D1 CL 03B

You tell em PLF....a combined 7 goals for, mostly scored vs themselves or Liverpool...and 100 goals against. Go Texans.

Oh wow!
Solar and Odyssey cleaned house Wednesday night.

SnookumsConCarne wrote:Oh wow!
Solar and Odyssey cleaned house Wednesday night.

Tomorrow Craft and Woodberry will be back at it against the Dirty South and Cruz Azul so I fear that it will be another tough weekend since DTS isn't going to leave anything to chance and Cruz Azul is close enough in points to challenge for a top 5 spot right now.

I imagine that both teams will try to go for max points since the #5 spot is still in reach (for the moment at least) for positions 5-8 in the table so it may be a good weekend to either go for broke (my preference) or park the bus. (I would rather be Shot Down in a Blaze of Glory than go gently into that dark night)

Good Luck to all!

Some great games last night
Rush over FCD premier 3-2
Seems FCD premier has some injuries that they are causing them not to play at the same level. Rush taking advantage of the injuries.

Solar strickler over Cruz Azul 2-0
Solar is on a roll and should finish the season near the top

DTS - Solar Castro 2-2 tie
Very good battle between the two and DTS boys came out fighting to tie the game.

Hunt - Oddessey 0-0 tie
Hard fought game between two great teams.
Both teams played hard and fought to the whistle for the winning goal. Hunt is showing they can play with the top teams.

Oh what a night!  The race for the top is up for grabs and it should be a real interesting second half of season.

Big upset for Castro (which in terms of this team means a draw), but what makes it meaningful for Adames is that they traded points 2-2 and Adames was able to achieve a draw in the closing minutes of the game. Good to see Adames return to their scrappy selves and I hope this marks a return to their old ways. As for Castro, nothing new here, keep moving we all know you are in the running for the top spot.

Hunt and Odyssey draw was totally unexpected since man child was not in the game. Kudo's to the Hunt defense for hanging tough while the Ody boys fired on the edges of the goal. I know when Ody gets pressed against a direct team that they get hurried and set their targeting for an indefensible goal shot which either goes in or hits the post or crossbar. Excellent result for Hunt. Ody needs to work on a different strategy for direct play, but Ody remains the top team.

Stricker bursts Cruz Azul's balloon and shows why they are a top 5 team. I am a CA fan and I like their energy, but Stricker needed to make a strong showing against this surging Cruz Azul team to alert everyone that they can challenge for the top and have no intention of slowing down or giving  ground.

Trevino might be getting a bump from SCPL and SRPL which was reflected in their win, but FCD Premier's ad hoc player problem is like a box of chocolates cause you never know what your gonna get each week. Anyway you look at it though, this win puts Trevino back on the radar and in the mix for a top 5 finish. The real tests will be Ody, Castro, and Stricker before I am back on the Kool Aid and getting trash talked by GrimReaperD.

Injuries and school sports can take a toll on this age group as most are in 7th grade and now have access to school bball, track and soccer. Putting that much time and energy into multiple sports can take a toll on the body so could probably expect some quirky results as the Spring season gets busy.

Hunt's defense played strong last night and played a great game. What shots Oddessey got off and there were plenty were blocked by Hunt's guest keeper. It appears he can be that missing piece that Hunt needs.

Funny how one game makes a difference. If the Fall season had finished Hunt would had gotten the SRPL since they would had came in 5th place above Rush with 9 games played.

A FCD premier parent mention that they got a DC bid also.... Hopefully everyone return healthy so they will be able to compete in DC.

Just an obvious footnote, but Odyssey hit the post a half dozen times and missed open an net by inches (over or wide) half a dozen more... Hunt's keeper played very well and made some nice saves due to being in good position to make those saves... That young man has come a long way in the last few years, and deserves credit for his hard work... Reality: Quality looks at the goal ratio was a good 5-1 in favor of Odyssey, which means Ody needs to "let em' fly" or suffer the consequences of playing for that "La Liga" style goal... Nice result for a Hunt team that played hard, but ultimately was the all too familiar game that Odyssey should have won by multiple goals and didn't... That's why we love this game; ANYTHING can happen! The plot thickens...

LFC Owen's goalie?

Yes, Owen's GK is filling in for Hunt and he is obviously doing a good job keeping it out of the net. Odyssey on a bad day is still a nightmare for goalkeepers and Hunt's defense played effectively and got a good result.

Odyssey has the most ridiculous goals allowed number in the division (10 games 3 goals) so it makes sense that they complimented the opposing GK for his efforts.

A parent also mention that some Futsal players are coming to FCD Premier, don't know it is just for DC or if they are going to be part of that team for the rest of CL/semester.

Lots of good players being "fit in" to D1 CL on Wednesday nights... Trevino using Owen's stud players to get favorable results is a perfect example... Trevino coaching Academy ball means he has access to all LP players (who will play for him), and when he uses them, they are a VERY solid team! Trevino (alone) is a #3-#7 D1 team, TOPS! With the extras they are as good (at times) as any team in CL... I get the whole player pass thing, but WHY would parents who pay 3K stick with a team who benches their players for "guest players" to win a CL game??????? CL has set rosters, and player passing is (in my opinion) a move that reveals a clubs teams true intentions... Play your roster and deal with the results... If you want an all - star team, play in another league... Odyssey will have a few openings in the fall for those who want to play CL, NPL, and SRPL with the same players on every team... I am glad we made the transition to the small club with a big heart... A team is a family, and benching starters for guest is not the way (maybe I am wrong)...

Sure, pretty good chance you will play a different LP roster if its a weekday game.   The different clubs handle supplementing their roster differently, FCD doesn't seem to do it at all and Solar (Gold) only in very limited fashion.   But their options are kids who have moved past D1.   LP has a zillion kids/teams, thus has growth outliers on their lower teams and is more inclined to bring them up.   Kids who haven't been in D1.   So I get it.  

It's a rule that favors the bigger clubs from a competitive basis, sure.   If you are a smaller club and kids get hurt or suspended, tough beats.   Hell, I don't know if we have 12 healthy kids right now.   But, the whole point of playing is to play against the better kids.   So, bring whomever.   Winning 6-0 isn't much fun.   How it gets managed internally is somebody else's problem.   The one sure thing is that every team with more than 11 kids has somebody who isn't happy about playing time.

Have no idea what local futsal players there are out there who are just waiting to join a select team.

Well, not sure any local futal players (D1 quality) who are available, but know that a ton of quality kids are out there who can't afford to play select (let alone CCSAI)... Maybe those are the ones mentioned earlier? At the end of the day, D1 CL is a GREAT experience for all participants, parents and players alike! I hope that all of those players benched in favor of guest players parents are as altruistic in their point of view; it is hard to sit and watch somebody play in your spot if they are not a member of your team... Especially if it is a big game! What are we teaching by doing that???

Judging by the results, there must have been some pretty intense action in every 03' match played today! Odyssey vs Solar Gold (+ a few Castro PA players) was not disappointing in any way, and the winning goal for Ody found the net with 4 minutes left to play... The additional players for Casto made a difference, but ultimately Odyssey held possession and earned the clean "W"... Anyone have input from the other games today? Lots of shuffling going on in D1... Wish I could have seen them all...

A lot of inconsistency with teams. LP Rush looses 0-2 to DTS and then beats Solar Red 2-1

Good weekend for DTS beating LP Rush and FCD premier.

Cruz Azul splitting the weekend lost/win

How was that Stricker vs Trevino game?  DTS been playing well lately, so that one did not surprise me nearly as much as Solar losing to LP...  In addition, it seems that Woodberry had a decent game today (if the score is accurate), and only gave up 1 goal...  Anyone know the score of the Cruz Azul Sunday game ?

Woodberry played well... The fields were nasty, which caused a lot of slipping and sliding. Hunt got in a late goal to pull off the win.

Cruz Azul won but I don't know the score.

It's going to be a fight for second place with the last part of the season.

Soccer27 wrote:
It's going to be a fight for second place with the last part of the season.

Castro and Pino are still in it to win it and I would not count them out this early in the second half even though Ody is looking strong and is the obvious favorite at this point in time.

Don't forget, this is D1 and anything can happen when any of our D1 teams are in the moment.

Yeah I don't think anybody taking anything for granted.   You look at things like GF/GA on it's own and Ody looks like Bayern Munich, but you watch them play and oftentimes it's a totally different kind of BM.   So who knows.  Work in progress, 12-13 years old. They also have yellow card issues and injuries that are concerning.  

Intensity level in Ody/SGold yesterday a good bit higher than I have seen in an 03 CL game in a while.

Number13 wrote:
Intensity level in Ody/SGold yesterday a good bit higher than I have seen in an 03 CL game in a while.

Just keep that intensity going through to the DC and we will all be smiling.

I'm gonna bring that kind of intensity to my 30 hours of volunteering. Tourist information booth, look out!

And by volunteering, I mean forced conscription.

Intensity level in the Odyssey vs. Solar game was a bit elevated, but that is to be expected in a game where #1 and #2 square off... Glad to see both teams step it up for the challenging game! Dallas Cup is going to be a GREAT experience for these guys, but Middle School track is certainly going to be taking its toll on many of the players... The good news is that they will be in great shape for the tourney... The bad news is that they will be at the tail end of their first track season, and more than likely sore 24-7 through the middle of April... As for people fighting for 2nd place, given the results of the Spring season so far, it seems to me that there are 4 teams fighting to take home 1st place... Odyssey has control of their own destiny, but when you're on top you get everyone's best effort when you play them, so it should be interesting starting Wednesday night vs. a SOLID DTS that seems to be surging...

hanallalone wrote:Intensity level in the Odyssey vs. Solar game was a bit elevated, but that is to be expected in a game where #1 and #2 square off...  Glad to see both teams step it up for the challenging game!  Dallas Cup is going to be a GREAT experience for these guys, but Middle School track is certainly going to be taking its toll on many of the players...  The good news is that they will be in great shape for the tourney...  The bad news is that they will be at the tail end of their first track season, and more than likely sore 24-7 through the middle of April...  As for people fighting for 2nd place, given the results of the Spring season so far, it seems to me that there are 4 teams fighting to take home 1st place...  Odyssey has control of their own destiny, but when you're on top you get everyone's best effort when you play them, so it should be interesting starting Wednesday night vs. a SOLID DTS that seems to be surging...  

My son has already come home with sore knees from track and field.... grrr
We're (LFC 02' Owen) not in DC this year... Probably best to have some time off anyway.

BTW: I watched Odyssey play the other day and was very impressed with their ball distribution from the middle.

Track has already made an impact on my household as well... As for ball distribution: Paddy does a good job teaching our boys EXACTLY what he wants in every situation... They work very hard, and the results speak for themselves... I brought my 2 boys to the team in July and it was a great move for us... Super group of parents and players, family like atmosphere... I have one player scoring goals and the other minding the net, so I am watching opposite ends of the pitch the entire match... Odyssey has been our best experience ever as a soccer family...