The culmination of the PQ soccer season is the PQ Cup, a full-day tournament to crown the season champions. A throwback to the good 'ole days when they kept score and there was a winner and a loser!
The action was split in 2 groups with round robin play within the groups. One team from each group advanced into the finals based on total tournament points earned during the group play.
| Group A |
Group B |
| Fireballs (1)* |
Galaxy (2) |
| Creepers (4) |
Red Vipers (3) |
| Blue Devils (6) |
White Fire (5) |
| Slime Ballz (8) |
Sea Serpents (7) |
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| * (#) is tournament seed based on season results |
Group A
The Fireballs were the standout team in Group A, but the Creepers have played them really tough twice this year. The Creepers did the unthinkable when they tied the Fireballs 0-0 in Week #3. In Week #10 the Creepers had the Fireballs against the ropes when the went up 2-0 early. Fireballs needed every tick of the clock to comeback and win that one 3-2. All in all, the Creepers had a shutout on the Fireballs and own 2 of the 6 goals that have been scored on the Fireballs this season. The stage was set for a great game to kick-off Round 1 of the PQ Cup action.
Round 1 (8:00 AM)
Fireballs (1) defeat Creepers (4) 1-0
Close match that was a scoreless tie through halftime, but Fireballs squeaked out the victory.
Blue Devils (6) tie Slime Ballz (8) 0-0
Round 2 (11:00 AM)
Fireballs (1) tie Blue Devils (6) 0-0 ....Fireballs slipped a little here, keeping the door open for the Creepers to catch up in tournament points
Creepers (4) defeat Slime Ballz (8) 3-0 ...the perfect game for the Creepers, getting the "perfect" 10-point game. 6 points for the win. 3 points (max allowed) for goals scored. 1 point for the shutout. 6 + 3 + 1 = 10, which is the most you can generate from a game.
Based on the outcomes through Round 2, the Fireballs secured a place in the finals before 1 PM. Things weren't so cut and dry in Group B.
Round 3 (2:00 PM)
Fireballs defeat Slime Ballz 1-0
Creepers defeat Blue Devils 1-0
Fireballs advance to the finals...but who are they going to play?
Group B
Group B turned into a battle between the Galaxy and the Red Vipers with both doing everything they could to make it into the finals.
Round 1 (9:30 AM)
Galaxy (2) tie Red Vipers (3) 1-1 ...tied going into halftime. Vipers get on the board and time was running out until Brody found a way to put one in the back of the net to tie it up with less than 1 minute left in the game!!! It was a really exciting game. Extremely stressful...but so much fun to watch the kids battle SO hard. This type of game is exactly why I love to watch youth soccer so much. 10:00 AM and I've already had a great day!
White Fire (5) defeat Sea Serpents (7) 1-0
Round 2 (12:30 PM)
Galaxy and Red Vipers are tied in tournament points, so the race is on to secure a place in the finals.
Galaxy (2) defeat White Fire (5) 3-0 ...Shervin turned it on and scored all the goals to create the "perfect" game. Win, shutout, and 3-goals for a total of 10 tournament points.
Red Vipers (3) defeat Sea Serpents (7) 3-0 ...another "perfect" game.
Galaxy and Red Vipers are in a dead heat through 2 rounds of action!!!
Equally important to the BU8 action on the soccer fields was a critical match up between the #8 Oklahoma State Cowboys at Iowa State. When we finished Round 2, the 9-0 Oklahoma State Cowboys were down 7-17 to ISU and I had the chance to step out, get to a TV and help cheer OSU on to a tough, come from behind 35-31 victory and keep the dream alive!!! Go Pokes!!!
Round 3 (3:30 PM)
We played first, so the Red Vipers would know exactly what they need to do to make it into the finals. We reviewed the tie-breaking criteria and determined the best thing to do was put a lot of points on the board in case it came to a tie and we had to work through the tie criteria. And that's what the kids did.
Galaxy (2) defeat Sea Serpents (7) 6-0 ...Another "perfect" game! It was tight until the 2nd half when the boys put the pedal to the metal and submitted a really strong argument for being the team to make it to the finals.
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| Brody after scoring a goal |
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| Dylan during halftime |
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| Shervin on the hunt |
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| Trevor with the Shake-n-Bake |
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| White Fire prepping for their match with the Red Vipers. |
Red Vipers (3) defeat White Fire (5) 4-0 ...Another "perfect" game, so we technically tied with the Vipers, but our goal differential was enough to earn a place in the finals!!!
The Finals
The stage was set for a Galaxy (2) vs Fireball (1) showcase showdown. The sun had set and the night chill was rolling in. The champions were rolling in too. Armin, Shervins' brother, won his division. Bryce, Brett's brother and Coach Bryan youngest son, won his first championship in BU6! The Girls U10 final was a face-off between Emma's friends Madison and Ava, with Ava and her Tidal Waves earning the top spot on the podium. Lots of good soccer and good folks everywhere you looked.
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| Bryce bringing home the blue ribbon!!! |
Fireballs (1) defeat Galaxy (2) 1-0 ...The game was tight, then Patrick (Fireballs), arguably the Fireballs best player, limped off with a injury. With Patrick sidelined, it created an opening and the Galaxy turned on the offense. A handful of shots but the Galaxy couldn't get anything past a strong Fireball goalie. Patrick returned and it shifted the game to a more balanced back and forth....with nobody able to score until the Fireballs finally punched one through.
The Galaxy pressed as hard as they could as the kids were wearing down from the long day and the cold conditions. As the clock clicked down Brody found an opening and launched one from the right side that bounced off the post and then off the goalie...but it bounce out of play and the clock expired. 1-0 Fireballs win the BU8 division in a really hard fought championship game.
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| Kids (and parents were cold)...we don't hang out it these cold conditions in SoCal! |
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| 2015 BU8 Galaxy - 2nd Place PQ Cup |
It was a great day of soccer. PQ Cup never disappoints. Congrats to the Fireballs for their victory. Congrats to the Galaxy for a great season. Kudos to the Galaxy coaching staff - really impressive demonstration of how to coach and lead kids in a positive and productive manner.
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| 5 Minutes after the final whistle, Fireballs and Galaxy are still friends....that's good stuff. |
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| Lots of good times had at Canyonside Park |
Until next season,
- Marc
