CBB Clinch League Title Again

This season's title race was another close one. Four teams had a shot going into Sunday's game. But, again, it was Chico's Bail Bonds that came out on top.

CBB defeated Hawks (3-2) in a hard fought game to become Summer 2010 League Champions. Their second title in as many seasons.

Berry Park shut out the Wild Turkeys (3-0) to take second place, finishing just one point behind CBB.

Scousers beat FC Headers in a tight 2-1 match to take third place.

This is how tight it was: FCH started the night in first but finished in fourth (tied on points with Scousers but finishing behind them because of the evening's head-to-head result).

Badgers (2) vs. ACK (1)

ACK scored the fastest goal of the season, just 21 seconds in. It was done with such authority that a less experienced opposition may have folded right then and there. But Badgers, as their namesake is wont to do, clawed and bit themselves out of a corner, throwing everything they had back at ACK.

ACK's keeper kept Badgers at bay, however. But only for so long. Shots came from all sides. Two hit the mesh and were enough to seal the victory. The Badgers' keeper was also on form, preventing ACK from getting a late score to tie the game.

Player of the Match: Dave R. (Badgers) for consistent and dangerous shots on target and for generating several scoring chances for others.

Chico's Bail Bonds (3) vs. Hawks (2)

Chico's needed to win this game to win the league. Although they held a significantly higher ranking in the league table (2nd going into the game against the 7th place team), other stats weren't in their favor. The last time these two teams met, in Spring 2010, it was a 2-2 draw. This year's stats wouldn't indicate an easier run. Hawks have the 3rd best offense in the league (a big step up from last season). Chico's offense is 6th (a good fall from their last season's 2nd ranking).

But Chico's play to whatever consistent strength they have going in a given season. And this season it has been their defense, which is the best in the league. In contrast, the Hawks defense hasn't been consistent. You'd accordingly expect a game of offense against defense, with the defending team waiting patiently to pounce on turnovers for a counter attack (which is Chico's speciality). But the game didn't play out that way.

From the get go, Chico's attacked. But the Hawks' defense responded in kind, batting away chance after chance. A relentless offense, however, usually finds the back of the net at least once over time. Chico's eventually found it twice, going up 2-0.

Hawks responded with a change of game plan by playing to their (chiefly offensive) strengths. They challenged harder in the tackle to force turnovers, led by Clayton C.'s several steals. He and others then dished off the ball for the ever threatening Tim S. and Andre A. The Hawks soon drew back a goal. And then another to tie the game, 2-2.

Late in the half, Chico's turned their offense up another notch. Maybe two. Again, Hawks responded in turn. Marianna R. tracked back twice to stop the Haitian Hurricane deep in her own half when he looked sure to be in the clear. Francis C. made several crucial pinches to thwart the reeling advances from both Meredith P. and Jimmy H., whose one-two combinations are quite Brasil-like, made almost blind (they must know each other quite well to pull off such passes).

Chico's, finding it hard to penetrate the Hawks' back line, seemed to be getting frustrated and desperate with such shots as that from Chenco C. at 30 yards out. This particular shot couldn't have missed by more, clearing both back fences (and causing me an early morning trip to East River State Park to battle hornets in eye-high weeds to retrieve one of our two best match balls). Five minutes later, from the same location, Chenco tried another Category 4 shot. The back of the net, rather than the heavens, claimed this one - the game winner.

Player of the match: Chenco C. (CBB) for his relentlessly threatening play, for his commitment to search for open players as much as he tries to take people on, and for the eventual goal to earn his team both match and league victory.

Berry Park (3) vs. Wild Turkeys (0)

Berry Park achieved the only decisive win of the evening, shutting out the Wild Turkeys (3-0). In doing so, they showed that they're still a formidable force without captain and league-leading (going into the match) goal scorer, Mike G.

Coming out of the match, however, the league scoring leader would be the captain's teammate, Nick "Messi" A., who got the league's third hat trick of the season on Sunday (Mike G. got the league's second hat-trick just the week before). For those who love stats, Neil C. (Scousers) earned the first against the Badgers.

Nick A. wasn't the only one to step up his game in the absence of his captain. League newcomer, Jarred G. ran from sideline to sideline and goal line to goal line, making it look as if he had a body double with him on the pitch. Beth P. didn't allow ball or player to slip by her in the back. And Melissa F. put in her usual solid performance with excellent crosses and determined defensive pressure.

The Wild Turkeys didn't by any means fold. They challenged Berry Park early, and they didn't let up for an instant. Such resolve has seen them earn a draw against Scousers and lose only narrowly to other top-drawer teams this season. Thus, they should still have a good deal of confidence going into the cup competition, which will see them play host to the Scousers.

Player of the match: Nick A. for a daring and darting display of nifty and nimble touches that earned him three goals on the night.

Scousers (2) vs. FC Headers (1)

This was the match of the day. Most matches are such when FCH is playing because they're a top drawer team all other seven teams happen to want to beat the most.

As usual, FCH were the first to score. One of Brian D.'s trademark howitzer throw-ins found Mike R. in full-stride at the center of the goal box. He made no mistake with a mint of a header into the top left corner.

Normally, with just a goal cushion, FCH can tighten up their defensive game and play the counter comfortably to a win. But the Scousers have one of the most sophisticated attacking games around. FCH must realize this because they didn't employ their above, usual strategy after going up a goal. Instead (and admirably), they continued to press but were unlucky not to score again in the first half.

The Scousers owned most of the possession in the second half and earned back a nod from the noggin of Captain Niel C. But still, perhaps the best chances at net came from FCH. About midway through the second half they had two significant flurries at the Scousers net. The first in the series started from the bullet-launching boot of Megan S. Possessing one the hardest, most accurate long range shots in the league, she found herself unusually close to the top of the box - which would cause any keeper who knows the players in this league to come off the line to challenge. And that's precisely what the Scousers keeper did. He took the shot square in the gut. While he was unable to contain it, he nimbly got himself back into position to stop shot after shot from various distances. We counted six top saves in a row, followed by a second flurry of four fine stops.

The Scousers then collected the ball and marched back up field. A cross marked for Yohay B. in the goal box was slightly off target. The FCH keeper was out for the challenge and for some reason, instead of letting ball and player pass safely by, gave a good, solid two-handed shove to the back of said Scouser. From the resultant penalty spot, Captain Neil made no mistake to give his team a first victory against FCH.

Player of the match: Sean S. (Scousers) for keeping his team in a match that, by shot differential alone, should have perhaps gone to FCH.