Area Colonial FC semi-pros are Division I champions

Ending a spring 2022 semi-pro soccer season on Saturday, Aug. 6, the western Treasure Valley’s Colonial FC men’s soccer team defeated Utah Avalanche 2-1 in the season finals at Westminster College in Salt Lake City.  The win crowned Colonial FC the United Premier Soccer League’s Division I champion in the Mountain West conference.

 The team is composed of men ranging in ages from 18 to their late 30s, most all easily recognizable to area soccer fans. A majority of the players have played high school soccer and club soccer, with each other or on opposing teams, as well as on valley men’s league teams.

 Coach Alvaro Meza, a 2004 Weiser High School graduate, said he has known the bulk of the young men from the time they were children. Co-coaching the team is Alain Tapia Chavez, who comes to the area with a strong soccer background in both Mexico and the U.S.

 Going into Saturday’s game, Colonial FC was determined to redeem themselves after two season losses to Avalanche, and the outcome was stellar.

 Colonial scored first, in the first five minutes of the first half. Play started from the back line, with Colonial recovering the ball and hitting with a counterattack. Adrian Nunez moved the ball down the left side, passing up to Mikey Lopez who took it to the corner.

 During that action, team captain Oscar Padilla moved into position at the left front of the goal box, while Nunez charged across to the right to back up the play. Padilla received the ground pass from Lopez, taking a touch, catching it on the volley and sending it into the upper right corner.

 Avalanche answered around the 20-minute mark, tying the score at 1-1 where it remained into a second overtime.

 In the last eight minutes, Nunez shot a free kick that bounced off of the keeper. Chris Gonzales moved up and was there to tap the ball in to take the 2-1 lead and the win as the clock ran out.

 “It was a tight and energetic game from the first blow of the whistle to the end,” Padilla said.

 Colonial FCs roster includes: Jacobi Beesley, Edgar Torres, Alfonso Hernandez, Padilla, and Gonzales, all from Weiser; Nunez, Andres Navarette, Emilio Gonzales, Saul Guardado, Michal Hernandez, and Javier Amaral, Ontario; Luis Fernando Sanchez, and Jonathan Gonzalez,  Payette; Ramirez, Jose Olivo, and Joal Herrera, Fruitland; Robinson Merida, Caldwell; Christian Brooks, Boise; and Gustavo Espinoza, Utah. 

 The fall season is beginning almost immediately, with Colonial FC moving into the UPSL’s Premier League. 

 According to the UPSL website, the league is the largest and fastest growing Pro Development Soccer league in America made up of over 400 teams nationally.