Friday Preview and Tormenta Weekend Cheering Guide

Remember Week 2 of the season. Back when it was still relatively cool outside and the season was still fresh and my notes during games were all  "#7 passes to #9" because I still hadn't memorized all the players names yet? Ok, that last bit might be particular to me, but the point is that Week 2 was a long, long time ago. I mean, this was AV Alta's first ever game and Tormenta welcomed them to the league with a 2-0 win for the home side. 

I still think it's weird that Alta opened their inaugural season not only on the road, but clear across the country. It worked out for the family of Joaquin Acuna who were able to drive up from Florida to see him make his professional debut. As nice as it was for them, unless there are scheduling issues with their stadium, new teams should always open their first season at home. 

Well, here we are in Week 29 and it's time for Tormenta and Alta to renew their acquaintances with each other as Tormenta makes a West Coast trip out to Lancaster, California for the second of two meetings with AV Alta. 

Since AV Alta's loss to Tormenta, Alta has, well, they've played basically .500 soccer. They currently sit at 7-7-10 and 31 points on the year, tied in points with Charlotte and Omaha. However, it's been a slow but steady decline since their last win against Omaha on July 5.  After that win, AV Alta was 7-3-4 and looking really good.

Since that time, Alta is 0-4-6 in their last 10 and they are now clinging to a playoff spot, currently in eighth, but with Omaha (31 points) and Tormenta (29 points) both playing well lately to take advantage of the Alta slide.*

And it's been a mixed bag during their 10-game winless streak. They've been shut four times in those games, but also had two games where they scored three times. On the whole, they're averaging just one goal a game over that (admittedly arbitrary) date. 

Edwardo Blancas leads the way with nine goals in 24 appearances so far while Jerry Desdunes, Walmer Martinez and Jimmie Villalobos have each pulled off the Abe Lincoln** this year.

Despite the offensive drought in the last 10 games, Alta is still third in the league in scoring with 35 goals on the campaign, just two behind Tormenta's 37. (Charlotte leads the league with 38.)

Defensively, Alta is solidly  in the middle of the pack, surrendering 34 goals on the campaign. 

Alta's slide has coincided with Tormenta's excellent run of form lately as the Ibises are 4-1-1 since Mark McKeever took over following Ian Cameron stepping down as Manager of Tormenta.

"We've come to a bit of a crossroads a couple of weeks ago," midfielder Aaron Walker said following the 2-1 win over Greenville. "We're fighting for our lives. We've had some hard conversations, some good conversations and it's 'do we want to make the playoffs? Do we want to play for a chance to lift a trophy at the end of the year?"

"It's a long year and things can change quickly," Walker said. "We have a lot of experience here, but we also have a lot of youth and they're not used to these kinds of long seasons coming from college."

Walker said the togetherness and trust the team is displaying is leading to a belief that good things can happen.

Tormenta (8-11-5) are just two points out of the playoff picture, but if things break right, they could be as high as sixth after the weekend.

Tormenta's offense has been led this year by Niall Reid-Stephen and Mason Tunbridge, both with eight goals, and Yaniv Bazini's six tallies. Midseason signing and center back Makel Rasheed find himself tied for fourth on the team with three goals, the same as striker Sebastian Vivas. 

Unfortunately for old folks like me, kickoff is set for 10:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday night. I'm going to do my best to stay awake for this, but I make no promises. It will be streamed on ESPN+ (The game, not life footage of me trying to stay awake.)

*The Alta Slide is the failed follow up for Mr. C the Slide Man after he tried to recapture the magic of the Cha Cha Slide.

**The Abe Lincoln being Four Scores. Yes, that's a Gettysburg Address joke. Current Statesboro Herald sports writer Josh Aubrey is where I first heard four scores described as an Abe Lincoln... credit where credit is due.

Rooting guide for Tormenta:

Presumably most of you (some of you, at least one of you?) are a Tormenta fan and looking to see South Georgia make a playoff run. With that in mind, we're unveiling a new Friday Feature here at Stormwatch912 that will run until the end of the season or until it's no longer needed (either Tormenta clinches a playoff spot or are mathematically eliminated.) It's your rooting guide for the weekend so that Tormenta can climb the table. I can't promise these all all correct, but I think I've got it right.

Saturday:

Charlotte at Richmond -  As they said in Ted Lasso, "We're Richmond 'til we die, or at least this week as Tormenta doesn't need Charlotte to get any points." At least, I think that's how the cheer went.

Madison at Greenville - As much as I always want Greenville to lose, a draw is probably the best outcome here. If you don't like cheering for a tie, then Greenville is probably the pick as they are further behind Tormenta in the standings.

Sunday:

FC Naples at Portland - Naples is the team the Ibises need to win here. Portland has 34 points, but only played 22 games and catching them means Portland not getting many more.

One Knox at Union Omaha - Omaha's surge lately has coincided with Tormenta's. Both are fun stories, but like Highlander, there can be only one, so Tormenta needs Omaha to lose. I mean, I guess both Tormenta and Omaha can both make it, so in that sense, there can be more than one, but the joke didn't work that way. Just.... be cool, ok?

Chattanooga at Spokane - Much like the landlady in George Thorogood's "One Bourbon, One Scotch and One Beer," the outcome of this game "don't confront me." I just hope both teams have fun. Certainly the marquee matchup of the weekend in the league. 

Texoma at Westchester - Texoma is only three points behind Tormenta, just like Madison. A Westchester win combined with at least a point from Tormenta would put some space between them as Tormenta tries to get above the playoff line. Plus, Westchester needs something good to happen to them.