Rage Orange - 'Danny's team' - wins Warm-Up tournament Rage Orange - 'Danny's team' - wins Warm-Up tournament (September 09, 2005)

Defeats West County Clash in championship duel
by Jeb Bing

The Pleasanton Rage Orange U-19 girls team won the Soccer City Warm-Up tournament played in Pleasanton, a change in the reports made by others in the league.

The team defeated the West County Clash 2-1 in the championship game, behind goals from Catrina Cruger and a winning goal by Jenny Morss. The Clash took the lead with a breakaway goal, but Cruger equalized on an assist from Jessica Reisfelt and after a sweet interchange of passes involving six players. Morss scored the winning goal on an assist from Danielle Payne. With the Orange going to the goal and hitting the crossbar three times and the post once,
Asst. Coach Steve Kennedy said his team's score could have been much higher.

"So it very easily could have been five or six goals for us," Kennedy said. "We really dominated the opponents."

In the qualification games, Rage Orange, coached by Ron Cruger, controlled each game and beat the Heritage Eclipse 1-0, Intense 1-0 and Almaden Eclipse 3-0. Three of the goals came from Lauren McCarthy, and Jessica Reisfelt and Jana Grant also scored. Goalies Heather Wheatstone and Amanda DeMott comfortably handled any threats, but they were rarely troubled as the Orange defense was outstanding. The defense was led by Kelly Mangan, but Jana Grant, Hannah Roberts, Jen Hudson, Catherine Kennedy and Kate Rombach also played magnificently.

The Rage Orange mid-field took control of each game, shutting down their opponents as well as creating opportunities for themselves and their teammates. The mid-field featured Lizzie Lewis, Cruger, Morgan Helms, Lauren McCarthy, and Colleen Norlander.

The team, known as Danny's team, has been coached in recent years by Danny Payne, who died last summer of cancer at the age of 48. The first soccer player from the Valley to go on and play professional soccer, he was dedicated to the game and his players.

Kennedy said the Warm-Up tournament was always one of Payne's favorites, which made this year's victory all that more special. The team won last year as U-16s and two years earlier as the Rage U-14 team

The Rage will hold a fundraiser from 6 to 9 p.m. tomorrow after opening day games at the Hopyard American Alehouse and Grill, to benefit Danny Payne's children Shaun and Danielle. Kennedy said contributions also can be made directly to the Shaun & Danielle Payne Education Fund, c/o Washington Mutual Bank, 561 Main St., Pleasanton 94566, Acct. No. 1854253481.

Soccer season opens tomorrow Soccer season opens tomorrow (September 09, 2005)

Parade starts at 7:30 a.m.

Soccer season opens tomorrow with Pleasanton's annual team parade starting at 7:30 a.m. on Main Street.

The parade will begin at the corner of St. Mary's and Main Street, travel south on Main, turn west on West Angela Street, then south on Pleasanton Avenue and into the Alameda County Fairgrounds, where it will end at the Amphitheater.

More than 2,400 girls have registered for the Pleasanton Girls Soccer Association - now called the Pleasanton Rage. More than 2,200 boys have signed up for play with teams in the Ballistic United Soccer Club.

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