Roster

2007 Bluewater Jr. Blaze U12 Boys
WOYSL


                                                                                submitted photo

Bluewater Jr. Blaze
U12 Champions!

Middlesex United Tournament 
Strathroy, Ontario  
 May 31-June 1.

Game 1 vs. Chatham

The U-12 Bluewater Jr. Blaze kicked off the Strathroy tourney with a game against the Chatham Attack.

Bluewater pressured early with Mitch Leblanc finding Marcus Dusseault, the shot was deflected wide by the Chatham keeper winning a corner for the Blaze. Nik Van Bilsen took the corner, a great cross to Matt Doidge was denied by the Chatham netminder.  A through ball to Dilly Ohuegbe crossed to Matt Cservik was also turned away by the Chatham goalie. The ensuing goal kick was won by Van Bilsen in the middle of the pitch, Nic found Dilly wide, a return pass sprung Nic who chipped into the 6 yard box and Dilly finished for an early 1-0 Blaze lead. Chatham marched down the field looking for the equalizer but a great diving save by the Blaze goalie Josh Graham denied the Attack challenge.

Graham kicked the ball ahead to Dylan Wardell who passed on to Ohuegbe but the Chatham keeper again was there for the save. The ensuing Corner kick saw the Chatham keeper leap and take the ball away from the head of Wardell to keep the score close at 1-0. Chatham looked to rally before the half but could not beat the Blaze sweeper Stephen Blysniuk or Matt Doidge.

With time winding down in the half, Jenelle Labadie passed to Mathew Cservik, on to Wardell, back to Labadie and on to Ricky Primeau who could not convert with a header.

Bluewater knew they were in for a challenge in the second half and stepped up their game. Ohuegbe won the ball in the middle of the field, headed the ball forward to himself, beat the Chatham sweeper and calmly buried the ball for a 2-0 Blaze lead.

Bluewater continued to press. Van Bilsen won controlled the ball and sent Ohuegbe in again a shot of the post and in gave Bluewater a commanding 3-0 lead.  Brent Arthur for the Blaze cleared the ball to Wardell, Wardell located Matt Doidge who passed to Labadie. Jenelle made no mistake sending a high shot into the net for a 4-0 lead.

The Blaze were not finished, after an easy save, Graham kicked the ball to half. Wardell was first to the ball and headed the ball on to a streaking Labadie. Jenelle again made no mistake and the Blaze walked away with a well deserved 5-0 win.

Game #2 vs. London Scottish

After a big opening win, the Blaze were hoping for a repeat against the London Scottish team. Rain forced the match to be shortened to 20 minute halves. Early into the match a Scottish player scampered past the Blaze defence. A slight hesitation by the striker and he sent a high shot into the top corner of the Bluewater net.  The Blaze could not mount an effective attack, and only a solid defensive play by Ryan Tanner kept the game at 1-0 for the Scottish at halftime.

The Scottish coach was keen to hang on to the slim lead with the short halves, instructing his charges to play the ball out of bounds at every opportunity. The Blaze controlled the pace of the game but could not beat the London keeper, resulting in a disappointing 1-0 loss.

 
Game # 3 Sunday June 1/08

The Jr. Blaze knew a wildcard spot hung in the balance when they faced the Sault St. Marie Scotiabank squad.  The Blaze started with a flurry of offence. Ricky Primeau took a free kick in the Sault half, his bending shot just missed the goal.

A corner kick by Nic Van Bilsen found Marcus Dusseault but the shot sailed high over the crossbar. Mitch Leblanc stepped up to win the ball  on to Dilly Ohuegbe whose header found the head of Dusseault but again the ball sailed high.

Dusseault had another chance denied by the Sault keeper, the rebound found Primeau but a left footed attempt sailed just wide.

The Blaze continued to dominate. Justus Kerkhof found Jenelle Labadie but a high shot sailed over the cross bar.

Moments later a throw in found the feet of Dusseault. Marcus passed to Leblanc who found the head of Van Bilsen who  forced the ball wide.  The Sault was unable to cross half with superb efforts from Stephen Blysniuk, Brent Arthur and Ryan Tanner in the Blaze backfield. Bluewater controlled the ball at midfield and found Ohuegbe who was allowed to turn and made no mistake, finding his mark and a 1-0 Blaze lead.  Ryan Tanner found Ohuegbe who shot, the rebound found a hard charging Dylan Wardell who made no mistake and the Blaze had a 2-0 halftime lead.

The Blaze once again dominated the second half with many great scoring opportunities.  Tanner cleared a ball to Van Bilsen who sent Wardell away, a hard foul from behind just outside the 18 yard box resulted in a free kick. Van Bilsen made no mistake shooting over the wall and scoring the final goal in a 3-0 victory.  The win sent the Blaze on to the semis to face London Scottish once more.

Game #4 Semis vs. London Scottish

The semis saw the Jr. Blaze face the only team able to score on them in the tournament. The London Scottish team had yet to yield a goal. Early on a great effort by the Blaze captain Marcus Dusseault racing down the line won a corner kick. The Blaze were unable to capitalize. London Scottish passed down the field winning a corner of their own. The arching kick was won by a Scottish player and he made no mistake depositing the ball behind Josh Graham in the Jr. Blaze goal. 1-0 Scottish.

The Blaze were determined score on the Scottish keeper. Jenelle Labadie passed to Matt Doidge who found Van Bilsen. The shot sailed just high and wide over the London net.  The Blaze were able to win the ball at half, a nice cross to Van Bilsen was placed into open space. Dusseault chased the ball down and fired a shot which deflected off a Scottish defender and found the back of the net to knot the score at 1-1.

The goal gave Bluewater new life. Van Bilsen raced down the line and crossed to Justus Kerkhof who found Dusseault but the Scottish keeper was up for the challenge. Dusseault fought hard for the ball and an astute Labadie pounced on the loose ball burying a left foot drive past the London goalie for a 2-1 Blaze lead.

The second half saw the Blaze with the wind at their backs but it was the London Scottish squad who capitalized once again on a corner kick to tie the score 2-2.  Mitchel Leblanc tested the Scottish net with a long wind aided shot, but the London keeper was up to the task. London had a glorious chance to win the game but Van Bilsen chased down the Scottish player on a break away, keeping the score at 2-2. With 3 minutes remaining Bluewater won a corner kick. Van Bilsen floated the ball which deflected off of Dusseault to Wardell, but the Blaze were unable to finish.   Regulation ended 2-2.

The Blaze had the better chances in the two overtime periods but 10 minutes of soccer decided nothing.  Penalty kicks would decide this contest.

London was first to shoot and scored.

Mitch Leblanc was the first Blaze shooter. Mitch’s hard drive was at the keeper and denied.

London looked to take a commanding lead, but the next shooter shot wide of the goal.

Primeau calmly strode up and tied the game with a high blast to the right side.

London looked to again take the lead but a shot off the post gave Bluewater hope.

Justus Kerkhof gave Bluewater the lead with a hard drive to the low left corner

London replied to tie the kicks at 2 each after 4 London shots and 3 Bluewater

Dilly Ohuegbe was denied by the London keeper on the Blazes fourth shot

London’s final shot was denied by Josh Graham the Bluewater keeper

Van Bilsen looked to end the match with the final Blaze kick but was turned aside by the Scottish
netminder sending the contest to sudden death penalty kicks.

London took the advantage with a goal.

Brent Arthur knowing he had to score, made no mistake and the Blaze were still alive.

London  shot and scored again.

Marcus Dusseault was the next Blaze shooter again having to score. Marcus left no doubt with a hard blast.

London shot and scored.

Ryan Tanner stepped up feeling no pressure and ensured this match would carry on with a hard drive into the net.

London elected to have their  keeper shoot. A hard shot found the cross bar.

Stephen Blysniuk was tapped to take the next Blaze shot, as the team looked nervously on, Blysniuk left no doubt and sent the Blaze into the finals with a hard shot past the Scottish keeper!

Finals vs. London Oakridge Sunday June 1/08

After a dramatic Shoot out victory, the Bluewater Jr. Blaze looked to win the Strathroy Championships against the undefeated London Oakridge squad.

Bluewater started strongly. Ricky Primeau spotted an open Marcus Dusseault who crossed the ball to the charging Dylan Wardell but the London goalie snatch the ball away just as Wardell was looking to get a head on the ball.

Nic Van Bilsen forced the ball wide down the right wing; a smart cross found Ricky Primeau whose header over the keeper gave the Blaze and early 1-0 lead.  Bluewater almost capitalized again when a free kick, taken by Van Bilsen, was headed just wide of the mark from Dusseault. The Blaze continued to control the play; Matt Cservik won a 50/50 ball, which set up a footrace with Wardell and the London sweeper. The result was a Blaze Corner.  Bluewater was unable to convert, but London remained on their heels. Dilly Ohuegbe, Van Bilsen and Primeau all had great opportunities to extend the Blaze lead, but could not find the back of the net.

London cleared a Bluewater scoring attempt. The long ball down the field resulted in a footrace, won by the London Oakridge player. A charging Josh Graham could not stop the shot and Oakridge capitalized on their only good scoring chance to date. 1-1.

Graham saved a shot, rolled the ball wide to Ryan Tanner, who played the ball up to Ohuegbe. A streaking Dilly was fouled and Bluewater had a free kick. Primeau drilled a shot over the Oakridge wall, but high over the cross bar as well. Oakridge had one more chance before the half to take the lead when they were awarded a free kick outside the 18. The shot was over the Blaze wall but batted away by Graham in the Bluewater net. The half ended tied at 1.

A pep talk by the coaching staff of Derek Arthur and Steve Leblanc fired up the Bluewater side to start the second half.

Ohuegbe raced down the wing and passed to Ricky Primeau, a smart back pass found Jenelle Labadie who made no mistake with a high shot into the net and a 2-1 Blaze lead. London started to find their legs against a tiring Bluewater side (this being their third game in 6 hours). Consecutive London corners were turned aside by the Blaze defence and on a counter attack, Van Bilsen raced down the wing, a cross to Ohuegbe deflected off the London goalie. Wardell retrieved the rebound, on to Primeau who once again fed Labadie but the shot sailed just wide of the target.  BlueWater looked for another marker and were rewarded when Ohuegbe again tore down the wing on to Primeau who found Wardell in the middle, a quick touch to a charging Labadie found the high right corner of the net for a 3-1 lead.

The Blaze looked  ready to snatch the trophy but Oakridge had other thoughts. A quick throw in was passed in front to an unmarked man and just like that the lead was narrowed to one.  Oakridge had found their confidence against the tiring Blaze side. Four direct free kicks were rewarded to London in the final 5 minutes forcing Graham to make key saves to preserve the lead. London continued to pressure in the closing seconds, a mad scramble was shot wide and the referee blew the whistle ending the game. The Blaze had captured their first Tournament Championship!
 

Congrats Team on a superb weekend effort in Strathroy!