U12 Wilmot Royal Blue win gold at Paris tournament
- Jun 18
- 3 min read
By Spencer Seymour
The U12 Wilmot Royal Blue minor soccer team captured the gold medal at the Twin Rivers Soccer Club Tournament in Paris June 14-15.
Head coach Jeff Nyenhuis told the Gazette the team put forward a strong, nonstop work ethic throughout the tournament.
“What stood out most was how well they played together and how consistently they competed in every game,” said Nyenhuis. “Their effort, teamwork and willingness to support each other were major reasons for their success. Most importantly, the players showed confidence, resilience and continued to improve throughout the tournament.”
According to Nyenhuis, the team’s play in the midfield was a marked bright spot of the weekend.
“One area that really came together was our control of the midfield,” Nyenhuis said. “We've been working on reacting quickly when possession changes and the players did a great job of winning the ball back and attacking with purpose.
“I also thought this was the best we've looked in terms of maintaining possession and making good decisions under pressure. Led by Nolan (Homes) and Alex (Nyenhuis), our midfield controlled the tempo of the game, connecting passes, winning possession and driving play forward.”
With a spot in the finals on the line, Wilmot Royal Blue withstood a second-half comeback to hang on for a 4-2 win in the semi-final against Ayr Black, which Jeff Nyenhuis noted was a meaningful victory for his squad.
“The boys had to defeat a tough Ayr Black team to make the finals,” Jeff Nyenhuis said. “This was a great accomplishment as the team lost to Ayr Black recently in the regular season. We were able to build a three-goal lead in the first half of the semi-final. However, Ayr Black made a comeback in the second by scoring two of their own, but we were able to regain control of the game and lock down the 4-2 victory.”
Meeting another squad from Wilmot – the Wilmot Gold team – in the gold-medal game, the Wilmot Royal Blue team eventually came away with a 3-0 win to capture the gold. Jeff Nyenhuis cited a massive stop by their netminder during the first half as turning the tide of the game in the direction of Wilmot Royal Blue.
“The final game was tied 0-0 in the first half when Wilmot Gold was awarded a penalty shot. Our goaltender, Levi (Stacey), made an incredible save to keep the score even. After this moment, the momentum turned in our favour, where our team was awarded a penalty kick thanks to a strong drive to the net by Alex (Gutscher). Cool under pressure, Andy (Roy) buried the penalty kick and sparked a huge celebration from the team.”
Jeff Nyenhuis also praised his group for a well-rounded collection of performances at both ends of the pitch.
“Anchored by Max (Kelly) and Ben (Van Zwol), our defence was relentless, breaking up attacks, winning crucial tackles and frustrating opponents every time they looked ready to break through.
“Our offence was dangerous all weekend, creating quality chances and consistently putting pressure on opposing defences,” Jeff Nyenhuis continued. “Key goals were scored throughout the tournament by Roman (Nagy), Alex (Gutscher) and Andy (Roy).”
The team also battled through rainy weather and wet field conditions en route to winning the tournament’s top prize.
“Watching our players battle through the pouring rain in the final and still play with smiles on their faces said everything about this group,” Jeff Nyenhuis said. “They supported one another, worked hard from beginning to end and represented Wilmot Township with tremendous pride. This championship is a reward for their commitment and teamwork.
“Coach Rick (Walker) and I are incredibly proud of our team and hope to make the same push in the playoffs.”
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