Beyond all goals

Be competitive. That’s all coaches Mary McCullagh and Tony Pellicane asked of their players when they opened the Philadelphia Department of Recreation under-11 indoor soccer season.

The travel team sponsored by the Southeast Youth Athletic Association did much more than that.

Last week, the girls defeated the Northeast-based Philadelphia Soccer Club 4-3 in overtime to capture the city championship. The SEYAA squad, which finished first during the regular season with a 9-0-1 record, made a miraculous comeback after trailing 3-2. Arianna Townson scored the tying goal with 10 seconds left in regulation. Renee Teito kicked in the game-winner in overtime.

"They had done so well and we had every faith in them that they could come back," McCullagh said of the March 23 match.

The coach noted that goalie Rachel Bertolino really kept the team in the game.

Winning a city championship is always considered a huge accomplishment, but it’s even more dramatic for players who are coming off a winless season. Some of the girls were members of SEYAA’S United Junior Soccer League team that finished with a 0-6 record during the fall outdoor season. Instead of abandoning hope, the group of returning players and newcomers jelled into a championship-caliber program.

"They never quit," Pellicane said. "They were a good bunch of girls. They supported each other."

The South Philly squad defeated teams from Chestnut Hill, Mayfair and Port Richmond. Youth soccer programs might have more of a hold in other sections of the city, but the local team outplayed them all. After SEYAA defeated Philadelphia Soccer Club 5-2 in the regular season, Pellicane said his team realized they had something special.

The first-place squad carried the winning momentum into the postseason, defeating Mayfair 3-0 in the quarterfinals and Lawncrest 4-1 in the semifinals. After winning the championship game, the girls, coaches, family members and friends all went to Celebre’s Pizza for a celebration dinner.

"It’s nice to say we are the champs now," Pellicane said.

The victory is big enough to put South Philadelphia youth soccer on the city map. McCullagh couldn’t be any happier about what the group of athletes achieved.

"I think as the season went on, they gained an understanding of the game," she said. "They have a love for the game which they didn’t have before."

The SEYAA girls’ under-14 team also deserves recognition for winning its division with a 9-0-1 record. The squad advanced to the semifinals before losing 3-0 to Fox Chase.