Two Warwick youngsters make finals at Metrostars dribble, pass, score competition

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.-Warwick travel soccer players Matt Bosch and Caroline Seeberg did more than just enjoy a Metrostars win last Saturday night at Giants Stadium. Matt, 8, and Caroline, 9, competed in the finals of the tri-state area's dribble, pass, and score competition, sponsored by the Metrostars. Matt and Caroline, along with 2300 other kids from throughout the tri-state area, competed in this skills competition earlier in the season. In August, those with the highest scores were invited to compete at sectional competitions. Each participant last Saturday received a Metrostars uniform, some goodies, a picture with Metrostar Tim Regan, and competed for the opportunity to go to Dallas in a national competition. Matt, who is a third-grade student at Sanfordville Elementary School, won top honors in his age group. His score will be compared to the scores of the winners in the other nine Major League Soccer cities where competitions took place. If he places in the top four, he will be off to Dallas in October to compete for the national championship. Matt's mom and dad, Laurie and Colin, and his sister, Devon, were very proud of him. "He definitely had his game face on," said Laurie. Matt has been playing soccer since he was four and has been playing travel soccer since he was 6. Some of his teammates and his coaches, Sharon Burton and Brian Flemming, from the Warwick Titans U-10 boys team, were at Giants Stadium to cheer him on. Although he plays all positions, Matt said his favorite is midfield. When he is not playing soccer, Matt plays Little League and for the Warwick U-8 Bulls travel team this summer. He pitches and plays shortstop. Caroline, too, is an all-around athlete. Although she is just nine-years-old, the Pine Island fourth-grader competed in the girls 10-11 bracket. But she is used to playing up. Caroline plays a tough defense for the Warwick Wildcats, a team that competes in the U-13 division in Hudson Valley. She is also a softball all-star, playing several positions, including catcher and infield. During the regular season last summer, Caroline played for the Pearls. Caroline had a pretty big cheering section at the stadium. Her parents, Patty and John, sister Clare, and six of her teammates and their families cheered her on as she took the field at halftime.