SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Girls Varsity Soccer Disaster at 4A State Championship

"The hardest part is how do you tell a competitive athlete that her work for the whole game would not have changed the outcome."-futbol(soccer)(page5)
futbol(soccer)- how do you tell an athlete that after all she did all season, all the hard work, the long games and pratices that in the end she, her team, her coach, and her school are now considered cheaters? You have to remember who you are directing this towards, ya'll are saying that 15-18 year old ladies , and their coaches cheated. dont forget they read the messages boards too. if anything this gets wando more pumped up.

*if it wasn't for the 12 player thing, what excuse would lexington have for losing?

so if this is not going to be remedied in some manner, jump over to boys forum and tell me why the red card against Spring Valley's keeper was reversed and hes playing today.

I was at all 3 girls games but simply as a specatator - no relatives playing. I hope I can speak with some objectivity.
Lex - Wando game:

1- A very even game with both teams putting it all out on the field. Wando's goal was well played and legitimate.

2- Game became very physical in second half and there was a lot of elbow throwing and shoving on both sides. Several yellows given - usually for the retaliation not the 1st elbow. Referees were losing control of the game well before the 2:00 minute mark.

3- Lexington was playing more physically in second half (not unusual since they were behind and needed to create any possible advantage).

4- Wando started the legitimate strategy of substituting liberally at end of game to run out the clock. They were substituting on every opportunity. At first, the 4th official was making them wait until the player left field before allowing new player on. As game came towards end, he was waiving new player on more quickly to speed play back up. Apparently, he messed up and didn't keep track. I can not tell you when the 12th player got on field but I THINK it was at an injury time out when both teams got to substitute.

5- It was indeed Coach Champ who ran up to 4th official to point out the problem.

6- I was dissapointed in the Lexington coaching staff's behavior during the discussions. Head Coach absolutely lost control. It was embarrasing to have to see his girls have to restrain him and try and calm him down. Not one of his finer moments. He desrved the red card because he had been warned previously and given a yellow earlier in the game.

7- Unfortunately, Lexington fans did themselves no favor by throwing bottles (even if they were plastic) and then booing the Wando girls during the awards.

8- Back to game - Wando was team with momentum late in game. Able to stop Lexington's attack and was keeping offensive possession. One never knows, but I was already anticipating that final score would be Wando 1-0 before the
controversy.

It is unfortunate that Lex girls will remember the game more for the controversy than the great effort they put on the field. Same goes for Wando girls .

You know I think its sad that the game will always have this memory as will all the seniors who played in it. Wando fans are saying the '12th' person was on for 2min the lex fans saying 10 or 12. From my vantage point the lexington bench did try to get both the RA and the center refs attention for along while. It was until the lex crowd noticed the 12 did the Wando coach then try get the RA attention. Even then the RA hesitated to stop the game or even to count. I also think while Lex might not have scored it would have been good measure to add some time on the clock Regardless something has to be done by the SCHSL to improve officiating! It is getting absolutely awful!! I said this earlier IMO the game got out of hand in the first half. A lot of talking, pushing, etc from both teams. Lets quit the "that team did this but yalls team did this" crap. Both teams left it all on the field and should be appauled for this. Lexington needs to hold their heads high for an awesome game and season!

If the SV Keep red card, issued on ref's judgement of a foul, can be overturned (just incredible); then a clearcut ref error in the 12 player fiasco should be grounds for a legitimate complaint before the SCHSL. Since Wando scored in first half, and to cover all time questions, then a complete second half should be re-played minus the Lexington coach.

I think while the championship might not be taken away from Wando the SCHSL needs to really look in and review the game!

Review of the game film confirms the worst possible suspicions. Wando actually played the entire first half with 14 players, and at times two goalies. You will remember that it was during this half that they scored their goal, up three players on Lexington. Somehow the crowd, Lex coaching staff and refs did not pick up on this. Less adventuresome at the begining of the second half Wando fielded 13 players, but never played the extra goalie, worried that it would be obvious. Down the home stretch, leading by a single goal, Coach Champ followed the traditional Wando strategy of substituting at every available throw in to break Lexington's rythym. Few if any realized that she was also trying desperately to reduce (not increase) her excess number of players on the field. She got it down to 12 by incessant substitution, but was afraid someone might actually notice and at that point brought the matter to the 4th ref's attention, who then stopped the game. She had calculated that this would engender a long pause in the game as the refs consulted among themselves to sort out exactly what, by the laws of the game, should be done. This wasted more time and further sidetracked Lexington's attack.

Wando should be forced to play every game next year with only 9 players on the pitch in the first half and 10 players the second half. The refs should be forced to take counting lessons.

So it goes.

I know these are dissimilar situations, but my point is that
the 12th player situation is clearly a ref game management error which should be reconsidered; compared to the SV red card (which should not have been reviewable or reconsidered because its a ref judgement call), and therefore, the Lex/Wando incident should have at least more grounds for an appeal.

I didn't see the game and from all that I have read, I feel bad for the players on both teams. Wando have to live with their championship "tarnished" because people won't let it go. Lexington girls will always think "they got screwed" because that's what the people closest to their program will continue to tell them.

Very unfortunate all the way around.

adidaskitten, futbol, Coach Chass and swimmer all seem to make the most sense. I realize that at least three of the four of them were pulling for Wando.

1. I find it hard to believe that Wando played with an extra player for more than a couple of minutes (not 6, not 10, definitely not the whole second half). Lexington coaches and players would have caught on to this quickly.

2. Coach Champ would never run the risk of tarnishing her state championship victory by intentionally breaking the rules. I don't know her, but I've seen her resume...no way she would cheat.

3. If Coach Champ made a mistake, at least three of the four officials made a bigger mistake.

4. The players not shaking hands immediately at the end of the game is absolutely inexcusable. I don't care how volatile the atmosphere was....too bad, you shake. This would have been a great opportunity to show good sportsmanship and I think, in time, the girls from both sides will regret that they didn't have the chance to congratulate their opponents.

My two cents.....better luck next year to both teams.