craigdailypress.com

For Harry Tripp, the Moffat County High School girls varsity soccer coach, his home is divided — over which soccer team they want to win the World Cup.

“I’m rooting for Germany,” Tripp said. “My daughter is rooting for Argentina, my youngest is pulling for the U.S., and I think my wife wants Brazil to win it all.”

While Harry said he wants the United States to do well, he thinks Germany is going to be the team to beat.

“I think the U.S. has a good team,” he said. “But, I want to see Germany versus Brazil (for the cup).”

Isidro Quezada has less of a conundrum.

“I want Mexico to win,” he said. “That’s where I was born.”

While Quezada wants the United States to do well, if the two teams meet, he knows which one he will root for.

“I’ll be right in the middle,” he said. “I want both teams to get as far as they can, but I would want Mexico (to win).”

Favian Quezada, 16, wasn’t on the fence.

“I want Mexico to win,” he said. “That’s my country — that’s my team.”

Favian’s dream match-up would be a Mexico-Brazil game.

Katie Ellgen, 17, said she wasn’t rooting for one team more than any other.

“I just like to watch the games,” she said. “I’m not going for (the U.S.) because I’d like to see another country win it.”

The World Cup is one event that Isidro Quezada looks forward to.

“I’ve been waiting four years for it to come back,” he said. “When it’s over, I’ll be excited for the next four years.”

Adding to that excitement is Quezada’s plan to attend the games, which will be in Brazil.

“I’m trying to save money so I can go to Brazil,” he said. “I wanted to go this year, but it was too far away.

“I want to go next time, though, and take a month off and have a good time.”

Bill Sawer has been awake at 5 a.m. every day to catch the morning game.

“I haven’t missed a game yet,” he said.

Sawer, a soccer coach who has built a soccer field on his property in Craig, has been to five World Cups.

He went to the 1982 World Cup in Spain, in 1986 he was in Mexico, in 1990 he was in Italy and Sawer went to the 1994 World Cup, which was in various U.S. cities.

“It’s changed a lot,” he said. “It’s a lot more expensive to get tickets now, but I can watch every game on television.

“I can also see a lot more on TV than I would at the games.”

But, there is one thing Sawer said he misses about being at the games.

“It’s electrifying being at the games,” he said. “You have 50,000 people cheering for one team, and 50,000 people cheering for the other.”

As he has for every other World Cup game, Sawer said he is rooting for good games.

“As an American, I root for them,” he said. “But, I’m also a realist, so I’ll cheer for the team that plays the best soccer.”

One of the best parts of the World Cup is seeing 32 nations come together to cheer for their teams, Tripp said.

“It’s big — it’s exciting to watch,” he said. “It’s fun to watch all the countries come together and play.”

Ben Bulkeley can be reached at 875-1795 or bbulkeley@cracraigdailypress.com.