The Hopewell Valley Soccer Association U9 Dust Devils finished their season last month with a victory at the Summer Classic in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Taking on the EDP futures league, the Dust Devils ended their regular season with a record of 4-3 and second place in the division. The tough competition in the regular season allowed the girls to enter the Hershey Summer Classic ready to compete to their fullest potential.
They began the tournament with a victory game against Old Bridge U9 Kru before rolling through the second game against HMMS. After a little celebration at chocolate world, they began their next day at 9 a.m. in 90-degree heat. They won their first game of the day against PA Classics, which gave them the U9 victory.
While the U9 victory was a cause for celebration, the team didn’t stop there. Tournament organizers decided the U9 winners would play U10 winners—Old Bridge Impact—to find the overall champions. The Dust Devils held the older team to a 0-0 tie.
With just two minutes remaining, a Dust Devil penalty kick soared over the wall and into the back of the net. They held off one last offensive attack to win the U10 championship.
“We’ve watched these girls tough it out many times, but I don’t think anything compares to yesterday’s effort,” Head Coach Ben Chrnelich said after the match.
The U9 Dust Devils. Back left: Chris Sullivan, Ben Chrnelich, Dan Pagnotta Back row: Colbie Pagnotta, Gabby Fahmy, Daniella Butash, Ellie Sullivan, Aspen Swanson, Delainey Ross. Front row: Macie Leonardi, Lainie Smith, Callie Butash, Nora Close, Sara Chrnelich, Lyvie Smith, and Kellen Danieluk. Not pictured: Jane Hunter and Ellie Duffy,
