Locals capture NHB Cup

The North Huntington Beach Futbol Club girls’ Under-13 team won the 32nd annual NHB Cup Flight No. 3 Soccer Tournament on Sunday.

The team, coached by Brent Whitfield, defeated a spirited Westside Breakers Blue team, 3-1, in the championship game to secure the title.

The team’s overall tournament record was 3-0-1. In the four games played, the girls scored 11 goals and allowed four.

August has been a good month for Whitfield’s squad, as they posted three consecutive 3-0 victories en route to the final game of the Toyota of Orange Classic on Aug. 22. In the finals against a good Orange Soccer Club United Warriors team, the teams were deadlocked, 1-1, at the end of regulation and overtime. After 10 kickers, NHB lost, 3-2, on penalty kicks.

Despite the loss in the final, NHB has been red hot in the past two tournaments. The team won the Coronado Crown City Classic on Aug. 8 and finished as finalists in the Toyota of Orange Classic with a 7-1 record. They outscored the opposition in both tournaments, 19-2.

The NHB girls’ U-13 team is: Angeles Alvarez, Leah Barker, Nicole Boudreau, Ciara Brennan, Kelsy Bustillos, Paige Campregher, Jocelyn Ceccarelli, Sophia Cogan, Savannah Diosdado, Aubrey Grandon, Briana (Bo) Martin, Katie O’Donnell, Melissa Paniz, Isabella Paz and Makena Walker.

— Submitted by John Ceccarelli