Chaminade Begins Play In CYC/Guelker Tourney As Prohibitive Favorite

The following preview of the CYC Bob Guelker Memorial Soccer Tournament was provided to Patch by Michael Faust, a junior at Chaminade who broadcasts soccer coverage on the school's CSPN online network:

Starting Tuesday, the Chaminade Red Devils begin pool play in the CYC/Bob Guelker Memorial Soccer Tournament. Out of the 35 teams playing in the tourney, Lindbergh, Trinity Catholic, and Francis Howell Central are the unluckiest ones. They will have to face the #3 ranked (nationally) Red Devil squad, who opens up with pool-play at Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park against Lindbergh on Tuesday. Two more teams, assuming the Devils advance in the tournament, will be added to that list of unluckiness in the semifinals Friday, and the finals Saturday.

Lindbergh comes into Tuesday’s game with a 4-3-1 record, losing to CBC and Oakville, two teams the Devils have beaten. Patrick Ries, who leads the Flyers with 5 goals, will hope to net another one Tuesday, while O’Neal, Delic, and Arends, who all have three goals, will try to do the same. Points will certainly be hard to come by, especially with Eric Fletcher in net. He is 10-0 with 6 shutouts, saving 81, and only letting in 6 goals.

On Wednesday, Trinity Catholic will take on the Devils. This game shouldn’t be a hard one for Chaminade, who can hopefully rest their starters at least one of the halves. Trinity comes into the game 1-2-1, beating Kennedy last week 5-1. Brendan Goodwin has 3 goals on the season for Trinity, but like the Lindbergh scorers, he will have a tough time netting a goal.

Thursday is the last day of pool-play games, and it will be the toughest day for Chaminade. Francis Howell Central is 6-0-1 this season, shutting out the opponent in 4 of those games. Brett Hodges has scored 5 this season, but he has not yet faced a high-caliber defense like the Red Devils.  

Out of the entire game against CBC on Saturday, the Red Devil defensive unit only allowed 11 shots, 1 of those being on net. Brendan Kissel, Michael Heffernan, Curtis Shillingsford, and Josh Burnett all played stellar defense as starters Saturday, highlighting the match with an assist (from Kissel) for the only goal, scored by Jordan Bay.

This tournament should be another breeze for Chaminade. Their last tournament, in Indianapolis, resulted in another trophy for the cases, and the Devils are expecting nothing less this week. If the attack is turned on, and the focus is at the level it has been, Chaminade will not have any trouble winning this series of games.

Michael Faust ‘14

CSPN Announcer

Click here for full info of the tournament! http://www.cycstl.net/sports/soccer/high-school