Vikings claim national crown

Long-time Major League catcher Sandy Alomar Sr., once said: “When you have the pride, you have the will to do anything. When you have the will, that is how you are going to be second to no one.”

The 14-year-olds of the Huntington Beach-based Vikings Baseball Club demonstrated their pride, teamwork and perseverance with a World Series championship Aug. 2. Their dedication to being the best secured their No. 1 national ranking with the United States Travel Baseball Assn. later the same week.

In the USTBA World Series, Ultimate division, in San Diego, the Vikings faced 13 of the top teams in the nation. In pool play, they shut out the Puyallup (Wash.) Knights, 8-0, lost a close one to the West Covina Bombers Elite, 3-1, and defeated Northern California’s Hard-90 Rival, 12-3.

When seeding was complete, the Vikings were awarded the No. 1 seed for the playoff bracket. While the other teams were fighting through the first round of playoffs, the No. 1 and 2 seeds had Saturday off. In a show of team unity, most of the players got Mohawk haircuts and several got their Vikings number cut into their hair.

The Mohawk mojo was working for the final playoff day of Aug. 2. In the quarterfinals, the Vikings prevailed, 9-4, despite giving up three runs to the Bakersfield Cubs in the top of the first inning. In the semifinal, the Vikings showcased their teamwork with outstanding defense and pitching, downing familiar rivals, the SoCal Black Sox, 5-3.

The championship game pitted the Vikings against Hard-90 Rival once again. The Vikings jumped out to an early lead, but Hard-90 came roaring back in the top of the fifth inning. Undaunted, however, the Vikings climbed on top once again with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and hung on to earn the national championship, 12-9.

In this year’s 26 tournaments as a 14U Major team, the Vikings reached the championship game 16 times, compiling a record of 65-37-4. The national championship was all the more sweeter since it came in the final major national tournament for this Vikings team, the nucleus of which has been competing together since they were 9. Throughout their time together, the Vikings have been noted for teamwork, said David D’Alessandro, founder and manager of the team.

“You do not have to be the biggest of players or teams to compete in this sport, as we have proven,” D’Alessandro said. “If you are a sound team and you have the will, anything is possible.”

Gold Coast Xtreme wins again

The HB Gold Coast Xtreme Black Soccer Club took the top prize as champions in the Cypress Cup tournament, right after recently winning the Xtreme Cup in Huntington Beach.

With their tournament title hopes coming down to the last game in Cypress and requiring a shutout and three goals, a total team effort was required. Offensively, Allen Montero scored twice and Garen Balikcioglu also scored in the first half. Montero was put in goal in the second half, switching with Mathew Johnson and helping keep the Wolves Soccer Club scoreless.

They were unable to put a goal past the defensive efforts of Jorge Garcia, Adam Hepburn, Christian Keys and Michael Salgado.

Midfielders Daniel Banta, Alessandro De La Cruz, Kobe Anton, Andy Duong and Taigen Hegberg all did double duty, holding off the Wolves while supporting forwards Tyler Rule, Johnson and Balikcioglu. Balikcioglu eventually earned the hat trick, with an assist from Rule, to make the final score 5-0.

The Xtreme are on a roll, starting with a finalist appearance at PSA Cup in early July and continuing with their two recent championships. The Xtreme Black has been invited to the upcoming San Luis Obispo Cal tournament this weekend and hopes to continue their success.