Sunday April 21

Sunny & chilly, 30' to 40's, perfect!  Next week we get bumped by the annual 5k road race and next week is my 60th birthday, so the boys decided to make today's game in my honor.  By the time the game got going there were over 30 guys.  Steve came with a whistle and did a little reffing which was hilarious.  Speaking of time, our Senior Soccer Memorial digital clock is up!  Thanks Rocc!  So with Gilchrist 60 shirts on we got going, Keith in the white net, Tomaso, Joakim & George took turns in the blue:

Jeff for blue, 1-0
Jay to Steve Palaia for blue, 2-0
Dom for white with a with-the-wind floater at 8:34, 2-1
Mario for white at 8:35, 2-2
Imad at 8:37, 2-3
Dimos to Jeff at 8:45, 3-3
Jeff at 8:46, 4-3
Dimos with a long shot at 8:49, 5-3
Marlin to Geoge for blue at 9:00, 6-3
Steve P at 9:09, 7-3, Keith had his back to the game so the shot was uncontested.  Keith took exception to a comment about his keeping so Steve Gaw went into the white net.
Rocco! at 9:12, for blue, 8-3
Tomas for blue at 9:33, 9-3
Imad for white at 9:39, 9-4

Late in the game Jay & Dimos tried to set me up to score, but I missed badly.  It was enough of a treat to have the whities let the blues win for a change.  After the game a half dozen of us had a nice lunch at the AB&G.

Next Sunday's game is undecided.  Last year we played against the Latino teams at Traphagen.  Mark says we may be able to use a field in Ridgewood, or maybe join the boys in Ramsey, or maybe run the race.  There is another race next Saturday that I can recommend.  It is in Saddle River, starting at the police station, going up the West Road to Upper Cross, than down the East Road.  Last year was the first running of this race and it was very successful.  The course is pretty flat in fact the final mile is down hill.
http://www.hackensackumcfoundation.org/site/PageNavigator/2012_5k_run.html

Sunday April 14

40's and cloudy, perfect morning for soccer.  We started a little short handed, 10 white vs 8 blue, but Dom & Laser Dave showed up to even the sides.  Shamu is back from spring orca training in Hawaii, no Mario.   Doug in the white net, Mark S. then Eric in the blue. A fellow named Diego joined the white team at about half time.

Dave with a corner kick to Domenic, for blue, 1-0
Adam to Shamu, 1-1
Dave bounces one off the upright and then puts it in, 2-1
Jay to Imad, 2-2
Jeff for blue, 3-2
Dom left, Keebs goes blue;
Imad, 3-3
Imad 3-4
Rocco! on an open net for blue, 4-4
Imad 4-5

So Bagel Joe gets it done late in the game. I don't know where he gets his stamina.

Sunday April 8

40 and overcast, perfect.  With Tomaso and Robb we started 11v11, Keith in the white net, Steve in for blue.  Dimos is back and so is Rich for the second week.

Dom, all by himself, for white, 1-0
Mario to Jay for white, 2-0
Aikaz showed up and joined the blue team
Robb returns an errant throw by Keith for blue, 2-1
Dom left for a birthday party and the blue team has a two man advantage
Tomaso to Imad, 3-1
Eric to Mark Miller! 4-1
Jeff all by himself for blue, 4-2
Jay & Tomas with a two on none breakaway, 5-2
Imad with a one on none, 6-2
George heads in a corner taken by Robb, 6-3
Jeff for blue as white is switching keepers, 6-4
Jay to Imad on another two on none, 7-4
Imad, 8-4
Steve comes out, Aikaz goes in, Rich goes home, Dimos goes out
Robb to Jeff, 8-5
Imad to Ceebow, 9-5
Eric, 10-5

The sun came out and we continued 8 v 8 full court for a while longer but finally quit a little early.  See you next week.

Sunday March 31, Easter Sunday

Just a touch of frost on the turf this morning, a perfect day for soccer.  Tomaso is back, Robb Mangione joined us, and old friend Rich Hymson is back after many moons.  Altogether we had 30 guys show up.  We managed to get the substitution thing working, even Jay and Mario took their turns on the bench.  Steve in the white net, assorted field players in the white.

Keeble from Jay, on an open net for white, 1-0
OG by white  keeper Eric. 2-0
Scott Rosner to Joe D for white, 3-0
Mario corner kick to Keeble while the blue team was making defense substitutions, 4-0
Corner kick by Minor to Jeff for blue, 4-1
Keeble, 5-2
Imad to Rosner while the blue team was changing keepers, 6-2
Jay, 7-2
Jeff to Jelly for blue, 6-3
Corner kick taken by Jay shot in by Imad, 8-3
Jay off corner kick, 9-3
Keeble, 10-3
Jamal, 11-3
Rosner to Keeble, 12-3
Jamal, 13-3
Keeble, 14-3
Dave for blue, 14-4
Jamal, 15-4

Late in the game Mario came off the bench and went in for blue.  The blue team winning streak ends at 4.  I'm not sure why we did so poorly, I think it has to do with the defensive combination of Jamal, Joe D., Keith and Frank.  Whatever.  See you next week.