Eight men's soccer teams are due for this weekend's 33rd annual Ketchum Classic soccer tournament to be played Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 1-2, at fields in Ketchum and Hailey.
Also, five women's squads are expected for the 28th annual Laurent Perrier women's soccer tournament, sponsored by Jim Cimino of Ketchum.
Host Lefty's F.C. of Ketchum will play its Saturday games at 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at the South Valley Sports Complex soccer field (high school field) in Hailey. The Hailey fields are also where the Sunday men's and women's championship games will be played at 2 p.m.
Local team San Lorenzo is also in the men's field.
The Laurent Perrier women of Ketchum will play Saturday at 10 a.m. at WRHS and at 6:30 p.m. on the lower field at Ketchum's Atkinson Park. The tournament barbecue ($10 for food and drink) will be run during the 6:30 p.m. women's game at the park picnic shelter.
Last year's champions were Boise Blast 2-1 over Novus New Balance of Boise for the men, and Jackson Hole (Wyo.) 1-0 over the Ketchum Laurent Perrier women in that finale.
The Lefty's and Laurent Perrier squads tuned up for their big home tournament by competing in the Jackson Hole tournament July 25-26.
The local women had to recruit many players, but still won the title over a team from Jackson Hole. The men had a tougher time recruiting and did not advance to the semi-finals. They lost to eventual champion Weber State of Utah, and also to Mexico, while beating Hearth and Home in a Sunday game.
