CPSC Cobras Final Game USYS/ENYS State Cup Tournament

The final games of the US Youth Soccer Eastern New York Tournament was played Saturday June 4, 2016 at Stringham Park in Lagrangeville, NY. The U12 Clifton Park Soccer Club Cobras played GJOA in a rematch of Game 02 in which the Cobras won 3-2 after GJOA posted 2 scores in the closing ten minutes of the game.

Walking out before the game

The two teams kicked-off at 9:00 AM under a very sunny sky and seasonably warm temperature. The first half was a back-and-forth with GJOA scoring first. A few minutes later the Cobras scored on a header delivered from a corner kick. At the half, the game was tied 1-1.

To open the second half, the Cobras quickly scored in succession to go up 3-1. The Cobras kept possession throughout the half, yet GJOA made several runs throughout the second half and threatened to score, but was ultimately denied.

In addition to winning the game, the Cobras also received the Howard Rubenstein Sportsmanship Award.

For their efforts, the Cobras will travel to West Virginia in late June to participate in the US Youth Soccer National Championship - Region I.

All photos were shot handheld with the Canon 7D Mark II and either the Canon EF 100-400 F/4.5-5.6L IS USM or Canon 50MM F/1.4 USM lens. Color correction, exposure correction, and cropping was completed in Lightroom CC.

The complete Game Album, all 250+ images, can be viewed at my portfolio site.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Pre-game lineup

A size advantage?

The defense is challenged

Going to goal and meeting a wall!

GJOA scores first. 0-1

Acrobatic possession. 0-1

Getting pumped-up at half time tied 1-1

A cross into the middle for the go-ahead goal

Celebration! 3-1

Defense!

Matched stride for stride

The keeper doing his job to keep it 3-1

The keeper with a punch away. 3-1

Punting

Celebrating! Final 3-1.

Victory lap

Post game cheer

Howard Rubenstein Sportsmanship award

Raising the hardware: 2016 U12 8v8 Eastern New York Champions

Selfies ... with a little help from another parent!

Next up...West Virginia!

The Gulf at Night

Sunset on the 4th of July and I had swapped the Canon EF 135MM F/2.0L USM lens for the Canon EF 50MM F/1.4 USM lens to photograph the fireworks.

The vintage Gulf gas pump sign was lighting the pump and wall behind it in a very interesting hue that I captured above.

Have a great day! 

4th of July Fireworks

Fireworks at a family friend's house on the 4th of July photographed with the Canon 7D Mark II and Canon EF 50MM F/1.4 USM lens.

Have a great day!

Two minutes with the U11 Vipers

Some times it is better to be lucky than good, or so the saying goes.

The plan was to take a team photo before the game when they were clean and neat. After scouting a location in which the sun was obscured by trees. After setting up the Canon 7D Mark II with the Canon EF 50MM F/1.4 USM lens on a tripod, we scratched that plan owing to a couple late arrivals. So it was after the game (approximately 7:30PM), that we got the boys sweaty and dirty together for the team photo.

I chose to use the same location I had picked earlier owing to the uncluttered background. Now, the sun was low in the sky and casting wonderful light from the players right. While I don't often use a flash, I opted to use the Canon Speedlight 430EXII as fill in this instance alternating between using the flash and not. 

The boys were terrific and I, as well as all the parents, were able to snap away for about two minutes resulting in the above image. 

A version without flash is below.

And given that they are 10 and 11 year old boys, two minutes was about all we were going to get.

Thankfully, two minutes was all we needed.

Have a great day!