Inaugural Warrior Cup Five-A-Side Tournament results

Provided.

The Belligols.

The Tehachapi Warriors Booster Club recently hosted the Inaugural Warrior Cup Five-A-Side Soccer Tournament at the new Valley Park Five-A-Side Soccer Field on Saturday, Nov. 16. Nine teams participated in the all-day event.

The tournament, the first to be held at the City of Tehachapi's Valley Park facility since it opened in June, featured teams from Tehachapi, Bakersfield, California City, Edwards and Visalia. In total, 25 matches were played throughout the day, including preliminary matches and single-elimination playoffs.

The winning team, the Belligols, a team of Tehachapi High School soccer alums, were the first squad to lift the Warrior Cup and will have a championship name plaque added to the cup's base prior to the next Warrior Cup event. The Belligols managed to sneak into the playoff bracket after winning the tiebreaker on goal differential by one goal. They went on to win out the remaining games, defeating another local side Chivas in the championship game 3-0.

Along with individual trophies, the winning team was also awarded Tehachapi Warriors hooded sweatshirts and hats, the runner-up also received Tehachapi Warriors long sleeve shirts and hats.

Each match was 10 minutes in length and featured special Five-A-Side soccer rules to ensure play was fast paced, offensively oriented and safe for all competitors. The action also drew in over 100 fans who filled the bleachers and lined the area surrounding the court, culminating with the championship match that featured a raucous crowd complete with air horns and other noise makers adding to the festive soccer atmosphere.

"For an event to be the first of its kind and to receive such an amazing response from the teams and the fans was a testament to the soccer talent and support in this community," said Tehachapi Warriors Booster Club President Corey Costelloe. "We were inundated with requests to do this again as the talent around us would like more opportunities to compete at that amazing facility while supporting the high school program, we look forward to improving on the first event and doing this again in the future."

The tournament raised $1,350 for THS soccer, a portion of which will help offset the large purchase earlier this year of team shelters for Coy Burnett Stadium to offer both home and visiting teams some respite from the harsh winter conditions often experienced at THS soccer home matches.

The Tehachapi Warriors Booster Club is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) and works with the Tehachapi Unified School District to raise funds to support and advocate for all teams at Tehachapi High School. The public is invited to attend monthly meetings held the second Wednesday of every month at the Village Collective Studio in Downtown Tehachapi at 6 p.m. For more information about the Warrior Boosters, or to join as an individual member, visit the website at http://www.thsboosters.boosterhub.com/.