WHAT HAPPENED IN THE MONTH OF MAY???
Well, the answer is, a lot has happened in the last month. I'll try my best to get you all caught up, because I know you're all waiting breathlessly to find out what happened in SSL nation....or, rather neighborhood. Well, here goes. Hang on.
To start with, the reason I'm so behind on my blogging is the real estate biz has had me slammed. As an aside, if any of you are thinking about buying a home, you'd better do it now. Rates are still cheap (meaning money is cheap), but housing prices went up one percent last month, & it's the start of a trend. Get'em now, because it'll only be more expensive later this year & in the future. Anyway, you needed to know that & that's why I've been so behind on the updates. Let us move ahead.
SSL UNBEATEN STREAK ENDS @ 16!!!
It had to happen sooner or later & it did. The week following SSL 2nd straight championship, the first game of the following session, they kicked off against a strong, motivated, aggressive & determined Buckshot side. A letdown could certainly be expected, but this was an ugly performance. Give credit to the Buckshots. They did the run & gun to perfection.
SSL was on their heels all night long, always a step behind & a moment late. Just couldn't catch up, knocked off stride & couldn't create or maintain any momentum. The final score of 3-1 Buckshots was pretty reflective of the play of the game. Again, keeper Dave Shelton did a great job keeping us in the game, but the offense just didn't show up this night, & the rest, as they say, was history. So, SSL unbeaten streak comes to an end, & they lose the first game of the session. Something that hasn't happened for some time. Oh well, time to start another winning streak. As one of my former players always used to say, " you're only as good as your last game, so hurry up & play another game". We will, & we did.
SSL STARTS NEW UNBEATEN STREAK!
The next week, it was another familiar opponent, Imo's. We've had many matches against Imo's, a formidible foe, & this match would prove no different than any of the previous matches. Close, tight-checking, physical & low scoring.
Our 3-2 win was a combination of many factors, not the least of which, again, was our goal-keeping. Dave Shelton did a remarkable job keeping us in the game, providing time for the opportunistic offense to finally cash in on some opportunities against one of the toughest keepers in both leagues. Again, our performance was lacking, albeit better than the previous week, but a lot of that had to do with Imo's. Our defense did another fabulous job, holding the high-powered Imo's offense to fewer shots than they're accustomed & distributing the ball nicely.
SSL held on to secure the win in a very difficult & evenly matched game & even their record @ 1-1. But, they still had a long way to go in equaling their championship style of play. But it was a start.
ANOTHER WIN, ANOTHER BAR B Q!!!
We've come a long way, baby. Well, SSL notched it's 2nd win of the session with a victory over another familiar opponent, VJ. In our 6-2 win, it appeared that we got back some of the urgency & aggressiveness that had been missing previously. As I mentioned earlier, a letdown was certainly expected, but this had been going on for several weeks. It looked as though we were pulling out of it. Slowly, but steadily.
We made a significant change in this game & it worked magnificiently. Tony Meadows moved from up top to defense, at his request, & played terrificly, steadying the defense, & adding another offensive defender. The entire team thrived on that new energy burst & it was reflected in the pace of our game & the style of our play. Our offense, & not just the forwards & mid-fielders, but the team as a whole, was sluggish & out of synch, & benefitted greatly by this move. SSL was looking more & more like its old self.
.....THE BAR B Q
Following our 6:10 game, we had the obligatory que. Started about 7:30 & ended @ about 12:30 when I started kicking people off the back of my truck so I could leave. Everyone wanted to stay & I couldn't get rid of them. I might have actually backed up over someone for all I know. I'll have to take a headcount to see if anyone is missing. But that's kind of the way these events usually go. Lot's of people showed up, many I didn't know, but it was all great fun.
From Dave's steaks that we cut up into little appetisers, to Johnny's chicken somethingoranothers, a lot of food crossed that little weber grill. Additionally, if I'm not mistaken, a few cigars were consumed as well. A good time was had by all on a beautiful evening. See you at the next 6:10 game. Btw, I did NOT lose a game of foos.
THE FOSSILS!!!
The Fossils are a team to be reckoned with. Young & fast, they are an offensive powerhouse. In fact, the team that handed SSL its only loss in the last 20 games, the Buckshots, was beaten the previous week SEVENTEEN TO ONE! Holy cow! SSL knew they would have their hands full. Plus, it was an 11:40 game. Ouch!
Well, as it turned out, the SSL side turned out. Five subs for this late game. They came ready to play, & they did. In easily their best performance of the session, SSL defeated the Fossils 4-1 in an unbelievablely thrilling game. End to end action. Physical. Fast paced. A challenge. Just what the doctor ordered for a previously sluggish SSL side.
Solid offense, defense & mid-field play made this close, hard-hitting game fun to watch. Just enough offense, 4 goals, & stellar defense, only 1 allowed. This after they had scored 17 the week before. Amazing! This tough, hard-fought win, raised the SSL record for the session to 3-1, good for 2nd place in the standings. Things in the SSL camp were looking better.
THE JOE KELLEY TOURNEY
We all felt that SSL needed to have a presence in this tourney, to honor Joe Kelley, the recently deceased brother of Tim, Mike & Patti Kelley, & son to Mrs. Kelley. Almost the entire SSL team participated in the games on saturday, 5/31. The money raised was being donated to skin cancer research, so it was for a great cause & the tourney attracted a lot of teams & a lot of great players. More on that later.
They had mens open, over 30 & co-ed. It was fun to watch. Lot's of people, bar b q by Kendrick Meats, raffels & prizes for 1st & 2nd place teams. Lot's going on.
The SSL side was entered in the over 30. We'd have entered the over 60 if we could have, but, well, it was the o-30. Four teams were in this division. Three over 30 first division teams, Old Timers, Maddox & Miller's Kids. We drew Millers Kids in the first game. And what a game it was.
Just the tonic SSL needed to get back on it's winning horse. Same old cliche's, but true. End to end, physical & fast paced. They played 15 minute halves, so you had to score early & score often & play mistake free defense. That was exactly the case. The half-time score was SSL 2-1 over Millers. Two more 2nd half goals & one opponent goal, resulted in the 4-2 win for SSL. Next up, another very tough 1st division opponent, the Old Timers.
Things did not go well. The Old Timers were clearly the best team in the division. Solid up & down the line-up, fast, skillful, a real handful. This was a team SSL just couldn't handle. We were out-classed, did our best, but fell to a superior team 7-2. However, I felt that we could play better, much better against them, & that that was not our best effort. We all really wanted another chance at them. But we needed to take care of business against our next opponent, Maddox, if we were to have a chance.
If we beat Maddox, & the Old Timers beat Millers Kids, whom we defeated, we'd find ourselves in the finals against the Old Timers, with a chance to redeem ourselves. Well, as luck would have it, after Maddox lost their 2nd game to Millers Kids, most of their players left, & SSL advanced to the finals on the forfeit with a 2-1 record. As the Klingons say, "revenge is a dish best served cold". We would get that 2nd chance that everyone wanted.
In the finals, against the Old Timers, the SSL side played alarmingly well. It was a tightly marked affair, with both sides limiting the others offensive chances. Most of the play was confined to the mid-field. But, the Old Timers scored first. They clung to the 1-0 lead for several minutes until SSL evened the score at 1-1 on a pretty finish by Tony Meadows, who moved up out of the defense to the corner &, unmarked, made no mistake on his shot. The half ended 1-1.
The 2nd half would feature more of the same. But the Old Timers, once again, would break thru first, taking the lead at 2-1. A short time later, Johnny Pens, following his own blocked shot, headed in the carom to again knot the score at 2-2. But that's when a series of misfortunes sealed the fate for this SSL side. With 6 minutes to go, the Old Timers went ahead 3-2, then followed that up in quick succession with three more goals to win the contest with a 6-2 final.
However, the SSL side played a helluva game. Far different than their previous encounter. It was a lot of fun, & everyone felt good about how the team played. Plus, there was, afterall, a consolation prize. We found out that not only did the winning team recieve a $100 bar tab, but the 2nd place finisher recieved a $50 bar tab. How 'bout that!
So, a great time was had by all. I want to take this moment to thank all the players individually that participated from the Soccer St. Louis team, for their contribution, not only monetarily, but physically & emotionally, to take time out from their usual busy summer saturday to come play in this tourney. It meant a lot to a great many people, & as they've done so many times before, they all answered the call when needed. I, & all the Kelley family thank you greatly.
Dave Shelton; Tony Meadows; Ronnie Rowden; Steve Rankin; Casey Walsh; Sladan Kurtovic; Jayson Adelsberger; Edin Corolic; Johnny Pens; Bernard Anic; Mondo Martinez; Noel Pacheco & Mike Hogan. Thanks a lot guys. It meant a lot.
Scoring for the tourney:
Leading scorer, Steve Rankin w/3 goals; Jayson Adelsberger, 1 goal, 2 helpers; Tony Meadows 1 goal & 1 helper; Johnny Pens & Edin Coralic a goal apiece & Bernard Anic & Casey Walsh with one helper each. Thanks again guys, it was fun & worthwhile.
League Standings & Stats:
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SOCCER ST. LOUIS STATS
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NAME
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GOALS
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ASSISTS
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POINTS
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MIKE HOGAN
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3
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1
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7
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EDIN COROLIC
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2
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2
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6
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RONNIE ROWDEN
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1
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2
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4
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MICHAEL POROPAT
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1
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2
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4
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JASON ADESLBERGER
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1
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0
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2
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JOHNNY PENS
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1
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0
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2
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OTTO ETZEL
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1
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0
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2
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SLADAN KURTOVIC
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1
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0
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2
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TONY MEADOWS
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1
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0
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2
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NOEL PACHECO
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0
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1
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1
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Warning: Your facilities tie breaker rules and rankings may not follow the rules above.
| Thu 5/8 7:05 PM |
L 1-3 |
at Buckshots |
Concord, Field 1 |
| Thu 5/15 9:50 PM |
W 3-2 |
Imos Men |
Concord, Field 1 |
| Thu 5/22 6:10 PM |
W 6-2 |
Vee Jay |
Concord, Field 1 |
| Thu 5/29 11:40 PM |
W 4-1 |
at Fossils |
Concord, Field 1 |
| Thu 6/12 8:00 PM |
55 minutes |
The Brew |
Concord, Field 1 |
| Thu 6/19 10:20 PM |
55 minutes |
at Big Red |
Concord, Field 2 |
| Thu 6/26 7:35 PM |
55 minutes |
PLS Zoom Motors |
Concord, Field 2 |
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