"The Dynamo lost almost half the team this winter, and we were forced to start rebuilding," explains assistant coach Nick Longo. And rebuild they did, with great success, proven by the Dynamo's first place finish in the 2009 ARS Laval Boys "A" Indoor Tournament held over the Saint-Valentine's weekend.
To get the gold, the Dynamo disposed of two heavily-favoured powerhouses – FC Boisbriand in the semis and Blainville in the championship game in the competition organized by the Association Régionale de Soccer (Laval).
The win was especially gratifying for the Dynamo organization, as it was their first tournament conquest ever, having come close on three previous occasions this past summer (2008), coming away with two silvers and a bronze.
"A team is only as strong as its weakest link," says coach Longo, giving his reasons for deciding to stare adversity in the face and embarking on rebuilding the team after its roster had been decimated by the loss of several players. "Coach Peter Adam and I made it our priority to work from the ground up," assistant Longo confirmed. @R;And work their way up they certainly did, reaching the top of the podium by outclassing everyone at the Bois-de-Boulogne tournament.
The goldThe 1-0 championship game was a thriller, with both teams playing cautiously at first, "a kind of feeling-out process," according to coach Longo. But as talent, dedication and hard work eventually prevail, things changed dramatically at mid-match when the Dynamo struck first with the only goal they would need to clinch the title.
The play leading to the winning marker began with Big John Adam stopping a Blainville rush at mid-field, dribbling upfield into the opposition zone, then slipping the ball to a surging Neem Tallah Attie whose quick cross-pass to the right side was converted into a spectacular winner as Sonny Anthony Longo unleashed a screaming shot that ripped by the goalkeeper and sailed into the top corner. Dynamo 1, Blainville 0. "The rest is history," sums up coach Longo. "The Chomedey defense shut down the Blainville attack until the final whistle, and thanks to the great work of 'keeper Leonard Nguyen who stopped everything that came his way, the score remained 1-0."
Dynamo reigns supremeHow did the Dymano end up reigning supreme at the ARS Tournament? It was a total team effort, according to coach Longo, citing the "great play" of Nicholas Bountroukas, Joseph Hanna, Neem Tallah Attie, John Adam, Xavier Samson, Jason Alper, and Peter Alper. Goalkeeper Leonard Nguyen's play was described as "superb and stellar" as was the contribution of defender Jamal Pierre-Louis and defender-midfielder Camilo Juan Marin Gil, who "helped their 'keeper stop everything thrown at him." On offense, Sonny Anthony Longo "was instrumental in the victory, figuring in 7 of the 12 goals scored by the Dynamo in the tournament (a team-leading 5 goals and 2 assists)."
"The win was especially important," affirms coach Longo, adding that it was sweet revenge for the Dynamo who had lost last summer's Coupe Laval outdoor tournament to the same Blainville side, a team which he says is known to have a mixed category of Division 1 and Division 2 players in its line-up. "Congratulations to all the Chomedey Dynamo players," conclude coaches Peter Adam and Nick Longo. For more details on the Chomedey Dynamo, visit their website at www.leaguelineup.com/chomedeydynamo
