Bakersfield Brigade Bow Out Of Open Cup

Bakersfield Brigade Official Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Brigade Bounced

The result was one expected when a team of amateurs takes on a group of professionals. When the PDL’s Bakersfield Brigade played the USL First Division’s Portland Timbers, it took all of four minutes for the visitors to take a lead.

But the Brigade continued playing valiantly, and the boys from Bakersfield showed well in a 2-0 loss to the more experienced team in the first round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open on Tuesday at Bakersfield Christian High.

"I think the first 20 minutes we came out a little nervous," Brigade coach Francisco Gomez said. "After that, we saw we could play with those guys."

Four minutes into the first half, Portland’s Lee Morrison headed an assist to Lawrence Olum to give the Timbers a 1-0 lead. It appeared the route was on.

Keep in mind, the Brigade plays two divisions behind the league Portland plays in. The Timbers are only one rung below the MLS.

But Bakersfield had the homefield advantage, and the Timbers were dealing with, what is for them, unusually warm weather. In addition, Portland had just returned from a road trip on the East Coast before traveling directly to Bakersfield.

"I thought we were flat," said Portland head coach Gavin Wilkinson. "We got casual. This was (Bakersfield’s) final, and our boys played at Montreal and Rochester the last few days."

Portland made the score 2-0 in the 18th minute when Luc Harrington headed in an assist from Ricardo Lara. It would be the end of the Timbers’ scoring, but it was all they needed.

By the time the second half rolled around, Bakersfield seemed a little more comfortable sharing the field with Portland. The Brigade couldn’t convert on scoring opportunities, though.

"We just weren’t making the right runs," Brigade midfielder Shawn Singh said. "We created opportunities, but we couldn’t finish."

Singh was named Player of the Game for his efforts, and his presence on the field was a reminder of the chasm separating these two teams.

While the Timbers are dreaming of a life in the MLS and picking up a paycheck to do so, Singh will try to walk on at UCLA next season after his high school career at Garces finished three months ago.

"I’m proud of Shawn," Gomez said. "He’s been working hard all year. He’s shown that he belongs here."

Naturally, the Timbers have more resources as far as practice time and player commitment as well. Wilkinson and his Portland team left town with a respect for what the Bakersfield players have accomplished in limited time together.

"I think there are some good individuals," Wilkinson said. "In the PDL it’s hard to work with the guys because they’re coming and going, but they had some good individual players."

The U.S. Open continues for Portland, while the Brigade will try to carry some momentum into the rest of its PDL season.

"I’m definitely not disappointed with the loss," Gomez said. "I’ll take this because the team played well.

"Now we’ll just focus on league and trying to make a run for the playoffs."