Ankara boys prevail in weekend soccer tourney
Published: April 29, 2012
Ankara athletic director Tim Redden emailed Saturday night to announce that the Ankara Trojan boys had defeated the International Gateway Academy of Istanbul 1-0 in what amounted to the championship game of the four-day Ankara Sports Association soccer tournament.
IGA entered the finale with a 3-0 record and nine points after defeating the Incirlik Hodjas and Oasis International School and the Pakistani Embassy International Study Group, both located in Ankara. The Trojans had defeated Oasis and Incirlik, but had fallen to the PEISG and therefore had to win to tie IGA at 3-1 and claim the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Incirlik’s co-ed team placed fourth in the five-team boys’ field, Redden added. The Hodjas claimed their lone victory in four games with 1-0 victory over fifth-place Oasis.
IGA won the girls’ tournament, sweeping to the championship with a 4-0 mark. Ankara’s girls were second with a 3-1 record and downed Oasis 2-0 in the game which separated the second- and third-place teams. Although Incirlik fields no girls’ team, the ASA girls’ event featured two new teams, Bilkent School of Ankara and PEISG’s girls.
“I am ecstatic over the efforts of Atahan Atsal to make women’s athletics a priority at the Pakistani Embassy International Study Group,” Redden emailed. “Our DODDS-E kids owe him a great thanks, as his efforts and concern benefit our programs as well.”
Redden formed the ASA four years ago as a way to provide his athletes, far from the center of DODDS-Europe competition, more chances to test their skills. The ASA holds volleyball and basketball events during those seasons.
“Over 170 athletes competed,” Redden concluded. “The boys’ side again had five teams (85 boys). The girls’ side expanded from three teams to five and 40 girls to 85 girls. Girls’ soccer in Ankara more than doubled.”
Ankara’s boys next are scheduled to host Incirlik on Friday and Saturday. Both schools are to play in the DODDS-Europe Division III tournament May 21-24 at Ramstein.
