BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
A passion and a goal helped the Keystone Youth Soccer Club’s U17 Boys (Second Division) 3v3 team win the Challenge Sports national championship, which was held Aug. 4-6 at the Austin-Tindell Sports Complex in Kissimmee.
Keystone’s team of Luke Brunt, Liam Callahan, Bryce Huntley, Jaden Park, Sammy Wacha and Aaron Wiley went 4-1, ending the tournament with a 9-2 win over Levy Lightning Silver.
“I had confidence they were going to (win the championship), but I didn’t tell them that,” said Nathan Brunt, who, along with Trevor Waters, coaches the team.
The team opened the tournament with an 8-4 win over Levy Lightning Silver, but then lost 4-3 to Levy Lightning Red.
Keystone bounced back on the second day, defeating Storm FC 4-3 and SWGFC 3-1.
The third day ended with the seven-goal championship win.
“I think it put a smile on everyone’s faces,” Brunt said.
Brunt has seen the players put an incredible amount of time in working toward their goal of winning the championship. Practices start and end, but their time at the field doesn’t. Brunt said you can find the players on the field every day until dark.
“They don’t stop. They’re completely dedicated to the sport,” Brunt said, noting that most of the players are dual enrolled in college courses as well as being involved in other activities.
Last year was the players’ first in the U17 age group. Brunt said they took some “hard knocks” that year and didn’t win a single tournament. That wasn’t due to lack of effort, however.
“They fought,” Brunt said. “They were close games.”
The players also play during club season and are members of the Keystone Heights High School team. Brunt said as soon as the 2022-23 high school season ended, the players began working toward making their mark during the 3v3 season.
They did just that, winning every tournament they played in. It began with Keystone’s seventh annual Winter Shootout in February, followed by a tournament win in Ponte Vedra in May. In June, the team placed first in the 21st annual Rotary Summer Shootout in Keystone and the second annual CYSA Under the Lights Challenge in Lake City.
Keystone entered the national-championship tournament on top of Challenge Sports’ points-ranking system in their division. In fact, their point total was double that of the team behind them.
Winning the national championship brought a close to a season that saw Keystone score 180-190 goals, while allowing approximately 50.
“We were strong,” Brunt said.
Brunt said the players are good at tactically thinking while on the field. They also enjoy a camaraderie that is evident in how they talk to and encourage each other.
“You can see it,” Brunt said. “They’ve got each other’s backs at all times.”
With a 3v3 national title in hand, it’s now time for the players to focus on more soccer, with club season beginning in a few weeks. In approximately three months, they’ll begin playing for the KHHS Indians.
“They love the sport,” Brunt said.
