2012 Fall D2 Cup Video

A big Elite Thank You to David Hwang for filming & editing this awesome team video.

Elite Captures District 2 Fall Cup Title

The mighty men of Elite 03 Black played a near flawless four games over the weekend of November 10th & 11th, capturing the CYSA District 2 Tournament Championship at the Morgan Hill Soccer Complex. Elite didn’t allow a single goal through the pool play portion of the tournament, then captured the title with a 7-1 victory over Almaden FC.

The boys opened the weekend with a 5-0 victory over Alpine Strikers MP Blue in a morning affair. They wasted no time jumping on their opponent, and never looked back. Justin W converted on the first shot of the game in just the 2nd minute, slicing a shot across the goal mouth from the right side, before deflecting it off the left post.

Manas converted with a head ball that vaulted past the goal keeper 5 minutes later. Josh made it 3-0 with a goal from the doorstep in the 19th minute, after Luis and Taishi worked the ball out of the right corner and sent a cross through the slot.

Elite padded their lead in the 2nd half, when Ryan deposited a cross off a corner kick. He gathered the ball from 8 feet out and snapped a shot home for the 4-0 lead. Amit capped the scoring in the 27th minute, pounding home a shot after Ryan bounced a scoring chance off the goal keeper.

Justin lays out for a ball

In the afternoon game, the Peninsula Avalanche put up a good fight in the first half of the game, keeping things scoreless heading into the halftime break.

Amit finally cracked the score sheet by firing a shot from the left side that caught the back right corner of the net in the 21st minute.

The Manas show kicked into gear, as the midfielder ripped off three straight goals to wrap up the 4-0 win. He scored from the right side in the 23rd minute, then rang a shot off the right post with a bullet after Justin W bounced a series of chances off the Peninsula goal keeper. Manas earned the hat trick with his third goal in the 36th minute.

Having earned a spot in either the Consolation final or the Championship by virtue of winning but of their Saturday games with shutouts, Elite played on Sunday morning against the Scotts’s Valley Quakes.

Justin H moves the ball forward

Elite earned a spot in the Championship game with hard fought 2-0 win. The game wouldn’t be decided until the 2nd half after both teams clamped down defensively through the first 20 minutes.

Amit provided Elite all the scoring they would need in the 26th minute, after intercepting a short goalie punt, then firing a long shot that a Quakes defender narrowly missed stopping. Manas made it 2-0 three minutes later by gathering a ball at the top of the 18, then snapping a shot inside the right post.

There would be no suspense in the tournament finale. Elite scored early and often against Almaden FC, pounding home 7 goals to capture the first tournament win in team history.

Justin W started things off early by tucking a shot from the right side just inside the left post. He out-raced a defender up the right wing before drawing his shot across the grain, bouncing the ball off the left post for the goal in the 2nd minute.

Nathan navigates past a defender

He added his second goal of the game in the 17th min after Amit sliced a pass diagonally through the box. Justin received the pass outside the 6 with no defender in sight, then lifted a shot to the top right corner of the goal.

Amit made it 3-0 in the 20th minute, chipping home a Justin W cross from the right side. Manas scored a similar goal a minute later, taking another Justin W feed from the right and tapping home Elite’s 4th goal of the game.

The lone blemish on Elite’s weekend came right after halftime, when Almaden found the back of the net off a long free kick.

Celebrating their win

Amit made it 5-1 in the 45th minute, taking a Taishi feed from midfield then ripping a shot under the crossbar to push Elite’s lead back to four goals.

Manas added a 6th goal a minute later after Taishi bounced a shot off the keeper. Manas cleaned up on the doorstep by tapping home the ball.

Taishi converted in the final minute of the game after carrying a ball up the slot before working past two defenders and snapping home a shot from the left post.

Time expired and Elite celebrated by collecting a large trophy and Champions medals.

2012 Medina Fall Classic Recap

Elite 03 Black took another big step in their evolution on Saturday, participating in their first competitive soccer tournament, the 2012 SASC Medina Fall Classic. Playing in the friendly confines of their home fields, Elite had a big first day, winning a pair of games in their bracket qualifier. They would drop a hard fought game on Sunday to close out the qualifying round, before coming within a whisker of taking the Consolation Final in an epic battle.

Saturday’s opening match pegged Elite against North Valley United, the team they beat in their inaugural game a month earlier. Unlike the earlier matchup, United was prepared for Elite’s game and they brought their A game. From the opening whistle, Elite had their hands full with a United team that was constantly pressing in the offensive zone.

The game was limited to two goals, but if you blinked you might have missed them. Elite opened the game’s scoring with a goal by Justin W in the 4th minute. The speedy forward carried the ball up the right side, before cutting back against the grain. He took two steps toward the net, before ripping a shot from outside the right post. The ball hit a defender and deflected into the goal for the 1-0 Elite lead.

He would add to Elite’s lead less than a minute later by splitting two defenders and racing up field on a breakaway. With the defense in hot pursuit, Justin waited for the United goal keeper to make a move before sliding a shot to the lower left corner. The defense took over from there, holding United off the scoresheet, but not before having to deal with some precarious scoring chances. Taishi anchored the backline, denying chance after chance. Nathaniel and Josh combined for the shutout to secure the victory.

In the afternoon game, Elite squared off against a feisty MVLA Lynx team that looked as if they would give the boys a run for their money. A Lynx forward got Elite’s attention with a shot that rang off the cross bar in the 5th minute.

Both teams would trade scoring chances in the opening half until Elite finally broke through late. Justin H sent a corner kick into the big box which landed on Ryan’s boot outside the top of the 6. Ryan got a foot on the ball, then watched it weave through traffic in front of the net for his 1st goal of the tournament.

Josh added a goal in the 33rd minute, poking a ball over the Lynx keeper’s head. The ball had pin-balled inside the 18 by several players before Josh steadied it for his looping shot.

He added another goal in the 39th minute to cap the scoring. The midfielder corralled a pass at the top right corner of the 18 and ripped a shot that sailed over a group of defenders and caught the back of the net to cap the scoring in the 3-0 victory.

Sunday’s competition would prove to be more of a challenge. Elite was poised to advance to the tournament championship game by simply scoring. A win or tie would also move the boys into the championship, but a lone tally was all they needed.

That would prove to be a tall order against the Los Gatos Tigers, a bronze level team that had lost earlier in the tournament. Los Gatos took advantage of a defensive miscue by Elite in the 23rd minute, crossing a ball from left to right, before firing a point blank shot past Ryan for the 1-0 lead.

They added to their lead in the 2nd half with a ball that was misplayed by the Elite defense. The mistake would cost the boys.

Injuries began to mount, taking both Manas and Amit off the field during the crucial final 15 minutes of play. Elite couldn’t muster a goal even though they had possession in the Tigers zone. The game would finish as a 2-0 loss, thereby relegating Elite to the Consolation Final.

In the final game of the tournament, Elite played 39 minutes of sold soccer in a game that matched them up once again against MVLA Lynx. Unfortunately for Elite, the games were 40 minutes long.

Playing down a man, because of Manas’ injury, the boy were forced to shift make do with two substitutes. The weekend heat may have also taken a toll on the boys who were playing their fourth game in less than 24 hours.

The defense looked rock solid early, as Taishi, Jonathan, Nathan and Nathaniel held the Lynx off the board through the first 20 minutes of play.

Ryan scored in the 19th minute after pursuing a through ball in the slot. He walked the ball in outside the 6 before putting a move on the Lynx keeper. After beating that last defender, he simply chipping home the ball on the wide open net.

Elite was less than a minute from victory, when a Lynx forward slipped past the defense and fired an uncontested shot home from 8 yards out.

Time expired and the game immediately went to penalty kicks. Taishi bagged the first shot of the shoot out, but the next three Elite shooters would fall short. MVLA converted three of four shots to take the game by a 2-1 (3-1) final.

Key Accomplishments –

Secondary Scoring: The midfielders stepped up their intensity toward the net all weekend, which created more scoring from that position. Rather than solely relying on offense from the forwards, the midfield play in the shooting zone really made a difference.

Defense: The boys averaged less than a goal-against over four games, which is typically enough to win a tournament. The defense played extremely well when faced with rushes. Team speed on the backline was a huge advantage for the team throughout the tournament.

Goaltending: Nathaniel made his return to the team after fighting a bout of pneumonia. As he works to regain his strength, he saw action in net in every game during the tournament. He stepped up and made a big difference in net all weekend.

Development Areas –

Weak Side Marking: The boys had a tendency to swarm to the ball whenever the opposition pushed the ball deep and to the outside. Holding position on the weak side of the field (the side opposite the ball) was an area being neglected, which created several dangerous scoring chances for the opposing team. Los Gatos first goal was a direct result of this issue.

Playing with a Lead: Holding their slim one-goal lead late in the Consolation Final, the boys continued to press on offense. They need to play more defensively when leading late in the game. This is something that they will learn as they become more mature as soccer players, but the end of that Consolation Final was as good a lesson as they’ll get on the importance of defensive posturing when holding a lead.

Movement to the Ball: The Los Gatos game was another good learning experience for the boys. That team was trained very well at moving to every ball, rather than standing still and waiting for the ball to come to them. Elite lost a number of possessions by not moving to the ball.

9/16/12 Game 4 Photos

All Photos || Slideshow

9/16/12 Game Recap (4-0 Win)

Luis celebrates his goal

Elite 03 Black trekked to South San Jose on Sunday to take on the Almaden Mercury at Bret Harte middle School. Elite continued their habit of jumping out to an early lead, then clamping down defensively. The boys converted four scoring chances into goals, en route to a 4-0 win.

Luis scored his 1st goal of the season in the 7th minute of the contest, taking a feed from Amit on the left side then pin balling a shot off the Almaden goal keeper from just outside the left post. The Mercury keeper tried to come out and challenge the ball, but Luis’ shot found the back of the net.

Amit added a tally in the 11th minute, after receiving a Just W pass from the right side. He carried the ball across the top of the small box and chipped home the goal from between the posts.

Nathan cuts back on a defender

Manas made it 3-0 in the 16th minute, gathering a feed near the penalty dot from Justin W, then pivoting toward the goal and tucking a shot just inside the left post.

Elite just missed on a flurry of shots in tight after Justin W worked the ball deep into the right corner and sent a cross to the front of the net. Taishi bounced a shot off the Almaden keeper to start the sequence, then Ryan rang a shot off the right post before The Mercury defense was able to corral the ball and clear it to safety.

Jonathan and Nathan patrolled the outside midfield positions and repeatedly fed balls to the forwards, setting up a number of nice crossing attempts.

Justin W crosses a pass to the box

Amit rifled a shot that deflected off the left post and into the goal in the 21st minute, after Nathan took a crossing feed and navigated through traffic before sliding a pass to the front of the small box.

Ryan, Josh and Nathan combined their efforts in goal to earn the team’s 4th shutout of the season.

Key Accomplishments —

-- Possession – The boys continue to controls games by commanding possession of the ball. Wider positioning allowed them to maintain possession longer, because it spreads the defense and makes it more difficult for these defenses to force turnovers.

-- Overlap Runs – The boys began to employ overlap runs, which requires a trailing player (typically a full back or midfielder) to activate to a forward position by overlapping past a teammate that is in control of the ball. While the defender is drawn to the ball, the overlapping player become a passing option that is also carrying momentum past the defender.

Development Areas —

-- Right of Way – When two players from the same team have an opportunity to gain control of the ball, the player who can best clear it from danger, or best attack on offense has the right of way, or the right to the ball. Players need to recognize who is best suited to control the ball and yield to their teammate if they do not have the right of way.

-- Transitioning – The opposing team created several offensive chances, because the midfielders were not transitioning quickly enough. In cases where there are only two defenders, the opposition can generate odd-man rushes as a result of poor transitioning.

-- Dribbling with Head Up -- As the boys mature as players, they must develop the ability to dribble the ball with their heads up. This will allow them to scan the field and make better (and timely) decisions on what to do with the ball. Keeping their heads down places their visual focus on the ball and eliminates the ability to identify what the defense is doing.

9/15/12 Game 3 Photos

All Photos || Slideshow

9/15/12 Game Recap (6-0 Win)

Nathaniel fights for possession

Elite 03 turned in another solid performance on Saturday, knocking off the Alpine Strikers MP Blue squad in a 6-0 decision. Playing on turf for the first time, Elite put on a scoring clinic at Terminal Field in Menlo Park to push their season record to a perfect 3-0. Five different players scored, showcasing the offensive talent up and down the lineup.

Elite wasted no time getting on the score board, when Amit deposited a ball in the Strikers goal 3 minutes into the contest. Taking a feed from Justin W on the right side, Amit beat a defender near the top left corner of the 18 and snapped a shot home from 12 yards out to give Elite the quick 1-0 lead.

Manas made it 2-0 8 minutes later, by tapping home a deflection after Jonathan bounced a shot off the Strikers keeper. Nathan started the scoring sequence by feeding the ball from the right corner to Jonathan near the top right corner of the 18. Jonathen pivoted toward the goal and ripped a shot that the Strikers keeper was able to get a hand on, but not control.

Celebrating Jonathan's goal

Manas added his 2nd goal of the game in the 14th minute, pulling the ball out of a scrum and snapping a shot from 8 yards out to the low right corner.

Jonathan scored his first goal of the season in the 17th minute, taking a long diagonal feed from Josh on the right side, before sending a laser on net from 16 yards out.

Taishi tapped home a deflection in the 21st min after Nathaniel took a ball at midfield and carried it up the slot and firing a shot that the Strikers keeper partially deflected. The ball trickled to the left post were Taishi redirected it into the goal for his 3rd tally of the season.

Justin H capped the game’s scoring after he ripped a shot from 20 yards out that caught the bottom of the crossbar in the 24th min. The midfielder dribbled around a defender before uncorking his long shot, finding the back of the net right before the halftime whistle.

Josh tracks the ball

The game’s outcome was decided early, so the boys focused on their possession game in the 2nd half. Nathaniel and Justin W teamed up to work a pair of overlap runs, late in the contest.

Ryan and Amit teamed up in net to earn the combined shutout. Amit was forced to make a pair of nice saves in net after the Strikers worked the ball deep into the Elite zone.

Key Accomplishments —

- Sustained Offensive Pressure – The boys applied the heat early and often, which resulted in a flurry of offensive chances and eventually goals. This pressure also eliminated any pressure on the defense.

- Unselfish Play – The ability to string together so many offensive chances was largely driven by the boys willingness to distribute the ball. Their pass first approach allowed the team to better spread the offense, which made it more difficult for the opposition to gain control of the ball, and stop shots.

Development Areas —

- Transitions – Once again, the team struggled with transitions from the midfield position after turnovers occurred in the 2nd half of the game. Making the shift from offense to defense in particular was an area that needs attention in practice.

- Dealing with Big Leads – Once the team established their big lead, the focus tailed off. This allowed the opposition to string together a series of good chances on goal. Strong goaltending was required to preserve the shutout.