Dublin, CA — The Ebbetts Pass Gold FC 12/13G “Snow Dragons” come from behind in a nail-biter to claim the Clover Cup Championship title.
The tournament was held recently in Dublin, CA. The Snow Dragons, led by coaches Josette Belarmino and Jesse Kreisberg, are members of the Ebbetts Pass Youth Soccer League (EPYSL), with players mostly coming from the Murphys, Angels Camp, and Arnold areas of Calaveras County. The squad remained unbeaten throughout the competition, with two wins and a tie.
In the final match, they would take on Mountain View Los Altos Blue Lightning, who quickly scored three goals early in the championship match, making it 0–3. That sparked a fire in the dragons, who rallied, scoring two goals before halftime, flipping the momentum.
In the second half, the Snow Dragons turned up the heat, tying the match 3–3 and forcing the game into five-minute overtime. Neither team could score, setting up a dramatic penalty shootout to decide the winner. The Blue Lightning got the first shot, but Snow Dragon’s goalkeeper Kaiya Kreisberg was ready and blocked it, giving her team the advantage. Then it was the dragon’s turn for one final kick, which hit its mark and secured the victory.
“For a group that has grown up together, there could not have been a more fitting ending. What a comeback. What a team. What a moment,” stated team officials.
