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SOCCER CLUB

December 2008

WSA News Archives

December 2008
 WSA 96 Boys Red pictured with their winners’ medallions and hardware captured at the Norman Classic Tournament on November 8th and 9th.

WSA 96 Boys Red Norman Classic Champions! 

Norman, OK -- The WSA 96 boys Red team traditionally has struggled to put it all together in tournament play. On the weekend of November 8th and 9th, in the Norman Classic Tournament, the team was finally able to "get the monkey off their back" as they were crowned champions! 

WSA 96 boys Red, coached by Justin Phillips, opened tournament play in the Norman Classic Silver Division on Saturday with a confidence building 11-0 triumph over South Lakes Cosmos White, before defeating the same club, South Lakes Cosmos Blue, in a tight 1-0 match later that afternoon. 

On Sunday morning WSA 96 boys wrapped up the championship by improving their shutout streak to 210 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal and defeating Norman Celtic 96 Black 1-0. The win against Celtic 96 Black clinched the championship on points. The team’s solid defending is due in large part to their disciplined application of sound fundamentals. 

Heading into their fourth match Sunday afternoon with the championship already secured WSA 96 Red drew with Lawton 96 Red 3-3 in a game that did not impact the final standings. 

Congratulations WSA 96 Red on a great performance and for claiming the Norman Classic Championship! 

 
WSA 95 girls pictured in Arkansas with their winner’s medallions after capturing the Capital City Cup Championship.
WSA 95 Girls Return From Arkansas With Another Championship!

Little Rock, AR -- One thing Coach Billy Wallace doesn’t worry about is his 95 girls taking for granted any of their recent accolades. "They’ve worked too hard to get there," he relates. It’s refreshing to see a team’s story continue to unfold, and a team appreciate and respect the fruits of their labor as much as these girls do. On November 2nd, the WSA 95 girls headed back "west" to bring "The Side" another piece of hardware as they captured the CASA (Central Arkansas Soccer Association) Classic Championship Trophy in an impressive 4-game unbeaten run.

The team amassed 10 goals for and only one allowed on the weekend, as their backline, anchored by great "team play" continued to make goal scoring difficult for opponents. WSA 95 defeated Maumelle SC 4-1, Hurst United from North Texas 4-0, and Searcy Arkansas 1-0 in group play en route to the championship final, where they would meet Ft Smith Express. Express had accumulated 3 wins and had outscored opponents 13-0 before running into WSA 95’s stingy defense. In a close fought match, but one WSA 95 seemed in control of, the WSA 95 girls would get the game winner from Megan Pierce, and capture their third tournament trophy of the Fall season. 

Pierce netted five total goals on the weekend. Correy Moyer, goalkeeper, was credited with the championship shutout. Cassidy Chappell also added two goals on the weekend, while Kat Louderbach, Katie Edwards from sweeper, and Annie Lang, all contributed one goal a piece. Coach Wallace emphasized the "team win" and cited inspiring play from many players all weekend.
The WSA 95 girls have already won the BASC Labor Day Invitational, were finalist in the Cosmos Cup, now shelving the CASA Classic Championship hardware, the team has one more piece of hardware it hopes to add to it’s 2008 Fall collection. The WSA 95 girls will now turn their attention to the league championship race back home, which they currently are on top of.
Congratulations WSA 95 girls on your great tournament run, your continued success, and for always representing your club, community, and families with pride and class!
Respect Everyone... FEAR NO ONE! 
 
 
 
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Last updated: 10/09/08.
 

December 2008
 WSA 93 boys are pictured after winning their final league game of the 2008 Fall season to capture the 2008 GCSA U16 League Championship. It was the second consecutive Fall League championship for the team.

93 BOYS WIN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP; AGAIN! 

For the second consecutive Fall season the WSA 93 boys team has earned the GCSA League Championship trophy. And this time the prize will come connected with an invitation to the Oklahoma Premiere League.
Coach Justin Phillips team applied a stingy defense, an organized, unselfish attack, with a balanced scoring threat, to race past most of their competition in league play. The team amassed 56 goals for and 6 against in league play, edging Extreme 93, who finished runner-up in the league. 

The 93 boys added the league trophy to several other trophies already earned this year including WSA Roundrobin, BASC Labor Day Invitational, Capital City Cup, and Blitz Invitational. In fact the squad won four championships and one runner-up trophy on the year, and won a trophy in every competition they took part in. The team opened the season auspiciously stringing together 15 consecutive wins before dropping a decision in overtime to the Arkansas State Champions, LRFC. The season included wins over some formidable 93 opponents, and a few formidable 92 oppoents. 

It was the first year for Coach Phillips and Assistant Coach Emo Griffin to take the reigns of the squad, and in the first season it proved to be a successful outing.
Congratulations WSA 93 boys on another successful season!

 
The WSA 98 girls have become accustomed to this pose early in their careers. The squad captured the 2008 U11 girls League Championship in their first season of competitive soccer.
WSA 98 GIRLS LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!

Coach Mark Foster and Josh Eardley had a lot of reasons to be proud this season. And if you ask them they would likely just list the names off their 2008 roster. That combination proved to be championship caliber for the team's first year of competitive soccer as they went undefeated to bring home the u11 girls 2008 League Championship. 

The team almost reached a "perfect" season, except for a lone draw to Blitz White in the early September. In fact the team would meet Blitz White in a rematch in their league finale for what amounted to a league championship match. WSA would travel to the United fields and grab a 2-0 victory to seal the championship, and cap a great first full season of competitive soccer!

The team won 9 games and had one draw on the ten game league season. They relied on a backline anchored by Raelee Caldwell that limited teams scoring. In fact the team gave away less than a goal a game on the season giving away just 8 goals. They scored an incredible 41 on the season and found goals from a diverse range of players. 

Coach Foster commented, "They are a hard working group of girls and we feel like when we play hard we can compete with anybody."
The team added the league trophy to their Broken Arrow Labor Day Tournament trophy they won earlier this season. Congratulations WSA 98 girls on a great season!
 
The WSA 95 girls were crowned 2008 GCSA League Champions. The team sported "Comeback" tshirts at the beginning of the year foreshadowing their rise of the proverbial ladder from the bottom rung to the top.
WSA 95 GIRLS CLAIM ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP
Wins League Title, Earns OPL Bid


The WSA 95 girls capped their storybook 2008 season with a league championship trophy. It may have been the sweetest prize of the season for a team that grew familiar with winning trophies this season. The team won the u14 Girls GCSA League Championship, and earned an invitation to the Oklahoma Premiere League. This accomplished a three year goal. And they did it in dominating fashion!
The league runner-up team was a full 7 points behind WSA 95 girls in the standings. WSA 95 put together 7 shutout victories in ten games, and outscored opponents on the league season 25-6.
The 95 girls have certainly grown into something "special". Many of team's currently rostered players remember all too well their back to back finishes at the bottom of the table in their first year together. 

The team is constantly recognized by the entire staff for their extra work, dedication, and unity. It's not uncommon to find the 95 girls team participating in extra training, extra clinics, and simply doing things "together". Coach Billy Wallace describes his team, "Seventeen girls who subscribe to loyalty, commitment and perseverance, traits among others, hidden inside the patch that every WSA team proudly wears over their hearts and on their jersey." 

Congratulations WSA 95 girls on an outstanding 2008 season! And thanks for being lessons to us all in the manner of loyalty, perseverance, and commitment to team!
 
WSA 96 Boys Red captured the 2008 GCSA League Championship.
WSA 96 BOYS RED LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
Earn OPL Bid


Coach Justin Phillips WSA 96 boys Red squad went unbeaten in league play in the 2008 Fall season. Their reward is their second league championship trophy. Possibly a sweeter prize is that this time the reward comes with an invitation to the Oklahoma Premiere League.
The 96 boys Red team accomplished a goal two years in the making and it was not an easy journey. Last year the team won the Fall GCSA league title but was not awarded a bid to the OPL. So with a bit of hunger the boys resolved to achieve that ambition in 2008. The team finished their 10 game season with 8 wins and 2 draws and 3 points ahead of league runner-up Blitz United Red. WSA scored 33 goals on the season and surrendered just 9 in the 10 game league format. 

Coach Phillips team employed a disciplined approach to the application of footballing fundamentals in their league title run. Coach Phillips comments, "They have much to learn still, but they are eager to learn." Next season the team will get to learn on a new stage in the OPL. 

WSA 96 boys Red also put together a nice tournament run at the Norman Classic Invitational earlier this year to win that championship trophy. 

Congratulations WSA 96 boys Red on a tremendous 2008 season, and for always playing the game with class and dignity.
 
WSA 95 boys finished the 2008 season as GCSA League 
Runners-Up with a 7-1 record.
WSA 95 BOYS LEAGUE RUNNERS-UP
Finish With 7-1 Record


Coach Jason and Les Foster's 95 boys troops represent one of sports truly inspiring stories. The team came together two years ago, against most odds, and the hard work of the coaches, parents, and most importantly the players has helped build the team into one of the state's fastest improving squads. This season the squad strutted their stuff in league play, and earned the 2008 u14 GCSA Runner-Up trophy. League champion Tulsa Nationals was forced to complete the "perfect" season at 8-0 to edge WSA who finished at 7-1. 

A backline anchored by newcomers, goalkeeper Brett Helm and sweeper Jack Terrel surrendered less than a goal per game, yielding just 6 in the 8-game season, including four shutouts. An attack led by top goalscorer Dakota Hardman, and playmaker Daniel Badilla, found 26 goals on the 8 game season, for an average of better than three per game. That combo kept opponents' defenses off balance and created the necessary scoring punch.
The 95 boys had been "close" to pulling it all together in the previous two seasons, but narrowly missed league trophies in consecutive seasons last year. A big reason any team will find it's way to the "next level" and pull the pieces together is leadership, and the squad found that in captains Edvin Abzun and Miguel Mercado whose leadership was spearheaded by their example of determination. In fact in one of their final matches of the season on October 26th, with a league trophy on the line, the team found itself on the road and behind to Thunder 95. A determined effort to rally from behind and take a lead and preserve the lead, demonstrated the teams maturation. "It represented a big character step for the team," related coach Foster. 

Possibly the most defining moment of the team's 2008 season came from a referee's compliment following a game, "Your (WSA) boys didn't question a single call, they just played hard, and some of the boys never stop running." 

Congratulations WSA 95 boys, 2008 GCSA u14 League Runners-Up! And congratulations for continuing to represent your club, your team, and your families with class and respect.
 
The WSA 93 girls have fallen just short of a league championship in recent seasons, but in tournament play they have reached finals of three of their last four tournaments.
WSA 93 GIRLS RUNNERS-UP
Lose League Finale in Sea-Saw Battle


The WSA 93 girls were only a few moments from a perfect season. Sometimes a few inches and a few close calls can be the difference. Their league finale and what turned out to be league championship game followed an all too familiar script of close calls, inches from glory. 

In 9 matches of league play the team wound up with three blemishes on their record -- two heartaches for draws, and a heartbreaking loss on the final day. Early in the season the team took an unbeaten record to TSC where they found themselves down 1-0 early in the match, but battled back before half to grab a 2-1 lead. Then in the waning moments, against the run of play would allow the match to be equalized. They followed the same script late in the season against Extreme 94 falling behind early, battling back to take the lead, and giving away a goal in the final moments to allow the game to draw even. Had either lead been preserved a championship trophy would have been shelved.
But going into the final weekend of league play, in their final match, the team could still garner enough points for the championship if they won against rival Extreme 93. After scoring early, and raising hopes, they would surrender that lead before half, but would battle back to a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat. And the championship would slip away again. Last Spring the team needed a win in their final weekend of league play to grab the championship and drew 0-0 with Tulsa Nationals to surrender the trophy.
Close calls have kept the team from savoring the championship feel, but the squad didn't let that impact a very family feel and their joy in playing with and for each other. Some players even think the close calls for a league title will just keep them hungry as they approach the 2009 season. 

In 2008 they amassed 34 goals for to 9 against, and according to their coaches, Roger Bush and Trent Hamilton, played some "brilliant football" at many stages of the season.

Congratulations WSA 93 girls on an outstanding 2008 season and for always representing our club and yourselves with class and dignity.
Respect Everyone... FEAR NO ONE! 
 
 
 
Contents Copyright © 2000-2007 WSA Soccer Club
For problems or questions regarding this web contact [Webmaster]
Last updated: 10/09/08.