Palm Springs Meets Groundhog Day
This past weekend, my daughter Molly had a movie she wanted to share with me called Palm Springs. She knew I’d be a fan because we often re-watch Bill Murray’s classic, Groundhog Day. I won’t give away any of the plot of this enjoyable movie. Still, after today’s game, I am not so sure I am not living the life of Andy Samberg’s character, Nyles. And I think I have dragged Coach Custer into the cave with me. To mix movies: Coach and I are stuck in Punxsutawney, PA and are re-living the same nightmarish day over and over and over and over again. No matter what formation, strategy, or rah-rah speech we try (or how often we change our coaching outfits), we just can’t quite escape the continuous loop that some cruel soccer god has put us in.
We faced off against Cardigan Mountain School today for the first time this fall. It was a rainy start, and CMS took the first shot. We dubbed around for the next four minutes until Aiden Bean set up Michael Jung with a cross from the outside, and Michael blasted the ball just wide of the net. CMS then dominated for the next five minutes.
Nine minutes into the half, Matt Fussteig brought the ball deep into the far-right side and sent a beautiful chip into the middle. Michael was ready and blasted another ball that went into the back of the goal. We were ahead. We picked their heads up. We started to play with grit and determination. Even after Cardigan got in close, drove a shot from six feet in front of Henry Steffen and scored, we did not give up. We were beating the Cougars to the ball, passing well, and saw shots from Jordan Garfat, Aiden Bean, Matt Fussteig, and Adi Lesbek.We were playing well.
At the half, we were tied 1-1.
Cardigan certainly must have had a better halftime speech, because during the first play of the second half, they deftly moved the ball past our forwards, through our midfield, and behind our defensive line. Then, mere feet from our goalkeeper, Henry Steffen, they drove it deep into the net. Henry never had a chance. Ten minutes later, they repeated the play for goal number three. Five minutes later, they were up to four goals.
We were not the same team that had aggressively attacked and controlled the ball. We were losing more plays than winning.
With ten minutes left in the game, Adi gained control of the ball and sent it in to a rushing Mikey Winham. Mikey shot from outside the box and sent the ball to the far post. He hadn’t given up hope and tried valiantly to chip away at the gap. He found success and scored his first goal of the year.
I wish I could say things turned around, but they didn’t. Again, CMS got in close and drilled another point-blank shot to make it 2-5. And that is how the game ended.
Maybe the most frustrating thing is - these are some of the most talented players we have coached in recent years. It is baffling to me why we don’t have a better record.
So, we have twenty-three days left in our season. We have six games left. Hopefully, soon, like Phil learning how to woo Rita properly (This is a better and less explosive way to change the future.), we will figure out what needs to be done so we won’t have to wake up to hear Sonny and Cher singing, You Go Me Babe again, for the first time.
I have confidence.
