U-16 Strikers Academy hold Crew to a 1-1 draw
 
The Richmond Strikers U-16 Academy team took to the field against a talented and confident Columbus Crew team on a cold February morning. The Crew team controlled possession of the ball in the first ten minutes of the game but the Strikers were able to hold off their opponent until the 26th minute. The Crew got on the score board after a good solo run from their left midfielder who dribbled by two Strikers defenders before crossing the ball into the box where a Strikers player kicked the ball in the back of his own net. The Strikers Boys found the equalizer in the 40th minute of play through a Nathan Shiffman blast from distance. Co-captain Shiffman picked up a loose ball in the midfield, checked the goalkeeper, saw him off his line, and let go a vicious 40 yard lob that was too good for the Crew goalie to handle.

Both teams created good goal scoring opportunities in the second half, but because of two good defensive units combined with poor finishing the contest ended 1-1.
 

U-18 Strikers Academy team too hot for Crew in 3-0 win
 
The Richmond Strikers dominated the visiting Crew U18 team, right from the start. Crisp passes and fluid off the ball movement by the Strikers put the Crew team on their heels from the very first whistle. The visitors succumbed to the Strikers pressure in the 36th minute by scoring an own goal.  Despite continued pressure from the Strikers, the score remained 1-0 at half time.
In the second half, strikes from Will Bates and Brian Wharton, put the game completely out of reach and secured the team's eighth victory of the season. The dangerous Bates linked up well with midfield maestro Robert Medairos who played a deep pass in behind the Crew defense where Bates took two touches and drilled the ball past the outstretched Crew goalkeeper. Just before the final whistle, Wharton flicked on a header to Bates in the midfield.  Bates dismissed two crew defenders before sending a neat pass to find an onrushing Wharton who made no mistake from 10 yards out.  Crew had a glorious chance to get a consolation goal in the 90th minute, but goalkeeper Jake Harmartz pulled off a spectacular diving save to secure a clean sheet for his team. 
 

U-16 Strikers Academy gain 3-0 Win over Ohio Elite
 
After a positive result against Crew on Saturday the Richmond Strikers U-16 team took on Ohio Elite Academy Soccer team one day later.

The Orange and white could have made it 1-0 in the first minute after combining five consecutive passes Co-captain Nathan Shiffman's low 30 yard shot forced the Ohio keeper to make a good save.  Four minutes later Shiffman, who had a very good game, found striker Bobby McDonnell whose right foot drive from the top of the box beat the Crew goalkeeper for a 1-0 lead. In the 16th minute, McDonnell thought he had scored his second.  After some fancy footwork by Carl Weber, the strikers hard shot was saved but McDonnell finished the rebound but was flagged offside by the assistant referee.
In the 18th minute, the Strikers worked the ball to their right midfielder Oral "Pops" Richards who danced his way around the Ohio left back before picking out Nicholas Wright who only needed one touch to make it 2-0.

Carl Weber would make it 3-0 for the Strikers in the 30th minute after Shiffman served him a delicious ball where the utility man capitalized on to put the game out of reach for the visitors.

The Strikers made seven substitutions in the second half where the fresher players did enough to maintain the 3-0 lead and walked away with three well earned points.  
 
 
Will Bates' hat trick sinks U-18 Ohio Elite Academy
 
The U-18 Richmond Strikers academy team started out very slow against a feisty Ohio Elite team in their second game in as many days. Ohio was rewarded for their hard work in the 30th minute when a Strikers defender tripped an Ohio player inside the area where the referee immediately pointed to the penalty spot. The Ohio penalty kicker made no mistake from 12 yards and gave his team a 1-0 lead. The Strikers made it 1-1 ten minutes before half time through an Ohio defensive mistake and a cool finish from Bates who won his one vs. one battle with Ohio's goalkeeper. Bates could have made it 2-1 in the 45th minute when he found himself one vs. one again with the goalie after a Robert Medairos feed, however, this time the goalie came up big to keep the score 1-1 at half time.

The Strikers had to wait until the 66th minute to take the lead again.  After an accurate cross from left back Carlos Velazquez, Bates volleyed a powerful shot from point blank range to send the Strikers spectators into jubilation. Bates' and the Striker's third goal came in the 77th minute after a Medairos shot flashed across the face of the Ohio goal, the big striker was in the right place at the right time to side foot the ball in the back of the net. Ohio Elite won their second penalty kick of the afternoon in the 87th minute due to some sloppy defensive play by the Strikers. Strikers' goal tender Jake Harmartz was equal to the task this time with a diving save to his left to keep the two goal cushion.