Picture(s) of the Week - March 19-26

What happens when you try to bounce a ball off a sledgehammer?

She smiles, and dribbles around you...

(Pictures taken 7 seconds apart, courtesy the FPYC Flying Monkeys.)

Xtreme 98 Gearing Up for Important Spring Season

With the WAGS Spring season only a few weeks away, 98 Red is gearing up for the competition. After 3 games last Saturday, including one against a U13 Boys team, where the girls put plenty of tricks and foot skills on display, the squad is heading into the 4-game Liberty Cup this weekend.

The weather forecast is ugly...but our hand warmers are ready.

The WAGS schedule is due to be released on Thursday, so stay tuned for that. And in the meantime...we'll leave you with a new feature for this season...the picture of the week.

Xtreme Finishes Season on High Note

The role of spoiler in sports is a time-honored one. From this weekend's Blame at The Breeders Cup to the 1986 New York Mets; from the 2004 Boston Red Sox to the 2007 New York Giants, the team (or horse) that comes into a contest seemingly outgunned, underestimated, and under-appreciated and shows everyone why we play the games is a great American tradition. On the last weekend of league play in the WAGS Fall 2010 season it would be Xtreme 98 Red who would play the spoiler.

McLean Spirit White had started the season strong, a 4-0-2 record enough for them to lead the division. But they had been slipping in the last half of the season, going 0-1-2, while rivals Stampede and Metros had been surging. McLean knew they would close the season at home against Xtreme – a rematch of a decisive McLean victory earlier in the season – and with a victory they would be able to slide back into first place and win the division. The fans and players were counting on that win to salvage their season.

But across the county, the scrappy little never-say-die Xtreme 98 Red squad had been surging as well. And the players had long ago circled November 7 on their calendar. They wanted to see McLean on the pitch, without their 9^th player – the dread "Madame Referee."

During pre-game warm-ups, McLean looked confident. Xtreme looked hungry. And with a stiff breeze and the smell of Revenge in the air, the game began, and Xtreme went to work.

The first four shots on goal in the game were all Annandale, and Red took up residence on McLean's half early. At the three minute mark a precision passing play began at midfield when California Aidan stole the ball from a would-be McLean attacker. She passed to Sunshine who fed the Taxman streaking down the right side. Taxman pounded the ball into the back of the net, but then looked over disappointed to see the STAR's flag whipping in the heavy wind. She was offsides – no goal.

But the early attack exposed a vital weakness in McLean's defense – they could stand Red attackers up on point, but with Xtreme's passing game on fire, McLean was caught off guard on the wings. And the home team was knocked back on their heels, ceding valuable territory at the midfield to Big Foot and CA Aidan, who kept Red on offense.

Just one minute later, The Professor stole the ball from McLean and delivered it to Sunshine, who fed First Aid. First Aid put on a ball handling clinic on the left side, and then lobbed her now signature ball high in the air, over the defense, over the keeper, and bouncing into the net.

With The Hammer and The Professor in the back shutting down occasional McLean attacks, Red stayed on offense for much of the first half, First Aid adding another goal at 19 minutes on a feed from Happy Feet, who herself was busy terrorizing the right side defenders.

McLean fans, thinking back to the 8-1 victory the last time these clubs met, were stunned, and the coaches made frequent substitutions in an effort to stem the Red onslaught. But like a nightmare, it kept getting worse and worse as Xtreme moved the ball well and the Xtreme offense piled on shot after shot and great scoring chances.

Sharky was rarely tested in goal, only being asked to make four saves, and the first half ended with Xtreme up 2-0.

The second half would see a different McLean team on the pitch. Energized by the possibility that their season could be slipping away to this rag tag group of Red technicians, McLean poured on the offense, sending twice as many shots at Happy Feet, now handicapped by the sun shining directly into her eyes. But Xtreme's save leader showed why she sits atop that board and turned away all eight shots.

Xtreme logged a few more exciting scoring chances courtesy of Space Ghost and the Sledgehammer - who mixes martial arts and soccer to great effectiveness. McLean threatened several times, but in the end, Xtreme prevailed, climbing up from the basement of the Division, and preventing McLean from winning the division, rather, finishing fourth.

The Xtreme girls head into the off-season excited and energized by their progress. They will gather for a team dinner and sleepover, and then take a few well-deserved weeks off, before resuming practice in December. Next week the blog will look at the individual and team statistics for the Fall season.

Tricks and Treats and Cosmic Justice

The tail end of the season sees some rematches from the first part of the season, and Xtreme took to the pitch on Halloween for a rematch of the season opener with division powerhouse SYC Stampede. Stampede got the upper hand the last time they met with a 4-0 win, including two unearned goals. Stampede has gone on to dominate the division and is in a tie for first place, but Xtreme was confident they could run with this juggernaut. And they did, providing an exciting game that was fun to watch.

Xtreme, with a crowded bench thanks to visiting White players Anna, Mariana, and Mel who had a bye this week, tested the Stampede keeper early. The teams traded quality scoring chances in the first half, with Red displaying their trademark passing creativity that would compliment strong individual skills. However, Stampede did a better job of picking up loose balls, aggressive tackling, and keeping their defense in position to stymie the Red offense.

The first half would end in a scoreless draw, but not for lack of trying from both teams. Mel, in the Red goal, would turn away six quality shots, while the Xtreme offense sent twice as many at the Stampede keeper, including a thrilling and perfectly timed corner that Anna sent into the box to a waiting Aidan G, who pounded the ball on target.

The second half began with both teams again trying to crack the code of the other's defense, but without much success. Less shots were taken in the second half by both teams - though again Red outshot their opponent. Sharky, in goal for Red, only had to turn away one shot in the first 15 minutes of the second half. But then, at 51 minutes, a fast-rising rocket from a bizarre angle on her left beat her to the far upper corner.

But as fans and opponent know by now, playing from behind is a Red specialty. Red poured on the offense, controlling the ball and staying on offense for most of the remainder of the game. And in a moment that can only be described as cosmic justice, in the 69^th minute, as the Stampede fans were starting to pack up and looked ahead to another three points in the standings and trick-or-treating, First Aid would pounce on a misplayed punt from the Stampede keeper, and lob a shot high in the air and over the keeper's head. The ball bounced behind her and up to the top of the goal for the tie.

Stampede and their fans were deflated – something that had happened earlier to an odd Xtreme fan pictured above. Xtreme pushed for a go-ahead goal from the stunned Stampede, but full time expired just after the kick-off and the game ended in a draw – Xtreme's second in as many games.

Xtreme keepers made seven saves and allowed one goal; Stampede keepers made 23 saves and allowed one goal. Xtreme's 31 total shots were spread amongst 12 players, with Taxman and First Aid each putting four on target. In addition to outshooting their opponent, Xtreme was also awarded more corner kicks – six to two, and was whistled for more fouls, four to one.

"SYC is a good team," said Coach Lance. "I hope the Xtreme girls realize they can play toe-to-toe with any team in this league. This was a great game to watch, and I'm looking forward to next week's game against McLean and playing with our regular roster and normal rotations."

Xtreme Cracks the Goose Egg

There are five teams in the WAGS U12 yet to score a point in the standings (3 points for a win, one for a tie). Xtreme 98 Red is not among them. Xtreme, robbed of points last week in Maryland, played host this weekend to CYA Cesena determined to right that wrong and crack that Points Goose Egg.

With Coach Lance out of town, the team called up two CITs (Coaches-in-training), Manager Mike and STAR Heather. Coach Lance told them they wouldn't have too much to do, that the girls are self-starters, know what they need to do and know how to make adjustments themselves. He was right. Mike and Heather did little more than watch the clock to help manage substitutions. (Despite this, Mike was seen leaving the field with more grey hair than when he arrived.)

The girls opened the game with a quick attack and several tic-tac-toe passing plays that demonstrated rising mastery. Those skills intimidated Cesena, and the team, much to their coaches' chagrin, gave every Xtreme player a wide berth.

Xtreme, not known for fast breaks, mounted several during this game. In every case, it was a result of teamwork, precision passing, and anticipation. In one instance, The Professor won the ball from a Cesena attacker and sent it across to The Hammer who has sliding into position to help. She booted the ball with a nice lead to Big Foot, which enabled her to step into the ball and blast it ahead to open field. Happy Feet saw the play developing and exploded through the defense, settled the ball with two touches, and ripped a shot right on target. Unfortunately, the Cesena keeper was on her game and made the stop.

Space Ghost also added two fast breaks; the Red defense won the ball from Cesena and sent it to the Taxman in the middle, who led the streaking Space Ghost perfectly both times. Again, the Cesena keeper would earn her stripes.

Fans may have thought they had to have their ears and eyes checked – First Aid was out of town and not playing – yet Xtreme players and coaches were still yelling to an Aidan wearing the RED. Those fans heard correctly. Aidan2 and her family recently moved to the area from California and agreed to join us for this game, and hopefully the remainder of the season. Aidan2 made her presence felt immediately, dominating the left side and making it onto our stat leader board after just one game. Aidan2 took three shots in the game – and they were all on target, giving her a 100% accuracy rating. (Maybe there's something about that uniform?)

Xtreme took less shots in this game than they have been recently, but the shots and shots on goal were well distributed. The Hammer shot on target from distance three times, and Big Foot shot from distance twice – both times on target. The Taxman took four shots, three on target, and seemed determined to earn another assist as she set her charging teammates up nicely several times. The Sledgehammer and Space Ghost also added SOGs, but the leader for the day was Happy Feat with five shots – all on target.

Xtreme keeper Sharkey turned nine shots away in the first half and then returned to goal at the end of the game to face one more shot. The Taxman took a turn in goal in the second half for the ailing Happy Feet. Taxman turned away four shots, remaining perfect in goal this season.

Red very badly wanted to break the tie late in the game, and the Xtreme forwards and midfielders, Sunshine, Taxman, The Professor, Happy Feet, and Aidan2 were circling the penalty area like hungry sharks – but in the end, the Cesena keeper was able to shut them down.

The game ended a 0-0 draw, which was enough to earn Red their first point of the season. The two remaining games of the season are rematches – and with Xtreme hitting their stride, the front office feels good about picking up more points as the season comes to a close.

Xtreme Unable to Finish Off Attack

Xtreme and their families braved the John Hanson Highway and Renaissance enthusiasts to take on ASA Attack in the team's farthest road game to date in Crownsville, Maryland. The Attack showed impressive skills during warm-ups, however, these skills did not translate to the game and Red very much had their way with Attack during the game's opening minutes. As practiced and planned, the Red offense and mid-fielders kept the home team predicable and back on their heels, driving them into the far corners of their own zone. Red came away with some quality scoring chances early, but it would be Attack who would score first at 11 minutes on a broken Xtreme play.

Just five minutes later, the Attack would suffer their own broken play when a poorly driven goal kick would be plucked out of the air by a hungry and waiting First Aid. She pulled the ball out of the air, settled it with two touches and then blasted a shot over the keeper to the far post and the back of the net.

The teams then traded scoring chances, with Xtreme relying on finesse and precision passing, whereas Attack seized opportunities from broken Red plays and errant passes. GK Sharkey kept Red in the game making seven quality saves, until finally, at 25 minutes, Attack broke the tie. An intercepted Xtreme pass set up an Attack attacker inside the penalty area. She blasted a shot that rocked the crossbar and, luckily for her, landed at her feet. She finished it the second time and we'd head into the half with Attack up 2-1.

Just seven minutes into the second half Attack would add to their lead when a loose ball in the box got behind all of Xtreme and a waiting Attack player nudged it across the goal line.

But Xtreme is no stranger to playing from behind, and the girls absolutely screwed on their game faces, determined to come back. Happy Feet settled all further questions in the goal, turning away six good chances, and Red kept the pressure on, whereas Attack began to tire and foul. With time running down, Red through everything they had at the Attack defense, and they were rewarded.

At 68 minutes, Sharkey, chasing down a loose ball was fouled, setting up an indirect kick. Big Foot sent the ball into the penalty area where it bounced around the three Red attackers until it found itself on the Taxman's foot. She didn't hesitate, slamming it past the sprawling Attack keeper.

As always, Xtreme played right up to the final whistle, but in the end, there would not be enough clock in this game. The match ended two minutes later, 3-2. Had there been an additional five minutes in the game, there's no doubt Xtreme would have tied the game or won, but that's why there's a clock.

Xtreme players turned in an impressive, never-say-die performance, which the referee commented on to Coach Lance after the game. "Your girls played a very nice game out there," the veteran official said. "I liked their offensive play – very nice."

Xtreme looks forward to hosting CYA Cesna next week at Sprague, and they hope to come away with the first regular season win of the season.

“Sometimes the Best Team Doesn’t Win”

Coach Sherry summed it up nicely in his post game meeting with players and parents. Sometimes one team outplays another, but for a few unlucky bounces they don't win. And that was the story from the VIP Tournament's Semi-final match up today between Xtreme 98 Red and Team America 98 United.

Red and Team America are familiar with each other, have tangled several times before, in indoor winter play and in previous tournaments, and even trading players back and forth in the winter leagues. Red leads Team America in their series 3-0, but today, Team America wanted revenge and a shot at the Championship Game. They would get both.

Red came out strong, determined to return to that final game and dominating Team America. Xtreme sent shot after shot whistling towards the TA goalkeeper, who stayed strong, facing down shots and effectively tracking shots going wide.

Finally, at 19 minutes the Taxman and "Laces" Liv combined for two dangerous scoring opportunities, and then sent the ball back out of the box to Big Foot who was streaking in from defense. She lobbed a shot over everyone's head, including the leaping Team America keeper to find the back of the net and send Xtreme up 1-0.

Red tried desperately to add to their lead before the end of the half, but were stymied, despite spending the vast majority of the half in the offensive zone. Goal keeper Happy Feet only faced three TA shots, all of which she handled with ease.

But the second half was a different game entirely. Red, perhaps frustrated by their inability to score again, had difficulty containing a Team America team that adjusted to the precision passing, possession game Xtreme was playing.

At 36 minutes the referee made a somewhat questionable call against Xtreme that resulted in the Team America equalizer – on what appeared to be a TA handball that left goalkeeper Happy Feet in agony.

And it continued to unravel from there.

Sensing Xtreme back on their heels, Team America struck again one minute later, adding a go-ahead goal against an injured
Red keeper who lacked full mobility and a defense trying to regroup.

Xtreme had no choice but to pull the injured Happy Feet from goal and replace her with the Taxman, whose 4 shots and 5 shots on goal showed how hungry she was for her third goal of the tournament.

On the very next play, head defender Big Foot went down and had to leave the game.

TA played a smart game, taking four more shots on goal and making sure Xtreme had to cover the full distance of the field on every attack – of which their were several.

Jessie, The Hammer, and Space Ghost settled the defense down and kept the offense on the attack for much of the final eight minutes of the game; The Professor, First Aid, and Laces would combine for 16 shots on goal – half of which came in the final five minutes.

But it would not be enough. Team America was able to hold on to the lead and outlast Xtreme, 2-1.

They took on Great Falls in the Championship game, losing 4-0.

Though the final outcome of the tournament was not what Xtreme had hoped for, the front office and coaching staff are very pleased with the performance of every player – and every player contributed.

Across three games, nine players took 78 shots - 51 on goal (65%). Six players scored eight goals and Xtreme keepers faced 25 shots, ceding only 4 goals (84%). Xtreme also posted a higher time of ball possession than their opponents across all three games.

The front office and coaching staff want to thank all the players for giving it their all this weekend, all the parents for getting the girls to those early games on time, and a special thank you to our two guest players, Liv and Jessie and their families – they're welcome back anytime!

VIP Tournament 2011 is October 8-9, 2011. Mark your calendars!