Boys U-15 Finals Federal Way Storm vs Eastside FC

This was a final with a story within a story. Federal Way Storm on of the best teams in the State on the boys side at any age is losing their coach. I don't know the exact details, but I do know I personally wondered how the boys on the team would respond. Andy Flory their coach will now coach at Crossfire at the same age.

As I sat at the game, I watched the warmup and wondered how Andy would be with his team. To be honest, and I don't know him or his players at all. I was amazed how Andy made a walk around to all of his players, either touching their heads or shaking their hands and chatting with each. Now I don't know if this is the normal routine, but if not it looked as though they were saying their goodbyes with respect and mutual care for each other....players and coach.

You can tell he's loved beyond just his players, by the small crowd at the base of the stadium that was cheering for Andy as well, he came over and paid his respects to them as well. The small subliminal message...Andy had on black Nike pants and a red polar fleece top. Almost to signify the change in his mind and his teams.

Enough about this stuff and onto the game.........

Eastside had the first chance of the game off a corner kick with Edgar Esquivel sending in a cross to the head of Daniel Bechtel who sent it just over. That was it for awhile though. Even though Storm seemed a bit off to start, you just got the feeling they were going to come to life.

Then Storm struck for a goal. Justin Veltung received the ball on the right flank and drove down the line. Veltung was looking to cross the ball in, and from my perception shanked his cross, which spun off at the goal. The cross/shot caught the Eastside keeper off guard as well, and ended up in the back of the next for a 1-0 Storm lead.

Eastside then had a chance to equalize, when Joshua Twaddle and Joshua Strasser combined on some nice give and go passing. When Twaddle received the ball back at about 8 yards out from the goal, the touch just gets away from him and the chance is missed to even it up. It was a nice combination though, and unlucky.

Federal Way then wins a freekick about 25 yards out on the left side of the field. Kelyn Rowe briefly walks to the sideline to chat with coach Andy Flory, then sends a brilliant low freekick to his teammate Luke Angevine who's making a diagonal run to the near post. On a dead run and on the first touch Luke slots the ball home for a 2-0 Storm lead. Only minutes later Luke Angevine makes his presence felt again when a slots another ball into the back of the net for a 3-0 Storm lead.

They end the half 3-0, in a game that seems over before it started. The strange thing is Eastside isn't playing badly. Storm is just clinical in their finishing and making them all count. Eastside has had some run of the play, and by no means seems like they have given up or plan on it.

Early in the second half Eastside has a nice shot and just misses when Daniel Bechtel hammers it wide. Then Eastside has a chance to climb back into the game. Eastside gets a penalty kick for a foul in the box. Christopher Morris steps up to take the kick, but misses on his attempt. Eastide then has a freekick not too far outside the 18, but fires it into the wall.

Federal Way then gains composure and begins to pressure again. With Kelyn Rowe bringing a ball down in the box and not getting all of the ball on his shot. Then they struck again, with Luke Angevine collecting his 3rd goal of the match. Luke receives the ball in the box and as composed as you can be, turns and fires a shot far post and in. This makes the game 4-0 and pretty much it's over.

Eastside however does keep playing hard, which trust me is hard to do down 4-0. They showed great character and in the end were rewarded with a PK. This time Edgar Esquivel stepped up and slotted it home for a 4-1 game.

The "Man of the Match" is simple........Luke Angevine, amazing game for sure.

That's how the game ended. I give credit to both teams. Eastside for never giving up and fighting until the end. To Federal Way for proving to me and many fans, that they are one of the best teams at any age in the State. No one knows what will happen to the team next year. I will only say this...that team is amazing. Those boys and Andy should never forget what they have become. Work hard until Regionals and no matter what happens to the team. Go to Regionals and play how you can, and you "WILL" have a chance to do very well. In many ways, I'm sad to think the team will change. The last 2 Finals you boys have been brilliant...a joy to watch. Thanks and best of Luck at Regionals.

Eastside vs FC United - Boys U-14 Final

This was a game I had been waiting for since the finals were set. The 1st year in 3 years that Crossfire wasn't in the final for this age, which meant finally a different winner. It matched up the best team in P1, FC United versus the underdog Eastside Red. FC United is a team that has a great mix of players that basically just came together this last tryout. Not enough positives can be said about the job the coaching staff at FC united has done. It's not easy to change so many players and mold them into the strongest team in the state in such a short time. Eastside on the other hand has been the no-names, the underdogs, and the team that no one believed in but Eastside. Eastside and their players have believed though, after struggling early in the year after some key losses, including their goalie. Eastside had finished the year strong. Then knock out the 3 time State Champions Crossfire in the semi final. The 1st time Eastside had even beaten them at this age group ever!!! The finals match-up was in many ways perfect. Two teams with big strong players, that are both physical and fast all over the field.

I actually arrived at the 27 minute mark left in the 1st half. :( When Iarrived it seemed pretty back and forth at first. Eastside happened to just have a throw in that John Piela flicked onto Race Sciabica who fired a shot over the goal. Then it became the FC United show for awhile.

FC United started it off with Dylan Gaydosh hitting a hard shot at the Eastside keeper Brian Schwartz. Then minute later FC United had a good chance when Brandon Scott had a ball out wide to cross into the box, but he didn't get all of it and the cross came off strange...unlucky. Then on the opposite side Dylan Gaydosh drove into the box and went to cross the ball, only to have the Eastside defender block the cross for a corner. FC United then had some beuatiful combination play started by Nico De La Cruz passing to David Savita, who then found Dalen Leverenz who got chopped down on the left side of the box for a freekick. Dalen then took the freekick and just barely missed far post wide.

Eastside then had some nice passing and works the ball out of the back. The one thing I really notice is how nice the touch of Race Sciabica is up top. No matter what type of ball gets served into him, his touch is soft. He's very calm on the ball, and seems to really settle the play down for his team. He's is definitely their target player out of the back, and the boy does a great job at it. I'd never seen him until this season, but would rank him very high in the pool of players at this age from what I saw.

FC United then began their controlling play and offense again before the half was going to end. They start it off with a nice ball played back to David Savita who fires it wide and over. Then Nico De La Cruz slots a 25 yard ball thru the gap and wide to a streaking Gabriele Zaccagnini who fires a nice shot from the right side at the keeper who makes the save. FC United then strikes for a late first half goal. After winning a freekick Chandler Dent sends it in and it's deflected by Nico De Laz Cruz into the upper V, striking the post and then rebounding what looks like out and across the goal. The AR however calls it a goal and it's 1-0 FC United. To be honest, I couldn't tell if it was or wasn't, but the AR was in good position and made the call. 30 seconds later basically the half ends.

FC United and Eastside both exchange shots in the early moments of the second half. FC United hasCody Snider hit Nico De La Cruz at the top of the box and Nico sends it jsut over the crossbar. Then Eastside has Race Sciabica combine with John Piela, but Piela isn't exactly up to task on the finish and sends it over and wide. Nice attempt though, and oh so close to the equalizer.

FC United then had the next chance to score with a beautiful cross from Erik Lissak to Gabriele Zaccagnini who brought the ball down and hit a nice volley on goal. Eastside countered and had some decent buildup with Liam Kelly hitting a nice strike from 25 yards out but at the FC United Keeper Nathan Cox. Eastside also had a nice longer ball to Race Sciabica, but he had a rare mistouch and the ball got away.

As the clock winds down with 6-8 minutes left. It looks as though FC United has the game wrapped up. They begin taking the ball into the corner flag and sitting on it. This is a typical tactic in big games and FC United works it to perfection for a good 3-4 minutes. They either are winning throw-ins, corner kicks or hard fouls by frustrated Eastside players. Each time they get a foul or corner, the referee asks the Eastside players to give 10 yards. Giving FC United a chance to play short and head to the flag again. Although I'm sure fristrating to watch by Eastside fans, in my opinion it's working and th right coaching decision.

Then all of the sudden on one of the short corners the ball gets played out of the corner. It seems to bring new energy to Eastside. Eastside managers to begin an attack with only a minute or less left ( stoppage time) Eastside wins a corner kick and Jordan Con goes up to take it. Eastside pushes almost every player inot the box for the corner. Con sends the cross in and in the scramble of a lifetime and what seemed like a 5 second scramble in front of the box with the ball popping all over. Mitchell Kim of Eastside comes blazing into the middle of the scramble and hammers the ball into the back of the next for a 1-1 tie. As FC United kicks off after the goal the whistle blows and it's OT for the teams.

Besides a shot in the first OT by Gabriele Zaccagnini off a cross from Dylan Gaydosh for FC United. Another chance in the second OT on a cross with Nico De La Cruz going up but Eastsides keeper Brian Schwartz coming up high to grab the chance away. Then one last bid for the win by Eastside in the second OT off a corner kick from Jordan Con to Chase Beauclair whos header was just over, the OT's were pretty slow for action. This game was headed to PK's

Penalty Kick goes as follows

1 FC United- KC Phillips to the left...goal

1 Eastside- Jordan Con to the right...goal

2 FC United- Dylan Gaydosh to the right....goal

2 Eastside- Chase Beauclair to the left...goal

3 FC United- Nico De La Cruz to the left....saved by the keeper

3 Eastside- Kevin Barreto to the left.....goal

4 FC United- Dalen Leverenz to the right...goal

4 Eastside- Mathew Johnson to the right...goal

5 FC United- Josh Phillips to the right....goal

5 Eastside- Race Sciabica to the right....goal

Eastside wins the game on pk's

This was a game that in many ways had no loser, both teams advance to regionals and face each other in group play. Both teams should advance out of group. From my perspective FC United played the better game overall, but that's not always the team that wins. It seemed both coaching staffs and teams came into the game well prepared and both teams are winners. As odd as this may seem to some, my personal "Man of the Match" was Nico De La Cruz. Nico did miss his PK attempt, but he was the engine so many times in the game for FC United. Playing great balls to teammates on the run, and always seemed to make things happen when he touched the ball. Nico, we all miss PK's once and awhile. The game you played though was brilliant and the miss doesn't take away from the performance you had on the field.