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St. Cloud 3 v 3 Winter Smash--Finalists
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Game	Opponent	Score	W/L
1	Osceola Firecats	4-7	L
2	CFU Thunder	6-1	W
3	CFU Lightning	4-3	W
Semi Finals	CFU Lightning	5-1	W
Championship	Osceola Firecats	3-4	L

Following battle, the Gainesville Rampage and Osceola Firecats pose as friends with their hard earned trophies.

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Summary

This was our first 3 v 3 tournament, as well as our first tournament... period. We took five players to St. Cloud: Andy A, Mitchell B., Travis G., Danny M., and Cameron T. Although we registered as a recreation team, we ended up with the toughest draw in our age group, in a tournament comprised of primarily competition level teams. We started off the tournament against the team that would be champions, the Oseola Firecats. They were a very skilled team made up of players from two separate select teams, with two highly experienced club coaches. In this first game of the tournament we played a bit groggy and confused, exposing our goal on a few too many occasions to the Firecats. While we managed to knock four balls into the net, we gave up seven. Many lessons were learned from game 1 by both coach and players. Travis led the team with three goals. Cameron managed to get a goal and assist, while Andy had an assist. Our defense was poor to say the least, but we knew we had something to build on.

In game 2 we played another select squad, the Central Florida United (CFU) Thunder, a club with a long standing, excellent reputation in Florida. Having learned a few tricks and playing a more conservative defensive game, it was clear early in this one that the Thunder were no match for the Rampage. We dominated most of this game, winning 6-1. Although we had a win under our belt, the tough games were to come. Mitch, Andy, and Cameron all gave us a strong defensive effort against the Thunder. Andy led the team with two goals and one assist, while Mitch had a goal and assist, Danny had two goals, and Travis landed one.

In game 3, we faced an excellent all girls select team: the CFU Lightning. They had won their first two games 8-1 and 4-1 and I was told had not lost a game, ever. This was a team with considerable 3 v 3 experience and came to this tournament as a warmup for Nationals in January. The Rampage clearly had more speed (although the Lightning certainly had some wheels as well) and in the end the Rampage appeared to have better endurance. But the Lightning played a beautiful, unselfish tactical game and stayed in it for the full 24 minutes. I hate to admit it, but it was clearly brawn over brains in this one. However, the Lightning were an excellent team and it was clear that our boys had learned and improved tactically a great deal with each game. We had many moments of brilliance, particularly on the offensive end of the field. But we played too selfishly at times, which is something we later corrected (or tried to correct) in the semis and finals. Mitchell, Andy and Cameron all played a very strong defense, but we let down a few times in our secondary support. Travis led the team again with two goals, while Mitchell and Danny both had a goal and assist, and Andy had an assist as well. Having won two out of three games in our group, we were seated second in our bracket heading into the semi finals and were matched up again against the CFU Lightning, now our nemesis (or was the other way around?).

In our semi final game, the Lightning came out fired up wanting revenge, and maybe a little cartilage. But it was clear that we had shifted our game to a new level. We were much quicker to the ball on defense and covered well at our second defender positions. We also were linking more passes together and controlling the ball well. This was the game where we discovered who we were and what we were capable of. This game was never really in doubt as the Rampage surprised the Lightning with a 5-1 victory. Mitchell was a major force in the back both halves and gave us the best defensive effort to this point, and Andy and Travis both put on strong defensive stances as well. Cameron led the team this game with two goals, while Andy, Travis, and Danny each had one, Mitch added an assist as well.

Heading in to the Finals we were clearly the underdog, but unlike the Firecats, we had worked very hard to get to the finals by already playing the two toughest teams in the tournament, one of which we played twice. After playing against us in game 1, the Firecats had it pretty easy playing the two weakest teams prior to semis. The Firecats certainly didn't come out complacent... but I don't think they expected the Rampage to come out as fired up and under control as we did. We had an excellent first half, controlling the ball well and denying the Firecats control of the ball and penetration. Mitchell played a tremendous game in the back for us. We got up quickly on the Firecats and at half-time the score was 3-1. Clearly we weren't the rec team from Gainesville that strolled into town on Saturday. But in the second half, the Firecats got serious. They came out quickly and scored two goals to tie the game at 3-3. The long distance shots from the Firecats killed us. We needed to be quicker to the ball at mid field. We stepped it up a bit the last five minutes. The game stayed even for quite a while and it appeared that it might end in a tie. However, just seconds before time ran out, the Firecats managed to get a breakaway goal to win the game 4-3. Mitchell, Andy, and Travis all played their strongest defensive games of the tournament. Cameron, Travis, and Danny each gave us a goal and Travis (yes Travis!) had the lone assist.

Despite our loss in the finals, this was a huge victory for the Rampage. We clearly out-played the Firecats in many aspects of the final game. Our biggest weaknesses were picking up players quickly and staying with them, and giving quick secondary defensive support. Defense, guys! It's all about defense.... We also didn't link passes together and move to support as well as we're capable. Give us a few more 3 v 3 tournaments and we'll understand this game. I think the Rampage had to be one of the most improved teams at the tournament from game 1 to 5, so it was clearly worth the trip. I'm very proud of what we accomplished and I'm guessing that for most, or perhaps all of our players, this was the first trophy that these boys have earned in their young sports careers. I'm not a big fan of trophies. But this is one you should all be proud of. We learned a great deal about each other, our skills and weaknesses, and what good competition is about. We started out the tournament a bit slow, but played harder and harder as the tournament went on, ending with a great show. The kids played their hearts out. Congratulations, Rampage, on a tournament well played. I hope all of you had fun. I certainly did.

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