This past weekend saw our 2007 State Navy and 2005 State Sky boys compete in the National League P.R.O in Orlando, Florida.

Our 2007 State Navy boys had an extremely difficult bracket, facing quality sides from Illinois, Alabama, and Tennessee. Their weekend started off rough, losing 3-0 to Libertyville FC. The game was frantic and fast-paced for both sides, with our Navy boys struggling to keep possession of the ball and maintain their aggressiveness throughout the game. They turned it around in their second matchup of the weekend, where they were able to get the better of USC Premier in tight and entertaining battle that ultimately ended up in a 2-1 win for our boys in blue. We maintained our defensive discipline throughout the entire game, and created plenty of promising chances in the process. The 07’s last game of the weekend was against TSC Murfreesboro out of Tennessee. Our squad started off the game strong, showing intensity with and without the ball and created a few dangerous chances. The second half told a different story, however, after we conceded two goals off indirect set pieces, which took the wind out of the game and ultimately ended in a 2-0 loss. Overall, the 07 Navy boys had a great showing this past weekend, gelling as a team both on and off the field. 07 Navy captain, Sam Lawrence, stated “I am proud of how the team played, and it showed that we can compete against quality teams from all across the country. It was an awesome experience, and I am glad that I got to share it with all of my teammates.”

Our 2005 State Sky boys also had a competitive group, consisting of teams from Illinois, Minnesota and Tennessee. They were flying straight out of the gates, putting four goals past a very strong Salvo SC squad, including a brace from Eduardo Chirico. Their second game proved to be their toughest, going down 1-0 early on to MSC Academy. Things only got more challenging for our boys in blue as we were shown a red card, which allowed the opponent to control the rest of the game and ultimately beat the 05 Sky squad 3-0. Their last matchup saw them up against a very competitive Germantown Legends side. The game got off to a rough start, with our boys conceding an early goal and forced to chase the game a bit. This didn’t discourage us, however, as we bounced back strong in the second half an came away with a 2-1 win to wrap up the weekend. Overall, it was an extremely successful weekend for the 05 Sky boys after finishing the first round with a winning record. Team captain, Ben Martin, said “I think this was a really great opportunity for us to gel as a team and test ourselves against top teams. We are confident this is just the start of a great season, looking forward to the second round of games in Tampa in February.”

Overall, it was a very successful weekend for both teams, who came into the event with only a few weeks of training together. They also used this trip to discuss and establish team goals, culture and expectations. On top of that, their fast-paced, energetic and attractive brand of football represented the club in a positive light. Well done to all the boys who competed!