2020 took a season from our players and our supporters, but Cameron Koubek sat down and gave every club in the league a chance to “play”, even if only pretend because it was better than silence.
They created a "pretend season"
Here is how we faired:
Southeast Division (see full article here)
“All eyes were on the game between Rowdies U23 and The Villages SC, which The Villages won 2–0 at Al Lang Stadium. It was the Rowdies’ first loss of the season, and it allowed The Villages to move within one point of the leaders despite having played three less matches.”
Our response at the time: "Virtual or not, we love every word."
Top of the division (see full article here)
"Rowdies U23 were inactive this week, and while The Villages SC didn't win its only game, a 1–1 draw with Sarasota was enough to move the Buffalo to the top of the division on goal difference with two games still in hand."
Our response: "I'm not sure about the first part... I guess it's not impossible. Top of the table, now that I agree with."
And then the Conference Final (see full article here)
> "#3 The Villages SC defeats #2 Tobacco Road FC, 1–0. Though The Villages' form faltered to close the regular season, the Buffalo were able to grind out a result to reach the Southern Conference Final. Tobacco Road dominated the first half, but were reduced to 10 men just after the break. The Villages scored with the team's only shot on goal in the 59th minute, then set up in a low defensive block which effectively kept out the undermanned TRFC attack."*
One shot on goal. One goal. A low block for thirty minutes. Cutting it close like that sounds very familiar…
Southern Conference Champions (see here)
#3 The Villages SC defeats, #1 West Virginia Alliance, 3–2 (AET)
“A truly, genuinely insane game. The Villages took the lead early in the 7th minute, but were pegged back in the 25th. The Villages again took the lead before halftime, but the Alliance again found an equalizer on the other side of the break. At 2–2, the rest of the game was extremely open — the teams combined for 11 shots on goal in the final 30 minutes of regulation alone, but neither scored. The Villages broke through in the 99th minute to go up 3–2, and West Virginia were then denied an equalizer by an incredible save in the 119th minute. After multiple years of playoff heartbreak, The Villages finally claimed the Southern Conference crown.”
Our response: "We won! Second time we've been crowned Southern Conference Champions."
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National semifinal (see here)
"Lehigh Valley United defeats The Villages SC, 2–2 (4–3 on penalties). An instant classic of a semi-final, this one was a seesaw battle. Lehigh Valley went ahead on a thunderbolt of a strike in the 22nd minute, but The Villages found an equalizer just five minutes later. The Villages then took the lead just before halftime, capitalizing on a slick team move. Lehigh Valley piled on waves of pressure throughout the second, and The Villages appeared to be weathering them until a wild scramble in the box saw the ball trickle over the line to make it 2–2 in the 81st minute. Neither team scored in extra time, and Lehigh Valley advanced on penalties with their captain scoring a cheeky Panenka to seal the shootout win."*
Knocked out of a national semifinal on penalties, by a Panenka, in a season that did not exist.
OVF Alliance went on to beat Lehigh Valley 2–1 after extra time in the final.
Our response: “Final 4. Not too shabby. Congratulations to OVF Alliance.”
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We have a real Southern Conference Championship from 2018 and a real national semifinal appearance that ended with ten men in Pennsylvania.
The simulated universe gave us a Conference title and then knocked us out of a semifinal on penalties, sounds pretty close to reality.
Thank you to Cameron for giving us something to smile about.
Another Southern Conference Championship.
We will take it. Let’s Go Buffalo!
