Youth soccer teams earn President's Cup honors

The Mountain Home United under age 12 girls posted a trio of shut outs to win their division.

Two of Mountain Home's youth soccer teams went on to earn top honors in their respective divisions during the recent President's Cup championships.

The Mountain Home Youth Soccer Association teams faced off against squads from across southern Idaho during end-of-season action.

After posting a 2-2 score against Fusion in the tournament's opening day, the Mountain Home United under age 12 girls rallied on the field to post three back-to-back shut outs to finish first overall. The United girls made short work of the Rush Icicles in a 3-0 victory and went on to crush Real Eagle 2-0. In the final match, the United squad dominated the Fusion girls for the 3-0 victory.

The Mountain Home Strikers forced a post-regulation shoot off as they went on to finish second overall.

"The girls responded really well even though it rained like crazy in that first game," said United Coach Humberto Garcia. "We need to prepare for any level of competition, and that's how we prepared for this tournament."

The girls on the United team started playing together roughly 2 1/2 years ago, Garcia said. Over the years he's seen his girls develop their skills on the field, which allowed them to remain a formidable team each season.

Meanwhile, the Mountain Home Strikers under age 11 squad faced a more difficult climb through the tournament ladder. Smarting from a 1-2 loss to the Kuna Dynamite in their first game, the Strikers bolstered their offense to pound the Boise Capital Herricanes 2-0. During the President Cup's second day, the Strikers continued to dominate the field to slide past the Kickers United, 2-1.

Pitted against Kuna in the final round, the Strikers kept the defensive pressure going to knot the score at 1-1 at the end of regulation play, forcing the best-of-five shoot off. Kuna went on to win in post-regulation action, 5-4.

"It was a real heart-breaker loss," said Strikers Coach John Jackson. "It was a battle all along -- just a defensive struggle. Both teams went out there and just played their hearts out."

The Strikers went on to finish second overall in their division.

With two of its teams winning and placing at the President's Cup, the recent tournament was Mountain Home's best finish in recent years, Jackson said.

A non-profit youth sports organization, the Mountain Home Youth Soccer Association serves as an outlet for local children to refine their skills in the sport while fostering sportsmanship and leadership. Affiliated with Idaho Youth Soccer Organization, the teams travel to cites across southwestern Idaho to compete against other youth soccer teams of similar caliber and abilities.

Registration for the association's fall soccer season started Monday. The cost per player is based on age and which division they'll join. Part of the state's District III league, the local association includes a total of seven teams for boys and girls.

For more information, call association president Curtis Viall and 587-7506 or registrar Mike Lucas at 599-0301.

At a glance -- President's Cup competitors

Mountain Home United -- Hannah Bideganeta, Brittany Brown, Andrea Garcia, Raegan Grigg, Christa Lewis, Madison McCloud, Anna Pedroza, Elizabeth Ryan, Samantha Tveidt, Cassandra Villavicencio, Maria Villavicencio, Jessie Wright, Kami Wright, Coach Humberto Garcia and Assistant Coach Adriana Garcia.

Mountain Home Strikers -- Alexah Carbajal, Jacey Carr, Stevie Carr, Sam Fitzgerald, Jasprett Hieb, Asia Jackson, Larissa Lucas, Jennifer Navarro, Madison Roache, coaches John and Len Jackson and team manager Sean Jackson.