FAIRFIELD – According to its Web site, the 2008 MidAmerican Soccer Classic (MASC) declared the following teams champions within their divisions for the girls weekend.

GU09Bronze, GPSA Breakers 99A; GU09Copper, GSSA Sycamore United; GU09Gold, Warren County Blue; GU09Silver, Classics hammer FC; GU10Bronze, Westside Premier 97-98; GU10Copper, WC Silver Attack Pack; GU10Gold, Michigan Burn 98 Sikorski; GU10Red, WV Chaos-Fox; GU10Silver, Pride S.C. Maroon; GU11Gold, Eagles SC, Lady Eagles ’96; GU11Bronze, Loveland Chargers Orange; GU11Copper, Worthington United Silver; GU11Red, FOSC Swarm White; GU11Silver, NK United Lady Cobras; GU12-8v8Bronze, 1996 WV Chaos Girls; GU12-8v8Silver, Westlake Rockers; GU12Bronze, Sycamore United Gold; Gu12 Copper, Stingers; GU12Gold, LUSC Premier; GU12Silver, NWC Alliance G95 Black; GU13Bronze, Cincinnati Futbol Academy Gold; GU13Copper, NK United Flames; GU13Gold, Greater Toledo Futbol Club; GU13Red Canton Celtic 95 White; GU13Silver, Cutters 95; GU14Bronze, NK United Crush; GU14Copper, Sycamore Arsenal; GU14Gold, Central Ky Lightening; GU14Silver, BSC Cobras; GU15Bronze, WC United Blue; Gu15Gold, WV Chaos Elite; GU15Silver, Ohio Galaxies FC 92 Elite Girls; GU16Bronze, CJ United Crossfire, GU16Gold, North London Flash U15 Girls, GU16Silver MTSC Thunder, GU17Bronze, Loveland Chargers U16; GU17Gold, Commonwealth Soccer Club, U17; GU17Silver, St Catharines Jets; GU19Gold, London Supernova; GU19Silver, CWSC United

For complete information on the MASC soccer tournament, including real-time scores, standings and photos, visit the Web site at www.masctournament.com.

Visit the event web site….

FAIRFIELD – Armed with cameras trained at soccer players on the field of competition, Corinne Vespie and her crew of soccer moms and dads are on a mission to capture as many photos as possible of the teams at this year’s Mid American Soccer Classic (MASC).

“I’ve had over twenty responses from boys teams and over forty responses for girls teams to be photographed,” states Vespie excitedly. “I’m sure we’ll get more as the tournament progresses.” All the proceeds from the sale of the photos will be given to the Fairfield Optimist Soccer Club (FOSC) Girls U16 Thunder.

Joining Vespie in the fund-raising endeavor are other soccer moms and dads that she recruited; Lorinda Ottaway, Vickie Gump and Shawn Starkey. Vespie is a part-time professional photographer and hopes to turn this opportunity into a full-time profession.

“All of the photographers have girls who play for FOSC,” Vespie explains. The photos will be available through Picture Perfect Studio’s Web site, linked from the MASC tournament Web site.

For complete information about the 2008 MASC soccer tournament, including real-time scores, standing and photos taken by Vespie and her crew, visit www.masctournament.com.

PHOTO (Contributed by Corinne Vespie) A game photograph available for purchase of the MASC boys weekend.

Visit the event web site….

FAIRFIELD – According to its Web site, the 2008 MidAmerican Soccer Classic (MASC) declared the following teams champions within their divisions for the boys weekend.

BU08Gold, WC United B99 Red; BU09Bronze, Canton Celtic 99 White; BU09Copper, Cesa FC; BU09Gold, Sycamore Arsenal – Black; BU09Silver, WASA Eagles Wings; BU10Bronze, U-10 Ohio Elite Soccer Academy Gold; BU10Copper, Hilliard FC Nitro; BU10Gold, KASC Elite 97; BU10Silver, Team Ohio FC Arsenal; BU11Gold, Warren County United United Blue B96; BU11Silver, Michigan Rush Swoosh; BU12-8v8, Michigan Rush Swoosh; BU12Bronze, CFC Fury; BU12Copper, LUSC Firehawks Black; BU12Gold, WC United Blue 95; BU12Silver, Magic White 96; BU13Bronze, Warrior 94; BU13Copper, WASA Global Red; BU13Gold, Team Ohio FC Sparta; BU13Silver, FOSC Storm; BU14Bronze, FOSC Force U-14 Boys; BU14Copper, Toledo Football Academy; BU14Gold, Toledo Football Academy U14 Premier; BU14Silver, Cincinnati United Premier White; BU15Bronze, MTSC Storm; BU15Copper, Toledo Football Academy; BU15Gold, Lakota Eagles; BU15Silver, Michigan Rush Nike; BU16Bronze, Toledo Football Academy U16 Premier; BU16Copper, SKY FC 92; BU16Gold, CESA FC U-16; BU16Silver, Livonia Meteors; BU17Bronze, Team Ohio FC Black; BU17Gold, FOSC Blitz; BU17Silver, CUP 91 White; BU19Gold, FOSC KRUE and BU19Silver, FOSC United.

The girls teams play this coming weekend at the same locations in Fairfield, Oh. For complete information on the MASC soccer tournament, including real-time scores, standings and photos, visit the Web site at www.masctournament.com.

Visit the event web site….

FAIRFIELD – It is rare that a soccer referee gets everyone to agree on a call, but when it comes to Steve Frechling’s banana bread, the opinions are unanimous. This bread is good.

Frechling started baking banana bread about 11 years ago when he suddenly found a lot a time on his hands after his son finished playing travel hockey. He had a steady supply of bananas from his employer, time and a desire to try something new. A menu of banana breads that include such flavors as white chocolate, chocolate chip, peanut butter, walnut and plain banana was born. He started to bring the extra loaves to the referee tents and quickly found himself a fan following.

“This has grown into a small cottage industry,” Frechling says. “Referees seem to like it and now expect it at soccer tournament where I referee.”

In addition to refereeing league games and tournaments, Frechling also assigns referees for the MASC, PRF and helps out with other tournaments across southwestern Ohio. This weekend and next, he and his banana bread will be at the referee tents in ample supply at the MASC tournament, in Fairfield, Oh.

For complete information at this year’s MASC, please visit the Web site at www.masctournament.com

PHOTO: Harry Bourne and Dan Craycraft, both referees at the 2008 MASC soccer tournament, take a moment between games to chat and enjoy Frechling’s banana bread with coffee.

Visit the event web site….

FAIRFIELD – This weekend, the Mid-American Soccer Classic (MASC) will host 262 boys teams from seven states, including Canada. The teams are traveling from Indiana, Ohio (North and South), West Virginia, Michigan, Kentucky, Illinois and Pennsylvania. Six of the boys teams are from Canada, with twenty-one teams total from Canada. A total of 430 games over Saturday and Sunday will be played at Optimist Park, Joyce Park and Applecreek Fields in Fairfield. The girls play at the same venues next weekend, April 12-13.

Some teams had expressed some concern about the weather, but according to Mike Hessling, the tournament schedule coordinator, the fields are in playable condition and he expects the rain to hold. “We’ll just move things around if we need to,” Hessling chimed. “No big deal.”

The total number of teams for both weekends is 577 with a grand total of 950 games. “That’s also a lot of referees,” says John Kingham, one of the three referee assignors tasked with finding and scheduling referees. “We just take it in stride, the weather and all the activity. That’s just soccer.”

For all the game action as it unfolds throughout both weekends, visit the MASC Web site at www.masctournament.com.

PHOTO: Game action from the 2007 MASC girls weekend.

Visit the event web site….