Joe has a baseball doubleheader for HBC yesterday morning, followed by the State League soccer semi-final game vs. Signal 12B Red, a team from Chattanooga. Thanks to early morning, rain, baseball and soccer were delayed such that Joe was able to play in all three games.
For HBC, the boys went 1-1. They lost the early game, 10-1. Joe pitched and threw strikes but got hit pretty hard, giving up 5 runs in two innings of work. In the second game, Joe's HBC squad bounced back and won, 11-4. It's a resilient group, which is good to see, because they're younger and smaller than almost any team they play. They also enjoy playing together and their coach, Dalton Rogers, does a fantastic job with them. It's been a good season for the boys.
As strange as it is to type this, the baseball games yesterday were the appetizer and the soccer was the main course. Gulp! Based on how he played in goal at the last tournament for Armada's Blue team and the importance of yesterday's game, I felt like Joe would start at goalie and likely play the entire game. That's precisely what happened and Joe played the game of his life in goal with his entire family watching. Jude's brother, James, was in town and present, too, with his children, Caroline and James. Jim and Jane were there, too, so it was a family affair to be sure.
Late in a scoreless first half, Joe gave up a goal when his defenders failed to clear a ball and left in in a dangerous area. There wasn't much Joe could do to stop what amounted to a point blank shot from close range. Armada had missed a couple of glorious chances to score, so at that point I was concerned it might be one of those soccer games where the boys outplay the other team but can't convert their chances and lose one they should have won.
In the second half, Armada pressed the action and spent a lot of time on Signal's end of the field. Joe's teammate, Luke, probably Armada's most skilled players, patiently dribbled around a couple of defenders on the left side and scored on a powerful strike from 15 yards or so away to tie the game, 1-1.
A few minutes later, off a corner, Armada ran a set piece - almost a give and go with Ethan tapping the ball into a teammate, then quickly getting it back - that ended up with Ethan blasting a longer range goal, again from the left side. It was one of those goals that stuns the crowd momentarily as they try to process what just happened, before erupting in cheers.
Armada tightened up the defense at that point and it looked like they were going to escape with a 2-1 victory.
Joe was playing lights out in both halves. He stopped two or three close, solid strikes, diving to his right at one point in the second half to deflect a ball out of bounds. Later, he just got his hand on a ball driven slightly over him but headed for the net, deflecting it over the cross bar. Solid, at times spectacular play from Joe in goal.
What was more impressive, though, is how poised and in control Joe was in goal. He constantly communicated with his teammates, telling his defenders where he wanted them on corner kicks or free kicks. He also talked to his offensive players, as well, exhorting them to play on and finish the game, to press the action. All positive energy and emotion, which is something Joe has worked on the last year or so. He's the team captain for a reason, as they say.
Late in the game, with less than five minutes remaining, a ball got loose near Armada's goal, and just like that, it was 2-2. One of the Signal players pounced on it and Joe was caught in no man's land without a real chance to make a play. Just like that . . . goal. Tie game.
Armada's boys were deflated but Joe kept encouraging them to press, press, press the action. At the end of regulation, we had a tie game, and I watched with pride as Joe and two of Signal's players met with the referees for the coin toss while Coach Mario talked with the rest of the team.
With the fans in their camping chairs leaning ever closer to the action, the teams remained tied after the first overtime and the second one, as well. Now, the game would be decided on penalty kicks. Joe loves to be in goal on penalty kicks because, well, that's Joe. I thought I might have a heart attack.
Signal shot first and after Joe moved hard to his right, their player kicked it wide right. Armada hit it's first penalty shot. 1-0. Joe eyed the second Signal player as he lined the ball up. The crowd quieted as he approached the ball. Joe lunched hard to his right and deflected a shot toward the right corner out of harm's way and the Armada crowed erupted in cheering. It was a moment I'll remember for a long time. Armada hit their next goal but things got interesting when Luke hit the cross bar on a shot that could have one the game and Leo missed his, as well.
Pike saved the day, however, easily scoring the clincher, as the Armada players streamed onto the field and the fans celebrated. On to the State League finals!
After the game when things had quieted down, a parent of a player on the other team walked by us and stopped. Talking directly to Joe, he congratulated him and said that all season long, he had not seen a goalie communicate as well and as often with his teammates as Joe had done the entire game. Joe thanked him, as my heart skipped a beat or two, then swelled so large with pride I thought it might burst out of my chest and fly to the heavens.
Joe. The Captain. What a game. What a day. What a life.
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