Musings and mutterings as Ornauer examines the day's doings with a mix of surprise and understanding:

-- OK, the Girls Class AA Final Four field is set, Faith vs. Zama and Kubasaki vs. ASI ... um ... what was that you said?

-- You can't be serious.

-- A Kadena team that starts five freshmen and was thoroughly forecast to be rebuilding ... knocked off defending champion American School In Japan 3-1, with freshman Kristie Karibian's 40-yard lob shot in the 71st minute breaking the 1-1 tie?

-- Um, folks ... this and the new Ice Age weren't forecast to happen this year. Teams that start five freshmen and are comprised mostly of underclassmen simply aren't supposed to post upsets of such teams that return all but a couple of players from their championship season.

-- Just another reason why they play the matches on the surf -- er -- turf instead of on paper or Web sites such as this one.

-- Also shows what I know *as I beat my head on the keyboard*

-- Just as Kubasaki must face up to Okinawa rival Kadena at high noon Thursday at Mike Petty, so, too, did Kubasaki's boys face Kadena on Wednesday afternoon in the Boys Class AA Tournament, sending the Panthers to the consolation bracket. Much too soon a fate for a team expected to be in the Top Four, as Kubasaki coach Chris Kelly pointed out.

-- When do you put a player who leads the Pacific in goals by girls with 48 into the net and ask her to disguise herself as a goalkeeper? When Matthew C. Perry Samurai stalwart Kate "Berlin Wall" Cutshall can't go because of a bad wheel, and coach Chris Anderson must put one of his best athletes in the net.

-- Oh, it worked, BTW, as Karla Stroud made five saves and Danielle Dobson's 32nd goal boosted the Samurai to their school-first victory over Girls Class A host Daegu American, 1-0.

-- Samurai just one victory away from that "third time's the charm" championship triumph in one of those now-or-never years; the core of that team is either graduating or transferring.

-- So, too, will E.J. King's boys bid farewell to a group of seniors, Jon-Jon Green, Jeremy Ruelos and Ronnie Cardona, among others, who've been responsible for the Cobras' 5-0-1 run this week, after playing a pedestrian 8-8-1 regular season.

-- Weather outlook, nasty everywhere except Okinawa, where scattered showers are forecast. Iwakuni, Seoul, Daegu ... break out the rain gear.

Three days down. Two to go.