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Post by LAFire97G on Mar 24, 2015 8:50:59 GMT -6
This is Henry Pratt, the assistant manager of the Louisiana Fire '97 Girls Navy, and older brother of team midfielder Eleanor Pratt.
This Saturday at 12:00 p.m. @ Lafreniere Park Field #3 outside New Orleans, the Louisiana Fire '97 Girls will play their last ever major competitive game inside Louisiana, excluding State Cup in Baton Rouge a couple months from now. The team takes on one of its major regional rivals, Tennessee SC (f.k.a. Brentwood Premier) in a Region III Premier League Central (PLC) game that could have major ramifications on early qualification for Regionals this summer. This game is part of the Big Easy Invitational hosted by Louisiana Fire, and would probably be a great match for younger players to watch.
LA Fire and Tennessee SC have faced off in numerous big matches in previous years, with Brentwood handling the former CSA Strike Squad in their first ever meeting several years ago in Memphis, before Fire turned the rivalry around and beat Brentwood to win their first ever RPL title at U15, in addition to a thrilling 1-0 win in the regional quarterfinals a couple years ago. Both teams have remained perennial powers in Region III and have numerous college commitments between them, but it has somehow been a couple years since they faced off.
Without trying to make any outrageous or arrogant statements -- the last thing I want to do -- here is a quick background on the team for those who might be interested in watching: LA Fire Navy 97G is the only Louisiana girls team in history to win Regionals, and Louisiana's first ever representative in the USYS National League (girls or boys) where they recently missed out on the title and an early bid to Nationals by a mere 3 points. I say this ONLY because I have been told there are some younger players and fans around the state who would probably enjoy seeing these girls play in their last big game at home, before we try to make another run at Regionals and hopefully Nationals this summer in the team's last season. Most of the remaining schedule will be out-of-state games.
I can't even be at the game myself, but anyway, there's the info in case anyone is interested in seeing the game.
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Post by LAFire97G on Mar 26, 2015 9:21:09 GMT -6
Roster for 97G Louisiana Fire Navy
#15 Lauren Bacque Senior at Acadiana --winger
#2 Victoria Best Senior at Live Oak --winger, outside back *committed to play at the University of Mobile*
#32 Samantha Bourgeois Junior at Mount Carmel --goalkeeper
#25 Gabby Burmaster Senior at Dominican --outside back *committed to play at Spring Hill College*
#18 Mia Dubroc Junior at Mandeville HS --winger, forward
#7 Emily Ellison Senior at Sacred Heart --midfielder, defender
#9 Cadie Higginson Junior at Ben Franklin --defensive midfielder, defender *committed to play at Navy*
#6 Noelle Higginson Junior at Ben Franklin --center midfielder *committed to play at Yale*
#20 Kielli Jordan Senior at Northshore --midfielder, winger *committed to play at Colorado Christian*
#13 Samantha Jordan Senior at Northshore --striker, winger, outside back
#17 Tuesday Jordan Senior at Northshore --center back *committed to play at Niagara University*
#11 Kassandra Ortega Junior at Belle Chasse HS --winger, forward
#16 Eleanor Pratt Senior at Ben Franklin --center midfielder *committed to play at Navy*
#4 Amalia Skalos Junior at Ben Franklin --center back, outside back
#5 Amelia Thibodeaux Junior at St. Thomas More --center back *committed to play at Louisiana Tech*
#1 Alex Thomas Senior at Ben Franklin --striker *committed to play at LSU*
#10 Martha Jane Williams Senior at Country Day --center/attacking midfielder
Coach: Steve Mcanespie Assistant Coach: Louie Smothermon
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Post by LAFire97G on Mar 27, 2015 18:42:52 GMT -6
complete Big Easy tournament schedule this weekend for the Louisiana Fire U18 Girls: Sat. 3/28 at 12:00 PM -- Lafreniere Park Field #3 97G Louisiana Fire Navy vs. Tennessee SC 15 (TN) Sat. 3/28 at 3:30 PM -- Lafreniere Park Field #1 Mandeville Lakers Premier U17 vs. 97G Louisiana Fire Navy Sun. 3/29 at 9:30 AM -- Lafreniere Park Field #2 97G Louisiana Fire Navy vs. GSC Cyclones U17 Sun. 3/29 at 2:30 PM -- Lafreniere Park Field #3 Championship game for U17-U18 division The first game is part of Premier League Central, to be played with 45-minute halves and limited subs. The other matches are tournament rules: 35-minute halves and unlimited subs. Link to tournament schedules for all age groups: soccer.sincsports.com/TTSchedules.aspx?tid=EASYG&tab=5&sub=2
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Post by kevin on Mar 28, 2015 11:50:50 GMT -6
3-0 with a few minutes left in the 1st half. Thomas and both Higginsons with a goal apiece.
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Post by kevin on Mar 28, 2015 12:10:41 GMT -6
4-0, Alex Thomas with a PK in the 51st.
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Post by kevin on Mar 28, 2015 12:15:39 GMT -6
Thomas with a hat-trick. 5-0 in the 56th.
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Post by kevin on Mar 28, 2015 12:26:14 GMT -6
66th minute goal. Noelle Higginson with a nice pass to Alex Thomas, who rounds the keeper and taps it in. 6-0.
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Post by kevin on Mar 28, 2015 12:49:36 GMT -6
Game over.
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Post by LAFire97G on Mar 28, 2015 13:00:52 GMT -6
overall thoughts on the game, Kevin?
I will pass on the reports I received, although some of it is what you already posted....
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Post by LAFire97G on Mar 28, 2015 13:24:10 GMT -6
Passing on the reports I received (to complement Kevin's good commentary!):
Tennessee SC was strong and possessed well early in the game, but Louisiana Fire seized momentum with a few goals late in the first half and led 3-0 at halftime after a tight and scoreless opening 30 minutes. In the second half Tennessee SC couldn't turn it around and Louisiana Fire ran away with a 6-0 route -- BY FAR the most lopsided scoreline in the history of these two teams, and a major statement by Louisiana Fire.
1st goal scored by Alex Thomas assisted by Eleanor Pratt. 2nd by Noelle Higginson off an Eleanor Pratt corner. 3rd by Cadie Higginson, not sure of assist. 4th was a PK finished by Alex Thomas after being taken down in the box. 5th was Kielli Jordan to Samantha Jordan to Alex Thomas for the finish, completing Alex's hat trick. 6th was Alex's fourth of the game off a nice pass from Noelle Higginson.
Tuesday Jordan and Amelia Thibodeaux were extremely strong in central defense, anchored by a solid Samantha Bourgeois in goal, and complimented tenaciously by outside backs Gabby Burmaster, Amalia Skalos, and Tori Best. Cadie Higginson protected the back line well in holding midfield.
Really, the entire team competed extremely well and put in an excellent collective performance across the board. Beating a good regional contender 6-0 was not expected by anyone. Tennessee SC is at least a 2-time quarterfinalist at Regionals with several players committed to play in college. This was a great win, so congrats to the girls!
Next up is a game against Mandeville Lakers Premier U17 at 3:30.
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Post by kevin on Mar 28, 2015 13:45:01 GMT -6
I think goal #2 was an assist by Alex Thomas. The 3rd goal was off a corner, I think--ball bounced around in the box off a few different players and Cadie Higginson scored.
The game was tight early on--I think it was 0-0 for at least 25-30 minutes. Early on there were a few good chances for the Fire and maybe one chance for TN. TN tried to play a possession-oriented game, but the Fire had a definite skill edge and pressed well.
Maybe it's just confirmation bias, but I thought the team played a lot like Ben Franklin. They relied on the Higginson/Higginson/Pratt core down the middle and looked to get it to Thomas any way possible--long balls over the top, through balls, etc. The difference between the Fire and Ben Franklin is that the Fire have some excellent players on the wings. Mia Dubroc linked up well with Alex Thomas a few times when Dubroc was playing on the right wing. I think I also remember Kassandra Ortega making a few nice runs down the left in the 2nd half.
Obviously this is a very talented group of players, almost an all-state team. They've been able to represent Louisiana very well and I'm sure they will continue to do so in their remaining competitions. Good luck in the rest of your matches!
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Post by soccerdad23 on Mar 29, 2015 9:35:50 GMT -6
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Post by deobserver on Mar 29, 2015 10:13:26 GMT -6
Can some one put me in contact with the coach please. I am the head coach of Trinity Baptist College
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Post by LAFire97G on Mar 29, 2015 10:14:06 GMT -6
Following its victory over Tennessee SC yesterday, Louisiana Fire Navy defeated two U17 teams (Mandeville Lakers Premier and GSC Gyclones) to advance to the final at 2:30 today.
Fire will take on the U17 Lady Lobos Elite from Tennessee, who have won all 3 tournament games so far. Hopefully it will be a good match! The game will be on Field #3 at Lafreniere, at 2:30 p.m.
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Post by LAFire97G on Mar 29, 2015 17:17:43 GMT -6
The team capped off a good tournament with a 3-0 victory in the U17-U18 final this afternoon, in a hot and chippy game. Fire has now won its first 11 games of the spring season, but that includes several friendlies early.
Fire will take the field again on April 11th in Montgomery, AL -- another PLC match against a quality Tennessee team, FC Alliance Black. Fire and FC Alliance have a lot of history with a back-and-forth rivalry, including Fire's memorable 1-0 overtime win in the 2013 regional final. Thanks to its dominant win over Tennessee SC yesterday, Louisiana Fire can clinch the PLC title and an automatic berth to Regionals with a victory in Montgomery, but the same is also on the line for FC Alliance if they can beat Tennessee SC as well. Should be a great match, and still lots of exciting soccer in store this season!
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Post by playwide on Mar 30, 2015 13:52:16 GMT -6
Go Fire!
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Post by laffysoccermom on Mar 30, 2015 20:22:47 GMT -6
Was this team always this good? I ask as a legitimate question. They are arguably the most successful girks soccer team in recent Louisiana history. I was just wondering if they have been tbat good since they started or when it became evident.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using proboards
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Post by laffysoccermom on Apr 7, 2015 7:59:57 GMT -6
Thanks. This was just a curiosity thing for me. I am watching the CSC Rage 01 team as I think they have the potential to do something similar. Not affiliated with either team. Congrats to the u18 Fire as they finish up this chapter and move forward.
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Post by playwide on Apr 7, 2015 11:43:38 GMT -6
The team was always special. As u10s they won the Div.I u11G State Cup. Their defining moment was their lowest moment - when they lost the u12g State Cup Final.The team came back from that moment stronger and more focused on the goal of becoming a regional power. The team really hit their stride post NOLA Clubs merger as they entered RPL, then onto Region III League and ultimately National League competition. Their pinnacle moment was winning Region III Championship and their subsequent appearance at the National Championships in 2013 where they were a goal away from playing in the National Championship match. They are the most successful female club team in Louisiana history by a long shot.
An unusual amount of talent in the same place at the same time, a motivated team manager, supportive organization, and an unprecedented amount of commitment from the girls, their parents, and the various coaches who have been connected with the team. A very special group of players, parents, and coaches.
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Post by LAFire97G on Apr 7, 2015 12:16:30 GMT -6
Was this team always this good? I ask as a legitimate question. They are arguably the most successful girks soccer team in recent Louisiana history. I was just wondering if they have been tbat good since they started or when it became evident. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using proboards Laffysoccermom, I know I already responded to your question with a PM, but here is a public answer for other people who might have wanted to see a reply. WhatDoUNO is kind to compliment this team’s quality dating back to its younger years. This would be my answer after discussing some thoughts with team manager Steve Higginson: it has always been an excellent team with a super talented core that dates back to the 8v8 or even 6v6 years, but has also gotten stronger over the years due to a variety of factors that include fantastic coaching (Lester Young, Winston Lewis, Louie Smothermon, St. Nick Benjamin, and now Steve Mcanespie currently); more and more great players joining on a yearly basis, thanks to open and welcoming tryouts; super high level of commitment and ambition by the girls; an intense and genuine love for the game and playing together - even for fun in informal settings; seeking out the best regional and national competition possible from a young age in a variety of top leagues/tournaments/showcases around the region and nation; a phenomenally supportive and committed parent group; and therefore a great deal of improvement by every individual player as a consequence of ALL those other factors. Every single one of those points I mentioned has been absolutely vital, and no success would be possible unless the girls just loved playing soccer together so much. This is just my personal opinion, but I would argue the team is even stronger now than it was several years ago (despite having a special group from the very beginning as playwide said) and may currently have its best ever squad. This is despite many high quality players (even former starters) no longer with the team for whatever reason, including three who graduated after the team’s U17 year for example. It has never been a single school team, or even a New Orleans city team, but instead currently has players from Mandeville, Slidell, and even multiple players from as far away as Lafayette, who travel all week to train together and push each other in a healthy way to improve individually and collectively, since every player wants to earn her spot on the field. The team has had very healthy turnover, as big contributors and great players decided other excellences required their time, leaving room for new players who wanted to focus a large commitment of time on soccer. Every single year of the team’s existence, at least one new player has joined if not more. The current roster has three members who joined this year alone, all of whom are commuting from outside New Orleans. All total, 35 to 40 different girls have been rostered on this team at some point in its history. And just to emphasize coaching again, the variety of fantastic coaches who have all left their permanent mark on the team in their own way has kept the team constantly learning something new and improving from the exposure to different coaching styles. One last point, in years of very difficult injury struggles, injured players always still happily came to practice to learn and be around their teammates - a trend set very early by players like Virginia Bryan. From its early years (U10-U13), the team established itself as a serious power at the local and state level, maybe slightly beyond Louisiana as well -- then worked its way toward a legitimate regional contender around U14-U16, and now a national power in the last 1-2 years. The girls have won State Cup every year of this age group’s existence except for U12 when a very deserving Shreveport squad beat them and took the title. You can even see the progression against specific opponents – results against in-state rivals have become a little lopsided on average in recent years, whereas quality Shreveport and Mandeville teams played extremely tight and intense matches with CSA Strike Squad / LA Fire when the teams were younger (though any of them can STILL play well and beat Fire on their day, considering the other quality players in this state!). Another example, Fire just posted dominant 4-0 and 6-0 RPL victories over out-of-state powers who were almost 50-50 with this team and beat them once or twice a few years ago. This year was also the team's best showing in the National League by far. I guess you'd say this team established a very talented and powerful foundation when it was younger and has been progressing ever since. But there are still goals and dreams this team has not accomplished (for example, they've only made it to Nationals once), with unfinished business at Regionals and hopefully Nationals this summer, so maybe we can do a more complete reflection a few months from now!
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