(Season
standings are at the bottom of the page)
-
Provincial
Championships - Games 3 & 4
-
1
- Lakewood Vipers vs. McKenzie
Football Club - 7
6
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Fort
St. John Selects - 8
-
The harsh reality
when you step into the playoffs is that every team, except one, has to
finish the year on a losing note. There are so many strong teams,
so many great players, and most haven't lost a game or a tournament all
year long. Suddenly, all but one do. It is a pressure filled
weekend where everyone comes in with great hopes and expectations, and,
for all but that one team who gets the gold, it would be easy to lose sight
of all that came before. For us, what came before was an amazing
season filled with exciting games, great play, gold medals and a lot of
fun, all shared by a fantastic group of young men and their families.
This weekend, with all of its ups and downs, was just the icing on a great
five-month experience.
-
Day two started
against McKenzie FC and, even the day after, I have trouble summing this
one up. Personally, I have issues with the special treatment they
demanded because of their age and size. If you choose to move
up an age group, you should accept the lumps that come with it. Instead,
the MFC coach spent the whole game pointing things out to the box referee
and I can't even estimate the number of times he then walked over to caution
me that we had to keep our distance against such small boys. I know
it was confusing for our boys to know what they could and could not do.
Suddenly they had to pretend they were back in U8 again. Minor contact
is inevitable in a fast game, and usually it isn't an issue, but when you
outweigh your opponent 2:1 the smaller player is always going to crumble
like a house of cards. Anyway, all negativity aside, there is one
inescapable fact - MFC were the stronger team. It would have been
nice to see how they would have reacted to more pressure, had we been allowed,
but they outplayed us and that is the reality. All 16 Vipers gave
it all they had, under tough conditions, and that is all you can ask for.
I am proud of their effort, heart and composure regardless of the score.
-
The Bronze game
featured the Fort St. John Selects who are the elite program of the FSJ
Soccer Club in B.C. Because they don't have enough kids for a U14
Selects program, they allow an number of U14s to play down in U12.
I'm not sure how it is that ASA allows them to play in U12 or Tier 4, but
I should point out that, whatever the irregularities with this team, they
were an excellent team and they were a very classy bunch both on and off
the field. The game was fast & exciting, everyone did their part,
both of our keepers were strong, I thought our team played with heart and
determination, and we just came up a bit short. In the end it was
probably the FSJ free kicks which killed us, I think they scored on three
of them, and I have to take responsibility for that as a coach. There
are ways to combat the screen, but there are so many things you have to
teach players, and so little time to do it. You just choose what
you think is most immediately needed and, until this game, it was never
an issue. I suspect it will be first up in the spring though!
-
In any event, I
was very proud of the boys, as I always am, for their play and their conduct.
As I said earlier, there are so many great teams, and only one gets to
win the gold. The boys fought hard right until that last whistle,
in fact some of our best soccer was played in the last five minutes, and
I applaud everyone of them for having the strength and courage, after a
long, long season, to persevere right until the end. I always judge
teams by what they can deliver when they are given a chance, and I have
no doubt that the 2006 Lakewood Vipers delivered as much as they possibly
could.
-
I just want to drop
three names in closing. Marin, we missed you out there and we all
feel very bad that an unfortunate break kept you out of our final game.
It was an accident, something that just happened because you were trying
your best, and I hope you don't blame yourself - it happens and it can't
erase all of the great things you did this season. Tanvir, I know
you took the last game pretty hard, but there is no harder time to dig
down and come up with your best than when it is certain that you are going
to lose. I was in awe of the fire and the courage you showed right
until the very last second - be proud of that. Zach, I just want
to thank you for taking a half in goal so that we could repay one of our
own. Medals are great, but I like to think we're about more than
that. I thought you played very well and, more importantly, I was
grateful that I could count on you to do whatever it took for the team
and for a teammate. That's the kind of player you've always been
for us.
-
So that's a wrap.
It was an incredible season. 28 games, dozens of practices, undefeated
in the regular season, first place overall, Polar Cup gold, Slush Cup gold,
a City Championship, 26 wins, an incredible 237 goals, and, most impressively,
a fourth place finish in the entire province of Alberta (and a small
part of B.C.). What I am most proud of though is how every player
consistently contributed and improved. You can pick any name on the
team, go through all of the summaries below, and you will see that every
player had his share of days when he was one of our stars. I can
look at every player and see how much he grew in both skill and character.
They're incredible boys and I consider myself the luckiest coach there
is to be allowed to work with them.
-
So, to every player,
parent and family member who made this season what it was, thank you and
congratulations. We'll see you all next week for our year end parents
game & party. Parents, we'll have paramedics standing by!
-
Provincial
Championship Final Standings
-
1. McKenzie Football
Club
2. Calgary PSA United
3. Fort St. John
Selects
4. Lakewood Vipers
5.Vermilion Strikers
6. Tri-County Sturgeon
7. Britannia Youngstown
8. Camrose Selects
9. Sherwood Park
Red Devils
10. Battle River
Bulldozers
--
Fairplay: Vermilion
Strikers
|
Provincial
Championships - Game 2
-
6
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Vermilion
Strikers - 2
-
Well a win is a
win, and this one guarantees us a spot in a medal game and top four
finish in the Province, but there were a few troubling things tonight.
One was the amount of walking, versus running, we saw from the forwards,
and another was the number of times Vermilion successfully got players
in behind our defence. That is something that will have to improve
on dramatically as we prepare to meet the immensely talented McKenzie FC
club. It actually took a very bad call by the ref, awarding a penalty
kick for an invisible infraction no one could identify, to wake up the
team.
-
Things looked very
promising in the first half when Dylan muscled his way through the "D"
for a goal, Tino scored on huge free kick from way out, and then Willem
converted on a beautiful cross from Arjun, but complacency kicked in and
Vermilion, sensing our weakness, threw everything they had at us.
Amin had a really strong game defensively, but they evetually had us scrambling
and then the ref made the bad call, and probably did us a favour he didn't
intend. The penalty kick made it 3-2, but it also woke the Vipers
up. They were unhappy and they chose to deal with it, not by dwelling
and complaining, but by showing how our team plays at its best. In
one amazing shift, the TWA line scored a goal each and put the game away.
-
This puts us in
a morning match-up with McKenzie FC, who are a team unlike anything the
boys have ever faced before. They are small, I'm not sure how the
refs will see that, but they are very skilled, and they have wonderful
vision on the field. If the Vipers can play like they did at the
end of this game, like they did against Twin Brooks a few weeks back, they
are up to the challenge, but it will be a very, very tough game for sure.
There is really only one choice - they will have to outwork them.
-
Other
Results:
Tri
County Sturgeon - 6
vs Camrose Selects - 3
Vermilion
Strikers - 8
vs Battle River Bulldozers - 2
Mckenzie
FC - 5
vs Ft. St. John Selects - 3
Britannia
- 8
vs Sherwood Park - 2
PSA
United - 16
vs Tri County Sturgeon - 1
|
Provincial
Championships - Game 1
-
12
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Battle
River Bulldozers - 0
-
I think the driving
was probably more exciting than the game - it's actually pretty impressive
that we had a full bench!. We knew Battle River was not really at
a Tier 4 level and we, somewhat purposefully, didn't want to expend too
much, too early, because tomorrow will be a very different day. This
was one where we mainly wanted to work hard, take care of business, avoid
any injuries or red cards, and earn a nice long break between games.
-
With this kind of
game, when your opponent isn't very strong, it can be pretty tough for
defenders to stay loose and focused and I though our defenders were solid
for the most part, particularly Tino & Ronak who really looked in control
during their shifts. Marin & Amin also made some aggressive challenges
to neatly break up a few rushes. The half time lead allowed us to
put Zach in goal, and I have to say he looked pretty good back there!
-
Perhaps the biggest
plus today was that all nine forwards managed to score, so the boys were
working it around a bit. Austin & Josh were very involved in
the play, even missing their usual center for the first half, and did well
to contribute some good team play. Willem, battling the flu, struggled
at first, but fought back in the second for a couple of goals, Praneil
unloaded several very hard shots on goal (I'm sure the keeper has
sore hands), and Gabriel had a great game, working hard and popping in
two goals of his own.
-
Tonight we face
the Vermilion Strikers at 7:30. We're not sure exactly what to expect
from them, but we're pretty confident that it all points to a 9:45 game
tomorrow morning, against McKenzie FC or Fort St. John, which would decide
if we play for bronze or for gold. Good work today Vipers!
-
Other
Results:
McKenzie
FC - 5
vs Britannia - 1
PSA
United - 10
vs Camrose Selects - 0
Ft.
St. John Selects - 9
vs Sherwood Park - 0
|
Slush
Cup - Gold Medal Game
-
4
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Britannia
- 3
(shootout victory)
-
What can you say about that? Britannia
threw everything they had at us today and you could see our boys beginning
to doubt themselves. An unfortunate little mistake put us down 1-0,
but it happens to the very best and it is never the end of the world.
Britannia was flying high after that and, almost immediately, made it 2-0.
It was time to calm the boys down, nerves were getting to them, and they
just had to remember how they used to do it in the days when things didn't
come quite so easily. When you find yourself in that situation you
need someone to step up, and today that someone was Tanvir. He absolutely
took over the game, bringing us back to 2-2 at the half on two huge shots,
and again by getting us back to even at 3-3. That really hurt Britannina
because every time their hard work got them the lead we were able to come
back.
-
The boys responded and they fought a whale
of a game. I don't know what you can see from above, but Britannia
is an extremely physical team and if you allow it to get to you, your game
will suffer. This was a real battle and I am very proud of ALL
the boys for their ability to deal with it and remain composed.
-
As for the shootout,
I am so proud of Nik for listening to what I told him and remaining focused
on the ball. Penalty kicks are a funny thing, and you can usually
count on the big kickers to miss. In fact, most shootouts are decided
more by who misses than who scores. Adrenaline takes hold and the
gunners kick too high, or right down the middle. With Nik, there
was no point worrying about the top corners, so he focused on what was
within his reach instead of guessing and diving the wrong way. We
didn't even need our final kick.
-
I should also express
our thanks to the parents for all of the driving you did this weekend,
the early mornings, and the great support you gave from the stands.
Believe me, it was really something to behold from down on the field and
you always do so much to let the boys know that they are special.
They are under such enormous pressure at such a young age and it is so
great that they know they will be winners to us regardless of what medal
they win. In fact, I think that is probably why they win as much
as they do.
-
Congratulations
Vipers! You had to earn this one the hard way and you can all be
very proud of the battle you fought today. In the end, it's never
really about the color of the medal at all. It's about making the
most of opportunities that are given to you in life and knowing that you
delivered your very best when you had the chance. Somehow, the best
always find a way. |
Slush
Cup - Game 3
-
7
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Sherwood
Park Titans - 1
-
This was a game we really needed to see
from the boys, not because of the score, but because it was the best second
half we have seen in quite some time. Our strength has always been
as a great second half team, and we had seen a few less-than-stellar efforts
lately following the two minute break, so this was a very positive development.
-
I thought we really dominated the first
half, but a string of close calls, goal posts and crossbars can leave you
wondering if today might not be your day. With a slim 1-0 half-time
lead, the boys showed a great deal more focus than they had yesterday and
we simply reinforced the idea that as long as they kept control, eventually
the ball would go in - and the flood gate did finally open.
-
The defense was really strong today.
They did a great job of shutting down the Titan offense, and also chipped
in three goals. Tino was very dominant today, counting for two of
the "D" goals and moving with relative ease around attackers. Amin
was really great too and, on one shift in particular hammered 4 or 5 consecutive
blasts into the Titan zone and finally bent one in for a really nice goal.
Matt had another solid effort and continues to show us that he won't be
intimidated by some of the big hits he has suffered in the last two days.
He's a tough kid and he doesn't give up.
-
The offence took a while longer to get
things going, but they kept on pushing until Sherwood Park just couldn't
hold them off any longer. Rizwan showed us the best passing we have
ever seen from him and I'm really proud of him for maturing so much in
that respect. He played a great game. Willem had his hands
full along the boards with a "sasquatch" but fought hard for every ball
and managed to get a goal and some nice passes through the his linemates.
Lately, Dylan has had to fight really hard for every inch as well but he
has persevered, his line has really improved defensively, and he was rewarded
with a nice goal today. Arjun, was as just a monster out there today
and when he's flying like that no one can stop him.
-
Finally, it was a bit of a different game
for Nik because there was a fair bit of contact and crowding in the box
so he had to be very careful. He did well like he always does though
and the Titans were only able to get it past him once. It was a great
effort, especially for an early morning game, and it showed us a lot of
positive things. Next up in the gold medal match it's Britannia,
who just squeaked by Calgary's #4 team, Celtic Clan, 4-3 in a game this
morning. |
Slush
Cup - Game 2
-
13
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Lac
La Biche Kickers - 0
-
Several times this season, fate has matched
us up with weaker teams just after we have put in a less than stellar effort
and it usually ends up pretty much like this. Lac La Biche had a
very long day, some of them started their day at five or six in the morning
and drove three and a half hours through heavy snow to get here, so they
weren't going to be at their best. Even at their best though, they
weren't going to be close. They don't have a soccer centre, they
play in gymnasiums, and they just aren't a tier 4 team.
-
TIno was back in the lineup and played
a very solid game. His defensive pair was actually on for seven goals
tonight. Matt bounced back nicely from his boarding adventure this
morning and, together with Zach, their pair played a very strong defensive
game as well.
-
Offensively, things didn't come easily
for the line of Dylan, Praneil and Gabriel tonight, there was a lot of
contact and a few tumbles, but their two way play has really picked up
in the last two or three games and they really covered well in both of
today's games. That will be a very important thing for our team when Provincials
roll around. Tanvir also had a really good game tonight and he covered
a lot of ground out there while managing to pop in three goals.
-
It didn't turn out to be much of a challenge,
actually it's quite surprising for a West Zone Tournament, but the boys
were certainly in better form than this morning and, as long as they can
keep their focus where it needs to be, things should go pretty well on
Sunday, and into Provincial Championships. A win in the morning will
put us in the gold medal final against either a stronger Calgary squad,
or maybe even Britannia again. |
Slush
Cup - Game 1
-
6
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Calgary
Blizzard Express - 4
-
It was something of a Jekyll and Hyde
game for us. In half one we saw the normal Lakewood Vipers, the ones
who usually dominate other teams, staking out a comfortable 6-0 lead, and
in the second half we saw a very different team who are probably
a little too used to having things come easily. The first half was
as strong a half as we have played this year, and then the boys seemed
to take a break. We'll focus on the first half though...
-
Rizwan, Josh and Austin came out very
strong today and notched three goals within their first two shifts, thanks
to some good passing and a lot of hustle. The other two lines caught
fire after that and I thought we were all over Calgary in the first half.
Arjun had a great first half as well, and I thought Gabriel played some
outstanding soccer, especially in the midfield, Defense was a little
bit harder to judge, because we were little disjointed out there as a team,
but I really liked the aggressiveness Amin and Ronak showed in the first
half.
-
The second half was a very different story
and, to be fair, it did hit us pretty hard that we were a defender short,
yet again. Perhaps it was too early in the day to ask for double
shifts from the forwards who were covering the vacancy on defense.
There does seem to be a trend here lately though, and we are going
to have to rediscover the wheels which made us such a strong second half
team in the past. The boys will be back though. They are mature
enough to see what happened and learn. We will see a much better
effort tonight. |
City
Championship Match
-
7
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Britannia
- 3
-
The original summary for this game was
somehow deleted due to a software glitch, but this was the day the Vipers
put together one of the most complete, mature games they have ever played
and, against our respected rivals from Britannia, finally claimed the long
sought after City Championship. Exploding out of the gates with an
early three goal blitz, they put Britannia in a huge hole before the game
was 7 minutes old and then settled into a dominant passing game which eventually
extended our lead to 7-1. A brief letdown at the end brought Britannia
to within 4, but, other than that, it was a tremendous victory over a tremendously
talented opponent.
-
While it was TWA who shone on the scoresheet,
fueled by Arjun's excellent passing Tanvir had three goals and Willem had
two, the game really featured significant contribution from every single
player in all sorts of key offensive and defensive situations, and was
characterized by well thought out playmaking and a lot of determined running.
Defenders shut down rush after rush while the forwards kept the ball moving
around in a fashion that kept our momentum alive and wore our opponents
down. In goal Nik made huge saves at the most important moments and
limited rebounds to a bare minimum.
-
It was one of our finest days and it put
the icing on a dream season. No team has worked harder than this
one and it was great to see it finally pay off in gold after disappointments
in previous seasons. There was just no doubt in the boys minds before
the game began, and they certainly left no doubt in the end. They've
been the cream of the crop all season long and now, thanks to a total front-to-back
effort today, the Lakewood Vipers are Edmonton's 2006 Indoor City Champions!
Congratulations Boys and ON TO PROVINCIALS!!! |
Game
15 (Round Three)
-
4
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Baturyn
- 2
-
In a season with a lot of one-sided victories,
it was good that the boys had to go out there and really earn this one
to qualify for the City Championship and Provincials. There is a
real cost for wins like this one, and there are certainly a lot of bruised
ribs, banged up ankles and skinned knees tonight. It shows one of
the ways the boys have really matured though. They don't let it bother
them, even when the penalties only go one way, and they focus on the goal
at hand, not on potential excuses. They're willing to pay their dues.
-
It was another typical Viper "big game"
where they all brought their best effort and, with the exception of a massive
total-team error on the first Baturyn goal, they played a complete game
today. Our defence was short a man, and often had to deal with different
pairings than usual, but they looked very solid. Marin was amazing
on defence, in fact I think it was his best game of the season, and Tino,
still nursing a big scar on his knee, was back in the lineup and played
really well. It was an especially physical game, sometimes dirty,
and I thought the defence, as a whole, did very well to deal with it and
come out on top.
-
Up front, everyone did their part as well.
Riz kept his shifts short and worked well with his wingers, which led to
the openings where he was able to score his two goals. Willem's work
along the boards was really strong once again, and Arjun ran like a man
possessed today. Honestly, after all this time, I had no idea he
had that kind of speed - whatever he had for breakfast, we're all going
to have to try it! Our forwards all put forth good efforts, fighting
against some very rough play, and they showed us their ability to adapt
to the moment.
-
So next week we meet Britannia for the
Edmonton City Championship. We have played them twice before, once
this season, once in outdoor, and both were one goal games so it promises
to be very exciting. Unlike this summer, the game does not have any
bearing on Provincials, we're going for sure, so the boys have only one
thing to focus on and I think they're ready for it.
-
Don't forget we have practice on Tuesday.
There are a few things to brush up on so we'll see you there. Until
then, first overall, another undefeated season, another birth in Cities
& Provincials... Congratulations Vipers! |
Game
14 (Round Three)
-
9
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Hazeldean
- 3
-
Our team often comes out flat after big
games, it's natural I suppose, and this time we had an extra week off as
well so it wasn't unexpected. Sometimes I wonder if EMSA doesn't
elevate too many teams to Tier 4 though. For a team like ours, it
means regularly going from stronger teams to weaker teams, and then back
again, and it is difficult to settle into a consistent level from game
to game. There has been talk that perhaps a single T4 group, instead
of a 4X and a 4Y, would make things better for everyone but, then again,
there are blowouts in every tier so who knows? Whatever the case,
it is tough to get up for a team you scored 16 goals on last time in the
same way you would for a team like Twin Brooks or Baturyn.
-
There were definitely bright spots today,
such as Austin's effort on two goals, determined running down the right
by Praneil, and some good defensive plays from Marin & Ronak but, for
the most part, the boys were pretty complacent and they knew it.
We changed our usual playing order due to a late arrival, Tino was still
out of the lineup, and we did bring Nik out for a half at forward (and
a really nice goal), so we did approach the game differently, but it was
a game that had no bearing on anything and it really showed early on.
Pride finally kicked in at 5-3 and the boys seemed to decide enough was
enough. In the end it was a good effort, just not as sharp as we're
used to. Fair enough, I suppose. After all, the boys do bring
forward their best efforts when they're needed most and we'll see that
again in upcoming games.
-
This week, practice moves back to Mary
Hanley School (Tuesdays, 6:00 PM) and next week we have a huge game against
Baturyn, who are still undefeated in this round (not the same Baturyn we
played in Round 1). The winner will advance to the EMSA Gold Medal
Game, and to ASA Provincials in March, while the loser will be relegated
to the Bronze Medal Match. This week's practice is an important one
so we hope to see you all there! |
Game
13 (Round Three)
-
6
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Twin
Brooks - 0
-
WOW! There were plenty of reasons
today could have been unlucky 13 for us. We learned early in the
week that Tino was out with an injury, today we learned that Zach
was badly hurt on Friday and probably wouldn't play and, during the game,
several of our boys were feeling sick (as I write one of them is very ill
with a bad flu). Add that to inevitable nerves, mixed up lines, a
VERY strong opponent, and the recipe was there. The boys, however,
thought differently and they responded with maturity and determination
beyond their years.
-
I have gone out to watch Twin Brooks play
on three occasions this year and I brought two pages of notes into the
dressing room today as we discussed our game plan. With great maturity
the boys listened intently and then went out on the field and executed
that plan absolutely perfectly.
-
We felt their keeper could be beaten low
and the boys kept most of their shots low. Nik was told how they
like to shoot, and he covered every angle perfectly. We knew that
#35 is the heart of their offence so the defence shut him down. We
knew that they run decoys off to one side and then quickly sneak a man
all alone in front but the "D" never got caught out of the box. We
knew that they are dangerous on free kicks but Dylan & Riz did a great
job of challenging and taking some pretty hard shots square in the back.
We felt that if we mucked along the boards and dumped to the corners we
could spread them out and that's exactly what happened. Quite honestly,
they did everything right.
-
There is another side to this story though.
That has to do with heart and I have to start with Zach. We really
thought he couldn't play and what he did today, tired and in pain, I can't
really put into words. Even after the fact, knowing how we won, I
struggle with whether or not it was the right decision for me to let him
play. After seeing him leave the game as he did, taking a ball in
an already badly hurt back, I fear it wasn't. Zach, however, is a
kid with tremendous heart and determination. You would have to tie
him down to keep him out of a big game and, without a doubt, his courage
was our inspiration today. He was the catalyst that allowed our boys
to rise to the level they did. Thanks Zach!
-
His example spread through the team as
the boys made every effort and paid every price. Forwards were blocking
shots, Praneil ran like crazy to intercept passes, and Gabriel slid into
the boards to cut off their plays to the keeper. Willem and Austin
absorbed pushes and elbows along the boards, but they soldiered on, and,
back on "D", Lance had his guys running in high gear. One after another,
Zach, Marin, Amin, Ronak & Matt challenged charging forwards flawlessly
and aggressively, making short work of nearly every rush that came their
way. Amin paid for it with a brutal, and inexplicably unpenalized,
kick to the foot but I hope he knows that he played his best game as a
Viper. In fact, amidst weak refereeing, a lot of ankles were chopped
out today but the boys stayed focused on their goal and never complained.
-
Up front, Josh & Tanvir showed great
effort, defensively and offensively, and Arjun was amazing pulling a string
of double shifts to cover Tino's absence on "D", as well as his own forward
shifts. In every way this was a complete team effort and every
single boy was at his best today. As coaches and parents we are
all very proud of what you did out there today boys. After so many
great seasons, after all of the things they've done, perhaps the most amazing
thing about these boys is that they actually can still amaze us.
They continue to top themselves. Another great performance today
Vipers! Enjoy your week off and we'll see you all on February 6th
for practice. |
Game
12 (Round Three)
-
14
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Dunluce
- 0
-
Our Round 3 schedule basically gave us
the two weakest teams first and that's a bad position to be in, unless
you have a crystal ball. There is no way to know how badly Twin Brooks
or Baturyn will beat these teams so, unpleasant as it is, we have no option
but to score all we can. As far ahead of Twin Brooks as we appear
to be in plus/mius, they meet these same two teams last in this round so
the potential is there for them to catch up.
-
Our plan today was to focus on things
we have worked at in practice and to use this game as training for next
week. After a slow start, we came to life in the second half, although
the opposing coach's temper and negativity probably had a fair bit to do
with his team's collapse - that's truly unfortunate because we're just
talking about 11 & 12 year old boys here. Naturally, it spilled
over to his players and there was some verbal abuse going on but, for our
part, I believe our boys stayed out of it and focused on playing.
-
There are positives to focus on of course.
Josh exploded for a big game with four goals and he received some great
support from his line mates. It is nice to see Riz passing the ball
more and he made some perfect passes to setup goals today. Dylan
fought hard to notch a pair of goals and Arjun was exactly where he needed
to be at all times, recording another hat trick. Gabriel was particularly
effective and was rewarded with a nice goal for his efforts.
-
On "D", I was very pleased with the work
of Matt & Zach today. Matt is always consistent and he makes
very smart choices in terms of his turning inside or outside when under
pressure in our zone. Z's forward rushing, provided he is careful
against the stronger teams, adds another dimension to our attack and makes
it more difficult for teams to form an effective strategy against us.
-
As usual, Nik was spectacular whenever
he was needed, posting his fifth shutout of the season. He was the
target of some unsportsmanlike yapping, and a pretty hard shot to the nose,
but he kept his composure as always.
-
So now it's on to Twin Brooks next week.
The boys have come a long way in the last few weeks and I think they're
ready for the challenge. It will be a close one, probably decided
by effort and discipline. We have a few things to brush up on before
then and so we hope to see everyone for practice (hopefully on time) on
Monday, 6:00 PM, at the South Soccer Centre. |
Game
11 (Round Three)
-
10
- Lakewood Vipers vs. LaPerle
- 0
-
In two weeks we will play Twin Brooks,
and even though Baturyn pulled off a stunning tie with them today, the
game could well decide the outcome of our season. Today we talked
about playing at top form in the two games before that match, regardless
of the score. No letting up, we must play, at all times, like the
game is 0-0. Our reasons? Firstly, if we tied with Twin Brooks,
or Baturyn for that matter, whether or not we go to Cities & Provincials
would be decided by plus/minus. Pulling back because of a big lead,
could cost us that chance. Secondly, with little practice time this
month, this is our development time. Asking the team to play large
portions of games at half speed, and then hoping they can turn it on in
the big game, is not practical. Blowing out teams isn't fun, but
it is a reality for, at least, the first few games.
-
The first half, despite our three goal
lead, wasn't as strong as we had hoped. The challenge at the half
was to step it up, and did they ever! That was some of the best play
making we've seen yet from our squad. Rizwan, despite not scoring,
played one of his best games as a Viper with some smart passing and a really
beautiful feed to Austin (who was rewarded, yet again, for going hard to
the goal). Dylan played well today, threading some very nice passes,
and Gabriel played a determined game, contributing in a big ways to his
line and to Praniel's hat trick. Willem's hard work along the boards,
and that nifty little spin-move setup, succeeded yet again in drawing our
opponents out to the sides. Tanvir and Arjun had a field day with
the resulting open space and their setups were absolutely beautiful to
watch.
-
All six defenders really showed their
strengths today and, combined with Nik's strong performance in goal, they
absolutely earned the shutout. They worked hard, they were aggressive
at all the right times, and each defender provided key offensive and defensive
plays when needed. When they play with that kind of confidence, they
elevate our entire team to another level. Marin was really dominant
today and I loved the way Tino moved into the middle, past center, and
sent forward some outstanding feeds. When we pass like that, there
are very few teams around who can beat us. Today was an excellent
way to start the third round, and definitely something we can build on
as the big matches draw nearer. Very nice work Vipers! |
Game
10 (Round Two)
-
7
- Lakewood Vipers vs. LaPerle
- 2
-
First games after tournaments are historically
very weak for us. Even though the boys were warned before the game
about the dangers of a letdown, it took a quick two goals by LaPerle in
the first few minutes to wake them up to the reality. Even then,
it took a little while to get rolling but, fortunately, they were finally
able to find their form and generate seven unanswered goals.
-
Once they began to run, it was the usual
case of each forward line contributing 2 or 3 goals but, up until then,
there was a lot of walking, not much passing or challenging, and virtually
no coming back to help out. Nik, who was unlucky on the second LaPerle
goal (his glasses had fallen off so he couldn't see a thing), did as well
as he could without much help early on and ended up making some key saves
while the Vipers found their legs.
-
Finally we responded and Josh made one
of his patented dashes through the defence, calmly depositing a beautiful
goal. That one gave us a big lift but I thought it was Austin who
had a huge effect on today's match. He set a solid example
for the team in the way he consistently worked hard, drove for the net
and found open space. Even though passes weren't being sent across
to him at first, he patiently stuck to the plan and was rewarded with a
much deserved goal - the go-ahead goal at that! After that, things
began to roll.
-
Defensively, we ran with only two pairs
due to absences today. It seemed to rattle them a bit, especially
at first, but I was happy with the way Amin and Matt stepped up for their
respective lines and made some very key defensive plays to break up rushes
and turn the ball up field. It wasn't one of our best days, but it
wasn't unexpected and it was nice that the boys were able to dig down and
take the game back when they needed to. Good work!
-
Next week, it's on to round three (look
for new schedules around Tuesday or Wednesday). We're anticipating
very stiff competition, especially if we are correct in assuming that defensive
powerhouse Twin Brooks will be placed in our group. This Wednesday
we have another important practice at the South Soccer Centre so we'll
see you all then. |
Polar
Cup - Gold Medal Game
-
11
- Lakewood Vipers vs. St.
Albert - 2
-
I guess you could say it was anticlimactic
because we didn't get get as much competition as we might have liked, but
the real truth is that the boys went out and beat legitimate Tier 4 teams
by playing a total game. Today, every single boy played well personally
and made his team better for it. They have shown us things this tournament
that we haven't seen from them before, especially in their positioning,
use of the corners, and strategic movement from side to side and end to
end. Their sense of where to be, where to play the ball, and why,
has matured and their movement was just too much for teams to handle.
-
First off, all six Viper defenders
were absolutely dynamite with their confident aggression and the way they
always recovered so quickly from their forward rushes. Their free
kicks have been amazing all tournament long as well. They punched in a
lot of big goals this week and forced opposing keepers to make many tough
saves. I thought Marin was really strong today, Ronak was rock solid
as well, he continues to improve at light speed, and Zach was about as
dominant, offensively and defensively, as a defender could possibly be.
-
Up front, each of our three lines contributed
three goals and that is as much as any coach could ask. Gabriel was
very tenacious today and made a lot of opportunities possible for his line
as did Praneil with that great shot and some excellent board passes.
The "TWA line" continued to excel as a unit with strong board work from
Willem and solid playmaking and shooting from Arjun and Tanvir. It
was really great to see Josh get really involved up front today too.
He is such an exciting player to watch and he makes things happen and opens
up so many possibilities for his line mates when he runs so much.
-
Lastly, I can't say enough about Nik.
One could conclude from the score that he didn't have much work today but,
in reality, he got in front of a number of very solid shots simply because
he played his angles so well today and was exactly where he needed to be.
A good keeper can often make the difficult stops look easy and that's exactly
what he did. Beyond that though, he is a total team player who will
do and sacrifice anything for the team and he continually sets the bar
for us.
-
So, once again, the Vipers are Polar Cup
champs and I want to congratulate sixteen equally valuable players for
their play and their class. You earn these medals and it is a pleasure
to watch you out there game after game. To our parents, thank you
for your time, efforts and support. When a team succeeds, at any
level, it is truly a co-operative effort between players, coaches, and
families, and your enthusiasm and dedication has made all of this possible.
Congratulations to all and have a Happy New Year! |
Polar
Cup - Game 3
-
16-Lakewood
Vipers vs. Hazeldean - 3
-
After a clarification of the tie-breaking
rules, we knew that winning today by two or more goals would guaranty us
a spot in the gold final regardless of any other games played today.
Ultimately, it was a moot point. In terms of controlling play, this
was one of the most uneven matches we have ever played in and it even got
a little ugly with the opposition coach accusing us of not using a full
bench and only playing our "best players". Well, all of our boys
are our "best players" and we played them all.
-
Honestly, I don't really enjoy winning
games by such huge scores, but I have great admiration for the growth our
boys have shown so far in this tournament. In recent weeks they had
hit a sort of "mid season blues" and it has been great to see them rediscover
their drive and creativity.
-
I thought Josh really worked hard out
their today, and I was happy to see Tino continuing to dominate in the
neutral zone as he has done all tournament. Rizwan tucked in a couple
of really nice goals today and I was pleased once again with the way Austin
drove so hard to the corners and to the net (and was rewarded with a goal
for doing just that). Amin was similarly rewarded for a great drive
to the goal and I thought that Arjun played one of his very best games
as a Viper. Honestly, it was another one of those games where I could
single out every single player for something positive and I thought that,
from back to front, they just looked like the total package.
-
Tomorrow we find ourselves in another
Gold Medal game. It is a travesty that Royal Gardens will not be
there with us, after all they went undefeated this week too, but that is
the way the groups were set up this year. Instead we'll play St.
Albert again. After our last meeting it would be easy to write them
off, but I know that they are a better team than they showed us and it
will be very interesting to see what they throw at us. We're playing
well, and the boys look very confident but we'll have to be careful that
overconfidence doesn't beat us. Well done today Vipers! |
Polar
Cup - Game 2
-
10
- Lakewood Vipers vs. St.
Albert - 1
-
Due to a new "mercy rule" in the tournament
rules (five goal maximum victory), this game will only appear in the standings
as a 6-1 victory , but it was far more one-sided than that. For the
second game in a row, our opponent showed us way too much respect, certainly
more than teams in our own league do, and their conservative play early
on allowed us to set the tone.
-
Make no mistake though, our boys played
very well, especially considering it was their second game today, and they
played with intensity and creativity that, frankly, may have been missing
during our last few league games. It was great to see them passing
again, in fact the set-ups were often nicer than the goals, and there was
a returned confidence which allowed them to mentally slow the play down
and control every aspect of the game.
-
Gabriel showed a lot of hustle and determination
in this game and it opened up a lot of opportunities for his linemates,
including three nice goals from Praniel. It was nice to get Nik out
of the goal again, to see him respond with his usual endless tenacity,
and I really liked the way Austin worked hard and crossed the ball to his
linemates. Dylan showed a lot of heart too. He is playing sick
and he worked very hard and made some great passes.
-
On "D" Marin was really solid while Matthew
and Amin both played very smart games, perfectly balancing effective defence
play with aggressive forward challenges. It was unfortunate that
the goal which was allowed appeared to be punched in with a hand, according
to several who were close, but those are the breaks and you can't fault
the defence.
-
Assuming we can put together another victory
tomorrow we now have a really good shot at advancing to Friday's gold medal
final, although you can never be totally sure with the new crossover format,
five goal maximum margins and unclear tie-breaking rules. We control
our own destiny though, and that's always the spot you want to be in. |
Polar
Cup - Game 1
-
6
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Fort
Saskatchewan - 1
-
Before the game there were lots of nerves,
and a few boys not feeling too well, but this was a really good effort
to start the tournament. Fort plays in the very strong Sherwood Park
league, and could probably have given us more trouble than they did, but
they seemed somewhat intimidated. You could see it right away in
the way they spent a lot of time watching us in warm-up, and they seemed
reluctant to really challenge us. Reputation can be a positive if
you come out strong and live up to it right away. That's what the
boys did.
-
With the exception of one bad series,
our defense absolutely dominated today. They kept the play to the
outside for the most part and were very aggressive when they needed to
be. Tino showed more solid control of the midfield area and Ronak
played one of his best games ever, continually taking the ball out of the
air and confidently moving it forward. Zach was really bold in his
play, challenging often and even contributing a beautiful end to end goal.
-
Our forwards were in total control for
most of this game and our "TWA" line had a huge impact on today's game.
Tanvir unloaded some huge shots today (scoring once), Arjun tucked in a
pair of goals and Willem was huge of the boards, setting up all three of
the lines goals. Dylan felt really sick but he and Praniel
contributed two important goals as well.
-
There were times where we stopped running
today, and we'll have to step it up in our next games, but the boys really
set the tone out there with some hard work and they managed to turn nervous
energy into positive energy. Hopefully we can keep it at this level
and convert on a greater percentage of our scoring chances in our
second game, later today. Our opponent will be playing their first
game of the day against our second so it will be quite a challenge. |
Game
9 (Round Two)
-
5
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Ridgewood
- 4
-
There have been games this season which
were probably more even than the one-sided scores would indicate, games
where the score could have been closer but we capitalized on all our chances
and our opponent didn't. Today it felt like the game really wasn't
as close as the score would suggest. If you look at time of possession,
pressure applied and good scoring chances, I think the Vipers controlled
this game but we missed a lot of great scoring chances while Ridgewood
capitalized on the few they had. You have be able to finish in this
game. To be fair, Ridgewood was really pumped up for this game, and
our boys did play well against an inspired opponent, but there was a little
urgency missing - possibly a little down after the high of last week's
match.
-
Knowing that Sean, our former assistant
coach, is on their bench this season, we figured that a lot of attention
might be paid to Dylan, who was the biggest part of our offense when Sean
last saw us. Full credit to Dylan for accepting this and dealing
with some tight checking. He played a good game and the focus on
him left a little more room for our other two lines to provide our five
goals. Rizwan and Tanvir also played really strong games up front,
and Willem did well along the boards against some pretty big opponents.
-
On defense, Tino had excellent ball control
today and made some very clever little plays in the midfield to move around
attackers and send the ball upfield. Ronak was really strong as well,
in fact I thought the whole defence was solid and even made up for some
of the aggression our offense may have lacked at times today. That's
the sign of a good team though. If one part isn't working as well,
another steps up for them.
-
In the end, I felt we were clearly the
stronger team but, again, we lacked some of our usual finishing touch.
Everyone played well enough to win, but our little mistakes cost us and
you have to give Ridgewood credit for pouncing on them when we made them.
The win locks up first place in Round 2, which means we don't have to cross
over in Round 3. Next up it's the Polar Cup, following this Tuesday's
practice. Congratulations Vipers on an important victory. |
Game
8 (Round Two)
-
5
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Britannia
- 4
-
By now you're probably used to hearing
that games will be close and then they just don't turn out that way at
all... well, this one lived up to it's billing (and then some!).
We talked to the team this week about how Britannia is probably our perfect
foil because some of their biggest strengths are in areas where we know
we are vulnerable (and what those areas are we won't reveal in public!).
To that end, we did focus on a couple of very key strategies for today's
game which the boys were mostly successful at. Ultimately though,
we knew it would come down to effort & heart. Without a doubt,
EVERY
SINGLE PLAYER on the team contributed something important today.
Some were clearly nervous, some weren't feeling well, but they all
stepped it up and put in their grittiest effort yet. It was a very
entertaining match.
-
Firstly, Nik was great again. He
felt a little nervous, and he probably hates it that 4 goals got past him,
but this was a very strong team and, in a match that close, every
great save he made was a game saver. Up front, Austin scored an absolutely
beautiful goal after a very nice little deke in the box. Win or lose,
we want to see boys improving and I'm thrilled with the way he has listened
and applied our advice about focusing on the ball when it comes to him.
On that same line, Josh was absolutely supercharged today (I really need
to find out what he eats on game day!) and Riz delivered two key goals.
All three lines scored again, and that equal output will be key down the
stretch.
-
Behind the line, our defenders really
had their hands full today and I applaud each of them for winning a real
battle back there. Amin and Marin seemed to face the strongest Britannia
line a lot today and they did really well to stay calm when things got
tough. On those occasions when it did get to be too much, Arjun and
Gabriel were great at coming back and helping out.
-
This was a really big win, especially
considering the pressure the boys were under today. You can't put
a value on hard-fought "character" wins and a team really learns a lot
from these. Next week we play a very tough Ridgewood squad (who downed
Royal Gardens today) and, once again, we have much to work on at practice
this week. Great effort today from everyone Vipers! That was
a lot of fun and it's certainly one to be proud of. |
Game
7 (Round Two)
-
9
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Willowby
-
1
-
We really expected this one to be a lot
closer. After all, WIllowby scored 45 goals in the first round and,
along the way, relegated one of the league's real powerhouses to Tier 5.
When they scored first to take the lead, it sure felt like it would be
a close one but, even though we had some boys under the weather today,
Willowby just couldn't keep up for the whole 50 minutes.
-
For the second week in a row, the boys
displayed their trade mark ability to respond when pressured, something
missing from our first match with Royal Gardens. To be fair, there
were definite stretches where Willowby exerted strong pressure in our zone
(and players knocking the ball away from their own keeper before he can
pick it up will cause a coach to pull his hair out), but they weren't able
to finish what they started because our defenders, even when scrambling,
did a good job of plugging the holes. Not only that, but Zach and
Amin stepped up and popped in two beautiful free kick goals from long range
and Zach even threw in one of his famous "Matrix" shot blocks. I
also thought Matthew & Ronak were extremely strong in their new defensive
pairings and had some very dominant shifts.
-
Up front we have been challenging Tanvir
to play with the kind of fire that befits his ability and, for the second
week in a row he stepped up - this time with a hat trick. It is a
huge plus for our team to have the three forward lines in a virtual dead
heat for goals scored and a big dilemma for opponents wondering which line
to key on. Although he was finally shut out, Dylan did well to rush
hard and to try and find the open man. Our message this round has
been that it isn't really important who scores the goal, they're all team
goals from now on, and it's nice to see his awareness of the total game
continually growing. Lastly, Praniel is clearly happy to be playing
forward (he didn't have much chance on his previous team) and he has responded
with real determination and drive at his position. Great work all
around Vipers!
-
Next, we meet undefeated Britannia and
we will be very evenly matched. Don't let their numbers, or
their tie with Royal Gardens fool you. Our weaknesses play to their
strengths and this will be an extremely tough game. We'll see you
all at practice on Tuesday! Again, great work today Vipers! |
Game
6 (Round Two)
-
6
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Royal
Gardens - 3
-
Well it was our first game in Tier 4 and
Royal Gardens gave us another strong challenge - their numbers simply do
not do them justice. On paper they are a 2nd place team with an average
plus/minus and two losses, but I think some other Tier 4 teams are in for
a HUGE surprise when they meet them.
-
We played missing two key players, forcing
us to bring Tino up front (where he did very well) and to go with a four
man "D". Hats off to Matthew, Ronak, Zach & Marin for pulling
over 27 minutes each, and to the team as a whole, who did really well adapting
to the situation. Tanvir gave us his strongest effort yet and a couple
of nice goals, one real beauty off a great cross from Willem, and Arjun
completed that line with rock solid two way play. He is an amazingly
smart and complete player. Praniel had another strong game up front
as well with a few great scoring chances, and a scorching crossbar shot,
off of some blistering drives (honestly, if I were the keeper I'd just
get out of the way!).
-
Finally, Nik was AMAZING! I know
he felt bad on one goal he thought he blew, but there were four or five
massive saves from in close which I swore would be goals. There were
definite lapses in our play from time to time but, when there were, he
absolutely closed the door. Great work Nik!
-
All in all, it was a good team effort.
The important thing was that whenever Royal Gardens came on, the boys showed
the determination to take the game back and that made this match different
than the last time we met. There were even a few close calls which
would have seen our margin of victory bigger, but it doesn't matter.
The fire was there and, while our opponent certainly had their moments,
it felt like we were in control most of the way. The determination
& effort we saw today will be key when we play some of the powerhouses
still to come and we'll focus on that at practice this week. |
Game
5
-
18
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Baturyn
-
0
-
I'm not sure what to say about a game
like that. By now we all know how the Vipers bounce back from games
like last week's and, as fate would have it, the schedule had us up against
a much weaker team today. Worse yet, this was our last game in round
one and there is a limit to how much you can hold back when you know you
are stepping into the fire next weekend - you can't tell kids not to play.
Honestly, it could have been much worse except for a lot of line mixing
and unselfish play. In all, 11 different players scored -
a new team record. Bigger still, with Amin, Zach & Matthew all
scoring today, every single player on the team has now scored. It
is a "team play" objective we set for ourselves every season and this is
the third consecutive season in which the boys have achieved their goal.
Well done Vipers!
-
Now, with all the scoring, hat tricks
and so on, I could rattle off names but I want to focus on someone who
didn't score. With goals going in left, right and center, it was
like an all you can eat buffet out there for anyone wanting goals.
Josh, however, chose to play an amazing two way game. The amount
of time he spent, and the amount of distance he covered, coming back to
cover for defenders who were out of position was remarkable. It was
purely unselfish, team-first thinking from a boy who could have had a field
day dancing through our opponents' defence. Great work Josh!
-
Next week we begin Tier 4. From
here on in, every game will be hard fought and victories will have to be
earned through extremely strong and disciplined play. The free ride
is over, the next two rounds will feature the toughest teams we have ever
played and I know the boys will learn a lot. It should be very exciting!
We certainly have much to cover at this week's practice. |
Game
4
-
4
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Royal
Gardens - 3
-
When you win too many one sided games,
inevitably you develop bad habits and you expect things to come too easily.
Before the game we warned the boys that this was the sort of team who could
pull off an upset. They too were undefeated, they too had confidence,
but, given our numbers, they came in as clear underdogs with little to
lose - a deadly combination. The Vipers came out fast and I think
it felt like another easy one to them. In fact, at half time, I could
sense they really thought it was over - not the case at all! To be
fair, give full credit to Royal Gardens for their effort in the second
half. They simply outran, outhustled and outworked us. That
being said, the half was riddled with many uncharacteristic errors due
to our carelessness and overconfidence. The ball was repeatedly played
into the mesh, free kicks were turned over at key times on careless mistakes,
blind passes led to bad turnovers, and forwards waited far too long to
come back, sometimes not coming back at all. We had the momentum
and we gave it away. Once you do that it is nearly impossible to
get it back. Wave after wave, it becomes like trying to fight
back the tide. Quite honestly, we barely hung on. Don't get
me wrong, it was a fun and entertaining game, but we nearly beat ourselves
today.
-
So, negatives aside, what now? Well,
the win does lock up a spot in Tier 4 for round two, and escaping from
a game like that with the win does provide us with some positives.
It gave us a needed kick in the seat without the damage that a loss, and
relegation to Tier 5, would have brought about. We still get to improve
against the best teams in the city, instead of playing another round of
one sided games, and we got a wakeup call before round two, which doesn't
always happen. The teams in the next round will be the toughest we
have ever faced and maybe this game will wake us up to that reality.
We've seen for years now how these boys bounce back in big ways from their
lows so maybe the timing was just perfect for this game. |
Game
3
-
10
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Callingwood
- 1
-
| Well, I guess it was another typical round
one game - they will get much harder in round two I assure you. The
day started with an unbelievable goal by Josh. This week we had actually
practiced that little spin move that began his run, but I didn't honestly
expect anyone to try it just yet. It was one of the nicest runs I
have ever seen and a goal like that really lets the steam out of a team,
especially when it comes so quickly. It was pretty clear sailing
after that. In the second half we mainly focused on our team objective
of getting a goal for every player on the team. Austin took his name
off the list with good board work followed by a really nice goal from a
sharp angle and then Ronak did the same with a solid shot following a good
feed from Willem. Six different players scored goals in all.
Normally we would have the scoring more spread out but there was a lot
of unselfish play from the likes of Gabriel, Tanvir and Dylan who could
probably have scored as well - again a sign of maturity. Zach was
really strong again with his aggressive "D" play, and I thought Amin was
really solid when he had to be. Rizwan popped in a hat trick, and
Praniel played his best game yet with two nice goals and some unbelievably
hard shots (Duck!). It was another strong effort all around and everyone
played well. |
Game
2
-
11
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Aldergrove-
0
-
| During the first half I stood next to
the Box Referee who marveled at the play of our Vipers. He pointed
out how they played like a team, not a group of individuals, how they played
as well without the ball as they did with the ball, the creativity they
showed in play making and aggressive coverage, and it is hard to argue
after a performance like that. Frankly, the final score isn't that
important. What impressed me was the vision and maturity with which
they played our system, and the team spirit they showed. After most
shifts they would congratulate players coming off for the little things
they did (nice passes, breaking up plays, etc.) and that shows a growing
understanding of the game. I could honestly single out every single
player for something special tonight, but a few that jump to mind are the
smart, aggressive play of the entire "D", some really sharp passing
from Austin in the first half, excellent speed and moves on the outside
by Josh, strong two way play from Arjun, great free kicks by our defenders
(including two beautiful long range goals from Tino and Marin), and a couple
of goals for Rizwan, playing his first indoor game ever. Nine different
players scored goals. That is a team best, and it is a sign of maturity.
In the dressing room we talk a lot about how everyone is equal. Some
score goals, some set them up, some prevent them - every one has their
role and no player is more important than any other. We win and lose
as a team. That is what they showed tonight and I'm very proud of
them for it. |
Game
1
-
10
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Homesteader
- 0
-
| It was sort of a weird game because, after
the first shift, I was convinced this game would go down to the wire.
They seemed pretty evenly matched at first. Ultimately though, you
never know who you'll get in the first round because teams haven't been
tiered yet - you could win 10-0 one week and lose by the same score next
week. The boys showed good form tonight and, in the end, Homesteader
just couldn't keep up with them for a full 50 minutes. Our forwards
did a much better job of coming back and our defenders were very aggressive
- a positive sign. Matthew challenged especially well, but all of
the defenders were excellent today. It was great to see everyone
working together, even unselfishly trying to set teammates up, and six
different players shared in the goal scoring which is what we like to see.
There are times when the team is almost guilty of passing too much, but
those are the sorts of problems most coaches would love to have.
Gabriel continues to impress me with his ability to ALWAYS be open, he
just has a knack for finding open space, and the entire forward core shows
continued improvement in terms of positional play and play making.
They won't all be this one-sided, but this was a great effort to start
the new season. |
Exhibition
Game
-
3
- Lakewood Vipers vs. Woodvale
U14 Boys - 7
-
| We don't play exhibition games with winning
or losing in mind. In fact, despite all of our success over the years,
I don't think we've ever won an exhibition game. We take these matches
to challenge the boys, to gain experience, and because playing against
competition above our age group or tier allows us to see, from a different
perspective, where we need to improve. Tonight's game was a lot of
fun and I really thought the boys played well - I mean did you see the
size of those U14 boys (and the thickness of the beards on their faces)!!!
There were good, long portions of the game where the Vipers controlled
the play, but the size and strength of the competition proved to be a little
too much when our defence found itself facing 3 or 4 attackers. Woodvale
was playing their fourth or fifth game of the season and it really showed
in the first ten minutes or so. After that, and the 3-0 lead we spotted
them, it was a pretty even game. Special mention to Nik who faced
some of the biggest and strongest shooters he has ever seen and made some
really awesome saves. There is some rust, but everyone looked good
and it was a blast being on the bench tonight. It promises to be
another fun season. Great job boys! |
-
-
-
-
EMSA
Indoor League - Round 3 FInal Standings (Tier 4X)
- |
| Team |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
+/- |
Pts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Lakewood
Vipers |
5
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
43
|
5
|
+38
|
15
|
| Twin Brooks
(Geraldes) |
5 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
25 |
8 |
+17 |
10 |
| Baturyn
(Ferguson) |
5 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
18 |
10 |
+8 |
10 |
| Hazeldean
(Good) |
5 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
11 |
26 |
-15 |
6 |
| LaPerle
(Gomez) |
5 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
7 |
21 |
-14 |
1 |
| Dunluce
(Thompson) |
5 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
7 |
41 |
-34 |
1 |
- -
-
-
EMSA
Indoor League - Round 2 Final Standings (Tier 4X)
- |
| Team |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
+/- |
Pts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Lakewood
Vipers |
5
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
32
|
14
|
+18
|
15
|
| Britannia
(Narayan) |
5 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
29 |
12 |
+17 |
10 |
| LaPerle
(Gomez) |
5 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
21 |
26 |
-5 |
6 |
| Ridgewood
(Nielsen) |
5 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
15 |
18 |
-3 |
6 |
| Willowby
(Holmes) |
5 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
13 |
30 |
-17 |
4 |
| Royal
Gardens (Toews) |
5
|
0
|
3
|
2
|
17
|
27
|
-10
|
2
|
- -
-
-
EMSA
Indoor League - Round 1 Final Standings (Group U)
- |
| Team |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
+/- |
Pts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Lakewood
Vipers |
5
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
53
|
4
|
+49
|
15
|
| Royal
Gardens (Toews) |
5
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
30
|
15
|
+15
|
12
|
| Aldergrove
(Hebert) |
5 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
33 |
30 |
+3 |
9 |
| Homesteader
(Manzo) |
5 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
28 |
27 |
+1 |
6 |
| Callingwood
(Gillard) |
5
|
1
|
4
|
0
|
23
|
40
|
-17
|
3
|
| Baturyn
(Buffone) |
5 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
12 |
63 |
-51 |
0 |
-
-
Standings Sorted by:
1. Points
2. Head to Head
3. Plus/Minus
4. Goals Against
5. Goals For
2005
EMSA POLAR CUP TOURNAMENT - U12 TIER 4X
(Tier
4X includes the top 6 seeds of the 20 Tier 4 teams entered)
- |
| Team |
Gm1 |
Gm2 |
Gm3 |
GF |
GA |
+/- |
Pts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Group
A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Lakewood Vipers |
6-1 |
6-1 |
8-3 |
20 |
5 |
+15 |
9 |
| Royal Gardens
(Toews) |
6-5 |
6-1 |
3-2 |
15 |
8 |
+7 |
9 |
| Sherwood Park
(Sharp) |
2-6 |
3-6 |
1-3 |
6 |
15 |
-9 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Group
B |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| St. Albert
(Devenz) |
6-2 |
1-6 |
2-3 |
9 |
11 |
-2 |
3 |
| Hazeldean
(Good) |
5-6 |
6-3 |
3-8 |
14 |
17 |
-3 |
3 |
| Fort Sask.
(Armstrong) |
1-6 |
1-6 |
3-1 |
5 |
13 |
-8 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Gold Medal
Game: Lakewood Vipers 11 vs St.
Albert 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Due to
a new "mercy rule" in this year's tournament rules, the maximum margin
of victory was five goals.
A
9-1 victory, for example, appears in the standings as a 6-1 score, 8-2
becomes 7-2 and so on.
|
