Villadom Sports October 26, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 11 This summer, the Mahwah Raiders U-16 Boys’ Soccer team traveled to Cesenatico, Italy to participate in the 2011 Italy Cup Soccer Tournament. This was the first trip overseas for many of the boys. In the months leading up to the trip, parents, coaches, and team members held several fundraisers to help defray the cost of the trip, including a game against the New York Red Bulls U-16 Academy team. The team appreciates the support of local businesses, parents, coaches, and members of the community who supported these fundraising efforts. The team had a great trip, played well, and finished in fourth place out of 16 teams. They played teams from Sweden, the United States, Denmark, and Greece. Cheering them on were parents, family members, and coaches. In their free time, the boys were able to meet soccer players from many more countries. They also enjoyed spending time on the beaches of the beautiful town of Igea Marina, located on the Adriatic Coast, where they stayed. The team was also able to do some sightseeing in Pisa and Florence prior to the start of the tournament. “This trip was a fantastic opportunity for our boys to play international soccer as well as experience some European culture,” Coach George Kayal said. The trip was a great experience for these high school soccer players. The boys all agree that the memories from the trip with last a lifetime. Raiders participate in Italy Cup Soccer Tournament Back row: Coach Dean Wells, Devin DeCandia, Jordan Kayal, Charles Scully, Andrew D’Angelo, Chris Coates, James Kayal, Brian Pupel, Ethan Meyers, Chris Bazzini, and Coach George Kayal. Front row: Adam Reckseit, Hunter Mashig, Paolo Avantifiori, Dave Ingersoll, Michael Giambalvo, and Matt Busch.