With already securing the expressway BU19 league title the
boys went down on a long journey to Dunkirk, NY to face a fully loaded Blackwatch
soccer team. Due to multiple graduation,
work related schedules and kids on vacation we brought down 13 kids to play a
double header, 11 were healthy with others dealing with some injuries. The field was a stadium size artificial turf,
and the weather was 90 F on the turf it felt like 110 F. Blachwatch with a full 18 players were ready
for us and wanted to inflict damage to us since earlier in the month we had
beat them 6-1, when they were short some players.
To tell you how proud I was of this group that came down is an
understatement, mainly all u17 players playing against HS Senior college bound
and college level players was going to be a challenge for this group, especially
since we had nothing to play for since securing the #1 spot last weekend, with
a amazing 4 goal second half to clinch the league title.
The first game we came under a lot of pressure and the other
team knew it, they would sub consistently to keep the team refreshed, while we continue
to accumulate injuries in a gut wrenching sequences of attacks from them. The defense held strong, while the midfield created
some magnificent counter attacks. In the end we stuck out a 0-0 draw, where the
majority of quality goal scoring opportunities came from us, which we could
have easily won. We took the draw as a
victory and a well deserved unexpected point.
In the second game a tired Cobras team with really nothing to play for
went down early 2-0 at half time. When
all was spent and down to 10 healthy bodies, with an additional 11th
on field for good faith we actually score to get back in the game 2-1. Not sure where these kids got the energy to
get back in the game, but they did. With 15 minutes left Blackwatch scored a
third, and knowing this, cleaned house in the last ten minutes with two additional
goal winning 5-1. In the end our boys with
great humor were playing for the love of the game and their teammates, with
smiles on their faces and happiness inside of them that they accomplished
something that many kids will never get a chance to experience.
Congratulations Cobras FC, all 23 players rotated throughout
the 8 games in this league to win outright the division title. This is the inaugural
season of this league and we are the first Boys U19 champions. Thank you parents for your support, onto the remainder
of thus far this magnificent season……Coach Mike
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