We just got home from the finale of our first CCU tournament of the season. My throat hurts I’m so horse. Get it, we’re the mustangs… sheesh tough crowd. But I totally killed it with my new nickname for the head ref that looks like Colonel Sanders– K Ref C. I’ll be here all night, folks.
So yesterday we started at Damon against the Lemoore Arsenal Gunners. Good thing they were about as consistent as the real Arsenal and we won 5-2. According to my handy dandy score keeping sheet for Nate’s future glory day reliving, he scored 2 goals, took 4 shots, and had 5 heart-stopping saves of various flavors as goalie for the entire second half.
Our second game was up against Kings County 10B Orange out at Cuesta at approximately dinner time. This is generally not our team’s best time of day. We were down 3-0 and made it 3-1 at the half. We battled back and tied 3-3. Nate had one goal, an assist, and 3 shots.
This morning we woke up bright and early so Jacob could work his 7am minimum wage gig as a field marshal. It was definitely a more cushy job than manning the Goodwill Donation trailer in the dirt parking lot near school. He did well given his ride dropped him off 45 minutes late and the ambiguous job responsibilities. He was especially effective pointing out that the opposing team had two #17’s… and then two number 8’s.
Our first game was up against Davis Legacy Black. This is not the Davis Legacy to be scared of; I think that’s the white one. In any case, we won 4-0 and Nate had a hat trick. Looks like he made all his shots.
Then hours and hours went by, we fed Nate leftover Panda Express for lunch, we watched Man City almost lose to Newcastle and we had a visit from Ralph, Kili, and Thurman the little Frenchie. We packed up again and headed back to Damon Mad House Garcia for the finale against California Magic, which appears to be a fancy name for the east bay town of Orinda.
Oh this game. They score. We score. They score. We score. It was 2:2 at half. We go back out and it’s more of the same. With what seems like 2 minutes left, Nate scores and we’re up 4-3. It was one of those movie goals where we all gasp and cheer and he does the Ronaldo jump celebration. Someone asks how they can get his autograph… it’s hilarious and exciting. Nate has his second hat trick of the day, a nice corner kick assist, and a series of memorable free kicks. And then in this terrible slow motion play, the guy gets past our defense and fires it at our goalie and bam, we’re back to 4-4. The minutes are ticking down and we’re dreading the dreaded PK’s ending. Good news, there’s a ten minute overtime. Bad news, we’re still tied.
And we go to Penalty Kicks.
Eliot starts out as he’s also playing goal. It sails over the top and he’s pretty devastated. But then the first Magic guy shoots on him and misses to the right. We’re back in it. Nate takes the next PK and makes it top left. I’m not sure what all happened after that but Beckett makes his shot, Spanner has a beautiful low shot. And then Noah takes our final shot and makes it and the field erupts into a huge crowd of jumping cheering mustangs.
This afternoon on our way to the game we talk about PK’s. Nate tells me he really doesn’t like taking them and has only made 1 of 5 he’s taken. I’m not sure this is true but who knows? What I do know is it’s all in his head. He tells me when he’s practicing with his friends it’s so easy.
Today Nate faced his fear– volunteered to take the PK– and changed his confidence. That just might be the best prize of all.