'91M Storm Elite Post Strong Finish
Defeat State Cup finalists twice to take two tournament title
The '91M Storm Elite closed out the '08-'09 campaign in dominating style, winning the Bazooka College Classic on the weekend of May 10, then following up with the championship of the Disney Memorial Day tournament two weeks later. Their record over that run was 8-0-1 (W-L-D), and scored 27 goals while allowing just 2!
At the Bazooka, captain Josh Emison scored a 67th minute pk after Eddie Gonzalez was taken down in the penalty area by the Jaguars' goalkeeper, to defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars 1-0. This marked the fourth consecutive shutout for captain/goalkeeper Danny Happel, and the rugged Storm defense, as they defeated Florida Rush Swoosh 3-0, FC America Omni Red 6-0, and the Jacksonville Jaguars 2-0 in group play to qualify for the final. Reflecting the balance of the team, six different players (Josh Emison, Eddie Gonzalez, Evan Jimmo, Dean Spaniol, Chris Deloatche, Andres Campo) scored goals on the way to the champion's podium.
Having lost in the previous year's Disney final on penalty kicks, the Storm were determined to avenge that disappointment this year. The path to the championship was complicated by being drawn into a group with current FYSA State Cup finalist FC America 92, and Region A Cup champion Famma Sport Hurricanes. Chris Deloatche's 20 yard volley on a breakaway was all that was needed to win the opening group match against FC America 1-0, followed by a weather-shortened 0-0 draw with Famma, in which both Deloatche and Eddie Gonzalez hit the crossbar. The final group match against the Penn Hills Phantoms featured a balanced and explosive attack in an 11-1 victory. In the semifinals against local rival Rockledge, the Storm dominated play throughout the match, allowing only one shot on goal, but were unable to find a way past the stellar performance of the Rockledge keeper until Brett Morrison's brilliant 40 yard run through three Rockledge defense to score unassisted in the 58th minute sealed the 1-0 victory. Moving on to the finals, for a rematch with FC America 92, Eddie Gonzalez equalized on a breakaway, beating 3 defenders and the goalkeeper to reply 30 seconds after FC America's 18th minute goal. The Storm never looked back from that point on, as Chris Deloatche cleverly flicked the ball with his head over the charging FC America goalkeeper five minutes later to complete the scoring for a 2-1 victory, defeating the State Cup finalists twice in 72 hours.
Next up on the schedule will be the prestigious Score at the Shore Summer College Classic, in Greensboro, NC, July 18-21. The Storm are coached by SCUSC and FYSA staff coach Richard Chisolm, assisted by former Colombian YNT defender Vladimir Campo, and manager Gerald Spaniol.