NYPDSOCCER.COM: My Site News: NYPD SOCCER CROWNED CHAMPIONS AT THE NORTH AMERICAN POLICE TOURNAMENT

                                  The Finest return victorious from Seattle Washington where they participated in this year's North American Police Soccer Tournament.

                                 The NYPD Men's Soccer team traveled to Seattle Washinton to participate in the 2008 North American Police Soccer Tournament. This soccer tournament has been in existence since the 1980's and is heralded as the top Law Enforcement soccer competition throughout Canada and the United States. It is held once a year and is participated by Law Enforcement teams from Canada, the United States and the Caribbean. There are several other tournaments held in places like California that claim to be top rated, but as evidenced this year many of the west coast teams that excel in these so called tournaments, were sent home early, not making it past regular play. It is  a display of the talent and competition that the North American Police Soccer Tournament attracts.

                                  This year the Seattle Police Department hosted the competition in their city and the benificiaries of this event were two children's programs "Tree House" and "Child Haven".

                                  This was a record breaking year for the NAPST, where it was the largest gathering of Law Enforcement Agencies participating in a Soccer Tournament to date. There were 40 teams that participated in this event. They were as follows: Masters=5, Women's Rec=8, Men's Rec=10, Women's open=5 and Men's open=12. Amongst the men's open teams were representatives from, Los Angeles, Peel, Saint Louis, Chicago, Calgary, Vancouver, Seattle, Toronto, New West, Washington, Florida and the NYPD.

                                   The Finest finished off regular play with a 3-1 record allowing only two goals and putting 10 in the net. Making it to the semi-finals the Finest were matched up against a revamped Toronto team that looked like a new team. With a slew of new players they looked impressive during regular play as they sported the benefits of having a sponsor by having three new kits, knapsacks, sweatsuits and matching training cones. After all was said and done the Finest outscored the Blues 3-1 thereby advancing to the final. Goals were tacked on by P.O. Jorge Bedoya-23rd Pct(4 goals in competion, all headers) and P.O. Steven Fadugba-63 Pct, who scored two goals minutes apart.

                                 Moving on to the final game, the Finest were matched up against Vancouver. This team not only outsized the Finest in height but by their impresssive collection of championship trophys won in the history of this tournament. The Finest had put them away during regular play 2-1, but not after taking a beating by their physical play on the field and their relentless pressure in the air.      

                                Shortly after the start of the game the Finest went on top 1-0 after P.O. Carlos Villacres-90 Impact sent a shot into the net after the keeper could not handle the ball letting it go through his hands. Several minutes later however the Vancouver team equalized when a rocket shot was sent into the net by one of the players that was left unmarked just outside the box. The game ended in a 1-1 draw but not after several opportunities to score were thwarted by the Vancouver keeper and his friend the goalpost. The game went into a 10 minute sudden death showdown where the Finest bombarded the Vancouver net with shots but the ball could not and would not find its way in the net. Due to the Deep bench that the Finest carried, the team kept fresh legs in on offense and the midfield thus wearing down the Vancouver team.

                                 With no score in the first 10 minutes of overtime, the game went into its second 10 minute sudden death match. After the 8th minute, substitutions were made to prepare for the ensuing round of penalty kicks. With 5 seconds left in the game, P.O. Jose Sura-P.A. lofted in a long and accurate throw-in that connected with P.O. Jorge Bedoya-23 Pct. who outjumped the taller Vancouver players. His header sailed past the defense to the back post where it was tapped in by a sprinting P.O. Carlos Villacres of the 90 Impact. Just before the celebrations started everyone could hear the referees watch beep that time was up.-NYPD Soccer Team are the 2008 NAPST Champs

                                  This is the second time the Finest capture the NAPST Trophy-The last time was in Los Angeles in 2002.  In 2004 the Finest Made it to the Final at Calgary Canada but lost to New Jersey Strikers 2-1 during a tough match. 

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