Friday, November 13, 2009:

The season is officially over for us. Tonight we played our last game of the 2009 season against Berry College, an old rival from a long time ago. Our last game against them was in 2000 and they beat us by the same score then, that they did tonight...1:3! So, we picked up right where we left off 9 years ago.

Tonight's game was a poor example of all the good things we accomplished in the first part of the season. I wish I had an explanation as to why our play went so badly in our last 9 games, but unfortunately I don't! We have never had a team that went from a great start to a poor finish like this one. All our other teams that started so well early in the season, always finished the second half of the season getting better, not worse. All I can say is we got way too satisfied in securing a winning season early and just coasted after that. Berry's first goal came on their corner kick with 1 minute remaining in the first half, that we flicked on to their player for the goal. We came back and tied the game, 5 minutes in to the second half on a great half volley by Tony Crocker, only to see more poor defensive mistakes beat us again. Late in the game, they dribbled 3 of our players on the end line and played it across where we scored another "own goal" for them. Our 3rd own goal of the season. That happens because we are never prepared with our bodies to play any ball that comes to us, thus resulting in either a poor touch or "own goal" in this case.Their third goal was because we were beaten defensively in the midfield and allowed the opponent to get a shot off to the near post. We never stay with our men and let them dictate what they want to do. So, the game ended with Berry College beating us 3:1. Our overall record for the season is 11 wins, 6 losses and 2 ties, a far better season and good turn around from our previous season record of 4 wins and 16 losses. There were some really good wins and some really poor losses this season, but a far cry better than last year. It is still a big learning curve for our very young team. But, until we learn to stop making so many foolish mistakes in the defensive third and learn how to prepare our bodies to receive any type of ball played to us, we will never be able to play a complete game. We must learn how to think on and off the ball.

Hopefully, we will be able to correct some of these things during the off season and learn how to think between the white lines. I want to congratulate Stephen Rumble and Scott Shelton for all their hard work over their careers and their total loyalty and honor they have shown to this program. As Stephen so prophetically announced last year, "Never Again" and he made sure that it did not repeat itself. Again, I want to say thank you to them both and I know we would not have been nearly as successful this season, had it not been for their outstanding devotion to "Never Again" and making sure their honor was intact to this program and what it stands for. They have been great Captains and an inspiration to this program, especially after the kind of season they endured last year. "Never Again" was their honor to this program! I can't thank them enough and I will miss them both very much. I know they will continue to be a big part of this program for many years to come!

We will get it done in our march to a Division III Championship, just like we did in the NAIA and NCAA Division I. We must also remember, that "Winning is a by-product of teaching,thinking and execution, not teaching, thinking and execution becoming a by-product of winning!" So, until next year, we will improve and close out the season with a championship....

Coach G from BSC