Honolulu Islanders FC
March - 9th April 2013 (Because I forgot to print screen the standings on April 1st)
1 March
We have to register our first team squad. We are allowed a max of 44 players on the first team, but seeing as we only have 28 players across the first, reserves, and under-18 teams, I register everybody.
2 March (Sat)
(Home) Honolulu Islanders 0-2 Honolulu U18s (Friendly)
Ugh. Losing to FC Hiroshima is one thing, but there is no way in hell we should have lost to our U18s, and I let them know that. One goal was an own goal by our so-called captain, Kamatuka. Yeah, it was a nice friendly with some of our youngsters. But I wanted the team to play in game mode to get ready for the season, and they didn’t.
Next game is against our reserves on Mar 9.
March 9 (Sat)
(Home) Honolulu Islanders 1-0 Honolulu Reserves (Friendly)
That’s more like it, although I’d like to think we should have scored another goal. Grimm had the only goal for us, in the 9th.
That’s it for the friendlies. Next game is our Gold Coast Division 2 opener at the San Jose Frogs on March 16th.
March 16 (Sat)
(Away) San Jose Frogs 3-1 Honolulu Islanders (Gold Coast Division 2)
After falling behind 1-0 in the 10th, Grimm scores for us in the 29th - the first-ever league goal for the Islanders. But another goal by San Jose in the 56th sees us fall behind again. The Frogs get a player sent off with a second yellow in the 61st, so I thought we had a chance. But San Jose scored again in the 84th to put the game away.
And like that, we lose our first league game. We had more shots 12-7, but they had more shots on target 4-2. Again, the back line had lower ratings than everybody else.
20 March (Wed)
(Home) Honolulu 1-1 Sonoma County Sol (Gold Coast Cup Qualifying Round)
Honolulu advances on penalties 19-18
In our first cup game, Collazo scores for us in the 65th. But wouldn’t you know it, we allow the equalizer five minutes into stoppage time. In penalties, we won because, basically, Sonoma County was the first one to miss. Terrible goalkeeping at this level. 19-18… I was beginning to think that it was going to go on forever.
After the game, I realize that we need some depth at MC. Desperate, I look around
and sign three greyed out players:
MC Sebastian Wooten, 16 yo, 1.5 / 5, $2200/year
MC Toraino Taylor, 18 yo, 0.5 silver / 5, non-contract
MC John Parkin, 17 yo, 0.5 silver / 5, non-contract
With those signings, let me update my current starting lineup:
GK Jorge Avilez
DL Costa Kamatuka
DC Sean Castillo
DC Brett Welsh
DR Michael Leiweke
DM Luke Garner
MC Ricardo Marin*
MC Sebastian Wooten
AML Luis Roberto Canales
AMR Ty Paul
ST Thomas Grimm
*With Ricardo Marin out until May or June, Toraino Taylor will be starting for a while.
22 March
USA draws 0-0 away to El Salvador in World Cup qualifying.
24 March
My scouts find a 15-year-old DC/DL named
Brett Leathers, from Columbus, Georgia. The scouts think he is already better than our two current starting DCs. Seeing as we’re having trouble signing players, I go ahead and ink him. I’m convinced enough to put him in for Castillo in the starting lineup. Our DCs have performed badly, so I wonder if he can help.
26 March
Mexico beats USA 1-0 at Estadio Azteca in World Cup qualifying. USA is 1-1-1 in the standings, with 4 points, and is tied for 2nd with El Salvador. Mexico has a record of 3-0-0 with 9 points.
29 March
(Home) Honolulu Islands 2-2 Northern Nevada Aces (Gold Coast Div 2)
The first league home game for us! Castillo, in for Welsh, who had a slight injury, scores early on in the 4th, but Northern Nevada pulls one back in the 36th. Things get worse when the Aces score in the 90th, but we salvage something in stoppage time when Leiweke heads one in off a corner. We started GK Eric Wright in place of Jorge Avilez, as the coaches now believe he is better.
Board Confidence
They’re satisfied so far. The positive is the locker room atmosphere, but the negative is the loss to San Jose.
Monthly Training Review
Backup DC Aaron Connor improved in fitness.
2nd April (Tuesday)
(Away) Yakima Reds (12th) 0-1 Honolulu Islanders (16th) (Gold Coast Div 2)
The first of two away league games in four days in the cold Rocky Mountains. It was zero degrees Celsius and windy at kickoff. No problem for a bunch of boys from the Islands, right? (O.K., so Yakima is not exactly in the Rockies. Sue me.) Grimm’s first half stoppage time goal was all we needed to get our first league win. I like how we had 59% of possession. The back line was much improved as well, with Leiweke and Kamatuka having good games.
5th April (Friday)
(Away) Colorado Rush (20th) 1-1 Honolulu Islanders (10th) (Gold Coast Div 2)
After a pretty boring first half at the small, windswept stadium at Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, Colorado, the Rush open the scoring in the 61st minute, but we answer six minutes later as Sebastian Wooten equalizes. Not bad for a formerly greyed-out player. Wooten and AML Luis Roberto Canales were our best players, but DC Brett Leathers had a game to forget.
Standings on April 9th:
