By Sarah Musson

There's no better way to spend a weekend than with beautiful landscapes, great weather and amazing soccer. That's the way John McCuistion'sU16 Boys Soccer Team spent the weekend of Feb. 23-24 in Albuquerque, N.M. The team participated in the Albuquerque FC Classic Spring Cup, which is regionally recognized for its outstanding competitive soccer contests. Teams from Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Colorado gather to play in the shadow of the Sandia Mountains for the right to be called "Champions of the Desert Southwest."

McCuistion's team started its quest for success strong with a decisive 2-0 win against SF Atlas. The team's second game was against the LAYS Laser 92 and when the game was over, they were shocked to lose, 1-3. After that loss, Coach John worried that the team's chances for winning their division were slim. He knew that they would have to come back on Sunday and beat two very difficult competitors to have a chance. The team knew it would be an uphill fight but as Nick K. put it, "They may have won a battle, but we can win this war!"

The team really showed its character on Sunday. Everyone worked together, gave positive encouragement and never got down on one another. The third game was against Classic FC Fury, the first-place team in their bracket. The boys came out strong and played with determination. The game was a tough battle, but the Edge scored in the last three minutes of the game and held on to win 1-0 with a strong, tenacious defense. Winning that game put them in the championship game to be played against none other than the team they lost to 1-3 on Saturday. The team saw this as their chance to prove what they were made of and looked forward to some revenge.

They came out ready to play and the offense got one in the net early. The defense did an awesome job keeping their opponent from scoring the rest of the game bringing the team to a 1-0 win. This time when the game was over, the team was able to celebrate their victory and their status as champions! As the team returned to Colorado with their medals, they realized that the tournament not only proved they were a great team, but also gave them a chance to bond as a team. They will start the spring season a "tighter knit" team.

Coach John felt honored to coach a group of young menwho showed true character and dedication to the game. He delivered the MVP award to every player for their team work and hard work. Congratulations, U16 Boys Black team!!