FC Spare Tire's
Top 10
moments in history
In no particular order, here are the FC Spare Tire's top 10 moments in its history.
PLEASE NOTE: These are not necessarily highlights; think of them more like moments that live in infamy.
 1. Lassiter Inked: January 17, 2009. FCST co-founder Steve Lassiter mans up and visits Tacoma’s Supernova Hair and Tattoo to receive a four-inch by four-inch FC Spare Tire badge tattoo on his left calf. Receiving the tattoo allows him to be exempt from all GSSL fees as long as he is a member of FCST. Lassiter paid $0 for the tattoo and to date has saved $540 in GSSL costs as a result.
2. Century Club: February 1, 2009: Midfielder Mike Gill-More heads in a cross from fellow mid Kelly Antoncich for his 100th all-time Tire goal in a 5-1 win over Journeymen at Shoreline B. Gilly whips off his jersey to reveal his own commemorative T-shirt creation and a celebration ensues following the game. Further details are located at www.gillysgoals.com.
3. Undefeated Run: FC Spare Tire is the only team in division 3B not to concede a game and goes 6-0-6 in 18 games en route to its first-ever fall 2009-playoff winning season for its fourth title.
4. Sudden Offense: Forward Steve Lassiter enjoys his best-ever offensive streak, scoring 12 goals in 13 games from November 2, 2008 to March 1, 2009.
 5. Persistence Pays: February 17, 2008. A final-minute beaut of a goal at the top of the box on a two-on-two chance by midfielder Doug Hodson from forward Isaiah Harris gave Tire its first win over defending champs and eventual division 2 title-chasers the Flying Rats.
6. Coast-to-Coast: May 8, 2005. Defender Don Gill-More barely breaks a sweat as he takes a ball and carves through the SD United defense to the six-yard-line before dumping a pass off on an unsuccessful scoring attempt. All teammates could do was sit back and enjoy the majesty. “It is safe to assume that all present were mesmerized at the predator-like prowess and cat-like quickness of the fleet-footed stalwart fullback, whose twinkle toes bewildered the catatonic SDU defense,” teammate Bryan Monaghan later said. “It was truly a sight to see.”
7. Kelly's Rip: October 5, 2008. Midfielder Kelly Antoncich was all alone in the corner of the box to receive a lofting corner kick from fellow mid Matt Galvin and blasted the hardest-hit shot he’s ever cracked past three Seattle Greek American players to slam into the right side netting to break a 1-1 stalemate moments into the second half. “Wow,” said Mike Gill-More. “There was no way he was going to get that—but he got all of it. He hit it perfectly.” The score helped propel Tire to a 4-2 win over the then-undefeated team.
8. Best Ever: July 15 to November 18, 2007. FCST completes a team-record 13 consecutive wins for its first ever undefeated regular season and the only in the GSSL that session to earn the maximum points at 30. Tire won its final two summer session game and lost in the championship by a goal as it averaged 4.15 goals per game and only 1.3 allowed with four shutouts, prompting GSSL president Anita Parker to offer a first-ever, unprecedented “well-done” compliment to the team manager via voicemail.
9. Streak Ends: June 1, 2008. With an “Are you ready to ref?” quip to the referee in response to whether he was done talking and ready to accept a PK, keeper Steve Lassiter’s unbelievable streak of 70 games without a yellow card ended. Lassiter had 28 yellows to his name, but as he'll gladly point out, no reds.
10. Four Shirts: 2010. En route to a career-high 36 goals for the yera, forward Mike Gill-More earned a Top Scorer division T-shirt in each of the four 2010 seasons from the GSSL by leading all scorers with 12 goals in winter, five goals in spring, seven in summer and 12 in the fall.
Honorable mention - or ones we just can't bear to part with:
-
First Game: April 7, 2002. A 0-2 loss to Red Herring at Edmonds District Stadium.
-
First Win: April 14, 2002. A 3-1 defeat of 45th Street Brewers at Shoreview Park behind goals from forwards Carmine Coburn and Steve Lassiter. Thirteen games would be played before the next victory.
-
Championship Win: November 22, 2009. Solid overall play by the offense and defense complimented by three assists from midfielder Tim Farley to three different players led to a 3-0 shutout win over HK United in the division 3B championship at Georgetown.
-
Playoffs Run: Nov. 19, 2004 and March 20, 2005. Even though both top teams beat Tire by at least two goals in the regular season, FCST's playoff grudge matches that ended in regulation ties that went to penalty kick overtimes were extremely exceptional achievements (though eventual losses).
-
Unpredictable Comeback: January 18, 2004. After conceding two goals within the game’s first eight minutes to the Firecars at Upper Genesee, Tire regroups to shut out the club for the remaining 82 minutes. A last-minute score by Steve Lassiter sealed the 3-2 come-from-behind win.
-
Second Best: January 11 to March 21, 2004. In two short years, FCST achieved its then-best season record ever to capture the first place division 4 title with a 9-1-1 record with 27 goals for and 18 against during winter session 2004.
-
 B.A. Hang: March 19, 2006. When Steve Lassiter concedes he isn't the most fit player on the field to a FC Thien An player toward the end of the winter 2006 div. 4 championship at Interbay, the player responds by turning his backside and pulling down his shorts for the first-ever B.A. hang on the pitch in which Tire was a participant.
-
Billy Bends: February 8, 2004. Forward Billy Marx picks the pocket of a Pumas sweeper, touches the ball to space on the right and bends in a pretty right-footer inside the right post from 12 yards out to secure a two-goal advantage and eventual 3-2 win over the top team at Shoreline Stadium in week five of winter session 2004.
-
Division Leaders: September 12 to November 14, 2004. Despite being shut out in the final match of the season, FCST led the division in goals scored with 30 for the first time in its history.
-
Corner Beaut: September 7, 2003. Midfielder Tim Farley begins the fall session with a corner kick bender that found all net in a 4-2 win over Fergie's Red and White Army.
-
Fastest Score: Feb. 29, 2004: About 48 seconds into a rematch game vs. FC Thien An, a Farley long lead pass spanning 25 yards found forward Dean Lencioni who squeezed between a defender and the keeper to lace one in from 10 out (a 1-5 loss at Rainier Beach High School).
-
Gritty Tie: January 26, 2003. An 0-3 FC Spare Tire shuts out powerhouse team The Collective (who would soon thereafter advance from division 4) in a 0-0 tie at Seattle's Memorial Stadium.
-
 Unstoppable Tear: September 7, 2003 to February 1, 2004. Forward Mike Gill-More either scored or assisted on a goal in 13 of 15 games.
-
No Glare: November 9, 2003. After claiming to lose balls in the lights and sun in consecutive games, former keeper Mitch King meets teammates who, in a showing of solidarity and lighthearted ribbing, all greet him wearing Mueller anti-glare under-eye patches at Summit.
-
What The ?: March 2, 2003. In an unprecedented move, former midfielder Mike Holloman takes what can only be called a practice penalty kick (in a 6-5 win over Nascimento at Shoreview Park) while waiting for the referee to set it all up. The shot, toward a goal without a goalie, was launched over the frame and cleared the fence. Holloman received a yellow card for his "delay of game," according to the referee. "No one was doing anything, so I figured I'd just take a shot," Holloman later said.
-
Don's Defense: July 27, 2008. FC Spare Tire players paid tribute to its anchor for six years, Don Gill-More, by unveiling "I (Don's Mug) Defense" T-shirts prior to the start of the Soccer Team FC summer season finale at Shorecrest High School. "Are you guys retiring me or something?" he immediately asked.
|
