MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - With a blow of a whistle, the game was over and The A-Team added another win, improving its record to 2-1 Monday. The A-Team managed to run and kick its way to victory against team El Cerro during an intramural soccer league game at the multipurpose field here.
El Cerro showed its dedication and determination by continuing to play even without a full team, but ultimately lost 10-0.
“It was a pretty good game,” said Lance Tucker of The A-Team. “Unfortunately the other team didn’t have all their players here but they played pretty well.”
With a total of only seven players, El Cerro could have forfeited the game. However, it chose to continue to play regardless of its disadvantage.
“I feel great that we played with only six or seven players,” said Kevin CastroReyes, captain of team El Cerro. “The fact that we still played is a good thing.”
But the strength in numbers enjoyed by The A-Team meant that every time a member of El Cerro gained possession, he was quickly surrounded by defenders.
“It was rough not having a full team because you are overwhelmed,” said CastroReyes. “You have two people marking you. You have a lot of open areas, and the ball goes back and forth too many times, which kills your stamina.”
El Cerro’s determination throughout the game was quite impressive to the members of The A-Team.
With Cherry Point being a small air station, intramural leagues build camaraderie among players and throughout the air station as a whole, said Tucker.
“It is good to get out and get into an activity,” said Tucker. “For us, it’s about the teamwork, getting out and passing the ball around while getting to know each other outside of work.”