As two of the half-dozen members of the Pittsburgh North Stars soccer club team who had been with the organization for more than six years, team captains Zachary Carter and Chris Hunkele recognize that this team's elite talent level or high-level coaching and training weren't what set the North Stars apart at the 2009 USClubSoccer under-17 boys' soccer national championship tournament.

"We have a lot of character," said Hunkele, a midfielder who attends Hampton High School. "I would say we trust each other and believe in each other."

"Our team is just so close," said classmate Carter, a defender. "There was just a feeling of, 'We cannot lose this game.' We picked it up in the second half.

"I think it's our team chemistry. When other teams self-destruct, they all blame each other, we never did that. We always have fun; that's our best asset."

The U-17 North Stars, a collection of some of the area's best players, advanced to the National Cup tournament late last month in Virginia Beach, Va., by winning the regular-season Pennsylvania Premier Alliance title and winning the regional tournament in Winston-Salem, N.C., in late June.

As they had so many times throughout the course of their run, the North Stars came from behind to win in the national championship game against Triangle United Silver (N.C.).

The North Stars trailed, 1-0, at halftime but Tanner Panza of Mars scored midway through the second half to tie the score, and then Ryan McKenzie scored on a pass from Carter with 6 minutes to play for the winner.

"We've been down in quite a few games, but we always managed to fight back," said Bob Vosmaer, the team's head coach who started the North Stars club 16 years ago. "In the final we played a very good team, and I'm fortunate to have people on my team who can finish at any time -- not just one player or two players, but several players.

"It's very gratifying coming back when you're down. If you never give up and keep putting pressure on, the result is nice."

The team's roster includes Pine-Richland's Brett Boyle (defense); North Allegheny's Mike Severyn (goalkeeper), Evan Buysee, Andy Soergel (defense) and Vince Reginella (midfielder); Hampton's Carter, Hunkele and Zachary Mancini (forward); Mars' Michael Paige (midfield), Panza (defense) and McKenzie (forward); Shaler's Corey Casper (forward) and Steve Hamilton (midfield); Quaker Valley's Caulin Grant (midfield) and D. J. Kemerer (forward); Deer Lakes midfielder Zachary Hall; Gateway midfielder Taylor Scott; Indiana forward Faris Uraikat and Montour forward Jordan Menni.

"This team plays soccer the right way," said Vosmaer, a former professional player who was a standout with the Pittsburgh Spirit in the old Major Indoor Soccer League.

"We were close [to a national title] before, and over the past three years, these kids matured quite a bit for me. The most gratifying thing is they play a nice brand of soccer.

"It's very much like professional soccer. Obviously, we have a very solid core of players, but a lot of people have been coming in and contributing. It's an effective kind of soccer not based on physical, overpowering players. It's a technical style of soccer that we play, getting goals and creating lots of chances, and we were fortunate enough to see it all come together."

This incarnation of the North Stars first came together five years ago as an under-12 team. Carter, Hunkele, Scott, Severyn and McKenzie were among those on the original team, which has added players over the years through its annual tryouts.

Three years ago, the team advanced to the national final within its age group. It made it back this year after advancing through one of the 10 regional tournaments held early in the summer to qualify for the four-day National Cup.

Although the U-17 classification is often the final go-round for these types of teams because next summer players will be preparing for college, the North Stars like each other so much, they don't want it to end.

"We are playing U-18," Hunkele said. "Our team doesn't want to break apart."

"We definitely want to have a U-18 team next year; we decided that right after we won," Carter said. "We just want to see how good our team is. We've been together so long and been through so much."