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The Jets, an under-14 boys team from the Pleasant Hill Martinez Soccer Association, participated in the American Youth Soccer Organizationís National Games invitational in Knoxville, Tenn., where they played in the title game, beating six teams from around the country to compete for the championship. Though they fell short in the final game, 3-1, the Jets won a semifinal game that was the talk of the tournament, ending regulation play tied and battling through two overtime rounds before finally prevailing 4-3 in a penalty kick shootout after seven rounds.

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National finalists

The Jets, an under-14 boys team from the Pleasant Hill Martinez Soccer Association, participated in the American Youth Soccer Organization's National Games invitational from July 1-8, in Knoxville, Tenn., where they played in the title game, beating six teams from around the country to compete for the championship. Though they fell short in the final game, 3-1, the Jets won a semifinal game that was the talk of the tournament, ending regulation play tied and battling through two overtime rounds before finally prevailing 4-3 in a penalty kick shootout after seven rounds. The title game was played less than four hours later. Team members, from left, front row, are Wyatt Hattich, Dakota Seidenspinner, Zack Homer, Calder McClure, Sean Fuller, Drake Westphal and Patrick Bilotti; and back row, Shane Vassar, Robert Viano, Blake Johnson, Owen Casebeer, Joshua George, D'Angelo Morales, Kyle Tiangsing and Elias Peters. Leading the team were coach Jeff McClure and assistant coaches Keith George and Michel Jensen-McClure. The AYSO National Games are held every two years and include more than 300 teams from around the country.