On a late Sunday afternoon in crispy October, the Onion Creek wind swiftly swept in from the south, whispering of unforgiving bounces and exuding an “anything goes” attitude. The Badgers of Cameron Road United gathered their strength at Field 6 of OCSC for the late 4 pm game.
CRU made a good showing in numbers with 15 strong, and erecting a three-tent city that would make even a homeless man jealous. It was welcoming sight to have a few familiar faces back on the pitch for the new campaign: Danimal, having recovered from burns he received saving a keg from a burning brewery, and a rare sighting of Peyton, who was just making it back from filming the latest season of “Grizzly Man Does Colombia” on location. What may have been the most rare of all, however, was Andy sporting correctly colored red socks and blue shorts!
At the opening whistle, CRU took early control of the game, pushing forward and putting pressure on the defense. Peterson took an early set piece at the top of the 18-yard box and plastered the crossbar with a firm and accurate shot. The Dragons gained back some possession and returned the pressure. Unfortunately, a quick-moving play on the back line saw an errant pass fall into the lap of the Dragons’ left-wing, who slotted in the first goal. 0-1 Dragons.
The Badgers would quickly equalize. In a rare substitution, Luke went in at forward next to Willis. On a quick turnover in the middle, Peterson (or Cuyler) played a nice ball to the sideline where Luke turned the ball up field and sent an arching cross to the far of the field, directly into the path of a charging Willis. What happened next can only be seen to believed, and instantly becomes the leading candidate for “Goal of the Year”:
Jefe Selfie
At full speed, Willis dribbles one, maybe two, defenders to the end line where he is challenged by a charging goalie trying to eliminate the angle. Just where the smaller goalie box meets the left side of the goal’s end line, Willis chips the goalie and two defenders, runs around them out of bounds and then back in, gets the chipped ball just in time to meet it on its second bounce. With his back to the goal at full speed, Willis spins 360 degrees while simultaneously driving the ball into the very top of the net, narrowly avoiding the charging Dragons’ defense and goalie, who appear like a gang of Disney goons trying to kidnap Willis’ glory. But glorious it was. And the individual effort displayed on this goal will go unmatched until… the 85th minute. CRU 1-1 Dragons at half.
The second half saw CRU control most of the game in their offensive half, pushing forward in an attempt to gain the lead. Unfortunately, cross after cross fell short. The Dragons kept getting pesky counter-attacks from these crosses and quick punts and finally the Dragons’ forward, #2, gathered a counter-attack punt, dribbled into the box and sent a shot through two defenders and Jay’s outstretched arms. CRU 1-2 Dragons.
But the Badgers never go down without a fight. In the last five minutes of play, CRU was all-in with their attacks. A cross finally skipped through the defense and found Luke at the back post. Not having a clear shot, Luke “sombrero’d” the defender and sent the ball into the fray. A charging Danimal, with claws out and urgency raging, went into a full-body dive with his head, meeting the ball at the very instant the keeper began to gather it. As the ball jarred loose in the pure definition of a 50/50 ball, Danimal’s second effort on his momentum and follow-through pushed the ball into the goal just inside the left post. CRU 2 – 2 Dragons.The final whistle came swiftly after, and CRU celebrated the comeback and point in the vast shade of their tent city.
Man of the Match: Both goals were pure hustle and absolutely inspirational. I’m not sure if this is legal, but I’d do give a Co-Man of the Match to both Willis and Danimal
Post-Bear of the Match: The post-game award goes to the bear who snuck out of the treeline and took a huge shit in the port-a-potty, leading to El Jefe’s 20 minute rant about the size of the shit floating near Billy’s wallet….
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