If ever there was a story to tell it is the one where a girls soccer team, let’s call them BFA U15 Girls, barely had enough girls at tryouts to put together a competitive side, but end up with 13 players to play in the state’s top division. They went undefeated (4-0-4) and entered the State Cup unsure if they would be able to use all 13 players due to injury. Fortunately, all 13 were able to push through and in the first round take on CESA 92 Challenge and win 2-0.

The following weekend they travel to Columbia for a battle with Columbia United FC 92 Elite in the state semifinals and come out with a gut wrenching 2-1 win. Less than 24 hours later they take on CESA 92 Girls Elite, which had played up all season, and had a team of players from all over South Carolina.  Our BFA girls played like they had all season long, without fear and with tenacity. With only 2 subs for both days, they persevered as a "team" and came out on top 1-0 to claim the SCYSA Challenge Cup as U15 Girls Champions. Wow!
Bridge FA could not be prouder of these girls and their coach Mike Moran.

The long road that started in late May for the 92 Bridge girls ended as well as it could have. On Sunday, December 9^th the Bridge 92’s sealed the season with a shootout victory over the CESA Premier 92’s in the State Challenge Cup final. The final saw a 0-0 hard fought stalemate at the end of regulation, with the Bridge showing the edge in the closing minutes. The two 10 minute overtimes yielded the same 0-0 result as the game was pushed into penalty kicks. It finished after only four penalties with the Bridge goalkeeper, Amelia Henderson, coming up with three big saves and Taylor Hunt scoring the winning penalty. This win wrapped up a challenging round of semifinal and final games over the weekend. Bridge faced Columbia United in the semifinal match on Saturday and came away with a  2-1 victory with goals by Kelsey Timmerman and Taylor Munson.
            The success of the weekend was particularly sweet for many reasons. The final win was against Bridge state rival CESA, who had spent the entire season playing in the Premier League, a league that the Bridge fell just one win short of competing in the past season. But, more importantly, the victory was sweet in light of the long journey the team had traveled to get there. 
            At the onset of the season the 92’s were unsure if there were going to be able to field a full roster. Tryouts and summer training yielded only 11 fully committed players. This worried players, parents, and even coaches of possible having to fold for the season, an option no one wanted. 
            "It was a little worrisome", reflects Joe Munson, the team manager, "we were doing everything we could, and it was still unclear how things would turn out". Fortunately late in the summer with only weeks to go before the season officially started two new players joined the team to solidify a roster of thirteen. This roster size still lent itself to many worries and questions. A single injury or absence could be hugely detrimental to the team and the pressure on each player to perform increased exponentially. 
            "The girls all responded tremendously to the pressure", said coach Michael Moran, "whatever was asked of them they did, and did it whole heartedly. I’m so proud of them."
            It was this spirit that helped them to finish an undefeated season and birth a spot in the Regional Championships to be held in Raleigh/Durham in June. It also solidified a place for them in the Premier league for the coming fall season.