HS Soccer – CHSAA 5A State Playoffs
What a wild game. Thank goodness it was a 4pm start, because I would have hated to rely on my flash for this game. The Arvada West Wildcats soccer team were hosting a first round playoff game against the Liberty Lancers from Colorado Springs. And right away, you knew this was going to be an interesting game. The officials, not the top crew, could call this game real bad or call every single infraction from blowing your nose too loud to actual fouls, and they ended up calling a little bit of both and some made up calls on top of that.
I had only shot one Arvada West game previously this season. And honestly, I was not impressed. Arvada West has a great defense, but their offense was lacking without a clear scorer. And they talk. All the time. Informing the officials on what the correct call should be, when there is a foul that they should call, and loudly voicing their opinion to the officials when things do not go their way. Honestly, the official part of me (in my background with youth league and high school level baseball and softball and youth basketball), I would not stand for that. One warning, then the cards would be coming out. If Arvada West would have played this game instead of spending a majority of the game complaining about a call or lack of a call, they may have moved on to the next round.
The game started off with the Arvada West goalie getting a verbal warning about talking to the refs about calls constantly. Liberty, had some good attacks, but never closed. A couple of times, and extra step or two would have given them a goal. Arvada West had their opportunities, but never capitalized on them. So at the end of regulation, we were tied at 0-0. Off to overtime. In the first overtime, the wheels started to come off for Arvada West. A Liberty player took off down the field and as he past the only defender between him and the goalkeeper, the AWest keeper charged out of the box to try to kick the ball away and he collided with the Lancers striker, sending him flying through the air. The Wildcats goalkeeper received a red card and was ejected from the game. The back up goalkeeper entered the game as a regular position player had to come off the field for the red card to give the Lancers a one player advantage for the rest of the game. The score remained knotted at 0-0 through the first overtime, and through the second overtime too. So, we were headed to kicks from the mark to decide the game and who would move on to the next round. This is where the Wildcats really missed their starting goalkeeper. 5 kicks from 5 players from each team. The Liberty goalkeeper was able to stop 2 of Arvada Wests shots and the Wildcats backup goalkeeper was only able to stop one of the Lancers shots giving Liberty a 4-3 advantage and the win.
My tip, not just for Arvada West soccer, but for all sports teams at the youth and high school level, is accept the way the officials are calling the game and adjust your play to that level. In baseball, your teams first few at bats or pitches will tell you what kind of strike zone there is, and you should adjust to that. In basketball, you they are not fouls for light hacks, or calling fouls if you are hand checking, then you stop. In soccer if they are not making a call, you don’t complain. You don’t complain and you don’t get a card. Play your game within how the officials are enforcing the rules of the game and you will succeed. I can tell you, if you ever argue a ball or strike or my zone while I am behind the plate, you are done. You don’t like my strike zone, tough. Deal with it and play ball.
Here is my 10 Shot from the game.
These photos and more can be viewed and purchased at MaxPreps.
