The 2005 and 2004 VA Legacy Boy’s 2018/19 season came to a close on July 3^rd nearly 11 months after the Legacy Mini Camp in August of 2018. The boys qualified for the East Region Championships by winning their state cup competitions.

The East Region Championships took place in West Virginia and the tournament spanned six days, from July 28-July 3. The 2005 Boys topped their group with a 2-0-1 record and beat the #1 ranked team in the process. Winning their group propelled the team to the semifinal on Tuesday July 2. They were up against a Washington Capitals team who they had lost to 3-4 during the Jefferson Cup in March. After a five-hour weather delay the match ended as a 1-1 draw and went to penalty kicks. The Legacy boys prevailed 4-2 behind two outstanding saves by goalkeeper Jacob Atwater. 

The final took place thirteen hours later on July 3^rdat 8:15 in the morning, against STA (New Jersey). STA was the better team on the day and won, which qualified them for Nationals at the end of July in Kansas City. 

“I cannot begin to explain how outstanding the 2005s played this season. When I think back to where the team was in the fall and realize we just played in a regional final I am literally speechless. The players improved every single week, the team improved every single week, and for them to accomplish what they have this year is amazing. They faced adversity all year long and stepped up to the challenge. They had players in and out of the squad, they had months long and season long injuries to deal with and instead of using these as excuses for failure, the team gritted its teeth, worked harder, and just dealt with it. They continued to get results and those results speak for themselves. I’m very proud to coach this team and even more proud to see how these players have grown as soccer players and as people over the last eleven months.” – Paul Membrino Head Coach 2005 CCL Boys/Director of Coaching

The 2004 Boys unfortunately did not progress out of their group. They finished third with two ties and a loss on the weekend. 

“The experience of playing in the East Region Championships is something that Virginia Legacy hopes to can build on. For the 2005 boys this is their second year in a row playing in Regionals. For the 2004s this was their first experience. These two teams have set a standard now with expectations going forward for not only themselves but for other Legacy teams.” – Bobby O’Brien Head Coach 2004 Boys/Technical Director

The 2005 boys made more Legacy history this year by reaching the east region final (which spans fifteen state organizations from Virginia to Maine). The boys are the first Legacy team to reach a regional final. Congratulations Boys!