May 2006 - West Side Alliance

May 2006

WSA News Archives

|May 2006|

WSA Hosts Annual Awards Banquet; Honors Individuals and Teams

The annual WSA awards banquet and information meeting was held on Thursday night, June 8th, at the Osage Hills Christian Church. Over 200 club members, families, and prospective players turned out for the celebration. The banquet included presentation of the WSA Footballer of the Year awards. Recipients of this award embodied the attitude, discipline, leadership, and commitment to excellence on and off the soccer field that coaches feel should be the standard. Nearly 400 players participated in one of the WSA programs this past year, and the club acknowledged 20 "Footballers of the Year" (click here for list of award winners). Each winner was cited for their selfless, team-oriented approach, and blue-collar workman-like attitude.

Team trophies and winners medallions were presented to the teams placing in league play. WSA collected eight different league trophies this past year (click here for list). In addition special recognition was given the WSA 94 girls for claiming "back to back" State President’s Cup Championships. The Lil Alliance Academy 98 boys were also recognized for their WSA Cup championship won in April. The team did not collect its trophy at the tournament so this was the little guys chance to be recognized in front of an audience.

The WSA slideshow was then presented, "Beyond the Game", telling the story of the past WSA year’s trials, tribulations, and triumphs. "Beyond the Game" centered on the relationships and family ties created through the WSA soccer experience -- the story of the club that is truly "beyond the game". The story was centered on a song written and performed by Billy Wallace, "These Traditions". The audience was addressed by WSA Board members, David Duffey and Michael Butler, both whom thanked the parents, and emphasized the need and calling for volunteerism. Mr. Duffey recognized all team managers and managers assistants. Jamie Davis, WSA Community Action Program coordinator promoted the WSA club-wide community action project -- American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and the club generously donated $575 to the cause.

As the night concluded there were sentiments of a year gone by, and excitement of the next year on the horizon -- a new story to be told.

WSA 92 boys pose with their league championship trophies collected from the u14 boys "A" division league. The team gained promotion to the Oklahoma Premiere League.

WSA "Footballers of the Year" pose with trophies. Pictured from left to right: Mikella Schexnider (89 girls), Morgan Steele (96 girls), Kara Doctor (94 girls), Elisa Jelley (93 girls), Joey Hall (94 boys), Alex Stockard (93 boys), Alan Armstrong (96 boys), Scott Foster (88 boys), Matthew Tria (92 boys).

Brittney Hooper and Mikella Schexnider pose for a quick cameo at the WSA Awards Banquet.

WSA 2006 FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR AWARDS:

95 Boys -- Dakota Hardman

95 Girls – Katie Edwards

94 Boys – Joey Hall

94 Boys Blue – Stephen Brison

94 Girls – Kara Doctor

93 Girls – Elisa Jelley

93 Boys – Alex Stockard

92 Boys – Matt Tria

92 Girls – Megan Elledge

90 Girls – Molly Crum

91 Boys -- Orlando Colina

90 Boys – Cordell Baker

89 Girls – Mikella Schexnider

88 Boys – Scott Foster

Academy Boys – Alan Armstrong

Academy Boys – Jorge Anaya

Academy Girls – Morgan Steele

Academy Girls – Kayla Foster

TEAM AWARDS:

FALL 2005

WSA 94 Girls U12 Girls "A" Division Runner-Up

WSA 92 Boys U14 Boys "A" Division Runner-Up

WSA 90 Boys U16 Boys "A" Division Runner-Up

WSA 89 Girls U17 Girls Oklahoma Premiere League 3rd Place

SPRING 2006

WSA 93 Girls U13 Girls "A" Division 3rd Place

WSA 92 Boys U14 Boys "A" Division CHAMPIONS

WSA 90 Boys U16 Boys "A" Division 3^rd Place

WSA 94 Girls U12 Girls “A” Division 3^rd Place

WSA 94 Girls State President’s Cup Champions!

The WSA 94 girls knew it would not be easy, but then again, repeating never is. The squad entered the State President’s Cup this year with a goal in mind, and knowing that they, as defending champions, were wearing the target.

After going unbeaten in the qualifying the rounds, the team meet ESC 94 White in the semifinal stage. WSA advanced by beating ESC 3-1 in the Saturday morning clash at the South Lakes Complex. This set up a match up with NOKC United Navy in the final. NOKC had defeated Blitz Navy 3-2 to reach the final.

The "WSAAA" fan club was in full force and the game had all the energy and electricity of a championship match from the beginning. The WSA backline and defense played steady all afternoon long, nullifying chances from NOKC. The team survived a first half against a stiff wind, utilizing the scrappy play of their midfielders and defenders. The WSA forwards nearly got around the NOKC backline on several occasions, and almost as if to forecast the future, Hannah McGinnis saw several of her services miss her running mate’s, Lily Swab’s, feet by inches. The teams would go to halftime knotted at neil-neil.

As the second half began it became obvious the wind would help WSA create a bit more pressure. Samantha Forgione nearly netted a goal on a brave header, and then McGinnis nearly did the same thing moments later. It would be in the final one minute of play that WSA would finally break the deadlock. McGinnis got down the left flank and slotted a ball back in front which Swab slid past the outstretched NOKC keeper. It sent the WSAAA fan club into an uproar, and WSA held off NOCK the final moments and enjoyed the feeling of "back-to-back" champions. Kara Doctor, Lindsey Weathers, and Alyssa Bargas were credited with outstanding defensive performances on the afternoon.

The 94 girls have made tournament trophies a routine the past two years. This marks the team’s 5th trophy of the year and 10th of the team’s young career. And the team will certainly enjoy this one!

WSA 94 girls, the 2005 and 2006 State President’s Cup champions, are coached by Terry and Dustyn Hall.

Congratulations ladies on a great season and another championship!

WSA 93 Girls Finish 3rd Place in League

The WSA 93 girls used adversity to build strength as they labored through the final parts of their Spring season with no less than 3 and sometimes as many as 6 of their teammates on the injured list. The team was able to muster enough courage and prioritize defending during the rash of injuries to remain in contention for a league trophy all year. In their final 6 matches the team only yielded 3 goals, relying on a solid backline, and great goalkeeping. While goals were also difficult to come by, the team took several 1-0 squeakers for victories, and accepted a few 0-0 draws along the way. In the end it was just enough points to qualify the team for the third spot of the u13 girls A Division League. In their highlight match of the season the team took the undefeated league champions, Ponca City 93, a former OPL team, to the wire. The team was at 0-0 with Ponca City with 12 minutes remaining before an own goal gave Ponca City the 1-0 win. Ponca City went on to win the league with a perfect 10-0 record.

Other highlights for the team included close matches against Premier League teams HFC 93 Beatie, NOKC United, and ESC 93 Black. NOKC United finished State runner-up, and ESC 93 Black lost 2-1 in the state semis this year.

The team nearly pulled off a remarkable upset at this years State Tournament when they entered the final fifteen minutes of their final match still alive and needing a goal to advance. Playing much of their three matches without substitutes the exhausted team finally conceded a goal in the dying moments which eliminated them from the semis. The team also advanced to the semifinals of the Blitz United Invitational. The team will add this year’s league trophy to two other league third place trophies, and also to this year’s Ft. Smith Invitational Finalist trophy.

WSA 93 girls are coached by Roger Bush and Billy Wallace.

Congratulations WSA 93 girls on a great season!

WSA 92 Boys League Champions! Qualify for Premiere League

The WSA 92 boys captured 21 points in league play this season and won a head to head tiebreaker with Thunder 92, also accumulating 21 points, to capture the u15 boys "A" division league championship. A team which put it’s attention and focus on goalscoring, used a tandem of forwards named "Matt", to keep teams off balance all year. The ability to strike at any time, and fashion goals out of thin air helped the team remain in contention all year. The big moment came when the WSA 92 boys were able to upend league favorite, Thunder 92. WSA still had to scrap for points in their final games, in a league which featured several very level teams.

The 92 boys league championship will qualify the team for next year’s Oklahoma Premiere League, marking the 8th WSA team to qualify for the Premiere League in the past two years. WSA 92 also finished with the 2nd most points in the Tulsa regional Presidents Cup tournament, but due to the design of the brackets did not advance (a team from another group with less points advanced).

WSA 92 boys are coached by Ryan Bush and Wes Branstetter, and team managers are Ken and Brenda Lovelee.

Congratulations WSA 92 boys on a great season, a league championship, and qualifying for the Oklahoma Premiere League!

89 Girls 3rd in U17 Statewide Premiere League

The WSA 89 girls stumbled into the Spring season with a rash of injuries and never quite regrouped to get on track for state competitions. However, the team was excited to learn that it had finished in 3rd place in the Oklahoma u17 girls Statewide Premiere League. The team finished behind Hurricane 89 Richardson and ESC 89 White. Had the team been able to turn any number of their ties into wins the squad may have contended for the runner-up spot. The team netted the third most goals in league play, but a leaky defense, uncharacteristic of the team’s history, allowed too many goals this year, which turned several apparent wins into draws, costing the team valuable points in the league standings.

The third place finish in league play marks the third year in a row the squad has finished in top 3 of league play. The team finished league runner-up in 2004 playing up in the u16 A division as a u15 team, then captured the 2005 A division u16 league championship. The squad also won the Labor Day tournament earlier this year, finished runner-up in the WSA Cup, and going into state tournament play was ranked 3rd and 4th in the state in different polls, and was regionally ranked by two polls.

The 89 girls are coached by Roger Bush and Jamie Davis.

Congratulations WSA 89 girls on a great year! [5/29/06]

WSA 94 Boys Eliminated by Goal Difference

If a team has ever done a complete turn-about in a season’s time you’d need to look no further than the WSA 94 boys. WSA 94 entered this year’s State Tournament as a low seed, and drew a group which featured a highly touted Bartlesville United team, Tulsa Thunder, and top seeded TSC 94. WSA 94 had been on a quiet move in league play, having solidified a .500 record, dropping three matches by scores of 2-1.

In the State Tournament the team would put together an auspicious performance, defeating Bartlesville United 2-1, then dominating Tulsa Thunder 10-1, and in a classic comeback performance would draw TSC 94 boys 4-4, after trailing by a margin of 4-1. Joey Hall tallied all four goals for the WSA boys which set the team up in a three way tie for the top two spots coming out of the Tulsa Regional. By goal difference WSA looked to have captured the 2nd spot of the 8 team group in the u12 boys. However, the State Tournament rules only allowed a maximum of a differential of 3 goals per game, which allowed Hurricane 94 to advance instead out of the other group. TSC 94 went on to win the State title defeating ESC 2-0 in the semis, and then defeating Hurricane 94 4-0 in the final. Their only blemish was the 4-4 draw with WSA.

WSA 94 boys are coached by Roger Bush and Josh McElroy.

The 94 boys also missed advancing in the Ft. Smith Invitational earlier in the year by only a goal, and the team was only one goal away from a top 3 finish in the A division of league play. Congratulations WSA 94 boys on a great season and tremendous improvement! [5/29/06]

WSA 90 Boys Advance to State Semis

The WSA 90 boys utilized another stingy defensive effort to qualify for the 2006 President’s Cup semifinals. It marked the second year in a row the squad found itself in the semis. The recipe for success for Scott Peavler’s lads remained the same. A solid backline, organized and disciplined midfield, and opportunistic, hardworking play from the frontrunners put WSA 90 in contention.

WSA 90 won it’s first two matches of pool play beating Ponca City by a margin of 4-0, and then beating Tulsa Thunder by a margin of 2-1. The team then drew 1-1 with Blitz 90 in their final game, having already sealed up first place in the group. This pitted the team against SLSC Cosmos in the semifinals. It was the same foe that had eliminated WSA in penalty kicks in the 2005 semis.

WSA opened the match in strong fashion, creating two early chances. But a strong wind which negated much of soccer all weekend at the South Lakes Complex kept the match stale for most of it’s 90 minutes. Cosmos, the host club of this year’s Oklahoma State finals, took advantage of the lethargic play from WSA, limiting the team to much pressure. At the same time WSA limited the opportunities of their opponents, but in another heart wrenching scenario an odd deflection in the final minute of play found a Cosmos forward in behind the backline where he finished the chance. Cosmos won the match by the narrow 1-0 margin and sent WSA out in the semifinal stage for the second year in a row. Cosmos went on to win the championship final over ESC by a score margin of 6-1.

Congratulations WSA 90 boys on another solid performance at the State Tournament! [5/29/06]

WSA ’94 Girls Advance to President Cup Finals Weekend!

The WSA ’94 girls have earned their right to wave their flag once again by going undefeated in the 3 game preliminary round of the President’s State Cup this past weekend. The girls defensive game was at top shape allowing only one goal scored against them. Thanks to the awesome Midfield and Forwards who have clearly shown that they indeed can score again, putting 9 goals in the back of the net. The girls will be going to Oklahoma City Memorial Day weekend for the Finals, looking to bring home another Championship for 2006!

[5/02/06]