20 Mar Notre Dame Royals win 2023 Challenge Cup Girls HS tourney
[March 2, 2023 – Harmon, Guam] The Notre Dame High School Royals claimed championship honors at the 2023 Guam Football Association Challenge Cup Girls High School Soccer Tournament at the GFA National Training Center Sunday evening.
The Royals defeated the Southern High School Dolphins 1-0 with the goal scored from a corner-kick play in the final match of the tournament. The tournament returned for the first time since 2019; the tournament was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID19 pandemic, as well as for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The Royals also won the 2019 tournament, before moving on to win the league title in the same year.
The tournament, supported by Japan Football Association, featured 8 high school teams from both the recently concluded ISA Girls High School Soccer League and the upcoming IIAAG Girls High School Soccer League: Academy of Our Lady of Guam, George Washington High School, Harvest Christian Academy, John F. Kennedy High School, Notre Dame High School, Okkodo High School, Southern High School, and a combined team of Tiyan High School and Simon Sanchez High School.
In the semifinals, the Royals defeated 2023 ISA Girls High School Soccer League champions JFK, winning 4-1 in a penalty shootout. The Dolphins defeated the combined team of Tiyan High School and Simon Sanchez High School 2-0 in the other semifinal to set up the Royals vs Dolphins showdown in the final.
The final match was live-streamed and available online: https://mycujoo.tv/view/event/clff2nioz73er0je1otunac2r?src=AND_BC
Following the championship match, the Royals were presented the tournament’s Champions Trophy and medals, and the Dolphins were presented with GFA silver medals. Awards were presented by Tina Esteves, GFA Vice President and Chairperson of the GFA Women’s Committee, and Kelley Barnhart, a member of both the GFA Executive Committee and GFA Women’s Committee.
Previous winners of the preseason tournament were:
• 2012: Harvest Christian Academy Eagles
• 2013: Notre Dame High School Royals
• 2014: George Washington High School Geckos
• 2015: Simon Sanchez High School Sharks
• 2016: George Washington High School Geckos
• 2017: Guam High School Panthers
• 2018: Simon Sanchez High School Sharks
• 2019: Notre Dame High School Royals
The Southern High School Dolphins pose for a group photo with their silver medals following the championship match of the 2023 Guam Football Association Challenge Cup Girls High School Soccer Tournament, an event supported by Japan Football Association, Sunday evening at the GFA National Training Center. Awards were presented by Tina Esteves, GFA Vice President and Chairperson of the GFA Women’s Committee, and Kelley Barnhart, a member of both the GFA Executive Committee and GFA Women’s Committee. The Notre Dame High School Royals won 1-0 against Southern. Photo by Samantha Bautista / GFA
Notre Dame High School Royals’ Sarah Benavente controls the ball in the midfield against the Southern High School Dolphins in the final match of the 2023 Guam Football Association Challenge Cup Girls High School Soccer Tournament, an event supported by Japan Football Association, Sunday evening at the GFA National Training Center. The Royals won 1-0. Photo by Samantha Bautista / GFA
Notre Dame High School Royals’ Kalle Damian sends the ball through the midfield past Southern High School Dolphins’ Cindy Maestrecampo in the final match of the 2023 Guam Football Association Challenge Cup Girls High School Soccer Tournament, an event supported by Japan Football Association, Sunday evening at the GFA National Training Center. The Royals won 1-0. Photo by Samantha Bautista / GFA