Case in point: Spring Valley vs Northwestern
You can argue till you're blue in the face about the various benefits of club soccer over HS soccer - and I will agree! Most sensible people will agree that club is just a higher plateau of skill/knowledge/etc...
That being said, I think you must also admit, that the vast majority of the guys playing club play for nights like tonight at Stone Stadium. Of course their club career goals are to succeed at the highest level - play premier soccer - etc..whatever. But you won't convince me that a match like tonight is any less special than a State Cup - I think a lot of people in Spring Valley will agree with me on this.
The fact of the matter is, the vast majority of the kids out there playing soccer club or HS or both - will not become professionals. The odds are just as bad in every sport. Many of these kids grow-up together playing ball. They gain a sense of community and comrade re - this is born in backyards and YMCA/rec fields, given direction through club, but filled with substance and meaning by a school crest, school colors, fans, and so on..
That's why the best players in the state STILL sweat, bleed, and cry (joy and agony) for their schools.. and that's why you HAVE to love high school soccer.
As for the actual game:
Hats off a million times over to both sides. I personally found myself laughing, yelling, and holding my breath for both sides. Northwestern displayed the beautiful game in all its natural majestic ways with a methodical, mechanical even, purpose to their play. Spring Valley exhibited all the intangibles that are why we go out and train, why we try even when we're expected to fail - heart, grit, resilience, cunning, patience, and so on.
An unofficial shot count of nearly 30 to 10 in favor of Northwestern has been reported. This is probably off..but not by much. There were certainly periods of end to end soccer, but the majority of play took place in the SV defensive third. Northwestern circled the SV 18 like vultures waiting to descend. Each advance whether by Enzo or Benson or #2(Alex?) was a potential ball across the six or one touch combo that you see on Sundays on FSC. Truly brilliant control, both as a team and as individuals. I know many are sick and tired of hearing about Enzo, myself being one, but no matter your allegiance you cannot deny the absolute talent that he possesses. More so than any player I've seen in my 7-8 years of HS soccer this kid knows his body. Uses it to its absolute fullest potential and the things he can't do with his body he makes up for with his mind. Just an absolute talent!
And here we learn the lesson that parents and coaches and really anyone that has lived long enough to see it and believe in it try to teach us..
Sometimes, despite all the odds, if you can keep your sanity while everything is caving in on you - you can take advantage of that sliver of hope and change the course of events.
Many of you may think I'm being overly dramatic, perhaps I am. But I feel justified, because I felt surely that as each Northwestern attack was mounted, every time they turned to have a run at the goal, SV would crumble and fade - they didn't. It wasn't the prettiest display, but how can you answer such a beautifully orchestrated attack in that manner, you can't. You have to bash it in the face, dash it's confidence, clear the ball off the line at the last moment when victory is certain, disrupt, destroy, escape, survive. That's exactly what Spring Valley did. Took every cross across the six to the chin. Got every block and every save and every bit of luck they needed.
And when they had an opportunity on offense, they seized it, and converted. Watching Czulinski (i believe it was him) cruise down the field..and the players forming in stride towards the center - you knew what was coming. He served up the perfect cross and Sean Flynn bashed in the winning goal with less than four minutes to go as the NW keeper collapsed like a pagan statue toppled by Constantine - feet still planted on his line.
This has been enough, in closing, I want to thank both sides yet again. What a great match! Dom Wren and his boys are still the class of this state and deserve every accolade they receive. This has been a long time coming for Dave Clark though. I couldn't be happier for the guy. I just wish I had been able to get a word with him - see what he thought the difference was this year.
What a way to end the season..
