Grant Gordon
As the bus winded its way up the hill to the Webb School field, the
Flintridge Prep boys' soccer team wasn't quite sure what awaited it.
The Rebels were facing a Prep League rival that had prevented them
from a postseason berth just a season prior and had already defeated
a mutual foe.
"I didn't really know what to expect," Flintridge Prep Coach Steve
Oderkirk said.
But after 80 minutes of domination, all the Rebels are expecting
now is to take home a Prep League title at season's end.
"We're in the driver's seat for league right now and that's what
it's all about," said Oderkirk after his Rebels humbled the Gauls,
7-1, on Saturday afternoon.
Leading the rout were Rebels Bas Vermeul-Taback and Gary Au.
Vermeul-Taback notched a hat trick, while adding an assist for good
measure. Au had one goal and four helpers.
"It feels good," Au grinned in reference to avenging last season's
loss to Webb that sent the Gauls into the postseason and the Rebels
to the offseason. "We moved [the ball] really well; our passing and
connecting went really well."
For the duration of the match, the Rebels (6-10-2, 3-0 in league)
maintained control, but at the onset, it didn't show on the
scoreboard.
"Twenty-eight minutes we're here," said Oderkirk, pointing to the
Gauls' side of the field. "Five seconds they're [on our side of the
field] and they're up."
A breakaway goal netted the Gauls a 1-0 first-half lead, but the
Rebels most certainly responded in kind.
Au tied the match off a cornerkick from Mike Krupczak, before
Vermeul-Taback assisted Kyle Campbell for the lead. Vermeul-Taback's
first tally, off Au's first assist ended the first-half scoring, but
the rout was on.
Alex Kipling scored an unassisted goal to begin the second-half
scoring, while Brian Lee ended it. In between, Vermeul-Taback tallied
two scores, while Au assisted the last three tallies. In all, the
Rebels won the shot battle, 21-1, and believe they sent a message to
the rest of the league, and particularly their fiercest rival.
"We were all focused, we knew this was a game we needed to win and
send a message," Vermeul-Taback said. "Hopefully this'll send a
message to [Pasadena] Poly."
Flintridge Prep has defeated Pasadena Poly, Chadwick and Webb by a
combined 11-1 score. Webb defeated Chadwick, which presented
Flintridge Prep with a sense of uncertainty going into the match.
That changed, of course, with a seven-goal scoring blitz.
"If we could've really finished, we would've had twice as many
goals," Oderkirk said.
And now, the Rebels are certain of their task at hand, one they're
quite certain is in their grasp.
The biggest obstacle is a rematch with Pasadena Poly, which they
beat 1-0 in the teams' first meeting, on Wednesday at Flintridge
Prep.
"We've been bridesmaids to Poly forever," Oderkirk said.
Added Au: "If we beat them, we're set [for league]."
* GRANT GORDON covers sports. He can be reached at (818) 637-3225
or by e-mail at grant.gordon@latimes.com.
