Our ’93 Boys I played three games with the Region I North team, from Feb. 22-24. Our team was short players due to an ice storm in the Northeast. We only had 11 players, so every one of us played the whole game. We played the 1992 Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia ODP "A" teams. My first game was Friday night, against Virginia, under the lights and in freezing, cold weather. We were down 3-0 in the first half, and we finished with that result, but we were congratulated on coming out in the second half and playing extremely hard.

On Saturday, we played Maryland. We scored first off a throw-in to our center forward. Then Maryland scored back-to-back goals in the second half to defeat us, 2-1. That night, we went to dinner as a team at Carraba’s. It was fun getting to know the coaches and players off the field.

My last game was bright and early Sunday morning, against North Carolina. We scored first - again on a throw-in, just like we had in the game against Maryland the day before. We dominated the first half and the first part of the second half. North Carolina got lucky, though, squeaking a ball through our keeper’s hands. Then they scored another by a 40-yard shot right into the upper corner for the 2-1 win.

The competition was fierce and the stadium and fields were amazing! For all of our games there were tons of people that watched. Coaches of other teams had their players sit and watch while they made coaching points to them. I’d like to thank my ODP coach, Mark Spacone, and the rest of the New York West staff for helping me become a better player and making it possible for me to advance in the ODP Program.