By Dave Ruden
Staff Writer

When Jonathan Bradley held the first practice last November with his Eastern FC Bobcats U15 Premier girls soccer team, he wasn't certain what to expect.

"I thought we were decent and I just hoped to improve," Bradley said. "I just wanted to get to the regional tournament during Memorial Day and try to win. It seemed unrealistic at first, but we got there and played well.

"Eight months later, the Bobcats have far exceeded their coach's expectations. They ended up winning the National Cup Regional and this weekend will compete in the eight-team national championship tournament in Virginia Beach.

"We're really excited about it," said Georgie Highton, a starting midfielder who attends Darien High School. "We didn't think we'd make it this far but we played really well in the regionals.

"The Connecticut Junior Soccer Association will have two entries in the field this weekend. The U14 Cheetahs, another girls team, also qualified. They are comprised of players from Greenwich and New York.

Bradley, who is the coach at Darien High School, has five of his players on the Bobcats, including Charlotte Phillips, his starting goalkeeper. Peggy O'Hara, a defender who played last season at Notre Dame of Fairfield, is transferring to Norwalk High School.

Many of the top players are from New York, including Courtney Marin, who was the star of the regional tournament, Emily Johnston and Carla Nicasio at midfield and Ilana Robbins on defense. Nicasio attends St. Luke's.

"We all really get along and click very well," O'Hara said. "We have really good players on the team. This is all really exciting. "Though the 17 players on the roster hail from nine different towns, they are hardly strangers. Various members have played for the Bobcats for as many as four years. The team has been practicing since the high school season ended last fall, playing indoors over the winter and starting their spring season in March.

"It's been long," Bradley said. "Coming off of high school they have been going 11 months straight. They have a great work ethic.

"The Bobcats went 1-0-1 on the first day of the regional tournament and needed a win in their final game of pool play to advance to the final. They went out and routed the host team, LeGrange, N.Y., 4-0.

In the title game, against the Syracuse Blitz, the Bobcats, behind two goals from Marin, took a 2-1 halftime lead and held on for the victory.

Marin was outstanding, scoring five of the Bobcats' seven goals in the four games. And the back row, the strength of the team, proved impenetrable.

"We're really solid on defense," Bradley said. "That's what we base things on, being tight in the back and using our forwards to create chances. And we have an excellent keeper.

"Highton said the many hours spent together on the field have carried the team to the national finals.

"We all know how each other plays and we work well together and communicate well," she said. "That really helps.

"About half the team has been together this week training at a camp in East Hampton, Mass., before leaving for Virginia.

The Bobcats begin pool play on Saturday against a team from Buffalo. They face a team from Canada the following day before finishing up Monday against an opponent from the state of Washington.

The top team in each bracket meet for the title on Tuesday.

"We're just going to stick with the same system we've been playing and show the same commitment," Bradley said. "We don't know anything about the other teams so we just have to worry about ourselves.

"The Bobcat players are looking forward to the opportunity.

"It's really exciting and we're all very happy," O'Hara said. "We're going to have to work really hard and be very fit because it is going to be hot down there.“

Added Highton, "We just have to keep doing what we've been doing.

"However the Bobcats fare this weekend, it will not be the end of the road for the team.

"We have everyone coming back next year except for one player," Bradley said. "They like each other and have really grown into a close-knit group of girls. We hope to keep getting better and better.“

- Dave Ruden can be reached at dave.ruden@scni.com or at 964-2253.