The 2014-15 MaxPreps Tour of Champions made a stop in Concord, Mass. to honor the
Concord-Carlisle boys' soccer team on the 4th Annual MaxPreps Soccer Tour of Champions presented by the Army National Guard. The Concord-Carlisle Patriots finished the season with an outstanding 20-0-1 record, including the championship game where they shut out Oliver Ames 1-0 for the state title. Not only did they win their 4th state title since 2006, MaxPreps also ranked them nationally. Out of 15,000 boys' soccer programs, Concord-Carlisle ranked No. 99 in the country.
On Tuesday, February 10th, MaxPreps and the Massachusetts Army National Guard traveled through the snow-filled state to visit Concord-Carlisle High School to honor the team on their national ranking and award them with the Army National Guard national ranking trophy. Although snow cancelled school for the Concord-Carlisle students, the high school was not going to let the weather get in their way of celebrating the boys' soccer team and their successful season. The team was presented the prestigious trophy during halftime of the boys' basketball game.
Outside of the gymnasium, Staff Sergeant Michael Reed and Sergeant Lily Darling of the Massachusetts Army National Guard setup a table to display the ‘Minuteman' trophy as well as the Nationally Ranked banner that the team would receive that night. Sergeant First Class Geoffrey Allen was also there answering questions about the National Guard as well as taking photos of the award ceremony.
Before we knew it, the second quarter came to an end and it was time to set up for the presentation in the gymnasium. With over 800 fans present, the Concord-Carlisle basketball announcer got everyone in the stands excited as he announced that McKenzie Loughlin of MaxPreps and Staff Sergeant Michael Reed were here to present the boys' soccer team with the Army National Guard national ranking trophy. Before starting the presentation, the boys' soccer team and coaching staff were asked to make their way to half court. McKenzie Loughlin started the ceremony by recounting to the crowd the Patriot's successful season. After speaking about the team, McKenzie Loughlin continued by explaining the Tour Champions as well as the MaxPreps Computer Rankings. Everyone in the stands began cheering and applauding when they found out that their school's soccer team was one of ten schools being honored in the Tour of Champions.
Then, Staff Sergeant Michael Reed congratulated the team on their accomplishments and correlated many of the traits of a National Guard to that of a championship team, including hard work and determination. After stressing how proud the Massachusetts Army National Guard was to be presenting a team in Massachusetts with such a tremendous honor, SSG Reed and SGT Darling presented Coach Ray Pavlik and the team with the Army National Guard national ranking trophy.
Once the presentation was finished, Coach Pavlik and the team took formal photos with the trophy and were interviewed expressing their excitement and how honored they were to be presented with the trophy. SSG Reed and SGT Darling handed out Tour of Champions commemorative shirts and cinch bags to the team as well. Excited about the honor, the team could not wait to wear their new commemorative shirts to school and to explain to their classmates what they had been presented with.
Congratulations to Coach Pavlik and the boys' soccer team on an unbelievable season and national ranking!
