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Columbus Express 2007 Boys Orange won the 2026 NPL Finals National Championship, completing a perfect league and championship run in US Club Soccer’s NPL. This is the first National Championship in Columbus Express Soccer Club’s long history.
To qualify for NPL Finals, a team must win their NPL League. The 2007 Boys ran through NPL’s Midwest Development League with a perfect 7-0 record with a dominating 44 goals scored and two allowed thus punching their ticket to the NPL Finals in Denver, CO (Results).
NPL Finals – Game 1: Express 4, Colorado Rush 0
A first round match-up in group play put the Express 07 boys against local club Colorado Rush. Jonah Sipes opened up the scoring for CESC followed by three second-half goals by Aarav Nihalani, Arno Risner, and Gavin Fugate. Ryder Meek earned the shutout in goal.
NPL Finals – Game 2: Express 8, Empire Peninsula Rush 2
A lull in attitude plagued CESC in the first half against Empire Peninsula Rush from Virginia. After a giveaway, Empire capitalized in transition to take a one-goal lead early in the match. A free-kick by Empire saw a ball sneak through the box and find the net to put the Virginia-side up two goals in the first half. CESC responded in an explosive manner by scoring eight unanswered goals over the final 55 minutes to command the game and grab a second straight win. Risner added three more goals and Nihalani contributed two addiotnal to bring their totals to four and three, respectively. Julian Jackson added two goals and Jonathan Garcia Renteria scored on a free kick.
NPL Finals – Game 3: Express 4, Joy of the People 0
In the penultimate group play game, Express dominated play add won the group by defeating Minnesota’s Joy of the People 4-0. Franklin-duo Matthew Payne and Aybram Moore each scored two goals. Meek collected his second shutout in three games.
NPL Finals – Championship: Express 2, Alliance FC 1 (Watch)
After a day off, the Express boys took on the other group winner Alliance FC of Missouri in the NPL Finals Championship. A direct, back-and-forth game saw Payne draw fouls and yellow cards on the backline of Alliance FC. Express earned a penalty in the first half with Sipes converting for his second goal of the tournament. In the second half, Jackson picked up a ball in midfield and found a streaking Parker Gribbins who converted for a 2-0 win. Following some more ping-pong-like play, Alliance FC was able to breakthrough and cut the Express lead in half. However, a strong defensive presence and more ball-possession allowed CESC to close out the game without much opposition threat.
The National Championship capped off a successful season and was the final club competition for several members of the 2007 Boys Orange team. During the 2025-26 season, the 2007 Boys Orange finished with an undefeated NPL Midwest Development League title, an undefeated US Youth Soccer Great Lakes Conference title, an undefeated Crossroads of America weekend, and an overall record of 25 wins and two losses with 98 goals scored, 18 conceded, and a +80 goal differential.
The championship roster included Eduardo Aranda, Gavin Fugate, Evan Gales, Jonathan Garcia Renteria, Konnor Gribbins, Parker Gribbins, Julian Jackson, Brody Johnson, Ryder Meek, Aybram Moore, Aarav Nihalani, Matthew Payne, Konrad Polit, Emilio Quintero Aguire, Arno Risner, Jonah Sipes, Owen Sowers, Ollie Dickman, Jonathan Sylva and Ryan Turner. The team is coached by Ty Smith.
NPL Finals Best XI
Konnor Gribbins and Jonah Sipes were both named to the eleven-man NPL Finals Best XI All-Tournament Team. The top performing eleven players were selected from all the U13-U19 participants by coaches and US Club Soccer representatives. Columbus Express was the only club to have two players on the Best XI.
Gribbins, who recently completed his freshman year at Wittenberg University, was a dominant defensive presence for Express in every game. His impressive aerial victories combined with integral 1v1 defending helped the team to four wins and three goals conceded.
Sipes, a soon-to-be freshman at Trine University, was an instrumental two-way player for CESC all season long. Over the tournaments, he impressed with his ability to make plays with the ball from deep areas and deny opponents offensive opportunities with sound positioning and combative defending. Sipes finished the weekend with two goals.
