WFC co-owner Reyna plays on supporters team

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Brandon Wang (Mafia co-founder), Javier Reyna (WFC co-owner, center) and Ian Stephens (Mafia co-founder.) (Facebook)

WENATCHEE, WA— Javier Reyna helped found Wenatchee FC of the Evergreen Premier League back in 2013. In their first season of play the club saw a supporters group rise up to follow them. The Bridge Mafia has grown each season since then. Now the supporters group is fielding an indoor soccer team, and WFC co-owner Reyna has joined them on the pitch.

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Bridge Mafia indoor soccer team, featuring Wenatchee FC co-owner Javier Reyna (fourth from right, back row.) (Facebook)

The Bridge Mafia are playing in a Co-Ed league at the Wenatchee Valley Sportsplex. They recently got t-shirts / uniforms sponsored by Arroyo Accounting. While helping Wenatchee FC build a tradition in the Valley the Mafia are starting indoor traditions of their own.

The Evergreen Premier League was founded with the motto “Our State, Our Clubs, Our Culture.” In the short time since 2013 Wenatchee now has its own club, and is seeing soccer culture take root right alongside all of those beautiful apple trees.

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Bridge Mafia shirt modeled by Ian Stephens. (Facebook)
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Mafia scarf overseas held high by Elias Lopez, Bridge Mafia co-founder.

Elijah Hurt on to college via WFC

Elijah Hurt playing for Wenatchee Fire FC youth (now Wenatchee FC.)
Elijah Hurt playing for Wenatchee Fire FC youth (now Wenatchee FC.)

WFC-Header-Gradient-LogoWENATCHEE, WA—Elijah Hurt is headed to Pacific Lutheran University to play soccer after growing up in Wenatchee and learning the game from Wenatchee Fire and Wenatchee FC. Hurt is a Wenatchee High School Panther, having played for both the soccer and football (kicker) squads.

Elijah’s story is just the kind of tale that makes Valley soccer folks beam. He’s a local that has made it through the youth level and just this summer advanced all the way up to play for Wenatchee FC’s elite adult men’s side in the Evergreen Premier League. This is the roadmap for players who will follow.

“I have played soccer in Wenatchee since I was three,” says Elijah. “In youth soccer I was on the team Wenatchee Fire, coached by my father Brock Hurt. On that team I gained very close bonds not only with my dad, but with every single player on that team. We won a lot of hardware as a team, but also had a lot of fun going on trips, I learned a lot playing with each and every one of them.”

The natural progression up the local playing ladder in the Wenatchee Valley was made all the easier earlier this year when Wenatchee FC aligned with Wenatchee Fire FC youth. Just a month or so later Hurt became an example of how the system works.

Hurt, second from right, in action with EPLWA Wenatchee FC this summer.
Hurt, second from right, in action with EPLWA Wenatchee FC this summer. (Patty Gillin photo)

eplwa-logo-06-500“Moving up to an EPLWA team was definitely a step for me,” says Elijah. “I have played with older people before but not really at this level. The style of play was different for every team I played against, but every team played with pace and great power. It really was good for me because I learned a lot more on how to get the ball off my feet and playing the simple pass.”

Elijah has the opportunity to continue to grow his skills each summer in the EPLWA right at home with WFC. Up next though is a freshman season of college ball. “I am playing college soccer at Pacific Lutheran University where both my parents played soccer. Wenatchee FC Youth, formerly known as Wenatchee Fire FC Youth, has helped me beyond measure. The opportunity to play high level soccer coming from our small town, has made me the soccer player I am today. Not only on the field, but off the field has Wenatchee FC helped me. I have created special bonds with people that have helped me through a majority of my life, and their friendships off the field as well as on the field, will be treasured forever.”

Elijah Hurt, at left, battles a South Sound FC opponent for the ball at Sargent Field in Chelan in Wenatchee FC's final match of the 2015 season. (Patty Gillin)
Elijah Hurt, at left, battles a South Sound FC opponent for the ball at Sargent Field in Chelan in Wenatchee FC’s final match of the 2015 season. (Patty Gillin)
Wenatchee FC, 2015.
Wenatchee FC, 2015.

Eleazar Galvan EPLWA’s top goalscorer

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wfc_2015Wenatchee FC couldn’t ask for a better local hero than Eleazar Galvan.  He’s from Chelan where he led the CHS Goats to a state title. For a second summer he suited up for the Capitals in the Evergreen Premier League. In 2014 he served notice that he was a player to watch when he led the club with 7 goals. That was good enough for a 4th place tie in the overall scoring records for that season. In 2015 Galvan moved to the head of the class by scoring 11 goals, including two hat tricks and two Offensive Player of the Week honors.
“Eleazar truly earned this honor,” saysgoalWA.net website founder David Falk. “Of course he scored the most goals, but it is important to note that Eleazar also was a unifying force for the club and his soccer community. He put the crest of Wenatchee FC above his personal stats and led by example to show what soccer can be in the Valley. Hopefully the younger generation in Wenatchee paid attention, because Galvan is the prototype player for making Wenatchee FC a success. Not only that, but he’s exactly the reason why websites likegoalWA.net exist: to highlight and celebrate the best in Washington.”

Along with scoring 11 goals for the Capitals Eleazar also bolstered the South Sound U-23’s at USASA nationals where his 2 goals and 3 assists were part of that club’s winning the national championship. What a summer for this year’s goalWA.net goalKING! (See complete goal stats for 2015 here.)

Here is the top ten list of scorers for 2015: 1. Eleazar Galvan (11), 2. Adam Talley, Hector Valdovinos (8), 4. Tyler Bjork, Jesse Esquivel, Timur Zhividze (7), 7. Tyler John, Borce Atanasov, Chance Bukoski, Vince McCluskey (5.)

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WFC plays EPLWA match in Chelan July 26

WFC-Header-Gradient-LogoWENATCHEE, WA— Wenatchee FC of the Evergreen Premier League will play their final league match of the 2015 season on Sunday July 26 at 6 PM in Chelan at Sargent Field. This will be Wenatchee’s first-ever match played in the city by the lake. Known as “The Capitals,” Wenatchee FC will be hosting South Sound FC, a perennial power in the soccer league. WFC home fields at both the Apple Bowl and Wenatchee Valley Community College’s Mike Hollis Field were unavailable to host the match, so the Capitals decided to come up to the lake.

“We are very excited to bring an Evergreen Premier League (EPLWA) match to Chelan,” says WFC co-owner Javier Reyna. “We have players who call the area home. I am sure that Eleazar Galvan, a star for the Goats during his high school years, will be happy to return and play before family and friends.”

Galvan is currently leading the statewide league in goals scored with eleven. He has been named Offensive Player of the Week in the EPLWA twice this season. Galvan was a leader on the 2013 Chelan High School WIAA State Champions team. Other local players on the Wenatchee roster include Julio Vera (Chelan), Olegario Orozco (Manson) and Edwin Tinoco (Brewster.)

Chelan High School Boys Soccer Head Coach Jamie Richards will also be on the sidelines. He is an assistant coach with Wenatchee FC.

Tickets to the match cost $5 for adults, ages 6-12 are $2. Ages 5 and under are free. Concessions will be sold at the match.

The Evergreen Premier League is a statewide league for elite adult male soccer players. The EPLWA has teams in Bellingham, Bremerton, Spokane, Yakima, Vancouver (WA), Tacoma and Seattle along with Wenatchee.

Visit Wenatchee FC online at www.WenatcheeFC.com and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/WenatcheeFC.

Eleazar Galvan returns to Chelan with the Capitals on July 26.
Eleazar Galvan returns to Chelan with the Capitals on July 26. (Kelly Gillin photo)
Sargent Field | E Woodin Ave | Chelan, WA 98816
Sargent Field | 936-1002 E Woodin Ave | Chelan, WA 98816