To say that the Tri-City Elks exalted ruler Deborah Mangina got quite a kick out of Sunday’s soccer shoot would be an understatement.

“I love events like this,” Mangina said while standing beside a soccer goal inside Winslow Park. “As Elks, who really, really enjoy hosting events for children; especially since its part of our ongoing drug awareness programs.”

With old man weather covering the always-busy soccer fields at Winslow Park with a sparkling sun, boys and girls ages 8-14 participated in the Lodge 14-sponsored local shootout that wound up with six youngsters winning different age category titles and thus advancing to the Elks State Soccer Shootout.

Thus, on Sunday, Oct. 6 Riley Nelson, Thomas Benedetti, Rylie Gelinas, Dylan Kwiatkowski, Gabriella Benedetti and Tiago Ambrosio will be at the Walter L. Clarke Athletic Complex in Coventry competing for the State Elks Soccer Shoot championship.

If, in fact, the six kids who’ll represent Lodge 14 advance to the New England Elks Regional Soccer Shoot, they won’t have far to travel, as that highly-competitive event will be held at the Wide World of Sports Complex in North Kingstown.

“We will certainly be cheering our champions on,” Mangina said with a smile. “Competition such as our soccer shootout goes a long, long way; it’s special for the children, their parents and in some cases their grandparents. We wish each and every one of them well on Oct. 6.”

Kristy St. Pierre, who chaired Lodge 14’s Soccer Shoot Sunday, announced the categories that the six winners competed in Sunday.

They are: U8 Boys, Tiago Ambrosio; U-8 Girls, Gabriella Benedetti; U10 Boys, Dylan Kwiatkowski; U10 Girls, Rylie Gelinas; U12 Boys, Thomas Benedetti; and U14 Boys, Riley Nelson.

Each participant received a “Certificate of Participation” and medals.

Mangina, meanwhile, issued a heartfelt thank you to Team Tri-City, that included Elks members Dick and Donna Warner, Sue and Kenny Nelson and Carol Delory for assisting with the duties at Sunday’s shoot and special thanks to Elks Sam Bugbee, Goober Martel and Jeremy Boisvert for setting up the soccer goals.