The Sacramento Gold advanced to the final four after winning the Western Region Championship. The team faced the North champion from Allentown, Pennsylvania, the Sonics. The Sonics had successfully disposed of the northeast National Premier Soccer League champion, the New York Red Bulls, to advance to the final four. 

The final four was played in hot and exceptionally humid atmosphere in Alabama. The team tried to acclimate by moving around in the mid-day heat. The final against the Sonics was played on a Thursday evening. The Sonics led 1-0 for most of the game. With eighteen minutes left, an own goal was scored, but was brilliantly forced by a scorched center across the goalmouth. The score was tied 1-1. A few minutes later, Sacramento State All-American Ernesto Carranza ripped the ball from the upper corner of the penalty area off the lower far post and into the goal for a 2-1 lead. A few minutes later, Manolo Piña beat the three Sonic players from the corner up the end line and with no angle, drove the ball with the outside of his right foot around the goalkeeper and into the bottom of the side netting at the far post. The crowd was as amazed as the Sonic players. Another goal was scored on a counter late in the game, so the final tally stood at 4-1 in favor of the Sacramento Gold. 

In final, the Sacramento Gold faced the undefeated Southern champions from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Chattanooga is in close proximity to Madison, and so they bussed in over 1000 fans. The game was accompanied by unnecessary tension caused by some of the Chattanooga fans engaging in racial and ethnics slurs in an attempt to distract the Gold’s players and coaches. 

Chattanooga opened the scoring with a right-footed shot past Conor McNulty. Conor had no chance on that shot, but then kept a clean sheet for the rest of the half, making several remarkable saves. With more than 40 minutes played in the first half, Ernesto Carranza volleyed the ball into the net from well outside the area to tie the match. Less than one minute later, Utodi Madu roofed a corner kick and the Sacramento Gold led 2-1. However, Sacramento was now playing with 10 players due to a red card issued to Ivan Bermudez. The Sacramento Gold would have to hold on in the second half despite Chattanooga’s one man advantage. It looked like Chattanooga would have its chance when a penalty kicked was awarded to Chattanooga early in the second half. The penalty taker for Chattanooga placed the ball well into the bottom corner, and struck it hard, but the ball was blocked by Gold goalkeeper Max Herrera who came in, in the second half, for McNulty. Thereafter, the Sacramento Gold played havoc with the Chattanooga defense, counter-attacking and creating numerous opportunities. Those opportunities finally resulted in goal on a pass from Manolo Piña to Ernesto Carranza in the 83^rd minute. 

The result was a National Championship soccer team for Sacramento. Gary and Conor were thrilled to be able to contribute to this effort, as you can see from their smiling faces in the attached photograph.