Two HTSA soccer teams named Champions at tournament this weekend

Congratulations to the U18 2005 Blackhawks and U19 2004 Blackhawks boys soccer teams for being named champions in their divisions at the Louisiana Soccer Association’s President Cup! Both teams are a part of the Houma-Terrebonne Soccer Association and include athletes from high schools across the parish.

“The boys worked really hard for this, even when it wasn’t easy,” said Coach Clay Duplantis of the U18 2005 Blackhawks. “I was very proud watching them face adversity and rise to the challenge this weekend. It is what champions are made of.” Coach Duplantis described the difficulty faced by their team in the semi-finals when a player was red-carded, and the team had to continue with only ten players against an opponent with eleven. “It is hard for a team to come back from something like that during a game,” said Coach Duplantis. “The boys pushed themselves as hard as they could and were exhausted, but ended up pulling a victory in an overtime penalty shootout. Then, the next day, in the height of that emotion and exhaustion, they continued to give it their all and won the finals.” This is Coach Duplantis’s first season coaching the U18 2005 Blackhawks.

Fellow HTSA team the U19 2004 Blackhawks team also had a very successful at the same tournament. “Our team is mostly seniors, and a lot of them have already committed to play soccer at a collegiate level or are being scouted,” said Coach Travis Dupre. “We have some really incredible players on our squad.” The U19 2004 Blackhawks came to the tournament as the number-one seed and continued to dominate throughout the weekend, coming out of the tournament as the undefeated champions. “Our next event is Regionals in South Carolina this summer,” said Coach Dupre. “This is our third time attending Regionals and we hope to continue onto nationals.” Coach Dupre has been coaching the U19 2004 Blackhawks for three seasons– and each season they have won the President’s Cup and gone to regionals.

Congratulations to both teams for the accomplishments this weekend! For more information, please visit the Houma-Terrebonne Soccer Association’s Facebook.