State Soccer Final Four

[CallMeCoach19]

Well, after months we are all set.
Maggie Walker v. Appomattox: I loved watching Appo play a few nights ago. They are small, but fast and decently physical. They will have to ratchet that up in order to have a shot at MLWGS. Those are some big kids. I'm going with the dragons here, but mostly I just want a good game.

Giles v. Stuarts Draft: I look at scores and stats for these two and they are VERY (almost eerily) similar. I'm giving Giles offense and Drafts defense the edge here. It is a 50/50 game that will come down to will power and capitalizing on mistakes; much like was stated on a previous thread. I'm going with Giles here (No rematches in the final. They are never as good as we hope). However, flip a coin and you have just as much chance of picking a winner. This will be some solid soccer if both teams show up!

 

[OnceAKnight]

I hope any of these teams beside MW wins, it's a "semi private"public school that shouldn't be allowed to compete w public schools imo. Hopefully Giles can take it all.

 

[CallMeCoach19]

The final is going to be exactly as many had thought. Giles the home team. Maggie Walker the away. The game is today at 2. I don't want to make a prediction at this point, but I will these two points.
Giles had to go a full 80 minutes to beat Draft; MW was able to sit their starters after 17 minutes.
Maggie Walker is not nearly as fast or perfect as was advertised. (That isn't a knock...they are very good; just over-hyped.) Maybe that was nerves or the field, but George Mason was much more impressive last season in the finals and those two are how we measure.
I'm just happy to have west team in the finals again!

 

[OnceAKnight]

Giles by 2 for championship

 

[singlewinger92]

Very proud of the Spartans. Amazing season and with one Senior on the team the future still looks great. Plus the JV demolished teams they played and went undefeated. I agree with Knight that Maggie Walker probably should not be playing here. A private school that can recruit and don't have the restrictions others do. Congrats to them on state, Im not bitter but here is another example. Giles girls track team came in second in state 19 points behind Maggie Walker. I was told about 4 girls to every event and here is the kicker. They scored 20 points on pole vault, yes pole vault. Giles and most schools I know in this division don't even have pole vault. If anyone else thinks that fair let me know. Id like to hear the explanation. Great season Spartans, look forward to next year.

 

[OnceAKnight]

Very proud of the Spartans. Amazing season and with one Senior on the team the future still looks great. Plus the JV demolished teams they played and went undefeated. I agree with Knight that Maggie Walker probably should not be playing here. A private school that can recruit and don't have the restrictions others do. Congrats to them on state, Im not bitter but here is another example. Giles girls track team came in second in state 19 points behind Maggie Walker. I was told about 4 girls to every event and here is the kicker. They scored 20 points on pole vault, yes pole vault. Giles and most schools I know in this division don't even have pole vault. If anyone else thinks that fair let me know. Id like to hear the explanation. Great season Spartans, look forward to next year.

Same goes w swimming, it's a swim and dive competition, How many public schools in the west have a pool to practice diving in? I can't really consider a team who wins multiple events by forfeit a state champion, just my .02

 

[CallMeCoach19]

I am very proud of Giles this year. They actually have five seniors though (two start). However, they should be very skilled next season as well. As far as Maggie Walker is concerned, will not get into that argument on here (I will with AD's though because I agree).
As for the game though, it was great. Giles played great tactically to counter, but may have been a little lazy midfield (this hurt their number of real chances at goal). All three MW goals were quality. This time (though not the team I wanted) the better team won. But not by much, so just imagine a Giles squad that had had a day of rest (MW pretty much did during that Appo game). I overheard many people complaining about Giles lack of subbing...did you see what happened when the bench went in? The kid who went up top did great. All of the other reserves were so timid MW ran straight past. I think this experience will help them though, and if they make it back that timidness will be gone.
Now let's get into travel mode, and make that attack even faster and more potent.

 

[appo_soccer]

I am very proud of Giles this year. They actually have five seniors though (two start). However, they should be very skilled next season as well. As far as Maggie Walker is concerned, will not get into that argument on here (I will with AD's though because I agree).
As for the game though, it was great. Giles played great tactically to counter, but may have been a little lazy midfield (this hurt their number of real chances at goal). All three MW goals were quality. This time (though not the team I wanted) the better team won. But not by much, so just imagine a Giles squad that had had a day of rest (MW pretty much did during that Appo game). I overheard many people complaining about Giles lack of subbing...did you see what happened when the bench went in? The kid who went up top did great. All of the other reserves were so timid MW ran straight past. I think this experience will help them though, and if they make it back that timidness will be gone.
Now let's get into travel mode, and make that attack even faster and more potent.

CallMeCoach19 - I have been reading your garbage post all season long. Its pretty clear who you root for and many times your predictions are just the calling out the favorite.
To state that MW had the day off is pretty pathetic. There are no bad teams once the state tournament begins. Some are better then others but I guess you don't watch the game any better then the next soccermom?
Four out of five goals were on corner kicks, which was how most teams scored on Appomattox throughout the year. (The single shot was scored by the 2A player of the year.) It is very hard to match up with teams that are just taller and stronger, especially on set pieces. Congrats to MW for utilizing there strengths.
As for Giles, they had all they wanted once they faced real competition outside of there conference. One scrum in front of the goal in the Regional Final against Appomattox to win 1-0. Then the Stuarts Draft game was very good but unfortunately they ran out of steam and could not handle Giles strong midfield. The State Final went as predicted with MW coming out on top. If their keeper was as good as the rest of the team I seriously doubt Giles would of even put half as many goals on the board. I look forward to your post next spring and the continued #mancrush for Giles soccer. It looks like alot of the top teams will have strong squads again next year.

 

[AllFaks]

Well stated appo_soccer. No arguments that Giles was the best overall team from the West. Giles and Appo faced solid competition at the end of the season, something that I think neither team had really faced much of until each other in the Region Final. Here is the kicker, if Giles and Appo were able to recruit outside the county lines it certainly may have been more of a fair fight in Radford. However, that is how it is so we live with it.

Congrats to all four teams that made it to Radford, no team has anything to hang their about. Next season is right around the corner.

 

[CallMeCoach19]

I'm sorry if you dislike my posts. To be fair though, you read my posts all season...but where were you all season. I would love to have another person's input. I was just giving my opinion. Sure Once post season came I was pulling Giles. I'm from the West and they were the best of the West. But I really did try to be neutral (most of the time). I don't mean to be insulting to Appo. But was I wrong? Did MW not sit their four best players for 50 minutes of the game? (Yes, they did btw)
Again, that is just what I saw. I think we will have another great season of 2A soccer coming on next year. I personally can't wait.