Through the hoards of spectators, competitors and volunteers at the championship game of the U14 US Youth Soccer National Championships in Overland Park, Kan. last week, one face stood out.

It was former Eastside FC and current U20 US Women’s Soccer coach Michelle French, who spent much of the past five years preparing the 98 Red squad for exactly the type of moment they faced in Kansas, where they captured the first national title for a Washington team since 1996.

“She’s a great coach and has taught us so many things since we were little,” said Jojo Harber, who scored four of Eastside’s five goals in the tournament. “One of those was to play for each other and that helped us throughout this tournament.”

French was able to attend the tournament and watch as coach Tom Bialek led the team to a 2-0-1 record in pool play and spot in the championship game, where goals from Harber and Ellie Bryant (off an assist from Catie Buck) gave Eastside a lead it would not surrender en route to the championship.

“It’s a moment I’ll never forget,” Harber said. “We’re all really close and have been together for five years. We love each other on and off the field.”

Goalkeeper Molly Monroe and the Eastside FC defense allowed only a single goal in four games of the tournament.

In addition to the tournament championship, the team also earned the sportsmanship award and Harber was named Golden Ball Award recipient for her goal scoring efforts. Harber and defender Kaylene Pang were named to the Best 11 squad for the tournament as well. Sophia Butterfield, Katie Foster, Maud Van der Kooi, Buck, Bryant and Harber are all from Bellevue.