.

.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Sunday update, 8th grade week

Thanks again for everyone who came out to Track and Field on Saturday. I got sunburned when there wasn't much sun -- ridiculous.

If you did, you saw first hand how many St. Mary's participants there were compared to all the other schools. It was a fun day and I hope to see more of the same support next year. Congratulations to ALL the runners who participated. It's not easy running, but everyone who came out made a valiant effort.

Tonight is Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Turn it on and watch some hockey, it's going on right now on NBC-11, or Ch. 3 on most cable systems.

Now most, if not all of you don't watch hockey. But Detroit is like the Lakers of the NHL. Every year they are good and we are tired of them winning. They are up 1-0 and let's see if their opponent, the Pittsburgh Penguins, featuring Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin can pull even at 1-1.

The NBA Finals are set, and Kobe vs Lebron will have to wait until next year or your video game. Mickael Pietrus (Why is he all of a sudden Michael now?) and Adonal Foyle vs Kobe Bryant. Lakers vs Magic. I will be pulling for Orlando.

And finally, this week will be 8th grade week where we fill focus on the graduating class of 2009. This week, you will read posts from some coaches, maybe parents and even students that are involved with the 8th grade class. It all starts tomorrow culminating in the graduation this Friday.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Vivian wins pentathlon

Vivian won the pentathlon earlier today at the annual Track and Field meet. She placed first in the high jump, long jump and 100 meter dash -- 2nd in the 400 meters.

She didn't even have to race in the final race to win the event, as she clinched her victory after the 4th event, softball.

This marks the third consecutive year a St. Mary's student as won the pentathlon. Jonathan Chiu in 2007 and John Wang in 2008.

Thanks for everyone who came out and participated. A full recap and results will be available in this week's newsletter.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Track and Field Tomorrow Morning

EVERYBODY COME OUT TOMORROW TO S.I. FOR TRACK AND FIELD.

Events run the entire day from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Whatever you can make, come out and do it. It doesn't cost any money.

Don't hate -- participate.

Here is the link to the full day of events. See you there.

http://athletics.cccyo.org/documents/CYO_Track_Field_Flyer09.pdf

Thursday, May 28, 2009

3rd/4th grade coaches reflect

By 3rd/4th grade girls coaches, Diana Tsang, Stephanie Chan and Eudora Chen

When we were asked to coach the 3rd/4th grade girl’s basketball team,
we jumped aboard to be a part of St. Mary’s Athletics. Little did we know our responsibilities as basketball coaches -- the three of us were inexperienced coaches but rather experienced on the court. We were about to embark on a journey that would cultivate our minds as we mature.

Our biggest challenge to winning games was the lack of experience and familiarity with the game, but that did not get in our way of success, because we had determination.

At the beginning of the season, the six young girls, who represented the St. Mary’s 3rd/ 4th grade basketball team, were off to an unknown and rough start since they barely knew the game of basketball. As a rookie team, they had to develop and work
together to accomplish their goals. Unlike other coaches who have experience,
we were the newcomers and did not know what to expect. However, it was gratifying
to see them come to each practice; we saw the steadily improvement made by the
girls.

Even though we were short on time with practices before our first game,
the team exercised the fundamentals of basketball and managed to keep up with
their opponents. At each practice and game, they showed tons of improvement and determination to win. Game after game after game, we were so close to winning.

To cap off the season of learning and growing experiences, we are very proud of the six young girls who had the courage to take the challenges we put forth. With the lack of raw talent in the young girls, it was a difficult task we faced throughout the season. Although it was not what we hoped for we were still proud of these girls for showing love for the greatest sport played, basketball.

We hope each girl has learned something new as we have also grasped more than we have expected. The more time we spent with the girls, the more we learned to overcome the many challenging obstacles together. We look forward to seeing them succeed in the future and wish them the best. Its summer…LET’S PARTY!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

A memoir from an 8th grade coach

By Matt Chung, 8th grade girls basketball coach

When we coached the 8th grade girls last year, I already thought the bench was too crowded. We had 10 players and 3 coaches with different backgrounds and ambitions. But when Bryan asked to coach with us this year, we welcomed the idea with open arms (plus you can’t say no to the AD). I’ve coached a few times in the past, had my say with three teams this school year, and what I’ve learned is that coaching isn’t easy.

I remember our first game of the season and how Bryan went through the game plan in the huddle. I couldn’t help but stand there thinking to myself, “Wow, this guy knows what he’s talking about.” I knew from then on that we were going to have a successful season.

I’ve always felt that this 8th grade girl’s team had the talent to make it to the playoffs and to win a championship. But after last year’s disappointing season I wasn’t sure what to expect this year. With a new experienced coach on board, one less player on the team and an overall different mentality coming from the players, it was hard not to see something special brewing.

Shari once told me early on in the season, before our first game, that this year she “felt it.” I think all the girls on the team knew that this was their last shot for ultimate glory. Not only did our top players come prepared but everyone else tried their best to fill out the roles. Shari was the leading scorer last year on a team that struggled putting points on the board, so it was amazing to see Olivia and Sophia help carry the scoring load. We went from scoring 15 points a game to 28 a game this year.

Although we finished the season with a very commendable record of 7-1, almost every game was stressful. Like most St. Mary’s teams, these girls always found a way to make the game more difficult than it needed to be. We would give up big leads to teams we should be dominating game after game. The main problems for these meltdowns throughout the season were turnovers, breaking the press, and making layups and free throws.

At times our team would play with poise and brilliance, while at other times we looked like a team of 3rd graders who never stepped onto a basketball court before. To the girls credit though, they were able to put together enough good moments while overcoming tough situations. Our toughest game was the playoff game where Sophia hit two clutch free throws to give us a shot at the 8-5 division championship. We ended up losing the championship convincingly to a team that probably did not belong in our division.

There are many words that could describe our season but “disappointing” is not one of them. I think a good word to use would be “bittersweet.” We didn’t win the championship but overall our season was a success. We played horribly in the first half of our most important game, but it was impressive to see our girls dig deep and compete in the second half of that same game. I’ve had such a great time coaching these girls and have so many great memories at practices, games and dinners. It will be difficult to say goodbye. Although I’m proud of every one of the girls and it’s gratifying seeing them grow up and move on, I would love to have them back for just one more year so we could make one more run at a championship.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Tuesday Update

So for today, in case you have never seen this. I did a report about High School Sports my senior year in College.



And as a bonus...the 6th grade girls get a shout-out.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Post #300 -- Track and Field This Saturday

Can you believe this is Post #300?

Track and Field will be this Saturday at S.I. -- the annual track meet for all the schools in CYO.

Students from grades 3-8 can participate in this great event. The day starts at 10 a.m. with races -- 50 M, 75 M, 100 M, 150 M and 200 M runs. Field events include long jump, high jump, softball and frisbee toss.

The most exciting event of the afternoon are the 4 x 100 relay races where 4 runners team up to pass the baton around the track.

More details will be sent home tomorrow, but plan to be there this final event closes out the school year.

NOTE:
I will be producing the sportscast tonight on Ch. 5 -- tune in at approximately 11:25 p.m.

All-Star Sunday Pictures

Below in last night's post, are results for All-Star Sunday. Here are some pictures from the exciting day of events.

Photos courtesy of the Great Eunice Tom.




Sunday, May 24, 2009

Bryan stars in alumni game, and the rest of the All-Star Sunday results

Bryan scored 2 crucial first-half points, as his team of alumni defeated the current coaches/alumni 56-38.

The winners included current coaches/alumni Matthew Chung, Alex Kawashima, James Chiu, Aaron Leung, Ronnie Leung, Thanh Truong, Larry Wong and Bryan Cheung.

John Wang, Frederick Ng, Andrew Chuong, Tiffanie Vuong, Justin Khuu, , Clarissa Lee, Michael Chan, Henry Szeto and Tiffanie Yu gave a valiant effort in the loss.

Young Stars Game

The team of Eudora, Angela, Isabella, Fiona and Victoria defeated the team of Diana, Stephanie, Cynthia, Ivy and Edwena 20-15.

Girls All-Star Game
In the Girls All-Star Game, Team Red of Shari, Sophia, Emily, Marissa and Melinda destroyed Team White, Olivia, Vivian, Serina, Beverlyn and Tianna. The final was 40-14.

Shari took home the Girls All-Star Game MVP Trophy.

Teacher's Shooutout
Mr. Ballesteros defeated Mrs. Wong in the Teacher Shootout Final.

2-Ball
The team of Olivia and Matt won the 2-Ball Contest.

3-Point Shootout
Olivia wins the 3-Point Shootout over Jessica in the finals.

Sophia wins the Ultimate Knockout

Sophia outlasted Tommy and Elliot in the final three of the school-wide game of knockout to become the first ever Ultimate Knockout Champion.

Willard Hits the Million Dollar Shot
Willard hit the Million Dollar Shot from just inside the free-throw line and took home with him $50.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Girls All-Star Sunday

Girls, please wear your uniforms tomorrow to this event.

Here are a few other notes for the afternoon.

--3rd/4th grade girls should show up at 12:15 p.m. for warm-ups.

--Willard will be taking the Million Dollar Shot at approximately 2:30 p.m.

--Ultimate Knockout Numbers will be drawn immediately following the Coaches/Alumni Game. So anybody who comes after that will be placed in the front of the line, if they are lucky.

Please refer to this previous blog post for the full schedule for Girls All-Star Sunday.

http://stmarysathletics.blogspot.com/2009/05/full-all-star-sunday-details.html

See everyone Sunday!

Friday, May 22, 2009

Thank you all!

I would personally like to thank everybody who missed Smackdown and Lebron's game-winning shot, that came out to Awards Night.

From the looks of it, this might've been our biggest crowd in the last decade or so. Sorry for running a bit long...If you left early, we ended at 10:06 p.m.

Thanks to all the parents, coaches, players, friends who made tonight such a special night. I really enjoyed tonight's festivities and we'll see if we can top this next year.

Time for me to finally eat dinner.

See you all Sunday.

***UPDATE 12:49 a.m.

I am thumbing through my nice bag of goodies and all the nice cards and gifts everyone got for me tonight. And right on cue, and trust me, I am very thankful for the kind gestures and the principle behind the gifts, but this is what one note read...

"To Brian Cheng: Great job, keep up the good work!!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Sophia's team wins big at Achievement Game

Sophia's team won easily 55-31 at the CYO Achievement Game. She had 4 points, several assists, steals and played all four quarters in the victory.

AWARDS NIGHT TOMORROW

Awards Night is tomorrow night. Doors open at 5 p.m. and festivities will start at 6:30 p.m. Right now, the show is slotted to end between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Everyone must have a ticket to get in. If you have purchased a ticket, your name should be on the list that will allow you entry. If not, it will be $5 for admission and $9 for a meal.

Bring money tomorrow for the SPORTS RAFFLE -- proceeds going to our sports department. Lots of Giants tickets, Warriors tickets, Sharks tickets, collectibles, and the grand prize, a signed Monta Ellis jersey.

See everyone tomorrow night!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Awards Night, Sophia in Achievement Game



Awards Night is this Friday at 5 p.m. from Old. St. Mary's Auditorium. You must have a ticket to get in! Tickets at the door will be $5 for entrance and $9 for a meal.

Please bring straight cash (homie or homey) for the raffle, where there will be Giants, Warriors and Sharks tickets up for grabs. Also, the grand prize, a signed Monta Ellis jersey.

Sophia goes to the Achievement Game
Sophia will play in the CYO Achievement Game tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. It is a very special game for all graduates. The game will be at St. Emydius so please come and support Sophia.

Full All-Star Sunday Details



• 12:30 p.m. – Young Stars Game
• 1 p.m. – 3-Point Shootout
• 1:30 p.m. – Coaches/Alumni Game
• 2:15 p.m. – Teachers Shootout
• 2:25 p.m. – Million Dollar Shot
• 2:30 p.m. – Parents Shootout
• 3 p.m. – Coaches/Players 2-Ball
• 3:30 p.m. – Schoolwide Knockout
• 4:30 p.m. - All-Star Game


3-point Shootout Contestants

Marissa
Emily
Melinda
Olivia
Sophia
Jessica

Wong vs Chiu
Jessica/Erica vs Catharine/Michelle

2-Ball Teams
Freddy - Beverlyn
Tiffanie – Marissa
Aaron – Melinda
Thanh – Angel
James – Sophia
Tiffanie – Emily
Ronnie – Sally
Alex – Vivian
Matthew – Olivia
Bryan – Shari
Eudora – Cynthia
Diana – Edwena
Stephanie – Isabella

Young Stars Game
Team Red – Eudora, Stephanie, Isabella, Fiona, Victoria
Team White – Diana, Angela, Cynthia, Ivy, Edwena

Teacher Shootout
Mr. Ballesteros, Ms. Chan, Mrs. Mayfield, Mrs. Wong, Mrs. Hall, Mr. Ryan

All-Star Game
Team Red – Shari, Sophia, Emily, Marissa, Melinda
Team White – Olivia, Vivian, Serina, Beverlyn, Tianna

Alumni Coaches Game
Team Red – Matthew Chung, Alex Kawashima, James Chiu, Aaron Leung, Ronnie Leung, Thanh Truong, Larry Wong
Team White – John Wang, Frederick Ng, Andrew Chuong, Tiffanie Vuong, Justin Khuu, , Clarissa Lee, Michael Chan, Henry Szeto, Tiffanie Yu

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

All-Star Sunday Schedule, Blog Exclusive

* 12:30 p.m. – Young Stars Game
* 1 p.m. – 3-Point Shootout
* 1:30 p.m. – Coaches/Alumni Game
* 2:15 p.m. – Teachers Shootout
* 2:25 p.m. – Million Dollar Shot
* 2:30 p.m. – Parents Shootout
* 3 p.m. – Coaches/Players 2-Ball
* 3:30 p.m. – Schoolwide Knockout
* 4:30 p.m. - All-Star Game

Participants will be added later tonight.

BLOG EXCLUSIVE

If you are reading this, then you should come to Cameron House tomorrow night at 6 p.m. for a school-wide game of kickball. The game will take anywhere from an hour to 90 minutes. See you there.

AMERICAN IDOL
American Idol finale is tonight, Kris Allen vs Adam Lambert. Adam will probably win, but I will vote for Kris.

NBA CONFERENCE FINAL PREDICTIONS


Once again, I was perfect in my NBA playoff predictions so here I can go again.

Lakers vs Nuggets
The Lakers will decide they care and will all of a sudden show why they are the best team in the west. I hate the Lakers, but they will win this series.
LAKERS IN 6

Cavs vs Magic
Lebron is king. Everyone gets Kobe vs Lebron like they wanted.
CAVS IN 5

Monday, May 18, 2009

What a weekend...this week

What an incredible weekend it was with all the playoff and championship games. Regardless of the wins or losses, it was an exciting few days and something we hope to all be apart of for years to come.

BLOG EXCLUSIVE
In a blog exclusive, Wednesday night at Cameron House starting at 6 p.m., we will have a school-wide kickball game. Simply show up if you would like to play.

Awards Night is Friday and All-Star Sunday is Sunday. Throughout this week, there should be a plethora of surprises on the blog. Stay tuned.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Watch Ch. 5 Tonight

Be sure to tune in to CBS-5 tonight at 11:30 p.m. for GameDay. At the end of the show, hopefully they will have enough time, and if they do, they'll send a special hello to our victorious 6th graders.

Slow start hurts 8th grade in championship

The 8th grade girls were able to pull it together, but unfortunately it was too little too late.

Going into halftime of their championship game, they trailed 21-2 and were visibly nervous in the biggest game of the year.

However, they were able to bounce back, and actually outscored the other team 23-20 in the second half. It was still not enough as they take second place in their division in a 41-25 loss.

The lead was cut to 9 points in the 4th quarter, but no closer than that.

The girls played so hard to get back in the game, they didn't have much left to complete what would have been a comeback of epic proportion.

There should be no shame in coming in second for these girls, as they lost to an undefeated team. And what does it say when a team can win a championship by 16 points? Were they even in the right division?

But those things are out of the girls' control and they gave their best effort to make an attempt at an upset.

What was in their control were their free-throws and lay-ups, two things that they have done a solid job of in their last few games. Today, they were absent.

They shot 9-of-32 from the free-throw line and seemed a bit flustered when they had their open looks.

Despite the loss, this team has made the biggest improvement of any of the teams. Winning only one game a season ago, they were in the championship and perhaps a bad half of basketball away from being on top.

There's nothing they should be ashamed of as they worked hard all season long to go the distance.

The girls left it all out on the court, and we should all be very proud about their accomplishments as they leave St. Mary's.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

6th grade girls win the championship

Defense does win championships after all.

The 6th grade girls completely shut down the OLP offense in the second-half en route to their first championship Saturday afternoon.

After pulling ahead to a 6-4 lead after the first quarter, they were outscored 8-1 in the second and found themselves trailing 12-7 at halftime.

But basketball is a game of runs, and the girls made their run in the third, with an effective press and timely shots. They won the third quarter battle 6-0 and were up 13-12 after three.

The game had the feeling of whoever was going to score next was going to win the game. The girls had three chances from the free-throw line on one-and-ones and weren't able to convert any of them.

But they played good enough defense, and were able to overcome Beverlyn fouling out with 6.8 seconds left to capture the victory.

It was an incredible effort today and all season as this team has only 5 girls on the team. They don't have the luxury of rest like most teams, but yet they pulled through. It is cleary one of the best stories we've had at St. Mary's.

And to think this team started their season with three straight losses in the tournament. They weren't discouraged and the hard work paid off.

Tonight, they are champions.

Baseball team eliminated from the playoffs, Championship tomorrow

Well, at least it was better than last time.

The baseball team lost decisively, but not as bad as the first time they played the undefeated top team in the league.

There were some bright spots on defense, but there was no way any team was going to contain the other team's offense on this afternoon.

However, the team will finish the season, much improved and a 180-degree turn from last year's rookie season.

The six 8th graders played their final games for St. Mary's baseball today, and let's hope they continue playing in the future.

It was a very good season.

8th Grade Championship

The 8th grade girls championship will be tomorrow at St. Emydius. Game-time is 5 p.m. (699 Jules Ave)

Friday, May 15, 2009

6th grade going to championship!

The 6th grade girls shrugged off a sluggish start and an early 4-0 deficit, and upset the top seeded team in the division 18-8, advancing to the championship tomorrow afternoon.

They got contributions from every one of the five girls on the team and shot 50% from the free-throw line to dominate the last three quarters of the game.

Up 9-4 going into the 4th quarter, they were able to sustain their lead and push it to 10 in the final minute of the game to punch their ticket to the championship.

Be there tomorrow for the 6th grade championship, 3:15 p.m. from St. Emydius (699 Jules Ave).

BASEBALL PLAYOFFS TOMORROW

The baseball team will try to pull off an upset of their own tomorrow afternoon when they play their playoff game.

First pitch at 2:30 p.m. will be at McCoppin. (24th and Santiago)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY


Happy Birthday to Alex, our 5th/6th grade boys and 8th grade girls coach.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

7th grade goes cold after hot start

The 7th grade got all the looks they wanted, but went on a scoring drought after taking a 6-2 in the first half.

They ended up losing 11-6, but it wasn't for a lack of effort. They had a lot better looks at the basket, but the rims were just unforgiving on this night.

It just wasn't there night, but nonetheless was a successful year as they made the playoffs in only their second season.

6TH GRADE TOMORROW NIGHT
The 6th grade game tomorrow night will start at 6:15 p.m. from Epiphany. (827 Vienna Street) Be there to support the five 6th graders who can get to the championship for the win.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Playoff News Galore, Baseball team in the playoffs

The baseball team clinched a playoff spot and will play Saturday, 2:30 p.m. at McCoppin for the right to go to the Championship.

Tomorrow night
7th grade, 8 p.m. @ St. Brendan (200 Ulloa Ave)

Friday night
6th grade, 6:15 p.m. @ Epiphany (827 Vienna St)

Sunday night
8th grade championship, 5 p.m. @ St. Emydius (699 Jules Ave)

Awards night forms were passed out. Please send them back no later than Friday.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

8th grade punches ticket to the championship

For a minute there, it didn't look possible.

Down 23-22, with less than two minutes in the game, the 8th grade girls found themselves behind a point for the first time. But they scrapped and scrapped.

With about 20 seconds left in the game, Sophia stepped up to the free-throw line for a one-and-one. She hit the first one with ease and drained the second one to give the 8th grade a 24-23 lead.

That score held up and the class of 2009 will play this Sunday for the championship.

It was a rugged, physical and sloppy game, but the girls made enough shots in the first half and clamped down on defense in the fourth, forcing the other team to shoot from the outside.

Olivia hit two huge 3-pointers in the first half, which gave the 8th grade some cushion. It was needed since the offense stalled in the second half.

As the final buzzer sounded, the five girls on the court could hardly celebrate since they had just spent all their energy pulling out one of the grittiest performances in the last few years.


FINAL BASEBALL GAME TOMORROW

The baseball team will play its last regular season game tomorrow, 4:30 p.m. @ Moscone.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Official Playoff Schedule

For the 6th grade tie-breaker result, please scroll down.

OFFICIAL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE (This should not change, but always can...)

6th grade - Friday, May 15, 2009, 6:15 p.m. @ Epiphany
Championship Game - Saturday, May 16, 2009 @ St. Emydius, 3:15 p.m.

7th grade - Thursday, May 14, 2009, 8 p.m. @ St. Brendan
Championship Game - Saturday, May 16, 2009 @ St. Emydius, 5:45 p.m.

8th grade - Tuesday, May 12, 2009, 8 p.m. @ Mission Dolores
Championship Game - Sunday, May 17, 2009 @ St. Emydius, 5 p.m.

Turnovers cost 6th grade the 3rd seed

The difference between winning or losing a playoff game can be decided on one play. And in the 6th grade's 11-9 loss tonight, it was a combination of many single plays.

There were way too many turnovers. At least on 10 different occasions, the ball was thrown directly to the other team. One at least three of those occasions, the ball ended up in the basket.

They trailed at halftime 4-0, both on turnovers that led directly to lay-ups.

From the free-throw line, they shot only 1-for-6 and had trouble finding the basket until late in the game.

Despite that, they still could've and very well should've won this game. They will regroup tomorrow, learn from their mistakes, and definitely play better in their playoff game.

But with the loss, they will now face the #1 seed instead of the #2 seed.

PRACTICE TOMORROW

6th and 7th grade will practice tomorrow in preparation for their playoff games, which are still unofficial at this time and listed below. Practice will end at 7:20 p.m. to accommodate those who will be going to the 8th grade playoff game, which is at 8 p.m. from Mission Dolores. (16th and Church)

Unofficial Playoff Schedule

Here is the unofficial playoff schedule as of right now.

6th grade - TONIGHT @ 6 p.m. , St. Emydius
7th grade - Thursday night, 8 p.m. @ St. Brendan
8th grade - Tuesday night, 8 p.m. @ Mission Dolores

Again, these are not official and can still be changed. If there are any changes, they will be posted as soon as possible on the blog.

See everyone at tonight's game!!!

Sunday, May 10, 2009

6th grade in action tomorrow night, Baseball practice

The 6th grade will be in action tomorrow night. Game time is 6 p.m. @ St. Emydius (699 Jules Ave)

The rest of the schedule should be released some time tonight. Please keep checking the blog for updates.

Also, baseball practice tomorrow will be from 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. at Moscone to accommodate those who want to go watch the 6th grade game.

UPDATE*
What a finish to the Celtics and Magic game. This is why you don't need to waste your time watching an entire NBA game. Watch the final 6 minutes, that's it. It was good. Big Baby Davis with two huge clutch shots. But the one shot that I will remember the most, is how he shoved a little kid after making the game-winning shot.

Playoff Schedules, Clean Up-Video

The playoff schedules for girls basketball will be allegedly released some time today. My guess is it will come out some time tonight as there will be some tie-breakers that start Monday night.

The playoffs will start as early as tomorrow night and will conclude next Wednesday. It all happens very quick.

Please check the blog for the latest updates.

CLEAN UP VIDEO
A bunch of you kiddies picked up trash in Chinatown yesterday morning -- maybe a sign of things to come for your future?

Here's a video of the package they put together last night on the Chinese News.

Chinatown Clean-Up Video

Saturday, May 9, 2009

7th grade clinches playoff berth -- Practice schedule tomorrow

The 7th grade stepped up to the plate today and delivered, winning their final game of the season 19-10 and clinched the third spot in their division.

It was a good team effort as they were stellar on both ends of the court, playing good defense and hitting some timely shots. At (4-4), this will be there first trip to the post-season.

Emily and Tianna both scored 8 points in the win.

8th grade wins to close out regular season

The 8th grade scrapped their way to a victory and won 28-13 to finish (7-1) on the regular season. It was a sloppy game, going up against a very physical and rugged team. Although not their best effort, they put together enough baskets, and played some really solid defense, holding the opponent to just 13 points.

Olivia hit two 3-pointers and had a game-high 15 points. Shari, in two quarters of play, had 8 points.

3rd/4th grade falls in finale

The 3rd/4th grade dropped their final game of the season 10-2. Cynthia scored the lone bucket.

The 7th and 8th grade will be in action later today, 3 p.m. start for the 7th grade and a 4 p.m. start for the 8th grade.

Both games are at St. Emydius. (699 Jules Ave)

PRACTICE SCHEDULE TOMORROW
6th grade - 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
7th grade - 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
8th grade - 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Sorry for the Mother's Day practice, BUT this will possibly be the final tune-ups before the playoff games.

3 out of the 4 teams are headed to the post-season.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Saturday Preview

The final day of the regular season is tomorrow and all the games will be played at St. Emydius.

Catch the 3rd/4th grade @ 10 a.m.
7th grade @ 3 p.m.
8th grade @ 4 p.m.

Address; 699 Jules Ave

Please check below for the Sports Awards night food blog and comment.

Happy Friday!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

6th grade clinches playoff spot

By Jessica

The last game of the 6th grade girls’ regular season was probably one of their best ones. Their offense was great, but their defense was even better. They held their opponent to 1 point the entire game in a 20-1 victory.

Despite having only 5 girls, all of them played well and showed great effort. Because the team played such good defense, the other team had to take outside shots. The other team did not make any shots until the last quarter of the game. The opponent made only ONE free throw the entire game.

With the win, the 6th graders clinched a playoff spot and will be playing in the post-season for the first time ever.

CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS
The entire 8th grade team, excluding one team member showed up for the game. Jeremy was also in attendance.

Please see below for the Awards Night menu. Comment please.

Awards Night: What do you want to eat?

Question: What do you want to eat at this year’s Awards Night?

I am a little tired of having pizza year after year. What do you suggest, that is realistic? Mexican food? Spaghetti and pasta? Wings? Fries? Burgers? Hot Dogs? Chinese food? WHAT??? Anything you think that would be good for everyone, I want to hear it.

Leave your suggestions below as soon as possible. Click on the comments tab right blow.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

6th grade girls game tomorrow night, Happy Birthday to...

The 6th grade girls
by Frederick Ng

Last Year, I was an assistant coach of a team of 5 young girls who had never played an official game of basketball. No one knew the rules, the fundamentals, or how to really play. Coaching these 5 girls was a challenge. Having only 5 girls meant they had to play all 4 quarters of a game. This being their first time playing in front of a crowd, they felt nervous -- of course, but who wouldn’t? It took time for their skills to kick in and they finished up their 5th grade season with a 3-5 record.

One major problem in the beginning of the year was that everyone relied on one player -- Marissa. No one wanted the ball so they either gave it to Marissa or the other team. This led to Marissa’s career high of 16. Later in the season, we noticed Serina’s impressive ball handling skills so we decided to put her at the point guard position. This step forward was a brilliant decision to me since it would take some pressure off of Marissa.

This year, they carry the knowledge and skills they had gained back in 5th grade and improved. Now with an addition of a new player, the girls have some back up but it’s still not enough.

At the beginning of the season, I saw major improvement in these girls. Everyone wants the ball and everyone is contributing. When I mean contribute, I don’t mean points, I mean defense, passes, and grabbing rebounds. Another rising star, Beverlyn, who had her career high of 14 in an outstanding performance, with a beautiful NBA style drop step, is stepping up BIG. She is probably the only girl in this CYO division that knows that to use her height and size playing as a “BIG MAN” and grabbing rebounds.

Serina, is now using her ball handling skills and speed to get to the basket and finish her lay-ups. We are now currently 4-3, suffering losses due to rebounds and bad passes. All our losses have been less than 2 and are decided in the last minute of the game because we are not taking care of the ball.

Our last game which will decide if we are in the playoffs will be tomorrow night at 6 p.m. at Salesian. (St. Peter and Paul, 680 Filbert Ave)

It’s simple…Win and we’re in.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
And today we wish a very happy birthday to our 6th/7th grade volleyball coach, the greatness that is Heather.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Happy Cinco De Mayo

Happy Cinco De Mayo. Slow news day so...ENJOY THIS.

6th Grader Shows Carmelo


COMING TOMORROW: Freddy will write about his team and overall coaching experience.

Monday, May 4, 2009

8th grade girls analysis

A year ago, the 8th grade--then 7th grade girls won the Consolation Championship. Following that, they won their first game of the season and never won again.

True, a team shouldn't always be judged by wins and losses, but most of their games left a lot to be desired. They were able to compete with other teams, but never able to finish strong. This season, it's a different story.

Their last game was a perfect reflection of how far they have improved from a year ago.

They shot great from the free-throw line, played some dominant defense and bounced back from some sluggish moments.

The class of 2009 collectively features some of the most athletically gifted girls our school has seen in the past few years. They have a lot of valuable parts that not many other teams do -- good ball handlers, size inside and some timely shooters.

Aside from their talents, their confidence and belief in each other is at an all-time high. It clearly showed when they blew a 10-point 4th quarter lead earlier this season, and still came back to win the game in the final seconds.

Coming out of halftime last Saturday, they got outscored 5-0 to start the second half and had their lead cut down to 6. They quickly regrouped, pulled it together, and found themselves up by 15 to start the 4th quarter.

They no longer play games hoping to win, but they expect to.

Even from the beginning of this year to now, they have improved. No longer present are the lob passes and laziness that was at times evident when this team played. Free-throw shooting, once a deficiency, is now a strength.

If they can maintain their level of play and execution, there will be magic in the month of May.

3 stars of the weekend, Practices Tuesday

3 Stars of the Weekend

3rd Star *** - Ivy
Ivy scored the first 2 points of her young career in Saturday morning's contest. Congratulations to her.

2nd Star ** - Kevin
Kevin had a bases-clearing double and 3 RBIs in the baseball game Saturday, that put the team up 4-0. That was the most RBIs in one at-bat in the modern era of St. Mary's baseball.

1st Star * - Shari
Shari had a season-high 11 points and shot 7-for-11 from the free-throw line, an incredible improvement from earlier this year. She grabbed a lot of rebounds and was a catalyst for the 8th grade's blowout win.

Tuesday Practices
Tuesday practice for the 3rd/4th and 6th grade, weather permitting. Unless notified, please show up to practice. The latest updates will be on the blog.

Coming later tonight. 8th grade girls season analysis.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

The week ahead, NBA 2nd Round Predictions

Monday
Baseball, 4:30 @ Moscone

Tuesday
3rd/4th grade, 6th grade practice

Wednesday
7th grade, 8th grade practice

Thursday
6th grade game @ 6 p.m. (Salesian)

7th grade, 8th grade practice

NBA PLAYOFF PREVIEW 2ND ROUND


I was 8-for-8 for my first round picks and I plan to get all the second round correct as well.

Lakers vs Rockets
Houston finally made it out of the first round, because Tracy McGrady wasn't playing. Ron Artest vs Kobe Bryant should be fun to watch. But the Lakers are just too good.
PREDICTION: LAKERS IN 5

Nuggets vs Mavericks
I don't know who won Game 1 yet, so this has nothing to do with the result of Game 1. I think Denver is just on a tear this year. Dallas got ahold of San Antonio and exposed them that they are now simply too old. Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups and the emergence of J.R. Smith has brought Denver to another level. And playing in Denver is a huge advantage because of the air. Dallas runs out of gas, although a good playoff run.
PREDICTION: NUGGETS IN 6

Cavaliers vs Hawks
Lebron's year. Moe Williams is great.
PREDICTION: CAVS IN 5

Celtics vs Magic
The Celtics escaped in the first round and clearly need Kevin Garnett for another title push. I hate Rondo, so wish nothing but failure for him. I think Dwight Howard dominates the inside and will be too much for the Celtics post players.
PREDICTION: MAGIC IN 6

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Saturday Recap, 8th grade wins big, tough losses for the rest

BASEBALL CAN'T HOLD LEAD
The baseball team jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the 1st inning, thanks to a bases clearing double by Kevin. However, errors were costly, as they could not preserve the lead. They ended up losing 16-6.

Not a great game, but not a bad one either for the team. They now sit at (2-5).

GIRLS BASKETBALL

The 8th grade put together a beautiful complete game and won easily, 37-16 -- by far their most impressive performance of the season. It was a total team effort, as the 9 girls played strong defense, hit their free-throws and lay-ups, and made smart decisions all the way around. They are now (6-1) on the season.

The 6th grade dropped a heartbreaker giving up a basket in the final seconds of the game. They lose 12-11 in Half Moon Bay and are now (4-3) on the year.

The 3rd/4th graders lost, but Ivy got on the scoreboard for the first time as she scored her first two points ever. Isabella also scored for the 3rd/4th graders.

The 7th grade girls suffered another close loss, this time a 21-17 decision against the top team in the division. They are now (3-4) and will need to win their last game to make the playoffs.

SUNDAY PRACTICES
3rd/4th grade - 2:30 p.m.
6th and 7th grade - 4 p.m.
8th grade - 6 p.m.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Every team in action Saturday, Video of the day

Saturday preview of all the games. All the teams in every sport will be in action Saturday. Here is the schedule.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

3rd/4th @ Bayview YMCA, 10 a.m.
6th grade @ Cunha, 8:30 a.m.
7th grade @ Mission Dolores 3 p.m.
8th grade @ St. Monica, 10 a.m.

Gym Locations
St. Monica
Address: 23rd Ave and Geary Blvd

Mission Dolores
Address: 17th St and Church

Cunha
Address: 600 Church Street
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
NOTE: 30-45 minute drive!!!

Bavyiew YMCA
Address: 1601 Lane Street

Baseball @ 2 p.m. from McCoppin (24th and Santiago)

Sunday practice times are in a previous post. Please check out this inspirational video that once again, proves size doesn't matter.

Baseball practice postponed

Baseball practice for this afternoon has been canceled due to inclement weather.

8TH GRADE CHAMPIONSHIP TONIGHT

8TH GRADE CHAMPIONSHIP HIGHLIGHTS

LATEST LIGHTS

3/15-3/23 Lights

6th Grade Championship

VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP