Bloomingdale Yearbook

       Over Thanksgiving break the boys soccer team had a tournament at the Countryside fields in order to keep their skills sharp over the week without practicing together. Coach Troy Smith used the games like a pre- season tournament and gave everybody plenty of playing time almost like a tryout.

        “I was excited about finally getting some minutes in an actual high school game and gaining the experience since I don’t dress for the season games,” said freshman Ryan Wilson.

        The first game didn’t go well at all for the Bulls and the end result was a 4-1 defeat against East Lake High School. They were supposed to play a second game, but the game got cancelled becasue the other school called ahead and said they didn’t have enough players to field a team so they forfeited. In the third and final game the boys team put on a strong showing and beat Seminole High School 8-4.

     “I was pleased with the overall effort displayed by the boys at the tournament, especially the younger guys,” commented Coach Troy Smith.

      After tying their first two games of the season 1-1 against Durant and Plant High School, the boys soccer team beat Alonso High 3-2 in a back and forth match.

      “We didn’t like each other from before the game even started. The Alonso players kicked us off “their” half of the field during warm ups so we really wanted to show them up on their home field,” said senior captain Evan Blythe.

      These feelings continued throughout the game and both teams played a very physical games, but only one yellow card was given by the referee. One of Alonso’s forwards took Paul Snyder’s legs out when he went up for a header and was immediately carded.

     Depsite the constant fouls, we quickly scored three goals. two of which were scored by Shawn Ballentine and the other by Tevin Gage. Alonso had their fair share of attacks and got two goals, but the boys held them off in the second half and gained their first win of the season.

     “It’s great to finally get a win after dominating every game we’ve played so far. We just weren’t able to finish before,” said sophomore Carlos Tobar.

       The boy’s soccer season began with a 1-1 tie versus Durant High School.  The game looked a bit troublesome for the Bulls after the first twenty minutes because the ball was predominately on their half of the field. After the first water break, the Bulls woke up and began to play like a team and Joey Sanchez scored after taking the ball down the line and putting it past the goalie.

        Starting sophomore Carlos Tobar said, “For the start of the game it was pouring and my touch was horrible, luckily the rain let up and I could control the ball better.”

        By the start of the second half it had stopped raining and Bloomingdale was winning 1-0. The team held onto this lead until the final ten minutes of the game when Durant’s forward dribbled up the field and scored the tying goal. 

      “The goal was a real disappointment, but it was good start to the season and we can only get better,” said Coach Troy Smith.

      The boys soccer tryouts began and with new coach, Troy Smith, all sixty or so players were looking to impress him and add their name to the 2009-2010 roster.

      “Since we have a new coach, I knew I had to play hard and give a good show even though I’m a returning starter from last year,” said junior Danny Migowski.

      The first cuts took place at the end of the third day of tryouts, where the number of players went from more than sixty all the way down to thirty.  Troy Smith encouraged the players that didn’t make the cut to keep trying and not to give up, but this just wasn’t their year.

    The players were expecting a second and final cut on the last day of tryouts, but after the fourth day, Coach Smith announced he would be making no more cuts and that the six freshmen would make up the practice squad.

     “Tryouts was like a big reunion for the returning veterans and I can’t wait to make my senior year a winning season!” said senior Taylor Boschee.