Eagles Place Third - Highest Rank Ever
By Ryan Daffurn and Melissa Prem
Photos by Eva Whitney

On Sunday November 2, the SNC Eagles soccer team has won their last game of the season and placed third in the Reno men's league - their highest placing ever. Coached by Mike Simon, the team worked together and progressed as the season went on. Never before in the history of SNC soccer had the team finished eighth out of sixteen teams after the regular season was finished. In the playoffs, the best eight teams competed for number one. SNC was seeded eighth and faced the number one seeded Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs. The Eagles beat the Hurricanes 5-4 in a valiant effort.

"The 2003 soccer team is definitely the best group of people I have played with in my four years at SNC. From day one, our team was determined to succeed. This year's team was blessed with an assortment of individuals bringing many different skill levels to the field," said senior Ryan Daffurn.

With snow falling over the summit, and the temperature near freezing at the Galena soccer fields, the Eagles gathered for the last game of the season against the Blackjacks on Sunday, November 2. The action started immediately with the Blackjacks scoring two goals. Soon after, two of SNC's key players, Arno Pechtl and Alison Fiore, were taken out of the game due to injury.

On a streaking cross by Daffurn, Alex Kronick sat back and bolted a header into the back of the goal net. During the second half the Eagles quickly took control of the ball, and after a few close misses Daffurn hit a far-post shot into the corner of the net to tie the game. Kronick followed with a short-range shot put through a cluster of defenders to set the Eagles one point ahead.


Arno Pechtl scores a goal.

With only minutes left, Daffurn hustled downfield in a foot race with the opposing goalie for a ball sent deep into Blackjacks territory by SNC goalie Kenny Burnopp. Daffurn placed a high, lobbing header over the goalie's head into the net to set the final score of 5-2, and a final finish of third place out of sixteen teams for the Eagles.

Playing in the semi-finals on Sunday, October 26, the SNC soccer team took on the number two seeded Pier Street team with two absent SNC team members, Dana Greenwood and Ming Poon.

Pier Street was the first team to score. Pier Street scored three goals in the first half while SNC's Pechtl scored one from the far right corner that grazed by the post and the goalie into the net. Early in the second half, Pechtl headed in another goal off of a deep cross from Daffurn. Soon after, Daffurn received a pass in front of the goal, turned, and put a low blast past the goalie into the net to tie the score at 3-3.

No less than one minute later Pier Street scored a quick goal. Pier Street then scored two more goals. As a last hurrah, Pechtl drove downfield with the ball determined to score one more goal. Pechtl completely spoofed the goalie with a dazzle of ball handling to score SNC's last goal. The final score to the game was 7-4. Though the Eagles lost, the team left with a sense of optimism and was excited to play the next game in hopes of a third place finish.

During his post game speech, Coach Simon expressed how proud he was of the way his team played throughout the season, and that he enjoyed watching his team develop and grow week after week.

The 2003 soccer team consisted of senior veteran players Dana Greenwood, Emily Lowe, Alex Kronick, and Ryan Daffurn. Other veteran players were Kenny Burnopp, Alison Fiore, Ming Poon, Bastian Sopora, and Jonas Saia. Rookie players were Arno Pechtl, Martin Stocker, Justin Nalder, Trude Flo Johnsen, Bente Giljarhus, and Forest Mullins.