Season Nine, Game Three: Midwest City Lightning

Emi starts at left midfield, takes a tumble fifteen minutes in, and pops back up.

Nice pass!

Emi finishes the half at left defensive back.
After we go up 2-0, the Lightning narrows the first-half margin to one with a goal in the final minute of the half. Emi starts the second half at center of the defensive line--his first time organizing the defensive line. They allow no goals.

After taking a turn at right mid, Emi finishes the game at left defensive back.
With the score tied 2-2, Emi moves forward late to help with the attack.
With two minutes to play, Sam scores the go-ahead goal on a breakaway, and then, with less than a minute to play, our goalie deflects a shot on goal to preserve a narrow 3-2 win and maintain the Energy's clean record through three games. Next week, is Emi's first tournament, and I won't be able to attend because I'll be at an Honors Conference in Arkansas. Yuk!

Bike Tricks

Season Nine, Game Two: The Edmond SC Revolution

It's the second game of the season and first home game for Emilio and the Ada Energy U-12 team, (which Emilio will be officially old enough to play in next fall). I missed the first game because I was with Honors students in California.  Emi starts the game at right forward and doesn't see the ball much early. We later realize that Edmond started the game with too many players on the field. We're playing into the wind and fall behind 1-0. Emi is playing right defensive back when he corrals the ball above.
While Emi takes a breather, Sam nails a free kick. Emi later comes it at left defensive back (above and below).
We go into halftime tied 1-1.

Emi starts the second half as a right defensive back and finds himself matched against Edmond's own Emilio (#10). The photo above and the two below show our Emilio sneaking the ball away from theirs.

Our Emilio doesn't remember getting fisted in the face by their Emilio.

Three goals by Sam--including a second free kick and another score off a sweet feed over the defense by Emilio--put us up 4-1, and Emilio moves back to right forward.

Great weave and shot on goal under control . . . Gol!


Great pass to Angel, who just misses the net.
The official final score in this one: a 4-2 win for the Energy.

At Beavers Bend: Day Two

Beavers Bend: Day One

Season Nine, Game One: vs. the Edmond SC Thunder

These pictures were posted on Facebook by a family member of one of the players on Emi's team.

I missed this game because I was in California with Honors students, but while we were in Muir Woods without a signal, Dad dutifully texted updates, which I read from beginning to end after I got back to the hotel on Saturday night: "Overcast, slight crossfield wind. No precipitation. Field wet, not soggy or muddy. Kickoff coming now . . . E looks good in sleeves. Down right side, centers it, we score 1-0 . .. Same again, no score . . . E steals 2 corner kicks . . . Down cross shot offsides . . . We score again 2-0 . . . Corner steal again . . . Teammate down right, weak pass to E . . . We score next possession: 3-0 . . . E sits . . . Summary: E owns corner. Don't bring that in here. You do, and it's down the side and great cross . . . 4-0 . . . At center: E is back . . . Nothing gets started without e . . . Halftime . . . Good pass . . . [Ben] scores from corner kick 5-0 . . . E taken down in goal. Gets kick. Scores: 6-0 . . . 7-0 . . . E sits . . . E returns . . . E scores after long dribble: 8-0 . . . Knee skinned? Now defender . . . E ties shoes during corner kick . . .Sits . . . We win. . ."

Emi scored one goal in the Fall, and now he has 2 goals in the first game of the spring season.

Michelangelo vs. Steph Curry: The Bike-Off