Tyler Junior College men's soccer coach Steve Clements said if he wanted to wear his national championship ring from 2000, he would first have to remove an inch of dust off the jewel. After Sunday, he doesn't have to worry about cleaning that piece of jewelry at all.

By JOE BUIE

Staff Writer

Tyler Morning Telegraph

Clements will be getting a brand new ring after the top-ranked Apaches won their first NJCAA Division I soccer title with a 5-3 shootout victory over No. 2 Georgia Perimeter at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor, N.J.

The teams played to a scoreless tie through regulation and overtime. Robert E. Lee graduate Juan Robles was one of the stars of the game as the goalkeeper kept the Apaches (20-0-1) alive under intense pressure. Robles had five saves, including one huge block in the shootout. "He had a great day," Clements said. "Georgia Perimeter really took it to us in the first half. We were lucky to survive. Defensively, we stepped up and did our job to hold them out, but it certainly wasn't without opportunity."

The official stats had Georgia Perimeter (21-1-2) with eight shots on goal and TJC with two. The Apaches had to play a man down in the final 8:49 of regulation and overtime after Harry Machacha picked up his second yellow card of the game. "In the second half we came out to play," Clements said. "I thought we had the better play in the second half. It was kind of two different games. Even 10 on 11, we were not just sagging back in a defensive posture, because they were tired. We were getting opportunities."

After matching two goals on penalty kicks, TJC's Andy Brooks put the Apaches ahead by one before Robles kept the lead with a save. Georgia Perimeter's Davian Davis netted a goal on their fourth penalty kick to keep the Jaguars' chances alive, but TJC's Martin Seiler responded with the game-winning goal on the Apaches' fifth penalty kick to cap off an unbeaten season.

Kyle Nicholls, Dom Dwyer and tournament MVP Shaunovan Wilson, a defender, also scored for TJC in the shootout. Robles and Dwyer, a forward, made the all-tournament team. The Apaches were ranked No. 1 in five of the 10 national polls this season, and they qualified for the national tournament for the first time since 1998. But when TJC practiced for the first time in August, Clements and assistant coach Chris Handy were not too confident. "We looked at each other and said we may be in for a long season," Clements said. "This group was so mentally strong all season. They worked so hard. It was probably not as individually talented as my last national championship. (But) it was a group that really deserved a national championship."

-- -- -- NJCAA D-I Men's Soccer National Tournament At Mercer County CC, West Windsor, N.J. Sunday's Results Final -- Tyler 0, Georgia Perimeter 0 (Tyler wins 5-3 on penalty kicks); Third Place -- Schoolcraft (Mich.) 3, Louisburg (N.C.) 0; Consolation -- Yavapai (Ariz.) 1, Essex (N.J.) 1.