National soccer tournament opens with early-morning deluge

Posted July 25, 2012 11:56 am | Filed under Local News, US Youth Soccer
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An early morning downpour Wednesday opened up this week’s US Youth Soccer National Championships at Rock Hill’s Manchester Meadows.

Andrew Kiel | WRHI.com
18-year-old Anna McKeown opened up the tournament signing the Star Spangled Banner at 7:27 a.m., and two minutes later, the skies opened up, but it did not turn away parents, fans and players.

This week, Rock Hill is the host city for this year’s tournament. Visitors like Ray Cook of Michigan were awed by the soccer facilities off Dave Lyle Blvd.

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Cook, his wife, and two children took a 12-hour bus ride with their son’s team — and much like Deborah Beatty and her family of Chicago, plan on doing a little sightseeing in between soccer matches.

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The tournament is free and open to the public.  If you’d like to go, parking is available in lots at the former Cactus Creek restaurant in Manchester Village and at First Baptist Church.