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Festive evening was a kick in the grass By Don Hunt As thunder clouds thickened, lightning flashed and rain began to fall at Walter A. Phillips Field in Ashland Tuesday, organizers of the Ashland Firecracker soccer game began to fidget. With kickoff just over an hour away, lousy weather was the last thing they needed. And yet in retrospect, it didn't matter. A little over 1,200 fans showed up to watch a semiprofessional team from Salem take on an all-star group of amateurs from the Rogue Valley. Never mind that the Salem squad - the Cascade Surge - coasted to a 10-0 victory over the local team - Fuego! - on the strength of remarkably skilled players with international experience. Local fans were simply delighted to watch some high-octane soccer never before seen in these parts. "I was hoping the score would be a little closer," Ashland's Mike Buhl said, "but these are the best soccer players I've ever seen. "It was certainly worth $5 (the price of admission)." Even a marginal soccer fan couldn't help but be impressed with the Surge's Patrick Daka, who wowed observers with his exceptional ball-handling skills and maneuverability. Daka, who grew up playing soccer in the streets of Zimbabwe and played on its national junior team, looked like a man among boys. He scored only once but had two assists, numerous takeaways and several fancy passes, including one in the second half that he flicked one direction with the back of his heel while running another direction. The pass went directly to a teammate. It was a play the great Pele would have applauded. Daka, 25, played croquet and volleyball in addition to soccer while growing up in Zimbabwe, a land-locked country in southern Africa. "But soccer was my favorite," he said. "And soccer is my life." Roger Groome, who plays on Tobago's U21 national team, Allan Maragh, who plays on Jamaica's U20 national squad, and English native Tom Whittaker also dazzled the crowd with fancy footwork and pinpoint passing. Whittaker had a hat trick before the first half was over. As Fuego! coach Jose Chavez said afterward, the biggest difference was his team's lack of international experience. Prior to Tuesday night, many of the Fuego! players hadn't competed at a level beyond the Spanish league they play in locally. And yet the fans didn't seem the least bit bothered by the lopsidedness of the game, giving both teams a standing ovation when it ended. This was a rare event in the Rogue Valley: night soccer involving players who may someday compete professionally. Event organizers also brought a festive spirit to the evening, inviting a samba band to play throughout the game and fire dancers to perform after it ended. "We were hoping for a big crowd because we publicized this event throughout the Rogue Valley," said David Beaudoin, a founding member of the Ashland Soccer Club who played collegiately at the University of California. "But we didn't really know what the turnout would be, and when the weather turned bad we got a little nervous." The soccer people hope to put on more evening events, ensuring bigger crowds. Part of the problem is that few soccer fields have lights. Tuesday's game was played on the Ashland High football field, which is shorter and narrower than a regulation soccer field. A new soccer field at the North Mountain Park complex in Ashland is scheduled to get lights later this summer. "That will be the nicest soccer field in the valley," Beaudoin said. Hopefully, it can be home to future matches involving the kind of top-notch talent that took the field Tuesday. There are plenty of soccer fans eager for an encore. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.