State. Where the good teams are separated from the great ones. Our Spartans took the field against the Mankato West Scarlets at St Cloud State University on a cold late October evening last night.
The Spartans, fresh off their Section 3A Championship were looking to head to the Metrodome for the second straight year. Peter "woody Allen" got his first start at forward this night, and he would be sure not to disappoint. The game would also see the return of Head Coach Franklin Tawah after having missed nearly a month of games. Around 40 faithful members of Spartan Nation made the long journey to support their boys.
The game started off with the Spartans looking like the more in form side. Around 7 minutes in, Sam "the Bulldog" Forsgren sent a wonderful through ball over the top of the Scarlet defense that found Peter "Woody Allen" Wood who was able to put an incredible amount of finesse onto the ball and send it into the back of the net for his first ever varsity goal. 1-0 Spartans, the fans could not have dreamed of a better start. The guys continued to play like the superior team and controlled most of the possession. When the Spartans had the ball they would move it around with exceptional passing and control the tempo of the game. The greatest effort however came from the back, the defense almost never allowed the Mankato attackers to beat them, the four men in the back moved as one with an incredible amount of focus and poise. On the rare occasion that a Scarlet would get a shot off, Ben "Beast" Braman was there to stop it and continue his exceptional late season form.
It was not until the last few minutes of the half however that the Spartans pushed the accelerator and began to make incredible runs that set up marvelous chances. Unluckily though they were not able to put any past the keeper and the half ended with the Spartans up 1-0.
The second half began with the guys hungry to put the game away with a few more goals. The Spartans began to attack constantly but could not seem to find the back of the net. Great runs by the Forsgren brothers as well as inspired play by G-Unit Brennaman were not enough to give the boys the cushion that they deserved. Based on how the defense was playing though, the cushion did not seem like a necessity.
With around 15 minutes left in the game, Josh "Slim Shady" Gray was tripped up in the box by the goalkeeper and earned the Spartans a penalty. Senior Captain Gabe Brennaman stepped up to take the penalty but unfortunately sent it wide of the right post. It did not seem as if the Spartans were going to score anymore goals on the night after that, but the boys kept their cool and continued their domination with an admirable amount of composure.
With 30 seconds left, just when it seemed as if the game would end 1-0, Woody Allen finished what he started with a goal off a header on a high speed breakaway. 2-0 Spartans, and that was all she wrote. The Spartans are headed to the dome. On Monday morning at 8 AM they will take on the Benilde-St. Margarets Knights in the State A Semifinal. The other semifinal will be between the Rochester Lourdes Eagles and Prairie Seeds Academy at 10 AM.
Thanks to all the fans that came out to support the boys last night and we hope to see you all there in the Metrodome. Go Spartans!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Section Finals
I would like to begin by apologizing for the delay in the publishing of this post, but my emotions were all over the place after one of the greatest nights of my life last night and I simply could not keep them in check. Enjoy.
Last night our Spartans took the field at Griffin Stadium against the Holy Angels Stars in the section 3A championship game, the match would decide who would go onto state. The Spartans had recently come off a morale boosting victory over St. Thomas in the semi finals and Holy Angels had dusted off the Washburn Millers 2-0.
Countless Spartan fans came out to cheer their boys regardless of the frigid temperatures. The game started off with a great level of intensity, with both teams searching for a goal straight away. The Stars came away with the better chances over the first ten minutes and began to set the tempo, with a lot of balls in the air that interrupted the flow of the Spartans attack and general play. Then just like against the Cadets on Saturday, the Spartans fell behind 1-0 on a goal from inside the six that the Spartan defense could do nothing about. Down 1-0, the boys got a little nervous and tried to rush things a little too much on the attack, they were not playing their game. Holy Angels continued their physical and aerial play as the Spartans tried to do everything they could to find an equalizer, but almost never were the Spartans able to get past the defensive line of the Stars. The half ended with the score still 1-0.
In the locker room at halftime, Interim Head Coach Max Lipset told his boys that they could beat this team but they needed to start playing their own style and not adapting to what the Stars wanted.
The boys took the words to heart and came out of the gates fast. Holy Angels seemed content to try to sit back and defend their lead rather than go for more glory, but the Spartan attack proved too much for them to handle. Led by the wingers, Ikey "the baby faced assassin" Forsgren and Josh "slim shady" Gray the Spartans began to tire the Stars defense out. Then they gained a free kick from right outside of the box around 15 minutes into the half. It was now or never for the Spartans to tie the game up and nobody understood that better than Sam "Bulldog" Forsgren who had the ball tapped to him by Captain Ryan Hobert, took a couple touches into the box and sent a sizzling ball off his left foot into the bottom corner. The boys had become men, they had come from behind once again. But the comeback was not complete.
The Spartans continued their domination of play throughout the next 15 minutes but the Stars also had a few chances off of speedy counter attacks, all of which were stopped by the phenomenal Ben "Beast" Braman. The last ten minutes proved to be incredibly intense as both sides battled evenly for a chance at the State Tournament. Slim Shady and Gabe "G-Unit" Brennaman each had their chances but failed to get them past the keeper. The half ended with the Spartans under heavy pressure from the Stars who hit the post and were cleared off the line various times by the Beast in the last minute of play.
Regulation time ended and there was still a score to be settled. Who would be crowned section champions? Based on the last minute of play it seemed like we were about to see an upset by the Stars, but the Spartans went in more confident than ever. Extra time would be Golden Goal, sudden death. That simple, you score and your through, you don't you lose.
The Spartans started the extra time in great fashion, only on the attack and not allowing the Stars to even think of touching the ball. About 50 seconds in, the Bulldog made a huge run down the middle, bursted through the Stars defense and then was fouled recklessly by a defender on the edge of the box. Forsgren lined up to take the kick but this time sent it over. The Spartans felt it coming though and continued to attack and then the moment of truth came when Slim Shady received a ball in the air on the right side of the box and struck it with incredible power. The ball made a wonderful parabola in the air, hit under the crossbar and then..........
It dropped, hit behind the line. And the SPARTANS WON SECTIONS!!!!!!!
Unbelievable. The Spartans showed the character yet again, this time when it mattered most. All the hard work put in finally payed off. The boys received their GOLD medals and preceded to run 1 by 1 through a tunnel made by the Spartan fans (a genius idea). The boys, now men, lifted the trophy and confirmed their spot in state for the second year in a row. The magical season lives to see another day. A big thanks to all of the fans who came out to support us, it means a lot.
A confession: I cried a little.
Last night our Spartans took the field at Griffin Stadium against the Holy Angels Stars in the section 3A championship game, the match would decide who would go onto state. The Spartans had recently come off a morale boosting victory over St. Thomas in the semi finals and Holy Angels had dusted off the Washburn Millers 2-0.
Countless Spartan fans came out to cheer their boys regardless of the frigid temperatures. The game started off with a great level of intensity, with both teams searching for a goal straight away. The Stars came away with the better chances over the first ten minutes and began to set the tempo, with a lot of balls in the air that interrupted the flow of the Spartans attack and general play. Then just like against the Cadets on Saturday, the Spartans fell behind 1-0 on a goal from inside the six that the Spartan defense could do nothing about. Down 1-0, the boys got a little nervous and tried to rush things a little too much on the attack, they were not playing their game. Holy Angels continued their physical and aerial play as the Spartans tried to do everything they could to find an equalizer, but almost never were the Spartans able to get past the defensive line of the Stars. The half ended with the score still 1-0.
In the locker room at halftime, Interim Head Coach Max Lipset told his boys that they could beat this team but they needed to start playing their own style and not adapting to what the Stars wanted.
The boys took the words to heart and came out of the gates fast. Holy Angels seemed content to try to sit back and defend their lead rather than go for more glory, but the Spartan attack proved too much for them to handle. Led by the wingers, Ikey "the baby faced assassin" Forsgren and Josh "slim shady" Gray the Spartans began to tire the Stars defense out. Then they gained a free kick from right outside of the box around 15 minutes into the half. It was now or never for the Spartans to tie the game up and nobody understood that better than Sam "Bulldog" Forsgren who had the ball tapped to him by Captain Ryan Hobert, took a couple touches into the box and sent a sizzling ball off his left foot into the bottom corner. The boys had become men, they had come from behind once again. But the comeback was not complete.
The Spartans continued their domination of play throughout the next 15 minutes but the Stars also had a few chances off of speedy counter attacks, all of which were stopped by the phenomenal Ben "Beast" Braman. The last ten minutes proved to be incredibly intense as both sides battled evenly for a chance at the State Tournament. Slim Shady and Gabe "G-Unit" Brennaman each had their chances but failed to get them past the keeper. The half ended with the Spartans under heavy pressure from the Stars who hit the post and were cleared off the line various times by the Beast in the last minute of play.
Regulation time ended and there was still a score to be settled. Who would be crowned section champions? Based on the last minute of play it seemed like we were about to see an upset by the Stars, but the Spartans went in more confident than ever. Extra time would be Golden Goal, sudden death. That simple, you score and your through, you don't you lose.
The Spartans started the extra time in great fashion, only on the attack and not allowing the Stars to even think of touching the ball. About 50 seconds in, the Bulldog made a huge run down the middle, bursted through the Stars defense and then was fouled recklessly by a defender on the edge of the box. Forsgren lined up to take the kick but this time sent it over. The Spartans felt it coming though and continued to attack and then the moment of truth came when Slim Shady received a ball in the air on the right side of the box and struck it with incredible power. The ball made a wonderful parabola in the air, hit under the crossbar and then..........
It dropped, hit behind the line. And the SPARTANS WON SECTIONS!!!!!!!
Unbelievable. The Spartans showed the character yet again, this time when it mattered most. All the hard work put in finally payed off. The boys received their GOLD medals and preceded to run 1 by 1 through a tunnel made by the Spartan fans (a genius idea). The boys, now men, lifted the trophy and confirmed their spot in state for the second year in a row. The magical season lives to see another day. A big thanks to all of the fans who came out to support us, it means a lot.
A confession: I cried a little.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Section Semifinals
Today Historic Lang Field hosted two section semifinal games. It was a beautiful day out, a little chilly but with the sun brightly shining. Both the Girls and the Boys played the most important games of their seasons.
The girls kicked off first against the Holy Angels Stars who they had just tied 2-2 two weeks prior. The game was bound to be a battle, SPA was the second seed and Holy Angels was the third. The game started off fairly balanced with the Spartans maintaining possession until three minutes into the game when the Stars on a perfectly executed counter attack were able to go up 1-0. It was a very unfortunate start to the game because the it was the first real chance on goal the Stars had. The Spartans looked to regroup and tried to find an equalizer for the rest of the half, however it was very hard for them to penetrate the Holy Angels defense. The half ended with the Stars up 1-0. In the second half the lady Spartans looked to work some of their magic. The girls tried to play the entertaining and fast paced soccer they had been playing all year, but it was not the same. They created a few chances but it was the Stars who capitalized on another counter to go up 2-0. The Spartans continued to try to find the back of the net, but it was too late. That 2-0 score marked the end of the girls season unfortunately. We will all miss watching their very entertaining, attack-minded soccer. That game will certainly not be the only thing taken away from this season were the lady Spartans accomplished so much.
Right after the girls finished it was the boys turn to take to the field against the St. Thomas Cadets. The same St. Thomas Cadets who they had beaten 5 weeks ago 4-3 at St. Thomas. This time however the Cadets were hungry for revenge and would do anything to come away with an upset of the first seed at Lang. The game started off high paced with the Cadets on the attack for the most park. After only four minutes St. Thomas went up 1-0 off of a mid range goal. The Spartans, not used to coming from behind, did not panic. The game went on with the Spartans began to bring the intensity up and dominated possession, however soccer is a cruel game and you can dominate all you want but if you don't score you won't win. The Spartans kept their patience and then finally about halfway through the half junior Josh "Slim Shady" Gray leveled the playing field with a goal from very close in that slowly rolled into the opposite corner of the goal. 1-1. The Spartans, for the second time in these section playoffs, found themselves in a tie game. The guys continued their dominance throughout the rest of the half, they controlled possession and did not allow the Cadets to even dream about having any chances, they completely shut them down. The defense played a key role in this with the Good German, the Swan, the Decapitator and Harg Knocks (i hope you know the nicknames by heart now) moving everywhere as one unit and not making very many mistakes. The half ended 1-1 but with the momentum overwhelmingly leaning the Spartans way.
The teams came out of the half both ready for battle in what ended up becoming a very physical game. A few questionable calls immediately shifted the momentum in favor of the Cadets and the tempo was completely sucked out of the game. The Cadets began to dominate, forcing Ben "Beast" Braman to make a few exceptional saves to keep the Spartans alive. However the referee begged to differ and called an invisible penalty in favor of the Cadets. If St. Thomas scored it would basically be good night to the Spartans. Cadet captain Ben Lamey lined up to take the penalty kick against the Beast. The Cadet fans fell silent while the Spartan fans began to make as much noise as possible to distract Lamey. The referee blew the whistle, Lamey kept his eyes fixed on the ground and struck the ball. The ball went high into the air and seemed as if it was heading for the top right corner, but by some good fortune it sailed farther to the side of the corner. A missed penalty, just what the Spartans needed to gain control of the game again.
The game turned out to be constant back and forth action, which many times was unjustly interrupted by the referee or unjustly allowed to continue by the referee who seemed as if he was trying to be the center of attention. However justice was served and on an incredibly confusing and mind boggling attack, Sam "Bulldog" Forsgren was somehow able to find the back of the net and the Spartans went up 2-1 with a little less than 15 minutes left. The Spartans and their fans celebrated the goal in an incredible fashion which saw raw emotion paired with a sigh of relief. The game however was far from over and those few minutes seemed to be the longest of my life. The Spartans defended with heart, doing whatever they could to avoid being scored on. When the referee finally blew the whistle for good it was 2-1 in favor of the Spartans. A loud roar came out of the fan sections and the Spartans celebrated their reaching of the section final game. A true test of character, this Spartan team has showed that they can be patient and keep their composure even in the most hostile of situations. For a team like that many things will end up going right. Good things will come to those who wait. A team like this does not come around often, so enjoy your Spartans. On Tuesday afternoon they will be taking on the Holy Angels Stars in a chance to go to state by redeeming the girls team. Go Spartans!
A big thanks to all the fans, we will see you at the game on Tuesday. Go Spartans!
The girls kicked off first against the Holy Angels Stars who they had just tied 2-2 two weeks prior. The game was bound to be a battle, SPA was the second seed and Holy Angels was the third. The game started off fairly balanced with the Spartans maintaining possession until three minutes into the game when the Stars on a perfectly executed counter attack were able to go up 1-0. It was a very unfortunate start to the game because the it was the first real chance on goal the Stars had. The Spartans looked to regroup and tried to find an equalizer for the rest of the half, however it was very hard for them to penetrate the Holy Angels defense. The half ended with the Stars up 1-0. In the second half the lady Spartans looked to work some of their magic. The girls tried to play the entertaining and fast paced soccer they had been playing all year, but it was not the same. They created a few chances but it was the Stars who capitalized on another counter to go up 2-0. The Spartans continued to try to find the back of the net, but it was too late. That 2-0 score marked the end of the girls season unfortunately. We will all miss watching their very entertaining, attack-minded soccer. That game will certainly not be the only thing taken away from this season were the lady Spartans accomplished so much.
Right after the girls finished it was the boys turn to take to the field against the St. Thomas Cadets. The same St. Thomas Cadets who they had beaten 5 weeks ago 4-3 at St. Thomas. This time however the Cadets were hungry for revenge and would do anything to come away with an upset of the first seed at Lang. The game started off high paced with the Cadets on the attack for the most park. After only four minutes St. Thomas went up 1-0 off of a mid range goal. The Spartans, not used to coming from behind, did not panic. The game went on with the Spartans began to bring the intensity up and dominated possession, however soccer is a cruel game and you can dominate all you want but if you don't score you won't win. The Spartans kept their patience and then finally about halfway through the half junior Josh "Slim Shady" Gray leveled the playing field with a goal from very close in that slowly rolled into the opposite corner of the goal. 1-1. The Spartans, for the second time in these section playoffs, found themselves in a tie game. The guys continued their dominance throughout the rest of the half, they controlled possession and did not allow the Cadets to even dream about having any chances, they completely shut them down. The defense played a key role in this with the Good German, the Swan, the Decapitator and Harg Knocks (i hope you know the nicknames by heart now) moving everywhere as one unit and not making very many mistakes. The half ended 1-1 but with the momentum overwhelmingly leaning the Spartans way.
The teams came out of the half both ready for battle in what ended up becoming a very physical game. A few questionable calls immediately shifted the momentum in favor of the Cadets and the tempo was completely sucked out of the game. The Cadets began to dominate, forcing Ben "Beast" Braman to make a few exceptional saves to keep the Spartans alive. However the referee begged to differ and called an invisible penalty in favor of the Cadets. If St. Thomas scored it would basically be good night to the Spartans. Cadet captain Ben Lamey lined up to take the penalty kick against the Beast. The Cadet fans fell silent while the Spartan fans began to make as much noise as possible to distract Lamey. The referee blew the whistle, Lamey kept his eyes fixed on the ground and struck the ball. The ball went high into the air and seemed as if it was heading for the top right corner, but by some good fortune it sailed farther to the side of the corner. A missed penalty, just what the Spartans needed to gain control of the game again.
The game turned out to be constant back and forth action, which many times was unjustly interrupted by the referee or unjustly allowed to continue by the referee who seemed as if he was trying to be the center of attention. However justice was served and on an incredibly confusing and mind boggling attack, Sam "Bulldog" Forsgren was somehow able to find the back of the net and the Spartans went up 2-1 with a little less than 15 minutes left. The Spartans and their fans celebrated the goal in an incredible fashion which saw raw emotion paired with a sigh of relief. The game however was far from over and those few minutes seemed to be the longest of my life. The Spartans defended with heart, doing whatever they could to avoid being scored on. When the referee finally blew the whistle for good it was 2-1 in favor of the Spartans. A loud roar came out of the fan sections and the Spartans celebrated their reaching of the section final game. A true test of character, this Spartan team has showed that they can be patient and keep their composure even in the most hostile of situations. For a team like that many things will end up going right. Good things will come to those who wait. A team like this does not come around often, so enjoy your Spartans. On Tuesday afternoon they will be taking on the Holy Angels Stars in a chance to go to state by redeeming the girls team. Go Spartans!
A big thanks to all the fans, we will see you at the game on Tuesday. Go Spartans!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Section Quarterfinals
It's that time of the year again, the time were if you don't win you go home, playoff time. Today the playoff journeys of both our Spartan soccer teams commenced.The boys played against the Minneapolis Roosevelt Teddies after having had a first round bye while the girls played host to Trinity High School after their bye. The boys played their game at Highland Park Stadium while the girls played on Historic Lang Field.
The guys were more than ready to play after a full weeks rest from games, but their opponent, the Teddies, were on a high after having upset the 8th seeded Blake Bears in the first round 3-1. The start of the section tournament also saw the calling up from the JV squad of 3 new players, freshaman Tyler "Seppi" Seplak, sophomore Emoon "the Immunization" Solomon and junior Sam "Curly" Wood (the cousin of Peter "Woody Allen" Wood).
The game began with the Teddies in clear control of posession, winning all the battles in the midfield and having a few chances which forced keeper Matty "ICE" Fiedler to make exceptional saves. The Roosevelt defense continued to draw the Spartan forwards offsides with its offside trap, it seemed like nothing was going right for our boys. It was not until around 20 minutes into the half that the Spartans finally broke the ice. On a counter attack, Lorenzo "Cappuccino" Pavoloni was able to make the best of the Roosvelt goalkeeper's awful mistake and find the back of the net to bring the Spartans up 1-0. Once again, Cappuccino found himself in the right place at the right time and with his sweet aroma was able to bring energy to the Spartans. However there was not enough energy because shortly afterwards the Teddies equalized the game on another counter attack. On the play Matty "ICE" Fiedler collided with a Roosevelt player and was kicked in the face. Recent updates have told me that Fiedler has a broken nose, no concussion but that they are still deciding whether or not surgery will be necessary. In for the Iceman stepped Ben "Beast" Braman.
The Teddies were now back in the game and attacking a lot more. The Spartans needed to gain control again and start playing with their usual intensity before it would be too late. The boys began to run speedy attacks that created some much needed chances. Then a few minutes later on a perfectly excuted play, senior co-captain Nico "Swan" Olson-Studler was able to head a ball into space for Sam "Bulldog" Forsgren who with a wonderful strike gave the Spartans the lead on a wonderful low ball. 2-1 Spartans. The boys kept up their pressure and it paid off with senior co-captain Gabe "G-Unit" Brennaman scoring to bring the guys up 3-1. They now had a fairly commanding lead and the floodgates had finally opened, before the end of the half, Sam "Bulldog" Forsgren netted his second on the day to bring the Spartans up 4-1. The Spartans had finally began imposing their style of play on the game and it paid off greatly, the momentum had shifted completely.
The boys came out of the half looking much like they did at the beginning of the game and consequently conceded a goal shortly after the beginning of the to have their lead cut to just two. However the boys did not panic like many teams would have in a situation such as this one and began to set the tempo. As the Roosevelt players began to get more and more frustrated and continously fouled the Spartans, our boys kept their composure and made sure the only thing on their minds was winning the game. The Bulldog netted two more goals to give the Spartans a 6-2 lead and a ticket to the section Semi-Final game. With less than 1 minute left, Peter "Woody Allen" Wood hurt his knee on a excesivelly rough and ill-disciplined challenge by a frustrated Roosevelt defender. But in the spirit of a great Spartan, Woody Allen was able to tough it out cheer his boys on for the rest of the game. The match marked a great performance by Josh "Slim Shady" Gray in his third game back from injury, he had three assists. The Spartans continued their unbeaten streak in Single A play and will be playing again on Saturday in the semi-final game. Also a big thanks goes out to all the fans that made the treacherous journey all the way to Highland Park High School to support the boys, you always play a big role in our victories. Our thoughts are with both the Iceman and Woody Allen after this game.
The second seeded girl Spartans played host to Trinity on Historic Lang Field. The girls had already beaten Trinity 3-1 earlier in the season and were looking to go to the semi-final game for the fourth straight year.Unfortunately I could not be in two places at once, but word reached me that the girls dominated the match and the final scoreline was a clear reflection of this, 5-0.
On Saturday afternoon there will be two semi-final games taking place on Historic Lang Field. The girls will be taking on Holy Angels in a game that was played two weeks ago and ended in a 2-2 draw after overtime, the Spartans will be looking to play spoiler this time however. That game will be sure to receive a much better mention in the blog than this one because I will be able to attend both, you should also attend the games if you are reading this, simply because it could turn out to be one of the greatest Saturday afternoons of your life. The boys will be having a rematch against St. Thomas Academy who they beat 4-3 in the third week of the season in one of the best games all year. The Spartans will both have to come out with their best games against two hungry opponents, after all it is win or go home. Go Spartans!
The guys were more than ready to play after a full weeks rest from games, but their opponent, the Teddies, were on a high after having upset the 8th seeded Blake Bears in the first round 3-1. The start of the section tournament also saw the calling up from the JV squad of 3 new players, freshaman Tyler "Seppi" Seplak, sophomore Emoon "the Immunization" Solomon and junior Sam "Curly" Wood (the cousin of Peter "Woody Allen" Wood).
The game began with the Teddies in clear control of posession, winning all the battles in the midfield and having a few chances which forced keeper Matty "ICE" Fiedler to make exceptional saves. The Roosevelt defense continued to draw the Spartan forwards offsides with its offside trap, it seemed like nothing was going right for our boys. It was not until around 20 minutes into the half that the Spartans finally broke the ice. On a counter attack, Lorenzo "Cappuccino" Pavoloni was able to make the best of the Roosvelt goalkeeper's awful mistake and find the back of the net to bring the Spartans up 1-0. Once again, Cappuccino found himself in the right place at the right time and with his sweet aroma was able to bring energy to the Spartans. However there was not enough energy because shortly afterwards the Teddies equalized the game on another counter attack. On the play Matty "ICE" Fiedler collided with a Roosevelt player and was kicked in the face. Recent updates have told me that Fiedler has a broken nose, no concussion but that they are still deciding whether or not surgery will be necessary. In for the Iceman stepped Ben "Beast" Braman.
The Teddies were now back in the game and attacking a lot more. The Spartans needed to gain control again and start playing with their usual intensity before it would be too late. The boys began to run speedy attacks that created some much needed chances. Then a few minutes later on a perfectly excuted play, senior co-captain Nico "Swan" Olson-Studler was able to head a ball into space for Sam "Bulldog" Forsgren who with a wonderful strike gave the Spartans the lead on a wonderful low ball. 2-1 Spartans. The boys kept up their pressure and it paid off with senior co-captain Gabe "G-Unit" Brennaman scoring to bring the guys up 3-1. They now had a fairly commanding lead and the floodgates had finally opened, before the end of the half, Sam "Bulldog" Forsgren netted his second on the day to bring the Spartans up 4-1. The Spartans had finally began imposing their style of play on the game and it paid off greatly, the momentum had shifted completely.
The boys came out of the half looking much like they did at the beginning of the game and consequently conceded a goal shortly after the beginning of the to have their lead cut to just two. However the boys did not panic like many teams would have in a situation such as this one and began to set the tempo. As the Roosevelt players began to get more and more frustrated and continously fouled the Spartans, our boys kept their composure and made sure the only thing on their minds was winning the game. The Bulldog netted two more goals to give the Spartans a 6-2 lead and a ticket to the section Semi-Final game. With less than 1 minute left, Peter "Woody Allen" Wood hurt his knee on a excesivelly rough and ill-disciplined challenge by a frustrated Roosevelt defender. But in the spirit of a great Spartan, Woody Allen was able to tough it out cheer his boys on for the rest of the game. The match marked a great performance by Josh "Slim Shady" Gray in his third game back from injury, he had three assists. The Spartans continued their unbeaten streak in Single A play and will be playing again on Saturday in the semi-final game. Also a big thanks goes out to all the fans that made the treacherous journey all the way to Highland Park High School to support the boys, you always play a big role in our victories. Our thoughts are with both the Iceman and Woody Allen after this game.
The second seeded girl Spartans played host to Trinity on Historic Lang Field. The girls had already beaten Trinity 3-1 earlier in the season and were looking to go to the semi-final game for the fourth straight year.Unfortunately I could not be in two places at once, but word reached me that the girls dominated the match and the final scoreline was a clear reflection of this, 5-0.
On Saturday afternoon there will be two semi-final games taking place on Historic Lang Field. The girls will be taking on Holy Angels in a game that was played two weeks ago and ended in a 2-2 draw after overtime, the Spartans will be looking to play spoiler this time however. That game will be sure to receive a much better mention in the blog than this one because I will be able to attend both, you should also attend the games if you are reading this, simply because it could turn out to be one of the greatest Saturday afternoons of your life. The boys will be having a rematch against St. Thomas Academy who they beat 4-3 in the third week of the season in one of the best games all year. The Spartans will both have to come out with their best games against two hungry opponents, after all it is win or go home. Go Spartans!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Any Given Thursday-(At Blake Part 2)
On an action filled Thursday, the girls soccer team had their Senior Day against the Minnehaha Redhawks, the boys finished their regular season against the Redhawks and the football team took on Blake in the 100th anniversary of the rivalry.
The boys travelled just past the river to play their last regular season game, one that if they won would clinch their second conference title in just three years. The Redhawks were third in the Tri-Metro Conference and would make sure to give the Spartans a hard time. Thursday marked the return to action of Junior Forward Cameron "CC" Causey as well who had sat out with a groin injury for four straight games. The match started off in the worst of ways for the Spartans who conceded a goal to Minnehaha after only 30 seconds. The Spartans found themselves behind for the first time in conference play all season, but it would be a test that would only do them good. As the half went on, the Spartans trailed but did not allow the frustration to get to them too much, knowing that they would come back. About half way through the half, after a few failed chances, the boys tied the game with Sam "Bulldog" Forsgren. The momentum shifted and the Spartans began to take control, but the Redhawks defense did not give up and so the half ended 1-1. The second half continued to be a battle which saw the Spartans almost continuously on the attack but the Minnehaha defense would be able to stop nearly anything. A few unlucky strikes also prevented the Spartans from going up, but then in his usual dramatic style Lorenzo "Cappucino" Pavoloni was able to awake his side by scoring his 11th goal of the season. The Spartans began to take full control, even though they were not playing their best soccer, they knew what they had to do to win. With little time to go, the Bulldog netted his 34th goal of the season to end the game and the Spartan Boys Soccer Team became Tri-Metro Conference Champions. Congratulations Spartans!
The girls instead played their last game on Historic Lang Field against the lady Redhawks and were looking to finish the season strong after a disappointing loss at Blake on Tuesday. Seniors Bari Applebaum, Anya Moradian and Jenna O'Brien played their last ever home games on Historic Lang and wanted to do nothing less than leave a mark. The girls battled and ended up winning the game 1-0. They finished their season in second place in the Tri-Metro Conference with their only losses of the season being to Class AA powerhouse Eastview and rivals Blake.
The two soccer teams will be awaiting "Selection Sunday" to see their draw for the Section Playoffs coming up next week. Good luck to both teams.
The main event of the night happened after the soccer games, at Blake. For the hundredth year the Blake SPA football rivalry would be played at Blake. The Spartans were incredibly motivated for the game and began the game with a very good drive, using their power running game. Hundreds of SPA fans made the trip for the game and continued unrivaled support for their boys who fought hard all night. The game saw the return of Senior Captain Andrew Bradley who had been injured since the first game of the season. Under much pain, Bradley saw his action limited on Thursday, but nevertheless toughed it out to participate both at quarterback and as a defensive back. The first quarter was a great battle that saw the Spartans within striking distance of the Bears. The second quarter saw more and more running plays for the Spartan offense who ran with Krazy Karl Hommeyer, Danny "the Rhino" O'Shea and David "Pitbull" Ristau but failed to convert. The Spartans fell far behind by halftime, but they never gave up and continued to fight for every yard. The fans, led by Spartan mascot Drew Whitaker, continued their unconditional support and it all paid off in the end when the Pitbull scored a touchdown on a running play. The game unfortunately ended 49-8 in favor of the Bears but it was a great night for all involved.
The Star Tribune however reported that our Spartans won the game.
The boys travelled just past the river to play their last regular season game, one that if they won would clinch their second conference title in just three years. The Redhawks were third in the Tri-Metro Conference and would make sure to give the Spartans a hard time. Thursday marked the return to action of Junior Forward Cameron "CC" Causey as well who had sat out with a groin injury for four straight games. The match started off in the worst of ways for the Spartans who conceded a goal to Minnehaha after only 30 seconds. The Spartans found themselves behind for the first time in conference play all season, but it would be a test that would only do them good. As the half went on, the Spartans trailed but did not allow the frustration to get to them too much, knowing that they would come back. About half way through the half, after a few failed chances, the boys tied the game with Sam "Bulldog" Forsgren. The momentum shifted and the Spartans began to take control, but the Redhawks defense did not give up and so the half ended 1-1. The second half continued to be a battle which saw the Spartans almost continuously on the attack but the Minnehaha defense would be able to stop nearly anything. A few unlucky strikes also prevented the Spartans from going up, but then in his usual dramatic style Lorenzo "Cappucino" Pavoloni was able to awake his side by scoring his 11th goal of the season. The Spartans began to take full control, even though they were not playing their best soccer, they knew what they had to do to win. With little time to go, the Bulldog netted his 34th goal of the season to end the game and the Spartan Boys Soccer Team became Tri-Metro Conference Champions. Congratulations Spartans!
The girls instead played their last game on Historic Lang Field against the lady Redhawks and were looking to finish the season strong after a disappointing loss at Blake on Tuesday. Seniors Bari Applebaum, Anya Moradian and Jenna O'Brien played their last ever home games on Historic Lang and wanted to do nothing less than leave a mark. The girls battled and ended up winning the game 1-0. They finished their season in second place in the Tri-Metro Conference with their only losses of the season being to Class AA powerhouse Eastview and rivals Blake.
The two soccer teams will be awaiting "Selection Sunday" to see their draw for the Section Playoffs coming up next week. Good luck to both teams.
The main event of the night happened after the soccer games, at Blake. For the hundredth year the Blake SPA football rivalry would be played at Blake. The Spartans were incredibly motivated for the game and began the game with a very good drive, using their power running game. Hundreds of SPA fans made the trip for the game and continued unrivaled support for their boys who fought hard all night. The game saw the return of Senior Captain Andrew Bradley who had been injured since the first game of the season. Under much pain, Bradley saw his action limited on Thursday, but nevertheless toughed it out to participate both at quarterback and as a defensive back. The first quarter was a great battle that saw the Spartans within striking distance of the Bears. The second quarter saw more and more running plays for the Spartan offense who ran with Krazy Karl Hommeyer, Danny "the Rhino" O'Shea and David "Pitbull" Ristau but failed to convert. The Spartans fell far behind by halftime, but they never gave up and continued to fight for every yard. The fans, led by Spartan mascot Drew Whitaker, continued their unconditional support and it all paid off in the end when the Pitbull scored a touchdown on a running play. The game unfortunately ended 49-8 in favor of the Bears but it was a great night for all involved.
The Star Tribune however reported that our Spartans won the game.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
At Blake: Part 1
Last night both Spartan teams had important conference games against the Blake Bears. The Girls were taking on their main rival from the past couple of years in what was bound to be a thriller of a match. The boys instead were looking to gain momentum heading into sections after a tough loss on Saturday.
When I arrived with the team for my game the girls had around 20 minutes left in the second half and were down 1-0. I was told that they had gotten scored on in the first half and had been trying very hard to equalize ever since. You could tell the girls really wanted it and would do anything to tie this game against their bitter rivals. The game would decide who won the conference and which of the two teams would get a higher seed in sections. The girls continued to fight and with about five minutes left in the game, still trailing 1-0 and just when it seemed like it was all over, senior captain Anya Moradian tied the game on a header off a corner kick. The half ended 1-1 and for the second time in four days the Spartan girls would be headed to overtime. The first overtime started off fairly well for the Spartans who had a chance to go up 2-1 against the Bears on a powerful Nina Perkkio volley that hit the outer side netting. With little to go before the half, the Blake girls worked a counter attack that finished with them scoring the go-ahead goal. The first half of extra time ended with the Bears up, however the Spartan girls had not given up and still believed they could pull it off. The second half of extra time began were the first one left off however as the Blake girls scored to go up 3-1. At that point, even when it seemed to be good night Spartans, the girls fought back and gained a penalty kick. Junior Amanda Hotvedt took the responsibility of the kick and buried it into the back of the Blake net. The Spartans now down 2-3 had new momentum and began to fight for the victory, however there was simply not enough time left, Blake won 3-2. A very tough loss for the girls (their first in single A play this season)but one that can surely be avenged in the section playoffs in the next couple of weeks. As hard as this one is to digest, it should make the girls even hungrier to win sections. A congratulations for all the hard work that the girls showed.
Right after the girls game finished, the boys took the field looking too bring one back for the Spartans. Under the lights during a beautiful fall evening, the game began slowly for the Spartans who did not attack much during the first ten minutes. After that however the game picked up a good pace but the Spartans were not able to put the ball into the net. Newly returned goalkeeper Matty "ICE" Fiedler made a few good looking saves for the Spartans in the first half. James "HarG Knock Life" Hargrens had what may arguably be his best game of the season by playing solid defense, never allowing his opponent to even think about beating him. The end of the first half also saw the return of Josh "Slim Shady" Gray after having misssed five straight games due to a leg muscle injury. Gray seemed a little slower than usual, but his touch was as beautiful as ever when he cut past a Blake defender and almost put it past the keeper to give the Spartans a lead. The half ended with a score of 0-0, it was still anybody's game.
At the half the Interim Head Coach Max Lipest told his boys about playing simple and going out to score 5 goals. The Spartans took the message to heart and began playing an attacking style that gave the Bears very little room to breathe. After about 7 minutes, Senior Captain Ryan "Giggles" Hobert received a ball behind the half way line and began to dribble up the pitch. Hobert saw that there was nobody there to close in on him and so he continued all the way to the edge of the other box, were after a couple of fakes released a low left-footed shot into the right corner of the net for his 3rd goal of the season. The Spartans were up 1-0 now with Hobert's goal forcing all the momentum to switch their way. Shortly thereafter Ben "the Good German" Kachian made a pass to Slim Shady Gray down the left hand wing who faked a cross, cut inside and struck the ball with the inside of his foot to the opposite corner of the goal. 2-0 Spartans. After having been nagged by injuries for the majority of the season, this was the best way for Gray to make a statement in his return, a truly emotional return. A few minutes after that Lorenzo "Cappucino" Pavoloni made sure to give the Spartans some more of his caffeine so they would not start to doze off, with a wonder strike from the edge of the box. Pavoloni hit a ball with great power and finesse that dipped over the goalkeeper to give the Spartans a commanding lead. He seems to always score fantastic goals in great moments, a true striker. Pavoloni would go on to score again and the end of the game would see Sam Forsgren come back to his goal scoring ways by netting two goals to bring his tally to 32 on the season. The Spartans closed the game out 6-1 and will look to finish the regular season strongly on Thursday against Minnehaha.
Thursday will also see the girls play Minnehaha Academy as they look to gain momentum heading into the section playoffs.
The main event on the Thursday however will be after the two soccer games and it will once again be at Blake (Part 2). The Spartan football team will be looking for their first win of the season against their biggest rivals. The game is celebrating 100 YEARS of SPA VS BLAKE football and it is sure to be very entertaining. There will be an electric atmosphere and it is sure to be a special night for the Spartans who have been putting in plenty of hard work all season for this night. The game will see the return of QB Andrew Bradley who has been out since the first game of the season with a broken fibula. All Spartan students should wear white, we are going for a white out and you don't want to be the only kid out of 200+ that is wearing purple.
Good Luck to all three Spartan teams tomorrow and especially to the football team.
Go Spartans!
When I arrived with the team for my game the girls had around 20 minutes left in the second half and were down 1-0. I was told that they had gotten scored on in the first half and had been trying very hard to equalize ever since. You could tell the girls really wanted it and would do anything to tie this game against their bitter rivals. The game would decide who won the conference and which of the two teams would get a higher seed in sections. The girls continued to fight and with about five minutes left in the game, still trailing 1-0 and just when it seemed like it was all over, senior captain Anya Moradian tied the game on a header off a corner kick. The half ended 1-1 and for the second time in four days the Spartan girls would be headed to overtime. The first overtime started off fairly well for the Spartans who had a chance to go up 2-1 against the Bears on a powerful Nina Perkkio volley that hit the outer side netting. With little to go before the half, the Blake girls worked a counter attack that finished with them scoring the go-ahead goal. The first half of extra time ended with the Bears up, however the Spartan girls had not given up and still believed they could pull it off. The second half of extra time began were the first one left off however as the Blake girls scored to go up 3-1. At that point, even when it seemed to be good night Spartans, the girls fought back and gained a penalty kick. Junior Amanda Hotvedt took the responsibility of the kick and buried it into the back of the Blake net. The Spartans now down 2-3 had new momentum and began to fight for the victory, however there was simply not enough time left, Blake won 3-2. A very tough loss for the girls (their first in single A play this season)but one that can surely be avenged in the section playoffs in the next couple of weeks. As hard as this one is to digest, it should make the girls even hungrier to win sections. A congratulations for all the hard work that the girls showed.
Right after the girls game finished, the boys took the field looking too bring one back for the Spartans. Under the lights during a beautiful fall evening, the game began slowly for the Spartans who did not attack much during the first ten minutes. After that however the game picked up a good pace but the Spartans were not able to put the ball into the net. Newly returned goalkeeper Matty "ICE" Fiedler made a few good looking saves for the Spartans in the first half. James "HarG Knock Life" Hargrens had what may arguably be his best game of the season by playing solid defense, never allowing his opponent to even think about beating him. The end of the first half also saw the return of Josh "Slim Shady" Gray after having misssed five straight games due to a leg muscle injury. Gray seemed a little slower than usual, but his touch was as beautiful as ever when he cut past a Blake defender and almost put it past the keeper to give the Spartans a lead. The half ended with a score of 0-0, it was still anybody's game.
At the half the Interim Head Coach Max Lipest told his boys about playing simple and going out to score 5 goals. The Spartans took the message to heart and began playing an attacking style that gave the Bears very little room to breathe. After about 7 minutes, Senior Captain Ryan "Giggles" Hobert received a ball behind the half way line and began to dribble up the pitch. Hobert saw that there was nobody there to close in on him and so he continued all the way to the edge of the other box, were after a couple of fakes released a low left-footed shot into the right corner of the net for his 3rd goal of the season. The Spartans were up 1-0 now with Hobert's goal forcing all the momentum to switch their way. Shortly thereafter Ben "the Good German" Kachian made a pass to Slim Shady Gray down the left hand wing who faked a cross, cut inside and struck the ball with the inside of his foot to the opposite corner of the goal. 2-0 Spartans. After having been nagged by injuries for the majority of the season, this was the best way for Gray to make a statement in his return, a truly emotional return. A few minutes after that Lorenzo "Cappucino" Pavoloni made sure to give the Spartans some more of his caffeine so they would not start to doze off, with a wonder strike from the edge of the box. Pavoloni hit a ball with great power and finesse that dipped over the goalkeeper to give the Spartans a commanding lead. He seems to always score fantastic goals in great moments, a true striker. Pavoloni would go on to score again and the end of the game would see Sam Forsgren come back to his goal scoring ways by netting two goals to bring his tally to 32 on the season. The Spartans closed the game out 6-1 and will look to finish the regular season strongly on Thursday against Minnehaha.
Thursday will also see the girls play Minnehaha Academy as they look to gain momentum heading into the section playoffs.
The main event on the Thursday however will be after the two soccer games and it will once again be at Blake (Part 2). The Spartan football team will be looking for their first win of the season against their biggest rivals. The game is celebrating 100 YEARS of SPA VS BLAKE football and it is sure to be very entertaining. There will be an electric atmosphere and it is sure to be a special night for the Spartans who have been putting in plenty of hard work all season for this night. The game will see the return of QB Andrew Bradley who has been out since the first game of the season with a broken fibula. All Spartan students should wear white, we are going for a white out and you don't want to be the only kid out of 200+ that is wearing purple.
Good Luck to all three Spartan teams tomorrow and especially to the football team.
Go Spartans!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Heartburn
Yesterday the Spartan guys traveled into the Southern suburbs to taken on Apple Valley. The Apple Valley Eagles have been a powerhouse in Minnesota High School soccer for a long time and are the Two Time Defending AA State Champions. The Eagles however had lost many key seniors and started the season off slow. They lost a couple of key games early on which dropped their ranking from 1st to out of the top 10. Our Spartans on the other hand were dominating their Class A competition going into this game on an 8 game winning streak and holding an exceptional 12-1 record with the only loss being to AA school Edina. The Spartans had lost to the Eagles each of the past three seasons and when interviewed before the game Senior Captain Nico "Swan" Olson Studler emphasized that "It's our turn to win against them. I am sick and tired of coming here and losing badly every year."
The team took Studler's message to heart it seemed like, with the boys playing a very good first fifteen minutes of soccer which saw some exceptional saves by Ben "Beast" Braman. Around twenty minutes into the half, Lorenzo "Cappucino" Pavoloni won the ball in the middle of the field with a hard tackle and dished it off to Sam "Bulldog" Forsgren who found Gabe "G-Unit Brennaman up front. The G-Unit was the Spartans' only man up front and had three defenders in front of him, he made a couple of fakes which forced two of the defenders to collide and then with great patience perfectly executed a weak footed strike into the bottom corner of the opposite side of the net. The Spartans were up 1-0, Brennaman had scored their first goal against Apple Valley in the past three years. The Spartan players and bench all exploded with joy as they felt this was going to be their day.
The Spartans continued their game with very few mistakes and were still clinging onto the lead with five minutes left in the first half. The next Apple Valley attack however saw the Eagles strike level after a ball hit off the bar and found its way into the back of the net a midst confusion in the box. The game seemed as if it would go into the half tied 1-1 but exactly one minute after their first goal Apple Valley worked another counter attack to go ahead into the break 2-1.
The second half saw the Spartans come out hungry, believing that they could tie the game up. There was constant back and forth action until the referee awarded the Eagles with a penalty were there was no clear foul at all. It seemed like it was all over for the Spartans, but Ben "Beast" Braman did not let anybody down and came through with a fabulous save. The wonder save shifted the momentum and the Spartans began to attack with a purpose, however they were still struggling to create chances when in front of the net. This led to another Eagle set piece that finished with an aerial goal. 3-1 Apple Valley.
The boys however did not give up and continued look for a goal that would change the game. They had a couple of chances with G-Unit and Lorenzo "Cappucino" Pavoloni, but were unlucky on both. With less than 10 minutes left Apple Valley was able to score yet another goal off a set piece to shut the door on the Spartans. The match ended 4-1. It was a very tough result for the Spartan guys to digest because of all the hard work and fight they put on. The score does not do justice to the game the Spartans played, however thats the cruelty of sports. Regardless of the score the Spartans showed yet again that they are able to compete with even the bigger schools. There is nothing to be ashamed of in losing to a team like that, even though I still hold to the belief, knowing that I am not the only one, that we could have beaten them if everything went right. Sadly this game also marked the end of the Bulldog's goal streak, as my good friend once said though "All good things have to come to an end." What isn't coming to an end for Forsgren however is leading the state in points and being undefeated in single A play this season.
Later that night it was the Girls' turn to put on a show. The lady Spartans travelled to Richfield to take on the Holy Angels Stars in a section preview game. Under the lights, on turf and in front of many of their own fans, the girls took to the field pumped to spoil the Stars' homecoming. This match also started off very high paced with constant back and forth action. The Spartans looked like the more in form side, forcing the Holy Angels goalkeeper to make a few miraculous saves. The Spartans continued their dominance throughout the half, but to everyones surprise it was the Stars that drew first blood, scoring midway through the half. The Spartans did not allow the shock to hit them too hard and made sure that the Stars knew they meant business. Less than a minute after the Stars goal, Junior Amanda Hotvedt equalized the game with a powerful strike from inside the box.
The first half continued with the same entertaining action and a few close calls for both sides. Once the buzzer sounded for halftime the score was 1-1.
The ladies went into the second half hungry to grab a well deserved lead and continued to play a very entertaining style. The Spartans began to dominate and were clearly the better team on the attack. They searched and searched for the goal that would bring them ahead, but could not seem to find it. About halfway through the second half when the game seemed like it was bound to be drawn, Nina Perkkio broke through the Stars defense and scored the goal that gave the Spartans a 2-1 lead. The girls continued their control of the possession and came close on a few more chances but were not able to finish. The clock began to tick heavily and at some points it seemed like this game would never end. WIth about 55 seconds to go, as the Spartan fans prepared to sing good bye, the Stars worked a counter attack to perfection and were able to tie the game 2-2. The Spartans however did everything they could to end the game then and there and orchestrated an attack that came very close. With just a few seconds left in regulation Senior Captain Jenna O'Brien was fouled on the edge of the box by a Holy Angels defender, but this did not catch the referee's attention and so the game went to overtime. Overtime saw both teams make one last ditch effort to win, but nothing that came extremely close and so the game ended 2-2. Once again, the score did not do the Spartans justice, they deserved much better than a 2-2. However they were able to keep their undefeated Single A streak alive. A good job by the ladies who deserved more than what they got, but as we saw in the boys game it could have ended even worse.
Both Spartan teams played very entertaining games on Saturday, however they were also very painful to play in and watch for me. It is hard to see results that do not end in your teams' favors after having seen both teams demolish most of the competition this season and even play well in these two games.
The season however is far from over. Both teams will face the Blake Bears on Tuesday and the Minnehaha Eagles on Thursday. The boys will try to lock up a number 1 seed for section playoffs and end the season in style. The girls will look to do much of the same against a Blake team that knocked them out in the section finals in each of the past few years. Can you say revenge?
Thanks to all the fans that came out to the games this weekend, we would all appreciate the support in this final week of the regular season as well. The sporting week however will end with the game to watch, Blake vs SPA Football version. The game marks 100 years of Blake vs SPA football games and there is sure to be a great atmosphere in store.
On another note I have a special announcement to make, this post marks the one month anniversary of the blog. I hope you are enjoying it and hope you will continue reading as the sports year goes on. Thank You.
The team took Studler's message to heart it seemed like, with the boys playing a very good first fifteen minutes of soccer which saw some exceptional saves by Ben "Beast" Braman. Around twenty minutes into the half, Lorenzo "Cappucino" Pavoloni won the ball in the middle of the field with a hard tackle and dished it off to Sam "Bulldog" Forsgren who found Gabe "G-Unit Brennaman up front. The G-Unit was the Spartans' only man up front and had three defenders in front of him, he made a couple of fakes which forced two of the defenders to collide and then with great patience perfectly executed a weak footed strike into the bottom corner of the opposite side of the net. The Spartans were up 1-0, Brennaman had scored their first goal against Apple Valley in the past three years. The Spartan players and bench all exploded with joy as they felt this was going to be their day.
The Spartans continued their game with very few mistakes and were still clinging onto the lead with five minutes left in the first half. The next Apple Valley attack however saw the Eagles strike level after a ball hit off the bar and found its way into the back of the net a midst confusion in the box. The game seemed as if it would go into the half tied 1-1 but exactly one minute after their first goal Apple Valley worked another counter attack to go ahead into the break 2-1.
The second half saw the Spartans come out hungry, believing that they could tie the game up. There was constant back and forth action until the referee awarded the Eagles with a penalty were there was no clear foul at all. It seemed like it was all over for the Spartans, but Ben "Beast" Braman did not let anybody down and came through with a fabulous save. The wonder save shifted the momentum and the Spartans began to attack with a purpose, however they were still struggling to create chances when in front of the net. This led to another Eagle set piece that finished with an aerial goal. 3-1 Apple Valley.
The boys however did not give up and continued look for a goal that would change the game. They had a couple of chances with G-Unit and Lorenzo "Cappucino" Pavoloni, but were unlucky on both. With less than 10 minutes left Apple Valley was able to score yet another goal off a set piece to shut the door on the Spartans. The match ended 4-1. It was a very tough result for the Spartan guys to digest because of all the hard work and fight they put on. The score does not do justice to the game the Spartans played, however thats the cruelty of sports. Regardless of the score the Spartans showed yet again that they are able to compete with even the bigger schools. There is nothing to be ashamed of in losing to a team like that, even though I still hold to the belief, knowing that I am not the only one, that we could have beaten them if everything went right. Sadly this game also marked the end of the Bulldog's goal streak, as my good friend once said though "All good things have to come to an end." What isn't coming to an end for Forsgren however is leading the state in points and being undefeated in single A play this season.
Later that night it was the Girls' turn to put on a show. The lady Spartans travelled to Richfield to take on the Holy Angels Stars in a section preview game. Under the lights, on turf and in front of many of their own fans, the girls took to the field pumped to spoil the Stars' homecoming. This match also started off very high paced with constant back and forth action. The Spartans looked like the more in form side, forcing the Holy Angels goalkeeper to make a few miraculous saves. The Spartans continued their dominance throughout the half, but to everyones surprise it was the Stars that drew first blood, scoring midway through the half. The Spartans did not allow the shock to hit them too hard and made sure that the Stars knew they meant business. Less than a minute after the Stars goal, Junior Amanda Hotvedt equalized the game with a powerful strike from inside the box.
The first half continued with the same entertaining action and a few close calls for both sides. Once the buzzer sounded for halftime the score was 1-1.
The ladies went into the second half hungry to grab a well deserved lead and continued to play a very entertaining style. The Spartans began to dominate and were clearly the better team on the attack. They searched and searched for the goal that would bring them ahead, but could not seem to find it. About halfway through the second half when the game seemed like it was bound to be drawn, Nina Perkkio broke through the Stars defense and scored the goal that gave the Spartans a 2-1 lead. The girls continued their control of the possession and came close on a few more chances but were not able to finish. The clock began to tick heavily and at some points it seemed like this game would never end. WIth about 55 seconds to go, as the Spartan fans prepared to sing good bye, the Stars worked a counter attack to perfection and were able to tie the game 2-2. The Spartans however did everything they could to end the game then and there and orchestrated an attack that came very close. With just a few seconds left in regulation Senior Captain Jenna O'Brien was fouled on the edge of the box by a Holy Angels defender, but this did not catch the referee's attention and so the game went to overtime. Overtime saw both teams make one last ditch effort to win, but nothing that came extremely close and so the game ended 2-2. Once again, the score did not do the Spartans justice, they deserved much better than a 2-2. However they were able to keep their undefeated Single A streak alive. A good job by the ladies who deserved more than what they got, but as we saw in the boys game it could have ended even worse.
Both Spartan teams played very entertaining games on Saturday, however they were also very painful to play in and watch for me. It is hard to see results that do not end in your teams' favors after having seen both teams demolish most of the competition this season and even play well in these two games.
The season however is far from over. Both teams will face the Blake Bears on Tuesday and the Minnehaha Eagles on Thursday. The boys will try to lock up a number 1 seed for section playoffs and end the season in style. The girls will look to do much of the same against a Blake team that knocked them out in the section finals in each of the past few years. Can you say revenge?
Thanks to all the fans that came out to the games this weekend, we would all appreciate the support in this final week of the regular season as well. The sporting week however will end with the game to watch, Blake vs SPA Football version. The game marks 100 years of Blake vs SPA football games and there is sure to be a great atmosphere in store.
On another note I have a special announcement to make, this post marks the one month anniversary of the blog. I hope you are enjoying it and hope you will continue reading as the sports year goes on. Thank You.
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