Gitchi Gummi boys 15U soccer are the USYS Presidents Cup series winners, winning a Minnesota state title. Now, they’re headed to the regional playoffs in St. Louis this Friday.

Sean Morgan, former head coach of Duluth FC and now director of coaching for Gitchi Gummi said, “The group that they’ve had have been together, the core group for a while as well, a number of years and I think ultimately that kind of buy-in they get, they haven’t been around each other for so long and then obviously hearing kind of the same or similar kind of coaching style and way of seeing the game tactically and technically has really kind of helped push them on, especially this year with kind of what they’ve tried to do and the kind of changing landscape in Minnesota state soccer.”

It’s an exciting opportunity for everyone involved, but of course, especially the players.

“We’ve been just working together for so long, you know, doing team building and we go on runs at Hartley together and Bagley and it just really builds us. We’ve been together for so long that it really clicks for us now,” said outside wing, Samuel Bauers.

They’ll play teams from Illinois, Wisconsin and Kansas for a chance in the National Finals in Florida in July.