FARGO — The Dakota Fusion 15U girls soccer team just won the National Presidents Cup last week and they’re already back on the field, ready to keep working.
“I hope more people realize that now that. We’re good, we can be good in North Dakota,” said Layla Becker.
Playing in the National Presidents Cup wasn’t just a first for the squad, it was redemption after two straight years of coming up just short.
“Being finalists two years in a row in the regional tournament, I didn’t want another finalist medal. I came, I won. I wanted that championship medal so bad,” said team captain Jaden Melendez.
Jaden came into the weekend with one clear mission.
“We each pick a goal, and I had one specifically for this team. It was to raise the cup,” said Jaden.
And that’s exactly what they did, bringing home the national title.
For Jaden, the victory was more than just a championship. With her dad as head coach, her mom as assistant coach, and her sister also on the team, it was truly a family affair.
“I could hear my mom yelling from the bench. Three minutes, three minutes. I was like, I know this game is done. We just locked up the win, and then just my dad coming off, hugging me with my little sister, getting to play, not only with my mom coaching, my dad coaching, and then playing with my little sister, just like the best family hug I ever experienced,” said Jaden.
But beyond the medals and memories, the team proved something bigger.
“It was just kind of to want it more than them, and just to, like, put our heart into the game, our heart and soul, and, like, play with everything we had and leave it all on the field,” said Taylor Hodny.
Now, as they look ahead, they hope their run can inspire others across the state.
“I think we just paved a way, and it’s gonna show so many more teams what they can do. There’s tons of teams all over North Dakota. Soccer is picking up speed more and more every day, especially girls soccer,” said Jaden.
With their national championship trophy in hand and eyes set on the future, the Dakota Fusion 15U girls are proving that North Dakota soccer is a force to be reckoned with.