Evansville Elated!
Congratulations to southern Indiana outfit Evansville Memorial, winners of its first IHSAA Boys' Soccer State Tournament - and 11th overall state title since 1979 - when beating Chesterton 1-0 Saturday.

Andrew Fuch's second half goal secured the title for the Tigers, who are this week ranked No. 1 in the United States and end the season unbeaten with a record of 23-0-2.

The Irish had cause for celebration too - the Cathedral Irish girls, that is, which also won its first State title. The No. 9 ranked team (16-3-4) from Indianapolis beat Penn 4-2.

Two of the area's referees were also involved in State finals day at Kuntz Memorial Stadium in Indianapolis, again showing that our men in the middle are held in high regard. Kevin Harpring was alternate referee for the Evansville Memorial/Goshen semi-final, while Bob Snook was alternate referee for the final.

Want to be a ref - or learn the rules?
Speaking of referees, you can take your first steps to becoming one - or simply learn the rules of the game - by availing of a new class which will take place in February.

The class will be held at Mt.Tabor School in New Albany the weekend of February 15.
"Adults are also welcome to take the class - it is a great way to learn the rules of soccer," said Clark County Soccer Association referee assignor Teresa Knear Bell.
To register for the class, you can go to www.indref.com. For further information, you can contact Teresa at tknearbell1@yahoo.com

SIU & Net-Surfers work together
The two area's soccer clubs, Southern Indiana United and Net-Surfers, have pledged to work together for the good of soccer in Southern Indiana.

They have agreed that SIU will run the area’s coed recreational program for boys and girls (U5-U16), and the area’s boys’ academy and competitive programs (U9-U18). Net-Surfers, meanwhile, will run the area’s girls’ academy and competitive programs (U9-U18).

The two clubs have also agreed to promote each other through its websites, tournaments and clinics, and a committee to discuss goals and further collaboration is being established.

Both clubs have applied for grants to help them complete their soccer complexes in anticipation of hosting tournaments.

Meanwhile, the Net-Surfers continue to hold tryouts for U15-U18 girls this Saturday, November 3 at Providence High School (10 a.m. to 12 noon).

An effective Sting!
It wasn’t such a horror show for Southern Indiana United’s Sting U10s at the Nightmare at the Rock tournament in Indianapolis recently.

The boys, under the tutelage of Greg Longest, Tim Rice and Steve Reed, placed second after winning three of their four games at the Center Grove hosted competition.

They lost the first game 2-0 to the SFSC Blue Blaze but bounced back in fine style to win three on the trot. Portage Red Devils were the first to feel the “Sting,” going down 2-1 thanks to goals from Luke Barry and Ben Rhodes. They then beat the Starsoccer Titans 1-0, courtesy of a Nic Reed strike, and finished the tournament with a 1-0 victory against Center Grove Shockers, thanks to Harrison Rice effort.

Meanwhile, SIU U11 boys, coached by Paul Duckworth and David Stinson, went undefeated in the tournament with three shutouts.

The boys first beat the Whiteland Future 3-0 on goals by Jacob Hedrick, Alex McLaughlin and Michael Onstott.

It then tied the eventual tournament champions Center Grove United Blast 0-0, before beating the Granite City Elks 1-0 on Jacob Hedrick's second goal of
the tournament.

It missed going to the championship game by one goal in goal
differential to the Center Grove.

The team is 5-1-1 in tournament play so far this season and has
outscored its opponents 17-2 in tournament play.

SIU will finish the season at the Veterans' Invitational Tournament in
Evansville on November 17-18.


Tungate’s gate is great!
Clark County Soccer Association wants to thank Mr Tungate’s welding class at Jeffersonville High School for a security gate it built for them this fall.
As a privately financed organization, CCSA said it benefitted greatly from this
generous gesture by Mr. Tungate's class.

While the previous gate provided security for the property, it was not as aesthetically pleasing, they said. This one, however, is quite impressive and is a fine piece of workmanship.


The new gate thanks to Mr Tungate’s class at Jeffersonville High School

Locals keep Mockingbird in flight
Three of the area’s high school players just missed out on success at the Bash at the Boro in Tennessee Sunday.

Zev Crawley (Providence), Max Orwick (Floyd Central) and Spencer Whiteman (Jeffersonville) switched their attention to club football and were part of Mockingbird’s U16 outfit which put in a fine performance at an equally fine facility at Murfreesboro.

The boys beat Murfreesboro Strikers 3-2 in their first game on Saturday, having been 2-0 down. Another win was secured on the day, when beating TNFC 3-1.

On the Sunday, Mockingbird reached the final after demolishing Nashville Metros 6-1, with Zev Crawley netting a whopping five (four and a deflected goal).

However, their wings were clipped when another Kentucky team, Jackson Purchase, beat them 2-0 in the deciding game.

Coaches beware!
Another crazy story from the world of soccer comes the way of ‘Kick It’ in the shape of a Long Island mother who was arrested after slamming a metal folding chair across the face of her daughter's coach.

The mother of the 12-year-old player allegedly attacked the coach after a dispute sparked by her claim that the 67-year-old coach stopped e-mailing her directions to the team's games.

The coach suffered cuts on his lip and cheek after he was hit in the face three times. The club president said the coach was a volunteer who “stepped up to coach the team when no one else would," according to Newsday.
The mother claimed the coach had made disparaging remarks about her being a single mother.