Kermit gets MLS Cup final gig

Kermit Quisenberry (far right) preparing with fellow referees before a big game

Louisville's Kermit Quisenberry has been chosen to officiate at this Sunday's MLS Cup final which sees Columbus Crew take on surprise packet New York Red Bulls (3.30 p.m.).

Quisenberry was one of six US referees officiating at the Beijing Olympic Games in August. His assignments included assistant referee for the Cameroon/Korea group game and the memorable Holland/Argentina quarter-final.

Two weeks ago, he was named MLS Assistant Referee of the Year, and has now been chosen as AR for the biggest occasion in United States soccer, which takes place this year at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

In 1997, Quisenberry moved to Florida to take a job as an assistant athletic trainer at Jacksonville University and became a national referee the following year. Attending amateur regional and youth games there helped him advance onto the USSF’s panel for FIFA, soccer’s world governing body.

Fab Five make District team

Five of the area's high school soccer players have been named on the 2008-9 All-District teams chosen by the Indiana Soccer Coaches' Association.

Seniors Ben Hughes (Providence) and Dylan Abrahamson (Jeffersonville), and juniors Jordan Adams (Floyd Central) and Drew Mattingly (Christian Academy of Indiana) are part of the District 5 boys' team. Floyd Central's senior midfield maestro Nikki Korte is on the girls' team.

Both Hughes and Abrahamson were named on the second team last year, but it is the first time for all five to be named on the first team.

New Albany's Stephan Kossis and Providence's Nathan Marshall were chosen on the second team.

All-District Showcase games will be held between the six selected teams this Saturday and Sunday (November 22 and 23) at North Central High School in Indianapolis.

Coaches nominated players by submitting profiles in advance of the their district meetings in October and every member coach in attendance has the opportunity to present and promote any players from their roster who are listed on the district ballot.

Each District selects 18 first team and 12 second team players. From this list, the top 18 junior and senior players are offered roster positions for the teams that compete against each other this weekend.

The stats don't lie

When I moved to the States I have to admit I was taken aback at how many statistics were out there in the sporting world, especially at high school and college level.

When I was at school, we either had a good game, a bad game or a so-so game. And you knew it too if the coach threw a lone shoe hurtling in your direction in the dressing room after said game. We remembered if we scored an amazing 40-yarder, or would remind those who were beneficiaries of our generosity after we "made" them a goal (what you call assists).

I think there can be an overkill on statistics, however, and it shows painfully so in some newspaper reports across the nation which can become a trudge to get through because of their over reliance on said facts.

However, there are times when they are useful. As they say, statistics don't lie. (Unless, of course, they are inaccurate.)

Last week came my way the stats for the Indiana High School season.
Six of the area's players are amongst the girls’ statistical leaders, compiled by DigitalSports, "the IHSAA’s exclusive athletic statistics reporting and publishing service."

What leaps out is how well New Albany junior Kaitlin Robinett and Providence senior Laura Jenkins fared. According to the statistics, Robinett was fifth highest in the state for goals per game (16 games, 30 goals, 1.9gpg), and sixth in the "points per game" list, which takes in goals and assists.

Laura Jenkins was joint 17th for goals per game (17 games, 23 goals, 1.4gpg), and joint 20th for points per game. She was also 15th for assists, averaging 12 per game.

Also listed is Providence's Casey Marlin for assists (nine assists per game) and points, while freshman Kameron Cole made a splash in her first season with New Albany and is listed with 17 games and 15 goals.

Alyssa Hendershot (Providence) and Taylor Briscoe (New Albany) make the goalkeepers' list, with goals against averages of 1.26 and 1.38 respectively.

So it begs the question: didn’t the area deserve to have more players on the All-District teams (mentioned above)?

Chelsea happy with "unbelievable" season

Jeffersonville's Chelsea Grover and Western Kentucky University just missed out on an automatic bid into the NCAA Division I soccer tournament at the weekend following a 2-0 loss to Denver in the final of the 2008 Sun Belt Conference.

The Lady Toppers (15-2-4) advanced to their first championship match in their history after victories over Florida International and North Texas.


Despite a good first half defensive effort by WKU in the deciding game, Denver broke through in the second half with goals from Taryn Hemmings and Brook Lamphere in the 58th and 68th minutes.

Sophomore Grover, a defender who played in all 21 games, said it was "awesome" to be part of the first Lady Toppers team to make it to the SBC Championship game.

"It was disappointing to lose because everyone wanted so badly to win, but our coaches are still very proud of us on our unbelievable season," said the Jeff High School graduate. "We all can't wait until next season for another shot at the title."

She said she was "extremely happy" to play in every game -- and even got to play in goal for a couple of minutes against Morehead State.

"I am now a retired goalie as I broke my finger in practice," she joked. "Morehead didn't take any shots on me so I didn't have to work too hard back there, but it is pretty cool to say that I have played goalie in a collegiate game."

Tigers on the maul

If you think you've caught a dose of the "deja vu" flu when reading the following couple of paragraphs, it's probably because you read them last year.

Louisville's St Xavier are the Kentucky's boys' soccer champs; Louisville's Sacred Heart are best of the girls; and Evansville Memorial are IHSAA boys' victors.

And, like last year, I will say something about it being a shame that the Evansville Memorial Tigers and the St Xavier Tigers don't square off in an exhibition type battle of Indiana and Kentucky, seeing that both are ranked amongst the top 20 teams in the latest National Soccer Coaches' Association of America poll.

Just a thought, but with only 123 miles and two hours' drive separating two of the best high school teams in the United States, wouldn't it be a great spectacle to see a match-up between the pair?
Senior Andrew Estopinal from Jeffersonville was part of the rampant St Xavier squad (22-1) which won the Kentucky's High School State championship Saturday with a 7-2 thrashing of Highlands from Fort Thomas. St Xavier won its ninth title overall, tying Ballard for most Kentucky titles won in history.

Sacred Heart (21-1-3) regained the girls' championship crown by defeating Highlands 2-0 thanks to goals from Lucy Chauvin and Jenna Price.

Meanwhile, Evansville Memorial (23-0-2) won its 12th Indiana state title since 1979 - and second IHSAA tournament - by beating Zionsville in a thrilling penalty shootout 3-2 (5-4 PK) at Kuntz Stadium in Indianapolis last week.

It was a historic day for Memorial, as it became the first school to win both the boys' and girls' soccer championships in the same year. The Lady Tigers defeated Fort Wayne Snider 2-0 in the girls' final.

Spare a thought for Noblesville, which went through the entire regular and post seasons without conceding a single goal, but fell to Memorial in the semi-final on penalty kicks after a scoreless encounter.

Not such a Nightmare for Net-Surfers

Southern Indiana's Net-Surfers U12 girls were finalists at the Nightmare at the Rock tournament held at Center Grove Soccer Club in Gilbertsville, Indiana recently.

After winning their division bracket, which included wins against Mockingbird and SCSA Lightning, Net-Surfers met Kings Soccer Academy Elite Jones in a championship game which they lost in overtime after a 2-2 tie during regulation.

The team, coached by Marlon Jones, includes Maddie Burns, Jordan Reger, Alyssa Jones, Ashley Bittenbender, Fatima Maxwell, Alexis Lete, Leah Ellis, Rachel Labby, Taylor Haley, Emily Lewis and Madeline Coffey.

Javanon fundraiser

Javanon Soccer Club of Louisville, which features a number of southern Indiana players on its teams, will be holding its first gala at Holy Spirit, Lexington Road on November 15 (7pm).

The event will feature a silent and live auction, and music will be provided by Sound Decision.

All proceeds will benefit the 23,000 sq ft training facility which began construction in 2007. The facility features an indoor turf field and three outside fields. The facility is also in the process of completing a media center for coaches and players to review film, administrative offices and concession area.

The club plans to add a strength and conditioning room over the next several years along with additional playing fields. For more information about the gala or to make a donation to the club, visit www.javanon.com, or contact Kay Maum at 502-299-3865.