Dalton-based team wins statewide soccer under-18 championship

The Dalton-based North Georgia Soccer Academy Elite under-18 team recently won a statewide soccer championship.

The team won the under-18 division of the Georgia President's Cup Championship in November. They defeated Alliance Soccer Club 3-0 in the finals on Nov. 21 at North Mount Carmel park in Hampton. The cup is open to travel teams statewide through Georgia Soccer, the state division of the United States Youth Soccer Association. There are divisions for players of each age, starting at under 13 to 19.

The team played a round-robin format seeding round, then won a semifinal contest to reach the finals.

The team will travel to Decatur, Alabama, in June to represent Georgia in the 12-state south regional event. The winner there will move on the national finals of the president's cup in Des Moines, Iowa, in July.

The team is led by head coach Raymundo Bahena. Northwest Georgia Soccer Academy operates teams in Calhoun, Dalton, Ringgold and Rome.