DRAW: 1-1 vs Travis FC – Badgers Bag a Point on Opening Day

The musty jersey that has been sitting in the trunk of your car for a month. The search for the 2nd red sock. The shameful pre-game trek to the port-o-potty. The stickers covering the ball in pre-game warmup. Ahh, the sights and smells for Opening Day at Onion Creek.

The Honey Badgers suited up for their latest quest in yet a new division: Over 40A. Badgertown was slightly sparse, as Cameron Road only managed one sub for the first game. But Big “Maybe” Dave arrived, and CRU welcomed back Gianluca, Jeff Z and Ol’Schwarzy for their first games since the end of the Spring Season. Ciro was a late scratch after he tested positive for the bug…. or was he just trying to avoid an opening day icing?

Travis FC came up to the new division with the Badgers, so they were a familiar, mostly friendly foe.

The game started and JAKE IS DOWN! JAKE IS DOWN!! With a quick strike someone put in a great ball to the back post (probably Gigi on corner duty) and Jake used his tallness to grab a header at the back post, but ended up in a familiar location with his body resting not-so comfortably on the turf. The Badgers were looking good in the opening 15 minutes with 90% of the action happening in the Travis FC end of the pitch.

Sure was good to have Schwarzy back in the midfield, even if he was without another Brian to keep him company. His calm possession on the ball along with Guillermo’s tenacity provided the Badgers with a good base of operations in central midfield.

Speaking of Guillermo, he popped up in the center of the danger area as Adam got him the ball, and stroked in a beautiful shot to the far post for the opening goal of the season and his first as a Honey Badger.

1-0 Badgers

With the lead and the momentum, Cameron Road pushed for more. With Gianluca back in the lineup, the long ball was back on, as Gigi’s constant hustle was threat down the middle of the pitch. But after last season’s goal-scoring heroics, he started this season in a giving mood, slicing a ball to his partner Derek. With a customary cutback on the right of the box, Derek rammed home goal number two to double the Badgers lead.

2-0 Badgers

Travis FC were trying to get back into the game, but so far, the back line of Jefe, Jeff Z, Big Dave and Billy were holding firm. And with Travis not pressing very high up the pitch, the Badgers were having a lot of success walking the ball out from the back.

On another play, Gianluca continued his generosity playing in Chappy to his left. The Captain’s first-time chip sailed over the keeper and looked to drop into the goal, but damn you crossbar! (and damn you referee for subsequently putting up the offside flag)

The first oranges of the young season were perfection.

With Jefe taking a break at the start of the second half, Travis FC were looking strong and pushing to get back into the game. They started to perk up offensively and got some lucky breaks to draw level. First, as Cameron Road looked to clear the lines from a corner kick, the ball dropped right to a Travis FC player in front of Jaybone, giving him no chance to stop the point blank shot.

Second, Big Dave was a hero for approximately 10 seconds (just like at home), as he scampered to save a goal off the line with a trademark slide….only to clear it right back to a Travis player to put into the back of the net.

2-2 and it was game on with Jefe coming back into the game to sure up the back line as Chappy punched his timecard at left back.

For the final 25 minutes, the game was back and forth. There was a little brew ha happening from the lovely ladies of the Travis FC sideline as they lobbed vulgarities at the Badgers after Chappy was taken down from behind earning a free kick. Not exactly mother of the year stuff coming from the opposing tent, but most of it was taken in good strides by the Badgers who actually came close to scoring as the free kick narrowly minded the Bald Dome of Power.

The BDOP also nearly struck again from one of Gigi’s powerful corner kicks but the header sailed just to the left of the far post.

Jefe and the defense got things sorted out with Travis FC pushing for their own winner. Billy added his calm, silky style to the right side, often linking up with Adam to get the ball downfield to Derek and Gigi and Big Dave strategically picked stickers out of the ball as the clock ticked down. With some tired legs, the Badgers saw out the opening day draw for a decent 2-2 result.

Man-of-the-Match: Pushing up to central midfield for 90 minutes, Guillermo is on the board with the opening goal of the season, and his first as a Honey Badger!

Post-Match Report: The Punters were a bit outmatched in their Over 40 Premier debut. Cameron Road’s post-match snacks got healthy. Little Holden Schwarz is no phoney. With no Ciro, Jeff Z took his ice bath like a champ. Jefe met an Austin FC defender.