NORAD/NORTHCOM repeats as soccer champions

Published July 1, 2008
By Walt Johnson
21st Space Wing Sports Reporter

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- NORAD/NORTHCOM overcame an early playoff loss to capture the 2008 Peterson intramural soccer championship by posting a 2-1 victory over Team Colorado June 24 at the Peterson softball complex.

The victory ensured NORAD/NORTHCOM would repeat as soccer champions and once again claim supremacy as the top soccer team on base. Like last year, the road to the title was a bit bumpy, but the NORAD/NORTHCOM team showed it had the heart of a champion as it overcame the hurdles placed in its way.

NORAD/NORTHCOM began the playoffs by defeating the Civil Engineers. Team Colorado advanced in the playoffs after defeating the 21st Medical Group. The losses dropped the Engineers and Medics into the losers' bracket of the tournament and set up a match between NORAD/NORTHCOM and Team Colorado to determine the tournament's champion.

The Engineers prevailed against the Medical Group team, which was playing with a heavy heart. Days before the game, the team lost its coach, Jorge Barba, who passed away suddenly.

NORAD/NORTHCOM dropped a close 1-0 decision to Team Colorado to push it into the losers' bracket and a date with the Engineers. Fortunately for NORAD/NORTHCOM, it was a four team playoff, and NORAD/NORTHCOM only had to win one game to get back to the championship round.

As Team Colorado waited to see who it would play for the title, the NORAD/NORTHCOM team saw its hopes of repeating one game away from dying as it prepared to play the Engineers. John Dembiczak, NORAD/NORTHCOM coach, said his team realized the urgency of the contest after its first-round game, so the pressure to win was less than expected.

"Our first win in the playoffs was a 1-0 victory over a team we beat 8-0 in the regular season," he said. "It was a challenge to get up to play in the playoffs after having played a tough season. Obviously, after our first game, we felt we had to play with more energy and intensity, and some of the tactical moves we made after that game allowed us to do that while still being able to play freely and not think about the moves we made. It made it easier for us to position ourselves, and that, in turn, allowed us to feed off that and get a little more intensity."

NORAD/NORTHCOM responded to its challenge and defeated the Engineers 5-3 to advance to the title round, but, once again, NORAD/NORTHCOM found itself facing a daunting task. In order to win the base title, NORAD/NORTHCOM would have to beat a very good Team Colorado twice, and the odds were definitely not in NORAD/NORTHCOM's favor

Team Colorado is a very talented team with a lot of veteran soccer players who know how to play the game. The task facing NORAD/NORTHCOM seemed to be insurmountable, but foresight on Dembiczak's part as the season wound down got the team in the right frame of mind to capture the first game 4-0 over Team Colorado.

"We had to make some adjustments during the season, especially late in the season as the playoffs approached," he said. "Although we were scoring a lot of goals and doing really well (playing the game) the better teams in the league were able to tighten up and make things more difficult for us than we wanted them to be. I noticed a few tactical things that we wanted to change and I implemented those and it made a big difference - so much so that I think we really played our best soccer of the year in the playoffs.

"All year long, we had people that wanted to beat us because we were the defending champions, and, in a game like this, with a small field and a small area and a little goal, if a team is smart they can do a good job of limiting your opportunities," he said. "No matter how good you are, if they use the right strategy, it's a difficult game to win."

NORAD/NORTHCOM's victory June 17 set up a winner-take-all match June 24, which was a tight, well-played game and wasn't settled until the referee blew his whistle signifying the end of the game. After the victory and a well-earned repeat championship, Dembiczak reflected on how the two years were so different in some ways but so pleasing in others.

"Last year was probably sweeter because we lost for the first time in the championship game and had to win the "if necessary" game," he said. "It was the first time we lost, and it was nice for us to come back after losing that game to win the championship. The difference this year is the only team we lost to this year is the team we just beat for the championship. It was nice to be able to play and beat them again, but it wasn't the same as last year.

"We never thought we had a lock on winning it again. In some ways, I was a little surprised we were as good as we were this year," he said. "Although we have a very talented and maybe the most talented team on base, it's tough to repeat. We are going to lose a couple of guys before next season rolls around. Some will get different jobs and others will move on to other things. Hopefully we will have most of our guys back next year, and I see the prospects of a three-peat. Even if we only bring back half our team, it should be enough to be a threat next year."