Unlikely bunch wins Pleasure Island Soccer Championship

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) —  It’s a story out of a movie. A teacher sees potential in his students and he coaches them all the way to the championship game.

One year ago, this soccer team didn’t exist. In just one year, the Mary C. Williams Elementary School soccer team reached the top of the Pleasure Island Soccer Association.

“It just came together, man. The universe aligned and we got together and I’ve had these boys for three to four years now (at school), and I love them to death. And I knew they’d do a great job. So we we just got on it,” said coach Matthew Peterson.

Many of the families could not afford the registration fee for soccer, so Peterson got help from staff members to raise the money. All for these kids with amazing potential.

“Our school is just full of soccer players, and it’s sad we can only pick 13. We’d love to get more children out here to play because we have just a wonderful group of soccer players at our school,” said Peterson.

The team went undefeated all season and made it to the championship game against another top team, Off Leash K9. The players were nervous.

“When the ball was on our side of the field, I was thinking, ‘Oh, no. They’re going to score. This is bad.’ Then I would calm down once someone kicked the ball to the other side,” said player Jesus Aguirre.

But before they knew it, they scored shot after shot.

“I couldn’t believe that I actually scored. It feels like I was really nervous, so I never thought that I was going to score it in,” said player Erick David.

When the final whistle blew, the team managed to win the championship. And these kids are hoping to reach greater heights in the future.