DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN

SALVAGE TIE WITH LATE FLURRY

Much like the O-30 game last Thursday where they found themselves down 4-2 at the half & 5-2 at one point, only to charge back in the 2nd half with 3 goals of their own & snatch a 5-5 tie from the jaws of defeat, this past Tuesday's O-40 match had many of the same dramatics.

Vintage F.C. is a strong side with veteran players. They move & hold the ball well, & can attack quickly & effectively if you allow them the opportunity, which the O-40 side did repeatedly. Constantly bucking a headwind, SSL found themselves behind early 2-0 before Bob Janko chipped in with a booming shot, halving the score to 2-1.

But SSL could not turn the corner, giving up a couple soft goals & Vintage padded their lead to 3-1 & then 4-1, and that's the way it remained to the interval. The 2nd half would be far different.

Vintage picked up their 5th goal early in the 2nd, & it certainly looked gloomy for the SSL side. But, Joe Baer would have something to say about that. Baer would contribute the 2nd, 4th & 5th goals, while Johnny Pens would add a single tally to the scoreboard, tying the match at 5. But, on a misplay in the defensive end, Vintage would pick up a gimme goal, extending their lead to 6-5 with just a few minutes left on the clock. It was bleak.

Then, carrying the ball out of the defensive end, goalie John Kozuscek, in his first game back in two sessions after undergoing foot surgery, crossed into the offensive half of the field on the right boards. With 1:04 left on the clock, Kozuscek let go with a rocket that weaved its way thru lots of bodies & deflected off the boot of Kenny Brigden & into the Vintage goal. Unbelievable. Last Thursday's tying goal went in with only a few seconds on the clock & now this one with a minute left. Yikes! This is hard on the old ticker.

But, it was indeed a hard-fought game, & one that looked like, for a long time, that success would be hard to come by in this match. But, the players hung tough, scored some very pretty goals, not the least of which was a headball by Joe Baer on a beautiful cross from Bob Janko. So, the point SSL got was certainly well deserved. SSL will meet Vintage once more this session on 8/4. Following this tie, that should prove to be a very interesting match.

Next week SSL will face Vetta Blue @ 8:25, looking for a win in its pursuit of another first place finish. Hope to see you there. Thanks for reading.

 INDY

It's coming fast. July 18th & 19th. At this point, it looks like the O-30 & O-40 rosters are filled. But, boy's & girl's, you always know how that goes, so, stay tuned.

We'll be staying at the same hotel we stayed at last year, The Jameson Inn on 4402 East Creek View Rd., phone  317-784-7006. I've also attached a link to their website. When you call, make sure you say you're with Soccer St. Louis in order to get the great $81 per night rate, arranged by one of the girls on Jeannie Curry's team, Melissa. So make sure when you see her you say thanks. 

https://mycrs.innpoints.com/book/book/Wizard?search=true

Projected Indy Rosters                    7/18 & 7/19, 2009

O-30

1.    Dave Shelton

2.    Casey Walsh

3.    Scott Carpenter

4.    Bernard Anic

5.    Sladan Kurtovic

6.    David Hipperson

7.    Jayson Adelsberger

8.    Edin Coralic

9.    Chris Carpenter

10.  Guillermo Cortez

11.  Mondo Martinez

12.  Andy Carpenter

O-40

1.     Todd Loretta

2.     Tim Kelley

3.     Johnny Pens

4.     Bob Janko

5.     Dan Albes

6.     Steve Rankin

7.     Wally Stokes

8.     Ken Brigden

9.     Mike Hogan

10.   Ronnie Rowden

11.   Michael Hartsook

12.   Ed Postawko

SOCCER ST. LOUIS STATS O-40
	NAME		GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	POINTS
	JOHNNY PENS		2	2	4	8
	JOE BEHR		1	3	1	7
	BOB JANKO		2	1	3	5
	DOMINIC ANIC		2	1	0	2
	MARTY ISSA		2	1	0	2
	JOHN KOZUSCEK		1	1	0	2
	MIKE HARTSOOK		1	0	1	1
	WALLY STOKES		1	0	0	0
	KEN BRIGDEN		1	0	0	0
	STEVE RANKIN		0	0	0	0
	JIM AHEARN		0	0	0	0
	TIM KELLEY		0	0	0	0
	STEVE SCHLICHTIG		0	0	0	0
	TODD LORETTA		0	0	0	0

O-30 STORMS BACK FROM 3 DOWN

SALVAGE TIE TO STAY IN HUNT

A furious 2nd half comeback salvaged a tie in a game that looked more & more bleak the later it got in the match. Playing on unfriendly field #3, SSL started slowly. The pace was slow, attacks few, passes incomplete or picked off & the intensity was sadly missing. Quickly, they found themselves behind.

The Cobras came out flying. Moving quickly off the ball, attacking relentlessly, the SSL side looked slow & unresponsive, giving the Cobra attackers much space & not forcing the play at all. The Cobras took advantage, & quickly. Scoring on a rocket from just outside the box, SSL found themselves down early, 1-0.

However, on a great attack from SSL, Jayson Adelsberger crashed the boards, delivering a shot that caromed off the goalie & back out past the penalty area, where an on-rushing Ronnie Rowden made no mistake & powdered a bomb past a startled Cobra keeper, just seconds after the Cobra goal, knotting the score at 1 all. Then things changed. Abruptly. Ugly.

As quickly as you can say 2,3,4, SSL was behind 4-1 late in the first half. The Cobras took advantage of some sloppy SSL play, continued the attack & poured on the pressure, cashing in on another 3 goals, resulting in the 4-1 deficit for SSL. SSL managed to scramble back into the match, inching a little bit closer on a goal by Guillermo Cortez, closing the score to 4-2 Cobras, but could not get any closer. That's the way it remained at the interval, with the Cobras holding the 2 goal lead. The 2nd half was far different.

SSL came out flying. But was it too little too late? As the half unfolded, the constant pressure applied by the SSL forwards on the Cobra defenders, that had been sadly missing over the last session or so, who in the first half had all kinds of time & space, caused them a multitude of problems, resulting in turnovers & misplays. As a result, SSL, with their renewed energy & confidence, continued to apply the pressure, controlling the ball & the pace of the match, & it started to create multiple offensive opportunities.Those opportunities translated into goals.

The Cobras, trying to right the ship, were able to chip in a 5th goal, stretching thier lead to 5-2. Even though they extended thier lead, they knew it wasn't safe & SSL had even more motivation. They picked up the pace even further, moving the ball briskly, countering quickly, attacking relentlessly, almost with a hint of fanatiscism, but always under control.

Finding open men resulted in a barrage of shots that the Cobra keeper continued to turn away for the moment. But, it was a losing cause. With a little more than 9 minutes in the game, defender Sladan Kurtovic made a run out of the back & got to the penalty area just in time to corral a rebound & one-timed it into the back of the net. Score: Cobras 5, SSL 3. It would be a mad dash from here to the end.

Then it was time for the Bernard Anic show. With the SSL offensive pressure continuing to mount, the Cobra defense became panicky. They had unforced errors, sending the ball into the net, resulting in deadball situations for SSL. The SSL side was marking so tightly that the Cobra players either could not receive the ball or weren't given the opportunity. SSL had the ball & weren't giving it up.

With about 3 minutes left in the match & under unrelenting pressure from SSL, the Cobras gave up another goal on a smash from Anic from just inside the halfway line that he teed up & let go with a bomb. Score: Cobras 5, SSL 4. It gets better.

With 37 ticks left on the clock, & SSL still applying suffocating offensive pressure, the Cobras had difficulty maintaining thier marks because they were constantly watching the SSL players fly over, around & thru them & were instead looking at their goal instead of their marks. On one such occasion, the ball came back out to Anic deep in the left corner. He turned on the ball, letting go a grass skimmer from a bad angle that buried itself in the far right hand corner of the goal, going past 3 or 4 players & the keeper, tying the game at 5-5, & ruining the Cobras evening.

Even though it was a tie, to the Cobras, who once sported a 4-1 lead, it felt like a loss. To the SSL side, coming back from the dead, it felt like a win, preserving their chase for yet another championship. A loss would have doomed thier chances. It was thrilling! So, congrats to SSL for salvaging a tie from what could have been a painful defeat, & keeping their first place chances alive.

Next week, old friends Imo's visits SSL @ 8:20, again on their favorite field, #3. The hunt continues. Hope you can join us. Thanks for reading.

 INDY

It's coming fast. July 18th & 19th. At this point, it looks like the O-30 & O-40 rosters are filled. But, boy's & girl's, you always know how that goes, so, stay tuned.

We'll be staying at the same hotel we stayed at last year, The Jameson Inn on 4402 East Creek View Rd., phone  317-784-7006. I've also attached a link to their website. When you call, make sure you say you're with Soccer St. Louis in order to get the great $81 per night rate, arranged by one of the girls on Jeannie Curry's team, Melissa. So make sure when you see her you say thanks. 

https://mycrs.innpoints.com/book/book/Wizard?search=true

Projected Indy Rosters                    7/18 & 7/19, 2009

O-30

1.    ?

2.    Casey Walsh

3.    Scott Carpenter

4.    Bernard Anic

5.    Sladan Kurtovic

6.    David Hipperson

7.    Jayson Adelsberger

8.    Edin Coralic

9.    Chris Carpenter

10.  Guillermo Cortez

11.  Mondo Fernandez

12.  Andy Carpenter

O-40

1.     Todd Loretta

2.     Tim Kelley

3.     Johnny Pens

4.     Bob Janko

5.     Dan Albes

6.     Steve Rankin

7.     Wally Stokes

8.     Ken Brigden

9.     Mike Hogan

10.   Ronnie Rowden

11.   Michael Hartsook

12.   Ed Postawko

ST. DOMINIC'S 3V3 FUNDRAISER GREAT SUCCESS

"NOPE" SWOOPS

Saturday, June 28th, was supposed to be the hottest day so far this summer. From the look of the players, it was! Whew, it was hot. But, the tourney was on & about 20 competitors lubed up with sunblock & lot's & lot's of thirst-quenchers, & made it a fun afternoon for everyone. But it was HOT! Sort of a pre-view of Indy.

The tourney was played in a double elimination format, meaning you had to lose twice to get knocked out. If you lost one match you'd get relegated to the losers bracket. However, once in the losers bracket, if you won the losers, the good news is you would come back to play the winners of the winners bracket. The bad news? You had to beat them twice!!! Well, at least it was a cool day. Not!

The first round match was won by Metropolis, 8-3 over Worst Case Scenario. The 2nd round was two winners bracket matches, (3 teams advanced on byes). In a controvosial game, where the rules were being made up as the game went on, The Sween Dogs advanced with a tense, tightly marked 1-0 decision over previous winner Metropolis. In the other match, a high scoring affair, Nope defeated the Nutters 7-4 to advance with an upcoming, winner of the winners bracket match, against Sween Dogs. But first, two losers bracket matches had to be played.

In the first losers bracket match, Worst Case Scenario got knocked out by the Nutters who then had to play Metropolis. Metropolis then advanced to the losers bracket finals with a win over the Nutters. The Nutters & Worst Case Scenario went home. But they weren't angry. It was hot & they were going to the A/C!

Next up was a highly anticipated match. The winners of the winners bracket, Sween Dogs vs Nope. In a very tough match, Nope hung on to post a 4-2 win over Sween Dogs, relegating them to the losers bracket, where they would meet, for the 2nd time, Metropolis. Nope was in the cat-bird seat. Winners of the winners bracket, whoever came out of the losers bracket had to beat them twice. Did I mention it was hot!

The showdown for the losers bracket winner was a difficult match. It was the 4th match for Metropolis & 3rd for Sween Dogs. Did I mention it was hot. In any case, Metropolis hung on, taking the losers bracket championship, winning the right to play the winners bracket winner, Nope. However, they had to beat them twice. Did I mention......

The final was thrilling. Metropolis, using a stingy defense & opportunistic offense, eked out a 2-1 win over Nope, their only loss of the day, to force a 2nd & final, playoff game, for all the marbles. In this case it was individual championship trophys. It was even hotter now.

Rebounding from the 1 goal loss in the previous match, Nope righted the ship, posted a tidy 5-3 win over Metropolis, & took the coveted trophys. And it was still hot. Congratulations to the winners, Jeremy Maue, Patrick Curry, Jim Humphrey & Dave Feldman.

But a great time was had by all. Some money was raised for the St. Dominics basketball team, folks got some food & beverages, worked on their tans & we even got a little soccer in. So a big thanks to Casey  & Tracy Walsh for putting all this together & making arrangements for the park & pavillion. St. Dominics basketball team raised some money & everyone had a great time. Did I mention it was hot?

From left: Jeremy Maue, Patrick Curry & Jim Humphrey. Absent, Dave Feldman.

	SOCCER ST. LOUIS STATS O-30
	NAME		GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	POINTS
	RONNIE ROWDEN		2	2	1	5
	BERNARD ANIC		3	2	0	4
	GUILLERMO CORTEZ		3	2	0	4
	SLADAN KURTOVIC		3	2	0	4
	JAMES AHEARN		1	1	0	2
	JAYSON ADELSBERGER		3	0	2	2
	EDIN CORALIC		2	1	0	2
	TONY MEADOWS		3	0	1	1
	WILL SUK		2	0	1	1
	DAVID SHELTON		2	0	1	1
	JOHNNY PENS		2	0	0	0
	MIKE HOGAN		3	0	0	0
	CASEY WALSH		3	0	0	0
	DAVID HIPPERSON		1	0	0	0
	MICHAEL POROPAT		0	0	0	0

Date			Location
Thu 6/11 6:50 PM	W 2-1	Zoom Motors	Concord, Field 1
Thu 6/18 8:30 PM	L 3-7	at Freaky Shakra(WHITE/BLUE)	Concord, Field 1
Thu 6/25 7:30 PM	T 5-5	at CD Cobras(BLUE)	Concord, Field 3
Thu 7/2 8:20 PM	50 minutes	at Imos Men (GREEN)	Concord, Field 3
Thu 7/9 7:10 PM	50 minutes	Hoosier FC(BLACK)	Concord, Field 2
Thu 7/23 10:10 PM	50 minutes	Sinclair & Rush	Concord, Field 1
Thu 7/30 11:00 PM	50 minutes	Maddox 40+(BLACK)	Concord, Field 1

LATE GOAL SECURES WIN FOR SSL

ANIC NETS GAME WINNER IN FIRST GAME BACK IN 15 YEARS

After taking time off (15 years!!!) to raise a family & coach kids, Dominic Anic made his debut under less than perfect circumstances. The first game of the session found the SSL side minus a keeper & 9 field players. Not an ideal circumstance to have your coming-out party. However, all was not lost.

With help from a few players from other teams, SSL was able to supplement its side with two field players &, most importantly, a keeper. Not the greatest situation, but, better than the alternative.

SSL started strong, scoring 2 early first half goals. They took a 2-0 lead on goals by Johnny Pens & Marty Issa. But, the determined Lampert side kept pecking away, making the score 2-1 & then, just before the half, 2-2. However, super-sub Nick D'Amato, flying down the field just after the ensueing centeroff, let go with a lazer that found the back of the net, immediately recapturing the lead & sending SSL to the interval on top, 3-2.

The second half was more of the same. SSL dominated the majority of the play, resulting in a sizable edge over Lampert in shots on goal, however, all to no avail. Midway thru the half, Lampert scored to even the score at 3 all. Then, late in the game, as time was running out, SSL counterd a Lampert attack. They found Dominick Anic all alone in the left corner & sent the ball to him. He carried the ball towards the goal &, very calmly, deposited the ball in the back of the net over the prone body of the Lampert goal keeper. Two minutes later, time ran out with SSL holding a 4-3 lead, & they notched a win in the first game of the new session.

So, for having not played in 15 years & scoring the game-winning goal with under 3 minutes left in the game was a great way to announce your comeback. Welcome back Dominic!

Next week will be a diffucult match versus Vintage. Last session SSL posted a difficult 7-4 win over them, & this session, Vintage was a 6-1 winner in their first game last Tuesday. That match is scheduled for 7:30. Hope to see you there. Thanks for reading.

INDY

 As we get closer to the Indy tourney, the rosters are starting to fill in. Still a couple spots on each team to lock down, but, should have that resolved this week. Those of you that are going need to get me your $30 pronto. I need to send the registration by 6/26, & that's quick a comin'. The sooner you get me your money, the sooner I lock you into a spot.

We'll be staying at the Jameson Inn, the same hotel we stayed at last year. I'll have all of the info on that in the next few days & as soon as I do, I'll get that out to you. Until then, stock up on sunblock! Later.....

Projected Indy Rosters                    7/18 & 7/19, 2009

O-30

1.    Dave Shelton

2.    Casey Walsh

3.    Tony Meadows

4.    Bernard Anic

5.    Sladan Kurtovic

6.    David Hipperson

7.    Jayson Adelsberger

8.    Edin Coralic

9.    Will Suk

10.  Guillermo Cortez

11.  Mondo Fernandez

12.  ?

O-40

1.     Todd Loretta

2.     Tim Kelley

3.     Johnny Pens

4.     Bob Janko

5.     James Ahearn

6.     Steve Rankin

7.     Wally Stokes

8.     Ken Brigden

9.     Mike Hogan

10.   Ronnie Rowden

11.   Michael Hartsook

12.   Ed Postawko

SOCCER ST. LOUIS STATS O-40
	NAME		GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	POINTS
	JOHNNY PENS		1	1	2	4
	DOMINIC ANIC		1	1	0	2
	MARTY ISSA		1	1	0	2
	BOB JANKO		1	0	1	1
	MIKE HARTSOOK		1	0	1	1
	STEVE RANKIN		0	0	0	0
	KEN BRIGDEN		0	0	0	0
	JIM AHEARN		0	0	0	0
	TIM KELLEY		0	0	0	0
	JOE BEHR		0	0	0	0
	STEVE SCHLICHTIG		0	0	0	0
	MIKE HOGAN		0	0	0	0
	DAVID SHELTON		0	0	0	0
	WALLY STOKES		0	0	0	0
	TODD LORETTA		0	0	0	0
	JOHN KOZUSCEK		0	0	0	0
	PHIL MALONEY		0	0	0	0

Date			Location
Tue 6/16 8:25 PM	W 4-3	Lampert 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 6/30 7:35 PM	50 minutes	Vintage Utd 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 7/7 8:25 PM	50 minutes	Vetta 40+ BLUE	Concord, Field 3
Tue 7/14 7:35 PM	50 minutes	at Vetta 40+ RED TEAM	Concord, Field 3
Tue 7/21 7:35 PM	50 minutes	Lampert 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 8/4 7:35 PM	50 minutes	at Vintage Utd 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 8/4 8:25 PM	50 minutes	at Vetta 40+ RED TEAM	Concord, Field 3

SSL O-30 HANGS ON

WIN WHITE-KNUCKLE NAIL BITER, 2-1

After this game I no longer wonder why I have gray hair. PLS Zoom is a formidible opponent. Always one of the top teams in the league & always recruiting new players to keep them one of the top teams. SSL knew they'd have their hands full. In fact, the last time these two faced each other last session, SSL hung on in that one posting an improbable 8-6 win after leading 7-0 at one point & 7-2 at the half. There was little difference in this one save for considerably less scoring. The intensity level & pace of the game were the same.

SSL got started early. In his first shift of the game, in the first 3 minutes of the game, in the first game he's played with the O-30 side, James Ahearn subbed on at about the 20 minute mark. Goalie David Shelton spied Ahearn running towards the Zoom goal, unmarked, & he hit him in stride with a strong, accurate throw, which Ahearn corralled, turned, & hit a bomb into the upper right hand corner for a 1-0 lead. This with only 3 minutes gone off the clock &  just 10 seconds into his shift. James, welcome to the team!

After that quick goal, both teams exchanged offensive sorties, however, both keepers were up to the challenge & neither team could finish. SSL threatened many times in the half, but were consistently turned aside by the Zoom keeper. Then, late in the first half, SSL carried the ball into the left corner & slotted the ball to Will Suk stationed at the top of the box. His shot was blocked by the Zoom keeper but caromed wildly to an onrushing Sladan Kurtovic, who one-timed a shot past the out of postition keeper for a 2-0 lead, which they rode to the interval. SSL was feeling better about their chances with a two goal cushion. They would need that cushion!

Early in the 2nd half, the SSL side was having great difficulty clearing the ball from their own end during a Zoom counter. As the ball bounced from side to side & player to player, in the midst of the mad scramble, a Zoom forward was the fortunate recipient of a loose ball that he immediately pounced on & shot past a screened SSL keeper, narrowing the score to 2-1. Now things were about to really heat up.

The remainder of the game found both teams with multiple chances. SSL appeared to have more & better chances, but, no matter. In a game this close & this tense, it's not about the chances, it's about the finishes. But neither team could add to their goal total. James Ahearn, Will Suk & Jayson Adelsberger each had chances alone in front but were turned back by excellent goal keeping.

In one instance late in the half, on the SSL defensive end, the Zoom had countered, creating a lot of offensive pressure. A Zoom defender ran onto a ball, took a shot that was a rocket, & it appeared this ball was destined to settle into the back of the SSL net. Then, out of nowhere, after being screened by players from both sides, keeper David Shelton somehow managed to see the shot & jumped up & far to his right to deflect the ball harmlessly into the corner. What a nerve-wracking game. As the match drew to a close, I could feel more hair turning gray by the minute. It was that exciting.

But, that's the way it finished, a 2-1 win for the SSL side over a very impressive PLS Zoom, a team that will be heard from again & one that will certainly be a factor in determining the champion of this division.

Next week, the white-knuckle ride continues with a match against the always tough Freaky Shakra side. That game will take place on field #1 @ 8:30. Hope you can join us. Thanks for reading.

Projected Indy Rosters                    7/18 & 7/19, 2009

O-30

1.    Dave Shelton

2.    Casey Walsh

3.    Tony Meadows

4.    Bernard Anic

5.    Sladan Kurtovic

6.    David Hipperson

7.    Jayson Adelsberger

8.    Edin Coralic

9.    Will Suk

10.  Guillermo Cortez

11.  Mondo Fernandez

12.  ?

O-40

1.     Todd Loretta

2.     Tim Kelley

3.     Johnny Pens

4.     Bob Janko

5.     James Ahearn

6.     Steve Rankin

7.     Wally Stokes

8.     Ken Brigden

9.     Mike Hogan

10.   Ronnie Rowden

11.   Michael Hartsook

12.   Ed Postawko

INDY WARM-UPS

Starting this Sunday, SSL O-30 & O-40 will be playing practice games versus a variety of teams @ Ohlendorf County Park. The location of the park is just off Union. Take I-55 to west on Bayless to south on Union. Just before Union crosses over I-55, turn right on Spring. The park is on your left. Start time is 4pm.

So, take this opportunity to get some work in outside, on the grass & get acclimated to playing in the heat. There are only 5 Sundays before the Indy tourney. See you Sunday.

	SOCCER ST. LOUIS STATS O-30
	NAME		GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	POINTS
	JAMES AHEARN		1	1	0	2
	SLADAN KURTOVIC		1	1	0	2
	WILL SUK		1	0	1	1
	DAVID SHELTON		1	0	1	1
	JOHNNY PENS		1	0	0	0
	BERNARD ANIC		1	0	0	0
	MIKE HOGAN		1	0	0	0
	GUILLERMO CORTEZ		1	0	0	0
	CASEY WALSH		1	0	0	0
	JAYSON ADELSBERGER		1	0	0	0
	TONY MEADOWS		1	0	0	0
	RONNIE ROWDEN		0	0	0	0
	DAVID HIPPERSON		0	0	0	0
	EDIN CORALIC		0	0	0	0
	MICHAEL POROPAT		0	0	0	0

Date			Location
Thu 6/11 6:50 PM	50 minutes	Zoom Motors	Concord, Field 1
Thu 6/18 8:30 PM	50 minutes	at Freaky Shakra(WHITE/BLUE)	Concord, Field 1
Thu 6/25 7:30 PM	50 minutes	at CD Cobras(BLUE)	Concord, Field 3
Thu 7/2 8:20 PM	50 minutes	at Imos Men (GREEN)	Concord, Field 3
Thu 7/9 7:10 PM	50 minutes	Hoosier FC(BLACK)	Concord, Field 2
Thu 7/23 10:10 PM	50 minutes	Sinclair & Rush	Concord, Field 1
Thu 7/30 11:00 PM	50 minutes	Maddox 40+(BLACK)	Concord, Field 1

O-40 SQUANDER EARLY 2-0 LEAD

FALL 6-3 IN FINAL

SSL jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first 10 minutes of the game. However, they couldn't hold that lead, nor add much more offense to their meager goal total. Maddox meanwhile, did what they always do, play with patience.

Maddox, after falling behind quickly, early, didn't change their tempo, played with patience & composure, & slowly overcame the deficit. They never did score goals in bunches, but instead, spread 3 goals out over the first half, taking a 3-2 lead at the interval, which they never relinquished, then added 3 more, spread out over the 2nd half, & closed out the championship game with a 6-3 win over the SSL O-40 side.

The Maddox goal scoring could loosely be described as something akin to chinese water torture. A goal here, a goal there, never really pouring on the offense, but enough offense to gain & maintain the lead. In the meantime, SSL was working hard to create some offense of their own, & generally were successful, albeit results were scarce. The Maddox side employed a bend but don't break defense that allowed SSL the attack, but, once they lost the ball, Maddox surged into a counterattack, & ultimately, they were successful in finishing on the SSL end.

So, SSL ends up where they were the previous 3 times in the championship game vs Maddox, & that's on the losing end. Four times to the finals, four times against Maddox, & nothing to show for it. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. However, the future looks bright for SSL. A new session starts next Tuesday & SSL is adding two or three more players, further strengthening the line-up, providing more depth, & hopefully that will get the SSL side over the hump. They hope that next session they'll once again be in the finals, but this time, the outcome will be different.

Following are the final stats & standings for the session. Thanks for reading.

THE INDY TOURNEY

Hot on the heels of a successful trip to Louisville for the annual 6v6 tourney this past April, SSL now gears up for Indy. Same format, only a whole lot hotter. This tourney is always the 3rd weekend of July. This years dates are Saturday, July 18th, & Sunday, July 19th. I'd have to say that, in our previous 10 or so trips to Indy, the average temp at this point in the summer, must have been about 90. Yikes! But, you prepare accordingly. Lots of cold drinks, tents, umbrellas, &, oh yeah, don't forget the sunblock.

I'll need to get the application in by 6/24, so don't lollygag, getting me your $30 tourney fee. As soon as I get the hotel info, I'll pass that along. The projected rosters follow.

Projected Indy Rosters                    7/18 & 7/19, 2009

O-30

1.    Dave Shelton

2.    Casey Walsh

3.    Tony Meadows

4.    Bernard Anic

5.    Sladan Kurtovic

6.    David Hipperson

7.    Jayson Adelsberger

8.    Edin Coralic

9.    Will Suk

10.  Guillermo Cortez

11.  Mondo Fernandez

12.  ?

O-40

1.     Todd Loretta

2.     Tim Kelley

3.     Johnny Pens

4.     Bob Janko

5.     James Ahearn

6.     Steve Rankin

7.     Wally Stokes

8.     Ken Brigden

9.     Mike Hogan

10.   Ronnie Rowden

11.   Michael Hartsook

12.   ?

INDY WARM-UPS

Starting this Sunday, SSL O-30 & O-40 will be playing practice games versus a variety of teams @ Ohlendorf County Park. The location of the park is just off Union. Take I-55 to west on Bayless to south on Union. Just before Union crosses over I-55, turn right on Spring. The park is on your left. Start time is 4pm.

So, take this opportunity to get some work in outside, on the grass & get acclimated to playing in the heat. There are only 5 Sundays before the Indy tourney. See you Sunday.

SOCCER ST. LOUIS STATS O-40
	NAME		GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	POINTS
	STEVE RANKIN		6	10	8	28
	JOHNNY PENS		8	8	6	22
	BOB JANKO		8	8	3	19
	KEN BRIGDEN		6	6	3	15
	JIM AHEARN		8	4	3	11
	TIM KELLEY		6	4	2	10
	JOE BEHR		4	1	3	5
	STEVE SCHLICHTIG		3	2	0	4
	MIKE HARTSOOK		3	1	1	3
	MIKE HOGAN		1	0	1	1
	DAVID SHELTON		7	0	0	0
	WALLY STOKES		3	0	0	0
	MARTY ISSA		1	0	0	0
	JOHN BOKERN		2	0	0	0
	DUCKY MAURER		0	0	0	0
	TODD LORETTA		0	0	0	0
	JOHN KOZUSCEK		0	0	0	0
	PHIL MALONEY		0	0	0	0

Date			Location
Tue 4/21 7:35 PM	L 4-6	at Maddox 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 4/28 8:30 PM	W 8-5	at Vetta 40+ RED TEAM	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/5 9:25 PM	W 5-4	at Lampert 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/12 9:25 PM	W 7-4	Vintage Utd 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/19 8:30 PM	W 12-4	Vetta 40+ BLUE	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/26 7:35 PM	L 1-2	Maddox 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 6/2 7:35 PM	T 4-4	Vetta 40+ RED TEAM	Concord, Field 3
Tue 6/9 7:35 PM	L 3-6	at Maddox 40+	Concord, Field 3

TIE PRESERVES CHAMPIONSHIP BERTH

WILL MEET MADDOX IN FINAL (AGAIN!)

As a result of  the tie in their match with Vetta Blue, SSL once again finds themselves in the finals. Hopefully this time will provide a better result than their previous trips to the finals. This will be their fourth straight trip to the finals & each against the same opponent, Maddox, & each with the same result. A loss. 6-2, 5-4 & 5-4. Well, as they say, third time's a charm. No, wait! This'll be the 4th time. Scratch that. Just win boy's, just win.

This tie game with the Vetta Blue team was a strange one. First of all, the SSL keeper was unable to make it. Secondly, they started the match short. As a result, all 4 Vetta goals were scored in the first haf & none in the 2nd half. Strange. SSL scored 3 in the first & 1 in the 2nd, so, Vetta won the first half 4-3, SSL won the 2nd 1-0, & the game itself ended in a tie. Strange things happen on that small field #3.

Tim Kelley got the SSL side started in the 1st half with a goal, & Bob Janko chipped in with two more 1st half goals. Then James Ahearn rocketed a lazer past the startled Vetta Blue keeper for the tying goal early in the 2nd. However, even though SSL applied a great deal of pressure, knocking the ball around nicely & playing a great deal of possession, they couldn't break thru for the winning tally. But, the tie will do. Once again, into the breech.

So, join us next week for another, what should prove to be, thrilling contest vs Maddox @ 7:35 on their favorite field, #3. With a little luck & a few more goals, SSL might be able to get that monkey off their back & finally bring home a winner. We think it's about time. Thanks for reading.

SOCCER ST. LOUIS STATS O-40
	NAME		GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	POINTS
	STEVE RANKIN		6	10	8	28
	JOHNNY PENS		7	7	6	20
	BOB JANKO		7	7	3	17
	KEN BRIGDEN		5	6	2	14
	TIM KELLEY		5	4	2	10
	JIM AHEARN		7	4	1	9
	JOE BEHR		3	1	3	5
	MIKE HARTSOOK		2	1	1	3
	STEVE SCHLICHTIG		2	1	0	2
	MIKE HOGAN		1	0	1	1
	DAVID SHELTON		6	0	0	0
	WALLY STOKES		3	0	0	0
	MARTY ISSA		1	0	0	0
	JOHN BOKERN		2	0	0	0
	DUCKY MAURER		0	0	0	0
	TODD LORETTA		0	0	0	0
	JOHN KOZUSCEK		0	0	0	0
	PHIL MALONEY		0	0	0	0

Date			Location
Tue 4/21 7:35 PM	L 4-6	at Maddox 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 4/28 8:30 PM	W 8-5	at Vetta 40+ RED TEAM	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/5 9:25 PM	W 5-4	at Lampert 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/12 9:25 PM	W 7-4	Vintage Utd 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/19 8:30 PM	W 12-4	Vetta 40+ BLUE	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/26 7:35 PM	L 1-2	Maddox 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 6/2 7:35 PM	T 4-4	Vetta 40+ RED TEAM	Concord, Field 3
Tue 6/9 7:35 PM	55 minutes	at Maddox 40+	Concord, Field 3

O-40 LOSES TOUGH 2-1 MATCH TO MADDOX

0-30 TIES COBRAS

The O-40 match pitted old rivals against one another for the umteenth time. But, what has become the customary, and unfortunate, outcome for the SSL side, Maddox won yet another match, abeit a thriller, 2-1. SSL has lost 7 straight to Maddox, last winning 7-6 on November 18th. It looks as if these two will match up in yet another final with SSL hoping to change its luck & secure both a win & a championship.

In this past Tuesdays match, defense was the rule of the game. Neither team was giving the other much space & shots were scarce. But Maddox, as they have a tendancy to do, kept chipping away til they managed a couple first half tallys on less than brilliant opportunities. But goals are goals & they made them stand up, yielding only a single tally to SSL defender Mike Hartsook late in the game, resulting in the final 2-1 score.

Now SSL has one more league match this Tuesday @ 7:35 vs the winless Vetta Blue side. Should SSL take care of business in this match, they'll once again find themselves pitted against Maddox in the championship finals. It would certainly be refreshing to come away with a win & finally get that Maddox monkey off their back & bring home a championship, all in the same game. Hope to see you Tuesday.

The SSL O-30 side found themselves in a tough one last Thursday vs the Cobras. In what has become a fairly forgettable session, SSL finds themselves without a berth in the finals for the first time in the last 9 sessions. During this 8 session run on the championship they were victorius 5 of those times. Quite a remarkable record. But this session, well, it's certainly not one for the record books.

Facing the Cobra's for the second time this session, SSL was trying to avenge a 4-3 loss to them in the first game on 4/9. They would find that difficult. Following a scoreless first half, with each team playing great defense, SSL was to break the ice first in the 2nd with a goal early in the half by the always hustling Mike Hogan.

Working hard in the offensive corner, Hoags gathered the ball, battled his way to the front of the goal & having his first & second shots turned back, stayed on top of the play, finally finishing on his third attempt, putting SSL up 1-0. The lead would be short-lived.

On a dead-ball just outside the SSL box, one of the Cobra forwards lazered a shot past the wall & into the upper 90. Keeper David Shelton had no chance. Score tied 1-1.

SSL continued to play well both defensively & offensively, but had little to show for their offensive efforts. On a play in which the Cobra keeper was in a foot race to the ball with Sladan Kurtovic, Kurtovic won that race, collected the ball & calmly lifted a looping shot over the keeper, rushing back to his spot in the goal, & the other Cobra defenders, to notch his first goal of the evening with his well-timed shot. That gave the lead back to SSL 2-1. But, try as they might, they couldn't hold it.

Late in the 2nd half, the Cobra's tied the match at 2 & that's how it ended. As a result of the tie, the Cobra's were eliminated from the championship match, instead sending Freaky Shakra to play Sinclair & Rush, whom SSL defeated in last sessions championship 6-0.

So now it's time to rebuild & re-set for the upcoming session. It looks like the entire roster will return & there may even be a new addition. The thing that hurt this sessions efforts was, in spite a carrying 13 on the roster, many of those players missed a lot of games. Edin Coralic was hurt the first shift of the first game. Michael Poropat missed the entire session with a nagging foot injury, Jayson Adelsberger & David Hipperson each missed due to work obligations & there were a number of players missing from a handful of games, & that's a recipe for a poor session. It certainly was that.

But, now with that session behind them & preparing for the new session, SSL is in hope of righting the ship & securing yet another spot in the championship final. So, stay tuned. Thanks for reading.

Stats & standings for both teams follow.

 

SOCCER ST. LOUIS STATS O-40
	NAME		GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	POINTS
	STEVE RANKIN		6	10	8	28
	JOHNNY PENS		6	7	4	18
	KEN BRIGDEN		5	6	2	14
	BOB JANKO		6	5	3	13
	TIM KELLEY		4	3	2	8
	JIM AHEARN		6	3	0	6
	JOE BEHR		3	1	3	5
	MIKE HARTSOOK		2	1	1	3
	STEVE SCHLICHTIG		2	1	0	2
	DAVID SHELTON		6	0	0	0
	WALLY STOKES		2	0	0	0
	MARTY ISSA		1	0	0	0
	JOHN BOKERN		2	0	0	0
	DUCKY MAURER		0	0	0	0
	TODD LORETTA		0	0	0	0
	JOHN KOZUSCEK		0	0	0	0
	PHIL MALONEY		0	0	0	0

Date			Location
Tue 4/21 7:35 PM	L 4-6	at Maddox 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 4/28 8:30 PM	W 8-5	at Vetta 40+ RED TEAM	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/5 9:25 PM	W 5-4	at Lampert 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/12 9:25 PM	W 7-4	Vintage Utd 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/19 8:30 PM	W 12-4	Vetta 40+ BLUE	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/26 7:35 PM	L 1-2	Maddox 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 6/2 7:35 PM	55 minutes	Vetta 40+ RED TEAM	Concord, Field 3

 

	SOCCER ST. LOUIS STATS O-30
	NAME		GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	POINTS	3 POINTS
	JOHNNY PENS		7	6	8	20
	BERNARD ANIC		6	5	2	12
	WILL SUK		5	3	5	11
	MIKE HOGAN		7	3	4	10
	GUILLERMO CORTEZ		5	3	3	9
	RONNIE ROWDEN		6	3	2	8
	DAVID HIPPERSON		3	3	2	8
	CASEY WALSH		7	2	2	6
	JAYSON ADELSBERGER		3	3	0	6
	SLADAN KURTOVIC		7	2	2	6
	TONY MEADOWS		6	2	1	5
	DAVID SHELTON		7	0	3	3
	EDIN CORALIC		2	0	0	0
	MICHAEL POROPAT		0	0	0	0

Date			Location
Thu 4/9 10:00 PM	L 3-4	CD Cobras(BLUE)	Concord, Field 2
Thu 4/16 8:55 PM	W 10-1	at Beer Monkeys (Thurs 30+ Men C)	Concord, Field 3
Thu 4/23 9:35 PM	W 8-6	at Zoom Motors	Concord, Field 1
Thu 4/30 7:05 PM	L 2-8	Sinclair & Rush	Concord, Field 3
Thu 5/7 11:25 PM	L 2-6	at Freaky Shakra	Concord, Field 1
Thu 5/21 6:20 PM	W 11-2	Imos Men (GREEN)	Concord, Field 2
Thu 5/28 7:45 PM	T 2-2	at CD Cobras(BLUE)	Concord, Field 1

O-40 POSITION THEMSELVES FOR STRETCH RUN

WIN GOING AWAY

Well, sometimes it does pay to be a little tardy. Johnny Pens, who is notorius for doing a Marvin Barnes imitation, the former Sprits of St. Louis basketball team all-star center, & whose favorite saying was "game time is on time". Well as usual, Pens was a bit tardy. But, as soon as Tim Kelley subbed off, Pens was on, made a run, collected a through ball & finished by burying a rocket past the startled Vetta Blue keeper who had no chance. That put SSL up 1-0. That was just the start.

Pens continued to pour it on, collecting a total of 5 goals on the evening along with a helper as well as contributions from Steve Rankin with 2 & 2, Tim Kelley with 2 goals, Bob Janko with 1 & 1, Jim Ahearn & Joe Behr with a goal apiece & newcomer Mike Hartsook with a helper.

This match was unusual in one very large respect. There was no halftime. With the new Vetta policy of a running 45 minute clock, there was no interval & no changing ends. Strange.

Next week is a big match with huge ramifications. SSL will meet old friend Maddox @ 7:35. A win in this match would position SSL for another berth in the final. A loss, well, it would be much more difficult. So, join us for this friendly get-together. It'll be entertaining at the very least, &, if Pens is tardy, well, who knows what'll happen. See you then. Thanks for reading.

p.s. Those of you that are looking for the Louisville pictures, just need to scroll down past a couple articles for the "Louisville Experience". Enjoy!

SOCCER ST. LOUIS STATS O-40
	NAME		GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	POINTS
	STEVE RANKIN		5	10	8	28
	JOHNNY PENS		5	7	4	18
	KEN BRIGDEN		4	6	2	14
	BOB JANKO		5	5	2	12
	TIM KELLEY		3	3	2	8
	JIM AHEARN		5	3	0	6
	JOE BEHR		3	1	3	5
	STEVE SCHLICHTIG		1	1	0	2
	MIKE HARTSOOK		1		1	1
	DAVID SHELTON		5	0	0	0
	WALLY STOKES		1	0	0	0
	MARTY ISSA		1	0	0	0
	JOHN BOKERN		2	0	0	0
	DUCKY MAURER		0	0	0	0
	TODD LORETTA		0	0	0	0
	JOHN KOZUSCEK		0	0	0	0
	PHIL MALONEY		0	0	0	0

Date			Location
Tue 4/21 7:35 PM	L 4-6	at Maddox 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 4/28 8:30 PM	W 8-5	at Vetta 40+ RED TEAM	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/5 9:25 PM	W 5-4	at Lampert 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/12 9:25 PM	W 7-4	Vintage Utd 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/19 8:30 PM	W 12-4	Vetta 40+ BLUE	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/26 7:35 PM	55 minutes	Maddox 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 6/2 7:35 PM	55 minutes	Vetta 40+ RED TEAM	Concord, Field 3

O-40 STRENGTHENS HOLD ON 2ND

POST WIN WITH STRONG 2ND HALF

After a see-saw first half, that saw Vintage score the tying goal with a 1:30 left, the 3-3 score at the interval was not really an accurate preview of what would take place in the 2nd.

The first half was back and forth, with both teams creating, & finishing, on multiple scoring chances. In fact, Vintage scored first, early in the half, but SSL came right back on a bomb from far outside the penalty box by Ken Brigden, to knot it at 1-1. Each team exchanged 2 more goals, resulting in the 3-3 halftime score. With Vintage playing smart defense & ball control, it looked like more of the same was on tap for the 2nd half. It didn't turn out that way.

In spite of some very physical play on both sides, the Vintage attack came up short in the 2nd, & SSL took advantage. Scoring 4 goals to Vintage's 1, SSL stretched the lead, & pulled away from the team they were tied for 2nd place in the standings with, to notch a 7-4 win, & further solidify their hold on that position.

Although Vintage scored only a single tally in the 2nd, they were creating a lot of offense, only to be snuffed out by the stifling SSL defense & sturdy goaltending. As a result of this solid defensive posture, SSL was able to create a lot of offense of their own, to which, by and large, Vintage had no answer for. After posting the win, the SSL side positioned themselves solidly in 2nd place & now control their own destiny, looking to finish either 1st or 2nd in the division, in order to assure a berth in the championship.

Next up is Vetta Blue next Tuesday @ 8:30. The last two times these teams met, Blue won the first match 6-4, & SSL the 2nd 8-4. So this match will be interesting, to say the least. Hope you can join us. See you then. Thanks for reading.

SOCCER ST. LOUIS STATS O-40
	NAME		GAMES	GOALS	ASSISTS	POINTS
	STEVE RANKIN		4	8	6	22
	KEN BRIGDEN		4	6	2	14
	BOB JANKO		4	4	2	10
	JOHNNY PENS		4	2	3	7
	JIM AHEARN		4	2	0	4
	TIM KELLEY		2	1	2	4
	JOE BEHR		2	0	3	3
	STEVE SCHLICHTIG		1	1	0	2
	DAVID SHELTON		4	0	0	0
	WALLY STOKES		1	0	0	0
	MARTY ISSA		1	0	0	0
	JOHN BOKERN		2	0	0	0
	DUCKY MAURER		0	0	0	0
	TODD LORETTA		0	0	0	0
	JOHN KOZUSCEK		0	0	0	0
	PHIL MALONEY		0	0	0	0

Date			Location
Tue 4/21 7:35 PM	L 4-6	at Maddox 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 4/28 8:30 PM	W 8-5	at Vetta 40+ RED TEAM	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/5 9:25 PM	W 5-4	at Lampert 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/12 9:25 PM	W 7-4	Vintage Utd 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/19 8:30 PM	55 minutes	Vetta 40+ BLUE	Concord, Field 3
Tue 5/26 7:35 PM	55 minutes	Maddox 40+	Concord, Field 3
Tue 6/2 7:35 PM	55 minutes	Vetta 40+ RED TEAM	Concord, Field 3

THE LOUISVILLE EXPERIENCE 2009

That, my friends, is tough to re-capture. A whole lot happens in 48-72 hours, with, it seems like, every minute action-packed. Upon our arrival in mid-afternoon on Friday, a few of us went out & played 9 holes of very ugly golf. That kicked off the start of the "Louisville Experience".

Most of the STL participants, of which there were many, stayed at the Holiday Inn Expo, a place we've stayed at previously. The most notable feature of the hotel is not even at the hotel. It's around the corner. It's a local one-room dive bar called Ott's Tavern, a very friendly spot that provides great southern hospitality. Anyone that travelled to Louisville from STL knows Ott's. What many people didn't know about Ott's, including your's truly, was that it was a 4am bar. Good thing we got the O-30 & O-40 matches scheduled for a Saturday afternoon start. Even that was a struggle, but, looking around, everyone made it. Save for Steve Rankin. The Chief hought our game started an hour later. We'll just blame that one on the Louisville time change.

Saturday wen't well for both the SSL O-30 & O-40 teams. Each finished with a 2-1 record, good enough for the gold medal round the following day. The girls O-30 team did well also, with their Saturday wins propelling them into the O-30 finals the next day. The STL open team, "Special Sauce", captained by Ryan & Patrick Curry, sons of O-30 player Jeannie Curry, didn't fare too well on Saturday, posting a 1-2 record. But don't be mislead. Their journey thru the Silver Medal bracket was a thing of beauty.

The SSL O-30 men won their first match convincingly versus the Indianapolis SC, overwhelming them 6-1. They stretched their record to 2-0 on Saturday with a tight 2-0 win over the local team, the Kickers. Then came the hiccup. They dropped a very tough 2-1 decision in their 3rd game of the day to an old adversary, the Dayton Rogues. Still in all, they played extremely well on Saturday & were excited about their chances in the Gold medal round on Sunday.

The SSL O-40 men didn't start as well, but had some help along the way. First game out of the box, they faced a tough, seasoned side from Ohio, Dayton United. They dropped that match 2-1, with one of the Dayton goals coming on a shot from the center off. Tough way to start a tourney. But, they bounced back with a 2-0 win of their own against the local Louisville team, the Buds. Their good fortune continued when the 3rd match for the day was a forfeit win, when a local team, the Phantoms, failed to show.

So, Sunday looked golden for the SSL O-30 womens & the O-30 & O-40 men's teams. Let the pre-celebration begin.

As the players gathered at the hotel to make arrangements for the traditional Saturday evening dinner, the talk was about the playoffs the following day. Everyone was fired up & there were few injuries to report. Everyone felt good about their chances. As the teams returned to the hotel following dinner, many gathered in the Hospitality Room, graciously provided to the SSL contingent due to so many room reservations placed by Jeannie Curry.

It was raucous. Players & hangers-on filtered into & out of the room all evening. Word was that there was a 1am curfew. Few adhered to it, in spite of the fact that several teams had 9am start times. Finally, about 3am, most had headed to their rooms to get at least a few hours sleep. They would need it.

One ot the two matches on this Sunday that captivated all who watched was the first round playoff for the O-30 men. As luck would have it, they would be facing their old friends, the Budweiser Flyers from STL. The Flyers scored first & the SSL fans felt their heart sink. But the players did nothing of the kind. They were playing fabulously & had dominated from the opening whistle, in spite of the Flyers goal.

They soon knotted up the game at 1-1, & still, they continued to dominate, creating many chances, several of which caromed off the woodwork. But still they persevered. After a 1-1 score at the interval, SSL scored early in the 2nd half to take a 2-1 lead, & still, they continued to press the attack, coming close on a couple of occasions of taking a 2 goal lead at 3-1, but, the Flyers dodged that bullet.

But a quirky thing happened on the way to the finish line. On a seemingly innocent play, after the ball caromed off & around several SSL defenders, the Flyers managed to score the tying goal with just a few minutes left in the match. Then it happened. Upon receiving a pass, a SSL player stumbled & the ball bounced right to a Flyer attacker, with nothing between him & the goal. One of the SSL defenders, rushed up & tackled the player from behind, just outside the penalty area, stopping play. Unfortunately, that resulted in a red card ejection for the SSL defender. That would loom large later.

As time ran out on this match, a 2-2 draw, it was now down to shootouts. The remaining 5 players on the field had to be the shooters. However, since SSL was a man down, the keeper had to take the shot. Long story short, after 10 rounds, (someone said is was 15), whatever, the Flyers ended winning the match in a shootout. It was a heart-breaker. There was no question as to how well the SSL side had played, but unfortunately, they came up on the short end of the stick. They'll be back for Indy. Watch out!

The Flyers then lost their next match 2-0 to the Whistle Pigs, a tourney regular. The Pigs went on to win the finals against another STL entry, Barristers, with a 4-1 score. Heart-breaking, but fun.

The O-40 team got off to a better Sunday start than the O-30 side. They won their 9am game 2-1, in spite of, shall we say, not feeling all that well. The next match, @ 10:30, was against the Whistle Pigs O-40 side. SSL dropped that match 2-1 & ended up the tourney with a 3-2 mark. The Pigs ended up losing in the finals to another STL team, Kolping. There sure were a lot of STL teams at this tourney. Seems like every year there are more. In fact, there was another STL girls team there, captained by Amy Champaine, but, I never did get their results.

"Special Sauce". Where did they ever come up with that name. Whatever! They kind of flew under the radar on Saturday, going 1-2 & qualifying for the Silver bracket. Not many took note of them that Saturday night. However, Sunday belonged to them. They steamrolled their competition, winning 4 straight matches, including a 4-1 decision in the final to capture the coveted "Louisville Baseball Caps". They dominated their competition, playing great defense & cruised into & out of, the final. Congrats to them.

So, as far as I can tell, & as I mentioned, I don't have all the stats, but a STL team won the men's O-40 & the Open men's silver bracket. Of the eight different divisions, four STL teams were in the finals. And all of the STL teams that participated in the tourney aquitted themselves well. Whether it's Indy or Louisville, when teams in those tourneys play a team from STL, they know they have their hands full. Congratulations to all. A great time & a great experience makes for great memories. See you in Indy.

LOUISVILLE FINAL RESULTS