Bridgetown 6 vs. FC77 Rangers 0

April 16, 2008

Uh...how about a delightful word jumble to sum up Match Day One for the spring '08 season?

E W U K C D E S

Rangers opened the new campaign at the Montessori Earth School under pleasant April skies with high expectations, great potluck-fueled enthusiasm, and a seriously cool website. Unfortunately, former Open Division squad Bridgetown had other designs and 'Gers got spanked...and not in a good, bachelor party kind of way. Three goals on either side of the half allowed the visitors to take command of the match tempo and dictate much of the play. Playing opportunistic ball, Bridgetown worked the midfield until their strikers made a through-run and took their chances. 'Gers found some early success along the wings but were unable to capitalize in front of goal. 0-6 is kind of a dire score line, but it is the first time the entire squad has played together since late November and this was the second match we played in four days--who scheduled that? Oops...never mind--so some early season fitness and experience issues are to be expected, but rest assured that we will improve, we will start scoring some goals, and we will gel as a team. To that end, Ranger fans, let's focus on the positives:

The Positives

1. Nobody was seriously injured or left the pitch in a stretcher. That's good.

2. New players Gary Foubister and Dan "Prodigal Son" Calkins were welcome and enthusiastic additions to the squad. Fun facts: Gary has the "mad skillz" with the website you are currently enjoying. Dan is a quiche ninja...which you'd know if you came to the potluck. See what happens when you miss team-building social events?

3. Aaron Radigan's late left-footer rocket shot made the Bridgetown 'keeper stretch hard to the corner for a notable save. The next time Bridgetown won't be so lucky.

4. We got fans! The Ingersolls, Foubisters, Dario's wife and Bullie Sibanda all provided enthusiastic support for the entirety of the match. Kendall Ingersoll and Connor Foubister served as inaugural Junior Rangers for the night. Alena Foubister video-taped portions of the match for review here on the website.

5. Brian Bauman didn't make any strikers cry outwardly, but I believe at least two of them will be weeping on the inside. Playing central defensive enforcer, Brian took down about every offensive member of the opposing side.

6. My wife Becki pointed out that the team actually talks to each other on the field. She noted that was not the case several years ago, where she recalls a few very silent matches.

7. 'Gers fielded fifteen players for the match. I'm not going to say anything more about numbers and risk jinxing future matches, but four subs provided necessary rest and new legs.

8. Mark Vogel did a very diplomatic job evicting the groups of small school children from the pitch prior to kick-off.

9. Goalkeeper Steve Berg made countless dramatic saves to keep the score line to what it was. Particularly good was the feet-first sliding save to take the ball off the Bridgetown's striker's foot as he entered the box...also of note were the double point-blank blasts he deflected early in the second half.

10. Team morale was still pretty good even after the beat-down. Some clubs would fall upon one another and start the blame storming. Not Rangers. It speaks to my main criteria for the squad, also in the form of a delightful word jumble:

O N I D K C S

Cheers! Our next match is the FC77 Rangers/Blue Monk Derby.

Sean-Scott Ingersoll