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151-year-old duo rallies for a cause on the court. 12A

STAYINGYOUNGSports

PALMCOASTObSERvER.COM THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011

World Cup was so last summer. But soccer fever will be in Palm Coast beginning Saturday, April

9, at Wad-sworth Park, off State Road 100.

After a suc-cessful inau-gural season in February, the Beaches Adult Soccer League will begin play of the spring 7-on-7 league this weekend.

Last season there were four teams, but Bryan Meyer, league director, expects at least six teams this season — maybe more.

I played soccer with Meyer at Flagler Palm Coast High School, and he’s hoping to expand into Palm Coast even more.

The season will last about nine weeks, with each team guaran-teed at least eight games. The top four teams will play in the semifi-nals, with the winners facing off in a championship.

Meyer began working with the league when he was 18. At the time, he remembers, there was one field and about 25 teams. It’s grown exponentially since.

“It was a job for gas money, and it just evolved from that,” Meyer says. “I want to grow the league into something that will last for a long time.”

When I used to live in Jack-sonville, I played in the Beaches league. It’s well-organized and definitely worth the money. But when I came home over summer, I would have to drive an hour up to Jacksonville to keep playing. That’s not the case any longer.

Thanks to Meyer, there’s an or-ganized league right here in Palm Coast.

The nonprofit league comprises nearly 3,000 soccer players over the age of 18 and more than 175 teams. Accord-ing to Meyer, it’s the largest or-ganized league in Florida and the third-largest in the U.S.

Games in the 7-v-7 format are played on smaller fields with smaller goals. There’s one referee, no slide tackling, kick-ins instead of throw-ins, and there still are yellow and red cards. Cost is $70 and covers the league’s insurance plan.

If you’re interested in starting a team or joining a team, contact Bryan Meyer at 904-813-8480 or via email at jaxsoccerstar7@aol.com.

Go to www.basl.com for more information.

Contact Andrew O’Brien at andrew@palmcoast observer.com.

TIMEOUTAndrew O’Brien | Staff Writer

Dust your boots off

ANDREWO’BRIEN

A few words come to the mind of Matanzas Pirates la-crosse coach Greg Kong when describing Jon-Michael Cissell.

Violent … ferocious … dy-namic … intelligent.

“Because of all of those, he is able to capitalize and catch the defense off guard,” Kong said Tuesday night, follow-ing the Pirates’ 16-2 drubbing of P.K Yonge Developmental Research School. Cissell’s six goals led the team — some-thing he has done all season.

“Again, (on Tuesday night), J.M. was able to deliver and just continued to be the spear on the offensive arrow for our team,” Kong said.

Cissell, who plays middie and attack, has been a weapon on the team ever since he trans-ferred from Saint Andrew’s, in Boca Raton, following his sophomore season.

Beginner to veteran Cissell began playing la-

crosse in seventh grade. He said a lot of his football team-mates told him he’d probably enjoy it because it was a combi-nation of all his favorite sports rolled into one.

“The first time I played was a crazy, new experience for me,” Cissell said. “I get everything I want out of sports in one game.”

Cissell’s contribution has propelled the Pirates (6-5) to its first district tournament ap-pearance in four years.

Through the first 11 games — despite missing two — Cissell has 38 goals, 17 assists and 45 ground balls. His shot-to-goal ratio is nearly 54%.

The ground ball stat in la-crosse is just as meaningful as goals and assists, Kong said. A ground ball is tallied when a player cleanly scoops the ball off the ground and advances

the play with clear possession.“It’s an important stat for us

and, typically, whatever team wins the ground balls game

will walk away with the vic-tory,” Kong said.

Cissell hasn’t always been a prolific scorer. At Saint Andrew’s, Cissell said, the team was load-ed with skilled players. “I was young and upcoming and I had to work hard to

compete and keep up with the other guys. I struggled being on the first line.”But now, following his move

north, Cissell finds himself as the most dynamic player on the Pirates. Though he is a ju-nior and not a captain, he still sees himself as a leader on the field.

“He definitely has the other players trying to play up be-cause he raises the bar for them,” Kong said.

A few games ago against Seminole High School, in a game the Pirates had to win to clinch a district playoff berth, Cissell listened to the plea of the team’s captains.

“I remember the captains told us that they wanted every-one to do their jobs,” Cissell re-called. He responded by scor-ing the first five goals of the game and finishing with eight.

Manhandling other playersIf you ask Cissell to describe

his style of play — it’s similar to his coach’s response.

“I like dodges and cutting through players — opening up the field,” Cissell said Tuesday, using hand motions as if he were weaving through oppos-ing defenders.

But there’s also the one part of his game that he won’t let anyone forget he enjoys.

“I love contact more than anything,” the junior said. He

also plays cornerback on the football team.

“When I’m playing someone on defense, I love manhandling them and shoving them out of bounds,” he said. “I also love when I have the ball and they are coming at me full steam and I bull-dodge them.”

Kong said Cissell is so good he is targeted by other teams.

“A lot of times, other teams will come head-hunting for J.M., but he has been able to play very disciplined and keep his cool.”

Kong also pointed out Cis-sell’s hard work in the class-room.

“I’ve come to realize the importance of my education for my future,” Cissell said. “Lacrosse won’t always be there but my education will. Hopefully lacrosse will be my gateway to give me better op-portunities than I might have otherwise had.”

lacrosse By Andrew O’Brien | Staff Writer

POINT OF THE ARROW

Andrew O’brienCissell, a mid-

die and attack-man, brings

speed, power and agility to the Pirates offense.

Shanna FortierJon-Michael Cissell leads the Matanzas lacrosse team with 37 goals and 17 assists as a junior. This summer, he plans to try out for Team Florida.

Jon-Michael Cissell is leading Matanzas back to the district tournament for the first time in four years — one goal, one assist and one bull-dodge at a time.