Following a cold and wet weekend filled with excellent soccer, the ASA Premier 99 Soccer team repeated as champions at the Generation Adidas Bethesda Tournament held over the November 15 – 16 weekend. The tournament is ranked as one of the top 20 tournaments in the country by Gotsoccer with over 350 girls teams representing all 4 soccer regions of the U.S. and a number of international teams.
ASA Premier 99 coached by Bob Thomas launched their campaign to repeat as champions early Saturday morning…up at 5:00 a.m. on November 15 some families traveled up to 2 hours to make it to the field, and at 7:00 a.m. the team assembled at the Germantown Soccerplex for the first game of the day. Playing against a spirited Lyons Township Union Showcase team from Illinois, ASA Jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, finishing with a 2-0 win. The team quickly retreated to their cars for some warmth and to reenergize. Following Coach Thomas’s prescribed regimen of rest, hydration and nutrition, they team returned to the field for a 12:55 game energized and ready to get on with the business before them. Game 2 of the day had the ASA team matched up against Montgomery United SC from Pennsylvania, and under a relentless attack and punishing defense, the ASA team walked off the field with a 3-0 win and a showdown on the horizon for a spot in the title game.
With the success of day 1 behind them, and needing a win or a tie to advance to the championship game, the ASA Premier team was matched up against what would be their toughest competition so far in the tournament. The team took the field against Virginia State Cup semi-finalist and the number 65 team in the country…Beach FC 99 Red. The game lived up to its billing as the 2 regional juggernauts in the U15 age group battled relentlessly for field superiority. ASA Premier started the scoring early with a goal on the opening kickoff but Beach FC soon answered with a goal of their own before the half, and the teams went into halftime tied 1-1. The ASA Premier team came out after the half determined and launched an offensive barrage of shots, runs and attacks that eventually broke through the Beach FC defense as ASA Premier went up 2-1. The ASA Premier mid-field and defense controlled most of the 2nd half and prevented any real scoring chances from Beach FC and after the 70 minute mark, ASA Premier had a 2-1 win and a berth in the championship game.
The Championship game was one for the ages with ASA Premier 99 facing Hershey Elite 99 under the lights in the Maureen Hendricks Stadium at the Discovery Sports Center. As the game kicked off, the skies opened up and the game started under a steady downpour of sleet and freezing rain. The hardened ASA Premier team was able to fight through the conditions and got on the board first on a well placed corner kick into the side of the Hershey Elite net. Hershey Elite fought back and tied the game before the half and the teams went into the halftime break tied 1-1. ASA Premier 99 came out in the 2nd half on fire with their offense pressuring the Hershey Elite defense until once again they found the back of the net for a 2-1 lead. The game went back and forth with attacks and counter attacks by both teams and in the 75th minute, Hershey Elite was able to break through the ASA Premier defense to tie the game at 2-2. In the stands, with a minute left in regulation, spectators were preparing for overtime, but Coach Thomas had other ideas and made his final substitution. ASA Premier quickly gained control of the ball in the mid-field, and as the clock passed the 79:30 mark, ASA found another gear for one final attack. ASA Premier outside mid –field found a striker making a run through the box with a perfectly placed ball and with 20 seconds to go, the ASA Premier player that had just entered the game beat the Hershey Elite GK to the far post for the game winner. The ASA bench and stands erupted in applause and cheering and Coach Thomas quickly got the players on the field behind the ball to restart play. The Hershey Elite team scrambled to get the ball back to the mid-field stripe, but as they put the ball back into play, the center referee blew his whistle ending the game.
After the tournament Coach Thomas spoke to the team about hard work, overcoming adversity as a team and perseverance and said “Without 100% “buy-in”, sacrifice and dedication from everyone on the team, this championship would not be possible….this level of sacrifice and dedication is not for everyone, but for those willing to make the sacrifice and commit, there is nothing we can’t achieve as a team…we are building something special here…great work ladies”. And with that, Championship trophies were handed out with GK Maddie Wheeler being recognized as tournament MVP.
ASA Premier 99 players consisted of Megan Baker, Ashtyn Bethel, Sarah Dewitt, Calle Garneau, Katie Hoffman, Alisha Holcombe, Maddie Jenner, Alexis Kasco, Asiah Manu, Caitie Milley, Grace Palmieri, Maddie Pisone, Angela Puhl, Tessa Quade, Maddie Wheeler, Harleigh White, Cassie Wolfe, Beyza Yazici, Christina Young and Aubrie Zepp.
