Gazette Cup preview with team capsules
Forestview will look to defend its championship when the 18th annual Gazette Area Soccer Cup kicks off today.
The weeklong tournament takes place at Poston Park in Lowell with two games tonight through Thursday followed by a full day of action on Saturday.
Forestview, which defeated Ashbrook 2-0 for its tournament-record eighth title last year, opens the 2010 event against Hunter Huss tonight at 6. East Gaston and Highland Tech follow at 8.
Ashbrook faces Gaston Day Tuesday at 6, followed by South Point against North Gaston at 8.
Wednesday’s action sees Highland Tech take on Forestview at 6 and Hunter Huss face East Gaston at 8. Then on Thursday, the pool play portion of the tournament concludes with North Gaston facing Ashbrook at 6 and Gaston Day taking on South Point at 8.
Over the first four days, teams try to earn enough points to qualify for Saturday’s 4 p.m. championship game. Teams accrue three points for each win, one point for a tie and an additional point for a shutout (unless it’s a 0-0 tie). Ties will be broken in the following order: head-to-head results, highest net goal difference (maximum four goals per game), least goals against and most goals.
Each team will then play Saturday, with the seventh-, fifth- and third-place games scheduled before the championship game.
South Point has won the tournament seven times, and Ashbrook won the other two championships, as recently as 2008. East Gaston beat South Point for third place last year. Hunter Huss needed overtime to take fifth place over Gaston Day, and Highland Tech defeated North Gaston for seventh place.
Daily admission is $4 for adults or $2 for children 12 and under. A tournament pass is available for $10. Kids under 5 are admitted free.
You can reach Phillip Gardner at 704-869-1843.
18th annual Gazette Area Soccer Cup
At Poston Park, Lowell
Monday
Forestview vs. Hunter Huss, 6 p.m.
East Gaston vs. Highland Tech, 8 p.m.
Tuesday
Ashbrook vs. Gaston Day, 6 p.m.
South Point vs. North Gaston, 8 p.m.
Wednesday
Highland Tech vs. Forestview, 6 p.m.
Hunter Huss vs. East Gaston, 8 p.m.
Thursday
North Gaston vs. Ashbrook, 6 p.m.
Gaston Day vs. South Point, 8 p.m.
Friday
Make-up day, if needed
Saturday
Seventh-place game, 10 a.m.
Fifth-place game, noon
Third-place game, 2 p.m.
Championship game, 4 p.m.
Gazette Cup championship appearances
School Appearances Titles
Forestview 11 8
South Point 8 7
Ashbrook 14 2
Hunter Huss 1 0
Championship results
1993: South Point 4, Ashbrook 2
1994: South Point 1, Ashbrook 0
1995: South Point 4, Ashbrook 3
1996: South Point 3, Ashbrook 1
1997: South Point 2, Ashbrook 1
1998: South Point 4, Forestview 1
1999: Ashbrook 4, Forestview 3 (Ashbrook 4-3 on PKs)
2000: Forestview 3, Ashbrook 0
2001: Forestview 3, Hunter Huss 1
2002: Forestview 2, Ashbrook 1
2003: Forestview 5, Ashbrook 1
2004: Forestview 2, Ashbrook 0
2005: Forestview 2, Ashbrook 0
2006: Forestview 3, Ashbrook 0
2007: South Point 1, Forestview 0
2008: Ashbrook 1, South Point 0
2009: Forestview 2, Ashbrook 0
TEAM CAPSULES
Ashbrook
Coach: Joel Webb, third season (32-8-1)
Last year: 17-5-1, 12-0 Big South 3A Conference
2009 Gazette Cup: Lost to Forestview 2-0 in championship game.
Returning starters (7): Casey Frey, MF, Sr.; Juan Villa, MF, Jr.; Luke Glover, D, Sr.; Cooper Johnson, F, Sr.; Carlos Loazia, D, Jr.; Ovie Sido, D, Sr.; Conner DeHaven, D, Jr.
Other key returnees: Josh Cloyd, GK, So.; Ronnie Hernandez, MF/F, So.; Ross Taylor, MF/F, So.; Bryan Hueso, D, Sr.
Key newcomers: Austin Johnson, MF, Fr.; Christopher Murillo, MF, Fr.
East Gaston
Coach: Josh Allen, third season (17-22)
Last year: 8-13, 4-8 MEGA 7 3A/4A Conference
2009 Gazette Cup: Defeated South Point 2-1 for third place.
Returning starters (6): Josh O’Meara, MF, Sr.; Christian Ocasio, MF, Sr.; Russell Hicks, D, Sr.; Jordan McCumbee, MF, Jr.; Tanner Hawkins, F, Jr.; Jorge Perez, MF/F, So.
Other key returnees: Jacob Walker, F, Sr.; Tyler Lopez, MF/D, So.
Key newcomers: Brandon Greene, GK, Sr.; Jeramie Majchrzak, D, Jr.; Enrique Padilla, D, So.; Victor Segura, D, So.; Jackson Tyler, F, Fr.; Jonathan Thomas, D, Fr.; Justin White, GK/F, Fr.; Bill Ocasio, D, So.
Forestview
Coach: Trey McKeown, first season
Last year: 14-9, 8-4 Big South 3A Conference
2009 Gazette Cup: Won its record eighth title with 2-0 win over Ashbrook in championship game.
Returning starters (8): David Gibbons, F, So.; Justin Henry, MF, Sr.; Josh Lane, D, Sr.; Price Martin, D/MF, Sr.; Allen Salazar, MF, Sr.; Jonathan “Boo” Davis, GK, D, So.; John Paul Sullivan, D, Sr.; Daniel Boyd, D, Sr.
Other key returnees: Bradley Allf, MF, Sr.; Cody Bridges, F, Jr.; Wes White, MF/D, Jr.
Key newcomers: Aaron Armstrong, D, So.; Jesus Rodriquez, MF/F, So.
Gaston Day
Coach: Greg Lekavich, first season
Last year: 8-9-2, 5-3-1 Southern Piedmont Athletic Association
2009 Gazette Cup: Lost to Hunter Huss, 2-1 in overtime, in fifth-place game.
Returning starters (6): Alex Lim, MF, Sr.; Daniel Thompson, D, Sr.; Al Hall, D, Sr.; Kyle Bonesteel, MF, Sr.; Stewart Hansen, D, Sr.; Forrest Wilkerson, D, Sr.
Other key returnees: Liam Olson, MF, So.; Alexander Zacharias, F, Sr.; Edrick Leonard, MF, 12; Grant Boloyan, GK, Jr.; Spencer Thompson, D, So.; Joey Sloand, D, So.; Jeremy Worrell, MF, Sr.
Key newcomers: Will Oksen, F, Jr.; Charlie Bridger, F, Jr.; Jaime Eddings, MF, Jr.
Highland Tech
Coach: Bree Dumont, first season
Last year: 5-10, 4-6
2009 Gazette Cup: Defeated North Gaston 5-3 for seventh place.
Returning starters (5): J.C. Escobar, MF, Sr.; Matt Farmer, GK, Jr.; Andrew Harris, F, Sr.; Johnathan Hilton, MF, So.; Aaron Marlowe, F, So.
Other key returnee: Michael Gomez, MF, Jr.
Key newcomer: David May, D, Fr.
Hunter Huss
Coach: Mike Pond, sixth season
Last year: 13-7, 9-3 Big South 3A Conference
2009 Gazette Cup: Defeated Gaston Day, 2-1 in overtime, for fifth place.
Returning starters (6): Mario Aguilar, MF, Sr.; Fernando Lopez, MF, Jr.; Juan Rodriguez, D, Jr.; Cody Jones, D, So.; Kyndal Tanner, D, So.; Reyes Cruz, F, So.
Other key returnees: Michael Knight, GK, Jr.; Connor Hawkins, MF, Jr.; Tyler Mosk, MF, So.
Key newcomers: Lucio Morales, D, Jr.; Adolpho Henriguez, MF, Fr.; Noah Sale, F, Fr.
North Gaston
Coach: Brian McClain, first season
Last year: 2-19, 1-11 Big South 3A Conference
2009 Gazette Cup: Finished last after a 5-3 loss to Highland Tech in seventh-place game.
Returning starters (6): Jon Cabe, D, So.; Zach Pappas, MF, Sr.; Alex Stewart, D, So.; Leon Hurtado, F, So.; Bo Messick, F/D, So.; Brandon Alexander, GK, So.
Other key returnee: Matt McBee, F/MF, So.
Key newcomers: Josh Pantoja, MF, Sr.; Luis Santa Cruz, MF, Jr.
South Point
Coach: Gil Aguirre, third season
Last year: 10-11-2, 7-5 Big South 3A Conference
2009 Gazette Cup: Lost to East Gaston 2-1 in third-place game.
Returning starters (6): Nate Propst, F, Sr.; Ben Propst, F, Sr.; Zack Ray, MF, Sr.; Stuart Turner, D, Sr.; Cameron Stilwell, D, Sr.; Matthew Young, D, Sr.
Key newcomers: Dayton Rogers, F, Jr.; Cameron Boyd, MF, So.
