The Royals of Woodland FC clinched the Select League title in both the league, and club's, inaugural season on July 19th, 2024. Woodland came into the match needing just one more victory out of their final three matches to secure the title.
Southside FC (maximum of 37pts possible) and Olathe United FC (maximum of 37pts possible) were hoping the Royals would do something they haven't done all season--take their foot off the gas. With the exception of their single misstep against Real Overland Park on match day 3, Woodland have dispatched every opponent that has crossed their path. This victory resulted in their 11th consecutive victory, 13th overall, and an impressive goal scoring record. Since their loss in match day 3, they have outscored their opponents a whopping 59-4 during this win streak.
Clinching day would be no exception. Anything can happen on Derby day, and in the Tallgrass Derby (Lenexa vs Woodland) Woodland was eager to get out to an early lead. Facing the opportunity to clinch the title against your league rival was icing on the cake.
While it would be great to write that this was an end-end match with both teams trading blow for blow in a heavyweight fight, that story would not be the truth. Woodland showed up ready to play from the opening whistle, and never looked back.
They scored in the 2nd minute (Givler), 6th (Okiring) 15th (Jean-Baptiste) 28th (Okiring), 29th (Calderon), 34th Jackson, 44th (Obando), 48th (Sherfy) 59th and 62nd (Caughron), 66th (Radwan), 79th (Jean-Baptiste), 80th (Williams) 83rd (Obando), and 84th (Jean-Baptiste).
The match was, you could say, a fitting summary to the win streak that carried Woodland to the title. A resounding 15-0 win that saw the Royals do exactly what Coach Harris instructed them to do during his pre-match talk--"Leave no doubt."
The pick of the goals had to be Michael Okiring's 28th minute strike. A beautifully guided curling effort that bent light to find far corner of the goal from almost 25-yards out. Naguib Nassir recorded his 4th-shutout of the season behind excellent defensive work from the backline of Pemberton, Carson, Young, and Flores.
It was a glorious display from front to back in front of a crowd desperate to see their home-team Royals raise the cup aloft on the grass of beautiful Stump Park. When the final whistle blew, and league treasuerer Bryce Empey along with Kanas Soccer Association president Bobby Riggs had awarded the medals to the players, the time had finally come to raise the trophy.
Club captains Gage Pemberton, and Chandler Givler gathered around the eager teammates and hoisted the trophy into the dusking sky to the roar of a raucous crowd, some of which travelled as far as 10-hours to watch this match, and the jubiliation of players who had just been rewarded for months of hard work.
It was an excellent ending to an excellent day. The Royals final two matches will conclude their season with matches on Friday, July 26th, at home against Lee's Summit Athletic, and August 3rd at Olathe United.
You can watch the replay of the match here on our club youtube channel!