Galaxies heading to Nationals
It looks like some talented soccer players from Tipp City are not yet quite done with their success.
Seven members of the Tippecanoe soccer program are part of the Ohio Galaxies FC 05/06 North team, which has qualified for the upcoming Presidents Cup Nationals later this summer.
The team is made up of mostly players from the northern part of the Dayton area, including Tipp City’s Evan McIntyre, Caleb Ransom. Carson King, AJ Jergens, Michael Jergens, James Miller, and Hudson Owen.
Matt Owen is the head coach of this team, with Tipp varsity coach Joel Slyman as the assistant. It is the seventh season that Owen has coached this group, and he’s been coaching most of these players since they were 10-11 years old.
The Nationals will be taking place in Wichita, Kansas, on July 12-16. The local squad went 5-0 at the Midwest Regional event, including a 2-1 victory in the championship match against Tri City United from North Dakota. The four teams in the National Final Four are Ohio, Florida, New Jersey, and Montana. Ohio will play all three regions at the Nationals, and then the top two teams will play for the President Cup.
“For me, we have won the state three times (2021, 2023, and 2024) and that is what gets you to the Midwest Regionals,” Owen said. “Last year, we lost to Nebraska 3-2 in the Regional finals. There seemed to be unfinished business with us after losing that close game last year.”
“With the strength of our roster and who we picked up, we knew we could get to Nationals if things bounced our way. Our defense was phenomenal and our offense was explosive.”
Slyman also enjoys the chance to be with so many members of the Tipp state championship team from last season.
“I came on two years ago and it is exciting to see them continue the momentum,” Slyman said. “You don’t see it often that the seniors who are done playing their fall season will play again in the spring, especially when some of those guys aren’t playing in college.”
“They wanted to play for each other, and it shows a lot about the success that they have had getting to go on to Nationals.”
“It has been fun; this group has been the first group I taught when they were in middle school, so it is even more to continue coaching them in the spring. You couldn’t ask for a better soccer year for them, winning the state title in the fall and then advancing to Nationals for the Presidents Cup.”