Since day one of this school year, zealous and determined football players were seen running around a pitch on days with grueling heat perfecting skills and forging a team in hopes of being a threat at the 33rd annual IASAS soccer championship taken place on October 16th to 19th.
Our boy’s Varsity football team, was in fact, able to achieve a great outcome this season with a 2nd place finish compared to the previous season, where they had a 4th place finish.
The boys started off the competition against their biggest rivals, SAS. Unfortunately, they were not able to beat the ferocious eagles, and ended the game with a score of 3-1, in favor of SAS with a great goal scored by the “Messi of ISB,” Mingyu Shin(12).
Later that day, the boys pulled off a 2-0 win against hosts, ISKL. Goals were both scored by Mingyu Shin (12).
On day two the boys were able to beat TAS 2-1, with goals scored by Hayuma Iwata(10). Additionally our boys also beat Manila as two goals were scored by Shin Osumi(12) and Mingyu Shin(12) resulting in a 2-0 win.
The tournament didn’t finish there quite yet; the boys still had to face JIS the next morning, having to tie in order to get to the final. All went well, and our boys went to the final with a 2-2 tie after an own goal and a goal scored by Jeff Kraprayoon(12).
Finally, the boys were able to have an incredulous final against SAS that blew away the fans cheering away on the stands; this final was a spectacle to behold.
To start of the action, Jeff Kraprayoon(12) scored a breathtaking goal which lead ISB to a 1-0 score which was held for almost the whole game. Later on, out of the blue, SAS stepped up and scored an equalizing goal just two minutes before the final whistle.
This meant this match would go down to a golden goal win. By that, this meant that the game could have gone both ways. However, in situations like these, the luckier team becomes the champion in the end. Sadly, in this case SAS took the win with a well taken finish off a corner only two minutes after the re-start.
The ISB boys preformed exceptionally well at IASAS; fortune was not on their side.
Our girls Varsity team was also able to successfully preform at IASAS this season, although the results may say otherwise.
Our ISB girls started off the tournament with a 1-1 tie against ISM, and an equalizing goal scored by Domi Havas (10) as she ran through the six-yard box and placed the ball at the back of the oppositions net.
The girls then disappointingly faced a short break of only 2 hours and headed back onto the field to play their second game against the undefeated SAS eagles in 90-degree heat. As a result of these series of unfortunate events, the score finished as 2-0.
After an emotional win against ISKL, the girls biggest rivals with a score of 2-1 with goals scored by all tournament players Tori Alexander (12) and Julia Tarrega (11). Later a match against JIS had arisen later that afternoon, and our girls were able to have yet another efficacious win of 2-0 with goals scored by Makena Emery (12) and Maddie Nelson(9).
Finally, our girls faced the last day of IASAS with 7 points on the board in the morning, being second in the round robin results. However, to get into the final they had to beat or tie TAS, and TAS had to beat our girls to get into the final; it is evident that this game was a very critical point for the girls of ISB this IASAS.
Unfortunately, after an incredibly close game, the girls had lost 1-0 against the TAS tigers and were therefore going to play in the consolation game to revisit last years consolation team, ISKL.
The game ended with a 2-0 loss after many rain delays occurring throughout the match, and was a disappointing moment for the girls.
Our Varsity football athletes’ efforts have been evident throughout this entire season by all ISB panther supporters, and the accomplishments both teams were able to achieve were incredible.
Sofi Sintes
