(Triangle Friendlies Soccer Tournament, January 31 - February 1, 2009, Jordan Park, Fayetteville, North Carolina)

In the Triangle Friendlies Soccer Tournament the Scorepedoes faced 3 teams that compete in the North Carolina Premier League.  In the first game the Scorepedoes played the GYS Dynamo Green ranked (8/145, state/national ranking).  They were 2007 State Cup Semi-finalists in North Carolina.  Although the Scorepedoes had only one sub and were missing 5 starters, they put together a strong effort to win 2-1.  Brendon Connor rifled 2 into the back of the net secure the victory.

The second game against HFC Red (7/126) was a rematch from the VCCL Tournament where the Scorepedoes lost 0-2.  The Scorepedoes determined to reverse the result brought the heat early.  Connor Alexander and Brendon Connor each had one goal and one assist in the 2-1 victory over HFC Red.

The third and final game was against the perennial powerhouse 90 CASL Elite (1/17).  90 CASL Elite were 2008 Regional 3 Finalists as determined by Soccer In College, while the Scorepedoes were ranked (4/112) by Soccer In College and (3/107) by GotSoccer.  The Scorepedoes started out strong with 2 terrific goals by Connor Alexander and added another by guest and former player, Alex Cavanagh, to end the first half.  But you don’t get to be #17 in the country without a fight, and 90 CASL Elite clawed back in the second half to tie the game 3-3 just before the whistle blew.  The Scorepedoes exhausted by having just 1 sub showed their metal against this quality opponent.

(VCCL Soccer Tournament, December 13 & 14, 2008, Warhill Sports Complex, Williamsburg, Virginia)

The Scorepedoes faced a tough opponent, the Fayetteville 90 FSC Force Premier on the turf fields of the Warhill Sports Complex.  The first half was a back and forth battle with FSC scoring first and the Scorepedoes answering back with a right-footed bending shot just inside the near post by Michael Newhall.  In the second half, Brendon Connor, playing striker for the injured Will Parker, netted 2 goals to secure a Scorepedoes 3-2 win.  A good effort for the Scorepedoes considering that some of the boys got sick just before the tournament and there were only 2 subs for the entire tournament.

On Sunday, the Scorepedoes played the Greensboro 90 GYS Dynamo Gold in a close 2-1 match.  The victorious Scorepedoes were led by Michael Newhall and Brendon Connor who both slotted balls into the back of the net.

(CASL Showcase Soccer Tournament, November 21-23, 2008, WRAL Soccer Center, Raleigh, North Carolina) 

The Scorepedoes vs. North Atlanta SA Select was a lopsided affair with the Scorepedoes pounding away at their opponents in a 3-0 victory.  Goals were netted by Will Parker and Ian Armstrong.  Matt Brown had a "crazy sick shot" from 30+ yards out.

Saturday’s game was very competitive with the Scorepedoes just out-playing the familiar Freestate Blazers of Maryland.  The physical game was hotly contested by both sides, but it wasn’t until the second half that Will Parker drove home the lone goal to win the game for the Scorepedoes. 

Sunday’s game against HFC 90 Red was another physical contest, but HFC 90 Red got the best the breaks and secured a 2-0 victory.  Nevertheless, the Scorepedoes ended up on top of the results scoreboard finishing first in the Mens U19 - U19B Premier Samba standings.

(Scorepedoes vs. NVSC Strykers, Sunday, October 26, 2008 11:00 a.m. Kick-off, Hellwig Park)

It was a tough game on a beautiful day.  Within the first 10 minutes, Will Parker received a looping pass that he and the goalie raced to get, but Will was there first and launched a header over the goalie’s head for the first score of the game.  For a while the game was defensive, with Jacob Merlin making a great goal-line save.  Jacob cleared the ball to Will who took it 3/4 of the field – shot and just missed the goal. 

In the second half, the Strykers got the ball in front of our goal and both teams battled back and forth until the Strykers headed the ball in for the equalizer.  Many spectators said the player who scored punched the ball in with his hand, but the referee allowed it adding another questionable call to the growing tally.  Coach Bernfeld was furious! 

More questionable calls piled on; balls out of bounds when they were not, pushing our players over without any calls, etc.  One bright spot, Jorge Vilca makes a golden opportunity, takes a hard shot, but hits the goal post!  Later on, a Stryker player gets a Yellow card for pulling Cohen Bond down and Cohen retaliates and gets a Yellow card too.  Cohen gets upset and walks away ignoring the referee calls so he gets a second Yellow or Red card and is ejected.  Coach Bernfeld is incredulous!  Finally, very late in the game the Styrkers steal a ball for a breakaway, pass, and score their second goal.  But everyone is yelling off-sides, especially Coach Bernfeld!  At this point, Coach Bernfeld could not hold back anymore and launches a vocal opinion of the officiating so the referee also gives him a Red card!  Final score: Scorepedoes 1 - Strykers 2. 

--Writer: Jim Sheats

(Scorepedoes vs. McLean MPS 90, Saturday, October 25, 2008 1:00 P.m. Kick-off, Holmes MS)

It is a dark and cloudy day, rain is sprinkling down, and I think every member of the Scorepedoes team is ready to play.  Each and every one of the players is eager for the rain to start a down-pour, because every player I know loves to play in a stormy game.  As we huddle to start the game, the rain comes down and each player has a grin on their face because they knew it is going to be a great battle.  As the whistle blows, the intensity on the field is so thick that if it were a solid it would shield the field from the rain.  Even though the field is wet and getting muddy, the Scorepedoes are still able to posses the ball as if they are playing on artificial turf.  The defenders are comfortable moving the ball around the back while waiting for that off-the-ball run from the midfield or forwards.  The midfield does a nice job moving the ball left and right to find the open player.  Will Parker, up top and all alone in the one forward system, manages to make the defense believe that they have to defend two different players.

Throughout the first half, McLean MPS 90 shows that they are going to make the Scorepedoes fight for a shot at finishing in first place in the division.  McLean brings a very physical game, pushing and shoving, elbowing and clipping, and making every Scorepedoes player fight for the 50-50 ball.  As the first half comes to a close, the score is tied 0-0.  

In the second half, it rains even harder and you can tell the players and referee are losing control.  The referee is letting the game get out of hand by missing many calls, and the players are slipping all over the place making it difficult to play their type of game.  With the playing conditions becoming so muddy, the Scorepedoes resort to a kick-ball type game and things go downhill fast.  The Scorepedoes keep kicking the ball away, kind of like they are in a panic.  I know bad things can happen when the Scorepedoes get away from their style of play.

Near the very end of the game, the defense, which is good most of the game, clears a ball but it goes right to a McLean player who takes it down the left side.  Two defenders for the Scorepedoes slip while running down the McLean player and leave another wide-open in the box.  The player in the box receives a looping cross and puts an easy header into the net.  McLean 1-0.  The Scorepedoes fight back hard with time about to expire, but with the weather conditions continuing to deteriorate, the Scorepedoes just can’t find the back of the net.  

--Writer: Michael Newhall #7

(Scorepedoes vs. Arlington Titans, Saturday, October 18, 2008 9:45 a.m. Kick-off, Holmes MS)

With a brisk Fall breeze blowing the Scorepedoes met their long time foe the Arlington Titans on Holmes MS field.  The wet and normally bumpy field would make for another too exciting match-up between these teams.  There's a history here, the Scorepedoes have had very bad luck against the Titans.  Last year (see "Disgusted" blog below) we saw the referee totally screw-up the game (really) and the season before we lost at the last second on a miscommunication between defender and goalie.  But they say you make your own luck, and so it would be true today.  The young men playing wasted no time getting into it, a tough physical game developed with both teams quickly going up and down the field.  The Scorepedoes looked good at midfield with solid performances from Ned Cauley, Jorge Vilca, Ian Armstrong and Connor Alexander.  But it was the relentless attacking of Will Parker which opened a way to Victory.  Will scored in the first half with a blistering from 30 yards out that hit the upper left corner for goal #1.  At half time the score remained 1-0. 

In the second half, the same level of energy and physicality was being displayed on the pitch as was shown in the first half.  Both teams made runs at the opposing goalie.  However, the Scorepedoes would go up another score when Ian took a direct free-kick just inside midfield placing the ball in perfect position for Will to head it into the far corner of the net.  The Titans would not give in, but were re-energized in attack.  They worked the ball to the front of our goal and pounded it in to finally get on the scoreboard.  But the Scorepedoes were not finished yet, and would not allow the past to haunt them again.  A third goal by Will demonstrated his heads-up play.  Will received a long pass from Daniel Valcicak, and burst out of the defense all alone about 40 yards out from the goal.  The opposing goalie was surprised by the speed of the counter-attack and his out-of-position (20 yards from net) situation.  Will quickly struck the ball over the goalie's head and into the net for a hat-trick.  The game ended in a decisive and satisfying 3-1 victory for the Scorepedoes.

--Writer: Dave Connor  

(Beach FC Cup, Scorepedoes vs. Richmond Strykers, Saturday, October 11, 2008 8 a.m. Kick-off, HRSC, Virginia Beach, Virginia) 

The Scorepedoes came out ready to play even though their longtime Coach was laid up in the hospital.  Determined to get one for the skipper, the Scorepedoes showed high energy from the outset.  After pressing on offense for several minutes, Will Parker scored the first goal of the game by making a very smart play.  The Strykers’ goalie had the ball, and was preparing to punt it out to one of his defenders so Will laid back behind a defender.  Once the goalie committed to punt the ball, Will cut-in, deflected the ball, and it rebounded off of him directly into the goal. 

The Scorepedoes scored again in the first half.  Ned Cauley took a cross and immediately put a beautiful tailing shot into the right side of the goal.  The pace and timing of the shot were impeccable.   

The second half opened with Connor Alexander nutmegging a defender, and taking a powerful shot, that sailed a bit over the crossbar.  The Scorepedoes showed there would be no letdown this day, and approximately midway through the second half the Scorepedoes scored yet another goal.  Will Parker took a direct kick from about 20 yards out and the kick rebounded off a defender back to Will, who adeptly dribbled through three defenders, sidestepped the goalie, who had come out, and calmly put the ball into the net.  It was a thing of beauty.  The game ended with the Scorepedoes winning 3-0. 

The Scorepedoes domination in this game was due to solid play in every arena.  Smith Norton and Jorge Vilcas controlled the midfield and set the tone for the game.  Jacob Merlin anchored the center of the defense, and Colin Whittington stopped all shots.

--Writer: Barb Alexander

(Scorepedoes vs. Stafford Azzurri, Sunday, October 5, 2008 9 a.m. Kick-off, Duff Green Park, Fredericksburg, Virginia) 

"Workmanlike" that was the Scorepedoes coach's comment immediately following the game.  The Scorepedoes 2-0 victory over the Stafford Azzurri wasn't flashy or elegant -- it was business.  In fact, the Scorepedoes went to work right away diligently attacking the goal of their opponent. Unfortunately, the game soon came to a complete stop when Connor Alexander went down hard bruising his leg when attempting a shot on goal.  Connor did not return to the line-up.  Undaunted, the Scorepedoes pressed the attack with Brendon Connor nearly scoring with a left-footed shot the goalie barely saw in time, but a diving save kept it 0-0.  The Scorepedoes kept pressing their opponents into their half of the field working the ball around through the back field and up to the forwards. Possession time and shots on goal were favoring the Scorepedoes, but the Azzurri did test goalie Daniel Valcicak early with a shot that may have gone in but for Daniel's diving save and follow-up saves by Scorepedoes' defenders.  However, superior midfield performances by Ian Armstrong, Ned Cauley, and Jorge Vilca were key to the Scorepedoes' relentless attack.  Finally, on a free kick taken far from goal, Ian launched the ball into the mix and Smith Norton scooted the ball to the left of the diving keeper.  The ball crossed the line before the goalie stopped it and the Scorepedoes were up 1-0 at half time. 

The second half began with the Azzurri trying to muster an attack, but being denied by the stalwart defensive efforts of Brian Murphy, Smith Norton, Jacob Merlin, Pat Smith, and Derek Hough.  Quick counter-attacks by the Scorepedoes were looking more and more threatening.  Everyone it seemed was getting involved in the offensive pressure.  Parker Koppelman was making runs off the ball and creating good opportunities.  Justin Koo made his own run from the back and took a hard shot from outside the 18.  As luck would have it, his hard shot was immediately deflected off a defender and the force and topspin of the ball sailed it over the goal keeper's outstretched arms and into the net for the second and final goal of the game.  The game ended with a 2-0 Scorepedoes team victory. 

--Writer: Dave Connor

(State Cup Scorepedoes vs. Virginia Legacy, Saturday, September 20, 2008 2:00 p.m. Kick-off, Warhill Park, Williamsburg, VA)

Before the game started the Scorepedoes huddled together to pump each other up for the match ahead.  As the whistle blew you could see the fire in their eyes; they wanted the game that bad. Ten minutes in, the Scorepedoes struck first as Ian Armstrong took a shot from 30 yards out that headed for perfection.  The Legacy goalie was able to tip it at the last second for a great save.  The game then settled into an 11 v 11 battle.  Twenty minutes in the Legacy scored first with a mixed-up play from a corner kick.   Some teams may have argued and cursed after this set back, but not the Scorepedoes.  This is what sets this team apart from the rest.  It's not just a team, but a family of brothers pushing each other on to achieve greatness.  Ten minutes before half time Cohen Bond received a great through ball from Ned Cauley.  Cohen out raced the defenders to the corner, cut in down the end line and with great vision saw a wide open Michael Newhall and laid it off, Michael one-timed the shot.  The shot deflected off the goalie bouncing on the goal line, and Cris Ovelar tapped it in to knot the game at 1-1.  

The second half saw the Scorepedoes come out and put the Legacy on their heels, putting constant pressure with no mercy.  Michael and Cris had a give and go of four passes, the last pass just inches from Cris's foot for the go ahead goal.  Ten minutes later the Legacy combined a couple of passes for a shot that was screened for the 2-1 lead.   The Scorepedoes showed what they were made of and continued to give 100% trying to get back in the game and tie it up, but could not find the back of the net.  

There were many great plays and players; Ian had another great shot that was inches wide right. Connor Alexander playing with a cold had a great game.  Will Parker owned the left sideline, but could not get a pass.  

A tradition in American Football is to give the game ball to the MVP.  Well this game ball goes to our keeper Colin Whittington.  He made some great saves and was victorious on all 1 v 1s and point-blank shots. 

--Writer:  Gene Newhall

(Scorepedoes vs. PWSI Courage, Sunday, September 14, 2008 2:00 p.m. Kick-off, St. Stephens St. Agnes H.S.)

Having just defeated PWSI 2-0 the day before in similar conditions (temperature 97 degrees, humid sunny day with steady light breeze) you would think the game would have unfolded similarly with the Scorepedoes dominating.  But you would be wrong.  The Scorepedoes and PWSI fought back and forth for control and the win.   

Through the first half and into the second the teams were even with opportunities at both ends.  Excellent individual performances were given by Adriel Gaeta, Marc Fernandes, Ian Armstrong, Ned Cauley, Connor Alexander, Smith Norton, and Jorge Vilca.  Despite great individual efforts the Scorepedoes failed to convert their near misses. 

Then in an unusual series of events, the Scorepedoes were called on two hand balls.  The first free kick was uneventful, but at the 35min of the second half, an incidental handball struck the right arm of Jorge.  PWSI put up strong free kick that deflected off the cross bar, bounced back into play, landing at the feet of PWSI player who lofted his shot over the Scorepedoes’ keeper and into the net for the first and only score of the game.  With little time and little energy left the game ended with PWSI on top 1-0. 

--Writer: Jed Alexander

(State Cup Scorepedoes vs. PWSI Courage, Saturday, September 13, 2008 10:00 a.m. Kick-off, Occoquan Park)

It's been a while since I've seen the Scorepedoes in action. What struck me was how well they moved the ball as a team - how acutely aware each player was of his support as options to advance the ball were limited by Courage defenders closing in.  It seemed to me the team's strength was its core - players who have been together for so long they probably complete each other's sentences. The newer guys, while making very strong contributions, are clearly working to "mind meld" with the core, and will certainly do so in short order while their excellent skills carry them.  It’s a very good team on day one of the State Cup.  It’s going to be a better team in November.  Some observations from the day: 

On more than one occasion, we witnessed our players driving straight ahead, then kicking the ball directly behind them to a teammate they couldn't possibly have seen.  For this, I award Justin Koo and Will Parker with this week's "eyes in the back of the head" prize. 

There are unconfirmed reports that Cohen Bond has filed an insurance claim against the PWSI goalie for the rear-end collision that resulted in the goalie's ejection.  While the red card was sufficient to cover pain and suffering, Bond is rumored to be pursuing an award for whiplash and property damage.  

No one saw him do it, but Mike Newhall must have greased the ball he booted from near midfield that slipped through the goalie's hands for the first goal. The lubricant probably wasn't necessary, as it had enough power to knock the PWSI keeper backwards into his own net. 

It seemed odd that Courage got a goal kick after they were awarded a red card. Will Parker's later PK for the insurance goal made up for it. 

Nutmeg must be the team's official spice. There were nutmegs all over the place. 

Patrick Smith is very, very fast.  Will Parker needs a shave and a haircut.  Connor Alexander doesn't.

At 90 plus degrees with no wind, it was hot.  Tomorrow's regular season game against the same team should be much more comfortable -- only 7 degrees warmer and on artificial turf.  

--Writer: Mitch Koppelman

(Scorepedoes vs.  McLean Vikings, Sunday, September 7, 2008 9:00 a.m. Kick-off, Mason District Park) 

Following  a day in which upwards of 4 - 6” of rain fell in the Annandale area courtesy of Tropical Storm Hanna, the first game of the 2008 Fall NCSL season would have the Scorpedoes playing at Mason District Park on Sunday, September 7th  against the McLean Vikings, a team that finished fourth in the top division for the Spring season.

The game started out very nicely for the Scorpedoes as they controlled the ball for the first few minutes of the match with some quick, sharp passing that seemed to have their opponents on their heels. McLean adjusted and settled down and although the Scorepedoes had the bulk of the possession, McLean did manage to create a couple of half chances in the 7th and 31st minutes and had a shot skim off the top of crossbar in the 34th minute. The first half would end in a stale mate and a 0-0 score.

The Scorepedoes came out in the second half and got right to work with a quality opportunity taken by Michael Newhall in the 2nd minute and a wonderful chance for Will Parker in the 8th minute that he just couldn’t quite put on frame.  The build up and cross off the flank from Brendon Connor was a preview of things to come.  The Scorepedoes would continue to use the flanks on their build ups and eventually earned a penalty kick off a cross from Conner Alexander that was knocked down by a McLean defender with his hand in the 29th minute which Will calmly slotted in the corner of the net for a 1 – 0 lead for the home team.  Later in the half the Scorepedoes would create another promising build up in which Cohen Bond crossed a ball from the right corner that the Viking goalie has to come off his line and cut out or it may have been a larger lead for the Scorepedoes.

The game would end with a 1-0 score line in favor of the Scorepedoes and while they may not have played their best soccer on this day, it would be good enough to earn them their first 3 points of the NCSL season.

--Writer: Mark Armstrong

(Williamsburg Cup Soccer Tournament, Scorepedoes vs. Virginia Rush Predators, Saturday, August 30, 2008 2:30 p.m. Kick-off, Warhill Soccer Complex Field 5, Williamsburg, Virginia)

The Scorepedoes took on VA RUSH PREDATORS for the second game of a very hot day, and it was hotter on the turf field.  The Scorepedoes came out firing on all cylinders from the opening whistle. Michael Newhall quickly had three shots on goal and scored on his third shot.  That shot came from a beautiful through ball from Ian Armstrong, Michael beat the last defender to the ball and with just the goalie between him and the goal Michael easily put it in the right corner.  The second goal came as Parker Koppelman beat his defender inside the left side of the 18 and was taken down hard. Parker took the PK and drilled it into the right corner.  Cris Ovelar converted a beautiful cross from Brendon Connor for goal number three.  Because the afternoon was hot and humid Coach Bernfeld went to his bench early and often.  Connor Alexander was dribbling inside the 18 and passed to Ned Cauley for score number four.  Connor again showed off his passing skills and passed to Cohen Bond for his score.  Patrick Smith converted a corner kick from Ian for score number six. Jacob Merlin fielded a pass inside the 18 and was taken down.  Jacob convert the PK for the final score 7-0. Although they didn't score Ian and Connor each had two assists.  The defense didn't allow the Predators past the halfway mark but a few times the whole game.

-- Writer: Gene Newhall

(Williamsburg Cup Soccer Tournament, Scorepedoes vs.  Virginia Legacy Wizards, Saturday, August 30, 2008 11:30 a.m. Kick-off, Warhill Soccer Complex, Williamsburg, Virginia)

Ranked #2 in Virginia the Virginia Legacy Wizards started the match with a flurry of ball control and dangerous attack.  Stuck in their own end, the Scorepedoes tried to fight off the Legacy with all they had and it seemed a very long 7 minutes before the Scorepedoes could muster any antidote for what ailed them.   The Legacy shot repeatedly and if it weren’t for Daniel Valcicak’s two diving saves the match may have been out of reach.  The rest of the first half saw a gradual transformation with the Scorepedoes counter-attacking and spreading the field on their opponent.  By the half-time whistle, a terrific struggle back and forth along the pitch had developed.

The second half opened with the Scorepedoes taking control of the ball and pressing the attack against the Legacy.  In fact, the Scorepedoes got more and more dominant as the match progressed and it stayed that way.  Unfortunately for the Scorepedoes the offensive was not coordinated and had difficulty getting their shots off and getting one in the net.  Maybe it was the heat and humidity, the constant substitution, the addition of new talented players to the team, or the absence of our most prolific forward.  Whatever the reason, the Scorepedoes will need establish their best lines and keep them on the field for most of the match.  This is the season to shine if you want to get noticed and invited to the best tournaments.  The match ended in a 0-0 draw.

--Writer:  Dave Connor

(Adidas Potomac Memorial Day Soccer Tournament, Scorepedoes vs. MSC Synergy Lightning, Sunday, May 25, 2008 11:30 a.m. Kick-off, Maryland Soccerplex, Germantown, Maryland)

Consistency is something you usually strive for in soccer.  Sunday's game against the familiar Lightning squad was consistent with the previous two games of this tournament.  That is, we controlled the ball and tempo of the game, but did not capitalize on the numerous scoring opportunities we created.  The match started with Will Parker barreling down toward the goal with just one defender left to pass when he was pushed hard to the ground in the penalty area.  While Will had to be helped off the field and stayed out of the game for 15 minutes, the referee refused to call a penalty kick.  The game continued with good ball movement by the Scorepedoes but no scores for a 0-0 halftime. 

The second half of the game appeared to be more of the same with the Scorepedoes controlling the ball and out shooting the opponent.  The stalemate was broken when a Lightning player was bumped in the penalty area and was awarded a PK - so much for parity.   Lightning converted the PK into a 1-0 lead.  The Scorepedoes did not panic, but moved the ball swiftly up the left side from Brendon Connor to Ian Anderson to Will Parker to Cris Ovelar for a score, but the beautiful combination was voided by a dubious offsides call.  Undaunted, the Scorepedoes pressed the attack and were awarded a direct free kick which Michael Newhall took 5 yards outside the penalty area.  The shot was perfectly struck, bending over the wall and dropping into the upper corner of the net for the equalizer.  The Scorepedoes again played with added urgency taking a number of corner kicks in the last few minutes of the game, but alas they were not able to convert their effort into points for the victory.

--Writer:  Dave Connor

Friendlies tournaments are a lot of fun and very different from a regular tournament. No standings are kept, no rosters or player cards are checked and there is no limit on the number of guest players you can bring. It is a showcase for college coaches to come out and scout talent. 

The prevailing storyline for the Scorepedoes in this tournament was an inabilty to defend against cornerkicks and set plays. In 3 games we gave up 4 goal off cornerkicks and one goal on a set play off a throw in. 

Our first game was against MSC Synergy Lightning from Maryland. We gave up 3 goals early in the first half and found ourselves down 3-0 at halftime. After a spirited (isn't that a diplomatic use of the English language!) halftime discussion we came out in the second half and played some of our best soccer. We scored four consecutive goals to take a 4-3 lead. It should have been 5-3 except we had a goal pulled out on the most phantom offsides call I have ever seen. I to this day don't know how a player scoring a goal can be offsides when they received a pass that came from a player on the end line at the attacking goal. MSC scored a fourth goal late on a cornerkick that made the final score 4-4. A great comeback but we should have won the game. Jesse O'Connor had 2 goals in this game. 

Our 2nd game was against Match Fit - a very strong team from New Jersey. They came out with a lot of pressure and moving the ball well. They had a very effective defense which featured a moving defensive triangle in the middle of the field. We gave up a goal, once again on a cornerkick, early in the first half. About midway through the first half we figured out their defense and turned the tables. For the rest of the first half and 2/3 of the second half we dominated the game. We hit the post twice but couldn't put the ball in the net. They scored late in the second half and we lost 2-0. Match Fit deserved the win but a tie score would not have been inappropriate. 

Our last game was against Greensboro SC Green - one of the top teams in North Carolina. I think the game against the tough Match Fit team prepared us well for this game. We gave up 2 silly goals in this game - one on a cornerkick and one on a set play off a throw in near our goal. Greensboro had a player who could throw the ball in all the way to the goal mouth and caught us off guard. Other than that we dominated the game.  Ian Armstrong had a nice goal and Michael Newhall had a pretty goal on a direct kick. 

It was very hot and as the game wore on both teams started to get tired. When the final whistle blew the Scorepedoes had a nice 4-3 victory and ended a very successful tournament. One of the unusual features to this tournament was they had an all-star game on Saturday night. Will Parker was selected to play in it and performed well. He just missed scoring on a nice combination play where his shot was just wide. 

The more this team plays against better teams the better we are playing. I hope we can continue to get into better tournaments. 

It was very hot this week - much hotter than the year before. Our first game was against FC United Select, the current Illinois State Cup Finalist. They came out with a lot of pressure and really put a lot of shots on goal. We, as we often do, came out slow. However great goal tending by Jesse O'Connor in the first half and Daniel Valcicak in the second half kept the ball out of the nets. We eventually got going and played good soccer the rest of the way to earn a tough but well deserved 0-0 tie. 

Our afternoon game was against the Vestavia Hills Steamers from Alabama - another State Cup Finalist. We dominated this game in all phases but, as would become the theme for the tournament, we had trouble finishing our plays and putting the ball in the net. Fortunately we got one in, on a beautiful direct kick by Michael Newhall, and won the game 1-0. A nice solid win. 

Next up was a tough team from New Jersey - the Knights Siege. We out played them the entire game but couldn't put the ball in the net despite many quality shots. Our defense did a great job and really didn't allow much penetration or many shots but we had to settle for another 0-0 tie.

We studied the standings after the 2nd day and felt we might make quarterfinals with a 1 goal win in our last preliminary game but felt we needed a 2 goal win to insure continuing in the tournament although that was a tall order against one of Florida's top teams - Central Brevard United. 

Because we had taken some injuries during the tournament and were playing a little short handed we made a formation shift during a team meeting the second night and held a walk through out in the parking lot. During the first half of the game it worked well. We scored an early goal, by Will Parker, and dominated play. Central Brevard did not see our side of the field much in the first half. 

The Brevard coach made a nice adjustment at halftime and they started putting a lot of pressure on us. In part their second half success was due to fatigue on our parts from playing in extreme heat (upper 80's and low 90's) with very few subs available. The other reason was a breakdown in communication from me as coach. When I saw their halftime adjustment I tried to adjust our formation and did not do a good job of communicating the changes I wanted which led to some confusion on the field. We left an area open and the Brevard team scored on a very nice shot. Knowing we had to win to move on I pushed a lot of our players up with about 2 minutes left in the game. We got a couple of nice shots but couldn't put it in and Brevard scored with 10 seconds left to win 2-1. 

We played a lot of great soccer in this tournament and deserved better. Sometimes the soccer gods smile on you and sometimes they don't. On to the Triangle Friendlies in early February!

--Writer: Larry Bernfeld

(Scorepedoes vs. McLean MPS 90, Sunday September 30, 2007 8:00 a.m. Kick-off, Lewinsville Park)

On a relatively cool last day of September, the Scorepedoes played away at Lewinsville Park in McLean. The dew covered artificial field provided a fast surface for these two Division 1 opponents to square off and battle for three very important points.

The match started on a very good note for the Scorepedoes with a goal in the 13^th minute. The Scorepedoes built the play up the left hand side with a long pass from Justin Koo to Brendon Connor who crossed the ball into the MPS box. Thomas Cohen Bond beat the MPS keeper to the ball and headed it over to Will Parker who neatly finished the play for a 1-0 Scorepedoes lead. The Scorepedoes continued to dominate possession and proved to be the more dangerous team for the rest of the first half. In the back, the Scorepedoes defense kept things tight and limited MPS to only a few attacks with even fewer shots.  Goalkeeper Jesse O’Connor had to only clean up a few through balls played into his area. The half ended with the Scorepedoes owning a well deserved 1-0 lead.

McLean MPS made some tactical changes to begin the second half. Playing a much more direct style, MPS began to put the Scorepedoes defense under more pressure requiring goalkeeper Daniel Valcicak to make several spectacular saves. The defense held MPS scoreless for awhile with a bend but don’t break mentality, but unfortunately all that direct pressure on the defense resulted in a tying goal about 2/3 of the way through the second half and suddenly it was a new game. After the goal, the Scorepedoes mid-field and forwards seemed to re-group and get back to their possession game with MPS continuing to employ their direct play up the middle. The match became an interesting contrast in styles with both teams trying to impose their will on the other. The central defense of Walter Bottlick, Jacob Merlin and Smith Norton adjusted to the direct play and shut MPS down for the remainder of the game while the Scorepedoes created 3 quality opportunities on the counter-attack, any of which would have brought the Scorepedoes the victory but it just wasn’t to be.

All in all, it was a good result and a well earned point. Away from home against a quality opponent, our boys, who have not faired well against MPS in the past, dominated possession and played entertaining soccer. This should give them confidence going into next weekends matches at Virginia Beach where we will again face the same MPS team.

--Writer: Mark Armstrong

(Scorepedoes vs. PWSI Courage 90 Red, Sunday September 23, 2007 9:00 a.m. Kick-off, Holmes M.S.)

On a picture perfect Sunday morning, the Scorepedoes again faced the PWSI Courage 90 Red, a team that banged us up in a heart breaking 2-1 loss in the State Cup last week.  Expecting physical play, the Courage did not disappoint - receiving many foul calls and cards during the game.  The Scorepedoes did not take long to put one in the net when Brendon Connor brought the ball down the right side, out-maneuvered his defender and blasted a shot low into the left side of the goal.  The goalie had no chance of making a save.  Soon afterwards Connor Alexander put one into the back of the net after nice assists from Will Parker and Cohen Bond.  Connor would also tap an Ian Armstrong header into the net for his second of the day.  At half time, the score was Scorepedoes 3 and Courage 0.

The second half began with the Courage scoring on a direct kick from about 30 yards that was allowed to bounce in front of our goal.  Then we had a parade of brightly colored cards flashing as the referee spent more time fumbling in his pockets for yellows and reds than watching the proceedings.  The three goals had the Scorepedoes in a comfortable position and it was evident that the Courage were frustrated. The Courage played with less and less finesse and surrendered to playing the opponent not the ball.  Finally, the referee had had enough of the rough play by the Courage and sent two of their players off the pitch with red cards.

Best I could tell, Smith Norton and Cohen Bond had not visited Starbucks before the 9 a.m. match. (Note to their parents: administer caffeine to these two gents prior to games that begin before noon.) They appeared to wake up as the second half progressed.  Daniel “Big Foot” Valcicak thwarted the rest of the Courage scoring attempts that occurred in the second half, and had one of his kicks land so deep in Courage territory the Scorepedoes front line was wheezing by the time they caught up with it.  After Will Parker was taken down in the penalty area, Ian Armstrong capped the Scorepedoes' tally with a well placed PK past the Courage goalkeeper.  But the Motrin “Play of the Game” goes to Justin Koo for taking a game-ending Courage “elblow” to the throat - with that he earned a free ambulance ride off the pitch, while we all held our collective breath on his behalf.  Justin was having trouble breathing but did recover after the game and is doing fine.

The Courage brought us another rough game, but this time it was not to their advantage. Quote of the day: “When Connor is mediating Cohen, you KNOW we have a problem.” Tommy Bond.  Final score; Scorepedoes 4, PWSI Courage 90 Red 1.

--Writer: Mitch Koppelman

It was hot and humid as heck, there was no wind, and the temperature on the field was over 100°F. The game started well for the Scorepedoes, but the temperature was soon to rise to even greater heights for both teams. All heck broke loose when Brendon Connor made a perfectly timed flick pass to Cohen Bond who was racing to the goal. Cohen was one-on-one with the goalie except for the defender holding Cohen's jersey and dragging him down. The crowd reacted with alarm and disgust and the whistle was blown. The crowd grew silent waiting for the referee to call a PK, but no signal was made. Instead the referee walked over to the Scorepedoes' coach and explained the mystery. Unbeknownst to the crowd, the referee was explaining that she waited to blow the whistle because she thought Cohen had the advantage and she was applying the advantage rule. But why did she below the whistle at all? And how could Cohen have the advantage when he was completely pulled off the ball? Advantage Titans. In fact, she gave the Titans the ball for the restart. This was the beginning of the end because the game was out of her hands from that moment on. Many bad calls were witnessed and both coaches and teams were equally appalled by the calls and the match went from bad to worse. One bright spot occurred when Michael Newhall put the ball into the corner of the net off a corner kick for the Scorepedoes only goal to equalize the match 1-1. We won't even discuss how the Titans got their second goal in the last few minutes of the game, but we wish we had met our worthy adversary on a field with a more knowlegable and experienced referee.  Both teams deserved better.

--Writer: We the People

(Scorepedoes vs. Herndon Hurricanes, Saturday September 8, 2007 8:00 a.m. Kick-off, Holmes M.S.) 

I usually hate early morning. The birds are chirping away and making a racket. Everything is wet with morning dew and on weekends everyone is out mowing their yards. And so it was when we got to the field at 7:15 this Saturday for our game against Herndon. Flocks of geese were making a huge racket overhead, the ground was wet and Kip and Mike were mowing the field leaving huge clumps of grass that the players had to go out and remove by hand.

I was encouraged by the team's attitude during warmup and the large cup of coffee Jenny brought me and started the game with a positive attitude. I have sensed in our players a growing confidence in their ability to be competitive with any team they face and that confidence was evident this morning.

The field was slow and slippery due to the long grass and lingering dew and it played to our advantage early as we scored on a nice shot by Brendon Connor that skidded through the goalies legs instead of bouncing up as he expected. Games are usually won or lost on little things and this goal, which turned out to be the game winner, happened because of a little thing. The goalie was a little lazy on the shot and instead of getting down and getting his body behind the ball to block it, if he failed to catch it, he bent over. The ball didn't bounce and instead went into the goal.

We scored a second goal on a header by Will Parker set up by a beautiful cross from Ian Armstrong. We had a chance for a third when we were awarded a penalty shot but unfortunately it went wide of the goal.

Herndon never really threatened during the game. Our defense was dominant and we moved the ball well on offense. As a coach it was a very pleasant experience and a nice way to start the season.  Hmmm- maybe early mornings aren't so bad after all!

--Writer: Larry Bernfeld

Playing under the sunny skies with perfect weather conditions at the Valley View field, the Scorepedoes fell by 1 goal to the NVSC Strykers in this semifinal game dominated by precision passing and superb defensive play.   

The early game was ruled by the Scorepedoes with ball control, flawless passing, and hard offensive attacks by Cohen Bond, Brendon Connor, and Michael Newhall.  As the game continued, the Scorepedoes and the Strykers shot only to be stopped by the armor defenses and superb goaltending of both teams. The half ended with no score on the board.

The deadlock changed at the 8 minute mark of the second half, as the Strykers placed a perfect shot from inside the box past the diving Scorepedoes' goalkeeper for the first score of the game.

The unwavering Scorepedoes continued to press the Strykers, particularly at midfield, where Smith Norton, Parker Koppelman, and Ian Armstrong were working effectively only to be stopped by the Stryker keeper.  At approximately the 15 minute mark of the second half, the Strykers again gained from a cross field pass for a breakaway score past the rushing defenseless Scorepedoes' keeper. This was a case of bad luck as our defender was injured on the play, and lying on the ground in pain, which created the path to the goal.

The Scorepedoes were relentless and came back with a score of their own by capitalizing on a pretty pass from Jorge Vilca to Cohen.  The game momentum continued as the invigorated team pressed the Strykers with two shots on goal.  With seconds to go, Michael received a pass from the corner and lofted a shot just inches over the goal.

Unfortunately, the clock ended an exciting, beautifully played game, by both teams.

--Writer: Marty Valcicak

(PWSI Toys For Tots Soccer Tournament, Scorepedoes vs. VISTA Strikeforce, Saturday September 1, 2007; 4:00 p.m. Kick-off, Valley View Bristow,VA) 

Facing and unknown opponent on a bright and warm Saturday afternoon shouldn't be cause for concern when the opponent is a Division 3 team.  Yet word reached us that they had tied one of our Division 1 opponents in the previous game.  It didn't take long to discover that we had a fast, skilled, and determined opponent on our hands.  Attack and counterattack it went, with each side repelling the other.  Our defense held wonderfully.  James Sheats and Justin Koo alternated marking one of their incredibly fast and aggressive right forwards.  Walter Bottlick aided by sweeping-in at the precise moment needed to keep the dangerous attackers away from our goal.  Paul Bernfeld, Jacob Merlin, and Stephen Lam also had their plates full repelling the Strikeforce attack.  And our goalies, Jesse O’Connor and Daniel Valcicak each made great saves whenever necessary.  

The offense was not without its chances, but the defensive stalemate finally ended in the second half when Cohen Bond pressured the defense and forced a turnover.  Cohen quickly delivered the ball to Brendon Connor who maneuvered to his right, faked left freezing the goalie, and delivered the ball into the right side of the net.  Scorepedoes win a satisfying 1-0 victory. 

--Writer: Dave Connor

On a clear and crisp Saturday morning the Scorepedoes faced an unknown NVSC United team in their first game of the PWSI Toys for Tots Soccer Tournament. The game started with beautiful ball control by the Scorepedoes, out-passing and out-maneuvering their opponents much of the game. Although the Scorepedoes had numerous scoring opportunities none were successful until Brendon Connor maneuvered past three defenders on the right side and slipped the ball past the goalkeeper into the bottom left corner ( #1 hole for hockey fans) for the first score of the game. Smith Norton followed up the first goal with one blast of his own from the top of the 18. But the goal scoring had just the begun for the Scorepedoes; they would rack up seven goals in total.

--Writer: Gene Newhall

The Scorepedoes faced a familiar D1 opponent in the first game of the MSI March Madness tournament. The Scorepedoes seemed to be in command of the match when a breakdown in communication caused a cleared ball to be deflected into our net for a fluke goal. The team didn't panic, but kept up the offensive pressure until Will Parker received a well placed pass from Smith Norton, out-maneuvered his opponent, and placed the shot into the corner of the opponent's net. The time soon ended the match in 1-1 draw.

The Scorepedoes faced well disciplined Pennsylvania team for the second match on Saturday. The opponent commanded the ball much of the match, but the Scorepedoes kept chipping away at their defense until Will Parker shot a ball that was initially stopped by the keeper, but kept spinning until it eventually slipped through the keeper's hands and into the goal. Goal keeper, Jesse O'Connor, made some fantastic saves and blocked a PK to keep the Scorepedoes' hope alive. The match ended in a 1-0 win for the Scorepedoes.

Sunday morning brought an experienced Reading, Pennsylvania team. Back and forth the teams' battled, the opponent seeming to have the best of the first-half, and the Scorepedoes the best of the second-half of the match. Just as it looked like a game would end in a tie, the opponent scored the only goal of the match with just under a minute of time left.

The Scorepedoes played well considering that they had many sick and injured players that were either playing hurt or were unable to play at all. The MSI March Madness soccer tournament provided a good warm-up for the season which starts next week.

-- Writer: Dave Connor