The cheers from the bleachers from friends and family and the positive instructions from the coaches on the sideline came to life once again at the community center on Anna Maria Island with three youth soccer games last Tuesday night.
After the long summer break and several weeks of school underway, four teams hit the pitch, with the teen and tween players waiting another week after the forfeit by Team Slim’s Place.
Progressive cabinetry vs. Bins be clean
Team Progressive Cabinetry, coached by Rick Cloutier, started the game off strong with two quick goals by Jack Mattick in the first five minutes of the game. Protecting the Team Bins Be Clean goal, goalkeeper David Patterson sported hot pink socks in true goalie fashion.
Patterson got a small break while teammate Jackson Pakbaz took the soccer ball down the field for his first goal of the game. Goalie Lily Kawahata tried her best to stop the Pakbaz strike, but could not get to the ball in time moving Bins Be Clean to only one goal behind.
The battle on the field became a defensive one with each team trying to gain control of the ball against strong defenders like Tori Hurst and JM Feeney for Bins Be Clean and Kylie Barkley and Jax Kagin for Progressive Cabinetry.
After breaking away Pakbaz and Jaxon Henry moved offensively down the field. With a strike, the soccer ball went off defender Magness Rollins into the goal scoring a goal and evening the score at 2-2 to end the first half of play.
The second half of the game saw quick-paced action on both sides of the field with shots and saves. Only one minute in, high scorer Pakbaz found perfect placement in the left corner of the net while he had the goalie Liam Coleman going the wrong direction.
Ninety seconds later, Pakbaz found the back of the goal again giving Bins Be Clean a two point lead despite impressive defensive play by Kawahata.
In the last 10 minutes of the game, Progressive Cabinetry made a comeback charge on the field. Bins Be Clean goalkeeper Andrew Patterson had his hands full as the Cloutier brothers, Kieran and Ewan, showed great teamwork.
With the support of his brother William, J. Pakbaz charged the field scoring his fourth goal in the game, advancing the score to 2-5. Coleman stopped the immediate strike by the formidable D. Patterson.
Progressive returned on offense with a beautiful cross-field pass to E. Cloutier, who took the shot only to be saved by the Bins Be Clean goalie. K. Cloutier repeated the move down the pitch, but could not put the soccer ball into the goal.
Sailing the ball from near mid-field, K. Cloutier showed everyone his strong and accurate leg getting the soccer ball to the goal. A. Patterson saved the score, giving his team another chance to widen the lead.
Coach Coultier’s team continued to fight hard on the field trying to make up the two-point deficit. On a great play by E. Cloutier, Mattick found the ball at his feet. Working the soccer ball down the field, Mattick hit E. Cloutier near the goal. The point attempt was just a tad soft, going right to the hands of the goalie.
Bins Be Clean saw a nice shot by Gabriella Gilbert, with team backup by Connor Samblis on the field as the last minutes of the game ticked off the game clock.
The rally cries from the Progressive Cabinetry transcended onto the field with outstanding offensive passing by K. Cloutier to Mattick who scored, getting his hat trick in the final 60 seconds of the game.
Holding the two-point lead, the white jerseys of Bins Be Clean worked hard to keep Progressive Cabinetry from scoring. The Cloutier-Mattick triple threat made an exciting end to a great game of soccer to start the youth competitive recreational for yet another season.
In the end, Bins Be Clean maintained the lead for its first team win. On Saturday, Coach Rick Hurst’s team captured its second win with a shut out against Team Blue Lagoon, while Progressive Cabinetry put up its first W on the stat sheets beating Team Wash Family Construction.
With two games behind them, the 8-to 10-year-old league looks to be an evenly matched one. The rest of the season should prove to be quite entertaining with some great youth soccer skills.
