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| July 30, 2003
By Jim Anderson
NARCh Update - Girls & Atom Final
Recaps from the first 2 Finals from this morning
|  Live from TECO Arena, one more time as we wrap up the remaining divisions with a total of 9 big events on the Arena today.
Women’s Final: 7:00AM
Cal Selects vs. Mystery Gals
Straight from the press box @ TECO Arena.
The top seeded Cal Selects would open the scoring just 50 seconds into the game as LeMond scored to give the Selects an early lead.
The Mystery Gals would take an penalty just 33 seconds later, however they would capitalize off a shorthanded goal by Johnston to tie it at 1 just over 3 minutes into the game. Jamie Rasmussen would score on the same PP eighteen seconds later for the Selects as they take a 2-1 lead.
Soon after the Mystery Gals changed to a Brazilian Box type of system, keeping the Selects to the outside and not overpersuing the puck. Even with coach Jeff Prime sending 1 forward deep and staying in the Gals end, they couldn’t break the box for the rest of the half, thanks to a big save from Kokas with 2:30 left in the half.
The Mystery Gals would get a PP chance to start the 2nd half, but it would be the Selects who would capitalize as Maldonado would skate down the right side, cut past a defender and tuck a backhand 5 hole to stake the Selects to a 3-1 lead.
Kokas would keep the Gals in the game with a save off a breakaway, as the Selects continued to use long breakout passes to split the defense.
Maldonado would score her 2nd of the game, just seconds after they killed off another penalty as she once again streaked down the right side cut to the slot and slid the puck past an outstretched goalie.
Wolfier would stretch the lead to 5-1 with 5:16 left in the game before Rasmussen would find Maldonado on the left side this time with a long pass up the wing and she would find the short side to close out the scoring with 1:49 to play as many of the Selects would claim their 2nd title of the Finals, with a majority of the players winning the Women’s Platinum title just a few days ago.
8:20AM
Atom Silver Final
Marple Jr. Gladiators vs. AKS San Clemente Empire
Marple would advance to the Championship Game after going undefeated in the preliminary round and AKS’s win over the Mission Snipers on Monday would prove to be the difference as they would slide into the #2 slot
The game would start off quickly as Marple hit the post just 30 seconds into the game and had a great scoring chance just over 3 minutes into the game before being turned away by the aptly last named Stone.
AKS would generate a good chance at the 5:19 mark before Remick would make a good stop in close on an AKS one timer.
Marple would come right back after that stop and take a 1-0 lead on a goal by Timmy Gale, who scored off a wrist shot. Stone would make another big save with 3minutes left in the half to keep the deficit at 1 and Remick would once again answer with a stop of his a minute later with a big save off a tough backhander, and Marple would lead 1-0 at the half.
Once again though, Marple would have a good scoring chance to open the half as Gale wristed a shot that hit off .the goalie’s shoulder, bounced in the air and landed just behind the goal line as an AKS player did his best to clear it before any of the officials could signal the goal.
Both squads would continue to generate scoring chances throughout the half and AKS would nearly cut the lead in half with a backhander that just went over the crossbar. Unfortunately, Gale would answer back with his 3rd goal of the game with a shot that went high glove side to pad the lead to 3-0. Williams would close out the scoring for Marple in the games waning seconds as the Jr. Gladiators would claim the first Silver Division title, with a 4-0 win.
For all of Jim's articles on the 2003 Finals see the Latest News section.
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