The day started out quite and with a lot of promise. The boys were nervous, but confident. They had played the Raptors in the first match of the tournament. They had tied us 2-2 but each player felt that we should have beaten them. We started the match with a talk from Coach Matt and then walked onto the field to be presented to the spectators and the officials. The Raptors pressed us constantly in the first half but was unable to score. We played to a 0-0 tie for the first 38 minutes before we got our first score. Three minutes later we got our second score and ended the first half 2-0. This was exactly the same as the first match. We were confident that we’d win, but we were also nervous because we had led 2-0 once before and were unable to hold it. The second half started strong and remained strong for the first 20 minuites. The Raptors had their chances but our defense held them time and time again. They finally scored to make it 2-1 about 20 minutes into the match. It stayed that way until about the 33rd minute when we score again. The match ended 3-1 and the Celtic Harps were crowned as the National Champions. The boys were awarded their medals and a team picture was taken. Goalie George Amezcua was awarded the ‘Golden Glove’ award as the best goalie in the tournament and Mario Gutierrez was awarded the ‘Golden Boot’ award as the MVP of the tournament. The entire team was proud of them. We celebrated that night by taking the entire team to the Black Angus restaurant. We will be getting up at 4:00 am so that we can check out by 5:00 am and catch a plane at 7:30 am and get into LAX by 9:45 am. It has been a long and fruitful week, but everyone will be happy to get home. We look forward to coming here again next year and winning the National Championship for a second straight year.

Today was the day that would determine whether we go to the finals on Sunday, or we just stay in the hotel and watch others play. We started the day by all going to breakfast at Burger King and getting to the fields 1 ½ hours prior to the match. Because Alex, Michael and Matta have injuries, they went to the trainer's tent and got stretched and rubbed down. When the match started, Michael and Alex did not start. Our opponent, Hochness from Delaware was big, fast and they had 18 players on the roster. We only had 11 and 2 half players. They scored first, about 10 minutes into the match. Ten minutes later, Matt put in Michael and Alex. They worked hard and tried hard, but Michael was about 90% and Alex was 60% - 70%. Even so, with about 2 minutes left in the half a ball was crossed to Alex in the middle and he was able to put in the net and tied up the match. The first half ended with a 1-1 tie. We kept Michael and Alex in the match for the second half and play went back and forth. They were big and fast and we were getting tired. They had several really good chances to score but we were able to hold them back. With 5 minutes left, the ball was passed to Alex in the middle of the field and he was able to keep the ball and draw 3 players on him. Matta made a run to the left of the penalty box and Alex passed him the ball. Matta juked around one defender and went to the left and took a shot to the far post and put it in. WE WON THE MATCH 2-1 AND WILL BE PLAYING IN THE FINALS ON SUNDAY AT 12:30 PM, OUR TIME. YAHOO-O-O-O-O-O. To celebrate, we went to Subway for lunch and will have a practice on Saturday. The pictures are about us after we scored, Matt talking to us at half-time and Alex and Matta after the match.

Whew, today we had our second match at 7:30 in the morning. Coach Matt and coach Ken wanted us to get some breakfast first, so we met in the hotel lobby at 5:00 am for a team meeting. Then we went to McDonald's and ate. We got to the fields at 6:15 am and there was still some fog in the air. It was dark and the lights were on. The fields were all covered with dew. We were the first team to get to the fields. The match started on time. This time we played on one of the main fields and it was pretty sharp. The first half started and we did not play Alex or Michael. As a result some of us did not play in the positions that we usually play in and we were not doing so well. Our opponent, the other team, Tampa Bay Kickers, scored first and the first half ended with them ahead 1-0. During half time, George and coach Matt talked to us and said that Alex and Michael would start the second half and everyone would be in their regular spots. This must have done some good, because about 5 minutes into the half, Micheal crossed a ball to Alex in front of the goad and he scored, making it 1-1. Five minutes later Matta scored again and we were ahead 2-1. Later, we were pushing on to the goal and Daniel put one into the net. This was Daniel's first goal of the season, and it was a good time to get it. Just before the match ended, Matta was given credit for another goal that Manny shot. The match ended at 4-1. We are now in first place, because the only team that won on Tuesday lost today 3-1 to the team that tied us. Tonight we are going to watch the BU15 Arsenal play and then walk around Downtown Disney some more. We can't wait to play tomorrow, if we win or tie, then we will be in the finals on Sunday.

To day after breakfast, we went to find a school where we could practice. The people at the restaurant where we ate breakfast told the coaches about a school 5 miles away. We went to find the school. When we got there it was too small, as there were no open fields. So went to another school. This was a field at a YMCA, however, they did not let us practice on the field since it was being repaired. They told us to go to another school across the street. When we got there, they didn't want us to practice there since they still had students in school. They told us about a high school a couple miles away. When we got there it was really nice and we asked first if we could practice. They said yes and we went and practiced in the football stadium. The only bad thing about it was that Universal Studios (where we were supposed to be today) was across the street and we could see one of the roller coasters. Every five minutes or so a roller coaster would go by and it would remind us of what we were missing. It is was awfuylly muggy and every ten minutes or so we would have to stop practiicieng and get some water. Alex and Michael would constentily be filling the water bottles for us. It seems that they were walking as much as we were, yet they were not practicing. In the evening some of us went to watch the GU16 Slammers play, they won 2-0.

The day started great, we had a match at 9:30 am and so went to McDonald's for breakfast, in order to get us started right. After breakfast we went to the fields for the first time. They were beautiful. We were told that the fields are nice, but the whole setting is wonderful. Each field has its own grandstand and viewing area. These are some of the nicest fields we have played on. To show our appreciation, we scored two goals right off in the first half against a team from Illinois. However, we didn't do so well after that. We were called for a penalty in the box and they scored the penalty kick. Then they got another goal off of a set play outside of the penalty area. We came back and worked hard, but could not score another goal. The Match ended in a 2-2 tie. We were pretty disappointed, because we should have won. Alex Fitchsen and Michael Mora pulled a muscle in their leg and we don't know if they will be able to play on Thursday. Thank goodness we have tomorrow off. We were supposed to go to Universal Studios, but because of the injuries Coach Matt wants us to take it easy, so we'll have a practice instead. In the evening we went to see a movie - I, Robot, it was pretty good and afterward we walked around the Disney Downtown.

After getting to sleep around 2:00 to 2:30 am, some of us got up by 9:00 am and had a light breakfast. Then we got dressed to go to the luncheon. One of the players forgot his shoes back home and had to borrow Todd McDonagh's old clods. The luncheon was good. There must have been over a 1,000 people there. The food was okay. One of the nice things was that they showed excerpts from the regional championships and the Celtic was a featured spot in the highlights. We really looked good. The Region III finals were played on some muddy and watery fields. It had rained all week and the fields were not dry. Because of the rain that we have been having here, we thought that our finals would be like that as well. We hope not. After the luncheon, we got dressed and tried to find a field to practice on. Disney world closed the fields to practice and we had to try an find some place else to practice. This didn't work, as we went round and round the area for an hour and just got to see more of the freeways. This time it was coach Robbie's turn to get us lost. Matt and Ken had to get back for a coach's meeting and almost didn't make it in time. Tomorrow had better be a better time and we don't get lost going to the fields. We are getting up at 6:00 am for a team meeting, having breakfast at Mickey D's and then going to the fields for a 8:00 am sign-in and a 9:00 am match.

The team started the trip to the Nationals by arriving at the Los Angeles International Airport early in the afternoon. Not all of the players arrived at the same time, so some of the time was spent waiting for the others, or waiting to board the plane. Once on the plane we got used to our seats and entertained each other. The trip lasted 4 hours and 35 minutes. The trip was nice and smooth. However, as we got over Florida, the lightning started flashing and made for some interesting moments. We arrived at Orlando airport around 11:00 pm Eastern Time. The trip to the hotel was even more interesting than the plane trip. Coach Matt and coach Ken got lost, around 5 times, and we must have gone around the hotel at least four times before they called the hotel and asked for directions. During the ride from the airport to the hotel it rained harder than we have seen it in California. Every minute or so the lightning would flash and several times it flashed right over the van. Scared the c - - p out of us. We all thought that it might be best to just get right back on the plane and forget this. However, since we couldn't find the hotel, we also couldn't find the airport. So we just kept on going. We finally got to the hotel around 1:00 am and we still had to unpack and try to get some sleep. Other than the rain, getting lost, and the humidity, it wasn't such a bad trip. We are definitely looking forward to playing.