Fairmont U18 Boys win Southern Minnesota Soccer League
Cardinals hope to carry momentum to fall season
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FAIRMONT - The Fairmont Soccer Association was represented well this past spring. After playing 12 games from the span of late April to late June, the Fairmont U18 Boys – Blue soccer team took home the Southern Minnesota Soccer League, Division 3 Spring Championship by four points.
"This is the team that's going for the fall, and I'm here to coach you guys and help you win. I want the boys program to get back to the top again. We had a couple of good teams over the years when we made the section finals," Fairmont U18 Boys – Blue head coach Abram Sanchez said. "Those guys had a mentality going this whole season in practice and worked their butts off, beating some really good teams like New Ulm and Rochester. ...Seeing the guys win the division really boosted everyone's confidence, and I'm really proud of them for it."
Fairmont had an outstanding year. A loss to New Ulm U18 Boys on May 10 jump-started an 8-1-1 record the rest of the way. This included victories over St. Peter B18, NSFC 2009B Blue, and the aforementioned Eagles to take home the title. Fairmont finished the season with a 9-2-1 record and outscored their opponents by 33 (50 Goals For and 17 Goals Against). New Ulm finished in second at 7-2-3, and Tri-City United U18 Boys got third after going 7-5.
Sanchez says a lot of these kids will be competing for the high school program come this fall. Fairmont had a handful of would-be juniors and seniors at its disposal. The hope is that this winning group of talent can carry the way they played forward.
"A lot of players will be coming in the fall. A lot of sophomores to juniors and numerous seniors," Sanchez said. "What I told those guys from the start is that as long as you show you want to improve, be that player, and bring that mentality with you to the fall. I want you to be better than the other player above you. If you want to be better than him, you have to prove that you are."
"Hopefully they can bring that same energy, saying that we did win the division and help the boys’ program," Sanchez said.
Fairmont High School boys finished last fall with a 4-11-1 record, beating Cannon Falls, Mankato Loyola and Wings United twice. They lost in the opening round of sections, 6-1, to Albert Lea. The first practice of the season begins on Monday, August 17.