine training sessions over five days, two and a half hours each. At the end of the day, it was all worth it."
Bernardi will now compete with the team in the U-17 CONCACAF Qualifiers tournament Aug. 31 to Sept. 8 at IMG Academy in Bradenton. Puerto Rico will compete in Group B with Aruba, Martinique, Anguilla and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The group winner will advance to the U-17 CONCACAF Championship with the 16 top seeds and the three other qualifying group winners.
"This is my first international tournament, and I get to represent Puerto Rico for my family," said Bernardi, who was selected as a defender. "It's a big thing. I'm a little nervous, but I'm ready to do my best."
Many of the players on the team were born in the states and are of Puerto Rican descent. Bernardi was born in Puerto Rico and lived there for eight years.
The players are scheduled to arrive in Bradenton on Aug. 28 for three days of practice before their first tournament game on Aug. 31 against the U.S. Virgin Islands.
"This is my first international tournament, and I get to represent Puerto Rico for my family. It's a big thing. I'm a little nervous, but I'm ready to do my best."
— DIEGO BERNARDI
"I'm pretty sure we have enough talent," Bernardi said. "We have a good system of coaches. I liked the interaction I had with all the other players. Everyone boosts each other up whenever someone makes a mistake. It's a fun environment."
Ten cross country teams competed in the Pirate Preseason Cross Country Relays on Aug. 20 at Matanzas. Runners ran two- and three-person relays in boys, girls and mixed categories.
"It's intended to be a fun end-of-the-summer meet," Matanzas coach Tim Kane said. "This is the only meet of its kind in the state."
This is the second year the Pirates held the relays. Kane let his runners pick their teams and what races they wanted to run in. He said many of the other schools did the same. The awards were imprinted batons for the first-, second- and third-place teams in each race.
Matanzas had one team win batons. Seniors Zach Spooner, Andrew Hatten and Jaden Smith finished third in the boys' three-person relay.
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