The Peach State Delivers a Double: Hatters win Champions Cup

All roads lead to Georgia in the Girls Academy.   The Girls Academy Champions Cup championship games were held in the 2007/2008 and 2009 age groups on Monday. Georgia club [program_tooltip program_id='279107' first='Tophat' last='GA'] Gold claimed the championship in both age groups. [program_tooltip program_id='279107' first='Tophat' last='GA'] Gold 2008/2007 defeated STA 2-1 behind a Golden Goal from Bryanna Burrus. After falling behind early in the 2009 championship game, Tophat stormed back to claim the title with a 5-1 win over SC del Sol. Solidifying their place as one of the best club teams in history following a back-to-back title in that age group.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2009 Championship </h2>   Tophat defended their title on Monday in the2009 age group with a 4-1 victory over SC del Sol, but the scoreline did not adequately reflect the challenge put in front of the champs. The Arizona team looked like the worthy contender for the title early on. Addisyn Stam put SC del Sol up in the first half. The winger finished off a cross from Annabel Abraham, which gave the Arizona club the advantage. Abraham did the hard work on the goal with a powerful run down the touch line before hitting in a wonderful service to the far post for Stam's finish.   SC del Sol was on the front foot in the opening stage of the game, but couldn't add to the lead. Tophat equalized in the first half when center back [player_tooltip player_id='200432' first='Brooke' last='Barnes'] pinged a pass over the defense and into the path of Youth National Team star [player_tooltip player_id='150733' first='Bristol' last='Kersh']. The Notre Dame commit made no mistake with the chance and evened the score.   Ten minutes later, Tophat found the go-ahead goal. For the second year in a row, [player_tooltip player_id='111690' first='Chloe' last='Layfield'] was the hero. The forward tallied the game-winner last year in the Championship game of the Champions Cup. She always seems to be at her best in the biggest moments. The goal sequence started with Barnes again. The defender intercepted a pass and quickly started the transition with an accurate one-touch pass into Layfield's feet. The attacked did well to lay it off to [player_tooltip player_id='150779' first='Emily' last='Baxter']. The quick combination between the two allowed Layfield to get the ball on her feet while facing goal. She is ruthless with those chances and once again buried a powerful shot into the upper corner of the net, which gave Tophat the 2-1 lead heading into the half time break.   Kersh added another goal shortly into the second half to extend the lead. She picked off a pass from the center back and then out-muscled a defender in the 1v1 situation before placing her shot into the bottom corner of the goal.   [player_tooltip player_id='111890' first='Emory' last='Pitts'] got on the scoreboard a minute later for Topath. [player_tooltip player_id='150788' first='Ashley' last='Scott'] provided the assist on the goal. The left center back capitalized on a wayward pass and immediately played the ball into space for Pitts. The Missouri commit used her speed to get past the defense and then finished her chance. Tophat had the 4-1 advantage.   Kersh nabbed her hat trick midway through the half on a similar sequence. Scott one-touched a clearance to the winger. SC del Sol left the defender on an island against one of the best youth players in the country, which proved to be a mistake. Kersh cut and finished with her right foot past the outstretched arm of the goalkeeper.   Tophat finished the event with their most dominant scoreline of the week in Florida. The National Playoffs await in June as Tophat looks to pull off the double on the season.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2008/2007 Championship </h2>   The 2008/2007 tittle game had a similar feel to the 2009 game.   STA jumped on a mistake early and grabbed the lead. Brianna Concepcion had the goal. #22 created the turnover. Ava Chun sprung on the loose ball and played a quick pass into #22 who picked out the run of Concepcion, who finished with composure in the high pressure spot.   Tophat equalized late in the first half. [player_tooltip player_id='107267' first='McKenzie' last='Godfrey'] was the star on the goal. The forward received the ball on her side of the half with three defenders surrounding her and a wall of three defenders behind that group. In a somewhat unthinkable sequence, she was able to spin out of the initial pressure and then use her speed to run at the retreating backline. She dribbled through two more before a late sliding challenge took her out inside of the box.   Godfrey stepped up to take the shot from the spot. STA goalkeeper Sienna Goldstein made an incredible block on the shot, but Godfrey was first to the rebound and finished off the chance for the equalizer.   The two teams were scoreless in the second half and the game went to overtime/golden-goal situation. Bryanna Burrus scored the game-winner in overtime on a beautiful shot from a near impossible angle. It was Godfrey in the middle of the action again. She provided excellent hold-up play to start the sequence. Then played a pass into the feet of midfielder [player_tooltip player_id='107137' first='Courtney' last='Cangialosi'], who sprayed it wide to Burrus. The 1v1 situation set up perfectly for Burrus who cut in and then out and then ripped a shot with her right feet that blistered into the net as her teammates rushed the field in jubilation with the final whistle sounding signifying the championship was finally heading to Tophat after coming up just short in previous years.

All roads lead to Georgia in the Girls Academy.