BEAUMONT, Texas — The City of Beaumont and it's surrounding communities have some of the best all around talent on the pitch during soccer season.
Over towards West Brook High School at the Cris Quinn Memorial Soccer Complex hosts fields where the Albion Hurricane FC practice.
In this area alone there are around 30 teams ranging anywhere from 3rd grade all the way up to graduating seniors.
This season, the U-15 and U-17 squads of Albion East are headed to the National Cup Finals at Dick's Sporting Goods Stadium in Commerce, Colorado.
"We became part of Albion {in} Beaumont {from} Houston where the mothership is because they have a pathway that nobody in Beaumont can offer," Coach and Director of Girls Albion East Mikey Olabarrieta said in an interview with 12News.
Within the ranks of these squads, the strength of Southeast Texas lies within.
Boys and girls from Nederland, Lumberton, PNG, Hardin-Jefferson, Vidor, LCM, Jasper and even Kelly rely on each other to band together and create championship caliber teams.
Albion East laid claim to the United Soccer Open Cup Championship in 2023 which qualified them for the national tournament.
The U-17 team in the Open Cup was down 2-0 and in order to make the Nationals dream come true, a miracle needed to happen.
"The girls performed amazingly, they were down, came back from being down. Ended up winning in penalty kicks," Coach Olabarrieta said.
The girls cup play begins on July 21 and will go through July 25 in Commerce, Colorado.