A Thriller in Hoolywood
Takes shoot-out to win
By Matt High, Athletics Program Coordinator, CHS

The Sunny Isles Beach U-16 traveling soccer team capped off a perfect season with a championship win in the Greater Hollywood Soccer League. The championship game was held on March 16, 2006 at Don Shula Park in Hollywood, Florida against Driftwood Soccer Club. The U-16’s team record of 11-0-1 heading into Thursday night’s game was the best record in the entire league, its first year as a participant. The victory did not come easy. It was a hard fought game on both sides leading to an exciting finish. The game started out slowly for both clubs with little offense and a lot of defense. The score at halftime was 2-1 in Sunny Isles Beach’s favor. The second half was more entertaining. We started out slowly giving our opponents a chance to score, which they did on a shot that went through the goalie’s hands. With twenty minutes left in the game, one of our players received a red card leaving us down one player for the rest of the game with only ten players. As the game continued, at the twenty-five minute mark, Justin Espinal scored a goal on an amazing shot from the corner giving Sunny Isles Beach a 3-2 lead. The crowd went wild. Unfortunately, Driftwood scored with around thirty seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime.

In the first overtime, we took control of the game, giving us a 4-3 lead. Another goal was scored by Espinal that went over the goalie’s head. The team celebrated thinking the game was over, but it was not a sudden death match (the first team that scores wins). The referee issued more yellow and red cards, which caused another three players to be ejected from the game. Driftwood capitalized on our team being left with only seven eligible players and sent the game into second overtime. Although we played with only seven players, Driftwood could not seal the victory. The second overtime ended with the score still tied. This sent the game into a shout-out situation. A shoot-out is when five team members take a turn kicking a free shot against the goalie. Driftwood started out strong with a lead of 2-1. Sunny Isles Beach tied the game, and Driftwood’s last player missed, giving us an opportunity to win the last shot. The crowd was ecstatic, yelling and screaming, as our last player took the shot and it sailed past the goalie. We prevailed in our first championship (4-3), all of this with only seven players. Our soccer team played with a lot of heart, never giving up even with the deck stacked against them.

Coach Sergio Vuguin has done an excellent job with the U-16 soccer team. For the first time being in this league, he along with the members of the team brought home the championship trophy to the City of Sunny Isles Beach. The members of the team are: Riccio Bravo, Javier Buitrago, Franco Calcagno, Rafel Costa, Diego Echeverria, Justin Espinal, Sadhy Giraldo, Juan Diego La Rosa, Philip Litt, Leandro Lubochiner, Gilberto Maakaroun, Sebastian Marquez, Erick Martinez, Anderson Palacio, Danny Posda, Luis Rubio, Pablo Vasquez, and Diego Wolman.

I would also like to give thanks to Mr. Christopher Russo and Associates for their sponsorship of the U-16 team. Without his support, we could not have made it such a successful season. The U-16 team will be competing in the Copa Coca-Cola Tournament on April 8 and 9 at Amelia Earhart Park in Hialeah. After this tournament, they will also compete in the Easterly Soccer Tournament in Weston, Florida and Memorial Day Disney Soccer Shoot-Out Tournament in Orlando, Florida.

The City of Sunny Isles Beach U-12 traveling soccer squad is coached by Coaches Sergio Merizalde and Jose Aparicio. They finished with a record 6-6 in the league. The U-12 was fourth overall advancing to the playoffs, winning the first round 8-0 over Miramar Optimist, but losing in the semi-finals to a 2-6 to SWBJAA.

Again, congratulations to both of these teams. We continue to wish success to the U-16 team as they begin to prepare for other tournaments. Stay tuned with the hopes of bringing home many more championships to the City of Sunny Isles Beach.

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