WASHOUGAL, Wash. -- A local youth football team hopes it can make the trip to a regional tournament, months after allegations surfaced that its league president was stealing money from the league.

The four teams of the Pop Warner East County football program have spent much of the year rebuilding after the alleged theft of $11,000 from the league. Scott Short, the former league president, is accused of stealing the money and using it to purchase gas, retail goods and household bill payments.

"This year, we've had to work five times harder than we've ever had to work for fundraising to not only get the league out of debt, but also get money in the kitty," said Hali Hobson, whose son plays on the team.

Since then, the players' parents said they've come together as a team and as a community. They're now hoping to compete in the regional tournament in California. On Sunday, the players were raising money at Safeway in Washougal in hopes of making the trip a reality.

"We're desperately looking for donations because we have 26 kids that we need to get down to Santa Clara, Calif.," Hobson said.

While Short is expected to appear in court Dec. 8 to face charges of first-degree theft, the league's players and parents have put the charges behind them as they prepare for the tournament.

"We're working really hard," Hobson said. "The kids have done really good and we're close. We're halfway there. I'm optimistic, but I also know we have a lot of work ahead of us."