December 31, 2009 - Downingtown, PA

After winning their fall Delco league, the Kixx were ready to roll into 2010 with one championship under their collective belts. But the Kixx weren't done for the year! New Year's Eve found the Kixx at United Sports in Downingtown, trying their hands (and feet) at indoor soccer for the first time at USTC's 2009 Winter Indoor Soccer Tournament!

The tournament started bright and early . . . perhaps a little TOO early, as a 7:35 first game, combined with a few inches of snow, made for some last-minute arrivals. But the Kixx were all there on time and ready to go, in a 5-team round-robin tournament. The tournament consisted only of four 20-minute games, so the boys needed to be sharp from the get-go, as even a single loss could have kept them from winning the championship. But this was their first time playing indoor. With only 6 players plus a goalie on the field, and a few other rule changes, would our boys in blue be able to make the transition to the turf?

It turns out the answer was an emphatic, "YES!" The Kixx, wearing blue, took the field first against the Spirit United Voltage, a Division 1 team that featured a few local kids from Uwchlan Hills Elementary. The Kixx were all over the Voltage from the start, and just a few minutes into the game Charlie Beale got the Kixx on the board with the first goal of the day. The indoor game has a very different feel, with passing, dribbling, and close marking becoming paramount on the small field. The Kixx kept up the pressure throughout the game, and really were in control the entire way. Matt Tutterice was especially strong, keeping the defensive line strong, and Zach DeLone's speed was a huge advantage on offense, scoring a nice goal from the right side. After putting in another goals while allowing just one goal to the Voltage, the Kixx were off to a good start with a 3-1 victory!

After a brief intermission where the kids probably expended more energy playing kickball than they had in the game, next up was Methacton. Methacton had been together since U-8, had won the Division 2 fall championship (one level above the Kixx), and purportedly had not lost a game in over a year! They were clearly the team to beat in the tournament, and came in having dispatched the Middletown Mavericks earlier in the day. Would the Kixx be able to compete? Once again, the Kixx proved their resilience! It was a hard-fought game throughout. Methacton was a very well-coached team, whose players passed quickly and cleanly, and who moved rapidly off of corners and kick-ins. Goalie Daniel Good made several good saves to keep the score tied, while the usual suspects up front were stymied by the tough Methacton defense. The score remained tied until the Kixx got a goal from an unlikely source. Fighting down the left side of the field, Charlie Beale was customarily tough with the ball, making move after move. From the left corner, he cut back, faking out one Methacton defender, and sent a beautiful pass across the middle, to where Mike Battisti, more commonly seen in goal, was waiting. Mike didn't miss his golden opportunity. Mike and the Methacton keeper raced across the goal mouth to catch up with the ball, but Mike made it there first, and buried the shot across his body and past the sprawling keeper for a 1-0 lead! With 7 minutes left, though, there was plenty of time for Methacton to make a comeback. But Mike Bolger, Max Gress, and Daniel Andris turned back chance after chance, and Daniel Good stopped everything that reached him! The final seconds ticked off the clock, and the Kixx had shocked Methacton with a 1-0 victory!!

With the maximum 6 points through 2 games, the win against Methacton had put the Kixx in a great position to put a stranglehold on the tournament. But the Middletown Mavericks weren't going to give anything away! Now wearing white, and with Mike Battisti back in goal, the Kixx started off on the wrong foot, with some poor marking leading to two quick Middletown goals. With 12 minutes left, the Kixx were down 2-0, and in danger of wasting the huge win against Methacton! But the Kixx didn't have any quit in them today! They tightened up the defense, with Tristan Hummel especially doing a nice job of keeping the ball out of a danger, and up top they kept the pressure on. Unusurprisingly, it was Dalton Musselman who came through, putting home a goal to bring the Kixx within one. But it was Zach DeLone who made the biggest difference, again using his speed to create a chance on the right. He was able to drive another one home, evening the score! They kept the pressure up, with Mike Bolger nearly scoring on a long, powerful left-footed shot that the goalie just saved. As time ticked down, Charlie Beale broke loose in the middle, and sent a blast into the back of the net!! But, unfortunately, it was just a half-second AFTER the final buzzer sounded! The game ended in a tie, but that tie later ended up being a huge factor in deciding the championship. It was a great example of a team learning how not to give up when they are down!

The final game of the day came against a Hulmeville Select U-8 team that had come all the way from Bucks County. They had played well all day, especially considering they were playing up an age group, but their record wasn't good enough to put them in the running for the championship. Methacton, meanwhile, had won all of their remaining games, leaving them with 9 out of a possible 12 points. The Kixx had 7 as a result of the tie, with one game remaining, so if the Kixx could beat Hulmeville, they would win the tournament with 10 points. If they lost, Methacton would win the tournament, and the Kixx would come in second.

The Kixx had apparently had enough of drama for the day. Back in blue again, they assaulted the Hulmeville Select from the opening whistle. Almost all of the action was in the Hulmeville end of the field, and Joey D'Angelo and Alex Mullins both converted on chances early to give the Kixx a quick lead. Several more goals followed, and the result was never really in doubt, as the Kixx rolled to a 6-0 victory and their first tournament championship!

It was a great introduction to the indoor game, which will serve them well in their January indoor league, which will be even tougher, as they are mixed together with the U-10 teams!