by Scott Davies
The Mad River Steelhead U11B, D1 boys soccer team has just returned from their first games of the season, two away matches in Southern Oregon. Saturday's game found the Steelhead playing against an older and more experienced side who pressed their home field advantage to hand the Steelheads a tough and rainy 3-0 defeat.
On Saturday the well rested Steelheads, again battling an older and more experienced team, rallied for a thrilling 2-2 match that the Steelhead side dominated throughout. With regular drives into the home team's six yard box, the Steelhead's first point came in the second half courtesy of left fullback Ben Albright. When the home team cleared the ball out of the penalty box, Albright was perfectly positioned to respond and stroked a long high shot from 30 yd's. out that grazed the keeper's fingers before finding the back of the net. Late in the second half, after a string of creative combinations between the Steelhead's midfield and strikers, midfielder Diego Ramirez got loose after shaking two defenders and found some space to fire quickly past the keeper for an equalizer that thrilled the Steelhead supporters.
Do yourself a favor soccer fans and make some time to see this talented Steelhead side. Spring schedules available @ mrysl.com.
Mad River Steelhead led by coach Pete Shepard is an U-11 team competing in SOCL at the U-12 level.
