This thanksgiving weekend the Under-17 boys of Santa Barbara Soccer Club attended the prestigious Nomads Soccer Club Thanksgiving Tournament in San Diego.
The Nomads tournament attracts many of the higher level teams from California and across the states. Having been drawn in a strong pool and attending the tournament with three players out injured, most would be forgiven for thinking that the team would be coming home early, however the boys had other ideas!
Santa Barbara Soccer Club's Ryan Williams
In pool play the boys went unbeaten and allowed zero goals with a 0-0 tie against Wolfpack Blue of the CSL Gold Division. A 1-0 win against LAFC Chelsea of the CSL Premier Division, the goal coming from Sanford Spivey and assisted by Danny Rowell. Goals from Jonny Fisher, Morgan Wack and Sanford Spivey rapped up pool play with a 3-0 win against Sonomish United Black from Washington state.
Finishing in 1st place the boys moved on to the quarterfinals against Texas Fire, ranked 25 in the nation. Due to extreme rain and hail the game was abandoned and went directly to penalty kicks.
An amazing save from Tony Mendoza and a miss that when wide across his goal, plus four well taken penalties from Morgan Wack, Danny Rowell, Sanford Spivey & Ryan Williams, gave the boys a place in the semi finals where they would meet Idaho State champs, Idaho Rush.
By far the toughest and closest game of the tournament against a very physical and athletic Idaho Rush team, the boys came back from 1-0 down to tie the game with another Spivey header. Amazingly it was Spivey who got to the touchline and stood the ball up to the far post, the keeper got a weak punch and the ball was headed back in the direction of Spivey, with the keeper on the ground he struck a powerful header into the back of the net from an acute angle. 1-1 at full time the boys went to a PK shoot out for the second time in the tournament. A great save down to his left from Mendoza took the shoot-out into sudden death and when the Rush player blasted the ball over the bar it was left to Cody Howen, who calmly slotted the ball under the keeper in the far left corner, giving him no chance, taking SBSC to the finals!
Their 5th game within a 48hr period, with one substitute the entire tournament the boys could be forgiven for looking a little fatigued, however this was not the case and in the warm up they looked fresh and ready to play. With just thirty-six seconds on the clock Luis Santana received the ball wide on the left, looking for options he picked out Spivey with a square pass back inside, who had made a late run from midfield. Spivey picked up the ball in full stride and struck an unstoppable shot from 25yrds into the top right corner of the goal. Just two minutes later some great passing left to right through the back four and midfield and a sublime pass in behind put Edgar Ruiz in a great position out wide, ruiz delieverd the perfect cross and Jonny Fisher accepted the invitation side footing the ball into the net from 6-yards, 2-0 with just three minutes on the clock, the perfect start! In the second half Chelsea came out sharper and a good pass in behind and an unfoturnate deflection brought them a goal and got them back in the game. However the boys were not phased at all and went back into their passing game. Midway through second half a through pass from Spivey with a well timed run from Morgan Wack, sent him through. With the keeper coming out Wack calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner, 3-1 and game over.
Coach Biggs praised the team for their ‘Winning Mentality’ and their desire to consistently run faster and further, tackle harder and jump higher then their oppenents. Biggs also heaped praise on the boys ability to entertain the crowd, “we played a very attractive style of soccer against very good teams.”
Team: Tony Mendoza, Tyler Schliech, Ryan Williams, Spencer Pritchard, Dylan Trujillo, Danny Rowell, Sanford Spivey, Morgan Wack, Jonny Fisher, Luis Mendoza, Edgar Ruiz, Cody Howen, Chris Hafizi. Coach: Lloyd Biggs.
