Posted on: 08/21/06
Bombshells Overwhelm At Yearend Tourney:
The "Always the Bridesmaid, Never the Bride" curse ended for the Blue Bombshells this past weekend as they cruised to their first ever BAS OUTDOOR playoff Championship.

The strangle hold on this title by the United Black Devils was finally relinquished and the Bombshells were not to be overshadowed by anyone this time; winning five consecutive tournament matches without conceding a goal.

Round 1 victories over Rovers (4 - 0), Blitz (6 - 0) and United Black Devils (1 - 0) put the Bombshells in first heading into the semi-Finals. Meeting the Rovers again in the semis, the Bombshells managed to better their mark from 24 hours earlier, downing the Rovers 5 - 0.

A gritty Final against Peel allowed the Bombshells to showcase some of their overwhelming talent. The match was won in the middle where Shannon Ferreira and Julianna Filigno controlled the play. A free kick midway through the first half from 25 yards out was the only chance the Bombshells needed as Sabrina Ferreira confidently struck the game's only goal around the wall and by Peel keeper, Heather Richardson.

Bombshell scorers: Julianna Filigno(4), Jennifer McGowan(3), Ashley MacNeil(3), Sabrina Ferreira(2), Carmen Pereira(2), and singles to Kaitlin Yousif, Alex Dunlop and Daniela Caprara.

When asked to comment, Assistant coach, Rick Fonseca responded with, "It was a pleasure to help coach these girls, we had a very successful season especially after adding so many new faces and to cap it off by winning the end of year tournament without conceding a single goal is a great achievement."

BAS playoff action continues this weekend with the Men's recreational tournament.

Posted on: 07/28/06
FIREBALL Goes The Distance At Gateway Niagara Invitational:
Despite the constant downpour, the BAS FIREBALL flame was not easily extinguished at the Gateway Niagara Invitational Tournament in Grimsby this past weekend.

Sixteen talented sides competed in the rain and the muck and in the end, BAS FIRBEALL was among the last 2 squads still standing.

The heavy rainfall on Saturday did not make for ideal conditions, sending the team to the laundromat between matches to dry drenched uniforms. FIREBALL perservered, emerging first in their group drawing with Lake Simcoe (2 - 2) and scoring decisive victories over Dundas Utd (3 - 0) and Beamsville (4 - 0).

Slightly better conditions for the Sunday did not seem to help FIREBALL's competitors as the ladies blazed past Erin Mills (2 - 0) in the Quarter Finals.

The Semi Finals, however, would prove to be a tougher contest as FIREBALL squared off against hometown favourites and '05 Finalists, Grimsby Blitz. The match remained scoreless until the final 10 minutes when Jennifer Brock finally punched through for FIREBALL. It looked as though the lead might hold, but Grimsby drew level on a free kick at the final whistle, delighting the hometown fans. It would be the first goal allowed by FIREBALL keeper, Jennifer Lavecchia in 4 matches, having clean sheeted FIREBALL's previous 3 opponents. With nothing decided in extra time, FIREBALL relied on some excellent spot kicking to finally down the Blitz, 3 - 1 on penalty kicks.

Wear and tear and injuries finally took their toll forcing FIREBALL to play the Championship Final against tournie hosts, Grimsby Eclipse, with only 9 players for much of the contest. An established side with 9 years of playing experience together, Grimsby feasted on the undermanned FIREBALL, but the gritty match was played with the utmost of sportsmanship. In the end what mattered most was that FIREBALL went further than most expected them to go and earned the respect of many of their rivals along the way.

Goal scorers: Jennifer Brock(6), Carla Machado(2), Katherine Thayer(2), Kelly Rego(1), Heather McVety(1)

BAS FIREBALL...feel the heat!

Posted on: 07/10/06
The World's Biggest Game Is Coming To Canada:
The largest sporting spectacle on Earth is the FIFA World Cup. Not far behind is the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Bigger than the Olympics, the SuperBowl, or the Tour de France, the U-20 World Cup has grown in popularity every session since its inception back in 1977.

In 2007, this 3-week long tournament is coming to Canada. It will be the largest sporting event ever held on Canadian soil with matches in Victoria, Burnaby, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto. Featuring the world's top youth teams in a 24-team, 52-match competition, this tournament has proved to be the launching pad for many of the world's most illustrious players - Diego Maradona, Thierry Henry, Luis Figo, Raul, Roberto Carlos, and Michael Owen are all players whose careers were launched upon an awestricken world in past championships.

Now, as an Ontario Soccer Association (OSA) member, you have the opportunity to purchase tickets to the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 (Toronto Site) before they go on sale to the general public. Between July 10 and July 13, 2006, the OSA will be accepting ticket package order forms from OSA members. Packages start as low as $70 for 7 matches, but the order form must be faxed to the OSA office and will only be accepted between July 10 and July 13, 2006.

Come see the world's future stars in your own backyard.

Get all the details here . It's gonna be huge!!!

Posted on: 07/08/06
BAS Playoff Tournament Dates Announced:
All teams will be eligible for their division's year-end playoff tournament. Dates are as follows:

Women's Division I: August 19th weekend
Women's Division IIA,B,C: September 23rd weekend
Men's Division IIB,C: August 26th weekend
Men's Division IA,B; IIA: September 9th weekend

All matches will be on the Saturday of the weekend with the Semis and Finals on the Sunday.

Venues, times, and playoff format will be posted here in August.

In lieu of medals, Captains voted in favour of a $125 cash prize for Playoff Champions.

Posted on: 06/29/06
Important Notice Regarding FIFA Law 4:
The Ontario Soccer Association has handed down its latest interpretation of FIFA Law 4 (regarding head gear, knee braces, and religious head wear) to all sanctioned match officials and clubs.

You should expect referees to start enforcing this new directive and are therefore encouraged to familiarize yourself with it here.

Posted on: 06/22/06
FIREBALL Smokin' Hot In 8 - 2 Victory:
BAS FIREBALL opponents SC United took advantage of the fact that FIREBALL were 2 players short this evening and without a regular keeper, scoring twice on 2 well placed corner kicks.

The rest of the contest, however, belonged to FIREBALL as the ladies scorched out 8 goals en route to an 8 - 2 victory.

Through balls were the order of the day as the well timed efforts of midfielder Jennifer Brock were deftly received by Violetta Hessing, Carla Machado, and Jessica Fletcher up front. Fletch overwhelmed the SC United defenders most of the evening with her speed, netting 4 of the FIREBALL goals.

FIREBALL hopes to continue its winning ways next week versus Milton at home.

BAS FIREBALL...feel the heat!

Posted on: 06/21/06
Divisional Realignment To Take Effect Sunday:
Hoping to increase the parity within the divisions, the following teams have been promoted: Reds and Ocean's 11; while the following teams have been relegated: S.P.E.E.D. and Sher-A-Punjab.

All players are encouraged to check the schedule as changes take effect Sunday, June 25th. The BAS CUP schedule is also affected by these changes.

Posted on: 06/19/06
Brampton Bulletin Initiates BAS Coverage:
The Brampton Bulletin is a weekly publication focused on politics, community, sports and other issues related to Brampton.

The Bulletin is published weekly on Thursdays and has a circulation of approximately 100 000.

Weekly BAS coverage by staff reporter, Mark Herbert began last week and will carry on throughout the summer.

Read all about it here and be sure to check it out every Thursday.

Posted on: 06/01/06
FIREBALL Bitten By Bull Dawgs:
For the second time in as many weeks, BAS FIREBALL threw off many sparks, but could not create the blaze of goals required to vanquish their opponents.

Easily handling the Bull Dawgs, 8 - 2 in a road victory two weeks ago, the fiesty Dawgs played a stifling defensive game in the rematch.

The Bull Dawgs' Priscilla Prias scored the game's only goal late in the first half and try as they might, FIREBALL was unable to solve the Dawgs' defense and keeper, Maria Duarte.

FIREBALL will look to get back on track June 5th vs. the Strikers.

BAS FIREBALL...feel the heat!

Posted on: 05/27/06
Heart Lake Extinguishes FIREBALL:
Despite maintaining control of the play for the majority of the game, FIREBALL could only muster a single goal against a revitalized Heart Lake Stars side earlier this week.

The ladies perservered through temperatures hovering around 4°C all evening and played long stretches of the match exclusively in the Stars' half of the field. The floodgates, however, never opened and FIREBALL's lone goal came as Jenn Brock fed a ball through the box to a hard charging Carla Machado, who neatly struck it into the net.

A superbly placed corner kick followed by a well timed header were all the offense Heart Lake needed on the evening, drawing level late in the second half.

With their record now standing at 2 wins and 1 draw, FIREBALL returns home Monday for a rematch against the Bull Dawgs.

BAS FIREBALL...feel the heat!

Posted on: 05/26/06
Men's Masters Kicks Off Sunday:
The inaugural matches of the BAS Men's Masters Division will take place Sunday, May 28th.

Slated for Sunday mornings, the Masters Division will be made up exclusively of players 35 years of age and older.

Gentlemen, "Do not go gentle into that good night..."

Posted on: 05/19/06
FIREBALL Torches Bull Dawgs:
BAS FIREBALL lit her afterburners on Monday night in a 8 - 2 torching of cross-town rivals, the Bull Dawgs.

Looking much stronger and confident than their previous outing, it was FIREBALL's second win in as many attempts and their first road victory of the 2006 campaign.

Scoring for FIREBALL were Jessica Fletcher, Violetta Hessing (2), Jennifer Palladino, Carla Machado, Chauntelle Edwards (2), and Captain Ana Lima on a brilliant solo effort originating from half.

The road swing continues on May 22th with a rematch against the Heart Lake Stars.

BAS FIREBALL...feel the heat!

Posted on: 05/19/06
Richview Returns To Form:
Division IA Structform Strikers took to the pitch earlier this week looking to redeem themselves after an eye popping 9 - 1 loss to the Winter INDOOR Champions, AC Strikers in Week 1.

Standing in their path to redemption, however, were two-time BAS playoff Champions, Richview United. Richview too struggled in Week 1, vanquished by Barça FC, 1 - 0. It was the second clean sheet in a row of a Richview side, going back to the 2005 BAS Cup quarter finals when Samba Squad astonished everyone with a 3 - 0 scoreline.

In the opening minutes Richview moved the ball with considerable confidence often feeding their speedy striker, Amin Golesorkhiha. Still, the Structform defenders were up to challenge forcing Richview to shoot from well outside the box.

The one-sided play led to an opportunity in the 14th minute when Douglas Rosa of Richview, laced a shot from just outside the box. Structform keeper, Jerry Clemenzi made an exceptional save diving to his right.

Despite enjoying 70% of the possession early on and maintaining the ball in Structform's half the majority of the time, it was Richview's opponents who struck first. In the 20th minute, a perfectly placed through ball was ran onto by Anthony Clemenzi, catching up to ball from 40 yards out, sprinting through the defense and striking the ball cleanly past keeper, Matt Voltsis. Having led Structform in scoring in 2005 with 15 goals, it was Clemenzi's second of the '06 campaign.

By 30 minutes it was clear that the game plan for Richview would be long balls from the back and middle sent forward. Structform defenders, however, were seldom fooled, prohibiting Richview from penetrating the box. Richview seemed content to keep pounding the ball from well outside the box and in the 36th minute they were rewarded when Golesorkhiha's blast through traffic eluded everyone including Clemenzi to level the score.

Richview's best chance to go ahead came seconds before the interval when a long free kick from centre by Tyler Nesbitt was headed just wide by Fernando Vera from just outside the 6 yard box. The half ended 1 - 1.

The cautious play of the first half seemed to give way to a more open style in the second and costly errors by Richview defenders had them trailing by 2 by the 60th minute. First, Alex Clemenzi, the youngest of the Clemenzi clan cleverly stripped the ball from a Richview defender just outside the box, dribbled in and struck it past a surely surprised Voltsis. Within minutes, Clemenzi was at it again, meggin' two Richview defenders inside their own box and laying the ball off for Rick Perreira who one-timed it in. A first-class goal, all the way.

The footloose played continued at the other end of the pitch, as well and within seconds of Structform taking the 3 - 1 lead, Richview had cut the deficit in half. After a disorderly scrum in the Structform box, the ball popped free to Nesbitt who had nothing more to do than strike it home.

Nesbitt's deft dribbling gave the Structform defenders fits most of the night. Attempting to side-step a defender in 65th minute, Nesbitt was hip checked in the box, bringing him to the ground. The ref wasted no time signaling for the penalty kick. Nesbitt's ensuing kick was an unstoppable blast just inside the upright.

Deadlocked at 3, Structform found themselves without their most dominant weapons of the evening. A first half injury had sidelined Anthony Clemenzi, while brother Alex was sent off after a foolish retaliation was caught by the referee.

A player short and lacking subs Structform's defense gave way to Richview's relentless attacks. A goal by Golesorkhiha in the 75th minute spelled Structform's first deficit on the evening. Completing the hat trick before the end of the match, Golesorhiha's third marker cemented it for Richview, 5 - 3.

Structform Strikers showed some spark and clever play-making, but the season may be long and arduous one if they cannot play a full 90.

Meanwhile, Richview United exhibited only glimpses of their former selves and with much more formidable foes waiting in the wings, their toughest contests are yet to come.

Posted on: 05/18/06
BAS Coping Cup Co-Ed Tournament:
It's finally here, the co-ed tournament that so many of you have been asking for. Get your friends together for a day and raise money for a good cause, while playing some fun soccer.

This is a charity tournament with proceeds donated to The Coping Centre. COPING was founded in 1990 by Glenn and Roslyn Crichton seven years after the loss of their five year old daughter, Rachele to leukemia.

Date: Saturday June 10th, 2006.
Location: Bramalea Community Park.
Cost: $350.00 donation per team.
Time: Games will take place between 8:30AM and 4:30PM.
Note: Each team will play a minimum of 3 game, and maximum of 5.

For more information and to register, please email us.

Posted on: 05/08/06
FIREBALL Ignites:
BAS FIREBALL initiated their 2006 campaign in fine fashion last night defeating the 2005 Championship Finalists, Heart Lake Stars 4 - 1.

Looking shaky in the opening minutes and conceding numerous opportunities to their opponents, FIREBALL still managed to draw first blood on the evening thanks to the persistent attacking of Chauntelle Edwards.

Heart Lake managed to level the score by the interval, but fell silent in a second half that saw FIREBALL net 3 unanswered goals on their way to an impressive opening day victory.

FIREBALL takes to the road for the next two weeks squaring off against the Bull Dawgs followed by a Heart Lake rematch.

BAS FIREBALL...feel the heat!

Posted on: 05/07/06
Champs Battle To Opening Day Draw:
A fitting start to the 2006 OUTDOOR Season featured the 2005 BAS Cup Champions and the 2005 Division I League Champions battling to a 2:2 draw earlier today at Chinguacousy Park.

Cup Champions, Armada I added some fresh faces to their 2006 lineup. Conspicuous by his absence, however, was their deft scoring leader from the '05 campaign, Mark Burns.

Meanwhile, donning a new colour, the '05 League Champs, KCM Ambassadors looked as potent as always as the match commenced.

In was clear from the onset that the stiff southerly wind was going to play a factor this afternoon as an early kick from KCM keeper, Lawrence Addo barely made it to centre pitch. Indeed, with the wind at their backs, Armada carried most of the play throughout the first half.

Looking incapable of clearing the ball from their end early on, KCM struggled to keep an attacking Armada at bay. Armada new addition, Jason "Vivi" Viveiros' quick pace down the left flank often caught KCM's defenders flat footed. It was a Viveiros cross in the 10th minute that put Armada on the score sheet when his long cross found Michael Edwards, whose glancing header eluded Addo and settled into the back of the net. Unfortunately for Viveiros, the day would be shortened by an errant elbow, sending him off for good in the 30th minute.

The opportunities for the Ambassadors were few and far between in the opening half. It wasn't until the 40th minute when KCM saw perhaps their best chance of the half when Marlon Munro broke through the Armada defense and struck the ball over keeper, Adriano Fiore. Fiore and his crew were fortunate on this occassion as the ball struck the crossbar dead on, keeping the score at 1 - nil.

Armada's pace continued to expose and fray the KCM defense. A lovely through-ball in the 42nd minute by Armada mainstay, Mike Burns was picked up just inside the box by a hard running Edwards. His quick left footed strike eluded Addo, who got a piece of it, but not enough to keep it out of the net. The goal put Armada up 2 - nil at the interval.

If Armada looked comfortably in command in the first frame, they looked anything but in the second. Amazing what a little wind will do to help bolster a team's confidence, as KCM appeared to strengthen markedly as the second half developed.

In the 58th minute, a hard charging Munro broke away from his opponents and through to the box. Attempts to shoulder charge him off the ball proved fruitless, as Armada defenders bounced off of him like pinballs. His hard shot on goal, however, was parried away by a diving Fiore.

Moments later, KCM's Bryan Evans dribbled through numerous Armada defenders into the 6 yard box. Looking as though he may side step the keeper as well, a fully stretched Fiore brought down Evans and the referee signalled for the penalty kick. The kicker, Munro made no mistake, blasting the ball right down the centre and past a diving Fiore to cut the Armada lead in half.

Now brimming with confidence, KCM took only moments to draw level. A cross by Munro found Joseph Anderson just inside the Armada box. With his back to the keeper, Anderson picked the ball cleanly out of mid-air, volleyed it above his head, and gracefully bicycle kicked it past a screened Fiore from 15 yards out. One would be hard pressed to find a nicer goal from any of the other 700 players competiting on opening day. Truly exquisite.

Another crossbar in the 70th minute squelched KCM's best chance to pull ahead and the match ended deadlocked at 2:2.

Although it is much too early to extrapolate what a opening day draw means to these two powerhouses, what can be stated with certainty is that the road to glory this year will be more arduous than any season prior.

Posted on: 04/14/06
FIREBALL Announces Second Open Session:
FIREBALL will be holding an OUTDOOR practice session on Sunday, April 30th at 4:45pm at Iceland in Mississauga.

All ladies 18 years of age and older who are interested in representing BAS as a member of FIREBALL are encouraged to attend this session.

If you would like more information about the team, please email us.

BAS FIREBALL...feel the heat!

[related info]

Posted on: 04/01/06
Season "Kick-Off" Match:
The Men's OUTDOOR Season officially kicks off on Sunday, May 7th. Defending BAS Cup Champions, Armada I will host defending Division I Champions, KCM Ambassadors at 4:30pm at Chinguacousy Park.

Posted on: 03/26/06
"And The Survey Says..."
If you have an opinion about the fields you play on (good or bad), the City of Brampton wants to hear from you. The Parks and Recreation Department is conducting a survey looking for input. Now is your chance to be heard: Parks, Culture and Recreation Master Plan Survey.

Posted on: 03/10/06
FIREBALL Announces Women's Open Tryout:
FIREBALL is Brampton Adult Soccer's flagship women's team that participates in Peel Halton's Ladies Recreational Soccer League on Monday evenings. The sponsor-funded team also represents BAS in tournaments throughout the summer.

In our inaugural 2005 season, we went 15 - 0 - 1, won our division, and also captured the Champions' title at the 7th Annual Kicks For Cancer tournament.

FIREBALL will be holding an open tryout for interested players 18 years of age and older. The tryout is on Wednesday, April 5th at 8pm at Ken Giles. If you are interested in attending this tryout or want more information about the team, please email us.

BAS FIREBALL...feel the heat!

[related info]

Posted on: 03/10/06
Outdoor Season Takes Shape:
The men's OUTDOOR season has begun to take shape and the breadth of talented squads will make for some great match-ups this summer.

All the top teams from 2005 have returned including Division I Champions, KCM Ambassadors; two-time playoff Champions, Richview United; Cup Finalists, Sur Latino; and Division II Champions, Samba Squad. In fact, the only top-4 team from either division not returning is KFC, agreeing instead to merge their squad with the current INDOOR Division I leaders, AC Strikers. Add to this array of supersides a healthy dose of potent newcomers as well as the defending BAS CUP Champs, Armada I, and you have what many will deem as the strongest pool of teams in League history.

Play is scheduled to begin May 7th. Stay tuned.

Posted on: 02/26/06
Match-Of-The-Week: Strikers Give AC The Bizness
In a match with more pace than many Division I contests of late, Division II adversaries, Unknown Strikers and A.C. Merky Bizness squared off at Ken Giles last night.

Sitting in 3rd place and chasing the leaders, the Unknown Strikers have at their disposal one the most potent scorers in BAS history in 3-time scoring Champion, George Araya. Araya currently leads all Division II scorers with 15 goals. Meanwhile, A.C. Merky Bizness is the current home for many of former Division I's No Name Boys including Ruben Botelho, Phil Azevedo, Roger Teves, and Marc Furtado. A wealth of talent that perhaps has not yet lived up to its potential, Bizness found themselves uncomfortably sitting in 6th place heading into last night's tilt.

It was apparent from the kick-off that Merky Bizness possessed more talented, quicker players. Indeed, their current roster lists no one over the age of 24. This quick pace payed off early, as Phil Azevedo sprinted onto a cross from Marc Furtado in the 3rd minute and stroked it by the Unknown Strikers' keeper, Richard Escobar to open the scoring. The evening for Azevedo, however, would be a short one.

Cleverly countering the pace of their opponents with technique, the Unknown Strikers were certainly the more experienced of the sides. While youthful exuberance is the glorifying attribute of Merky Bizness, the Unknown Strikers rely on a roster of seasoned veterans with very little turnover. With 9 players that would have been in high school before any of their opponents were born, one could be excused for thinking that the Strikers would be outrun and outgunned on this evening. Can experience outwit pace? Time would soon tell. Eager to prove that experience can prevail, the Strikers' Dion Williams tied the game in the 6th minute when he one-timed a rebound off the upright and passed the Merky Bizness keeper, Wayne Souce.

The high intensity of the match became the undoing of the talented Azevedo in the 15th minute. Unable to strip the ball from Araya, he took out his leg at the ankle instead. The hard challenge left Araya rolling on the turf and Azevedo was sent off.

By this time, it was clear that the half would see few shots on target with even fewer genuine chances as both sides exhibited superb midfield tactics that saw many plays broken up before they got started. Nonetheless, a rare opportunity arose from a deflection just outside the Strikers' box in the 17th minute. Caught going the wrong way after the deflection from a Roger Teves strike, a fully stretched Escobar managed to get a hand to the ball to knock it over the bar. It was the first of several game-saving stops that Escobar would make on the evening.

As the half approached its completion, the Strikers connected for the go-ahead goal. A corner kick by Sanjeev Goel in the 29th minute found the foot of John Rodrigues in the box and he beat Souce to give the Strikers the 2 - 1 lead at the interval.

Having "gone for broke" in the first half, both teams softened their pace considerably in the second. As is often the case when fatigue sets in, both sides settled into a system of long, stray goal kicks and meaningless attempts at scoring from 50 yards out.

Perhaps the best chance for Merky Bizness came at the 43rd minute when Furtado slickly dispossessed Strikers' defender, Salem Nazir inside his own box. Furtado centered the stolen ball to an advancing Nuno Lima who struck it soundly towards the goal. Surprised, but not fooled, Escobar stuck out his right leg to stop what surely seemed like to tieing goal. Crackerjack accolades to Escobar while Nazir breathed a sigh of relief.

The boost that the match so desparately needed came at the 50th minute when Araya crossed a ball to his brother Pat who gave the Strikers what appeared to be all the insurance they would need, up by 2 with only 10 minutes remaining. Furtado, however, would answer back 2 minutes later with what can only be described as the "WOW!!!" goal of the match. From 30 yards out, he blasted a shot that could not have been better placed. The ball curled neatly around an airborne Escobar and into the top corner of the net.

To say that this goal breathed fresh life into the contest would be an understatment. Of the 19 shots on goal by A.C. Merky Bizness this night, 10 came in the last 8 minutes of the game. With their lead cut to one goal, the Unknown Strikers exercised the dangerous tactic of putting 4 men behind the ball in an attempt to preserve the lead. Furtado and the rest of his squad feasted on the chances. The oft-embattled Escobar likely left more skin on the turf in the waning minutes of this match than he did in his last 3 outtings combined. Equal and superior to all challenges, however, he single-handedly kept his adversaries from drawing level and the match ended 3 - 2 for the Unknown Strikers.

With the win, the Strikers kept pace with the Division leaders for what promises to be a fierce conclusion to the season and an impassioned playoff run. Dropping to 7th with the loss, A.C. Merky Bizness should not be counted out just yet. With their depth of youthful talent, a long playoff run should surprise no one.

[related story]

Posted on: 02/19/06
Match-Of-The-Week: Devils Arrest Usual Suspects
In a fast paced match that saw the lead change hands back and forth and back again, the Usual Suspects had their winning streak snapped at 3 games at The Kenny last night.

Riding their recent winning streak to the top half of the Division II table for the first time in their history, the Suspects looked for a 4th win in a row to keep pace with the division leaders. Their opponents, however, had other plans. Although fixed in the bottom of the table, the Red Devils possess some talented players and are more than capable of making noise when it counts.

Perhaps the most talented individual on their squad this night was Chris daCunha. From his defensive role, the speedy daCunha gave the Suspects fits all evening with his piercing attacks, set-ups, and shots on goal. Trailing the Suspects on a goal by Auden Whyte late in the half, daCunha threaded a ball through the box on a set piece that was converted by Stefano Salvino to tie the game.

The Usual Suspects regained the lead in the opening moments of the second half on a great individual effort by Philip Thompson for his first of the season.

The "daCunha Show" then took over with 2 goals for the Red Devils in the next 10 minutes. Quickly after the Suspects took the lead, daCunha blasted a shot from an improbable angle to equal the score. Minutes later, daCunha struck a ball through traffic while moving across the turf. Suspects' keeper, Brian Haley did all he could to get a hand to the ball, but the perfectly placed shot eluded his outstretched hand, glanced off the upright and in. The Devils led, 3 - 2 for the first time in the contest.

Suddenly trailing, it was the Usual Suspects turn to play catch-up. Mauricio Molina's hard shot on goal was stopped by Devils' keeper, Adrian Petryshyn. The defenders could not clear the ball, however, and Molina ran on to his own rebound to strike the ball into the net to tie the game.

A match characterised by fast breaking transitions and free-flowing play, it was a shame that one team had to lose. The winning goal came at the 55 minute mark on a goal reminiscent of the Devils' first goal. From a kick-in, Chris Harran found himself unmarked deep in Suspects' territory, ran on to the cross and placed it past Haley.

Although well back of the leaders, both the Devils and the Suspects have recently brightened their horizons and hope to extend these fortunes into the playoffs.

Posted on: 02/12/06
Cup Finalists Re-Enter The Fray:
Hoping that the third time is the charm, Captain Marcelo Hugo has announced Sur Latino's return to the outdoor stage this summer.

Showing considerable improvement over their 2004 campaign, the team was outscored only once in 15 regular season matches in 2005 on their way to a third place finish. Sporting the 2nd lowest goals against out of 32 teams, Sur Latino scored 57 goals while conceding only 13.

Not known for overwhelming opponents, but for a methodical approach to the game, Sur Latino's consistent defending carried them all the way to the BAS Cup Final in '05, a feat many said was beyond the ability of any Division II side. Scoring shut-out victories over Ocean's 11, Nisim Int'l, and Loaded Gunnerz in the first 3 rounds of the Cup, Sur Latino came up against an undefeated Samba Squad in the semi-final. With a mere 3 minutes remaining in extra-time and penalty kicks looming, speedy finisher, Oscar Soliz-Cruz notched the golden goal that put Sur Latino through to the Cup Final while handing Samba Squad their first loss in 19 games.

Although coming out on the losing end of a 3 - 1 scoreline versus the powerhouse, Armada in the Cup Final , Sur Latino accomplished much more than anyone had predicted in 2005 and they hope to build upon that momentum this summer.

Posted on: 02/12/06
Match-Of-The-Week: Superstrikers Struck Down By Armada
The Superstrikers became the last team in Division II to lose their perfect record, falling to Armada II, 7 - 5 last week at Ken Giles.

The Superstrikers started the contest without their keeper, David Flannagan. Replacing him between the uprights was top scorer and team Captain, Robert Turcan. Arguably an unwise decision and one that the Champions, Armada were quick to exploit, jumping ahead 2 - 0 in the opening minutes on goals by Mark Burns and Andreas Sfyridis.

With backup keeper, Bosville Salmon now in goal, the Superstrikers answered back when a bounding ball at the top of the Armada box could not be swiped away by keeper, Luis Romeiro. As Romeiro jumped for it, striker Paul Cecchetto got his head to it and arced it into the goal.

After a third goal by Armada's Mike Burns, the Superstrikers again found themselves trailing by 2 late in ths half. But a foul in box in the 25th minute allowed the Superstrikers back into the match when Robert Turcan blasted the resulting penalty kick past Romeiro. Minutes later, the Superstrikers drew even when a corner kick by Turcan could not be turned away by the Armada defense and Turcan's brother, Michael was there to cleverly side-swipe the ball into the net.

Despite the disparity in the shots on goal, 11 - 5 for Armada, the 2nd half started with the match deadlocked at 3 goals apiece. This changed quickly when Armada's Luis Escobar took advantage of some poor defending by the Superstrikers and stroked one by Salmon from well outide the box. More defensive sloppiness lead to Armada's 5th goal when an intial shot was parried away by Salmon to a waiting Colby Grimmer, whom the Superstriker defenders had given up on covering moments before. Grimmer had nothing more to do then easily tap the ball into the back of the net.

The Superstrikers "glimmer of hope" for a comeback rested with rookie Segun Olabode. His quick pace on and off the ball was a pleasant variation to the general malaise of evening, leaving one spectator to holler, "Where's the rest of the team?" Oladode's efforts would not be in vain as he pulled the Superstrikers within 1 midway through the half.

The defending Champions, however, seemed more than capable of "turning it up" at a moments' notice and late goals by Mike and Mark Burns could not be overcome as Armada went on to their 7th victory in a row.

With three-quarters of the session now in the books, 4 sides have separated themselves from the pack and appear as favourites. Armada and the Spurs FC both sit atop the table with 21 points. Following closely are the Unknown Strikers and Superstrikers with 16 and 15 points, respectively. The Unknown Strikers have a game in hand, while the Superstrikers have 2 and this should make for a thrilling finish.

Posted on: 02/10/06
INDOOR Playoff Schedules Released:
Playoff action begins March 19th. The men's schedule and the women's schedule are now posted.

Posted on: 02/09/06
New Look Samba Squad Returns:
One of the great success stories of Summer '05 were the Samba Squad. Coming out of nowhere, Samba danced their way to one of the most memorable debuts in League history. Going 13-0-2 in their inaugural campaign, the team scored an amazing 84 goals, while conceding only 9 to capture the Men's Division II Championship.

Perhaps even more impressive was their storied BAS Cup run. Scoring relative easy victories over Sporting FC and Los Diablos Locos in the opening rounds, Samba Squad came up against 2-time Cup Champions, Richview Utd in their Quarter-Final match-up. Richview had yet to be defeated in a post-season match in 3 years and had not been clean-sheeted in 50+ matches. That all came to an abrupt end on September 18th as Samba Squad defeated the holders, 3 - nil. All three goals came off of the foot of top scoring ace, Juan Palacio while keeper Jeff Kovac thwarted the talented Richview strikers at the back. Only after the match did Kovac learn that he had suffered 3 broken ribs in the contest, an injury that would sideline him for the rest of the season. The following week, Samba bowed out, losing 2 - 1 to Sur Latino in extra time, leaving the pundits to wonder what might have been had Kovac been fit to play.

Not content to rest on past accomplishments alone, Captain Frank Ferreira has announced the Squad's return for Summer '06. The new look Samba Squad will feature the return of the roster's premier players, as well as some new faces. We all await to see what the encore holds in store for these veritable contenders.

Posted on: 02/05/06
Incorrect Information:
Information appearing in the Spring & Summer 2006 City of Brampton Parks and Recreation Brochure is incorrect. Dates for registration, fees, and other information are from last year (2005). For correct information, go to Upcoming Sessions and download the relevant applications.

Posted on: 01/27/06
Match-Of-The-Week: Olé Dusts Devils
In a display of dominance not yet seen by them this Winter, AS Olé easily vanquished the Red Devils at The Kenny last night. Reinvented as a somewhat watered down version of Fall Champions, FC Olé, the new Olé notched their 4th win of the campaign in convincing fashion.

The match begun with an appealing degree of pace typical from these young sides. It was clear, however, that on average Olé possessed the higher caliber players. At times looking overwhelmed, whenever the Devils tried to push forward, Olé's punishing counter-attack exposed their weaknesses, resulting in numerous chances. Scoring early and often, AS Olé led the Devils at the half, 5 - 0 on goals by Anthony DeOliveira, Rodrigo Quiroga, Pedro Figueroa, and two by Gary Aguiar.

There were bright spots for the Devils. Michael Lima notched the lone marker for the Devils and in the process kept pace in the goal-scoring race. The addition of Michael DeLutis created a much needed offensive spark and should pay dividends in weeks ahead. The keeper, Mike Trentadue, although beaten on 9 occasions, turned away 16 of the 25 shots he faced with some of those stops of highlight quality.

But on this night, Olé were one step quicker, one move smarter, and one level of skill higher than their opponents and over the course of 60 minutes, their superiority shone through. Second half goals by Sean Raposo, Mark Reich, Quiroga, and Aguiar were more than Olé needed on this night as the lopsided affair ended, 9 - 1. Of note, Gary Aguiar's 3 goals vaulted him into 2nd in the scoring race, a single goal behind Mark Burns of Armada.

With the loss, the Red Devils' record drops to 2 and 3, but are still poised to finish in the top 4; a placement that may prove important if the Devils are entertaining any thoughts of getting past the first round of the playoffs.

The win affords Olé the opportunity to keep pace with division leaders, AC Strikers with the match scheduled between the two giants on February 12th looking as though it may determine the eventual Division Champion.

Looking stronger every contest, AS Olé is a team that seems capable of making a "run-for-the-repeat", but perennial favorites, Armada and AC Strikers will certainly have something to say about that.

Posted on: 01/18/06
BAS SPRING DANCE:
The BAS Social Committee is working on arranging a Spring Dance scheduled for April or May. The goal is to provide a 3-course meal, open bar, DJ, and the opportunity to take home prizes all within a fun, relaxing environment. Your Captain or coach has been sent further details regarding this exciting event and you are encouraged to contact them for those details and to express your interest. Alternatively, you may email the BAS Social Director for more information.

Posted on: 01/18/06
Sports Brampton Sale:
BAS sponsor, Sports Brampton is having a 2-day sale from Friday, Jan. 20th until Saturday, Jan. 21st. All regularly priced merchandise will be discounted 15% for BAS members with this flyer. Check them out to see why they are Brampton's Soccer Store.

Posted on: 01/18/06
Match-Of-The-Week: Battle For Division Supremacy
The Battle for Division Supremacy between the 1st place AC Strikers and 2nd place Armada had all the makings of a great contest. Afterall, the top scorers in the division, the stingiest defensive cores in the League, and some of the greatest talents to ever grace BAS were all in the mix. Add to this a generous dose of pre-game trash talking on SoccerTalkers and you had what should've been a match worthy of its billing. In the end, however, those hoping for better things would have been justified in their disappointment.

The match commenced with two all time greats taking to the turf for the kick-off. Mark Burns of Armada is the Fall Scoring Champion and sits in 1st place in the current scoring race. The AC Strikers' Kenny Thomson is the League's goal scoring record holder and occupies 2nd place in the current scoring race, just behind Burns.

Not willing to rest on the competence of their top strikers, both squads also bolstered their line-ups with new signings. Returning to the Strikers for the first time this Winter was Anton Christophe. A former Championship M.V.P., Christophe made his presence known early and often in this contest. Signed by Armada shortly before the match, George Araya silenced the detractors who questioned his ability to play at this level. A 3-time Division II Scoring Champion, George Araya easily made the transition to the faster-paced affair.

It was another new acquisition by Armada, however, who made the biggest impression in the early minutes of the match. Alex Arbelo's right-footed torpedo seemed to sink AC's aspirations in the early going. The blast at the 6 minute mark from well outside the box found its way past a screened Sandro Martire, skipped off the upright, and into the net to give Armada to early lead.

Six minutes later, Armada had her best chance to double the margin. From his position of strength at centre, Mark Burns delivered a smooth pass to brother Mike who quickly one-timed it across the box to a waiting Carlo Fiore. With nothing but net staring him in the face, Fiore only had to tap the ball into the open goal, but somehow the ball ended up over the bar.

If ever there was a proverbial "turning point" in the match, this was it. Had Fiore's attempt not missed, it certainly would have laid-to-waste AC's resolve to claw their way back, but the miss afforded the Strikers an opportunity to draw level and that they did on the very next play when Stavros Badunas found a wide open Christophe breaking down the left flank. Perhaps still dreaming about what could have been, the Armada defenders seemed asleep on this one as Christophe smoothly stroked the ball past keeper Adriano Fiore to level the score.

After this point, the game become marred by senseless clutching and grabbing, petty fouls, and disrespectful sass towards the game official. Long stretches were dominated by "nothingness" as the play was dead more often than not and hopeless long balls became the order of the day. The noteworthy exceptions were few and far between. A second goal by Christophe in the 25th minute put the Strikers ahead 2 - 1 by the interval, having out shot Armada 6 - 2.

In the opening moments of the 2nd half, Armada had perhaps their best opportunity to equalize when Mark Burns created a genuine chance for teammate Mario DeRoia. Martire, however, challenged well and the score remained unchanged. Burns' inventive playmaking was arguably the highlight of this match. His magic, however, sometimes seems to leave even his own team in awe as they are often unable to parlay his generous setups into anything productive.

Three or four quick shots by Armada to AC's none seemed to bode well for the trailers as the half began to develop. A mistake at the 40th minute, however, provided the Strikers with the opportunity to increase their lead when Armada defender, Matthew Robinson allowed Badunas to turn with the ball inside the Armada box. Badunas beat a seemingly surprised Fiore on AC's first shot of the half to give his side the 3 - 1 advantage. A crestfallen Armada would not recover.

With more than 59 minutes in the books and only seconds remaining, Badunas struck again on the final play of the match. Out shooting Armada 11 - 7, the AC Strikers continue their perfect record with a 4 - 1 win. They remain the only team in the division yet to lose a match.

Dissecting the contest is not an easy chore. Certainly, Armada's swollen bench (10 or 11 subs.) seemed to play a part in her demise tonight as their play exhibited the lack of consistency characteristic of a match with too many players. At the onset, Armada handled this well as strategic, fluid switching seemed to work in her favour. As the match wore on, however, and scoring became the priority, fresh legs turned stale after sitting too long and perhaps the Strikers were able to exploit this. AC too lacked the chemistry that is the mark of a truly great team. Often looking like a group of individuals rather than a team tonight, the Strikers lack of cohesion could be cause for concern in the future. Still, having said that, they were able to hold their opponents to just one goal tonight and keep two of the most dangerous snipers in BAS history off the score sheet and thus deserve full credit for the win.

Posted on: 01/15/06
NEW Fax Number for BAS:
Brampton Adult Soccer now has a new fax number. The number is 905-450-2075. Captains and coaches may use this faxline to send League Registration documents. Referees may use it to fax completed game sheets.

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