Whitko - NorthWood 2-13 (0-8)

An uneventful bus ride led us to a football field somewhere between Warsaw and Columbia City. The new rule of changing into soccer gear in the AC locker room resulted in Tim leaving his soccer shoes there but with Collin out for the game with an injury/illness, a pair of cleats became available. These cleats must be haunted, because Tim fell ill with an undetermined illness as well.

FIRST HALF
After observing the Whitko warm up drill it became pretty obvious that we would have to find ways not to score. With about 50 people in the stands (hopefully we have reached the season low attendance already) it was NW that wasted little time getting on the monster scoreboard. A third minute pass from Taylor to Noodle, disappeared in the upper left crossing for the first goal of the season. In the 4th, Josh passed straight thru the middle to Taylor. TW signed for the 2-0. In the 7th Eddie assisted on another Taylor goal (3-0 if you are still keeping track). Three minutes later, Eusebio passes to the opposing keeper in a 1v1 situation in what can only be characterized as a sign of Latin Love for Whitko. In the next minute, Josh crossed (this will become a key word)to Eddie, who executes well, 4-0. The next 29 minutes we would score another 4 goals. 14th; Clay assist/Vitor "Rivellino" Rosario goal. 16th; free kick, Josh Ailes goal. 21st; Eusebio assist from the end line, beautiful Bennett Parker volley (goal of the night!) 7-0. Thompson assist, Vitor goal, 8-0.

HALF TIME
Due to the score and opposing level of play, Coach Duerksen instructs the players they can only score off of crosses but asks the players to just focus on possessing the ball.

SECOND HALF
The game would turn into our easiest practice of the season so far. Trying not to score was possibly the toughest issue facing the Panthers especially since possessing the ball was tough on a very narrow field (the 18 yard box was only about four steps from the sideline). Here is the summary of scoring in the second half: 47" Taylor 9-0 (Eddie assist), 48" 9-1 Sims (Whitko), 56" Eddie 10-1 (Connor assist), 58" Josh 11-1 (Eddie/Taylor assist), 64" Sims (Whitko)11-s PK, Thompson handball (that's what happens when you put a GK in the box with a ball), 72" Connor 13-2 (Parker assist).
SUMMARY
Goals: Noodle 1, Parker 1, Salinas 2, Vitor 2, Ailes 2, Beckwith 2, Taylor 3.
Assists: Thompson/Parker/Beckwith/Seitz/Eusebio 1, Ailes 2, Taylor/Eddie 3.

NOTES
This will probably be our first and last trip to Whitko.
This is Whitko's inaugural soccer season (they have had a club team since at least 2002).
Coach Dijkstra got yelled at by the other team's coach for getting upset at one of his own Panthers. He did not apologize but instead ignored the Whitko admonishment discarding it as overwhelming unawareness.
Today's Varsity practice is at the game field.