The Finals

Our semifinal game was at eight o'clock on Monday morning. Angela had to be at the field to warm up by 7:30. This was the earliest we had played all weekend. I wasn't sure how the girls would do playing in the cool morning air and on a damp field. We took the field and faced off with Homestead. Homestead is a very good team and was major competition for our girls. Angela played as goalie for the first two quarters of the game and then during the third quarter played defense. She sat out the fourth quarter. Homestead made us work for the one goal we scored the entire game. At the end of the fourth quarter we were tied. Being new to the game of soccer I am clueless about tie breakers. However, I now know that you play two - 10 minute quarters. Whichever team scores the most points during these quarters is the winner.

Angela plays defense against Homestead

Several people from Clewiston that could have returned home the night before or left on Monday morning stayed to cheer our girls on. It was great having the support from other teams and their parents.

As we took the field to play the overtime everyone was nervous and excited. We had screamed so much that our voices were hoarse. But we kept screaming and cheering Clewiston on. Homestead scored the first goal during the overtime. My heart must have dropped to my feet (at this point I wasn't aware it wasn't sudden death). However, one of their players was offsides and their goal didn't count. Clewiston scored as well during the first quarter of overtime to put us ahead by 1 point. Then boom, they came back and scored another point in the second quarter of overtime. The score is now 2 - 1 (Clewiston's favor). We are on our cell phones calling friends and family that can't be there! All we have to do at this point is keep the ball on our end of the field and away from Homestead. But that wasn't enough for our girls. . . they had to score one more time. 3-1 the game is over and Clewiston has moved to the finals!

Our next game was played at 11 o'clock against Boynton Beach. Boynton Beach dominated the game the first three quarters with us not scoring. They scored on Angela in the first quarter and my heart broke for her when I saw the look on her face. Our girls have ran 15 minutes every practice for the past two months . Their endurance in amazing. It's fourth quarter and they have pulled out the stops. . . the determination was all over their faces. We scored three goals in the fourth to win the game. We are going home with trophies and smiles on our faces.

Angela talks to her dad while waiting for her trophy

Angela receiving her trophy
Clewiston U-12 Girls State Champions

Angela told me that after the game when they were lining up to shake hands with the Boynton Beach players she thought she recognized one of their players (she just happened to be their goalie). Sure enough it was Kim that she went spent a week at World Camplight Camp (formerly Florida GA/Acteen Camp) at Lake Yale, Florida. The girls got the opportunity to visit for a while after the game and made plans to see each other this year at camp.