HE'S GOT IT -- Eagle goalie Alejandro Garcia prepares to make (yet another) save, this one on Daniel Baldivieso. Jonatan Muñoz, InternationalNot again! Griffins lose shootout
Eagles, International end up tied, 1-1
The International and Christian Learning varsity boys soccer teams once again fought to a draw, 1-1, and once again Christian Learning picked up the extra point in the shootout.
The game was played with an intensity befitting a championship game, but all that was really at stake was the possibility (on Christian Learning's part) of gaining bragging rights to second place in the League, which the Eagles accomplished, edging out Cooperative.
The poor Griffins, for their part, were hammered further into last place. The defending champions completed the season without a win, and though they managed four ties, they did not win a single shootout. The Griffins' four shootout losses seem like a record likely, for good or evil, to stand the test of time.
Ironically, the Griffins played well enough to win several -- if not all -- of those ties. One hesitates to bet against them in the playoffs on the grounds that sooner or later the breaks will have to start going their way. The players may still be talking about it at their 50th reunion.
On the other hand, the win catapulted the Eagles into second place, and would have given them home field advantage in the playoffs against Co-operative if they had a field. (Theirs is unplayable due to wet weather.)
Christian Learning scored first when power forward Esteban Eguez finally managed to get himself clearly onside for one of goalie Alejandro Garcia's gravity-defying place kicks. Eguez raced downfield under the ball like a small, extremely mobile tank, and deflected the kick with is head in a direction that Griffin goalie Joan Voss wasn't quite ready for.
The Garcia-Eguez connection had failed on several previous attempts for to offside calls that, while deeply resented by the Eagle adherents present, were mostly correct. Eguez' goal accounted for all of the scoring in the first half.
The Griffins got the score evened at 1-1 early in the on an explosive play in which Juan Javier Estenssoro suddenly found himself with the ball not far from the Eagle goal. He coolly waited for a defender to over-run him, then popped the ball over a diving Garcia. to knot the score.
While these were the only goals, the game did not lack for non-stop, high speed action, and one was amazed that there were not more penalties or injuries. Players were frequently strewn across the field, but usually the referee decided that the over-aggression had been mutual.
There were numerous brilliant saves, with the Griffins' Voss matching, for the most part, the exploits of the Eagles somewhat more heralded goal-tender, Garcia. (Garcia did add three more "saves made while in the process of mid-air collisions" to his record. On one occasion he and a Griffin attacker crumbled to the ground together, limbs entwined, while fans of both teams screamed unavailingly for a foul call.
In the shootout both Garcia and Voss would each manage one amazing block, but the issue was decided when International's fourth shooter missed slightly wide right. Eguez, Christian Learning's fifth shooter, then bounced his shot into the left-hand side, give Christian Learning its record-breaking fourth shootout victory (out of a possible five), 4-3.
The Eagles may also be remembered as the only team to make it to second place without winning a single game. They did have five ties, another feat likely to be remembered.
Eagles, International end up tied, 1-1
The International and Christian Learning varsity boys soccer teams once again fought to a draw, 1-1, and once again Christian Learning picked up the extra point in the shootout.
The game was played with an intensity befitting a championship game, but all that was really at stake was the possibility (on Christian Learning's part) of gaining bragging rights to second place in the League, which the Eagles accomplished, edging out Cooperative.
The poor Griffins, for their part, were hammered further into last place. The defending champions completed the season without a win, and though they managed four ties, they did not win a single shootout. The Griffins' four shootout losses seem like a record likely, for good or evil, to stand the test of time.
Ironically, the Griffins played well enough to win several -- if not all -- of those ties. One hesitates to bet against them in the playoffs on the grounds that sooner or later the breaks will have to start going their way. The players may still be talking about it at their 50th reunion.
On the other hand, the win catapulted the Eagles into second place, and would have given them home field advantage in the playoffs against Co-operative if they had a field. (Theirs is unplayable due to wet weather.)
Christian Learning scored first when power forward Esteban Eguez finally managed to get himself clearly onside for one of goalie Alejandro Garcia's gravity-defying place kicks. Eguez raced downfield under the ball like a small, extremely mobile tank, and deflected the kick with is head in a direction that Griffin goalie Joan Voss wasn't quite ready for.
The Garcia-Eguez connection had failed on several previous attempts for to offside calls that, while deeply resented by the Eagle adherents present, were mostly correct. Eguez' goal accounted for all of the scoring in the first half.
The Griffins got the score evened at 1-1 early in the on an explosive play in which Juan Javier Estenssoro suddenly found himself with the ball not far from the Eagle goal. He coolly waited for a defender to over-run him, then popped the ball over a diving Garcia. to knot the score.
While these were the only goals, the game did not lack for non-stop, high speed action, and one was amazed that there were not more penalties or injuries. Players were frequently strewn across the field, but usually the referee decided that the over-aggression had been mutual.
There were numerous brilliant saves, with the Griffins' Voss matching, for the most part, the exploits of the Eagles somewhat more heralded goal-tender, Garcia. (Garcia did add three more "saves made while in the process of mid-air collisions" to his record. On one occasion he and a Griffin attacker crumbled to the ground together, limbs entwined, while fans of both teams screamed unavailingly for a foul call.
In the shootout both Garcia and Voss would each manage one amazing block, but the issue was decided when International's fourth shooter missed slightly wide right. Eguez, Christian Learning's fifth shooter, then bounced his shot into the left-hand side, give Christian Learning its record-breaking fourth shootout victory (out of a possible five), 4-3.
The Eagles may also be remembered as the only team to make it to second place without winning a single game. They did have five ties, another feat likely to be remembered.
