Dozens of soccer players from across the South Coast region kicked up some dust at the John W. Decas Elementary School on Sunday, October 9 during the annual Elks Soccer Shoot.

Soccer stars as young as age 4 up to preteen-aged children participated in the shoot, which had younger players kicking balls into varying-sized goals and older players aiming for several areas of regular-sized soccer goals in an effort to score points.

Elks lodges across the U.S. have been hosting the tournament for more than 15 years, said Denise Shurtleff, the Elks' South District Soccer Shoot chairman.

The Wareham Lodge of Elks rounded up 32 players from the Wareham Youth Soccer league to participate in the first round of the tournament on August 25. Of those players, eight winners moved to the next round, held Sunday.

Temperatures in the 80s and sunny skies made for beautiful weather for the shoot.

"We couldn't have lucked out any better," Sue Gifford, Exalted Ruler of the Wareham lodge, said of the weather.

Nine lodges from the Elks' South District competed, with 71 lodges competing in total.

"It took awhile to get it off the ground," Shurtleff said of the competition, but noted that every year more lodges opt to participate.

Zoe Enokian, 8, participated with the Wareham Lodge of Elks. The tournament was fun, but "I was very nervous!" she said with a grin and a laugh.

It was the first time in a few years that the Wareham lodge had participated in the event.

"We had a lull [in Wareham] but we're back on track and it's wonderful!" Shurtleff said.

Though no Wareham players moved up to the next round of the tournament, they did not go home empty-handed.

"The kids win their trophies," Shurtleff said, gesturing toward the shiny gold-and-green soccer trophies.

The winners of Sunday's tournament will head to the state competition held in Hudson on October 23.