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THE CREW CHEWS UP DIVISION II
The Severna Park Crew, the Green Hornet’s Premiere Select Soccer Team, has jumped out in front of the pack again. The Severna Park U-16 Boys soccer club continues its climb to the top of their soccer world. In the spring, the Crew dominated their age group in scoring and captured the right to move into the Division II of the National Capital Soccer League (NCSL). Despite many players being plagued with numerous unfortunate injuries, due to the fact that each of the Crew players also represents their respective high school teams in the fall; the Crew has earned second place in the ten team, Division II, with only three games remaining.
What is truly remarkable about this accomplishment, Coach Mike Lay pointed out; is that while our players are fully devoted to their high school soccer commitments, and have been required to sacrifice team practice the entire fall season; their Virginia opponents are practicing three and four times each week! Our players can not wait to get together on the weekends to play, and they have come to know each other’s style of soccer over the years; so the coach feels the Crew has nothing to worry about. There is a confidence in the Crew players, in their own abilities and in each team member. This team pulls together and despite the rigors of playing all week long; the Crew takes on a team energetic spirit and the players pull each other up for our matches!
Once again the Crew has demonstrated a lethal offense that has tallied 16 goals in just 6 games played. The balanced Crew attack has already brought scoring from numerous players because of the strong team work ethic of the players, and their unselfish style of soccer. The potent offensive attack comes from numerous players, but especially: Nick Hofmann, Colin Lay, Steven Ravotta, Nigel Fields, Adam Jankiewicz, Jimmy Dailey, Nick Finnigan, Drew Campbell, Matty Rogers, Kyle Fairchild and Geoffrey Saunders. The Crew’s on field alignment is designed to bring numbers to the front, and because of that scoring frequently comes from those trailing the play, and not just from the strikers. The advantage of our balanced attack is that on any given day, someone always appears to step up just when we need it most and finish, and that player seems to change each week!
On the defensive side the Crew continues to boasts a strong goalie, Chris Heins, and a new Sweeper, Kyle Simmons, who has anchored an already solid defensive corps of: Patrick Houck, Eric Hallberg, Andrew Finlayson, Derek Cope, and James Meekins. Our opponents’ offenses have been held in abeyance by an aggressive defensive that frequently disrupts plays and strips the ball, time and time again! The defense together has formed an impenetrable wall that baffles the Crew’s opponents and limits shots on goal.
The Crew now three wins to its credit, two ties, and a single loss. During the team’s three wins, the Crew scored nine goals while giving up only one each match. I am proud of these boys, Coach Lay says, because they are worn thin all week long, and on Sundays the players have had to travel hours into Virginia; yet despite the pressures, when the whistle blows the Crew plays soccer the way it was meant to be played and always with good sportsmanship!
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