MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO -- Service members aboard the depot battled it out under the hot San Diego sun Tuesday during the first round of playoff games in the Commanding General’s Cup soccer season.
Those who were unsuccessful during the first set of games were transferred to the loser’s bracket to play again Wednesday for another chance at next Tuesday’s championship. Teams had to lose twice to be eliminated from the competition.
Dental had to forfeit making the first match of the day the Consolidated Personnel Administration Center against the Coast Guard. CPAC walked away with the victory, scoring eight goals to the Coast Guard’s one point.
“I expected the game between CPAC and the Coast Guard to be a closer scoring game than it turned out to be,” said Rachel Dickinson, CG’s Cup sports coordinator. “There were only three points difference in the standings before the game and both teams are very skilled.”
12th Marine Corps District’s defense was on-key throughout the second game and gave Support Battalion a run for their money, said Dickinson. Support Bn.’s rank in the standings was first coming into the playoffs, but they were setback by District’s 4-2 victory.
“The game was an upset because 12th MCD was an underdog and only ranked fourth in points,” said Dickinson. “District’s win was a surprise because Support Bn. was undefeated and rarely allowed anyone to score on them.”
Staff Sgt. Gabriel Jaramillo, Support Bn., said even though they lost the game he is still confident the team will make it to the championship. He believed the loss would make them try harder for the next game so they wouldn’t be eliminated.
The morale of 12th MCD’s team was boosted because of their win and gave them a more optimistic view of the contest.
“We had great teamwork in our game against Support Bn. and I think that will help us in the run for the championship,” said Sgt. Miguel Gutierrez, 12th MCD goal keeper. “If we play up to our potential, I’m sure we can come away with the overall victory.”
Dickinson said she thought a factor in the games’ turnouts was the shortage of Marines who were able to play. She believes that if more Marines were available to serve as substitutes during the games, the outcomes might have been different because teams would not have gotten so tired. She commented on how much energy it would take to keep running back and forth for 20-minute halves.
As a result of Tuesday’s outcome, the teams to watch for the championship game changed, said Dickinson.
Originally Support Bn. was the team to beat because of their record, but after their loss the two teams competing in the championship might be CPAC and the Coast Guard, said Dickinson. She added that although 12th MCD is still an underdog, they might also come back to surprise everyone again.
If the winner of the loser’s bracket is victorious during the final game, a second game will be played to remove the defeated team from the competition. No matter which teams make it to the last challenge Dickinson said it should be a well-played and close game.
Season scores and rankings are available and updated weekly at www.mccsmcrd.com. To find out the results of Wednesday’s game or get more information on CG’s Cup sports, contact Rachel Dickinson at (619) 524- 0548 or e-mail her at dickinsonr@usmc-mccs.org.