It was not the way the Hotspurs PSV soccer team wanted to see the season end, but they still ended up in some elite company.

The under-18 squad, formerly known as the Pittsburgh Strikers Vikings, advanced to the U.S. Youth Soccer Region 1 Championships in Virginia Beach, Va.

They reached the semifinals before losing a heartbreaking 1-0 decision to the eventual champions, the PDA Conquistadors of New Jersey, earlier this month.

As champions, the Conquistadors, who defeated Beadling, Pennsylvania West's other participant, 1-0 in the finals to advance to the national tournament later this month in Orlando, Fla.

"We ended on a low note, but we ended on a high note," said Hotspurs head coach John Arnold.

"It put us in the top 16 in the country. I was talking to the Beadling coach and we had two teams from the same small area, the Pittsburgh area, make it to the semis and one to the finals," Arnold added.

Team members include goalie Greg Walter (Slippery Rock) and Cranberry Township residents Ryan Elser (defender, Seneca Valley) and Thomas Reinmiller (defender/midfielder, Sewickley Academy).

The Hotspurs opened the tournament with a 2-all tie against Beachside (Md.). Beachside scored the tying goal in the final three minutes of regulation and the Hotspurs played a man down over the final 30 minutes due to an objectionable ejection of a player.

The Hotspurs followed up with a 2-0 victory over Bruno United (Rhode Island) FC and a 4-0 victory over Concord ROMA (Delaware) to reach the semifinals.

In the semifinals, the Hotspurs were playing PDA for the fourth time this year.

"Last year, we were the only team to score a goal against them in the seven games they played," said Arnold.

The Hotspurs were 5-1-1 in regular season play, the tie a 2-all contest against PDA.

"They're a very good team and it was a good, quality match," said Arnold. "Then, late in the game, the luck of the bounce, the ball went their way and they scored late in the game."

"We thought we had a good chance to get the regionals, then to get there was awesome," said Walter.

The Hotspurs reached the Region 1 Tournament by winning the Region 1 Directors Premier League Championship in early May in Wilmington, Del.

With their 5-1-1 record in league play, the Hotspurs grabbed second place in the North Division.

In the semis May 7, they defeated the PSC Coppa Bucks, the Eastern PA Youth Soccer Association reigning state champions, in a shootout after a 1-all tie in regulation.

It took eight kicks by each team to decide a winner.

Reinmiller scored the game-tying goal in regulation and Elser accounted for the game-winning shootout kick.

In the finals May 8, the Hotspurs prevailed over the Baltimore Bays in another shootout, thanks to Shaler graduate Vince Spillane's winning kick.

The Bays beat the PDA Conquistadors to reach the final.

"Before this, I had been terrible at penalty kicks," said Walter. "Seeing those and stopping those, I became a lot better by seeing that many."

Arnold was impressed by Walter's poise, especially in the Region 1 tournament.

"Greg Walter kept us in the tournament," said Arnold. "Not a doubt, he stepped up. He played absolutely fabulous soccer in he second half of the season. He has a great future at Marshall (University)."

Reinmiller is set to attend Elizabethtown College in the fall and Elser is headed to Gannon.

"Tom had a great season," said Arnold. "He scored the one goal to tie and that sent us on our way and clinched things for us. He played more positions than anyone else.

"Ryan had a couple of setbacks. He had a couple of hamstring injuries, one at the State Cup finals versus Beadling and one at the beginning of the year and was out three weeks.

"He was our most consistent defender and has been a starter all three years I've been here," Arnold added.

The remainder of the team included Dante Cincotta (Shaler), Jack Adams and Ryan Ulbrich (Pine-Richland), Brett Behrends (Allderdice), Matt Boe (Greensburg Salem), Jeff Farrell (Greensburg Central Catholic), Keith Haselhoff (McKeesport), Greg Lani and John Morihlatko (Moon), E.J. McCormick (Fox Chapel), Bryan Nesbitt (Ambridge) and Christian Bedger (State College).

After the string of titles and championships this group has accomplished over the past few years, will they make one last go of it next year as Under-19 members?

"The problem with U19 is that some decide to stay at school and work out, but I hear most of these guys will be back," said Arnold.

"The comments I heard after the last game was 'When are we going to play our next game?'"