This one dedicated to Kelly.

The excitement that built up to the tournament was palpable. We got to bed a bit late Friday night as I put some finishing touches to the management aspect of our team’s games to ensure that all players had as much fun as possible.

Our first game was scheduled for 8AM. I requested players to be on the field 45 minutes before kick-off and some of our players had hit town the night before. The Sojobi clan hit the road before 6 opting for the 118 backway rather than the popular 101, and along the way, we spotted Amanda and Jessica behind us. We got to the field as Kristen was pulling up with her friends, Stephanie and Kristen – yes, also Kristen with a K! They could pass for twins to boot.

A month or so earlier, SGV Pistons had opened camp. Everyone on the program had been invited to register their interest in the tournament. The number of players able to commit to the tournament enabled us to accommodate Stephanie in goal and Kristen on defence with the tenacity that calls up memories of Brazil’s Cafu in his younger days. Thanks for playing, guys.

Great job, Sarah T and Keji, for your perfect attendance at practice. Such dedication is always inspiring and enables the team more time to perfect plays.

Game day, we made an imposing and confident contingent as we, in full force, took the field by 7:30 with the sprinklers still going. The opposition, Elite Feet, had three or four of their players cowering under a tree some distance away, looking longingly toward the parking lot for their straggler colleagues to show up. We overwhelmed them from the blast of the opening whistle. It was the collaboration of the Sarahs in the 5^th minute as Sarah G powered home a Sarah T havoc in the opposition’s box. In the very first minute of the 2^nd half, Keji was prettily put through on the right wing with a good view of the goal. She drew the goalie out and squared the ball to Kristen H to finish. Our 3^rd goal in the 21^st minute was a beauty; the assist was from the workhorse, Kim. Sarah T received Kim’s lob on her chest and volleyed past a hapless goalie.

We had a 2-hour break before taking on Yo Mamas. We dropped the game by one second half goal. We played a good game as usual but were simply beaten to the ball more often. The final game of the day was back on the field where we started, and we were up against Soccer Addicts. They brought a deliberate flat four in the back. On Natalie’s assist, Hannah got our lone goal.

We ended the day in a surprising 3^rd place but confident we’re capable of better.

Sarah T, Kelly, and Hannah	Kristen R, Stephanie, and Kristen H	The Tuck Twins - Renee and Sherisse	Keji supported by Ola and Tolu

Dinner at Cabos Mexican restaurant was relaxing as players got to learn more about one another. Since we were third, we had to play an early 10 o’clock game.

Sunday morning, we had to take on Soccer Addicts again. Their coach and I had a brief chat to learn more about each other’s programs and exchange goodlucks. The winner would go on to the semi-final and the loser would get to play in the Consolation Bracket, which we won in 2005 in the C Division. Kristen R assisted on our 12^th minute first goal by Renee. On the final minute of the first half, Hannah added the 2^nd goal.

The semi-final was probably our most thrilling performance. We hadn’t played Rip Tide and only knew them by the reputation that they didn’t score a lot but didn’t give up goals either. We found their goalie to be one of the really respectable goalies of the tournament – beside our Stephanie. It wasn’t until the 17^th minute before we cracked their armor on Sarah T’s goal from Renee’s assist. 2^nd minute of the second half, they tied it up on a painful defensive turnover. And that’s how it stayed until the end of regulation.

Our team is a thing of joy to behold. Resumption of ten minutes of overtime (OT) took off with the same energy level; Pistons were firing on all cylinders - defenders moving the ball fluidly around the field to the midfielders, midfielders fighting for and winning all fair balls, and our attackers dazzling the fans with diagonal runs, runs down the line, placing through balls, and peppering the good goalie with shots. Twice we beat the goalie with the ball failing to cross the line.

In the 5^th minute, just before the ref could blow the whistle to conclude the first half of OT, Sarah T blasted a cross across the face of the goal after blazing down the right wing toward the goal. The ball bobbed invitingly into the path of Hannah who had all the time in the world to adjust to her preferred left foot to pat the ball into the wide open net past the scrambling goalie. Victory!

Final match versus Yo Mamas kicked off nearly an hour behind schedule. After a 0-0 first half, we dropped the game 0-2. We played well. We played VERY well. I was proud of our team’s performance all through the weekend. You guys were great! You left your DNA out there – the sweat, the blood, the skin...you have the bruises to show for it. Thank you for your dedication. Ola, huge thanks for being the team statistician, son. Your efforts assisted in the effective management of the team. Tolu, big thanks as well for being the team cameraperson/videographer. The ladies will sit their grandkids down someday and show them how long they’ve looked good on the soccer field!

Kelly leaves us in September to move to Colorado in pursuit of professional advancement. Thanks for your participation, Kelly. It's been good knowing you. Good luck in Colorado.

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