Photo by Army National Guard
The third-annual MaxPreps Girls' Soccer Tour of Champions presented by the Army National Guard visited the Beehive State to honor the
Brighton (Salt Lake City) girls' soccer team Dec. 17.
Brighton High School's basketball gym was exploding with energy and the Bengals students were on their feet, cheering for the girls' soccer team. The Brighton Bengals soccer team is the 5A Utah state champion and finished ranked 10th in the nation according to the MaxPreps Freeman Rankings.
Brighton High School's head soccer coach, Mark Stoker, said: "It is an honor and a privilege to be recognized by the MaxPreps Tour of Champions. MaxPreps is the leading authority in high school athletics."
Brighton's trophy ceremony was at halftime of the Brighton boys' basketball game. Richelle Lund, the MaxPreps representative, took the microphone and told the crowd that it takes a whole community to achieve excellence.
Staff Sgt. Cody Wilcox of the Utah Army National Guard continued the ceremony. The crowd began chanting "USA, USA, USA." SSG Wilcox explained that the Bengal soccer team represents the same qualities that it takes to succeed in the National Guard: selfless service, honor and personal courage.
Coach Stoker was then presented with the Army National Guard national ranking trophy. The entire Brighton soccer team joined SSG Wilcox and coach Stoker at half court. Stoker thanked MaxPreps and the National Guard for the honor of being recognized among the best in the nation. He raised the trophy and handed it to team captain
Sydney Myers.
Myers and the Brighton team grabbed the trophy and ran over to the Bengal student section with the crowd exploding into cheers. Congratulations Bengals on a great season!
