Neenah U17 Boys Soccer Club books ticket to Kansas for state championships

NEENAH — The Neenah U17 soccer club made program history last weekend by winning the Midwest Regionals of the Presidents Cup of youth soccer and now moves on to nationals in Wichita, Kansas.

“I think it’s really just a testament to all of our efforts throughout the year, all of the long runs and long practices, all of that has led to this moment,” said Neenah High School senior Grant Romjue.

The club is playing its best football at the right time. They have won 14 games in a row thanks to a strong defence, but after a slow start their attack has come to life.

“We all rely on each other,” Romjue said. “I think that’s the great thing about this team. It’s not one particular player or one particular moment that has defined our season. We’re all together. We support each other.”

JOHN MILLER / NBC 26

Most of the team members have been playing together since they were teenagers, and many of them are part of the Neenah Rockets high school team that won the FVA in the spring.

“We’ve been friends since we were 9 years old,” said Trey White, a junior from Neenah. “We’ve been cuddled together all day every day. If it’s not football, some of us have been basketball teammates. Knowing all the sports and just all the guys is a great experience.”

The players pay great praise to their coaches.

John Pendergast, their head coach, served in the Marine Corps and instills discipline in the young group.

JOHN MILLER / NBC 26

“He’s a tough guy, but he makes us do what we need to do and I think this year we’ve really increased our intensity in training and the different tactics we’ve been working on,” Romjue said.

Together, they made club history by booking their trip to the national championships and dominating their competition at the Midwest President’s Cup in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

“One of the best experiences I’ve ever had in football,” White said. “It was just crazy to play against all those good teams and blow them out of the water in some games.”

NEENAH FOOTBALL CLUB

Not only is this team happy to be one of eight remaining teams in the nation, but they have also stated that they want to win it all.

“This is definitely a new level for us and we will be playing against teams we have never seen before,” Romjue said. “I’m ready and I hope they are ready for us.”

If you want to watch Neenah’s U17 team at the state championships, download the VEO app to watch their games.