Central Blogging Source for Puget Sound

I have been blogging FOUR (Yes 4!) different blogs about soccer over the last year. There is GOALKitsap, GOALTacoma, GOALSeattle and also the Examiner blog on Examiner.com.

This is about to change.

While I am not closing the GOALKitsap and GOALTacoma blogs for good, they are going to go on hiatus when it comes to covering the Kitsap Pumas and Tacoma Tide FC.

The NEW place to find my blogs about Tacoma Tide FC news is in the centralized GOALSeattle.com blog, right HERE.

The GOALSeattle blog and website has the motto "The Sound of Soccer," so now I will work on living up to that rally cry by covering Sounders FC, Kitsap, Tacoma, and local colleges in the GOALSeattle blog.

Questions? Want to volunteer to blog local Tacoma soccer news here?

Contact me! David Falk goalseattle@gmail.com

Seattle to join Tide in 2009 PDL competition

The United Soccer Leagues today released information about the 2009 structure of the Premier Development League (PDL).

The eye-opening development is that Seattle is listed as a club competing along with Tacoma Tide and the new Kitsap Pumas next season.

Seattle (as well as Kitsap) both have a "TBA" (To be announced) listed after their names:

Northwest Division: Abbotsford Mariners, Cascade Surge, Kitsap (TBA), Portland Timbers U23, Seattle (TBA), Spokane Spiders, Tacoma Tide, Vancouver Whitecaps Residency, Victoria Highlanders, Yakima Reds.

It is not yet known who will be running the Seattle club. Will it be Sounders FC, since MLS recently disbanded its reserve league? Could it be Seattle Wolves FC, who hope to join the USL Second Division in 2010? The Wolves have previously told me that they will be in the Pacific Coast Soccer League again in 2009, but perhaps after the recent league meetings this has changed.

Stars win opener 7-3

The Tacoma Stars started the Greg Howes era with a 7-3 win over the Snohomish Skyhawks at the Soccer Center in Tacoma Saturday night.

Despite the win, Stars coach Greg Howes saw a lot of improvement that needed to be made by his squad if they are to be serious contenders for the PASL Premier National Title.

Next up for Tacoma is another home match against the Central Oregon Steelheaders on December 13 at 7pm. Tickets are $5 for adults and the match will be held at the Soccer Center in Tacoma.

Read the match details here.

Stars host Skyhawks Saturday night

From the Stars:

TACOMA STARS VS SNOHOMISH SKYHAWKS

COME CHEER ON YOUR TACOMA STARS AT THEIR FIRST HOME GAME THIS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6TH @ 7:00PM DOORS OPEN @ 6:30.

TICKET PRICES: ADULT $5.00, YOUTH (11-18) $3.00, FAMILY PASS $13.00 (2 ADULTS & 2 KIDS), CHILDREN 10 AND UNDER ARE FREE

**NEW THIS SEASON**

STAR BAR - ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE STAR BAR WILL GO TO
SUPPORT THE TEAM. STAR BAR WILL BE LOCATED ON THE SMALL FIELD.

JOIN THE TEAM FOR THE AFTER PARTY IN THE STAR BAR!

DOYLE'S PUBLIC HOUSE (208 SAINT HELENS AVE TACOMA, 98402 -253.272.PINT)
WILL BE OFFERING A BEER SPECIAL FOR ALL TACOMA STARS FANS BEFORE THE GAME.

PURCHASE ONE PINT OF BASS ALE THE DAY OF THE GAME
(UNTIL 6:30PM) AND RECEIVE ONE FREE ADMISSION INTO THE STARS GAME.

THE SOCCER CENTER WILL BE ACCEPTING NON-PERISHABLE FOOD DONATIONS FOR NORTHWEST HARVEST DURING THE MONTH
OF DECEMBER. ANYTHING YOU CAN DONATE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!

'Waite' is over in Kitsap; Pumas will prowl Bremerton in 2009

Glass door entry to Kitsap Pumas offices.

Bremerton, WA - The Kitsap Soccer club today announced fans have voted in the club name "Pumas" for the team that will kick off its first season in 2009.

Lucita Flores-Alvarenga, who voted for "Pumas" in the recent online name the club contest, was on-hand to receive the first two season tickets in club history. The announcement, held at the club offices, was attended by Bremerton Mayor Cary Bozeman, city council members, local soccer officials, fans, media and businesses.

Guests sign book as they enter before the announcement.

The club colors of blue, black and gold were displayed using a new logo for the club's mascot, "Pedro the Puma." An official club logo will be designed by Sungrafx of Silverdale, WA, and will be announced at a later date. The club will wear jerseys 'hooped' with blue and white, and blue shorts.

Shortly after the announcement the club sold its first six season tickets.

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Talk about the club & the name "Kitsap Pumas" in the GOALKitsap Forums!

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Kitsap Pumas will play in the Northwest Division of the Premier Development League of the United Soccer Leagues. Pumas will play clubs in Vancouver, Victoria and Abottsford BC, Spokane and possibly Yakima, WA, and Portland and Salem Oregon. Kitsap Pumas' closest rivals will be Tacoma Tide FC, who will play in the same division a mere 30 minutes to the south.

Pumas' offices full of excited supporters.

Owner Robin Waite and club Executive Director Ben Pecora spoke to the audience about the journey to founding, and then naming the club. Waite revealed hopes to host a "Kitsap Challenge Tournament" next season at the club's home, Bremerton Memorial Stadium. The tournament would feature out of state competition playing the Pumas.

Waite and Pecora are leaving in a few days for the United Soccer Leagues annual meetings. There the club will build its schedule and network with other clubs.

Robin Waite (left, owner) Lucita Flores-Alvarenga (ticket-winner) and Ben Pecora KSC Executive Director.

Waiting game pays off

Robin Waite first looked into bringing professional soccer to West Sound back in late 2005. It was a bit less than two years after Seattle Sounders co-owner Adrian Hanauer's initial bid to bring Major League Soccer to Seattle had been edged out by Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA. As one of the owning 'partners' of the United Soccer Leagues Sounders, Waite was given permission to explore moving that club to Kitsap County. Initially Waite looked at the Kitsap Fairgrounds stadium site for a possible move. The county even spent money to look into design ideas to make the rodeo and car derby venue work for soccer.

Not the final logo: This is the mascot, Pedro the Puma. Waite says the final club logo might honor Chief Kitsap.

Later Waite took his search to Poulsbo, where he commissioned a stadium design on land he owns near the Wal-Mart complex and a satellite Olympic College campus. (See the GOALKitsap Museum page for more on this.) While Adrian Hanauer was successfully teaming up with new investors to bring MLS to Seattle, and thus doom the USL Sounders to extinction, Waite turned his focus to the largest city in Kitsap County, Bremerton. There he found willing city and school officials and a centrally-located venue in need of some TLC. Memorial Stadium has long been the home of the Bremerton High School Knights and the Olympic College Rangers. It has also seen semi-pro football when the West Sound Orcas played there a few years back.

Waite has been dealing with USL officials about how to 'transfer' the existing Sounders franchise while at the same time talking with Bremerton people about using Memorial. Waite's ambitions were high from the start: he wanted the USL Sounders to come over as-is and play in the top level of the league. That became a tough sell among other USL First Division club owners, some of whom reportedly balked at the idea of Kitsap being 'major league' enough for the still-minor league USL-1. In the end the league decided to grant Waite a Premier Development League (PDL) franchise in the third level of the league structure. Waite immediately went on record as saying his goal is to move the club up to the next-highest level (USL-2) as soon as other clubs on the west coast are ready to join the same division.



It's been quite a wait for both Waite and the Kitsap soccer fans who have been following the saga for over three years. In 2009 Seattle Sounders FC will kick off in Major League Soccer at Qwest Field. A few minutes west by air, but an hour by ferry, the Kitsap Pumas will also debut. Tacoma Tide FC sit ready to take on the Pumas in the 'Narrows Bridge Bell' rivalry cup next season.

East, South, West...Puget Sound has arrived as the 'Sound of Soccer.'

Around the Sound of Soccer for November 13th

The Youth Media Institute in Seattle produced this soccer PSA.

It continues to amaze me that there is enough (pro) off-season soccer news in the Puget Sound area to run and have frequent content on three area blogs. Just this week Tacoma Tide FC published another player update and then issued a new 'toolbar' for supporters to use on their web browsers as a way of supporting the club.

Over in West Sound Kitsap Soccer Club will reveal their name, crest and club colors on Monday November 17th. GOALKitsap.com got a sneak peek at the colors and updated its look.

Seattle, HQ for the "Sound of Soccer," continues to churn out the news. Sounders FC held their first open tryouts in Spokane last weekend. This week the MLS club announced they will be debuting their new uniforms at a benefit fashion show on December 4th. The club website also took a look back at the first year of developing SSFC, and visited with GM Adrian Hanauer.


Beyond the pros, the college seasons are heading towards their playoffs. The Seattle Pacific Women and Western Washington Women will be in Seattle (Interbay) for the West Regionals the 13th-15th.

The Washington Women will be in Texas this Friday to play LSU in the NCAA's.

In North Sound, Matt Pele was named GNAC Player of the Year for Western Washington's Men, and Viking head coach Travis Connell was awarded Coach of the Year honors.

In South Sound the UPS Loggers Women earned a bye into the playoffs and will host a match this Sunday.

Tide toolbar supports Tacoma's club

From Tacoma Tide FC:
We are thrilled to share with you our Tacoma Tide F.C. Toolbar. It will serve as a new way to generate revenue. With this Toolbar we will raise much needed funds for Team Travel & Club Development, and you don’t have to pay anything!

This Toolbar will not replace your existing toolbar. The features on the Toolbar are all designed to help us raise funds in a non-intrusive way. Also, it is designed to make your life on the internet easier. THERE IS NO COST TO YOU. There are no pop-ups, adware, spyware or tracking and we also respect the user’s privacy. It is easy to download…just click on the link below.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR TOOLBAR

(you may have to hold CTRL while you click on the link. )

· Whenever you do an internet search initiated from our toolbar and click on a sponsored link amongst your search results, the Tacoma Tide makes $.10 for that click; with no purchase necessary.

· The sponsored links are anything listed in the shaded area with bullet points or anything listed on the right side of the page. (see example below)

· These organizations pay to be in these spots and want you to click on their site to get information from them; they pay to be there because they want the traffic and exposure. You pay $0.00

Performing 2-5 searches a day on something you are interested in and clicking on sponsored links, because those links help you with the information you are looking for, will help us reach our goals faster! This should only take 5 minutes. It’s that EASY!

The Tacoma Tide F.C. is proud to have you as a Supporter! We hope you are equally proud to have our toolbar on your computer. Please feel free to share this toolbar with your friends and family so they can help the Tacoma Tide organization continue to better soccer in the Puget Sound.

So…

1. Download the toolbar.(quick & easy)

2. Search from the toolbar.(type in whatever you’re interested in)

3. Click on the sponsored results. (no purchase needed)

4. You have just raised money for the Tacoma Tide F.C. ! (for FREE)

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE TACOMA TIDE FOOTBALL CLUB !!!

Jon Billings
Tacoma Tide F.C.
Director of Communications
jbillings@tacomafc.com

Portland will join PDL in 2009

The Portland Timbers announced today that they will field a club in the Northwest PDL in 2009. See the press release here.

It remains to be seen if the new Timbers U-23 will play Tacoma Tide FC, but chances are good that they will. The PDL is also expected to add Kitsap next Monday, and have already added Victoria. Further, the Yakima Reds may not be gone after all. The link above mentions them as still part of the NW division, and we've heard rumblings that they may rise from the grave.

The 2008 NW division had eight clubs, with TFC finishing in first place. Will the Tide's division have eleven clubs next year? We should know more after the league meetings in a few weeks.

Kitsap Soccer Club announced November 17th

The day for officially announcing the birth of the Kitsap Soccer Club through United Soccer League offices is set for Monday, November 17th.

Read the scoop in our GOALKitsap blog!

Could Tacoma jump up to USL-1?

Last summer Sounders FC GM Adrian Hanauer told me 'talks were underway' to keep 'the Sounders/USL' alive somewhere in Puget Sound. I just assumed it was the Kitsap club that former Sounders' owner Robin Waite hopes to debut around November 12th.

However, someone outside of our area has sent me a tip that the current USL Sounders might be a relocation candidate, according to murmurs from the league office in Tampa.

While Hanauer couldn't own a USL club (MLS rules), he certainly could push investors Tacoma's way. Further, TFC have been looking at a venue (Mt. Tahoma Stadium gallery index) that would get closer to USL-1 standards, and Sounders FC would benefit from a club staying in the area and developing a player exchange policy.

Mt. Tahoma Stadium seats 5,000.

Further, Kitsap owner Robin Waite recently told me that 'the league is currently deciding' who gets USL-1 rights to Puget Sound.

So, there are indeed some elements suggesting the current Seattle USL-1 club might be looking into relocating to Tacoma.

We'll know more when the league meetings happen at the end of November, I'd guess.Could it happen? Could Tacoma support such a high level of pro soccer?

Talk about it in the GOALTacoma forums!

Loggers featured in Weekly

Junior Janece Levien.
PHOTO BY SEAN DEAN

Tacoma Weekly has a story out on the 2008 Puget Sound Loggers Women and their nationally-ranked success.

Junior Janece Levien scored a pair of goals to increase her season total to 17 as the fourth-ranked Puget Sound Loggers defeated the George Fox Bruins, 4-0, on Oct. 18. And Kallie Wolfer collected the shutout, making three saves, as the Loggers have now not allowed a goal in the last 635 minutes they have played.

Read the rest here.

Giving 1000% for Local Soccer!

We are kicking off a campaign to get our number of forum registrants up to 1,000 by Sounders FC kick off 2009!

There are lots of places around the web to drop by and talk about the Sounders and Tacoma Tide FC, but let's pick GOALSeattle's forums as 'home base' where we all check in as often as we can.

The club's owners and players will read and are reading these boards. So do local and national journalists. So do hundreds of "guests" per day. Are you a frequent "guest?" We'd like to invite you to register and join the growing total!

Please register and add your voice to the growing throngs awaiting the arrival of Sounders FC!

Visitors to www.GOALTacoma.com and www.GOALKitsap.com should note that those sites now have forum areas at www.GOALSeattle.com!

Tide players back in school

www.TacomaFC.com is starting to catch Tide fans up with how players who wear the yellow during the summer are doing right now in their college soccer seasons.

Visit the first installment here!

Tide 2008 Match DVD's Available

Tacoma Tide FC recently announced that DVD's of many 2008 home matches are now on sale via the club's website. Go here for details.

It was the best season yet for the boys in yellow, and certainly one worth remembering and watching again...

Kitsap Soccer Club launches name the team contest

First official Kitsap Soccer Club press release:

Bremerton, Wash. – Today, a new, professional soccer club is born in Kitsap County, Wash. Located primarily across Puget Sound from downtown Seattle, Kitsap is home to over 300,000 residents. The new franchise will be the first-ever, fully professional soccer team to call Kitsap its home – and most likely the first-ever fully professional sports franchise based on the peninsula itself.

“The franchise has been approved by the USL commissioner and we have secured a fantastic home at Bremerton HS Memorial Stadium. What we need now is for the people of Kitsap help us name our team,” said owner Robin Waite. “This is only the first step of many – team name, team colors, sponsors, suppliers… It’s a very long list – but this is indeed a very exciting time for all of us in Kitsap.”

To submit entries, please log on to www.kitsapsoccerclub.com now. The club will accept submissions until midnight Oct. 25, 2008.

For additional information, please contact Ben Pecora, Kitsap Soccer Club, 360-377-6008.

I've blogged three write-in suggestions here.
Kitsap Sun: Pumas? Kaisers? Name the New Soccer Team

Stars sign 20 players

37 players came to The Soccer Center in Tacoma Friday night September 13 to try and earn a place on the 2008-2009 Tacoma Stars team. Head coach Greg Howes and assistant coach Teddy Mitalas choose 20 players to make up the initial player pool. The rosters for both the premier and reserve teams will be completed through a series of invitation only tryouts for college and professional players to be held before the start of the season in mid-December.

The players selected to be Tacoma Stars:

Aaron Anderson, Jerry Luppy, Scott Anderson, Brian Moore, Adam Becker, Nate Ford, Lee Williams, Jeff Bader, Pat O'Brien, Patrick Lee, Lukas Rydberg, Tony Rolewicz, Trent Pettibon, Chris Kintz, Alex Megson, Kris Bowers, Micah Saxman, Amos Freieit, Casey Sullivan, Cameron Stone, Keven Creely, Cris Arquelles, Uros Zecevic and Eric Sterling.

(From www.Tacoma-Stars.com)

After 14 seasons Yakima Reds fold

Reds sit on the stairs before a 2007 match in Tacoma.

It is a sad day for soccer in the state of Washington and for fans of the Yakima Reds.

It had been reported that the Reds were looking for investors to remain alive for 2009. Yesterday the club website posted the following message:

Yakima Reds forced to call it quits after 14 years in the Yakima community - It is with great sadness that I have to write this email to inform you that the Yakima Reds will no longer be a part of the United Soccer Leagues or the Yakima Community. Irwin Research & Development, the owner of the Yakima Reds, has been greatly effected by the current economy, and does not have the finances to support the Yakima Reds in 2009. We have had some great sponsors who have supported us through the years, but the majority of the expenses were covered by Irwin Research & Development. We have tried to get backing from other business owners in our area, sending out letters asking for support, but just could not come up with the funding to commit for 2009 in the time that was needed.

Fans of Tacoma Tide FC will be especially saddened by these developments. In three short seasons the Tide and Reds became strong rivals. The battles of Yellow v. Red never failed to produce exciting and often emotional soccer.

The Reds came into the PDL just one season after the current Sounders came back to life in what is now the USL-1. For fourteen seasons the Reds brought soccer to the Valley and gave fans and players a chance to celebrate the beautiful game.

Along the way players like Jake Sagare and 2008 League MVP Junior Garcia starred for Yakima. The Reds lived on after the Spokane Shadow folded in early 2006. Out of the death of the Shadow Tacoma FC quickly came to life and took over the Shadow's home dates out west. Tacoma FC and Yakima met for the first time on May 20, 2006. TFC got their first goal and first-ever point in a 1-1 draw with the Reds. The Reds and Tide played 8 matches against each other with Tacoma winning the derby 4-2-2.

I remember vividly the last Tacoma home match of just a few months ago. The playoffs and the division were on the line as the Tide hosted the Reds. Up in the stands the traveling contingent from Yakima included the owner, player wives, relatives and other fans. Even though the visitors went home that night with a loss, they knew they had played in a 'big match' and the fans knew they had traveled well.

Here's hoping that, much like the Shadow of Spokane eventually were brought back as the Spiders, Yakima sees soccer returning again as an oasis during its blazing summers.

Subscribe and Follow the LOCAL game

I've added two new features to the three soccer blogs I post in. You can now subscribe easily to GOALSeattle, GOALTacoma and GOALKitsap blogs by clicking the menu in the top right corner on each blog.

You can now link your blog and show you follow these Puget Sound soccer blogs by using the "Follow" menu at the very bottom of all three blog's pages.

Being a soccer fan in our area completely rocks right now!

We've got Major League Soccer on the way in Seattle, PDL soccer on the way in Bremerton, and a very successful, fun to watch club wearing yellow in Tacoma.

If you ever want to send along any content, links or ideas for any of the blogs, just email me at goalseattle@gmail.com or post in the comments area.

We are the SOUND of Soccer!

South Sound College Round-up

Time for a look in to the world of South Sound college soccer to see how our local clubs are doing.

The UPS Logger Men are 2-3-1 (W-L-D) after six matches. The Logger Women are 4-1 after five matches.

Across town the PLU Lutes Men are 2-3-1. The PLU Women are 1-1-3.

Down in the Olympia area St. Martin's Men finally won their first match after five losses are now 1-5 on the season. The Saints Women are 3-4 after halting a four-match skid in their last contest.

The Geoducks of The Evergreen State College find themselves in a losing season in Men's Soccer. The guys are 1-5 with one score not yet posted. The gals are 1-5-1.

Tacoma CC v. Edmonds video highlights

The Tacoma CC Titans visted Edmonds on September 6, 2008.

College Soccer Bloggers Wanted

www.GOALSeattle.com, www.GOALTacoma.com and www.GOALKitsap.com are looking for bloggers and / or reporters to help us cover college soccer this Fall!

We have been in contact with many of the Sports Information Directors around the Sound and are lining up players and coaches to send us exclusive blogs about their clubs.

If you are a player and would like to blog for one of our websites, please contact your coach and your SID. They can contact me: David Falk at goalseattle@gmail.com.

If you are a fan, parent or friend, please consider sending some kind of report when you go to a match. It doesn't have to be anything lengthy or professional, just your own view of what went down in a few words.

Here is how our coverage looks so far...

www.GOALSeattle.com
we've got coverage coming from Seattle University Redhawks

www.GOALTacoma.com
we've got coverage coming from Tacoma CC, Pierce CC and possibly South Puget Sound CC.

www.GOALKitsap.com
we've got coverage coming from Peninsula CC

If your local school isn't listed under one of the websites above, please let them know so we can give them some extra love, too!

Tacoma Stars 2008-09 Tryout Information

From http://Tacoma-Stars.com

The Tacoma Stars today announced they will hold a tournament formatted open tryout at The Soccer Center in Tacoma on Labor Day weekend. The cost to tryout is $35 and every participant is guaranteed to get three matches with different teammates to prove themselves in front of the Tacoma Stars staff.

Players ages 16 and over interested in playing the highest level of indoor soccer in the area are encouraged to try out. The Stars will be filling spots on both their first team competing in the Premier Arena Soccer League’s Northwest Division and their developmental reserve squad based out of The Soccer Center. Reserve players will be available for call up to the first team as warranted and needed through the course of the PASL season.

“This year we’re holding our tryout in a format that will allow players to get more than a brief glance over a two hour period,” said Tacoma Stars general manager Mati Bishop. “We want every player that tries out to get a good look and have a good experience in the process.”

Training for the Tacoma Stars will start in September and the PASL season runs from December through March.

How It Works

Each player in the tryout will be scheduled to play three matches through the course of the day. These matches will be with and against different groups of players selected based on the luck of the draw.
Players will be evaluated on their overall indoor soccer skill, leadership and organizational abilities, competitive attitude, versatility and attitude.

After every player has played three matches, some players may be chosen to play additional matches for further evaluation.

No results will be announced at the tryout. Players will be notified by telephone or email following the tryout about their status with the team.

Talk South Sound College Soccer!

www.GOALTacoma.com has put forum threads online for all of our South Sound college clubs!

Are you a Clipper? A Titan? A Raider? A Lute? A Geoduck? A Saint? A Logger?

Go here to talk about your club!

Our front page also links to all of the club websites.

National Adult Cup Finals at Starfire August 7-10

Starfire Sports Complex will once again host the United States Adult Soccer Association National Cup Finals in 2008.

The Tournament kicks of August 7th.

This pdf file page reveals the match-ups and shows that Forza, featuring Michelle French, are the lone Washington State club.

You can see how the finalists got to Seattle here.

Here are video highlights from last year's Finals at Starfire...

Tide season ends with 4-1 loss in Conference Final

The best season ever for Tacoma Tide FC came to an end on Sunday night July 27th in Fresno California as the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency throttled TFC 4-1.

Tacoma could only muster a stoppage time goal by Spencer Schomaker. Meanwhile the Whitecaps scored one goal just before the half and three more over a stretch of the second to move on to the PDL Final Four in their first-ever season.

Vancouver will play the Thunder Bay Chill next weekend in Ontario for a berth in the PDL Final.

Tacoma will have to be content with going a step further than last year by winning a playoff match, and a step further in the regular season by winning their first-ever division crown.

Read the club website match report here.

Tide douse Fuego to gain berth in Conference Final

Tacoma's Ruben Orozco grimaces at the ball last night in Fresno.
(Fresno Bee photo)

Last year's 4-1 playoff overtime loss to the Fresno Fuego has been avenged as Tacoma Tide FC returned to the same pitch and knocked Fresno out of the tournament with a 3-0 victory.

Tacoma got goals from Dan Scott, Spencer Schomaker and Chase Tangney to complete the biggest win to date in team history.

Tide fans were kept up to date with the match via posts from the Fuego front office.

Scott's 19th minute header off of a throw-in put TFC up 1-0 at the half. Fresno came out pushing in the second half and the Tide defense was challenged. TFC goalkeeper Jordan Jennings was called upon to make several fine saves.

The Tide got their needed cushion in the 77th minute when red-hot striker Spencer Schomaker finished up after some nice touches to make it 2-0.

The Fuego pushed everyone up, but in stoppage time it was the Tide who would score again, this time on a counter attack that ended on the boot of Chase Tangney.

The Tide wrapped up their first playoff win exactly one week after earning their first division title.

In the other Western Conference semifinal match the Vancouver Whitecaps went to overtime before passing the San Fernando Valley Quakes 3-1.

The Conference Final between the Tide and the Whitecaps will be played tonight in Fresno at 7:30 PM. The winner advances to the Premier Development League Final Four!

GOALTacoma.com hopes to have updates of tonight's Final in progress.

Match reports:
Tacoma Tide FC
The Fresno Bee (with photos)
Fresno Fuego
USL

Tide's Schomaker is national Player of Week

Tacoma Tide FC forward Spencer Schomaker (Syracuse University) has had a great week. He scored three goals and added two assists to lead the Tide to their first-ever division title in their 6-2 win over Yakima on July 19th.

The feat earned Schomaker the PDL "Player of the Week" nationally.

Below Spencer is interviewed on Northwest Sports Tonight.

Tide Playoff Match Updates on GOALTacoma

The Fresno Fuego front office will be using the USL "Match Tracker" to keep fans up to date onthe Western Conference PDL playoff matches as they happen. (Click link then scroll down to July 26 and Tide v. Fuego. Click binoculars icon to activate Match Tracker.)

We've worked out an arrangement with Joe of the Fuego to also update Tide fans using a special thread in the GOALTacoma.com forums.

Join us on Saturday night and check in on how our boys are doing down south in their fight to win the West!

Video Highlights of Tide's Big Win over Yakima

The Tide have posted a highlight reel from their 6-2 win over Yakima Reds:



Tacoma plays Friday night at 7:30 in Fresno against the Fresno Fuego in the opening match of the regional PDL playoffs. The winner of that match advances to the regional final on Sunday.

PDL playoff system favors money over records

Disclaimer: I am not a member of the Tacoma Tide, just a fan.

Bummer. The SFV Quakes did their part and beat the Fresno Fuego Sunday night, but a monumental collapse by the San Francisco Seals gave the Fuego the last berth, and 'hosting rights,' anyway. The Seals went into the weekend with a chance to win the division and instead lost both matches to miss the playoffs entirely.

Now I remember why I HATE Fre$no.

The Fuego have finished with the WORST record of all the playoff teams out west, but because the Seals couldn't finish the job it means that even with the loss the Fuego wil host the playoffs again this year. The Fuego are owned by the Grizzlies baseball club and regularly draw crowds near 4,000 per match.

This is a flaw in the PDL system.

Another flaw? The Tide finished with the BEST record, but their reward is a trip to Fresno to play the HOME TEAM in the first round. Tacoma lost 4-1 to Fresno in overtime last year in the playoffs.

Friday July 25th
Match 1:
Vancouver Whitecaps v. San Fernando Valley Quakes

Match 2:
Tacoma Tide v. Fresno Fuego

Place: Fresno, CA.

Season records:

Tacoma Tide FC 11-4-1 (34 points)
Vancouver Whitecaps 11-4-1 (34 points)
SF Valley Quakes 8-2-6 (30 points)
Fresno Fuego 9-5-2 (29 points)

Tide playoff foes decided tonight

Here's what the Tide are watching and waiting for tonight:

Fresno Fuego at San Fernando Valley Quakes
(7:00 PM 7/20)

San Jose Frogs at San Francisco Seals
(7:00 PM 7/20)

We want the home teams to win,and here's why.

If both of them do, then the Quakes and Seals will make the playoffs, and the Fresno Fuego will be out. Not that the Tide are big Fresno-haters (I kind of am), but if Fresno goes out then the Tide get to host the playoffs next week up here!

So Tide players, officials and fans will be watching the USL website tonight to see what happens and where we go and who we will play next week!

This is the page that usually gets updated first:
http://www.uslsoccer.com/schedules/2008/8630213.html

(Scroll down to July 20 and watch as scores are added.)

Tacoma-6 Yakima-2! Tide win first-ever division title!

Top: Spencer Schomaker's header puts TFC up 2-1.
Middle: Celebration after the goal.
Bottom: Celebration after Ruben Orozco makes it 3-1 Tacoma.
(Jenni Conner)

GOALTacoma photo gallery by David Falk
GOALTacoma photo gallery by Jenni Conner

Tacoma Tide FC scored 3-1 advantages over the Yakima Reds in both halves and crushed their cross-state rivals 6-2 at Curtis High School on July 19th.

In Utah the Ogden Outlaws upset the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency 1-0. TFC and Vancouver finished the season tied with identical 11-4-1 records and 34 standings points. The PDL standings tiebreaker rules list the first tie breaker as head-to-head points. Since Tacoma and Vancouver split their two matches this year (5-5 goals for and against) the next tie breaker was overall league goals for and against. The Tide win the Northwest Division crown, their first ever, by virtue of scoring 46 goals and giving up only 23 (+23) to Vancouver's 34-14 (+20).

It was a nervous initial eleven minutes for the Tide. Tacoma knew a draw or a victory would put them in the 2008 PDL playoffs. The Yakima Reds knew only a win over the Tide would put them in.

The Reds dominated the early part of the match and went up 1-0 on a goal by Garcia in the 11th after a hit post rebound gave him the ball for the tap-in.

The Tide seemed unsettled until the 16th when Dennis Sanchez flicked a ball into the Reds' box that was knocked in by Spencer Schomaker. Only two minutes later Schomaker headed the Tide into a permanent lead when he perfectly placed a ball off of a throw in from Tucker Maxwell. The Tide were rolling from then on out and had numerous chances on goal the rest of the first half.



The third goal, eventually the match winner, was scored by Ruben Orozco in the 31st. His blast into the far corner of the goal came off an assist from Schomaker.

Tacoma's 3-1 halftime lead gave them a bit of a cushion to play with. The second half looked to have far fewer fireworks until the 70th minute when Rafael Cox scored on an assist from Chase Tangney. By that time the Reds were playing with 10 men after Al Valencia was ejected for being the last defender behind the ball and tripping Tacoma's Rory Agu. Technically the lead official had the rule book in his favor, though the call seemed harsh.

There were still three goals left to tally and they all came in the 80th minute or later. Yakima drew to within 4-2 on Garcia's second score. Then Rory Agu (82nd, assist to Schomaker) and Schomaker (90th, assist to Brayton Knapp) completed the rout.

Schomaker ended up leading the Tide with the hat trick and two assists.

The nerves had turned to adrenalin, and the adrenalin had turned into the Tide's 18th straight match at home without a loss dating back to 2006.

500 fans celebrated the win with the club in the bright Tacoma evening sun. Afterwards hugs and applause greeted the guys as they left the pitch and later came out for autographs.

TFC will travel to Fresno this Friday to play the Fuego for the second straight year in the first match of the playoffs. Read why that ticks this Tide fan off here.

Match recaps:
Tacoma Tide FC
News Tribune
TNT blog
USL stats page

It's all on the line tonight in Tacoma

Before the 2007 Tacoma-Yakima match.

(David Falk)

Tacoma Tide FC have earned their second straight 10-win season in the Premier Development League. In 2007 10 wins was enough to get the Tide into the playoffs. This year we'll have to wait until after tonight's 7:00 PM match with Yakima to know if that also holds true for 2008.

When the Yakima Reds take the pitch with the Tide tonight at Curtis High School they'll be facing a must-win situation if they hope to make the playoffs. If the Reds can win they'll knock Tacoma out by virtue of a season sweep of the Tide.

If Tacoma can draw or win, the boys in yellow will not only stretch their home undefeated string, but they'll make the playoffs and Yakima will be out.

Match previews in the Tacoma News Tribune and Tacoma Weekly.

Yellow and Red face off in last year's rivalry match.
(David Falk)

These two clubs have never really liked each other. The matches in Tacoma have always included cards of various colors, including red. Last season the Tide qualified for the playoffs with a few matches to spare. How did they do it? A 5-0 thrashing of the Reds.

This year Yakima has rebounded with a fine campaign and with some very big road wins. The Reds recently went up to BC and pulled off a sweep of Vancouver and Abbotsford.

Something's gotta give tonight. Will it be the Tide's long (18 matches and counting) home unbeaten streak, or will it be Yakima's chance to return to the playoffs?

The rivalry grows.

1. Vancouver Whitecaps Residency (34 points, 11-3-1)
2. Tacoma Tide FC (31 points, 10-4-1)
3. Yakima Reds (28 points, 9-5-1)

Vancouver at Ogden tonight
Yakima at Tacoma tonight


Coming to watch the Tide:
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students, all general admission
Stadium food available
Free Parking
Directions to Curtis High School

Tide 2-for-1 Coupon for big match this Saturday

Click, print and clip!

It is do or die for Tacoma Tide FC and the Yakima Reds on Saturday July 19th down in Tacoma. With the Sounders playing at home the night before, and a sunny Saturday in the forecast, this is your last chance to see the future stars at TFC as they fight for a playoff spot.

Who will represent the State of Washington in the PDL (USL) playoffs?

See the excitement for half-price courtesy of GOALTacoma.com

Read a match preview from YakimaReds.com
Read a match preview from The Tacoma Weekly

Tide win 4-3, look to final home match

Rory Agu's 81st minute goal gave TFC a 4-3 win last night in Salem.
(Photo from home match v. Cascade in May by Jenni Conner)

Tacoma Tide FC won a wild 4-3 match July 12th in Salem Oregon over the Cascade Surge.

The victory gives TFC a 10-win campaign for the second season in a row in the 16-match PDL Northwest summer league.

With the result the Tide move back into a tie for first place in the division. The Vancouver Whitecaps Residency were shocked 3-0 in Spokane by the last-place Spiders on the same night. In Yakima the Reds kept pace with a 4-1 victory over the Abottsford Mariners.

A playoff entry, and perhaps the division title as well, will be decided July 19th at Curtis High School in Tacoma when Yakima Reds visit the Tide at 7:00 PM. It is a must-result match for Tacoma. A win or a draw sends the Tide to the playoffs for the second consecutive season. A loss would put Yakima in the playoffs and eliminate TFC.

Standings

Vancouver Whitecaps (31 points after 14 matches) 10-3-1.
Tacoma Tide (31 points after 15 matches) 10-4-1
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Yakima Reds (28 points after 14 matches) 9-5-1
BYU Cougars (23 points after 14 matches) 7-5-2
Abottsford Mariners (17 points after 14 matches) 5-7-2
Ogden Outlaws (14 points after 14 matches) 4-8-2
Spokane Spiders (11 points after 15 matches) 3-10-2
Cascade Surge (11 points after 15 matches) 2-8-5

Remaining matches

Vancouver:
July 18 at BYU
July 19 at Ogden

Tacoma:
July 19 Yakima

Yakima:
July 19 at Tacoma

Tacoma-4 Cascade-3
The Tide traveled to Salem on July 12th and took on a recently rejuvenated Cascade Surge. The match was a back and forth affair that saw Tacoma fall behind 1-0 in the very first minute. The Tide went on a scoring spree before the half was over with goals by Chase Tangney (14th minute), and a brace by Spencer Schomaker (18th, 36th).

Tacoma's 3-1 halftime lead slipped away when the Surge jumped back with goals in the 55th and 66th minutes. It was left up to Rory Agu, Tacoma native, to put the Tide back on top for good and he did so with an 81st minute tally.

Tacoma outshot the Surge 11-6, had more corners 6-3 and forced more saves 7-3.

Tide close to playoff clincher

Spencer Schomaker and Dan Scott hope to lead Tacoma into the playoffs.
(David Falk)

The Vancouver Whitecaps Residency are off and running towards the Northwest Division title after they invaded Yakima on July 11th and torched the Reds 4-1. The victory hurt the Tide's slim chances of finishing in first place but dramatically helped their chances of finishing second and making the playoffs. Yakima and Tacoma are now on equal footing as far as matches left to play (2) but the Tide have more standings points, 28-25.

If Tacoma wins or draws tonight in Salem against the Cascade Surge, and the Reds lose at home to Abottsford, then the Tide would clinch the final playoff spot. A second scenario that could work: A Tide win and a Yakima draw would put TFC four points up with only three points left to grab. Anything else and next Saturday's Yakima-Tide match at Curtis High School will determine who enters the playoffs with Vancouver.

The BYU Cougars sit in 4th place and need to win out along with having the exact right scenario from Tacoma and Yakima: A Yakima loss to Abbey tonight and a win over Tacoma next week, along with a Tide loss tonight. If that all somehow happened, BYU would have 29 points and TFC and Yakima would end the season with 28 each and out of the playoffs.

1. Vancouver Whitecaps (31 points after 13 matches) 10-2-1
2. Tacoma Tide (28 points after 14 matches) 9-4-1
3. Yakima Reds (25 points after 14 matches) 8-5-1
4. BYU Cougars (20 points after 13 matches) 6-5-2
5. Abottsford Mariners (17 points after 13 matches) 5-6-2
6. Ogden Outlaws (14 points after 13 matches) 4-7-2
7. Cascade Surge (11 points after 12 matches) 2-7-5
8. Spokane Spiders (7 points after 13 matches) 2-10-2

Remain matches

Vancouver:
July 12 at Spokane
July 18 at BYU
July 19 at Ogden

Tacoma:
July 12 at Cascade
July 19 Yakima

Yakima:
July 12 Abottsford
July 19 at Tacoma

BYU:
July 12 at Ogden
July 18 Vancouver
July 19 Abottsford

Whitecaps catch Tide for first place

The Vancouver Whitecaps Residency Club have caught the Tacoma Tide for first place and still have two matches in hand to take the lead all for themselves.

Vancouver beat Abottsford 3-0 on Sunday July 6 to get to the 28 point total, same as Tacoma. The Tide were idle and next play in Salem July 12 against the Cascade Surge.

1. Vancouver Whitecaps (28 points after 12 matches) 9-2-1
2. Tacoma Tide (28 points after 14 matches) 9-4-1
3. Yakima Reds (25 points after 13 matches) 8-4-1
4. BYU Cougars (17 points after 12 matches) 5-5-2
5. Abottsford Mariners (16 points after 12 matches) 5-6-1
6. Ogden Outlaws (14 points after 12 matches) 4-6-2
7. Cascade Surge (11 points after 12 matches) 2-7-5
8. Spokane Spiders (7 points after 13 matches) 2-10-1

Remain matches

Vancouver:
July 11 at Yakima
July 12 at Spokane
July 18 at BYU
July 19 at Ogden

Tacoma:
July 12 at Cascade
July 19 Yakima

Yakima:
July 11 Vancouver
July 12 Abottsford
July 19 at Tacoma

Tacoma Weekly Profiles Tide Keeper Jennings

The Tacoma Weekly has a nice story on Tacoma Tide FC goalkeeper (Seattle University) Jordan Jennings.

“I’ve been playing soccer since I was really small,” said Jordan Jennings, goalkeeper for Seattle University and the Tacoma Tide, in a recent interview in a cafe, where he nursed a root beer – the only drink in the place without some caffeine.

“At this point, it’s all mental. It’s not about technique. It is about staying totally focused during the entire game.”

Here is focused: during a recent seven-game streak, Jennings went on a binge of stinginess, giving up one goal and posting six shutouts. He said, in the great tradition, it is not about the goalie, but about the entire defense.

“We have a good defense and we all work together really well,” Jennings said.

Read the entire feature here.

See a pdf file of the front page which includes a photo of Jennings I took.

NW Division race gets even crazier

Who could have seen the Yakima Reds going up to Canada and sweeping Abottsford and Vancouver, especially after the Reds lost 2-0 at home to Cascade the week before? Yet it has happened, and with a 2-0 win in Abbey and a 1-0 win at Vancouver the Reds are right back in the thick of the race to win the PDL Northwest title.

Tacoma Tide FC are holding steady, losing 5-1 on June 28th up in Vancouver, before winning the very next afternoon over Abottsford by the same 5-1 score line.

Tacoma native (Bellarmine Prep) and Cal Poly midfielder Daniel Gray was the star for TFC in their big win at Abbey. Gray scored two goals and assisted on another for Tacoma. Gray is a recent addition to the TFC roster.

Tacoma now have 9 wins and 28 points to lead the division. Yakima and Vancouver have matches in hand that could see them catch (Yakima) or pass (Vancouver) TFC if they can win them.

1. Tacoma Tide (28 points after 14 matches) 9-4-1
2. Yakima Reds (25 points after 13 matches) 8-4-1
3. Vancouver Whitecaps (22 points after 10 matches) 7-2-1
4. BYU Cougars (17 points after 11 matches) 5-4-2
5. Abottsford Mariners (13 points after 10 matches) 4-5-1
6. Ogden Outlaws (11 points after 11 matches) 3-6-2
7. Cascade Surge (11 points after 12 matches) 2-5-5
8. Spokane Spiders (7 points after 13 matches) 2-10-1

The Tide have two weeks off before playing July 12 in Salem against the Surge. TFC ends the season with what should be a playoff-tilted match July 19 at home with Yakima.

Cascade wins at Yakima, 2-0

The night after the Cascade Surge stung the Tacoma Tide 2-1 in Salem to slow TFC's playoff drive, they showed once again that they are not to be taken lightly.

The Surge went up to Yakima on Sunday June 22nd and came away with a 2-0 victory to keep the Reds six points behind the Tide.

In BC the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency club spanked Abottsford 4-1 to move into second place with 19 points after only 8 matches played. Vancouver look like the strongest challenge to knock Tacoma out of the top spot. TFC travel to Vancouver and Abottsford next weekend.

1. Tacoma Tide (25 points after 12 matches) 8-3-1
2. Vancouver Whitecaps (19 points after 8 matches) 6-1-1
3. Yakima Reds (19 points after 11 matches) 6-4-1
4. Abottsford Mariners (13 points after 8 matches) 4-3-1
5. BYU Cougars (13 points after 9 matches) 4-4-1
6. Ogden Outlaws (11 points after 11 matches) 3-6-2
7. Cascade Surge (710points after 11 matches) 2-5-4
8. Spokane Spiders (7 points after 12 matches) 2-9-1

Tide fall 2-1 in Salem; Division race tightens

Tacoma Tide FC lost to previously winless Cascade Surge 2-1 on June 21st in Salem Oregon. Match details are not yet available.

Tacoma's record is now 8-3-1. Cascade get their first league win and are 1-5-4.

In Yakima the Reds were busy rebounding with a 5-1 win over Spokane. Yakima is now 6-3-1 on the season, with two matches in hand to try and catch Tacoma at the top.

The Tide have four league matches left stretched out over the next month:

• at Vancouver June 28
• at Abottsford June 29
• at Cascade July 12
• Yakima July 19

They will likely need to win at least two of those matches to finish first or second and qualify for the playoffs. The competition for the top two spots will be fierce. Yakima, Vancouver and Abottsford appear to be the Tide's main challengers.

Vancouver and Abottsford have each played only seven matches. Yakima have played ten. With so many matches 'in hand' over Tacoma, it's anyone's guess as to how this will all play out. I've linked to the schedules here so you can ponder who has the 'easiest' road to the playoffs: Yakima, Vancouver or Abottsford?

Yakima's 6 matches remaining are divided evenly with three home and three away. The Reds host Cascade today and then after that all of their remaining matches are against the other contenders.

Vancouver is at Abottsford today and then they have a three-match homestand against Tacoma, Yakima and Cascade. The Whitecaps' last five matches are on the road.

Abottsford are at the start of a six match homestand that includes two matches with Vancouver, and games against Yakima, Tacoma and Cascade. The Mariners started the stand with a 1-0 victory over Ogden last night. Abbey ends their season with four straight road matches.

Standings after June 21st matches:

1. Tacoma Tide (25 points after 12 matches) 8-3-1
2. Yakima Reds (19 points after 10 matches) 6-3-1
3. Vancouver Whitecaps (16 points after 7 matches) 5-1-1
4. Abottsford Mariners (13 points after 7 matches) 4-2-1
5. BYU Cougars (13 points after 9 matches) 4-4-1
6. Ogden Outlaws (11 points after 11 matches) 3-6-2
7. Spokane Spiders (7 points after 12 matches) 2-9-1
8. Cascade Surge (7 points after 10 matches) 1-5-4
   

Tide energize enough to beat Spokane 3-1

It wasn't pretty, and it wasn't a full match's worth of effort by any stretch, but Tacoma Tide did manage enough energy over about 20 minutes at the start of the second half to pull out a 3-1 victory over the visiting Spokane Spiders June 20th at Curtis High School.

Tacome Tide FC have now gone 17 straight matches (including 15 league matches and two friendlies) without a defeat at home dating back to 2006.

It was 0-0 at halftime with Tacoma committing numerous turnovers in the midfield and not clicking up front. Spencer Schomaker was out with a hip pull, and will also miss Saturday's match in Salem against Cascade Surge. The Tide were also without head coach Fran O'Brien and GM Mike Jennings. Whatever the reason, TFC came out apathetic and unorganized.

Beau Macaluso barely misses a first-half header.

Fans got free yellow Tide shirts.

TFC's second goal is stuck in the net.

Tide celebrate Machael David's match-winner.
(David Falk)

Match photo gallery NOW ONLINE!

Rory Agu brought the yellow-clad fans to their feet seconds after the second-half kick off when he blasted down the left sideline and rocketed a shot into the left corner to put TFC up 1-0.

Just a few minutes later a nifty flick in front of goal by midfielder Machael David made it 2-0.

The same stretch of improved play netted Tacoma's third goal on a low-ball roller struck by Raphael Cox after a clearance that began with a much-contested free kick award. Beau Macaluso had been tripped outside the box on the right side. Spokane's keeper and coach were complaining loudly about 'the cheating diver' (looked like a hack on his leg to me). Before you know it Cox gave them something more tangible to complain about. 3-0 to the Tide.

The match was a midfield muddle for much of the rest. There was drama when Tacoma surrendered their first goal in over 500 minutes of play, and even more when TFC's Taylor Mueller was red-carded late on and Spokane were awarded a penalty kick.

Back-up goalkeeper Max Walker had been put in a few minutes earlier (on this his 21st birthday). Max rose to the occasion and dove perfectly to his right, outstretched enough to stop the pk shot and preserve Tacoma's 3-1 scoreline.

Tacoma are now 8-2-1 on the season with 25 points and remain in first place in the PDL Northwest Division. Spokane falls to 2-8-1.

The Tide travel to Salem Saturday night to play the Cascade Surge at 7:35 PM.