LOSS: 1-2 vs Beerca – Badgers Post Strategic Win In Order To Not Feel Bad About Eating Beerca’s BBQ

Last game of the Fall 2024 season against good ol’Beercalona, which usually means 90 minutes of slightly above average Over 40 soccer followed by very much above average smoked meats and fixins. The Badgers were looking to cap off a solid start to the 2024/2025 campaign with another good performance. But you know, not too good. Third place in the table good. 

The bench was looking a little light for the end of the year with many Badgers still injured or unavailable. They were also tentlesss on yet another not-cold game day. Chappy did manage to earn a pre-match gold star as he saw Yuni’s Cuban distress signal high in the Round Rock clouds, and jetted up to Georgetown to pick him up as his car “woke up broke.” That didn’t give the pair much time to get ready, so they immediately suited up and hit the field. Luckily, Chappy’s sore “thrust muscles” appeared to be in working order this week as he survived the 90 minutes without further incident. 

Games with Beerca are always a spirited, hard-fought and mostly good-natured affair, and this was no exception. For the opening 15 minutes, the newly updated CRU passing attack was looking good, zipping the ball around and having the majority of play. But after that, their sharpness kind of went downhill as the turned the ball over too many times, allowing Beerca to get into the game. It didn’t really get much better for whatever reason over the final 60 minutes. 

About halfway through the first half, Guillermo sent in Gianluca down the right hand side where he used his Ferrari-like speed to break the lines and charge towards goal with family watching. His near-post rocket sailed past the keeper and into the back of the net for a fantastic opening goal. 

Looking to see out the half with a narrow lead, the Honey Badgers were minutes away from oranges when a Beerca attacker got behind the defense and met a nice cross with his head to ram home the tying goal. 

To make matters worse, Tattooed Tony made a run at goal early in the second half and Billy had to make a business decision: Either let him have a free pop at goal, or put him in the dirt. He made the right call and left it up to the Soccer Gods to decide as Tony set up for his p/k, but unfortunately it was written that he would score the go-ahead goal. 

The Badgers nearly tied the game as Derek got the ball inside the box, but his far post shot was barely saved by the outstretched Beerca Keeper’s foot. Close! 

As the game got more intense in the second half, Pete and Yuni took the brunt of the Beerca fouls, but both lived to fight another day. 

The Badgers just couldn’t grab that 2nd goal to tie up the game, so they had to be satisfied with the late-season loss and not feeling bad about eating pounds and pounds of Beerca BBQ…. Which was delicious. 

Man-of-the-Match: The final 2024 award goes to Gianluca for his well-taken goal and tireless effort. 

Man-at-the-Match: Kudos to Brian Parks, who might have been in Denmark on the same day as the actual game due to the earth and it’s time zones and stuff – but you gotta give it up for his commitment to the cause.