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News from the Dix Hills Long Island Junior Soccer League
The Boys Under 12 Thunder did it in style, winning the Triple Crown along the way. Youth soccer's Triple Crown consists of winning the Long Island Junior Soccer League division title, Waldbaum's Challenge and State Cup. The soccer version of the Triple Crown is as difficult to win as the horse racing version. Dix Hills are repeat Triple Crown winners, having also won the Triple Crown in 2005. Thunder would have been the first-ever three time Triple Crown winners had they not lost the 2006 Waldbaum's Challenge final to Hicksville Xtreme in a penalty kick shootout. In regular season play during the 2007 LIJSL Spring Season, Thunder went 9-0-0 in Division 1. In the Waldbaum's Challenge competition, Dix Hills won all five matches, climaxing in a 8-0 victory over the Garden City Park Mustangs on June 17. Eight different players- Myles Bent, Donovan Fraser, Jake Freeman, Jared Gropper, Eric McKenna, Richard Robinson, Gregory Silvestro and Luke Stampfl- scored for Dix Hills. Thunder won all seven of their State Cup matches. The State Cup finals on June 2 featured a 3-1 victory over Lake Grove United. Thunder goals came from Dakota Barnathan, Donovan Fraser and Brett Nason. "Our defense is solid. We rarely give up shots on goal," commented Thunder coach Bart Nason, "In the State Cup final, we gave up only two shots on goal- a penalty kick and the rebound after goalkeeper Jordan Gross made another of his great saves." In discussing his defense, Coach Nason added that sweeper Myles Bent is "a tremendous player." Dix Hills is so good that they have been ranked number one nationally in their age group by Gotsoccer.com. At one point this year, Thunder had gone 40 games- 39 wins and one tie- without a loss. One key for Thunder is that players are interchangeable at various positions. "You know what's a lot of fun?" their coach commented, "All of our players play different positions." After their perfect season, it was on to the Regionals, where they advanced to the finals. And finally lost, 2-1 to New Jersey's PDA Harkes, on July 3. "We played great in the Regionals," added Coach Nason. "We were right there in the final. Unfortunately, we did not take the Regional title this year."
Shown, standing left to right-Gregory Silvestro, Richard Robinson, Dakota Barnathan, Donovan Fraser, Jake Freeman, Jordan Gross, Eric McKenna, Myles Bent,
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