Tennessee Premier Lanus headed home to Chattanooga with some hardware following the US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup in Wichita, Kansas, where they raised the 18U Boys Championship Trophy. The Tennessee side officially claimed the 18U National Presidents Cup after defeating Evolution 05 Boys Mercurial of Illinois by a tally of 1-0 in the championship match on Tuesday.
“This feels amazing!” exclaimed Tyler Robertson of Tennessee Premier Lanus. “I do not think it has sunk in yet what we have recently accomplished. We came into the tournament with the mindset to compete at the highest level, and we were hopeful to leave as national champions. This team has overcome a lot of adversity over the past few months. This group of boys never ceases to amaze me. All the hard work, grit and determination in each and every practice and game got us to where we are today. After winning the Regional Presidents Cup, it was our goal as a club and team to win the treble (State, Regionals, Nationals), and we did that. I am proud of each and every one of the boys who was a part of this journey. This is huge for the club. Go PSA!”
Tennessee Premier Lanus opened up National Presidents Cup play with a narrow 2-1 defeat to Bethesda Green 2005 (MD) last Friday, but they rebounded strongly with a 3-2 win over 7 Elite Academy 05B South (UT) and a 2-0 clean sheet against Chicago Blues FC 2005 (IL). The two wins gave Tennessee Premier Lanus a 2-1-0 record and six overall points in group play, which earned them the top spot in their bracket. After defeating JFC 2005B Elite Blue (FL) in the tournament semifinals on Monday, they lifted the National Presidents Cup by recording a 1-0 shutout against Evolution 05 Boys Mercurial in the 18U Final.
Tennessee Premier Lanus arrived at National Presidents Cup after winning the 18U Southern Presidents Cup last month in Greenville, South Carolina. Following a narrow loss to ID Katy Elite 05B EDPL (STX) in the tournament opener, Tennessee Premier Lanus rebounded with 2-1 victories over Effingham United 05B (GA) and CASC 05/06 Team Select Guerra (AR) to win their group. In the semifinals of the competition, they eliminated ID Katy Elite 05B EDPL (STX) behind a 2-1 victory and then won the 18U Southern Presidents Cup Championship by earning a 2-1 result over JFC 2005B Elite Blue (FL).
“This win is a special one for me,” said Hans Hobson, Chief Operating Officer of the Tennessee State Soccer Association. “I had the pleasure of working with the club founder, Pedro Kozak, in the TSSA Olympic Developmental Program as a young coach growing up in Tennessee. Pedro was a passionate soccer coach and leader. I know that he would have been very proud of this team.”
The Division 2 Tournament of the TSSA State Cup presented teams with the opportunity to qualify for the Southern Presidents Cup, where teams then competed for advancement to the national tournament. The Presidents Cup provides a progressive environment for teams seeking a series of unique challenges highlighting competition, camaraderie and community.
