Gryphons Soccer Club at Memorial Day Shootout Tournament

Editor's Note: The following article was submitted to Patch by Anu Subramanian. To submit an article for publication, please e-mail laura.dudnick@patch.com.

Gryphons '02 Boys Red Team capture gold

  
Gryphons '02 Girls White Team finish as Semi-finalists 

Competing in their first tournament together, the Gryphons ’02G White team overcame a tough first game to rebound nicely for the rest of the tournament. The second game for the ’02G White was a competitive nail-biter, but ultimately the Gryphons fell to their opponent 2 to 1. Despite the result, Coach Lizzy Johnson was very pleased with the team’s play, which showcased great ball movement and the team’s ability to maintain possession using one and two-touch passes. The Gryphons continued an upward trajectory for their third game – a rematch against their Game 2 opponent – with a berth to the semi-finals on the line. The ’02G White avenged their previous loss with a 2-0 win and became one of the final four teams remaining in the tournament. In the semi-final match up, the Gryphons encountered an opponent who had not conceded a goal during their first round games, but the Gryphons were up to the challenge. The ’02G White came out on fire, scoring first, and continued to press for more goals. The match came down to the final minutes, and after a tense, hard-fought and highly competitive game, the Gryphons ’02G White’s run in the Breakers Cup came to an end with a close 3-2 loss in the semi-finals.
 
Asked to comment on her team’s play after the match, Coach Lizzy Johnson said she was “thrilled” with the play of her team. “The girls played their hearts out. We fought hard on defense, controlled the ball, connected passes, and created and finished chances on goal. We really showed how tough of a team we are today. So many players had stand-out individual performances. Collectively and individually, we performed the best we have all year. I am very proud of the girls and I am excited about the future of this team.” 

About the Gryphons Soccer Club

The Gryphons Soccer Club (GSC) is a non-profit organization that promotes youth soccer on the San Francisco Peninsula in California. Players come from towns all over the San Francisco Peninsula, including Belmont, San Carlos, San Mateo, Foster City, Redwood City, San Francisco and the South Bay. The GSC offers starter programs for the youngest of players (between 3 and 8 yrs old), as well as the Team Academy (for players over 8 yrs old). For more information about the GSC, visit their website at http://gryphonssoccer.com.