Thanks to all of the soccer guys. You're all incredible... You have no idea how happy I am...
To put this win into perspective you'll have to go two years back into your emails. It starts with:
My freshman year, and my first playoff game ever, we played none other then Plymouth Christian. Now Greenhills at this point in time was ranked much higher then Plymouth Christian. In fact, pretty sure they weren't ranked at all. However, Greenhills came into the game quite lackluster. Plymouth Christian opened up with an earily goal, and played right along side Greenhills
Fast break, Greenhills Shoots, and SCORES!!!
Offsides, so its called back.
We then proced to hit the right post, THe left post, and the cross bar, TWICE.
It seemed as if it was impossible for Greenhills to score, EVER.
However, late into the game, another beatiful cross is played into the box, and a goal squeeks in. Tie game, 1-1.
The game goes into overtime. Both teams pumped, ready to win the game. First over time, no goals scored.
Second over time, again, Greenhills hits the post and bounces wide.
With under 15 seconds to go there is a break down the left side, 2-2. The ball is crossed into the box, and Greenhills defender, acidently levels a Plymouth Christian kid.
PK
Seven seconds left to go in our second overtime... Over 99 minutes of soccer played... Now just me and a forward. One on one. Two high school kids, 12 yards apart, to end the other's season.
He's left footed.
Swings his hips outside, Plays the ball right side.
I buy the fake, go left.
Goal Plymouth Christian.
Season over
I've been through 9/11 in school, and even when I was really young, Oklahomo City bombings. However, those all seemed distant: surreal. But this was the here and now. It was all of the effort of a season, dissipearing in a single game. Some of the toughest guys I know from that team litterally cried right on the feild. For many, it was the last high school game they woudl ever play. And dispite giving it everything they had, goals simply did not go in. To try your hardest and fail is hard.
Then later that year there were some complications involving the basketball team, Chearleaders, coaches, and Athletic directors. But that is another story. In the end Plymouth Christian's AD (who is also their basketball coach who was ejected from the game along with 3 of his players) desided that we so wronged theri school that they wouldn't play us again in regular season, ever.
So there went all hope of again beating Plymotuh Christian the next year. Unless we happened to play them again in Districts, we many NEVER play Plymouth Christian ever in my high school career. And this extremely annoyed me. For when someone beats you, you want to beat them back. And it was looking as if I couldn't.
Last March on highschool sports.net our districts were announced. Greenhills, Canton Agopee, Washenaw Acadimy, and Plymouth Christian. Now knowing the other two team, I beleive that no matter how we were paired, we would play Plymouth Christian.
Now all I had to do was form a team to dismantle Plymouth Christian. We started in June with student run pratices. And we ran. We ran alot. Played small sided games. Most got ready for the season to come.
Tryouts started, and a very young Greenhills team was selected. In fact only two senors.
Two senors.... Now we were down on experience. And that was more then obivous.
The season started with a hit. A hit the Greenhills took the full brunt of. Playing some of the best teams in the state such as Cranbrook, DCDS, and Northville. We were slaughtered.
To put our start as nicely as possible it was a mere, "learning experience".
However, we improved daily. Skills of indivuals and the team as a whole took leaps and bounds. We transformed from agroup of kids that played soccer, to a soccer team.
And as a side note this is perhaps the most together group of guys I have EVER been with. ANY soccer team, or and basketball team, and grade, or group of friends. We stand by eachother both on the feild and in school. We are a team by every aspect of the word. To the point where Kyle had a flat tire, so half the team stayed after pratice to see if a bunch of 15 and 16 year old boys could change it. And despite any instruction, or real knowledge, we did.
Now going into the game, everyone was focused. At praticed there was a sense of both antisipation, and people just plain nervous. Everyone with experience gave what knowledge they could. Stay calm, stay focused, work hard, win balls in the air, have fun, win.
Game day.
Perfect weather for a player. 60 degrees and cloudy with a slight wind from the north. The coin flip they called and won. However, we were actaully away. So we flipped again, and we won. We went with the wind.
We started with less pace then I had wish. Both teams matching each other's skill level. No real favorite.
With prehaps 10 minutes into the game a 2 on 2 break occurs. A long chip to their furthest forward is settled and put on net. I miss.
GOAL plymouth Christian.... Well actaully what the ref didn't see what the obivous hand ball, where the kid litterally grab the ball adn put in down at his foot. Goal it called back, a Free kick for Greenhills
Then thirty minutes into the first half the ball is crossed for the 5th or 6th time. I come out of net making the catch. With landing I set up for a punt instantly. With a ball put slightly over the last sweeper it was one on one with Malcolm (one of our best players) with the ball. He beat his man off pure speed, and sends a rocket to the far post.
GOAL
Greenhills is now pumped. With a strong defence, the only balls played into the offencive third were long balls into the box. Somewhat easily retreved my me. Our offence at full tilt and playing with extreme intensity. However, Plymouth Christian also kicks it up a notch. Turning on all of the defencive power they can muster.
Rest of the half is scoreless, and Greenhills guys are ready to win durring the half time break. The speach is realitively simple. Continue playing hard. Win balls in the air. Score more. Make sure they don't score.
After several oppertunities Greenhillls sends another one to the back of the net. Score 2-0. We're flying. 30 minutes to go and up by 2. We play strong we win. That simple.
Plymouth Christian comes back with a furry I give them a great deal of credit for. Due to a massive number of fouls in the middle third Plymotuh Christian is granted with approximately a dozen free kicks, sending each and everyone one up for grabs in the box.
I came down with them all. Some throguh out jumping them. Some by having supperior possition. And a few I got lucky on. However, one two of them I got lit up. Both were punches going across the net. Me facing one way and Plymotuh Christian running at me another. Now usually I can hold my own gonig up in the air with some one. But these were all late. After I punched the ball away, back on my way down, I would get layed out. Although all this really did was give me a little time to lay on the ground after the whissle blew.
Time after time Plymouth comes out strong, each time Greenhills shuts them down.
With 70 minutes through the game Plymouth Christian gets off yet another cross, this time deep within our own zone. I make another leap to try and punch the ball away, but simply wasnt' quick enough. Plymouth Christian gets a head on it.
Goal...
To quote The aligator game, "now I'm really angry". In fact, we all were. There was no way Plymouth Christian would ever score on us again. Defence locked down. Ofence locked down. The last ten minutes are brutal... Hard hitting, fast pace, all action soccer... If you looked away for ten seconds the ball was 90 yards away from wher eyou thoguh it was. Everything was racing.
As the final seconds clicked off a Plymouth kid turned to me and said, "you played one amazing game." I thanked him and all I could think was "maybe these guys are so bad after all."
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