Led by several Palisadians, Santa Monica United’s U13 girls squad captured the United States Youth Soccer’s President Division National Championship on Sunday in Kansas City.
Five former AYSO Region 69 players, three 8th-graders at Paul Revere Middle School and an incoming Palisades High freshman, the team was coached by Fabian Amegza and Robert Bahedry.
Jasmine Javaheri, who played for Region 69’s Extra team, and Colette Nassir, who will begin ninth grade at Pali High in the fall, are on the team along with past Pali Extra players Riley Adams, co-captain Caroline Bremner and twin sister Kiara Bremner (both of whom attends Paul Revere), Amanda Hobson and co-captain Dakota Margolis, who also attends Paul Revere.
Photo courtesy of Chantell Haskins
In March, Santa Monica United won the Southern California championship to earn a berth in the Far West Regional Championships (consisting of teams from 13 states) at Snohomish, Washington in June – the second time the club’s girls advanced that far.
SMU went 2-1 in pool play games, losing its opener to Alaska before rebounding for 3-1 and 3-0 victories to win its bracket.
SMU met Alaska again in the finals and the match went into double overtime before Nassir crossed to Giulia Trevellin for a header that gave the local squad a 1-0 triumph.
Representing Region 4 at the National Championships, SMU opened pool play with a 2-0 win against CSA Charlotte of North Carolina. The next contest against North Union United of Pennsylvania resulted in a 3-2 win and the last round resulted in a loss to KRW Rush of Kansas City. SMU tied in points with CSA Charlotte and KRW Rush and the deciding factor for advancing to the finals was goals against.
With four goals allowed, SMU had a rematch against CSA Charlotte and prevailed 1-0 on a goal off a corner kick in the 18th minute by captain co-captain Sadie Holt.
Caroline and Kiara Bremner’s older sister Caitlin just graduated from Pali High, where she played 38 games in three varsity seasons, tallying 13 goals and six assists.
Caitlin also played AYSO in Regiin 69 and is now a student at San Francisco State.
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