Coach DePalma Made Champs Of Us.

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A couple of days ago one of my best childhood friends who lives in Anderson, SC, Michael Burriss, messaged about 15 friends and me that Mike DePalma passed away. While I’m aware that 95% of my friends will wonder why I’m typing about this person, there are those who know exactly why.

Mike DePalma was many things, but to me and some of my best friends from Anderson, he was our soccer coach before we all hit High School. He was the coach that brought a “Classic League” State Championship to Anderson, SC, a town that barely knew what soccer was in the 80s, much less field a competitor to the Greenville and Charleston clubs of the world. Shoot, our parents (or my grandparents, Mimi and Boyce, in my case) had to drive us to Greenville just to buy cleats and shin guards. Don’t get me wrong, my parents were at every single game and every single tournament, no matter how far away.聽Mimi and Boyce were in charge of my cleats. We had some from trips to “The Near Post” in Greenville.

Here’s the thing. We were good. We weren’t all good “soccer players,” but those who weren’t tried hard and made up for it with effort that came from the pressure of being on a good team. I can type this without feeling vain because I was the latter. To this day when dads ask me about their kids and soccer, I ask them, “I mean, are they actually crazy skillful at the game, or do they try hard?” The answer tells me a lot. Both are good. I ask that question because of DePalma’s team.

Our official name was The Anderson Kickers. We went a little rogue and like to be called The Wolverines. Every Sunday we were in a different city. We never spent Thanksgiving at home. Every year we caravanned from Anderson to The Turkey Shootout in Charleston. I can remember traveling to Tampa, Florida on a big chartered bus. We met at a grocery store and loaded up. I was one of the last ones there so I was one of the only ones that had to share a seat all the way to Tampa. I think it was with Phillip McCleod. I’m 41 now and that may go down as the worst night of sleep of my life.

Coach DePalma made sure we were in shape. Every day we didn’t have practice we had to run three miles around a sandy dirt track around the football field at McCant’s Middle School, five 100 yard dashes, and five 50 yard dashes within a certain time period. It was awful, and I swear soccer practice is why I despise running today. 馃檪

I love a good motel/hotel room. Many of you don’t know this, but I grew up in a house with no air conditioning. We had a monster attic fan upstairs. Well, coming home to a hot house after three hours of soccer practice was a thing. That said, when the Wolverines took to the road, I would crank that motel AC down to the max and聽my three roommates for the weekend聽would be freezing our arses off聽by the time we woke up.聽To me, a聽motel room at a Shoney’s Inn was pure luxury. We would have our nasty jerseys and socks in the corner and spray the pile down with spray deodorant. A super long puff from a big can of AquaNet never hurt a stank聽soccer jersey either. We had so much fun.

To this day I swear my first college roommate switched rooms because I kept the room so cold. I got this from my luxury weekend tournament nights as a Wolverine soccer player.

Here’s what I’m getting at. We were good. I got to do cool stuff, have so much fun, and have a bond with about 20 or so friends because of this team, and it was even better because we won…a lot. We were good because Mike DePalma brought the best out of what each boy did best. Take a look at the pics above. There may be five or six real “soccer players” in the group, but most of us had a controlled kamikaze style that was not going to let the rest of the team down. Honestly, as sweeper I would do or sacrifice聽anything to keep the ball out of our goal for our team, and the other guys would say the same as it pertained to their roles.

The pics above are from the year we won it all. We finally overcame our nemesis “Big St. Giles” out of Greenville to win the Upper State Championship. We ran into them again in the semis of the State Tournament, where we played our minds out. Not one goal was scored on us, as we shut out every team, even “Big” St. Giles. A little later we went to Atlanta and won there. I can remember the other team’s coach, after we beat them in the semifinals saying, “That team doesn’t lose.” We were a ragged bunch. Check out Stewart Wingo’s cutoff T-shirt goalie ‘jersey.’ I wore my shin guards outside of my socks haha. We were probably the least fanciest team on the field, but that was who we were.

I can remember Coach DePalma handing us a playbook. It was bound in black, and full of drawings and instructions. I thought is was a little odd that a game that doesn’t stop very often could warrant a playbook. Here was the play I paid most attention to; I may not be remembering correctly but I think he called it “D8” or “D9”. If we were up a goal with time running out, we were to yell, “D8!!!!!, D8!!!!!” This meant kick the s^*& out of the ball to take as much time off the clock as possible. 10 of us would hunker down and just bust the ball even it was straight up in the air, while Kevin Kinley would stand up front and possibly sneak a cherry pick goal, or at least buy us some more time. Being the sweeper, I LOOOVED D8. To me, everyone was acting as a sweeper and spreading the pressure off of goalie, Stewart Wingo, and me. Sometimes I would be so jacked up on D8 that if anyone dribbled or control passed the ball even one time I would jump them hard and yell, “HEY!!! COACH SAID…. DEEE!! EIGHT!!!!!” I’m sure the other team wondered why dude was having a conniption fit yelling, “D8!!!!” over and over. It was our version of the football victory formation and prevent defense all in one, and I wanted everyone kicking the ball 1,000 yards away from our goal.

Also, being sweeper coach made it my job to call the corner kick and throw-in “plays.” Kevin Kinley could pretty much throw the ball in the net from the sideline, so many times I didn’t want to call a “play.” Instead I would yell out “Seventeeeen! SEVENTEEN!!!” I would watch the other team frantically looking at numbers on the back of our team’s jerseys. Well, I was #17, but since I was the last player back other than our goalkeeper, Stewart Wingo was the only player who could see my number at the time. In short, it wasn’t a play at all, as no one was going to throw it to the sweeper when we were already so far up the field. The other team would just keep looking for 17.

Now that I’ve had a good laugh, I’ll finish with this. Coach Tommy Burriss was our head coach, and Coach Moorehead was sort of an incredibly involved dad and third coach (he’s the one that timed our 3 mile/100/50s..UGH), but Coach DePalma was the in the trenches everyday soccer coach and team professor that made an unfancy team, state champs.

Thank you, Coach Mike DePalma.

Franklin #17

Comments

  1. Lump in my throat. Seems like yesterday, I watched you roar up and down the field. So proud of you always…but especially of the fine man you’ve become. I know your well-written memories here will be a comfort to his family and many others.

  2. kevin kinley says

    Franklin,

    Thanks for the memories of Coach DePalma. I heard there was a virtual reunion on Facebook. I don’t have a FB account but know there are many more stories of our past coach. Remember the “secret” way he showed us to block the sun using our hand? Or the unpredictable way to take a penalty kick with our toe? He shaped many lives of young men and I’m proud to be one of them.

    Kevin

  3. admin_teamfranklin says

    Wuzzup Kevin! Yes the secret way to block the sun and the straight on penalty kick was mentioned a few times. Most famous one was against Big St. Giles in the semi-finals at state. Douse bucket is what most guys remember haha. Check below if you’re bored. Good times. Good to hear from you, man! Franklin

    Michael Burriss Well said Franklin!

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    Robbie Kowalczyk Wolverines!

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    Andrew Gaines Wolverines!

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    Charlotte Richey Sams Nice

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    Dave Madden very good stuff. he touched many lives.

    Yesterday at 11:57am 路 Unlike 路 1
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    Nic Keith Wolverines, trying to figure witch one was me!!! lol luv y’all

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    Franklin Jones Nic Keith Haha I know!!!

    Yesterday at 4:09pm 路 Like
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    Andrew Gaines Nic, we were trying to figure out who scored the single goal that beat St. Giles in the state tournament, and we think it was you. Was it?

    Yesterday at 4:23pm 路 Like
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    Franklin Jones I remember Kinley had a penalty kick to put us up 2-0 and seal the win and knock some of the air out of that pressure cooker game. He did one of DePalma’s straight on ‘toe just off center deals’ and the keeper stopped it just to his left. We all ran back like our heads were cut off because it was back ON!

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    Andrew Gaines Yes Ling, we discussed that as well…

    Yesterday at 5:16pm 路 Like
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    Michael Burriss ……and near the end of the game that shot they took that hit the crossbar and came straight down on the goal line. We are lucky that didn’t go in.

    Yesterday at 5:17pm 路 Like 路 1
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    Franklin Jones Oh man that ball bounced off the ground and Stewart Wingo tried to swat at it but he was too far away. It was a time stood still moment for me and I don’t remember how we got it out of there. Did Stewart end up with it or did one of us bust it long?

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    Allen Gillespie You would have thought that in the YouTube era the douse bucket would become so famous. 28 years too early.

    Yesterday at 5:26pm 路 Like 路 1
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    Andrew Gaines Allen, the “Ice Bucket Challenge” had nothing on us, but that bucket was a savior in so many games. And Mr. Moorhead always made sure it was there.
    I remember that heart stopping moment. It was so close to being a goal. Seems like that one kid that was Latino almost hit a bicycle kick in the first half, too. Anyone remember that?

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    Franklin Jones Douse bucked saved my ars man. I would get sopping wet. Best thing ever. I liked it so much I tried to keep water on my head/neck all the time. We were in Greenwood in freezing weather and my dumb ass doused my head before the game…I had icicles all over my head. I didn’t know it till I had a header come at me. I heard the ice crush and it hurt like hell. What a stupe.

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    Christopher Parsons I’m pretty sure the st Giles game ended 1-0

    Yesterday at 5:39pm 路 Like
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    Franklin Jones I remember that guy. I had to plow through him on the sideline that game. He was coming down the line on Michael Burriss side with a head of steam and it was either make a collision or he was headed to the corner by himself with a convoy in the middle. It was the only angle I had. Robbie Kowalczyk shifted over to my spot to save me if I missed and Michael saw me coming so he headed to the goal….we had a wreck at the sideline and the ball went out of bounds. Shew..

    Yesterday at 5:41pm 路 Like 路 1
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    Franklin Jones Parsons it did.

    Yesterday at 5:42pm 路 Like
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    Franklin Jones Kevin missd the PK to go up 2-0 and we shut out the whole tournament….that’s how I know it was 1-0. Its in one of those newspaper clippings too on the chat.

    Yesterday at 5:43pm 路 Like 路 1
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    Franklin Jones This team ruined pro wrestling for me forever. When I saw the rock and roll express with the russians (was it the russians?) in Houston hanging out like they were best buds it was awful. It was true. NWA wrestling was fake. 馃槓

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    Andrew Gaines The only thing I saw in that clipping that seemed off was where it said we beat a Summerville team 4-0. Unless there were two Summerville teams at state that year I think that’s wrong. I don’t remember playing Summerville until the Kicker tournament (we won 1-0) and the semifinals in Atlanta when we went to overtime. They were good and gave us fits. I really don’t think we played them at state that year. The shutout I agree with though.

    Yesterday at 5:53pm 路 Like
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    Franklin Jones Andrew Gaines when did you move from wing to back? You used to get so frustrated with me. haha you used to sneak up that right side and make me so nervous so I would nag you like crazy to get back. You shewed me with that damn left hand 1000 times…At least at Hanna you did

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    Franklin Jones

    Franklin Jones’s photo.

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    Craig Bente As a Kicker from the younger squad we saw you guys everyday and even scrimmaged against you guys wanting to be as good as y’all were and it helped us be those scrapy kids from Anderson. We did finally beat St. Giles in the upper state finals the following yr I believe after y’all won state being derailed in the the state semis with luck not in our side. I remember staying in those hotels and travel lodges. Great times and memories. Nicely written Franklin and may he rest in peace.

    Yesterday at 5:59pm 路 Unlike 路 2
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    Andrew Gaines The Summerville game at the Kicker tournament when Michael got hurt. I stayed up front some after that but by the next season I was officially a back.
    And I knew I drove you crazy, but I still got a lot of assists from the back in high school by moving up to help. Plus I always thought I was a lot faster than I really was…

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    Franklin Jones If the ball was on Michaels side and if you werent behind me it made so freakin nervous. One ball over my head and the security blanket was gone and Stewart would be by himself dead as a doornail. This is hilarious btw.

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    Andrew Gaines Ling I knew which article you referred and I think the score and everything else is right, but the Summerville team we played later… nope, I don’t think we played them at state. And I definitely don’t think we would have beaten the team I remember 4-0.

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    Craig Bente Hahahaha these pics are with the silver jerseys remember the orange ones? Lol

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    Andrew Gaines You know I got back, I just worried you first. Also as long as it was Allen or Phillip on my side we talked and switched well. And this is hilarious. Funny how well your mind can recall things that really meant something to you.

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    Sandy Thompson Great Memories! What it’s all about!

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    Franklin Jones Orange ones were prolly before my time. I came from Houston and was on Suarez yellow team until the kicker/wolverines pulled me up to classic Sunday ball.

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    Andrew Gaines Craig,we never wore the Orange ones. Never. Not once. Not ever. True story. That was our demand when we came to the Kickers.

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    Franklin Jones Coach Suarez. Holy moly…anyone know where his nephews Hecter, Victor, and Temoc are? Those guys I just had to try to push off the ball the best I could. They are prolly playing in some European League right now. I mean that was ridiculous. We were lucky they moved to Charleston early.

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    Craig Bente We didn’t get silver ones until y’all won state I think and that got the club enough funds for us to have the silver ones the orange ones were a little big on us if I remember correctly hand me downs I assume then haha

    Yesterday at 6:15pm 路 Like 路 1
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    Franklin Jones We did meet up with them later when we played Bishop England at Erskine. We beat them and their dad made them practice in the rain after losing. Our bus just drove off while they were running in the rain.

    Yesterday at 6:17pm 路 Like 路 1
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    Robbie Kowalczyk I remember learning how to P on the field when you were doing your stretching. You just threw it out the one side. Or how to keep the sun out of your eyes. Doing the thing from Star Trek with your hands.

    Yesterday at 6:18pm 路 Like 路 2
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    Franklin Jones Oh I still use the sun out of the eyes thing buddy!!

    Yesterday at 6:19pm 路 Like 路 1
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    Andrew Gaines The Suarez brothers all played at UNC. Temoc was well on his way to a fantastic career and possibly National Team and got hurt I believe his sophomore year. And he was never quite the same after that. He was always the best of the three but 2-3 years younger. Once he grew up he was much bigger and stronger than his brothers.

    Yesterday at 6:19pm 路 Like
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    Franklin Jones golf, pool, all the time

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    Robbie Kowalczyk I see Mr. Suarez here at the beach from time to time. On the south end.

    Yesterday at 6:21pm 路 Like
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    Franklin Jones Wow. I knew about UNC….and he def had the most tech soccer skills. Never thought he would be bigger than the twins but dang. That guy was like a gnat with a soccer ball. He’d have me tied all up in knots one way and leaning the other. Thank goodness I was bigger and faster (older) than him when he had the ball and I didn’t. Gee mannilly.

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    Franklin Jones Since he was younger I bet JC Nicholson ran into Temoc all the time.

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    Andrew Gaines No doubt. I missed all that, too. He grew up and was big in ODP training. JC did. His last couple years in high school and club he was a monster. I saw him at some pint then and barely recognized him.

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    Franklin Jones I tell you what… I know I frustrated him just by nature of being a defender v offensive player for 1000’s of practices and Kevin was goal scorer and overall badass that ran faster than a white tailed deer, but we wouldn’t have done near what we did without Kris Moorhead in the middle. Tan fella had a way of keeping people off the ball and seeing the field. Not sure I’ve ever said that out loud, but just sayin.

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    Michael Burriss I don’t think we merged with the Kickers until the year after we won state.

    Yesterday at 6:51pm 路 Like
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    Franklin Jones Oh I thought we were always the Kickers. I thought we went from Y at Duckworth to Kickers….but someone wanted to be called something cooler so we went unofficial with Wolverines. I will have to pull out my black hoodie with all the patches on it. haha

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    Robbie Kowalczyk I know we were the first soccer team from Anderson with a banner.

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    Heather Hickman New I remember how close all you guys were… And still seem to be. My thoughts are with you today. You have all become such amazing men and I’m sure your coach deserves a credit for some of that. Peace to you all. It’s been an emotional day for Anderson kids all around. RIP Coach and Crystal.

    Yesterday at 6:58pm 路 Like 路 3
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    Michael Burriss Franklin, dad said the first year we were w/ the kickers was when we won the state, so I was wrong w/ my facts.

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    Franklin Jones Robbie Kowalczyk in Atlanta when DePalma put you in goal when Stewart went to the hospital I gotta tell you I was nervous as a whore in church. I wanted to raise my broken hand and say “Uuuuuuhhhh…Uummmmm…. I mean…..you know…Ummmm……” Still don’t know where that came from. He put me a right back and put Geoff Stephens at right midfielder and Geoff played the game of his life. Top 3 biggest games of the season. You looked so nervous putting on the gloves.. You were awesome, buddy.

    Yesterday at 7:03pm 路 Edited 路 Like 路 1
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    Andrew Gaines My, Favorite. Game.
    And for the record, coach moved me to the back and Michael to the front midway through the second half and he scored, and I took care if that bastard that sent Stewart to the hospital.

    Yesterday at 7:06pm 路 Unlike 路 1
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    Franklin Jones Kevin, Parsons, or Andy put a ball in the air from the left side and Phillip’s head found it to ice the win. That team was a bunch of arsholes making us play that third game cause they had to get back to Alabama or wherever. DePalma had us eat at something like Mrs. Winner’s Chicken and made us split plates and made us eat it slooooooow to get fuller without eating too much so close to the new game time. Other team didn’t know we had a pharmacy man as a coach.

    Yesterday at 7:08pm 路 Like 路 1
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    Andrew Gaines We were w the Kickers club but called Wolverines when we won state. That’s a fact.

    Yesterday at 7:08pm 路 Like 路 1
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    Andrew Gaines They made us wait in the vans to say we weren’t even there bc we were getting screwed so bad playing 3 games that day to their 2…. And we still won!
    Kovaz was classic in that one and Geoff played really well, too. They pissed us off, and that was a bad idea.

    Yesterday at 7:11pm 路 Like
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    Franklin Jones We were mad. All ready to go back to the motel and fix our wounds from some hard ball against those other awesome teams.. and there we are playing the other best team in 2 hours. Always thought that was low shelf of them and the tournamnet people. I remember when they were getting their 2nd place trophies I applauded by tapping my hand on my leg. DePalma looked at me like “what’s wrong with you?” He looked down and saw my cast wrapped in that foam and kept walking as if to say, “ok.”

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    Robbie Kowalczyk Being in that goal for me was a dream come true. With all the practice I had flying from bed to bed acting like we were saving goals in those hotel rooms . That was an awsome tournament . Kris and I won that 2 on 2 thing as well.

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    Franklin Jones I just knew he was going to get Michael Burriss to do it because of the way he scrapped. I was wrong. I think he put Michael at sweep.

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    Andrew Gaines They also did not give us the prizes we were supposed to get for winning. Seems like it was supposed to be a full set of Union Jack jerseys…we got socks…

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    Michael Burriss They put me up top at some point. Y’all have better memories than me. I must be getting old.

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    Andrew Gaines No Michael went up front. And I think he scored and I’m pretty sure it was Burriss that hit the crossbar that Phillip followed up w the header for the win.

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    Michael Burriss I scored the third goal.

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    Andrew Gaines Final was 4-3 right? So you tied it and Phillip’s goal won it.

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    Franklin Jones I had that one wrong. Wonder who he put at left back and sweeper. He drop Miller back? What a hodgpodge game.

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    Andrew Gaines I played left back. I think you and Miller stayed in your spots and Baron played right back.

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    Robbie Kowalczyk I can remember Phillip scoring that header. Like it was in slow motion.

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    Michael Burriss I’m going to have to get out my old soccer booklet. Was it Geoff that played in the back.

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    Franklin Jones I rode to games with Baron Short and his parents a lot.

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    Andrew Gaines Maybe. I remember Geoff and Kovaz both played really well. I think Joe got carded in about 19 minutes of play in the second half.

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    Andrew Gaines That’s the only time ever that our coaches were so mad about the situation, the refs, our brothers going to the hospital at halftime that they actually asked us if we wanted to play the second half bc they were ok w walking away from that mess… And we were so mad. And it was on.
    Great goalkeeping Robbie.

    Yesterday at 7:31pm 路 Like
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    Robbie Kowalczyk We were a scrappy bunch!

    Yesterday at 7:34pm 路 Like 路 1
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    Andrew Gaines Best thing about us. And coach Depalma knew it. Like Franklin stated so well earlier today; we had a few good soccer players and a lot if scrappers. And what we had for sure was a full team of guys that not only wanted to win, but HATED to lose. And Coach knew what he had and made us the best team we could be.
    Cherished memories.

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    Robbie Kowalczyk I remember when coach Depalma first came around asked us as a team if we wanted to be state champs. We had to gather around and make our decision. After that it was on. And sure enough making our dream come true.

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    Andrew Gaines I had forgotten about that. I think that’s when we swore to run 3 miles in 20 minutes, 10 hundreds and 10 50s three days a week, too.
    And it worked

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    Robbie Kowalczyk Ya it did. I think we ran Monday Wednesday and Friday . And practiced Tuesday and Thursday at McCants.

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    Andrew Gaines Exactly Robbie

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    Sharon Short Baron and I were discussing Coach Depalma today. I only hope he knew how much he meant to so many young men and their parents.

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    Franklin Jones

  4. Franklin, great article, but your memory is failing. I did the throw ins. I have pics to prove it.

    • admin_teamfranklin says

      Buddy I know you did a ton of throw-ins!! I remember! I remember! It was you and Kinley. From my vantage point it really depended on how far either of you were to the particular sideline at the time, and if we were close enough for Kevin to do one of his head snapper’s on goal. I hear you, though!! 馃檪

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