hamlet7478

GPS plays on a nice big pitch which will benefit CAK because they are used to the large space plus they are skillful and fast. GPS lost their superlative central defender (Josie Rix who is now at U. of Alabama), so I would expect them not to be as strong as last year. This may be CAK's year, though GPS is at home and they have a proud soccer tradition of their own.

The rationale for the "campus" rule might be as simple as making it safe and convenient for the 8th grader. If the player has to somehow get from a school a couple of miles away, it becomes a time and safety issue. I agree that it still seems a little strange and perhaps unfair that you can only play if you are "on campus".

Here's what I think it is. 8th graders can play on the varsity if the middle school is "on the same campus" as the high school. But once the 8th grader plays, he or she is subject to the same transfer rules as 9-12th graders. That is, if the player plays in 8th grade at one school, then transfers to another school, the player must wait 365 days from the last day played at the old school before playing at the new school. Have you looked at the TSSAA web site?

Congratulations CAK. This is a big win. The new coach must be pulling things together well. Watch out for Bearden though. They play hard and their many talented youngsters will get better as a team as the season goes on.

Looks like Baylor will once again be competing the title of best team overall. Not hard to see why: great facilities, coaching, and athletes. Other than that, they're just average.

Yes, amazing job. I'm sure folks will have some problems with the rankings here and there, but to pull all this together for each class, then overall and reigionally? Amazing. Appreciate your work.

As long as West has Caitlan Cody in goal, they'll be formidable on defense. West lost a couple of good people through graduation, so whether they're as good as last year will depend on how quick the youngsters step up, I think.

Actually, UT runs a nice camp. Competition is stronger some years than others, but the facilities are great and in Coach Kelly you get a coach who certainly knows about winning and competing. Many of the players are there and at your daughter's age she will get to mix it up with them.

Well, we can all agree that Tim Howard is a BEAST! I love that guy.

Giving Donovan the benefit of the doubt, could it be that he was pointing to the US logo on the shirt? Rather than promoting himself, he may have been promoting the team?

It's a relative thing. While it's true that the U.S. women's program is at the very top despite the lack of a MLS type league (there are lower level professional leagues: the W league e.g.), there is no equivalent of the English Premier League in England, Serie A in Italy and Brazil, the Bundesliga in Germany, and so on for women in these countries, unlike the men. So, the development programs for our women is about the best in the world, despite the absence of an MLS type league, whereas the developmental programs for our men (as was pointed out earlier) fall behind the very best professional developmental programs in England, Germany, Italy, and Brazil. Add to that a slight cultural bias that lingers in the soccer power nations, and you can see how the environment for women soccer players in our country is the very best. Despite these advantages, we manage to produce stultifying women's performances like the last women's World Cup where we could not possess the ball to save our lives and the only attack we could manage was kick the ball long to Abby Wambach and hope. IMO the Brazilians are the best right now. The women's soccer is still relatively small down there, but growing, slowly overcoming the major cultural bias against women in that nation. Their women are very athletic, they play hard, and, of course, they have that Brazilian flair (see: Marta).

U.S. - 2 Spain - 0 My God what a shocker! MVM, do you think they read your post?

Also FC Alliance U17 Boys

Of course as soon as you lament the US men's poor performances they go out and beat Egypt 3-0 to advance in the Confederation Cup. Seriously, I know one result does not mean the program is "turned around". The answer, I believe, will not come from kids playing in the countryside / neighborhoods / barrios / ghettos / etc like Brazil / Italy / Spain / etc. There's no turning back the clock. What we do best, apparently, is structure. So, maybe the answer is better structure. That and a more attractive National league than the MLS. Another point to make that I'm sure will resonate with people over 35. That is, in our first World Cup in the "modern" era we were happy to be there and certain we would get demolished. Now we expect to win a bunch and be competitive, even with Italy, Germany, and Brazil. That's progress, isn't it? Maybe we need to examine our sense of perspective?

There's something to that. In East TN (Knoxville), you've got the following cities within approximately 4 - 4.5 hours (300 miles): Nashville, Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, W-S, Lexington, Louisville, Cincinnati, almost Raleigh / Durham. Obviously, there a a lot of good teams to be played from those cities. Compared to that, Memphis has St. Louis (very good), Little Rock, Nashville, and Birmingham. That's good, but not as good.

MJUHB: You're at it early! This should be good fodder for some comments. I do not know enough about the teams yet this year to comment, but I look forward to reading comments from those who do know something.

Why do you say that? Have you seen these teams?

I'll bite, just to get some juice flowing. In E. TN, you have the usual suspects in AAA: Farragut, OR, Bearden. Don't know if Dobyns Bennett (sp?) will make another run like last year. Maybe Cleveland in the Chattanooga area? E. TN A/AA: CAK (by far), Catholic, Seymour with Greeneville providing interesting competition after dropping from AAA. Division II: Baylor, of course In M. TN AAA: Franklin, Siegel (sound familiar?). A/AA: Livingston? Division II: A host of schools including FRA now that they've moved. In W. TN (which I take to mean 40 miles W. of Nashville to the AK border) AAA: Houson, Collierville (also sounds familiar). A/AA: Don't know. Division II: Need help. I'm no MJUHB, just trying to get things going. The most interesting thing I know of so far are these things: Does CAK keep rolling with a new coach? (Probably) How does Greenville fair in A/AA (Probably well) Who emerges in the Chattanooga area in AAA? How does Knox. Catholic do with its maturing talent? Does Farragut play up to its talent level? Who emerges in Middle TN? So many good teams, who rises to the top?

Thanks for the great update ucsoccer

I don't know Jordan Leen. In fact, I don't even know anyone who knows him personally. Still, I'd like to make a couple of observations. First, this is one tough kid. He battles and battles. The Baylor and Chattanooga wrestling communities should be very proud to claim him as one their own. Second, an observation from last night's NCAA semifinal that really impressed me. As most of you know, Mr. Leen lost a really close, tough match to an exceptional wrestler from Illinois (Poeta), whom, I believe, he beat in the finals last year. At the end of the match, Mr. Leen did not hang his head, he did not stomp off, he did not wine. No, he looked his opponent in face and congratulated him. Then he went to the opponent's corner and congratulated the coaches. This is a true warrior. I will certainly be rooting for him to wrestle back to 3rd place.

Congratulations to Gwen Lawson (Oak Ridge) for making the NSCAA Scholar All-America Team. Here's a complete list. 2008 NSCAA/adidas Girls High School Scholar All-America Team Jennifer Thompson Harrison High School Ark. Lindsay Dickerson St. Francis High School Calif. Francesca Murillo Murrieta Valley High School Calif. Mariah Nogueira Marina High School Calif. Bailey Bodell St. John's College High School D.C. Jordan Jackson Blue Valley West High School Kan. Laura Bush Highlands High School Ky. Bailey Kleis Mandeville High School La. Melissa Orgera Broadneck High School Md. J. Blake-Hedges Saint Mary's Ryken High School Md. Cheyenne Braga O.L. Good Counsel High School Md. Jessica Cooke Leonardtown High School Md. Alexandra Fowler Notre Dame High School Mo. Molly Hrudka East Chapel Hill High School N.C. Bess Goodman Grimsley High School N.C. Amber Brooks The Pennington School N.J. Heidi Sabatura The Pennington School N.J. Allyssa Abel Victor Senior High School N.Y. Kiley Naylor Ursuline Academy Ohio Staci Johnson Circleville High School Ohio Deena Levey Bexley High School Ohio Anne Song Western Reserve Academy Ohio SarahV inson Amelia High School Ohio Trisha Wladecki Avon Lake High School Ohio Alice Blackwell Travelers Rest High School S.C. Haley Hutchens Irmo High School S.C. Virginia Wilson J.L. Mann Academy S.C. Gwendolyn Lawson Oak Ridge High School Tenn. Kristen Bowen Friendswood High School Texas Lisa Sliwinski Plano East Senior High School Texas Amanda Essay Kingwood High School Texas Emily Gross Dripping Springs High School Texas Marissa Holden Plano East High School Texas Katherine Heckard ? Norfolk Academy Va. Anna Curfman ? Stone Bridge School Va.

Schadenfreude

I have seen both Seymour and Powell play this season, and I certainly think the game between them will be worthwhile to see. Both teams have talent and coaches that push many if not most of the right buttons. I picked Powell to win only because I think they are a bigger school and as a result they have more depth.

Do you know where the games are going to be played? Predictions above including Karns v. West

Kingston is improved. Coach Papa is doing a good job with the girls.