Photo from Hoover-Vestavia Soccer Facebook page
The Hoover-Vestavia Soccer club's U16 girls team won the Development Player League finals tournament in Norco, California, on July 1, 2024.
The Hoover-Vestavia Soccer club’s 2008 girls team recently won the national tournament for the Development Player League in California.
The 16U girls team won the national championship with a 2-1 victory over the Charlotte Soccer Academy on July 1. Only 16 teams from across the country were selected to participate in the finals tournament, which lasted six days in Norco, California.
The Hoover-Vestavia Soccer team has 17 players, including five from Hoover, four from Vestavia Hills, two from Mountain Brook, two from Trussville and one each from Homewood, Helena, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa, said Luke Whittle, the girls director for the club.
Only 15 players could make the trip to California. Two others had ACL injuries during high school play, but their play during the season contributed to the team getting invited to the DPL finals, Whittle said.
“The best way to describe how the girls played in the finals and all five games was with hard-fought resilience, determination and a never-giving-up attitude,” Whittle said.
The girls started the tournament with a 3-2 victory over the Monterey Surf Soccer Club from California, then tied the Sunrise Soccer Club Sting from Florida 1-1. In game three, the Hoover-Vestavia girls beat the Colorado Rush 2-1, and then they defeated the SoCal Reds FC Liverpool FC International Academy 1-0 to advance to the finals.
In the championship game, the Hoover-Vestavia girls came out very strong and scored an early goal in the first five minutes of play, with an assist by Meagan Tucker and score by Maddie Hazelton, Whittle said.
It then became a defensive battle against Charlotte, which had defeated the Hoover-Vestavia team 2-1 during regular season play. Charlotte tied the game right before halftime, and the second half was a tough battle, Whittle said.
“But we showed that we were fitter and mentally stronger in the mounting heat of California,” he said.
The Hoover-Vestavia team scored its second goal with a corner set piece. Gabby Lamontagne served it in for Kelly West to score. Goalkeeper Lane Morton made a save in the final moments to keep Charlotte from tying the game and sending it into overtime.
Morton, who served as captain for this tournament, had a great week and was one of the biggest factors in why the team was successful, he said. Also, Ella Kappler was selected to perform in the U16 all-star game.
This group of girls came together as a team, sacrificing the month of June with two-a-day training and workouts, Whittle said.
“Their hard work, dedication, determination and selflessness culminated into them being the only Alabama team (ever) that we know of, across both boys and girls soccer winning a Super Group National Championship and being a national champion in soccer,” he said
The Hoover-Vestavia Soccer girls now are leaving the Development Player League and moving into the South Central Conference of the Girls Academy League.
Photo from Hoover-Vestavia Soccer Facebook page
The Hoover-Vestavia Soccer club's 2008 girls team celebrates a national championship in the Development Player League's finals tournament in Norco, California, on July 1, 2024.
