WIN OVER COBRA'S LAUNCHES SSL INTO FINAL

WILL DEFEND TITLE......AGAIN!!!

SSL HAS BEEN IN THE FINALS 5 STRAIGHT SESSIONS, WINNING 3. NOW, BY VIRTUE OF THEIR WIN OVER THE COBRA'S, THEY'LL FIND THEMSELVES IN THE FINALS FOR THE 6TH STRAIGHT SESSION & WILL ATTEMPT TO WIN THEIR 2ND TITLE IN A ROW. TRULY A DESCRIPTION OF TEAMWORK & CONSISTENCY.

EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE ONE MORE REGULAR SEASON GAME LEFT, THEY'VE ACCUMULATED ENOUGH POINTS THUS FAR TO ASSURE THEM OF ANOTHER BERTH IN THE FINALS.

HOWEVER, THE GAME AGAINST THE COBRAS WAS SURPRISINGLY DIFFICULT. THE COBRA'S, MIRED IN 5TH PLACE IN A 6 TEAM LEAD & HAVING ONLY WON A SINGLE GAME PLAYED MUCH BETTER THEN THEIR RECORD WOULD INDICATE. GIVING SSL ALL THEY WANTED, & MORE, THE GAME GOT OFF TO A START THAT SSL ENJOYED.

JUMPING TO A QUICK 2-0 LEAD, IT SEEMED THAT THE SSL SIDE COULD PUT IT ON CRUISE CONTROL, & BRING THIS ONE HOME RATHER EASILY. THE COBRA'S HAD SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT. THEY RAN, & RAN, & RAN SOME MORE. CONSTANTLY MOVING OFF THE BALL, THEY STARTED CREATING SOME CHANCES & ULTIMATELY FINISHED ON ONE TO EDGE BACK INTO THE GAME @ 2-1 SSL.

SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THEY NOTCHED A 2ND GOAL, TYING THE GAME @ 2. SSL SOON REALIZED THEY HAD A GAME ON THEIR HANDS, & IF THEY WEREN'T CAREFUL, A LOSS COULD POTENTIALLY MAKE GAME #7 NEXT WEEK, A GAME THEY'D NEED TO WIN IF THEY WANTED TO BE IN THE FINALS. BUT THEN, JUST SECONDS BEFORE HALF, MICHAEL POROPAT NOTCHED A HARD-FOUGHT GOAL, UPPING THE SCORE TO 3-2, & PUTTING SSL BACK INTO THE LEAD AS TIME RAN OUT.

HOWEVER, THIS WAS FAR FROM OVER. THE COBRA'S CONTINUED THE ATTACK, SUFFERING SOME NEAR MISSES. BUT, AS IS USUALLY THE CASE, THE SSL KEEPER, DAVE SHELTON, ROSE TO THE OCCASION & MADE SOME HUGE SAVES LATE IN THE GAME, PRESERVING THE 3-2 LEAD. THEN, AS THE TWO OPPONENTS TRADED HAYMAKERS, DAVID HIPPERSON, ON A GREAT INDIVIDUAL EFFORT JUST INSIDE THE RED LINE, STEPPED AROUND HIS MARKER & UNLEASED A BOMB THAT THE KEEPER HAD NO CHANCE ON, SCORING HIS 2ND GOAL OF THE GAME. 4-2 SSL. EVERYONE BREATHED A SIGH OF RELIEF.

THEN, LATE IN THE GAME, MICHAEL POROPAT ICED THE GAME WITH HIS 2ND GOAL, & SSL CRUISED TO THE GAMES END, HOLDING ONTO THE 5-2 LEAD FOR THE WIN. BUT THE WIN WAS NOT WITHOUT ITS MOMENTS. IT'S NOT THAT SSL UNDERESTIMATED THE COBRA'S. THEY DIDN'T. HOWEVER, THE COBRA'S BROUGHT THEIR "A" GAME, A GAME THAT SSL HAD TO WORK HARD FOR TO BRING HOME A WIN. AND BRING IT HOME THEY DID. AS ONE OF THE PLAYERS ON THE SSL BENCH SAID JUST AS THE GAME ENDED, "THOSE ARE THE GAMES GOOD TEAMS WIN". WELL SAID & WELL DONE!

BAR B Q TIME!!!

THIS THURSDAY, 10/30, WE HAVE THE EARLY GAME, @ 6:50. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS BOYS & GIRLS......BAR B Q TIME. FOLLOWING THE GAME, WE'LL BE ON THE PARKING LOT, GRILLIN' & CHILLIN" (NO PUN INTENDED), RAIN OR SHINE, COLD OR WARM. BRING A DISH, WE'LL BRING THE MEAT & WE'LL BRING THE HEAT. SEE YOU THEN.

STANDINGS, STATS & REUNION PHOTO FOLLOW:

SOCCER ST. LOUIS STATS
NAME			GOALS	ASSISTS	POINTS
GUILLERMO CORTEZ			7	5	19
DAVID HIPPERSON			5	5	15
MICHAEL POROPAT			3	3	9
JOHNNY PENS			3	3	9
OTTO ETZEL			3	2	8
SLADAN KURTOVIC			3	0	6
MIKE HOGAN			2	2	6
EDIN CORALIC			2	1	5
TONY MEADOWS			1	3	5
RONNIE ROWDEN			1	2	4
JAYSON ADELSBERGER			1	2	4
JOE TARTICCHIO			1	1	3
DAVE SHELTON			0	2	2
CASEY WALSH			0	1	1

 

League Standings: Thurs Men 30+ C North 9/11
Team	W	T	L	Pts	GF	GA	GD	PCT	GP
Soccer St. Louis(BLACK)	5	1	0	16	31	12	19	0.917	6
Freaky Shakra	4	0	2	12	31	16	15	0.667	6
Imos Men(RED)	3	1	2	10	26	31	-5	0.583	6
PLS Zoom Motors	2	2	2	8	21	23	-2	0.500	6
CD Cobras(BLUE)	1	0	5	3	19	28	-9	0.167	6
Buckshots(ORANGE)	1	0	5	3	22	40	-18	0.167	6

Schedule			Location
Thu 9/11 10:55 PM	W 7-2	PLS Zoom Motors	Concord, Field 2
Thu 9/25 8:55 PM	W 9-3	Buckshots(ORANGE)	Concord, Field 3
Thu 10/2 10:00 PM	W 4-0	at Imos Men(RED)	Concord, Field 2
Thu 10/9 9:05 PM	W 4-3	Freaky Shakra	Concord, Field 2
Thu 10/16 8:00 PM	T 2-2	at PLS Zoom Motors	Concord, Field 3
Thu 10/23 8:10 PM	W 5-2	CD Cobras(BLUE)	Concord, Field 2
Thu 10/30 6:50 PM	55 minutes	at CD Cobras(BLUE)	Concord, Field 1

A GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!!!

It was a great time. Lot's of faces we haven't seen for quite some time. Want to take a moment to thank everyone for coming. It was definitely worth the effort. I look forward to seeing you all again next year.

But  I need to send out a special thankyou to Dave Zona, the Bocce Club & the bartenders without who's help, it obviously would not have been possible. Zone, thanks brother. I think I can speak for all who attended when I tell you thanks from all of us.

Enjoy the photos!!!

DEFENSE DOMINATES LOW SCORING WIN

STRETCH RECORD TO 3-0

In a game dominated by defense, the offense did just enough, scoring 4 goals in a tight, well-played game by both sides. The SSL offense actually created many chances, but the Imo's keeper kept them in the game with some huge saves, both on break-aways as well as point blank shots.

In a re-match of the two finalists in last sessions Championship, this outcome & the play of the game, was eerily similar. In the Finals last session, SSL won that match by a score of 4-1. Last nights 4-0 win looked a lot like that game. Great defense, end to end action, physical, excellent play by players on both sides, missed opportunities, but a fun match to watch.

The scoring started with a great run out of the back by defender Sladan Kurtovic. David Hipperson had corralled the ball at midfield, looked up, slotted the ball thru to a streaking Sladan, who made no mistake by striking the ball one-time past the startled Imo's keeper. 1-0 SSL.

David Hipperson then quickly made the score 2-0, finishing on a ball that Edin Coralic, after dribbling in traffic, got to Little Hip for his one-timer. That's the way the 1st half ended, 2-0 SSL, with Little Hip having a hand in both scores. It was a very tight match to that point, & every player knew it would be more of the same in the 2nd. And it was.

The 2nd half was a lot like the 1st. The difference was, the SSL offense picked it up a notch, applying heavy pressure thruout. Other than two or three flurries by the Imo's side, most of the offense was created by SSL. But, you have to tip your cap to the defense on Imo's side. Never wilting under the pressure, they withstood constant attacks, but still kept it tight @ 2-0. Then it was time for the Guillermo Cortez show.

Midway thru the 2nd half of this uncomfortably close game, "G" collected the ball around mid-field, & moved into the offensive end. Getting by the 1st defender & then the 2nd, & not without some friendly "contact", whistled a bomb, again from his patented bad angle, past the Imo's keeper for a 3-0 lead, & a bit more breathing room.

Then, a few minutes later, again on a run 'n gun bullrush, with Little Hip leading the charge, Mike Hogan made a run out of the back to the left corner of the Imo's goal. Hip spied him standing there, wide open, & passed him the ball. At the same time, "G" made a run down the right side, heading for the goal. Hoags spied him, lofted the ball across the top of the box where "G", jumped in the air, got on top of the ball, & rifled a shot into the back of the net, finishing off a beautiful, bang-bang play. Score 4-0, & that's the way it ended, securing 1st place, 3 games into the session.

However, there's still a long way to go in this session, & to a man, it wouldn't surprise any of the SSL players if we were to meet the Imo's side again, in yet another Championship Final!

Scoring for the game: Guillermo Cortez, 2 goals; David Hipperson, 1 goal & 2 helpers; Sladan Kurtovic, 1 goal & Mike Hogan & Edin Coralic, 1 helper each.

Next week we host Freaky Shakra @ 9:05 on field #2. Hope to see you there.

 

SOCCER ST. LOUIS STATS
NAME			GOALS	ASSISTS	POINTS
GUILLERMO CORTEZ			5	4	14
DAVID HIPPERSON			3	4	10
OTTO ETZEL			3	2	8
SLADAN KURTOVIC			3	0	6
MICHAEL POROPAT			1	3	5
JOHNNY PENS			2	1	5
EDIN CORALIC			2	1	5
JOE TARTICCHIO			1	1	3
TONY MEADOWS			0	2	2
RONNIE ROWDEN			1	0	2
MIKE HOGAN			0	2	2
DAVE SHELTON			0	1	1
CASEY WALSH			0	1	1

 

League Standings: Thurs Men 30+ C North 9/11
Team	W	T	L	Pts	GF	GA	GD	PCT	GP
Soccer St. Louis(BLACK)	3	0	0	9	20	5	15	1.000	3
Imos Men(RED)	2	1	1	7	18	19	-1	0.625	4
PLS Zoom Motors	2	1	1	7	16	17	-1	0.625	4
Freaky Shakra	2	0	1	6	13	9	4	0.667	3
CD Cobras(BLUE)	0	0	3	0	8	12	-4	0.000	3
Buckshots(ORANGE)	0	0	3	0	10	23	-13	0.000	3

Schedule			Location
Thu 9/11 10:55 PM	W 7-2	PLS Zoom Motors	Concord, Field 2
Thu 9/25 8:55 PM	W 9-3	Buckshots(ORANGE)	Concord, Field 3
Thu 10/2 10:00 PM	W 4-0	at Imos Men(RED)	Concord, Field 2
Thu 10/9 9:05 PM	55 minutes	Freaky Shakra	Concord, Field 2
Thu 10/16 8:00 PM	55 minutes	at PLS Zoom Motors	Concord, Field 3
Thu 10/23 8:10 PM	55 minutes	CD Cobras(BLUE)	Concord, Field 2
Thu 10/30 6:50 PM	55 minutes	at CD Cobras(BLUE)	Concord, Field 1