Utah Celtic boys wrap up unprecedented run of 4 straight national tournament titles at MLS NEXT Cup
May 31, 2026, 7:42 PM | Updated: Jun 2, 2026, 12:55 pm
Utah Celtic celebrates its a fourth straight club soccer national title for the 2008 boys' team after the MLS NEXT Cup U19 boys' academy divisional final against St. Louis Developmental Academy, Sunday, May 31, 2026 at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman. (Photo: Sean Walker, KSL.com)
(Photo: Sean Walker, KSL.com)
HERRIMAN — Patrick Stevenson remains uncommitted for his college soccer career, but he may want to consider signing with Real Monarchs after his latest performance at Zions Bank Stadium.
A week ago, the Lone Peak High senior scored a hat trick in the 6A state championship to help the Knights to their first title in 21 years. The only thing he lacked for club side Utah Celtic FC was a third goal on Sunday.
Stevenson notched a brace as Celtic scored five second-half goals in a 5-0 win over St. Louis Developmental Academy in the championship match of the MLS NEXT Cup U19 boys’ academy division on home soil.
So about that Monarchs plan?
“If that ever happened, of course I would. That’s the dream,” said a sheepish Stevenson, who will leave for missionary service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Argentina this summer.”
A backup plan of Division I college soccer for the former Utah Valley commit isn’t bad, either.
Neither is a national title
Weather forecast showing nothing but Celtic Storm ⛈️
Congrats to the inaugural U19 Academy Division MLS NEXT Cup Pres. by @allstate champs! pic.twitter.com/X3lvvghxpz
— MLS NEXT (@MLSNEXT) May 31, 2026
Stevenson is a newcomer to a group of 18-year-old Celtic players based in Orem who have played together since they were preteens. The club won the U.S. Youth Soccer Under-15 national championship in 2023, then added two more including U17 title last year in Orlando, Florida to cap what U.S. Youth Soccer said was the first time a team went back-to-back-to-back in the competition.
This year, Celtic joined MLS NEXT’s academy division, a newly branded national organization for youth soccer under Major League Soccer’s youth development system. After earning an invitation to the MLS NEXT Cup, Celtic took advantage of the 7,500-player tournament held on home soil for the first time.
“It’s so surreal,” said Brooks Barker, the Georgetown commitment who was named tournament MVP. “Being able to play with these boys year after year is special. We’ve really built a family here, and accomplishing anything your family is amazing. You’ll remember it forever — but national championships were last a lifetime.”
After a scoreless first half, Celtic started to roll. Air Force commit Ben Bradley opened the scoring off the club’s sixth corner kick of the match, and Brooks Barker doubled the advantage moments later.
The Salem Hills graduate who will leave for a church mission in Spain this summer finished off a sensational bicycle kick in the 63rd minute that gave Celtic a cushion it would never give up.
“That’s up there with one of my favorite goals of my career,” Barker said. “Everyone dreams of scoring a bicycle kick. It wasn’t perfectly clean, but for my last club goal ever — I’m going to remember it for a long time.”
But the green-and-white stripes weren’t done.
Corbin Gardner added a third off the boot of the Salt Lake Community College commit in the 73rd minute, and Stevenson found the back of the net less than six minutes later before finishing off his brace in stoppage time.
“All the boys are amazing,” said Stevenson, who joined Celtic a year ago after playing up a division with LaRoca FC most of his life. “We all play as a family, leave no regrets, and everybody just plays together.
“Right when I came in, they were so welcoming,” he added. “From the very first training, I felt part of the team.”
It’s about more than soccer, too, Barker added.
“It’s less of a team, and more of a family,” he said. “We’re all there for each other in all of our moments: mission calls, celebrating each other, college commitments. We all play as a family, and it’s easier to play with guys who feel like brothers than just teammates.”
He also credited Celtic 07-08 coach Matt Bradley, who led the club the whole way.
“To be able to play with guys that you love with a great coach,” Barker said, “it makes all the difference.”
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