The Cherry Valley Fog, a group of 18 area girls soccer players, traveled to Derry, Ireland during the last week of July to compete in the Foyle Cup Tournament.

Their competition in the tournament turned out to be a little more than they originally bargained for, said coach Tom VanAlstine of Cherry Valley.

"We thought it was going to be an under-18 tournament, but it turned out to be a women's tournament," said VanAlstine, whose daughter, Morgan, also made the trip. "In the first game we played, the midfielder on the other team was a 22-year-od who had just finished a four year full soccer scholarship at the University of Kentucky. But it was still a great experience for the girls and they learned a great deal."

Of the 18 girls who made the trip, 11 attend Cherry Valley-Springfield, and most will be playing on the varsity soccer team in the fall.

"Our girls were playing soccer with the boys from Derry for about four or five hours a night," VanAlstine said. "They learned some new moves, and learned to play more physically too."

The trip was the brainchild of Cherry Valley's Norm Crowley, who always wanted to take his children, Savannah and Wyatt, to Ireland. He found the tournament on the internet early this year, and the trip turned into a community event. The players had to come up with money of their own, but some of the cost was defrayed by fundraisers such as car washes, bake sales and community dinners.

"We'd like to thank the community for all their help," Crowley said. "This trip is something these girls will always remember."

In all, 91 teams in five age groups from around the world competed in the Foyle Cup Tournament, and the Fog were the only girls team from the United States.

The Fog played four games, losing 6-1, 4-0, 3-0 and 2-0. Corey Haim of Edmeston scored the team's lone goal.

The 11 girls from Cherry Valley-Springfield who made the trip included Megan Shirey, who also served as the team captain; Morgan VanAlstine, Savannah Crowley, Savannah Whiteman, Maggie Milner, Lindsey Cairo, Brittany Mabie, Kyla Misiewicz, Shelby Kingsley, Fiona Doherty and Kendra Burst. Also attending were Corey Haim and Amanda Doxtader of Edmeston; Molly Goodwin of Morris; Lindsay Claus, Dana Claus and Kathleen Damin of Oppenheim-Euphrata and Jackie West of Worcester.