As we wrap up the 11th edition of Far East High School Soccer Tournament championship week, a boys champion team returns to the throne after a six-year absence, a girls team crowns itself for the first time, and a sad, controversial end to what began as a tight, thrilling third-place Girls Class AA match.
-- Fallbrook High in San Diego would be quite proud of the Sadler brothers, senior Colton and junior Cody, who teamed for the winning goal in the third overtime period, the first "golden goal" in Boys Class AA Tournament history. That gave Kubasaki its first championship since edging Yokota 2-1 at home in 2002. Fallbrook's loss was clearly Kubasaki's gain.
-- You don't think Kubasaki boys coach Chris Kelly would like to keep Class AA MVP Jacob Hess around another season? He leaves after scoring 21 goals this season, 12 in Far East alone. His speed was never questioned; his goal-scoring touch makes him a dangerous weapon for whichever school picks him up in the States.
-- And you don't think Kelly would love to keep junior defender David Krievs around for his senior season? The speedy, lanky Krievs had one assignment Friday: Shut down defending champion Christian Academy In Japan's high-scoring three-time All-Class AA junior Leo Kobayashi. He did just that. Kubasaki's loss is Nile C. Kinnick's gain.
-- Anybody out there still doubt that Kubasaki deserved its No. 3 ranking entering Far East despite a 4-10 record?
-- Away goes the bitter taste from the mouths of the American School In Japan Mustangs girls, who suffered an 8-1 defeat against Kadena in the 2006 Girls Class AA final. They rebounded smartly for a 1-0 shutout of defending champion Kubasaki in Friday's title tilt. Junior Ivie Myntti's 10th goal of the season was also the Mustangs' most important in their school-best 15-2-1 campaign.
-- Poetic justice, one might view it when they see Morgan Bridgman, a sophomore who suffered through that pounding by Kadena two years ago, has been named MVP of the Girls Class AA tournament. A great way for the senior to go out.
-- No ASIJ player has displayed the quickness and explosive first step of freshman striker Birke Duerloo since 2000 All-Tournament senior Natsuko Watanabe. Yes, she'll wear Mustang black and gold until she graduates. And while she runs cross country, don't expect her to head for the track team as a two-miler next season.
-- After the nearly academic outcomes of Wednesday's Class A title matches, what a refreshing way to end Far East tournament week and the competitive 2007-08 school year with a pair of 1-0 verdicts, one going deep into overtime and both of which could have gone either way. Nice sendoff into the summer.
Far East
It looks like the tournaments this year lived up to expectations. Playing in far east myself, there is nothing like it. Playing teams you havn't played all year, then playing those in league rivals. It makes for the best competition. Congrats to all of the 2008 Far East champs.
PS: Dave, when are those top soccer 11 coming out?
class A finals
Yes, the class A finals were not nailbiters but you have to admit that the Daegu Osan semifinal game was one of the most exciting in tournament history. if it was a championship game, it would have been one for the ages with Shawnqunisha's save of Osans first sudden death penalty kick winning the PK for Daegu 4-3
As for the final games, Faith played a clean, technical game and displayed sportsmanship for the entire tournament. I hope to see them at next years tournament even though they beat us. They were the only team to score on us (other than the PK shootout with Osan after the 0-0 draw) the entire tournament.
As for the SAHS - Kadena game, it was a shame for a 1-0 game to be called with over 16 min.left. We played SAHS twice and while their assistant coach can get a little emotional during a game, he is a nice guy. Lori Rogers was runner up for KAIAC coach of the year and has shown sportsmanship in every game we have played them in the past 3 years. ( although their home crowd can get a bit out of control) I wasn't there but cant imagine what would have caused the behavior I am reading about. I also have a lot of respect for Coach Nguyen who I know as the former Kadena Tennis coach and Far East Tournament director this season. He is very competitive but a really nice guy and sportsman . He also was carried away in the moment last year with the sit-down. Its funny (strange, not humerous) what the heat of the moment can do.
Thats the 2nd year in a row drama has overshadowed everything else in the AA tournament. Kinda makes me glad I am at a small school.
Kubasaki
Congrats Kubasaki! You guys worked unbelievably hard all year long! Most people don’t know how much you guys worked for it. The Kubasaki team is really a family. Deserved this 100 percent.
A fine moment I'll never forget
As Paul Harvey says: "Wash your ears out with this":
One of the finest moments I have witnessed in my 22 years of coaching occurred in the Kadena HS gym about 30 minutes after Kubasaki defeated CAJ 1-0 in Golden Goal overtime of the boy's "AA" championship game. All of the teams (except a disappointed CAJ) were in the gym waiting for the awards ceremony, when Kubasaki coach Chris Kelly walked in and received a warm and well deserved ovation initiated by the Kubasaki team and joined by the rest of the gym. About 2 minutes later, the CAJ team began to trickle in to the gym in groups of 3-4 players...obviously disppointed in their loss...heads hanging down...and the "agony of defeat" on their faces...again, the entire gym erupted into the biggest ovation of the day, and as the cheers grew...as the entire gym rose to it's feet, you could feel the entire crowd trying to lift the CAJ players spirits as they cheered and clapped and whistled again and again. The ovation lasted for almost 2 minutes until all of the CAJ players were standing together on the gym floor and were obviously overwhelmed by the appreciation that all of us showed for their efforts on the field all week. It was the finest moment that I have witnessed at a Far East tournament, and one of the most touching moments I have ever seen in H.S. sports. Congratulations to Kubasaki on their victory and even more for the genuine support and appreciation they showed for their vanquished opponent. It was better than any trophy, banner or award.