Intramural soccer

The MOF Hooligans threw off their runner-up finish last fall to nab the intramural base soccer championship Nov. 16. They beat the 513th ACG 3-2. Team members include, left to right, Kimmi Ostrander, Braden Reynolds, Landon Scalercio, Jordan Gutierrez, Alex Bedoya, Mike Rosenthal, John Varney, Alejandro Chavarriga, Chris Varney, Tristan Lindley, Chris Torres, Mike Scherer, Don Malay and Dominic Giardino. Darnell Ellis, Jovanni Butler and Eli Martin are also team members. (Air Force photo by John Parker)

Hooligans nab Tinker Cup

Published Nov. 23, 2016
By John Parker
72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --

The MOF Hooligans captured the intramural soccer crown in a Tinker Cup final that lurched from possible early blowout to last-minute squeaker.

“I thought we had it in the bag, but these guys had a crazy comeback,” Hooligan Chris Torres said. “It was a great game, and they deserve all the credit in the world.”

Brett Nims, a 513th Air Control Group coach, said the Hooligans played a good game to earn the cup Nov. 16. ACG was left with no substitutions in the second half after a player was injured. The ACG was 5-0 in the regular season.

“No one on our team gave up, and you’ve got to be proud of that,” he said. “Every minute of the game we went hard.”

The Maintenance Operations Flight team won 3-2. The Hooligans, 4-2 in the regular season, scored all of their goals in the first 12 minutes.

In the fourth minute, Alex Bedoya telegraphed the ball to Tristan Lindley, who was open right of the goal. He kicked to the left corner to score.

The Hooligans next capitalized on their throw-in about 25 yards from the ACG goal. Braden Reynolds nailed a 15-yard goal for the 2-0 lead.

513th ACG goalkeeper Josh Riverol shut down a one-on-one breakaway by rushing out of the box to grab the ball off the striker’s foot – one of several clutch saves for the night. A lone Hooligan striker, however, Lindley, soon returned for another mano-y-mano faceoff, this time with a goal in the 12th minute.

The ACG’s offense turned around just before the half. After a throw-in only 15 yards from the Hooligan goal, Ray Frazier nabbed the ball from a Hooligan defender and scored ACG’s first goal.

The Hooligans scrambled in front of ACG’s goal early in the second half, posting four shots on goal.

The 513th upped the offensive pressure late in the match. Albert Cantu III broke free in front of the goal for a score to land the team one away from a tie, 3-2.

An ACG corner kick decided the outcome. An arcing cross kick created a frenzied mid-goal scramble that led to an ACG header by Ricky Sanchez. The ball bounced off the crossbar. Time was called seconds later.

The Hooligans were last year’s runner-up team. Their win also avenged a loss earlier this season to the 513th.