Just an amazing game last night in the second round of the NHL playoffs between the Sharks and Red Wings. Benn Ferriero, a player on the Sharks whose last name I couldn't even spell before last night, scored the game winning in overtime to give San Jose a 1-0 lead in the best of seven series.
How unlikely was his goal? Well he played about four minutes and some change in the entire game.
To those foreign to hockey, he basically played four minutes in a game that lasted close to 70 minutes out on the ice.
It was his first shift of OT, and in his first playoff game, he scores the big game winner. The Sharks are now 4-0 in overtime so far in these 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
To top it off, it was also Ferriero's 24th birthday, a birthday that will definitely be hard to top and something he'll remember the rest of his life.
On the other side of the ice, it was the 48th birthday for Red Wings coach Mike Babcock. A not so pleasant way to spend his birthday.
Game 2 will be tomorrow at noon and the good news is that even if you don't have cable, you can watch the game. The puck drops a little bit after 12 p.m. on NBC Bay Area, Ch. 11 on local TV, and Ch. 3 on most Comcast cable systems.
So just a few quick notes for the end of the week.
I must say although I still stand behind my outburst about the hypocrisy that is the NBA, this first round has actually tickled me slightly.
Some of the games over this last week were pretty good, especially the Memphis and San Antonio game from the other night.
Did I watch the entire game? No way, Jose (or insert another name)...
But the ending was fantastic. Charles Barkley already said the series was over, so it was definitely funny to see the Grizzlies blow it.
Hard to say who wins since Memphis is at home against the Spurs for Game 6, but I think if I had to pick, I'd say the Spurs still find a way to win this series. Zach Randolph was out of his mind the other night.
Also tonight is Game 1 of the Sharks and Red Wings. You can follow along tonight at 7 p.m. when the puck drops on CSN-CA, Ch. 41 on most Comcast cable networks or Ch. 698 on Direct TV.
And now a nice story about the Giants win yesterday.
Vogelsong gets first win since 2005 Courtesy: The San Francisco Chronicle by Henry Schulman
Things work lightning-quick in baseball, don't they? In 1998, the Giants drafted pitcher Ryan Vogelsong out of Kutztown University in Pennsylvania. Nearly 13 years later, he earned his first win in a San Francisco uniform.
"It was a sense of accomplishment for me even before the first pitch," Vogelsong said after he gave the Giants a big lift in a 5-2 victory against the Pirates on Thursday.
The 33-year-old right-hander struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings to match his career high and rode an offense that finally produced in the third inning when the Pirates defense foundered and Giants capitalized for four runs, two scoring when Aaron Rowand provided that elusive big hit.
The Giants won the series despite going 2-for-24 with runners in scoring position, and Vogelsong earned his first big-league win since Sept. 14, 2005, when he was a Pirate. He won as a starter for the first time in 2,413 days, dating to Sept. 19, 2004.
Vogelsong could have lied and said that as he toiled in Japan from 2007 to 2009, and last year for two Triple-A teams, he knew he would win again in the Show. He often doubted he would ever get this shot.
"Absolutely, it's something I thought at times," he said. "I wondered if I was ever going to pitch in the big leagues again let alone get a chance to be a starter and win a game."
Barry Zito's sprained foot gave Vogelsong the opportunity, and he ran with it.
He spotted the Pirates a 1-0 lead in the first inning when he walked Lyle Overbay and Neil Walker found the gap in left-center for a double. Vogelsong said he was fighting his command the entire game. Still, he vowed he would not allow another run.
He did, but not until the sixth inning. In-between, he baffled Pittsburgh hitters. In one stretch he struck out four in a row, including Pedro Alvarez and Brandon Wood with two runners in scoring position in the fourth.
Manager Bruce Bochy surmised that Vogelsong's win meant more because he pitched for Pittsburgh from 2001, when the Giants traded him, through 2006. Bochy surmised right. Vogelsong won in front of 25 friends and relatives, mostly in-laws.
His wife, Nicole, is from Pittsburgh. Her dad, Dewayne Holloway, died over the winter.
"He was a big Pittsburgh fan," Vogelsong said. "He loved the Steelers. He loved the Pirates and Penguins. It was a good feeling today pitching in Pittsburgh, knowing he was watching."
Vogelsong could not win without the Giants scoring, no sure thing lately. In the third inning, they broke a pair of 0-for-17s en route to a four-run inning.
Mike Fontenot's leadoff single was his first hit in 18 at-bats against a right-hander this season. Rowand's two-run double was the Giants' first hit in 18 at-bats this series with a run in scoring position.
The first baseman Overbay was a big contributor, too. After Fontenot's single, Overbay dropped a routine foul pop by Eli Whiteside, who then got hit by a Jeff Karstens pitch. Vogelsong's sacrifice attempt went to Overbay, who tried to get Fontenot at third but threw too late.
Rowand then laced a double past third base to send the Giants on their way. He singled home an insurance run in the seventh inning as well.
Please read before you watch Epic Video this week.
As you all know by now, we are transitioning from our old school to a new school. It is a very exciting time for everybody in the St. Mary's community. If you have cousins, brothers, sisters, family, relatives, friends, alumni who have never watched Epic Video before, get them to watch this week.
You should always get them to watch, but more so this week than ever.
In Part 1, it is the final time you will ever see footage from 910 Broadway and then in Part 2, an exclusive look inside the brand new school at 838 Kearny.
So spread the word this week. Get the word out about Epic Video as well as the opening ceremonies next Monday morning.
As noted earlier, Epic Video for this week will debut tomorrow afternoon. So for now, enjoy a recent Epic Video that a lot of you may not have seen yet.
Just an amazing goal last night from Bobby Ryan of the Anaheim Ducks, a must see even for you, the non-hockey or casual hockey fan. Too bad for the Ducks, they blew a lead late in the game, and lost to the Nashville Predators in overtime 3-2. The Ducks are now on the brink of playoff elimination as they trail in the series, also 3-2.
Two very good musings I came across the Internet this morning. First, a Facebook status update from our friend Ronstance.
Ronnie Leung
not even really paying attention to the nba playoffs but just took a look at the eastern conference series and 3 teams are up 3-0?...what a joke the nba playoffs are.
Well, at the time of this posting, only 2 series will now sit at 3-0, but it doesn't take away the fact that the first round of the NBA playoffs are a waste of time.
Major League Baseball is trying to tinker with their playoff schedule come next year, adding more teams. To that, Buster Posey had this to say.
"Baseball is unique because it's such a long season. The best teams are rewarded for all the effort that goes into that. You lose some of the mystique of the playoffs [with expansion]. Like the first round of the NBA playoffs -- who cares?"
If Jonathan can predict correctly every single first round NBA playoff match-up, then really, how exciting can this be?
I get it, you like Derrick Rose, and he is so raw (or Smackdown) but is there one person who has a brain in this world that thinks that the Pacers could beat the Bulls? Even the Lakers, who lost Game 1 to the Hornets - did any of you realistically think that the Lakers would get bounced by the Hornets?
Grizzlies got lucky in one game against the Spurs and the rest of the series will take its course with San Antonio winning this series.
The Knicks are an absolute joke. They sadly had a chance to win both games in Boston and spit both of them away and they are going to start playing golf in the next few days.
But don't worry, Chris Paul will join the Knicks after next season to further stack the Knicks, and thus, making the rest of the East other than the Celtics, Knicks and maybe Magic irrelevant.
One good playoff series I guess has to be the Magic and Hawks. And that's about it.
The NBA is just a handful of teams every single year that can win a title. Even before the season started, everyone could predict the few teams that could win the championship. This is the only sport where this can happen.
And I don't even want to start with the joke that is the Miami Heat.
So for all you parasites and tape worms out there, that like to cling on to every second of the association, good for you. I won't be wasting my time.
Wake me up when it's over.
Congratulations NBA, one out of eight playoff series are worth watching.
You are looking at the championship bound Galileo JV baseball team, featuring two of our graduates from last year, Brandon and Thomas.
They are the first St. Mary's home grown players to play baseball in high school. Hopefully they will be the first of many future alumni that will take part in baseball when they graduate.
Galileo beat Lowell - oh, it's great when Lowell loses - to advance to the championship game Tuesday afternoon at Big Rec in Golden Gate Park. First pitch is 3:30 p.m.
Did you take a look at the right side of the blog as we have added a random video of the day and the latest feeds from our Twitter?
Also there a button where you can follow the official St. Mary's Athletics Twitter. All you have to do now is click on the button, how easy is that?
As for the random video of the day, it will be just any video that I stumble upon, and today I stumbled upon some basketball highlights from late January. It's always nice to relive some good memories, and in some cases, just memories.
Have you gotten your Awards Night DVD yet? It's only $10 for the 3-DVD set, and I spent hours on it, so get yours today, and support our program. As one person already put it today...
"dude, the awards night dvd is awesome!"
How many of you watched the Sharks take a 3-1 lead in their series against the Kings last night? Just a great game and the best game the Sharks have played this series. Below are the highlights in case you missed it.
And finally, Epic Video for next week will drop on Wednesday, not Tuesday, because there is some extensive shooting going on this upcoming week. So be patient and be human.
Giants on the tube tonight at 7:15 p.m. against the Braves in a playoff rematch. Game available on NBC Bay Area, so even if you don't have cable, you can watch!
It was an end of an era yesterday when we closed the chapter at 910 Broadway, as classes were held their for the final time.
We said goodbye to the place that we called home for 17 years and look forward to a new beginning in less than two weeks at 838 Kearney.
So as the teachers and faculty pack up their boxes, enjoy your vacation. But a few things to pass along...
AWARDS NIGHT DATE - Friday, May 27
Because of the rain, baseball season was pushed back an entire week, and we had to do the same with Awards Night.
Awards Night 2011 will be on Friday, May 27 so mark that down.
Shoot-a-thon 2011, May 8
On Sunday, May 8, we will be holding our fourth annual St. Mary’s student athlete shoot-a-thon. Players will shoot 10 lay-ups, free-throws, jump shots or 3-pointers. Each player will shoot a total of 20 times. Where the players will shoot will vary between grades.
All proceeds of the shoot-a-thon will go to St. Mary’s athletics.
Forms for the shoot-a-thon were passed out yesterday so please check with your child.
Thanks for your support. Any contribution will be greatly appreciated.
All-Star Sunday
All-Star Sunday will take place in two separate parts this year. We will play the Girls Young Stars Game featuring the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade girls on Sunday, May 8, the day of the shoot-a-thon. We will also have the school-wide game of knockout on the same day.
Previous winners of the school-wide knockout game were Sophia (2009) and Elliot (2010).
Puck drops at 7:30 p.m.
The Sharks and Kings resume their best of seven series tonight at 7:30 p.m. for Game 4.
After the epic comeback Tuesday night, the Sharks look to take a controlling 3-1 lead in the series.
You can watch the game on CSN-CA, Ch. 41 on Comcast and Ch. 698 on Direct TV. Or you can watch numbers change on the Internet.
And more...
No practices this weekend.
Baseball teams will have a special little field trip to the batting cages some time next week, and the girls basketball teams will resume practice next Sunday, May 1.
Absolutely incredible and unreal to a certain extent.
The Sharks once again dug themselves a huge hole, and trailed 4-0 early in the 2nd period and then they made a comeback of epic proportion.
They tied the game at 5-5 late in the second period, and then 3:09 seconds into overtime, Devin Setoguchi ripped a shot past Kings goalie Jonathan Quick, and the comeback was complete.
The series now sits 2-1 in favor of the Sharks with Game 4 Thursday night in Los Angeles at Staples Center.
This is the first time a team has come back in the playoffs down four goals since 1982.
How many of you watched it? If you did, kudos to you. There's no way you couldn't become a hockey fan after the events of last night.
So for those who missed it, here's the game highlights as well as the game winner in overtime.
Welcome back as we return to a full length version of MMQ. We'll touch on every team this week.
But let's first start off in the world of professional sports. First, our new blog format friends, the San Jose Sharks.
After a big win Thursday night in OT, they laid a huge stinker Saturday night and were shut out 4-0. They will play Game 3 tomorrow night at Staples Center against the Los Angeles Kings.
Speaking of the Staples Center, how about them Lakers? All you fake, phony Laker fans like Melinder and Tiff Ye...losing to the Hornets. Give me a break.
Who else is a Laker fan? Comment underneath this post and I will add them to the list of noobs.
Now onto our own sports here and we'll start off with the baseball teams, because I think they deserve some much needed attention.
If you haven't been to a baseball game, please do so in the next month or so to see how it is. Both teams are having the same struggles, which were expected, as both teams are new.
It is the errors, not covering the right base, not throwing to the right base, not being able to throw to your target. Those things more than their hitting is absolutely killing both teams right now.
Both of our teams were in the games this weekend, but big innings, that featured errors and errors and errors led to the wheels falling off.
Lesson here is that they need to watch more baseball. Understand the game a little more. They need to have that baseball look and feel to them, which they are currently lacking.
One thing everyone also needs to not be is afraid of the baseball. And if they can't get over that fear, it's going to be tough to be successful.
But the good thing here, at least for the 5th/6th graders is that they are starting earlier than our current 8th grade. I bet every single player on the 8th grade team is saying to themselves right now, "I wish I would've started playing earlier..."
Now onto basketball and first the 8th grade, which coughed up a game on Thursday night.
Every possession is valuable and the 8th grade had to learn that again the hard way. There were so many easy baskets they gave up early in the game, or baskets they should've and could've made, that ended up haunting them in the end.
And even though Marissa scored 29 points, it still wasn't enough. Yes, it was her career high but she'd trade in all her points if the team was able to pick up a victory.
Once again, it was turnovers at the end of the game that led to the points that ultimately decided the game.
The girls are capable of beating any team in their division, but are also capable of having their collapses like Thursday night. It's the battle to find consistency and become that team that can beat anybody on a regular basis. After a great practice yesterday, the girls should be up for the challenge.
It's going to be an exciting few weeks, as they are the only girls team still alive in the playoff hunt.
The 4th grade finally got back on track with a victory, and a lot of that had to do with just making their lay-ups. They had a lot of the same shots they did their last few games, but this time they were able to convert.
Did those easy shots come more frequently against a less than formidable opponent? Yes. But it is safe to say they looked more comfortable and confident, and usually that's what happens when you score early.
They didn't have a 0 or a 2 up on the board for the longest time. For them, a 6 or 8 spot makes it mentally easier to compete.
We missed the 5th grade last week, but it was almost sort of expected to have a semi-letdown after a big win the week before.
Coming off a victory, most teams will have that little letdown, and sadly the girls did.
Remember, this is also their first year as a team, so in the future, when they come off a victory, they'll be more adept to responding.
And it would be nice if we could talk about the 6th/7th grade girls game, but they had to forfeit. So tip...show up half an hour before the game starts. Thanks for participating.
EPIC VIDEO #20 TOMORROW AND GO THROUGH SOME OF THE PAST VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS IF YOU HAVE YET TO SEE THEM.
After four innings, the 5th/6th grade baseball team trailed 3-1. Then the floodgates opened.
Just like how the 8th graders couldn't put together a solid defensive ending, the 5th/6th graders gave up 8 runs in the fifth inning and that led to a 11-2 loss.
Missed grounders, pop-ups and poor throws led to the inning of destruction.
And like the 8th grade, the 5th/6th graders are still confused as to which base to cover or throw to, how to properly throw a ball towards a base, a lot of the basics.
Yes, they've made some nice, strides since the beginning of the year, but familiarity with the game is still lacking.
Justin looked his sharpest to date as he pitched four strong innings, giving up only three runs.
The 4th grade girls climbed out of their slump, winning 16-2 this afternoon. Miracle had a game-high 10 points.
Ivy scored the first two points of the game for her only bucket and Michaela added 4 points in the victory.
Their win snaps a 5 game losing streak.
Most runs scored, most runs given up for baseball team
Despite Jeremy's double and Mark's nice catches, the 8th grade baseball team's errors were way too much to overcome, as they lost 18-6.
David started and went 3 innings plus, and Hartman also made some nice plays in the field.
However the 3rd and 4th innings were disastrous as they gave up a total of 15 runs in those two innings which pretty much put the game out of reach.
The lack of baseball knowledge was at the forefront once again as they were confused as which base to cover, which base to throw to. And against a team that did a good job putting the ball in play, a showing like this defensively was definitely not good enough.
They have their moments where they field balls nicely and make some nice catches, but the inexperience is still way too much to overcome.
The outfield had probably their worst game of the season, misreading some lazy flyballs and letting balls that should've been knocked down get by them.
At the plate, they were able to put some balls in play, and did cut down on some of their strikeouts. Their base running definitely has improved, as they scored 6 runs on only one base hit.
Six runs is the most they have scored all year, and ironically, 18 is also the most runs they have given this season also.
The 8th grade girls positioned themselves nicely to clinch a playoff berth, leading by 10 going into the fourth quarter.
But there were seven minutes left the play, and the girls let their lead dwindle down point by point.
They held a 34-32 lead with less than 20 seconds left, but couldn't stop the other team from tying the game off of a takeout from the side.
With 10 seconds left, the girls turned the ball over right in their backcourt, and the other team went uncontested to the rim to take the lead.
With 5 seconds left on the clock, Marissa got the ball off the inbounds, took it down the court for a decent look at the basket, but could not get it to fall.
And just like that, a game that would've punched their ticket to the postseason went to waste and the girls lost in heartbreaking fashion 36-34.
Marissa had a dominating performance and scored a career high 29 points, but that still wasn't enough, as the other girls on the team were unable to make the most out of their opportunities.
There were so many lay-ups by the basket the entire game that the rest of the team just could not convert.
Defensively, they gave up too many offensive rebounds by the basket, leading to easy points for the other team.
And in a two point game, all those baskets and miscues added up to the girls' demise.
In the bigger picture, the girls still control their own playoff destiny, as a win will put them into the post-season. However, a loss will make things more complicated and they'll need to hope other teams lose or go through a tie-breaker.
How goes it? How is this look? Vote on the sidebar to let me know what you think.
I thought it was time for a change, since we have had this same layout pretty much since the beginning of time I believe. Time to mix it up.
If you don't like the color, or you kinda like it, or don't like it at all, or you like it for the most part, except for this part...leave a comment underneath this post and I can tinker around with the look.
Don't forget the puck drops tonight at 7 p.m. for the Sharks.
Ch. 41 on Comcast and Ch. 698 on Direct TV - don't miss out.
And it looks like it's time for me to shave for the final time.
The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin tonight for those who care and those who might want to start following some puck action.
Most of the games will be on the cable network Versus - I believe it's Ch. 81 on Comcast and Ch. 603 on Direct TV.
Playoff hockey > all other sports.
It's physical, it's nasty, it's gruesome, it's a grind.
Speaking of nasty and gruesome, let's talk beard. What is a playoff beard?
About the Playoff Beard
A playoff beard is the superstitious practice of a National Hockey League player not shaving his beard during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The player stops shaving when his team enters the playoffs and does not shave until his team is eliminated or wins the Stanley Cup. It is believed that the tradition was started in the 1980s by the four-time Stanley Cup ChampionNew York Islanders. In recent years, other sports and other players have claimed the playoff beard tradition, but it is ultimately a hockey tradition, and always will be.
So unless a drastic turn of events happens, it looks like another year of the playoff beard. Fear the bread, I mean beard.
With two men on and two out in the top of the second, Justin tied the game with one swing of the bat, as he belted a high fastball into center field.
The outfielder missed the ball entirely, and on the synthetic turf, that ball kept going and going and going. Justin rounded the bases and drove in three runs, tying the game at 3-3.
However, that's the last run the 5th/6th graders would push across as they were ten run ruled in a 13-3 loss in their third game of the year.
Justin also got the start and pitched four plus innings. He had good control, and collected several strike-outs. He also made the other team hit the ball instead of walking batters.
Little by little, the team is starting to come together. In a span of a week, they have had to play three games, so there isn't much time to regroup after each game.
David, Justin's brother hit two home runs when he was in 8th grade when St. Mary's started playing baseball once again after a near two decade hiatus.
The good thing about today's game was that the other team put the ball in play, giving the defense a chance to field balls. They made a few mistakes, but now they should be a little more used to what to do when a ball comes off the bat.
The 5th/6th grade baseball team couldn't overcome a bad first inning in the field and lost their second game of the year by a final score of 17-5.
Brandon started for the second consecutive game and pitched two innings, while Justin finished the final three.
Offensively, they were able to draw walks and advance on some wild pitches for their five runs. Hunter and Joseph had the only base hits for the team.
Right now, there's a lot of getting used to by the team, as they are still very unfamiliar with the basic concepts and rules of baseball. Little things like knowing when to run, and when to stop, still need ironing out.
However, in the fourth inning, they were able to put together defensively a 1-2-3 inning, a first for the team. Justin recorded two strikeouts and fielded a comeback to record the second out of the inning.
It's a quick turnaround for the team as they will once again play Tuesday afternoon, their third game in less than a week.
This year's 8th grade baseball team is arguably the best we've had at St. Mary's in our four years, but that elusive first win is going to be hard to come by if they continue to shoot themselves in the foot.
Errors paved the way for several rallies, and they were far too much to overcome as the 8th grade lost 9-4.
They took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when David scored on an errant throw by the other team's catcher. But that lead quickly dissipated when Gavin misjudged a flyball to center that led to two runs.
Miles followed that error with one of his own when he made an unnecessary throw to third base which sailed over Justin's head, and just like that, the 8th grade was down 3-1.
Errors in the second and third innings led to three more runs and it was 6-1 after three.
David continued his hot hitting and drove in Mark with a double and then scored when Jeremy reached first on an error to cut the lead to 6-3.
For the fourth straight game, David started, but only lasted two innings. Mark came in relief and did a nice job before giving way to Jeremy who finished the game.
Hartman played his best game this season and has shown the most improvement of any player this season. He made two nice catches on flares and made contact in all three of his plate appearances.
The rest of the team however was not as successful as the strikeouts were once again too many to overcome.
Their errors were also more than their last two games combined.
Half way through the season, this team has shown that it has what it takes to compete, as they have only been 10 run ruled once. They have been in the rest of their games, and will hope to pull out a victory in one of their next four games.
4th grade makes free throws, fall in final minutes
Miracle and Adrianna both made free throws today, something the 4th grade hadn't done all year, but it wasn't enough as the 4th grade girls' skid hit 5 games in a 14-6 loss.
They trailed 4-2 at halftime, and fought back to tie the game 6-6 midway through the fourth. It was still tied with less than two minutes left. But from that point on, they were outscored 8-0 in the final 90 seconds of the game en route to their fifth straight loss.
The 4th grade (1-5) played a solid game, but just ran out of gas towards to the end.
Miracle had a team high 5 points in the loss.
Sloppiness plagues 5th grade
The 5th grade girls could not build on their first win last week, and fell flat in a 21-2 loss.
Turnovers and a very uninspired effort led to one of their worst losses of the season. The 5th grade (2-5) actually scored on the first possession of the game when Jamie nailed a shot, but they were unheard of on the offensive end from that point on.
Their head coach Alex Kawashima thought they reverted back to their bad habits of last year. The confidence, energy level and execution from last week were not apparent at all in today's frustrating outing.
Victoria, on the offensive end, had her best showing to date, despite not coming away with points as she was able to get open for many point blank shots. She also took a trip to the free throw line but just couldn't get her shot to go.
Highest offensive output for the 6th/7th
The 6th/7th grade girls put up 19 points, the most they've ever had in a game, but that still wasn't enough to come away with a victory.
Their transition defense and turnovers were just too much to overcome as the other team capitalized on each and every one of the girls' mistakes.
Tiffany and Melina both had career highs of 6 points, and Pamela scored 5 points of her own.
This team is a talented bunch, but the 6th/7th graders (2-4) just lack the focus and experience to consistently compete at an elite level.
All seven girls were able to put the ball into the basket in the 8th grade's most impressive win of the season.
Gavy had a career high 8 points, and Marissa had a game high 10 points as the girls put together four solid quarters of basketball for a 30-21 win.
The 8th grade (4-2) set the tone early and came ready to play, taking a 10-0 lead after the first quarter. A few defensive lapses cut their lead to 16-11 going into the break.
They pulled away late in the third and made the plays needed down the stretch to close out the game. Gavy was in the right place at the right time, taking advantage of her size, and capitalizing on her shots down low.
Precious got 4 quick points in the first quarter which gave the girls a nice jump start from the beginning.
Their full court pressure got to the other team, and the 8th graders were able to hit the majority of their lay-ups. What was even more impressive was that they won this game with Serina on the bench the entire fourth quarter, as she fouled out in the final seconds of the third.
Amanda joined her early in the fourth as she also fouled out. Marissa was in danger of joining the crowded bench as she picked up four fouls heading into the fourth.
Catharine, Beverlyn, Amanda and Serina all scored 2 points in the victory.
Catharine's came on a put back lay-up, Beverlyn's on a nice coast to coast drive, Amanda's on a mid-range jumper, and Serina's also on a short jumper which started the scoring for the girls.
The win makes it three straight victories for the girls after starting the season (1-2), but the heavy lifting is far from over. Nothing is a guarantee and the girls will need to maintain their solid level of play the rest of the way.
Ball security was better in this game, and it's no secret that when the girls can control the game, take care of the ball, they'll be pretty tough to beat.
A great game all around for the graduating class of 2011.
Brandon started in the 5th/6th grade's first ever baseball game.
Photo by Eunice Tom
The 5th and 6th graders finally got on the field for a game this afternoon, braving the high winds and cold. You could tell it was their first game as they were a bit lost the first few innings.
However, they did get the hang of it and put together a total of 6 runs, but they were not enough to come away with a win.
Hunter, Isabella, Brandon and Thomas all collected their first base hits.
Brandon struck out 4 in the first inning and got the start. Justin relieved him to finish the game and struck out a total of 10 batters.
When the catcher does not glove the third strike, the runner can run to first base. That's pretty much how the other team got on base all day long.
Being it is the 5th/6th grade's first game, they weren't too sure what to do and haven't practiced throwing to first, so it was a lot of trial and error out there.
They did however make a few of those plays later on in the game.
It was as nice effort, and it took some time for all of the players to get used to game situations so hopefully they were able to learn from this and build upon game one.
On the mound, Brandon actually struck out the first three batters of the game. But the last two hitters were able to reach on errors after the dropped third strike.
You can remove the question mark - the Undertaker defeated Triple H last night.
Monday Morning Quarterback
One who criticizes or passes judgment from a position of hindsight
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What a weekend that was, featuring a lot of good and then some not so good from our basketball and baseball game.
Also, a big thank you to all those who participated in the grueling Survivor challenges Saturday at the picnic, that saw Mark come out victorious over Miles and Jeremy.
We go back to Friday night where the 5th grade girls won their first game ever. What an incredible accomplishment for them. I am especially proud and happy for Edwena, Victoria and Fiona who are now in their third season and finally they pulled through with a victory.
For the past two years, they were playing a grade up so it was very difficult - especially when the majority of the team was a grade younger.
This year, the playing field was a lot more even and the girls were able to put together a solid game from beginning to end for their first victory.
Just so we stay on the positive things for the time being, Gavy and Serina both played what I thought was their best game to date this year. Both scored and contributed in ways that do not show up on the score sheet.
Serina took care of the ball very well, and has done a lot better job of running the team than earlier this season so she has made strides in a short amount of time. Gavy, in her first year, grabbed rebound after rebound Friday night. It's so important to grab rebounds, especially grabbing them without hitting the floor. She was steady down in the post and was instrumental in the 8th grade victory.
Now to the not so good and we begin with the 4th grade girls.
What looked like at the beginning of the season as a breakout season created some expectations that maybe the team wasn't ready for.
They lost three games in a row by a combined 6 points, with two coming in overtime. Their latest setback, a 10 point loss, has definitely dampened the hopes of a postseason berth.
Part of the problem is that they are undersized and they do not rebound. Even the bigs on this team have trouble boxing out and reading rebounds. On the offensive end, they hardly get offensive rebounds so a lot of easy points are hard to come by.
Offensively, they are not at the level where they can move the ball around without turning the ball over. Too many times, balls are lost, and they can't even get off a shot.
When they get a chance to make a shot, they don't make them, so it's tough to win games when all these parts aren't clicking together.
They do however have the talent and potential to win games as evident by the games they've won earlier this season. But in close games, one or two things will absolutely kill you. If you look back at the three games that they lost, one play could've been the difference between a win and a loss.
It would also help if they were able to just hit one free throw, which they haven't all year.
The 6th/7th grade is also having trouble rebounding. It's inexperience, not knowing where the ball falls, what it takes to win games, the mentality and focus needed in practice and games to succeed on the court.
And finally we move to the baseball team.
Inexperience and lack of baseball knowledge were apparent yesterday.
Justin balked three times and I'd guess 95% of the people reading this don't even know what a balk is. Miles and Timmy were both doubled off base on a line drive. On a ball that doesn't hit the ground, runners cannot advance unless they tag up.
Dropped third strikes, knowing which base to throw to, hitting your target on the fly, instead of 3 hops...All that is problematic right now.
Hitting isn't the team's strongest point but not its weakness either, but a team can't expect to win games striking out 16 out of 27 times. A lot of hitters currently go up to the plate looking for a walk.
But as always, time should heal wounds, and hopefully help all our teams in their pursuit of success.
Epic Video Tuesdays is tomorrow - cross the fingers and let's hope for no problems this week.
Six errors were way too much to overcome as the 8th grade baseball team lost 8-1.
The game went a full seven innings for the second straight game, which relatively speaking, is a big deal, as in previous years games were over in a little over an hour.
David got the start for the third straight game and went four innings plus. At the plate he collected two hits, a double and a single, and scored on an infield hit by Miles in the 4th inning.
It was only 4-1 going into the fifth, but the defense went bad again. Too many errors and complete mental breakdowns led to more runs.
The experience is clearly not there, and baseball is such a mental game that you can't lose focus. There were players on the field who had no clue what the situations were, and it showed whenever the ball was put into play.
Their throwing is also mediocre at best. Too many short hops and lobs with no accuracy or strength behind throws.
On the bright side, this team is capable and has the potential to win games. But it all needs to come together for this to happen.
Justin relieved David and pitched an 1 1/3 inning, and Jeremy got the only two batters he faced in the sixth inning.
At the plate, they definitely need some better at-bats as they struck out a total of 16 times out of the 27 plate appearances.
These are the moments that you remember for the rest of your life.
Edwena, Victoria and Fiona have played since the 3rd grade, and now they can finally say they have won a CYO game.
The trio combined to score 12 of the team's 18 points Friday night in the 5th grade's18-4 victory. The win was the team's first ever.
They did technically win earlier this year via forfeit, but this is the win they are going to remember.
Two weeks ago, they held a lead with minutes to go and let it slip away. But Friday, they built enough cushion that their lead was not going away.
Jamie scored the team's first 6 points, and then Edwena followed by scoring the next 4, as she eventually wounded up with a career high 8 points.
Fiona continued her improvement and added 2 points, and Victoria scored 2 for the first time since the 3rd grade.
This is the first year the 5th grade (2-4) has had their own team The last two years, they've had to play up a grade with the current 6th graders. Now they are forming their own identity and are hoping that Friday night's game would be the foundation of a strong team for years to come.
Newcomers Kelly and Shania have also added to the team. Kelly is a little undersized but her quickness causes a lot of trouble for other teams. Shania, cousin of Alexis, is the tallest player on the team, and has already started to get comfortable playing. She had two golden opportunities to score in the second half but her shots just missed the mark.
The 5th grade now has two games left in the season.
Easy win for 8th grade girls
In the fourth quarter, both Marissa and Serina got to sit back and relax. The 8th grade girls had already handled their business.
Six of the seven girls scored and the girls are now over .500 for the first time this season, as they won convincingly 23-15.
Don't let the final score fool you, as this game could've been really lopsided and uglier than it was. The girls were probably at the best they've been all years between quarters one and three, as they were at one point, up 22-4.
They decided to use the rest of the game to work on a few things, and that led to the margin of victory being only 8 points.
Marissa followed her 18 point performance from a week ago with an 11 point night. Precious had 4 points and Gavy had 3 points. Beverlyn and Serina both had a field goal each and Catharine hit a free throw in the fourth quarter.
It was a slow start, but the game had a feeling that it was only a matter of time before the game would tilt towards the girls' way.
With a solid press, and their best defensive showing of the season, they were able to generate fast breaks.
What helped was they took care of the ball, as they only committed 8 turnovers, a drastic change from their previous games where they would hover around the 20 mark.
The next two weeks will be crucial as the girls wrap up their regular season before spring break even begins. Whether they play beyond mid-April will depend on how they do in the next three games.
With two new girls, the girls are starting to get used to playing together, and look a lot more polished than they were even two weeks ago.
Their bad losses at the beginning of the season are behind them, as they seem to have a fresh outlook on the rest of the season.
6th/7th grade's bad first half dooms them
The 6th/7th grade dug themselves an early 12-0 hole at halftime, made a valiant comeback in the second half, but it wasn't enough as they dropped their second straight 16-11. They fall below .500 to (2-3).
Struggles continue for 4th grade
The 4th grade is in a funk and they need to dig out of it quick.
After winning the first game of the season, the 4th graders have now lost four straight games, the most recent defeat Friday night by a final score of 14-4.
Right now their offense is in a tailspin, as they do not take care of the ball and are missing a lot of make-able shots.
When they won their two games earlier in the season, the 4th grade (1-4) was clicking on all cylinders. Their defense was solid, they were getting good looks at the basket and were draining them. Now it seems that all of the above have disappeared.
Ball movement on offense is very stagnant. Nobody works to get open and usually the half court offense results in a turnover or a jump ball.
To avoid too many half court situations, they need to play better defense to get out on the fast break. They also have trouble rebounding so there isn't an outlet pass that can lead to transition points.
And when they do get the opportunities, they don't make the most of them.
Just an amazing game last night in the second round of the NHL playoffs between the Sharks and Red Wings. Benn Ferriero, a player on the Sharks whose last name I couldn't even spell before last night, scored the game winning in overtime to give San Jose a 1-0 lead in the best of seven series.
