Senri Osaka's Kotaro Yoshitomo and keeper Eiki Nagase and Perry's Jalen Cooley converge on the ball. (Photo by Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan – Thirteen times before, Matthew C. Perry tried to win the boys soccer tournament it hosted.
It was denied just as many times.
Thanks to Most Valuable Player Noah Charles and a stingy defense, the Samurai finally captured the title on their 14th try Saturday in the Perry Cup.
Charles rifled a shot past goalkeeper Eiki Nsgase in the 18th minute, followed four minutes later by Landon DeMarsico-Birkland, and the defense took over from there, leading the Samurai to a 2-1 win in Saturday’s gold bracket final over Senri Osaka.
“Long time coming,” said Perry coach Mark Lange, who has been at the Samurai helm for 22 seasons and helped found the Perry Cup back in 2010. “Wow. I’m so proud of these guys. They played so determined.”
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