A thing of beauty

With that title you know that I'm not touching anything about RSL with a 10-foot poll. Not with the on field performances that have already been chronicled and blogged about and now with the recent denial of funding from Salt Lake County to assist in the construction of the soccer stadium in Sandy, which I will post about later. So, forgive me for veering off topic while I talk about the 3A high school game I attended last night

The local high school, Logan High, had been receiving a lot of attention in the newspaper around these parts for their perfect 16-0 season. With the state playoffs starting this week, and the fact LHS had not won a playoff game since 1991 - before I was even in junior high, let alone high school.

Knowing what the normal fare of high school soccer presented (a hard-nosed long-ball game), I attended last night's first round playoff game with very low expectations. I even told the Mrs. that I would probably be home after the first half.

As I found a spot on the bleachers the game was a few minutes old, but no goals had been scored. What I saw on the field was shocking. None of Logan High's passes were hardly over 10 yards. Players commanded control of the ball with quality dribbling and quick one and two-touch play through traffic. The play was creative and of quality.

On the first goal a young lad named Edwin Sanchez received the on his foot at the top of the box, with his back toward goal. A defender pressured his back tightly but with a wicked cut back, across the front of his marker this striker destroyed any attempt at opposing his quest for goal. With no one in front of him after the devastating move, Sanchez easily slipped his shot past the keeper.

I found out later that Sanchez lead his team and the Valley (Cache, not Salt Lake) in scoring. And, he's only a freshman.

As I watched Logan completely dominate with their creative short passing I should mention it wasn't the domination that impressed me, but the style of playing from the boys. They know how the game is supposed to be played. And the thought occurred to me, if this is happening in 3A Utah high school soccer it gives me hope that this style of play is getting played by younger and younger american players.