Crossfire '84 U17G Reaches Final of California Cup (summer 2000)
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Cal Cup 2000 Crossfire '84
U17G Second Place
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Elizabeth Martinez, last year's scoring leader, led all players in goals and assists. Goalkeeper Leslie Goff recorded 2 more shutouts, along with stingy defenders Jess Colgan, Melissa Meinerth, Andrea Perez, Stefani Vega, Liz Powers and Sarah Townsend.
Under the coaching expertise of Mark Broers, Crossfire '84 defeated two premier teams to reach the final-- SJSFC 0-0 (7-6 PKs) in the Quarterfinals and San Juan Spirits of '84 0-0 (8-7 PKs) in the Semi-Finals, and are now 1-1-1 against San Juan in the past year, after beginning with an 8-0 loss to them in last year's Cal Cup.
Crossfire 84 U17G Plays for Championship of Aztec Cup (summer 2000)
The Capital Valley Crossfire 84 U17 girls journeyed to Rancho Cucamonga / Ontario California for the 16th annual Aztec Cup played August 12-13, 2000. Presented as a CYSA – South division 1 tournament nearly 120 teams battled the heat, smog, and opposing players in a tournament dedicated to the tragic death of Stacy Beckett a U17 Aztec player who lost her life in a boating accident earlier this summer. Traveling with a roster of only 12 players Crossfire 84 hammered out three flight victories leading to a hotly contested championship rematch against the Alta Loma Aztecs Premier and in so doing the Crossfire put in arguably their best performance of the year.
Game 1 against the AVSC Storm was a 3-0 shut out featuring excellent back and center field containment by the Crossfire. The combined defensive effort of Vega, Meinerth, Townsend, and Porter provided the framework necessary for the offense. Powers coming up from midfield took advantage and rifled a shot from the left outside for the first score. Not long after Martinez broke away for a 1v1 with the Storm goalie who was called for interference / holding resulting in a penalty shot. Martinez drilled the shot for the second score. Martinez again scored on a breakaway in the second half but missed the hat trick when a well placed free kick from Southard found Martinez for the header but flew inches over the bar. Through out Coffman’s determined outside runs added a new dimension to the Crossfire offense and would prove to be a powerful force in the remaining games. Goff turned in a sold performance at keeper for the shutout but this too would prove to be only a warm-up for things to come.
Game 2 found the Crossfire facing not only the tournament host but also last season’s tournament champion the Alta Loma Aztec Premier. The Aztec displayed a controlled and precise passing game reflecting many hours of training, however, excellent defense by Vega, Townsend, Porter, Meinerth, and Perez working with the combination passing of Southard, Coffman, Powers and Gibson provided the framework for a disbursing defense frustrating the Aztec. The Crossfire’s only regulation time score followed Martinez’s release of a hard cross from the right corner which found the far post for a rebound and back door run in score by Glissmeyer. Responding, the Aztec, having injured Goff on a keeper slide, unleashed a series of hard air born shots one of which scored but the remainder Goff either stopped dead or deflected by diving one hand saves despite her injury. However, game time ended with a 1-1 tie leading to the Crossfire’s secret weapon for dismantling Premier teams...the shootout! After taking the long, lonely walk Martinez, Powers, Perez and Meinerth all buried their shots yielding a stunning 4 -3 shootout victory and flight win, but left a very unhappy opponent who would resurface with a vengeance.
Game 3 featured a crossover contest with the WSC Liberty 2nd placeholders of the opposing flight. This game allowed the Crossfire to return to a long ball offense with the first score resulting from a combination pass from Southard to Martinez to Glissmeyer for the score. The Crossfire scored again following a well placed thru ball from Perez coming up the middle to Martinez for an easy 1v1 with the WSC goalie. The third goal followed a Perez to Coffman to Gibson combination pass with Gibson on the left side letting loose a 30-yard looping shot that caught the goalie flatfooted. The fourth score followed a long free kick played by Perez which came off the goalie’s hands and was volleyed back by Martinez for the score. This game was characterized by the hard shoulder to shoulder running of Meinerth, hard body contact tackles of Townsend, and staunch center resistance by Porter. The 4-2 Crossfire victory moved the 12 Capital Valley heroes to the championship match against none other than the Alta Loma Aztec Premier.
Game 4, the championship match, tested not only the Crossfire players but coach Mark Broers’ ability to orchestrate a semi bunker defense made up of 12 exhausted and injured players for 90 minutes. Not only was the team facing 100+ temperatures, 45 minute halves, smog filled air, an opponent sporting black arm bands in remembrance of their fallen player, the prospect of hometown referees, and bizarre seating arrangements consistently placing the team on the "sunnyside" of the field, but also the hostility of the Aztecs from the earlier shootout loss to Cap.Valley. Action quickly developed in the first half as Southard was cut down during a shot attempt in the box by what was to become a typical slide tackle by the Aztec defense focusing little on the ball position. No penalty being called the hostility carried over and within minutes Southard and an opposing Aztec faced off with the Aztec receiving a red card. Thereafter the Aztec focused on Martinez and dropped her repeatedly with the same punitive attitude and slide tackle technique with yellow cards being sparingly issued. The first crossfire score resulted from a Martinez breakaway and clean finish against the Aztec keeper. Martinez also scored the only other point for the Crossfire during a second half free kick finding the upper corner. After many top caliber saves Goff was injured on a knee meets cleat save and was carried off the field. This meant the Crossfire had no rotation players for any relief. Powers stepped up, donned the keeper gloves and proceeded to stop 5 Aztec shots without hesitation. Although deep in the second half the continued efforts of Coffman down the right side and Martinez down the center kept the Aztec vulnerable to a counter attack. Ultimately, however, injuries, smog, and exhaustion brought the game to an end as time ran out with the Aztec prevailing 3 – 2. But the beauty of this game was not the win or loss, not in any field play, not even the impressive ball control and passing the Aztec’s displayed, but the tremendous heart and effort of 12 Crossfire girls who reached as deep as possible and played with tremendous heart, courage and tenacity throughout. Hats off to Vega, Townsend, Powers, Porter, Perez, Meinerth, Goff, Gibson, Coffman, Glissmeyer, Martinez and Southard for true grit and providing a memorable performance.
