Season-ending Doubleheader, Game One (Season Five, Game Five)

Olivia and Uncle Brian have come up from Fort Worth for the day, just to see Pablo and Emilio play. They'll catch a season-ending double-header from Emilio with an undefeated record on the line in scorching 90-degree heat.

Tyler Walker intercepts the goal kick, Emi chases the ball down in the corner, takes the defender back towards the center, turns her around and delivers a shot through the back door, threading a needle between two defenders and a goalie to the far corner of the net for his first score of the game. Impressive.


One minute later, Emi intercepts the goal kick and lofts his second score into the net.


Two minutes later, the U-8 version of a jump-ball following a hand-ball violation matches Emi and Eva. Though Eva gets the jump on him, Emi chases the ball down in the corner, takes control and goes coast-to-coast before angling in a corner shot from the sharpest of side angles. This is the one admirers were talking about after the game.


One minute later: I like this one because Emilio follows a header with a thigh/knee touch that centers the ball. The play ends with a long scoring strike by Tyler Bratton.


Emi intercepts a goal kick and delivers a sliding cross-over in the dirt. That's his fifth score of the game. (I didn't push down hard enough on the button and missed recording #4!).


Emi goes into the corner to pick a pocket following a goal kick and sneaks #6 in between the goalie and the post.


Emi picks off another goal kick, delivers goal #7 just before getting crunched, pops up, wins the race back to center field, gets pulled, picks up a drink from Uncle Brian, and almost leaves him hanging before delivering the high five.


Back in the game, Emi fights for position on a corner kick and gets kneed in the privates while setting up a score by Lane. He makes it to the sideline before giving in to the pain. He will soon be ready to play again, but Coach Bratton wants him to save energy for the last game of the season against a tough orangs squad led by our old teammate, Malachi.

Through five games, Turqouise is undefeated, and Emilio has 25 goals.