Diablo FC 91 Dumps Poway in Finals

Posted: 9/1/2008 
Updated: 7/20/2009

After breezing through pool play at the Hotspurs Labor Day Tournament, the Poway Vaqueros BU-17 team was put to work in the championship game on Monday by the Diablo FC United squad of Concord, Calif. Craig McGill’s Poway team suffered a disappointing loss in penalty kicks when the game finished in a 2-2 deadlock after regulation.

McGill’s crew was undefeated going into Monday’s match and appeared to be the team to beat. When Diablo’s Gordon Grafft headed in the game’s opening goal in the 13th minute, Vaqueros star and ODP participant Alex Henry responded with an unassisted goal from just shy of the 50-yard line to make it a 1-1 game in the 18th minute. Henry’s goal sailed beautifully into the upper corner of the net, which made spectators stand in awe of the incredible placement.

Solid defensive efforts from both rosters kept the game at a stalemate in the first half. For the Vaqueros, Christian Renteria made several clutch plays to get Poway out of trouble, including a clearance after the Diablo’s Grafft picked up a loose ball for his teammate Derrick Lee to get a head on; Renteria was there to clear the ball out of Poway territory.

While tensions were high in the first half, an even score heading into the break made the game more physical and anxious in the final 45 minutes of play. Both teams needed to provide more pressure on the ground, as whoever could settle the aerial play would likely win the game. The linesmen joked the contest resembled more of a baseball game than a soccer match. The comment was a bit premature, as the physical nature of the game resembled more of a wrestling match after intermission. The referees dished out a number of yellow cards to the visiting Diablo’s and a number of fouls, two of which could have been game-breakers for the Concord team.

After much debate, the referee called two separate fouls outside of the box, despite most Poway supporters believing otherwise. McGill offered the linesman a spot near him so he could, “enjoy a holiday,” as Poway was upset for what its supporters thought was a botched call.

With 13 minutes left in the game, both coaches were informed that the players on the field were the ones who had to take the penalty kicks in case of a tie. The information seemed a bit early when almost immediately after, Henry took a sideline route to open himself up for a cross and the go-ahead goal. Facing a 2-1 deficit, the Diablos were awarded a free kick that was taken similar to a corner kick and found the net to even the game at 2-2 with just three minutes left in the game.

Diablo and the Vaqueros went one-for-one in penalty kicks until a Poway shot barely missed the net and hit the right side post. After tending goal for PK’s and the game, Diablo had keeper Dale Nelson shoot the final kick and win the game in penalty kicks, 5-3. For Diablo, Nelson, Justin Howard, Grafft, Dominic Aliano and Tyler Gates all scored. For Poway, Rene Hernandez, Conrad Snell and Henry were the PK scorers.

Poway keeper Ulisses Martinez stood goal and did his part to keep the game low-scoring.
 

By Amberly Richardson

Reprinted from the Daily San Diego Soccer News [link to: http://soccer.xksandiego.com/news.php?viewStory=841