"A Championship Team is a Team of Champions"

"Build for your team a feeling of oneness,

of dependence on one another and of strength

to be derived by unity".

Vince Lombardi

After 8 games, we've found the secret to a great first half....a late afternoon game. After a morning of sleeping late, lounging around and catching the latest reruns on the Cartoon Network, we finally got around to soccer and we were ready to play.

Within the first two minutes, we knew the game was won, question was how to make it interesting for the next hour... but somehow we found a way.

Mike Marotta opened the scoring went he shot an Eddie Rosario rebound past an outstretched goalie. Minutes later a Safet Redzovic shot was stopped and a Richard Avvento rebound went wide, only to be jambed in by a sliding guest player, brother Miguel. BJ Bifalco's pass found the net, but not Safet. BJ kept passing and the forwards kept trying, but no one was scoring, until Birthday Boy Eddie Rosario settled a bouncing ball, stepped around a defender and drove a shot into the net from an unfamiliar midfield position and we were up by 4 into the half. Speaking of unfamiliar positions, this was the biggest lead we brought into a half all season.

Musical chairs were played at the start of the second half, with Eddie ending up in net, Katrina Wiesner as center full back, Daniel D'Alessandro as stopper. and BJ in Midfield. This was going to be interesting.

With the start of the half we had one mission, goals for our non-season scorers. We were down to three, but only two were playing, the third showing commitment to the wrong sport. Richard and Safet were at forward and every pass went to them. Ball after ball were knocked away and it looked like we'd have to wait till next game to get them on the sheet but we kept pushing. When RT drove past the defense and our back peddling keeper let a shot in, no one lost focus, and we played on.

As the game got colorful, BJ was kissed with a YELLOW and then smacked with a RED. We were down a man, but fired up. So much so that Matt Guthrie took a card of his own just to show that we meant business. With Greg Molina running the wing, his cross found the foot of Safet who couldn't miss this one and finally put it in. Minutes later the brothers Avvento connected again, this time Miguel to Richard and our goal was achieved. Greg took it from goal to goal for the last score and the Back 2 Back Division 1 Championship was now secured.

Seven separate scores in one game is truly a team accomplishment.

"Great Job!"

Practice: Monday 5/19 2:30 - 4:30

Scrimiage: Thursday 5/22 2:30 -4:30

Senior Game: Wednesday 5/28 - 6:30 at Petrides

Next Games: Sunday 6/1 12:00 vs. 7th Graders

If only field goals counted....

To win at soccer, a team must take advantage of the opportunities that are given to us. More times than not we wasted those chance. Balls launched through the uprights are a good way to win in American football, but in soccer they just mean that we're kicking the ball wrong. I lost count of the field goals at ten, but even one is too many in our game.


Our game plan was simple, down the sides, to the middle, get the ball to the forward to score. We are on a mission to get every player a goal this season, and to achieve this, unselfish play and team work are needed by everyone.


BJ Bifalco knew the plan, and spent most of the first half pushing the ball across the net so that someone could connect for a goal, but no one did. After a tough penalty set them up for an indirect and a bouncing ball found the back of our net, we were down by one, but the game plan remained the same. When BJ pushed another one across, an alert Safet Redzovic let it role by to avoid the off side call, and it found the far post to ties us up.


After the half time pep talk, we awoke. Matt Guthrie settled a bouncing ball in front of the net and lifted a shot under the cross bar for our second goal. Minutes later he had the chance again, but was pushed off the ball. BJ's follow up put it in and we were back in control, up 3-1. The hat trick put it away with a 30 yarder.


We continued with chance after chance missed by some forward looking for their first of the season, but we continued to keep the pressure on. With the defense dominant, as always, the goalie was substituted with Mike Marotta, playing between the pipes for the first time since 2nd grade. Mike rose to the challenge and even made a save or two.


All in all, maybe another day of practice would have tightened up our play.

3 to go....


Practice: Tuesday 2:30 - 4:30
Thursday 2:30- 4:30


Game: SATURDAY 3pm vs Richmondtown

Food for Thought...

“When you are not practicing, remember, someone somewhere is practicing, and when you meet him he will win”

"Practice as if you are the worst, perform as if you are the best"

"If I don't practice they way I should, then I won't play the way I know I can"

And my Favorite:

"Success is no accident. It is hard work"

"You can't be a winner and be afraid to lose.”

The battlefield is a scene of constant chaos.
The winner will be the one who controls that chaos,
both his own and the enemies.
Napoleon

Today's victory was nothing short of a war. Last weeks battle put us on top, but a win this week would keep us there, and Holy Child knew it. They came ready with all their players, but so did we and we needed each of you to win.

We had our chances in the first half but weren't finishing. Break away after breakaway were shut down and their defense was wise to our left side attack. We were trying to break through but were being stopped on each try. And when they broke through the defense and a wet ball found it's way through the outstretched hands of goalie Gaetano Sciove, the game plan needed to change. Going into the half down 1-0 was not where any of us wanted to be, but it takes two halves to make a game.

Coach Mark reached deep into his bag of tricks, and pulled out the answer. Safet Redzovic made a guest appearance in net, Jabari Archer was pulled back to defense and the Forward attack of Molina / Bifalco was put together. Archer played his spot like a veteran, pushing the ball up the right side to Ryan Hapuarachchi, who connected with Greg and BJ pass after pass. Again the chances were coming but the goals weren't. Not until BJ broke through again, blasted a shot at the keeper and the rebound bounced to a waiting Greg Molina to tie us up at 1-1. But we didn't play for ties and we all knew that.

With a fresh slate, our team continued to press ahead, and with the fresh legs of Matt Guthrie running the wing, we continued to move the ball. After Matt's cross found a hole in the defense and BJ's lobbed a shot that feel short, Michael Marotta came flying in from Midfield and "coughed up a hair ball" that took the goalie into the net and put us on top for good.

Every game brings us closer to the end, but every victory prepares us for the future.

4 to go.....

In the end...it was harder to get you all to smile for the photo than it was to win the game.

Practice: Tuesday 3 to 5 Thursday 4:30 to 6:30
Game: Sunday 9:00 (Arrive at 8:30) Happy Mother's Day!