Soccer Club of Guilford B12 Green came home to Connecticut with a trophy after playing in the US Youth Soccer Eastern Presidents Cup in West Virginia, where the team claimed the 12U Boys Championship in the regional competition. Soccer Club of Guilford put on a stellar performance in the final on Tuesday, defeating FC Alliance 2012B (WV) by a tally of 3-1.
“The Eastern President Cup is a fantastic tournament to complete against President Cup State Champions in the region. It gave these Guilford boys a chance to compete against some top-level clubs,” said Ian Shannon, head coach for Soccer Club of Guilford B12 Green. “I could not be prouder of this group. Many of them have been training three years together for this moment. It was special to see them put it all together and win the finals against a very good West Virginia team that had beaten us in the group stage. The boys will forever remember this experience, and it will help them become even better players and individuals!”
The group play loss to FC Alliance 2012B that Coach Shannon mentioned was the only defeat that Soccer Club of Guilford endured while playing in West Virginia. However, lessons learned in that match, along with a well-scripted game plan by Shannon and his coaching staff, had the team ready from the opening whistle of the 12U Boys Final. They jumped out to a 1-0 advantage in the first half before adding a pair of goals in the second half to secure the 3-1 victory.
“Congratulations to Guilford for capturing the USYS East Region Presidents Cup,” said Josh Krusewski, Executive Director of the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association. “The boys play a great brand of soccer and were definitely deserving of this championship. Connecticut is extremely proud of them. I look forward to hopefully seeing them take the next step, next year, to the National Presidents Cup.”
Soccer Club of Guilford B12 Green advanced to the 12U Boys Championship Match following a semifinal win over Lower Merion SC Rovers Navy 2012 (PAE) on Monday, defeating the Group B winner by a scoreline of 2-1. Prior to the elimination rounds, the Connecticut side recorded six points in group play (2-1 record) behind a 13-4 goal differential.
Hosted by US Youth Soccer, the Presidents Cup provides a progressive, competitive environment for teams seeking a series of unique challenges highlighting competition, camaraderie and community.
