Local soccer club claims USYS National President’s Cup, first ever national championship for southeastern Idaho

POCATELLO — For the first time, a girls youth soccer club from eastern Idaho has won a national title.

The CGA Academy Soccer Club ran the table last week in Tampa, finishing the U.S. Youth Soccer National President’s Cup with a 3-1 victory over a club from Chicago to claim the Cup championship. They took a 2-0 lead into halftime before going up 3-0 in the second half. The FC Stars finally did put a tally on the scoreboard, netting one on the final kick of the game, according to CGA coach Rocky Rhoads.

“That particular game was probably their best performance of the tournament,” he said. “The girls came out from the beginning and just put on a brilliant performance.”

Rhoads said that the team peaked at the right time. Following a loss in the state finals, CGA went undefeated, winning a western region qualifier before continuing its perfection in Florida.

“Their confidence has grown over the last year,” he said. “They’ve seen a lot of success and have been rewarded for all of the hard work and training.”

Highland High School’s Taryn Roth scored one of CGA’s three championship game goals. Reigning East Idaho Sports girls soccer Player of the Year Aryanna Gonzalez was credited with the other two, according to a social media post from the club.

CGA, based in Pocatello, is made up primarily of players from Pocatello, with four players from Idaho Falls.

All 14 of the players, Rhoads said, left Tampa “in a state of shock” having become the first group of girls to achieve something so monumental from their region.

With the cup win, the season has come to an end for CGA, but the girls will fold right back into their high school squads for the start of the season in late August. Several of those girls, including Gonzalez, will now hunt for a back-to-back state title, after bringing the first girls soccer banner to Pocatello High School a season ago.

In addition to supreme talent, one of the things CGA had going for it at the President’s Cup, according to Rhoads, was continuity.

Although other teams had to bring on replacement players due to regulars being unable to make the trek, all 14 of Rhoads’ players were in Florida ready to compete. That, he said, is a testament not just to the players but also the families, who were willing to take on the financial burden of the trip.

“The families played such an instrumental role in helping give the kids this experience,” he said. … “That’s something that’s been really, really special with this group.”