Travelers (1) vs Attack Rabbits (5)

July 25th, 2007 - Cromwell High School, Cromwell, CT

There's a reason they call them selves Attack Rabbits, and there's a reason they are in first. They do not stop running. We knew that all the other teams know it, but yet we just didn't play well enough to make a game of it. Their 5 goals were literally from 5 of our mistakes. We had other mistakes that they didn't take advantage of as well. And when they held the ball and built up an attack we were right there with them. All season I said that little mistakes add up. Yesterday it added up too 5 for them, and 1 for us.

We had their goalie in a panic a few times and their defenders had to clear the ball from the line twice to save him. Alex had a nice shot that I thought he missed because he blasted through the net. Brian if you had blocked that shot with your hands and the ref gave you a red I would have dropped kick him - lol OK maybe not. The long 14 game, 14 week season is finally over. And we ended it on a wicked bad note.

Record:
5 - Win
6 - Lose
3 - Tie

Goals:
1 - Alex Kushnir

Goals to date:
7 - Patrick Nevins (2 pk)
4 - Marco DeMarco
3 - Derek Cedar
2 - Brian Zehnder (1 pk)
2 - Gordon Hines (1 pk)
2 - Kalee Moore
2 - Tim Carlson
2 - Alex Kushnir
1 - Mark Devito
1 - Jared Krechko

The playoffs.......season 2, we will concentrate, we will play to our potential, we will be a force to recon with, we will get into the semi-finals. Remember the good times from the 5 games we won, or the 2 games we had to battle back from a deficient to get even. Remember how it felt good to win and know that we were a better team than that of our opponent. Remember that those little bruises don't hurt as bad after a win, they actually feel good. But don't forget the mistakes, the bad choices, the losses, the squandered leads. Remember how those same little bruises hurt a little more than they should after a loss. Remember that we could have done this or done that to have played better personally and as a team. Remember those missed goals that replay in your nightmares at night. Remember all the good, all the bad, and the ugly too. Let it all build up and explode in the playoffs. No more joking around, no more taking criticism personally - it's the playoffs and these are the games that count. The 14 regular season games were practice.

Record:
0 - Win
0 - Lose
0 - Tie

Goals:
None

Goals to date:
Everyone is tied at a BIG FAT ZERO

Travelers (1) vs Pratt Eagle (0)

July 18th, 2007 - LP Wilson, Windsor, CT

After losing our last 3 games out of 4 we faced the first place team in the league. And we held our own in the 1st half. They had their chances but none to serious. The game was mostly in our half of the field. The refs sucked as usually but I think it was them that fired us up for the 2nd half.

The 4 defenders (and Rick in goal) gave a great performance for another shutout. Will, John, Brian, & Jared literally shut down any offensive attacks that they tried to create. I remember one time in the 2nd half where they took a shot. All the other times they took a shot it wasn't anything to hold your breath too. In the first half although we played most of the game in our half they won a few corner kicks and took a few long distance off target shots. That was it.

Our lone goal was when Patrick got hacked in the box after a long pass to the corner from me, he was able to out run their 2 defenders for it. He gained control of the ball and held on to it, he waited patiently for the rest of us to get up there so he can cross, pass or shoot, but their defender took him down. The PK that Patrick took went in with ease, their good goalie had no chance.

After the goal I was expecting them to go all out and attack us, but again we stopped everything that they tried and kept applying great pressure on the defenders. We played hard the whole 2nd half and the result was that the majority of the 2nd half was in their half of the field, the ball was at our feet and we made them chase us around a bit. Patrick and Kevin combined to waste about 10 mins just holding on too the ball in deep in their corner of the field. Devito almost had another goal from a well place header that the goalie had to hit out for a corner.

The first half wasn't 100% Pratt Eagle. Basile had a header that he had to fight for with John. It took a lucky bounce that we weren't able to get to which led to a counter attack. They had 3 guys vs our 1. Will was able to slow them down for me, Jared, and John to get back. What should have been a classic counter ending with a good shot on goal ended with our defenders stopping them dead in their tracks.

We still had a few mistakes, but by far the least of the whole season. If we play like that the rest of the way we'll be playing deep into August for hardware.

Record:
5 - Win
5 - Lose
3 - Tie

Goals:
1 - Patrick Nevins (1 pk)

Goals to date:
7 - Patrick Nevins (2 pk)
4 - Marco DeMarco
3 - Derek Cedar
2 - Brian Zehnder (1 pk)
2 - Gordon Hines (1 pk)
2 - Kalee Moore
2 - Tim Carlson
1 - Alex Kushnir
1 - Mark Devito
1 - Jared Krechko

Travelers (2) vs EASC II (5)

July 11th, 2007 - LP Wilson, Windsor, CT

If only we can score on all our possessions. We took the opening kickoff and we passed to the open man until I was given a beautiful ball to volley in from about 25 yards out. Their goalie had no chance of saving it. Then we relaxed a bit, they applied a lot of pressure and little by little they found what works, they dumped the ball into the corners and they chased it and with 2 subs (1 after Derek got hurt) they wore us down. They score 3 easy goals in the first half. Yeah we all played on Monday and probably still not 100% recovered. And yeah it was another hot & humid day for soccer. But there's no excuse for standing around watching when you could at least walk towards the ball when it's passed to you. GO TO THE BALL. Crisp passes, how many times did we try to make a pass that just was weak or off target? Play simple like the kickoff. We didn't make a pass longer than 10 yards and we moved the ball up the field and had a shot ON GOAL and we scored. Defense wins the ball and they pass to the midfield NOT long ball over the top to the forwards. If it's there then yes by all means make that long ball pass. But if that's all we do it's not gonna work.

Half time speech. Was I not clear in saying that we're losing 3-1 why not take some chances on offense? We needed to attack and attack. But some players were walking up field. Even when someone yelled "Get Out" the ball got returned to their player and they were on-sides. If you GET OUT then they would be off-sides. We finally attacked and what happened? We scored? Jared had a nice shot from about 20 yards out. So we scored 2 goals. Mine from about 25 and Jared from about 20. So why not take more shots? Test their keeper. Anyway the score was 4-2 and we kept attacking and had a few good chances. We should have done that the first 15 mins of the 2nd half not the last 15 mins. When you take your chances on offensive the defense becomes weaker, and they scored their 5th goal. I believe it was one of the classic GET OUT and someone didn't.

Well I guess we're learning a lot of things this year but when are we going to start using the experience from these games? Crisp simple passes, shots ON GOAL, get out leaving them offside, attack when we have the ball, make runs, etc. etc. etc.

Record:
4 - Win
5 - Lose
3 - Tie

Goals:
1 - Marco DeMarco
1 - Jared Krechko

Goals to date:
6 - Patrick Nevins (1 pk)
4 - Marco DeMarco
3 - Derek Cedar
2 - Brian Zehnder (1 pk)
2 - Gordon Hines (1 pk)
2 - Kalee Moore
2 - Tim Carlson
1 - Alex Kushnir
1 - Mark Devito
1 - Jared Krechko

Travelers (2) vs Cracker Barrel Cafe (1)

July 9th, 2007 - SportsWorld, South Windsor, CT

Last time we played these guys they came back to tie us. We knew we should have beaten them and we walked away with only 1 point. Last night we knew we could beat them but with the heat and 3 subs it was gonna be difficult. They got an early goal from the PK Spot. Will got lucky he could have been sent off but the ref decided to give him only a yellow - see if you play nice with the ref he'll be nice back. Big field, lots of running, we played better and created more chances, but we just couldn't finish, or was it that Cedar couldn't stay onsides?

Halftime relief, Patrick showed up and with his fresh legs, an extra sub we created more chances, and Patrick actually created both goals. The first his free kick off the cross bar that Cedar headed in. Sounds nice and graceful, but Cedar tackled the post for that goal. The 2nd was a through ball for Ron. I thought it was for me. I took a touch or two before slipping it past the keeper for the win.

Their fast players caused us some problems. They missed a few shots and we caught up to them a few times too. Tony comes up big a few times. But the play of the game, and player of the game was RON. Not only did I take the through ball away from him he was all over the place. There was one time where he won the ball from their player deep in our side. He had no one to pass to; no one went to help him. So instead of kicking it out he figured out a way to get it up the field. And when he passed the ball and that player lost it he would win it back. He did this 2 maybe 3 times until finally we had a good chance on goal. Maybe he use to the heat and can run a lot but his determination, his hustle on that play is what I want to see out of all 11 players on the field at every moment of their playing time. Our last 3 games (before the playoffs) are vs the 3 of the top 4 teams in the league. We don't need to win to make the playoffs but we better play our best soccer and prepare ourselves for a run to the title.

Record:
4 - Win
4 - Lose
3 - Tie

Goals:
1 - Derek Cedar
1 - Marco DeMarco

Goals to date:
6 - Patrick Nevins (1 pk)
3 - Derek Cedar
3 - Marco DeMarco
2 - Brian Zehnder (1 pk)
2 - Gordon Hines (1 pk)
2 - Kalee Moore
2 - Tim Carlson
1 - Alex Kushnir
1 - Mark Devito