The St. Charles Soccer League U17 STC Vipers won the C2 state championship this past weekend in Lafayette by defeating the Crossroads Pride from Alexandria by a score of 2-0. This is the second state championship for the team.
The Louisiana Competitive 2 All State Sugar Bowl State Tournament started in Baton Rouge. Throughout the tournament, the Vipers won four games and tied one with the semi-final going to double overtime. The Vipers scored 14 goals while only giving up six in all five games.
After winning their bracket during district play in Baton Rouge, the Vipers advanced to the state semi-final game as a No. 1 seed to play the defending state champs, the CSC Fury of Lafayette. The Vipers fell behind 1-0 in the first half and trailed 2-0 in the second. However, that’s when the Vipers started their scoring onslaught.
Gary Cooper, from Destrehan, scored with a header on a nice cross from Destrehan’s Colin Weyenberg. Shortly afterwards, Destrehan’s Ryan Guidry scored a second goal with a header off a corner kick taken by Brennen Samaha, of Luling. Moving into the overtime period, the score remained tied after the first 10 minute overtime.
In the second overtime period the Vipers were given a free kick after a Lafayette foul. Jordan Miranda, of Destrehan, took the free kick which hit the wall of Lafayette players but took a perfect bounce towards Paradis’ Craig Ford, who scored the goal.
The Viper defense, anchored by Bailey Breaux, of Hahnville, Lance Dupont, of Bayou Gauche, Thane Jurenka, of Luling, and Austin Reyes, of Hahnville, held on to secure the 3-2 win.
This win put the Vipers into the championship game against Crossroads Pride.
The first goal came early in the first half off of a free kick taken by Samaha with Ford heading the ball in for a goal. Then late in the second half, Miranda launch a rocket shot from 25 yards out into the back of the net.
Although that was a very impressive goal, the highlight of the final game was the play of Bayou Gauche goalkeeper Lance Dupont. Dupont kept the Crossroads team from scoring by coming up with three huge diving saves that would have made any college-level highlight reel.
Dupont was voted MVP by his teammates and presented with the State Cup trophy for his efforts.
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