An Unfitting End to a Good Season

Our conference championship game today had about as much build-up hype as you can get for middle school season. Going back to the start of last season and up until today, our record was 19-2. Both losses were to today's opponent. Last year we got revenge on our only loss with a victory in the championship game. This year it turned out a little different...

Last weekend we rolled through three opponents on our way to a repeat championship at a tournament in Neenah (WI). This past week of practice was decent, but not great. Each day we were missing key players due to homework, ride or attitudinal reasons. Due to all of that, I was going to have to shuffle my line-up around to reward the faithful players who were at practice all week (and all year) and penalize those that missed this week (and all year). My plan was to put my best foot backward- by having my best players play defense for the first half and then move them back to their normal positions in the second half for our attack- and it almost worked.

The game was played at the local Lutheran high school so we were on a regulation high school field- translation: MUCH bigger than middle school kids are used to playing on. We spent the majority of the first half fighting off their attacks and never really even got one attack going. They missed a couple point blank shots and our keeper was playing very aggressive and we looked to be right where I wanted us to be until the 19:30 mark (each half is 20 minutes) when they finally snuck one past our keeper to take a 1-0 lead into halftime.

I had 3 players not make it to the game and 1 player who made it at half time without any socks. SO, while my plan to lay back had worked for one half, I did not have the players I needed to get our best line-up on the field for our second half push. We decided to stick with the plan but to give our normal forwards (now playing fullback) more freedom to attach when we got a push going. It ended up not mattering as they scored four times in the first 7 minutes of the half and then once more before the 12 minute mark to explode to a 6-0 lead, which would be the final score.

We ended up not even getting one legit shot on goal and our kids were tired and frustrated- which is understandable. In our 10 wins this season, we outscored teams 49-4. In our two losses (both to the same team), we were outscored 12-2. We were vastly superior to ever opponent we played but one- who was vastly superior to us. There was not much to say to the kids other than to hold their heads up because we were a good soccer team this year and we brought home hardware to put up at school twice (our of two opportunities).

Next year we bring back several players who played several minutes this year, including one of our very good forwards. We also bring back one of our main fullbacks but will need to fill the rest of the spots on defense and in goal. We look like we are in good shape to keep our new tradition of excellence going.

10-1 With A Repeat Championship

Today we played at a tournament in Neenah which had 20 teams divided into 5 divisions. Two years ago we were in Division 4 and won only one game. Last year we were in Division 5 and easily won all three of our games to take first place. This year we were back up in Division 4 (though I requested Div 3 if there was room) and the results were still the same as they were last year.

We scored quickly in our first game and rolled to a 5-1 victory. One of our seventh grade girls got her first goal of the season on a rebound shot that was fairly exciting.

Our second game was against our sister school from back here in Milwaukee. Each year they graciously invite us to ride their bus with them in the tournament. Two years ago we got of the bus and immediately played them (and won), this year they gave us each a game before our match-up. We played this team earlier this season when they only had their 5th and 6th graders present. This time they had some of their older players present, but the result was the same as we ran away with the game 6-0.

Our third game's opponent split their two games with our other opponents (the tournament was a round robin) and did not put up much resistance as we won 6-1. Their lone goal came we our keeper caught a shot and then rolled it right to their forward who lolli-popped it over his head for the score. We got another score from another seventh grade girl in this game as well.

Overall, our spacing and passing was as good as it has looked all season. We had countless beautiful passes (and corner kicks) from the wings right on goal that we just missed (when we weren't nailing them into the back of the net). Our defense was tight, the only saves that our keepers made were balls that rolled up to them or they ran out to pick up- nothing serious the whole day.

We look like we're finally "getting it" and with one week to go in the season and before our rematch against our only loss of the season for the conference championship, we appear to be peaking at the right time. Although, we still need to get through a week of school and practices first...

Back to What We Do Best

Tonight's game was our most important of the season. Lose and our season ends this Saturday with an all-day tournament in Neenah. Win and our season is extended by one week so that we can have a rematch with the only team to beat us so far this year.

Before the game, however, the drama of coaching middle school sports resurfaced. Of our 19 player roster, two players have not been to a practice or a game in several weeks now. 5 more players were in after-school study hall (mandatory after missing enough assignments). This left us with 12 players and needing to start another new player in goal.

To add to this, 24 minutes before the start of the game I remembered that my ref for the game told me last week that he would not be able to ref tonight's game. I'd like to say that this is one of the reasons I keep my whistle and stopwatch in my car and an extra uniform and shorts at every game, but it just ended up being fortunate I had these things. So- for the second time in three years- I was referee for my own team's game.

This opponent, much like several of our opponents this year, had to dip all the way down to 4th graders to field a team. But they had several girls who looked like they have played before and, probably, the best individual player we have played against this season.

Our opponent came out in a very odd formation of goalie + 4 defenders back, a huge empty space, and then 6 forwards. This lead to us getting several attacks early with a lot of momentum behind them, but our shots were off target or their keeper made some nice saves. Eventually, though, we broke through with a couple goals near the 5 and 10 minute mark of the first half. We held off their two strongest attacks to lead 2-0 at half time.

We started the second half off scoring in the first minute and then again a few minutes later on a beautiful upper-90 goal from our 8th grade forward. Then we switched up our lines to give our girls another shot at some offensive action. While they got a couple good looks, it was a 6th grade boy who knocked in our 5th and final goal. The last 5 or so minutes was back and forth in the middle until the clock ran out and we won, 5-0. This secures our second place finish and a place in the conference championship game for the second straight year.

Based on our first encounter with regular season champ, we will have to prepare better than we have so far this year and play our best soccer - which I do not feel we have done yet. Hopefully, three games in one day on Saturday will better prepare us for the rematch.

6-1

Today's game was actually a scrimmage against a split-school (2 schools combining) team in our basketball conference that was too late to get into our soccer conference this season. Their home field was normal width but very short, so we played 9 v. 9 (I was hoping to play 8 v. 8).

Small fields like this always make me nervous, since the size of the field neutralizes our speed and always helps the less talented team. (Especially when every goal kick and punt by the goalie has the chance to get to the other goalie box!)

The game started out slow and congested, nothing really to worry about nor was there anything to get excited about. Our opponent actually struck first scoring in the 6th minute on our third string goalie. (Our main goalie missed practice this week due to homework issues and did not come to the game, our back-up goalie also missed practices for homework, did show up at the game but did not want to play goalie. Our third string keeper actually asked me to give him a shot in goal, so this game made sense to give him a chance.)

Giving up the goal must have upset our kids as we scored three straight goals over the next 10 minutes to take a 3-1 half time lead. We added another score on a Penalty Kick early in the second half and then- with all new line-ups in- we finally got a goal from one of our girls, who has been missing by inches for a couple weeks now on all of her shots. The final score was 5-1.

This week we play on Tuesday and a win secures our spot in the conference championship game. Hope Monday's practice is well attended and focused, at this point of the season we cannot afford to have small, lazy practices.