Amherst United Boys U17 Travel Team (from left, front row) Jarrett Hannan, Matthew Payne, Tyler Gordon, Kaine Floyd, Dylan Nixon, Mack Granger, Andrew Morcom and Colton Stinson, and (from left, back row) Connor Irvin, Graham Carter, Jonathan McMillan, William Crehore, Coach Steve Gordon, Walker Brown and Matthew Mays.

Faculty, Staff Kids Win Soccer Tourney

Upcoming games schedule at SBC, fans much appreciated

From staff reports

The Amherst United Boys U17 Travel Team, which includes the sons of several Sweet Briar community members, won the 2009 Danville Summer Sizzle Soccer Tournament held Aug. 29 and 30 in Danville. The tournament involved teams from central and southwest Virginia.

The Amherst team includes Walker Brown, son of creative writing faculty members John and Carrie Brown; William Crehore, son of the riding center’s Alison Crehore; Mack Granger, son of chemistry professors Jill and Rob Granger; and Matt Payne, son of Gail Payne in the business office.

At the tournament, the team played four games, including the championship game against Valley Area Football Club Arsenal. When time expired, the teams were tied 3-3, which led to a series of penalty kicks. When the score remained even, there was a “sudden death” kick off, which Coach Steve Gordon described as kicking penalty kicks “until one team makes it and the other team does not.”

It was the first-ever tournament victory for the team. In his account of the match, Gordon wrote, “Players, parents and coaches are proud of this accomplishment, as this is Amherst’s first championship title in tournament action. Many thanks go out for all that helped, played and cheered for Amherst.”

The team practices two nights a week on the lower athletics fields behind Sweet Briar’s Babcock Fine Arts Center, and plays home games there as well. According to Alison Crehore, one father said, “This would be very difficult to accomplish if it weren’t for Sweet Briar working with AUSC.”

Upcoming home games are scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18; 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1; and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7. Fans are welcome and much appreciated.