Indianapolis Star 6/25/04 article on Indy Burn

Serving Hamilton and Boone counties and areas of Madison and Marion counties

Drake Gadberry is one of seven members of the Indy Premier Burn Eagles who are Indiana Olympic Development Program all-state picks. -- Joe Vitti / The Star

When Drew Kelsey scored a direct-kick goal from near midfield, it did more than give the Pike Soccer Club's Indy Burn Premier Eagles a 2-1 overtime victory over Arsenal '90.

The June 6 game at Lawrence Park also gave the under-14 team its third straight Indiana Youth Soccer Association State Cup and marked the 100th victory in three years for Kelsey, several of his teammates and coach Isang Jacob.

"Three things -- hard work, dedication and commitment -- pulled this team through the state cup in the past three years," Jacob said. "They have given me back everything I've asked of them."

On the same day, the Pike Soccer Club's under-14 girls team, the Indy Burn Pumas, won its first Chevy Cup state tournament by defeating the Noblesville Rowdies 2-0.

The Eagles advance to the Region 2 tournament of the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship Series, which begins today in Rockford, Ill.

The team -- No. 18 nationally on gotsoccer.com's boys under-14 rankings -- has seven Indiana Olympic Development Program all-state selections. They are Brad Foulke, Drake Gadberry, Ray Gaddis, Matt Hedges, Adam Mills, Babalakin Omosegbon and Jonathon Snider.

"We have a lot of exceptional players," Kelsey said.

Jacob received the youth soccer association's Coach of the Year honor.

"I am quite honored and humbled to be the coach of the year," he said. "It's one of the highest honors I've received. These are fine young men. That is my goal."

Jacob, a native of Nigeria along with Omosegbon, will coach Warren Central High School's varsity boys in the fall.

The Pumas and their coach, Mike Morrison, have come a long way. Four years ago, when this group got together as an under-11 team, it won just six or seven games. This year, the team has won more than 30 games, including the Chevy Cup.

"It's a total turnaround," Morrison said. "The state championship was a culmination of four years of hard work by these girls. It was very symbolic. It shows hard work pays off."

The Pumas play in the AA-level of the Greater Indiana Regional Soccer League.

"I've prepared them as well as they need to be for high school soccer and club soccer in the summer," Morrison said. "They are ready to play at the highest level of soccer they can achieve."