Problems Plague Soccer Tourney

All Bonita Vista Coach Ron Pietila asks is that two of the 12th Baron Invitational finals are contested before the San Diego Section girls’ soccer championship.

Because of conflicts ranging from injuries to holiday travels, the unlimited and classified division finals of the tournament won’t be played today as scheduled, along with the limited and junior varsity title games.

“Hey, we may just play the games the night of the CIF finals, make it a doubleheader,” Pietila joked. “Maybe next year we can start at Thanksgiving and drag it out three months.”

Pietila gave the semifinalists the option of playing when they could find an agreeable time and five of the eight semifinalists said today wasn’t. The unlimited and classified finalists have until Jan. 11 to play.

The tournament has grown from its original four teams to a record 54 entries this year. Too many teams and too few fields resulted in scheduling problems. Schools that traditionally offered fields for the tournament didn’t have the resources this year.

“Things are getting tight all around,” Pietila said. “One school said they wouldn’t host unless we supplied chalk.”