Knights crown state soccer champs at Challenge

The results are in from the Knights of Columbus Soccer Challenge State Championships held at St. Rose School in Murfreesboro.

Seven boys and three girls from Tennessee, ages 9 to 14, were recently named state champions in the 2016 Knights Soccer Challenge and have earned the right to compete at the national level. Regional (each diocese in Tennessee) winners from across the state were eligible to participate.

Winners by age group were: 9-year-old boys, Andrew Dowell, Murfreesboro Council 4563; 9-year-old girls, Sasha Sylvia, Memphis Council 6321; 10-year-old boys, Hayden Dowell, Council 4563; 11-year-old boys, Edy Hernandez, Chattanooga Council 6099; 12-year-old girls, Annie Harrison, Council 6099; 12-year-old boys, Nicholas Ron, Council 6099; 13-year-old boys, Matias Ron, Council 6099; 14-year-old boys, Alexander Mentado, Council 6099; and 14-year-old girls, Nadia Hernandez, Council 6099.

Each contestant was allowed 25 penalty-kick attempts in the contests. Ties were settled by successive rounds of three kicks per contestant until a winner emerged.

The Knights of Columbus thanked all the boys and girls who competed in the event. Special thanks went to the following Knights who helped make this year’s event a huge success: state youth director Jerry Dougherty, Grand Knight Tex Shellhart, Jim Barnes, Paul Borkoski, Bill Bennett, Frank Borgiono, and John McNicholas.

The Knights of Columbus Soccer Challenge is sponsored annually, with winners progressing through local, district, and state competitions. International champions are announced by the K of C international headquarters in New Haven, Conn., based on scores from the state-level competitions. All boys and girls 9 to 14 years old are eligible to participate and will compete in their respective age divisions. All contestants on the local level are recognized for their participation in the event.

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