United soccer still had something to prove on the final matchday of the season.
The team had already clinched a share of the Flyway title, but that wasn't good enough.
United confirmed it was the best team in the conference with a dominating 5-0 win at George S. Cobb Field on Tuesday against Wayland Academy.
"We were going to [go] 100 percent on them the whole game," defender Leo Desiderio said. "It didn't matter that we had already clinched, we were going to go out and attack and win."
Despite not scoring until late in the first half, the attitude and intensity was evident from the start of the match. United controlled the ball and heaped pressure on Wayland's defense.
The breakthrough came in the 35th minute on a goal from Mario Gonzalez Rodriguez, who was open on the back post when the ball found its way past two Wayland defenders.
"Honestly I wasn't expecting the ball to get to me so easily so I could just tap it in," Gonzalez Rodriguez said. "It was a good feeling to have that first goal."
The pressure continued in the second half. Garret Garcia scored just two minutes after halftime, which was an indicator of things to come.
United got goals from Aldo Ceballos, Jonstin Mendoza and Yovani Avila to cap off the impressive win.
Despite its strong start to the season, coach Ascencion Ramirez said his team knew the championship would come down to the final three matches of the season. United played second-place Oshkosh Lourdes, third-place Winnebago Lutheran Academy and fifth-place Wayland Academy.
United went 2-0-1 in that stretch to clinch the title.
"I'm very proud of my team, especially my staff as well," Ramirez said. "We knew that the last three games were going to be pretty tough and very decisive for the conference race. I believe in my team.
"They pulled through to the last minute and I couldn't be more proud than I am right now."
The conference championship is the second straight for United, which was able to replace an experienced and talented senior class from a season ago that included multiple first team all-conference selections.
"It's amazing," Desiderio said. "Before last year we had never won one and now we've won two back-to-back. It's a great way to end my senior season."
PHOTO GALLERY: United at Wayland soccer - 10/15/2024
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