Osan makes it two title trifectas, Zama's girls lead parade of Class AA championship firsts: What we learned on Far East Day 4.0
Published: May 21, 2009
Musings and mutterings as Ornauer hopes there's some first-class seats on the KTX bound for Seoul in the morning:
-- It couldn't be done, people insisted. No way could Osan -- or any other loser's bracket team -- survive a 5:30 a.m. wakeup, 7 a.m. start to the first of four matches, then win all four of those matches to stanch Matthew C. Perry's bid for a school-first Far East Girls Class A Soccer Tournament title.
-- But that's exactly what Osan American did. Behind a seven-goal performance by Bria Pressley, the Cougars eliminated Morrison Christian Academy 3-1 and Daegu American 5-2 before taking down the Samurai in a two-match final, 4-0 and 4-1.
-- I'll be the first to admit -- I wrote off the Cougars after they lost to Perry in the winner's bracket on Tuesday. Shows what I know.
-- That makes a record five Class A titles for Osan, the first since 2006 and helps the Cougars match the 2001-02 version that also won Far East titles in volleyball, basketball and soccer in the same school year. Marvelous stuff.
-- Anybody notice that after each of those three titles, Osan earned exactly no MVP awards? Andjust onespecialty award in volleyball or soccer? Still, life's all good for the Cougars -- they earned the big enchiladas in each of those sports.
-- Speaking of multiple champions, Yongsan International-Seoul made it back-to-back Boys Class A titles and in the same runaway fashion as last year. Jon Park, Daniel Cho and David Kim each scored twice as the Guardians clipped the Robert D. Edgren Eagles' wings 8-0.
-- This was an Eagles team that almost matched Osan's girls four-match marathon bid. Brandon Massie also almost matched Pressley's goal output -- he had five despite operating on a sore Achilles' tendon.
-- Hey, Zama! Hey, Zama! Hey, Zama! Welcome to title match land! The Trojans' girls reached the Girls Class AA final for the first time in school history, blanking Faith Academy 3-0 in the first of two semifinals. Zama battles host Kubasaki at 3 p.m. Friday for the crown.
-- A Zama title would be its first in a team sport since sharing the Far East wrestling crown with St. Mary's International in 1982. The Trojans' last outright title? 1963, in boys basketball.
-- In the Boys Class AA final, for the first time, no DODDS and no Okinawa teams to be found. Christian Academy In Japan and Hong Kong International hold that honour, at 3 p.m. Friday at Seoul American. CAJ is going for its third title in five years, Hong Kong its first. Zama and Kubasaki play for third place at 1 p.m.
-- Weather outlook: Fair in Seoul, mid-day showers on Okinawa.
One more day to go.
