After a successful weekend in Manhattan, the soccer program is setting its sights on the Players Showcase Cup in Las Vegas, Nevada. With the U19 team in top form after an emphatic win against South Kent in the Manhattan Kickoff Classic, they hope to repeat their success and top their group in Vegas. However, victory won’t be as easy this time, seeing as Las Vegas has three times the amount of teams in a regular tournament. The Huskies will have to win all four games to have even a chance of winning the tournament.
In the past, Vegas has been deemed the ultimate proving ground for Northwoods’ soccer program. Last year, the U17s went undefeated yet finished second due to scoring fewer goals than the Minnesota Stars team. The U19s, on the other hand, were victorious in all four of their games, won the championship, and beat the number one team in the country, Crossfire FC, on the way.
“It’s a nice change of scenery, and the high competition level is always good,” said Leo Doyle ’25. Since the program’s beginning, the Huskies have brought home the trophy five times, and they are hoping two more trophies will come back with them this year.
Off the field, Vegas is a team favorite. The trip includes a hike through the Red Rocks National Park, downtown Vegas, and many more destinations. Vegas provides a much-needed late-winter escape from the snow for the team and makes it easier to get through the harsh Adirondack winter. On the last day of the trip, the boys get dropped off on the strip downtown, given a meal budget, and then sent on their way. There are street performances, crazy music, and every restaurant imaginable: the perfect way to end the trip.
This year, the competition will be fierce for both sides, but the U19s have an especially important match marked on their calendars. In their second match of the tournament, the U19s are matched up against IMG Academy from Florida. This team is infamous for producing top-level talent and having the best facilities in the country, so naturally, all eyes are on that match.
“When the schedule came out, everyone instantly zeroed in on that match; they are known around the world, so to take them down would just be the cherry on top of the victory in Vegas.”, said Lohkoah Paye ’25. With the year winding down, the program wants to bring in every trophy they can and, by doing so, become the first class in Northwood Soccer history to win both age groups in the Players Showcase.
The trip is sure to be filled with action, entertainment, and top-level clashes. With less than a week left to prepare, focus is at an all-time high, and all goals align to a unified one to conquer Las Vegas.