Local players on soccer team which wins state title

The SIYSA Hawks U-12 boys’ soccer team won the Kohl’s American Illinois Cup June 13 in Rockford, capping a 30-plus win season.

The team, which is comprised of players from throughout Southern Illinois, including Union County defeated CD Zacatecas in the final game, going to double overtime for a 3-1 win.

The Illinois Cup is the state championship tournament for competitive club teams playing U-12 and younger.

The Hawks’ championship was a very rare win by a deep Southern Illinois team, but featured an even more rare play to force the overtime.

The final game featured an unusual score by a goalie, when the Hawks’ goalkeeper, Steven Wells, of Anna, kicked a towering, length of the field punt which scored over the head of Zacatecas’ keeper.

A tie in regulation is followed by two overtime periods. The Hawks scored a goal in each overtime period to take the championship.

The Hawks play in the Southern Illinois Soccer League which is comprised of teams primarily in the metro-east.

The team finished first in the league standings in both the fall and spring seasons.

The team finished the year ranked number one in the state of Illinois in the GotSoccer rankings, after holding that ranking for most of the season.

The team is comprised of  players from the following communities:

Anna: Steven Wells and Aaron Arreola. Carbondale: Joyner Deamer. Carterville: Aaron Goffinet.

Harrisburg: Carver Gregg. Herrin: Joshua Haynes. Marion: Dylan Baxter, Virren Desai, Jake Hardin, Joel Hardin and Adam Newman.

The team was coached in the fall season by Brent Broshow and in the spring by Jared Butler.

The tournament is under the auspices of Illinois Youth Soccer.  

Illinois Youth Soccer is an official State Association and charter member of the U.S. Soccer Federation and U.S. Youth Soccer. 

Illinois Youth Soccer is the administrative body authorized to carry out the federation’s and U.S. Youth Soccer’s programs to amateur youth players in Illinois.

Programs include the  Olympic Development Program, the Illinois State Cup/U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship Series and the Illinois Cup.  

Illinois Youth Soccer is Illinois’ largest youth sport organization with over 90,000 players.