Making the KAIAC pitch, pool, OAC track championship rounds: What we learned in Week 7.0

Posted April 26th, 2009 by Dave Ornauer

Pacific Sportsblog

Musings, mutterings and the occasional schmahts as Ornauer wipes the egg off his face and we creep within three weeks of Far East soccer championship week:

-- The expected barrage on the Okinawa Activities Council district track and field championship record book never took place. Only one of six records forecast to fall, did, the girls 400, as Zion Christian Academy's Sarah Wilson posted a 1-minute, 0.68-second clocking to beat the old mark by nearly a half-second. The other broken record was not expected, Kubasaki's Marquette Warren putting the shot 12.32 meters, .1 meters better than the old mark.

-- So, why the lack of record breaking? Several factors could be cited. For one, the 21-mph gusts blowing in the face of runners on the back stretch of Koza City Stadium. Rain had kept folks indoors most of the last two weeks, and the OAC's regular-season finale slated for April 17 got scotched due to the wet stuff. That meant the last real competition the three schools had was ... three weeks earlier at the Mike Petty Memorial Meet.

-- Then again, as one coach said Saturday, placement is all that really matters at districts. The top three finishers in each event qualified for the trip to Tokyo and the Kanto Invitational meet May 16 at Oi Pier Ground. "You want them to peak at Kanto," Kubasaki coach Charles Burns said. "That's the one they'll remember more than anything else."

-- When Ornauer swings and misses on predictions, he swings and misses in grand style.

-- A whole passel of record breaking went on in the pool instead, at Yongsan International-Seoul, site of the season-ending Korean-American Interscholastic Activities Conference swim meet. Five records, to be exact: Seoul Foreign's Andrew Park (boys 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke), Seoul American's John Graham (100 individual medley, 200 freestyle relay) and Seoul International's Serafina Kim (girls 200 freestyle).

-- But maybe the biggest surprise was Seoul American's girls slipping past Seoul International for the team title, the Falcons' first of the season, and at the absolute right time.

-- On the KAIAC Division I pitch, where it was just as wet as it was in the pool, Seoul Foreign's boys soccer dynasty continues. Ernst Dencher's penalty kick with seven minutes left boosted the Crusaders to a 2-1 win Saturday over Yongsan International-Seoul; it's SFS' eighth straight KAIAC Tournament title, to go with the Crusaders' seventh straight regular-season crown.

-- And YIS-Seoul's only two losses this season were to SFS. You know David Kim and the Guardians will enter defense of their Far East Class A Tournament title next month at Iwakuni with a belly full of fire.

-- While Osan American's boys didn't win the title, they did accomplish something they'd not done in a long time, beating Seoul American for the first time in seven years.

-- Speaking of Osan, Bria and Jasmine Pressley and the Cougars girls came up short in their bid for their first KAIAC Division I Tournament title since 1999. But they finally solved the mystery that was Taejon Christian International, beating the Dragons for the first time in three tries this season, and when it counted most.

-- Given how the Cougars' girls fared, they at least on paper look to stand an excellent chance at their first Class A Tournament title since 2006 and fourth in school history. Then again, my track record with predictions lately, etc.

War Kanto Invitational and Far East soccer coming ever so soon. 20 and 22.

FINALS: SFS 2-1 YIS-S

On April 26th, 2009 whenindoubt says:

very tight battle, but too close to call.

praise goes to SFS' Ernst Dencher, John Beckius (GK), Ryan Suh, Andrew Park and YIS-S' David Kim, Ted Kim, Arnold Chae, Jonathan Park, and Woojin Kim.

in the last away game at YIS-S, the crusaders had figured out the Guardians' strategic tactics and managed to stop all offensive momentum, and to eventually grab the win against the Guardians. While they normally played 3 in the back, they changed positions to create a 4 man defense at the away game and at the finals of this year's KAIAC tournament.

however, the Guardians noticed this change and decided to finally act upon it - instead of playing with their successful (against everyone except SFS) strategy consisting of three strikers, they played 2 - Jonathan Park and David Kim supporting him from behind - against the four defensive giants - Ernst Dencher, Francis Suh, Brad and Chris Kowalk. they also decided to play tight in the midfield, and did not play on the wings so much.

1st half: Crusaders seemed confused, but still were able to get a couple of plays going. same for the guardians - with a new strategy in hand, most likely not practiced before since there wasn't any change in yesturday's games against SIS and KIS, the guardians struggled to get any real shots on target. both goalies weren't really put to the test with the exception of David Kim's direct free kick from the left side of the field (Beckius' save was crucial). I would say that the guardians had more possession over the ball, but the crusaders, again, had a couple of good chances to score. 1st half ended in a 0-0 tie, and both teams re-entered the pitch five minutes before the referee did (they both seemed anxious to play).

2nd: again, both goalies weren't challenged in the first half, and still weren't until about 2 minutes into the game where SFS successfully but the ball behind the net with an indirect free kick and a header. Andrew Park beautifully placed the ball in front of Ryan Suh to put SFS ahead of Yongsan International.
a lot of constant substitutions for SFS - they seemed to have kept rotating their players, wingers especially, replacing their tired ones with fresh legs. John Kim was constantly in and out while Jonathan Park also stepped off the pitch to be replaced by Joseph Shin with the precaution of cramps.
i wouldn't say that the crusaders dominated the 2nd half like they did in the previous years - in fact, it was a very fair game, and still, both goal keepers were not challenged at all. Andrew Park made pretty plays with skillful footwork in the corners but overall, the teams were equally matched, and both defensive systems were not penetrated until later on in the game.
around the 25th minute of the 2nd half, Jonathan Park won a penalty for the Guardians to give them a chance to equalize with the Crusaders. a misplaced pass and a bounce off one of the defenders had the ball rolling towards the right side of Beckius' box as Jonathan Park, John Beckius and one of the Kowalk brothers (not sure who) raced towards it. Jonathan came out with the ball and was about to turn with Beckius on the floor and hands up, when Kowalk shoved Jonathan into the keeper's hands to trip Jonathan and give the Guardians a PK.
a lot of booing came from the stands, but the final decision was by the ref.
David Kim scored the eqaulizer.
David Kim and Jonathan Park then stepped up in desperate need for a winning goal - twice, David Kim collected the ball in the center to give it to Jonathan Park who outran the Crusader defense and to challenge Beckius to the goal, but twice did Beckius win the challenges as he slid body first to protect the goal. Outstanding performances by both sides.
In the end, the Crusaders, though no real chances were made by their side, won a penalty kick as the guardians attempted to clear the ball after a dangerous corner kick. ernst dencher finished the game to win the title once again.

Thanks!! reading stuff

On April 26th, 2009 majoryellowcard says:

Thanks!! reading stuff like this from far away puts me right in the stands :-) now why cant we get more commentary like these ones from whenindoubt and cebudiver.....

Pacific vs Europe Track and Field

On April 27th, 2009 USA_vball_coach says:

So Dave, I'm curious...any chance you can square off the times and distances in major events for Track and Field between Europe and the Pacific. I love Track and Field for its purity in that respect. There has been enough data gathered at this point...What say ye?

Pacific SportsBlog