Thanksgiving @ Dixie Cup Invitational

After the GREAT First place win last year at this tournament, the Rangers team wanted to go back again this year. When we found out that NO OTHER teams in our age bracket were coming to compete, they asked our team if we'd be willing to play up 2 years in the U-18 division. The boys knew it would be TOUGH, but still wanted to go. So we enrolled & didn't go into thinking but we'd MAYBE win a game, or two-

We decided as a family to go down early Wednesday & go hike a few trails at Zions National Park, but when we were being warned of a BLIZZARD coming, we decided to hold back & pass on the hikes and just get to St. George safely on Wednesday sometime. It was definitely colder than it was last year, but still a little warmer than here at home. We spent a lot of our time in our hotel room watching movies, playing games, TEASING each other & chillin'.

The 8 am EARLY games were QUITE COLD, with frost still on the ground, it made for some slippery turf. There were 5 teams in our division & we won a couple, & tied a couple but didn't LOSE any. The games were really exciting & I would have to say we DOMINATED the games, but had a hard time getting our shots IN THE NET- but did well enough to Win or tie the games.





The night games tended to be JUST as cold as the morning games. Friday we played at 8 am, and 6:30, then Saturday we played at 8 am and 12:30. With Finals at 7 pm Saturday night at the Dixie State football field.

It was really FUN and exciting to see our U-16 year old boys could "PLAY" with the U-18 big boys, and actually do really WELL too.

The first game we played on Saturday was the Fire FC Premiere team, we really dominated them. It ended up a tie 0 to 0, and knew if it went our way we'd see them again that night at the FINALS. Saturday night at the Finals we struggled some, and they, the Fire FC Premiere took advantage of it and got in 2 goals. It was disappointing for our boys that we were held scoreless at this game, but we kept telling them that at the beginning of all this we didn't think we'd even go as far as we had, and to be PROUD! We lost the Final match 2 to 0, but came in 2nd in the U-18 Bracket, and received a nice medal.

So PROUD of these boys, they did extremely WELL!!! Congrats-

As for our trip, it was nice, relaxing, and FUN but by Saturday we were ALL ready to get home & stretch out some. We did have some FUN times while we were there, we had a chance to go out to dinner with Mike's M&D at Pizza Factory, they were down there also & came to a couple games. The girls & I did a little shopping, went to a boutique they have down there, but we were worried when Tanner forgot his BLACK soccer shorts & thought we might have to go "BLACK FRIDAY" shopping at 6 am just for those, but decided it wasn't worth it & made him wear other shorts to his first game and hope Tanner's coach wouldn't say anything. Madi was able to swim for about 30 minutes in the outdoor hotel pool, but Bailey I weren't able to make it more than 30 minutes being outside the heated pool. We met up with many of the boys & their families at the movie theater & saw "Tangled" just before the Final game.

Grateful for a good time, & now for being safely back in our own beds, and having a little more S-P-A-C-E to enjoy.