SAC SOCCER: 33RD ANNUAL MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT IS LARGEST IN HISTORY

by Lem Satterfield

(Photos by Katie Riordon and Elizabeth Piper)

(See video interviews and highlights below)

Even at the age of 13 years old, John Jlopleh can be a man among boys, displaying the the speed, the explosiveness and the nose for the goal to take over a soccer game.

That was the case during a 7-0 shutout victory over the Greater Harford County Vipers on Saturday by Jolopleh's Soccer Association of Columbia Premiere Under-13 squad in their first game of the Columbia Memorial Day Invitational.

Jlopleh scored two of his three goals in the second half, where he also had an assist on a teammate's fourth score to pace his club in a win that he hoped would help SAC's Premiere Under-13 squad to its third straight crown in the tournament.

"I thought our team played pretty well. The first half, we were kind of so-so, but in the second half, we stepped it up," said Jlopleh, a straight A student who attends Harper's Choice Middle School who already has heard intreaties from at least one Baltiimore area private school. "I thought that in the second half, we did much better."

But as promising as Jlopleh's skills are, his coach, Todd Haskin, believes that the seventh-grader still can be more aggressive, if not dominant.

"If you can just break [the defense] down, then it just opens up the floodgates for you," coach Todd Haskins, a former All-Metro Player of the Year who led Howard High to a state soccer title, told Jlopleh during a break.

"I told him to step up, take advantage, be a big boy and win the game. John is very strong on the ball, he has great technique, and he finishes well. But sometimes, he's a little more unselfish than I want him to be," said Haskins.

"Sometimes, he's got to step up and take responsiblity and carry the weight for the team. He's a nice kid and he likes to make sure that he's sharing the ball," Haskins said. "But sometimes, you've got to step up and take the weight, and then let everybody else get theirs."

Reciting what he believes Haskins wants, Jlopleh said, "Go to the goal hard, strong, dont' be afraid to take people on."

"Today, he's doing what I ask him to do, but it's getting him to understand that there's nothing wrong with being a little unselfish, so long as you're doing it for the good of the team," Haskins said. "I think sometimes, he doesn't want to be too selfish in situations where he can. Once you establish a healthy lead, then you can be unselfish."

Jlopleh's lesson took place during the 33rd year of the three-day event, whose tournament director, Mike Libber, called this year's version "The biggest tournament in the history of the event."

"There are about 430 teams coming from 22 different states and Canada ranging from Under-9, to, Under-19 boys and girls," said Libber, an 1994 graduate of Archbishop Curley of Baltimore City, which th former defender guided to the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association's A Conference title as a senior when he also was named All-Metro Player of The Year.

Libber starts planning for the tournament "A year in advance, the day after the event. We start contacting the teams that attended this year's event. We ask them what they liked, what they disliked, and then we invite them back right away," said Libber, calling Saturday's weather "the best we've ever had."

"When you look at the sunshine, you can't ask for anything more," said Libber, whose company, Elitetournaments.com is in its second year running the event.

"We do 16 tournaments a year, including areas like Bermuda, Las Vegas, Houston and obviously tournaments in Maryland. We'll go anywhere," said Libber, who had "over 150 college coaches registered to attend the event, coming from as far West as the Air Force Academy."

"Our farthest team is from Michigan," Libber said. "We have five teams from Michigan, U-9 to U-12. We have six teams from Canada."

One of those Canadian teams was the Under-16 Falcons from Missuaga, whose trip to Maryland was "a 10-your drive" that was "long, tiring, and I could barely sleep," said a defender on the team whose name is Rachel.

"We came here to show ourselves in the states. A lot of girls want to get scholarships and it's an opportunity to show ourselves around. We just got here [Friday night,]," Rachel said. "We know that it's a very foresty place, great people. We knew that there would be some good competition down here to play."

Local players such as McDonogh's Ali Brennan competed for the Under-17 Freedom based in McLean, Va.,  which won its opening game, 3-0, on Saturday morning.

"It's a well-organized tournament with spectacular fields," said Ali's father, Pat Brennan. "It's all good."

Glenelg junior Courtney Knill, a field hockey player, was at the tournament for different reasons.

"I work for Moyer Sports, which is down the road from my high school. I work there three days a week and on weekends, and I come out to work tournaments," said Knill, who wore a Glenelg basketball warmup top as she worked a table covered with T-shirts and other apparrel she was selling.

"It's T-shirts, pants, all sorts of stuff," said Knill, who was on site at 8:15 in the morning. "Today, I got to sleep in. I'll be here all day and tomorrow."

And so will just about everybody else.