St. Mary's Athletics Blog

Feel good stories, parents watching in the crowd

2012-02-01T17:49:00.000-08:00

In the Sharks 6-0 win last night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Sharks starting goalie Antti Niemi played in an NHL game for the first time with his father watching from the stands.

What's interesting to know is that Niemi is a Stanley Cup winner so you would think his father would've been able to see him play at least once during his playoff run two years ago when he was with the Blackhawks.

I remember working at CBS-5 a few years ago and a Florida Marlins player, Logan Morrison played in front of his father for the first time in the summer of 2010.

What's the big deal with that? Morrison's father was battling cancer, and he took a 30 hour train ride just to watch his son play in the big leagues.

Now the question I pose to many of you, do you like it when your parents come to your games?

I know a handful of players do not like this, because it makes them nervous. Then I know there are some who have parents that never come to the games because of work or they are simply too busy, who would love to have their mom or dad, or both, come see them in action.

When I played, I leaned toward having my parents come watch me, and they did every now and then, but not on a regular basis because of their work schedule.

So please vote on the blog as I is curious to see where you stand.

Tuesday RAW Supershow Videos

2012-01-31T15:43:00.000-08:00

Playoff Scenarios

2012-01-30T19:23:00.000-08:00

The mindset should always be win the next game no matter what game is it, and who you are facing, so if you want to continue to do that and not worry about who you might be playing, then skip over this blog post and rewatch some old Epic Videos.

Here are the playoff scenarios:

3rd Grade
If they win their final game, they can clinch a playoff spot. If the third place team loses their final game, and the 3rd grade wins their last, the 3rd grade clinches the third spot.

5th Grade
The 5th grade has already clinched a playoff spot. They can get the number one seed if the first place team loses their final game and the 5th grade wins their final game.

They can assure themselves at least the number two seed with a win in their final game.

6th Grade
The 6th grade will be the number two seed.

7th Grade
The 7th grade needs to win in order to get into the playoffs and secure the number four seed.

8th Grade (DeMarillac)
The 8th grade DeMarillac team can clinch the third seed with a win in their final game. If they lose, they drop to the fourth seed and will have to play the undefeated first place team in the playoffs.

Week 7 Highlights

2012-01-28T21:57:00.001-08:00

7th grade a step slow in latest loss

2012-01-28T17:32:00.000-08:00

The playoffs will begin early for the 7th grade next Friday night as they will play for the last playoff spot in their division.

With a 32-21 loss this afternoon, they are now set up for a win or go home scenario.

There was not much energy or jump in the 7th grade step from beginning to end. Part of the problem was their atrocious play on the defensive end. They couldn't rebound and they couldn't play defense.

Already without Brendan, one of their physically biggest player on the team, they needed to rebound and rebound they didn't. Since they couldn't grab boards, they weren't able to kick out the outlet passes to Justin to start their fast break.

In the half court set, they also had trouble keeping players in front of them, as they didn't move their feet and were out of position all game long.

By the time they started pressing in the fourth quarter, the game was already out of reach.

It was a 16-12 game at halftime, and the 7th grade came out completely flat in the third. They were outscored 12-0 and were down 24-12 heading into the fourth.

Justin hit a 3 pointer midway through the fourth and cut the lead down to 7, but that's as close as they got.

They are now in danger of not making the playoffs for the first time since 4th grade, and could once again finish (4-4) for the fourth straight year.

Offensively, they had some decent looks at the basket, but the ball movement was very poor in the half court.

Brandon Tom had a good game in his two quarters of play, hitting a jump shot in the fourth, as well as nailing both of his free throws in the first.

The 7th grade will play with their backs against a wall from here on out, because one loss will end their season prematurely once again.

3rd grade puts itself in the driver seat for the playoffs

2012-01-28T17:16:00.001-08:00

With a 6-2 win this afternoon, the 3rd grade controls its own destiny and can clinch a playoff spot with a win next Saturday.

They held a 4-0 lead into the half and traded baskets with the other team in the second half.

At (3-4), the 3rd graders can finish with a .500 record and a playoff appearance if they can beat a team they lost to earlier this year.

With less than 20 seconds left, the 3rd graders lost their sense of direction and attempted two shots in their own basket.

After a timeout, they were able to regroup and head in the right direction.

St. Mary's 8th graders fall short again

2012-01-28T13:54:00.000-08:00

It didn't matter that their margin of defeat was the smallest this season, because when the buzzer sounded at the end of the fourth quarter, it was another loss for the 8th grade boys.

They have now gone winless in seven games this season and have only next Saturday to pick up a win.

Moises hit a 3 pointer and had six points, while Kenny and Garrick both chipped in with two points each in a 23-10 loss.

Following the game, the team met for close to 20 minutes reflecting on the loss opportunities and what feels like a lost season.

It's obvious the 8th graders are in a division where the talent is far superior, but their play still needs to be better than it has been over the course of the year.

The score was 9-0 after the first quarter and 15-2 at halftime.

For some reason this team takes a long time to get going and it shows. They had a modest outburst in the fourth when they had 6 points.

This game was winnable in the sense that the 8th graders got off a lot of shots, but their rebounds and defense was lacking again.

It seems like the basketball IQ and instinct is still not there since a lot of the players are in the wrong places at the wrong time. They had some chances downlow but their post players were unable to score consistently.

On the positive side, losing by only 13 is an improvement, but nobody on the team feels good about improvement when the goal is to compete hard and pick up a victory.

They'll have one week left to prove everybody wrong.

True to form, the 6th grade escapes with a one point win

2012-01-27T21:59:00.000-08:00

Tonight's 6th grade game was exactly what the 6th grade does to win basketball games, or not lose them.

They score just enough to win, they play just enough defense to win, and they seem to have just enough luck.

Nursing a one point lead with less than a minute to go, they committed two fouls in a span of 26 seconds that sent the other team to the free throw line to possibly win the game.

On both trips, the other team missed both free throws.

And thanks to that, the 6th grade escaped with another one point win, 14-13.

With a little under 7 seconds left in the game, Raymond secured a rebound and bent over, covering the ball. Instead of dribbling out of harms way, the other team merely stuck a few hands onto the ball and a jump ball was called.

The arrow pointed to the other team and they had a chance to win the game with 3 seconds left.

Off the inbounds, they got off a shot, but the ball barely grazed the rim.

A little earlier with 20 seconds left, the 6th grade could've iced the game, but Garrick threw up an ill-advised shot that rimmed out, giving the other team hope.

One of the bright spots in the game came from the free throw line as Raymond sank both his shots in the 4th quarter, which ultimately were the game winning points. He had a game high 10 points.

Jason Ng and Jason Z. also scored in the win.

Defensively, they turned up the pressure when they needed to, but offensively they were once again dreadful. The ball movement is just not there and they rely way too much on Raymond on the fast break.

If they don't get the running game going, they have so much trouble scoring because every guard in the team is in love with dribbling to the corner.

Their post players also had chances to hit some easy putbacks, but none of them were able to convert.

With the win, the 6th grade clinched a playoff spot for the second consecutive year, and they will get a chance to go for their second straight championship.

But in order for that to happen, a lot is going to have to change, because their string of luck could be coming to an end.

DeMarillac 8th grade loses second straight

2012-01-27T21:50:00.000-08:00

The DeMarillac 8th graders have now last two straight, their latest setback, a 33-16 loss to the undefeated top team in the division.

They trailed throughout the contest and could never overcome an 18-8 deficit at halftime.

The other team only had 5 players, but their speed and size was too much for the DeMarillac 8th graders to keep up with for four quarters.

There were spurts during the game where it looked like the boys were going to be able to make a game out of it. But the things that have plagued them all year were magnified against the best team in the division.

Shots weren't falling for the 8th graders, but their defense didn't help the cause. They were slow getting back on defense and their post players were completely out of position the entire night.

It was either the other team's quickness or the 8th grade's lack of jump in their step, because every single loose ball seem to fall into the hands of the other team. The opposition was also able to secure countless offensive rebounds, due to the lack of boxing out by the 8th grade.

Their record now sits at (5-2) but the playoffs are still within reach. With a win next week, they still will clinch a playoff berth.

But for that to happen they are really going to need to polish up their game so they could be clicking on all cylinders. Because the team they played tonight will be standing in the way.

5th grade gets win thanks to forfeit

2012-01-27T16:02:00.000-08:00

The 5th grade boys picked up win number six the easiest way, via forfeit, as the other team did not have enough players. Many of them were sick with the flu according to various reports.

At (6-1) the 5th grade has clinched a playoff spot and will conclude their regular season next Friday.

This Date in Blog History

2012-01-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

The last time the blog was updated on January 26 was January 26, 2009.

January 26, 2009 was Chinese New Year, the year of the ox.

RAW Videos

2012-01-24T10:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year

2012-01-23T19:34:00.001-08:00

RERACK!

Kyle Williams

2012-01-22T19:33:00.001-08:00

Thanks for participating...SMH

Week 6 Highlights

2012-01-21T20:41:00.001-08:00

Highlights are back. Don't forget to vote on the Warriors polls and read all about our teams and how they did in the game recaps.

5th grade loses for the first time

2012-01-21T16:49:00.000-08:00

Even with an early 5-0 lead, the 5th graders knew that this was going to be a tough game.

In a back and forth battle, the 5th graders did not have enough at the end and found themselves on the losing end for the first time this season, falling by a score of 29-21.

The 5th graders did have trouble taking care of the ball as many of their turnovers triggered fast breaks for the other team.

But all that did was add to the other team's point guard who had a field day, scoring 17 of his team's 29 points, and setting up his teammates for the other 12.

He was as quick as they come for a 5th grader, and his ball handling skills were incredible. He was able to single-handedly break the 5th grade press in the fourth quarter, as he made some beautiful zip passes to his teammates wide open by the basket.

Jonathan had the unenviable task of guarding him, and perhaps sticking with a player so fast, slowed him down offensively, as Jonathan was held to a modest 10 points.

Up 12-8 in the second quarter, the 5th grade gave up two buckets right at the end that gave the other team momentum heading into the second half.

Even after three quarters of play, the 5th graders only trailed by two.

But the other team's point guard was too much to handle as he carved up the 5th graders in the fourth quarter. On several instances, he was able to take the ball in the back court and weave his way through the defense and to the hoop for a lay-up.

Sometimes a loss is a blessing in disguise, and that's the way the 5th grade needs to treat a game like this.

Now they know that they are vulnerable and prone to bad games, and hopefully this could serve as motivation the rest of the way.

They currently sit (5-1) and are in a three way tie for first place.

Deep hole early sinks 8th graders

2012-01-21T16:38:00.000-08:00

From quarters two through four, the St. Mary's 8th graders played their best game of the season.

However the first quarter might have arguably been their worst.

They spotted the other team a 16-0 lead before getting on the scoreboard, and ended up losing 39-16, their sixth straight loss of the season.

Their offense was pretty good this afternoon as Jason had a career high 8 points, and Anthony hit two jumpers in the first half.

The shots the 8th graders were getting were pretty good but they weren't going into the basket. The problem was the other team was making their shots.

Defense and rebounds, amongst many other things have plagued the 8th graders all season long, but today their offense was probably at its best.

There was decent ball movement and the shot selection for the most part was good.

Unfortunately, they at times are just too over-matched, and can't find ways to score consistently and defend consistently.

After a good practice on Sunday, Jason put his moves to work and was a force in the paint, as he worked his way to a career high. He made good decisions with the ball and played with some aggression, which had been lacking in previous games. If it weren't for a few bounces of the ball, he could've easily had double digits in scoring.

It was that type of effort and execution that the team needs for their final two games.

Hopefully today's performance was a step in the right direction and they can continue the momentum they picked up from today.

Energy lacking, but 6th grade scores at the end to win

2012-01-21T16:32:00.000-08:00

The old saying goes, "A win is a win."

Our 6th graders have learned to perfect that in the last two years.

After losing for the first time this season last week, the 6th grade grinded out an ugly 10-8 victory earlier this afternoon to improve to (5-1) on the season.

Tied at 8-8 with about a minute to go, coach John Wang drew up a play to get the ball to Raymond on the right side. The pass found Raymond in the corner, who then penetrated through the defense for the game winning lay-up.

The other team went to the free throw line with a chance to tie but missed both free throws and the 6th graders somehow, someway found a way to win a game that lacked any type of excitement.

It was a defensive struggle with neither team wanting to take control of the game. It went back and forth and stayed in single digits until the final bucket.

Raymond had a game high 8 points, but shot 2-of-10 from the free throw line and missed an easy wide open lay-up off of a nice steal.

Garrick accounted for the only other points of the game when he grabbed a nice offensive rebound and banked in his shot right after in the first quarter.

There was just no flow to this game, as the 6th graders weren't able to create turnovers and get running in transition. In the half court, the game stalled as passes would go from station to station. Movement away from the ball was non-existent.

Too many times someone on the team would just put their head down, and then throw up a shot, a common theme for whenever this team tends to struggle.

By the way they play their games, they don't look like a team that has only loss once this season, but they always find a way to win.

They score when they need to and make defensive stops when they need to. It's just that it would make it a lot easier on everyone else and themselves if they were able to consistently play at a good level.

The 6th grade played with only 7 players, as Jason Ng was absent from this afternoon's contest.

Much needed win by the 7th grade

2012-01-21T12:37:00.000-08:00

When the 7th grade boys put their mind to it, and play with the will to win, usually they win.

If they don't, they get efforts like they did Friday night and the first half of Saturday morning's game.

Luckily, the second half of Saturday morning's game was one of those moments where the 7th grade boys take over a game and go on a roll.

Their defensive pressure and aggressiveness in the second half was enough to make up for a slow start, and the 7th grade was able to pick up a much needed win, 29-26, to improve to (4-2) on the season.

A little over 12 hours removed from a 15 point loss, the 7th graders had a quick turnaround and were able to put together perhaps a season saving victory.

Justin led the way with 11 points and Daniel got back on track after a rough few games and had 9 points.

For the second straight game, they played without their two biggest weapons in the post, Christian, who is sick, and Brendan who is on injured reserve.

With only six players suited up, they ran out of gas towards the end Friday night, but it wasn't the case Saturday morning.

Perhaps faced with losing to an inferior team and a three game losing streak, the boys put it together when they needed it and have a win to show for it.

In their team history, they have never won more than four games in a regular season. If they can just get one in the next two, they'll be assured of a winning record for the first time.

7th grade loses second straight

2012-01-20T22:46:00.000-08:00

After starting the season (3-0), the 7th grade boys are now a loss away from being back at .500, as they lost for the second straight time in 2012 by a final score of 36-21.

They were lacking size with the absence of Brendan, who will be out for at least a month, if not longer with a hand injury.

On the boards, they were dominated and they couldn't get much going offensively as they only had 11 points going into the fourth.

Down 10 to start the final seven minutes, they were never able to get any closer.

The good news is they will have a chance to get back in the win column tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.

DeMarillac 8th graders lose their first game

2012-01-20T22:43:00.000-08:00

The DeMarillac 8th graders led 10-2 in the first quarter, but found themselves down two at halftime.

They never recovered and the boys were dealt their first loss of the year by a final score of 35-25

At (5-1), they are still in a very good position for a playoff berth.

For the first time this season, they dressed all 8 players.

3rd grade suffers setback in latest loss

2012-01-20T22:08:00.000-08:00

By Justin Lee

The 3rd grade lost their game today 12-5. It was a step back from their last game, when they were able to get on the fast break and run their plays correctly.

In this game, there was very little fast break, and the plays they ran were sloppy, and didn't work.

The team wasn't getting rebounds, which meant there could be no fast breaks.

The 3rd graders were outsized, but not outmatched.

They are now (2-4) on the year.

Losing night for teams

2012-01-20T20:20:00.000-08:00

The 3rd grade lost 12-5 and fell to (2-4) on the year.

The 8th grade DeMarillac team suffered their first loss of the year and lost 35-25.

And the 7th grade capped off a forgettable night in a 36-21 defeat.

Full recaps later tonight.

Warriors Game voting

2012-01-20T10:31:00.000-08:00

The power is in your hands. Who do you want to see the Warriors play this season, and how much do you want to pay?

Players, coaches and family please vote. The options are not in order of my preference, just a random order. Here are the choices:

Option 1: Saturday, March 10: Warriors vs Mavericks, $33/$37 a ticket.

Option 2: Saturday, March 24: Warriors vs Kings, $24 a ticket

Option 3: Saturday, March 24: Warriors vs Kings, $43 a ticket to sit in the Lower Level.

Please vote on the left side of the page. Voting closes Monday night. Spread the word. Thanks for participating.

BREAKING NEWS: Practices off for Thursday

2012-01-19T13:57:00.001-08:00

Due to rain, practices for today for the 8th grade teams has been canceled. The 3rd grade will still practice.

RAW Videos on a Wednesday

2012-01-18T11:05:00.000-08:00

Hi, It's Cold

2012-01-17T19:13:00.000-08:00

Ice on my car

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER!

Briefly: Happy Birthday to Mrs. Yu

2012-01-16T13:02:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Yu in her gray sweats

Saturday Recap: 5th grade Saints victorious, New Orleans Saints are marching out

2012-01-14T17:28:00.000-08:00

The 5th grade boys advance to (5-0) via a 31-16 victory this afternoon. Jonathan had a game high 21 points.

The 49ers were victorious over the New Orleans Saints in an exciting 36-32 win. They will now play either the New York Giants or the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship.

Sloppy play catches up with 6th grade

2012-01-14T16:05:00.000-08:00

The self inflicted wounds finally caught up with the 6th grade as they were given a harsh dose of reality as they were handed their first loss of the season, a 31-8 drubbing.

Raymond, the team's leading scorer was held to only one point, and another offensive weapon Grant, was relegated to only one bucket the entire game.

It was a nightmare of a game for a team that had come into the game undefeated. However, the 6th grade hasn't been completely dominant in any of their games this season and have won all their games by single digits.

Against less talented teams, they were able to get away with their turnovers, poor passes and lack of rebounding.

This afternoon's opponent however was athletic and after the first quarter, the 6th graders should've known that they would need to play their "A" game to have a chance of winning.

Instead, they never got into a rhythm offensively and were extremely poor defensively and dug themselves a 15-3 hole going into halftime.

A lot of the points from the other team came on the fast break as the 6th grade has a lot of trouble in their transition defense.

The players don't retreat quick enough and even though sometimes they stop that first shot, the other team comes back to collect the offensive rebound.

Ball movement is a problem on this team as several players love to dribble themselves into the corner and throw up ill-advised shots.

And since they weren't getting rebounds and turnovers, Raymond was unable to get the fast break going and what resulted was their lowest output of the season.

The 6th grade is now (4-1).

3rd graders pick up their second win

2012-01-14T15:45:00.000-08:00

Calvin and Brendan both scored 4 points each, leading the 3rd graders to a 10-4 win this afternoon.

The 3rd grade was in control for pretty much the entire game and had a commanding 9-2 lead after three quarters of play.

With the win, it keeps them alive for playoff contention as their record now improves to (2-3).

It was probably the most complete game the team has played this year as they got solid play on both ends of the court.

Their ball movement on the fast breaks and half court offense was stellar as they all kept their heads up and would move the ball to the open shooter. Off of some rebounds, they were able to get some good outlet passes that led to some fast breaks.

Nathan added two points to wrap up the scoring.

Poor second half dooms St. Mary's 8th graders

2012-01-13T21:59:00.000-08:00

A 14-3 deficit at halftime gave the St. Mary's 8th graders a glimmer of hope that if they could get their offense going, they might be able to pull off an upset.

However, that never materialized and the 8th graders were blown out in their fifth game of the season.

Moises led the team with four points and Jason added three points.

One thing lacking from the game from the beginning was the energy level of the 8th graders. They played a very passive defense, and had trouble rebounding the ball.

They have trouble anticipating passes and taking the risks to create turnovers.

Offensively, they get tied up in jump balls way too much for an 8th grade team and it goes back to fundamentals.

Down low, the other team was getting to every single loose ball and dominating the boards despite some of the big bodies the 8th grade has.

That extra jump and determination is just not present in the 8th grade's body language. But not recording a win during the season could do that to a team.

Playing without Hartman and two new 7th graders, this team is in a division they have no business being it. However at this point in the season it's not likely to change and everybody, including the writer of this article, need to stop using it as an excuse.

These are the cards that are dealt and everybody involved needs to do the best they can with the situation.

There are three more games left in the season, so it's time to either ante up or fold.

4th quarter blitz propels DeMarillac 8th graders

2012-01-13T20:05:00.000-08:00

With 6:46 left in the fourth quarter, the 8th grade held a 16-12 lead.

But one thing about this team is that when they score, they can score in bunches.

Three quick hoops made it a 22-12 game, and a 14 point fourth quarter outburst gave the 8th graders a 30-15 win as they improve their record to (5-0) on the season.

Julio and Pablo both shared the game high, scoring 10 points each and Sebastian and Anthony both added 4 points each in the fourth quarter.

By no means was this a pretty game for the first three quarters as the team struggled once again from the free throw line.

On offense, they had opportunities to stretch this game out early but never pulled away because of their missed lay-ups.

They held a 10-0 lead midway through the second and settled for a 10-5 lead going into the half.

Playing against a team with only five players, they were able to draw fouls against the opposition, as the other team finished the game with only four on the court.

Their weakness is nothing new, and that's their lack of fundamentals.

Going off on the proper foot for a lay-up, boxing out, good solid passes. All those contribute to them not being able to win these games decisively.

At times they can get lazy and they rely more on their athleticism than their teamwork.

In the fourth quarter, there were some great passes and timely defense. The final seven minutes should be what the entire team strives for.

With Jamie playing in her Washington game, the great Derek Kwong did the scorebook.

The Quote of the Week

2012-01-12T20:40:00.000-08:00

The Montreal Canadiens, one of the most storied franchises in hockey, are struggling this season. They had high expectations and currently sit in 12th place in the Eastern Conference.

When asked about their struggles, forward Mike Cammalleri said the folllwing Wednesday:

"I can't accept that we will display a losing attitude as we're doing this year. We prepare for our games like losers. We play like losers. So it's no wonder why we lose."

Tonight, he was traded to the Calgary Flames.

This Date In St. Mary's Athletics Blog History

2012-01-11T20:02:00.001-08:00

Whatever happened to Epic Video?

And Happy Birthday to Cynthia!!!

Media Pig Monday, except this had nothing to do with the media, and I'm just a pig

2012-01-09T19:20:00.000-08:00

I took some time off to visit LA once again on my annual Sharks and Warriors trip. Here are some pictures.

Starting my trip off with a Whopper at the airport

My nuts and ice water on the plane.

Pregame meal at a place called Big Beefs, this is a Big Beef

Hot dog at Big Beefs, ketchup is frowned upon apparently

Outside Honda Center getting ready for Sharks and Ducks.


Getting ready for puck drop as they sing "The Star Spangled Banner"

Look who I met at intermission, pretty awesome.

The good guys celebrate a 3-1 victory in enemy territory.

To celebrate, I drank all of these.

DAY 2

Lunch at Carl's JR - Bacon Western Cheeseburger

Outside the Warner Brothers parking lot, as we await to watch a live taping of Conan

My wristband for Conan


My tickets for the show and my beautiful legs as a backdrop

camera

Since they did not allow cameras inside the studio, no pictures were taken of the Conan set.

DAY 3

Lunch time courtesy of Wienerschnitzel

Outside of Staples Center

Do you know who this is?

Pregame intros for the Lakers

Lakers vs Warriors, we know how this one always ends

Scaled back for dinner and had a healthy turkey sandwich


Drowned my Warriors loss with a strawberry shake at 12 a.m.

I'm gone

Monday Night RAW Videos

2012-01-09T17:24:00.001-08:00

Saturday Results

2012-01-07T14:31:00.001-08:00

5th grade pulls it out in the final minute, and win 24-21.

The 3rd grade fall 9-6.

The 8th grade St. Mary's also lost this afternoon.

Friday Night Results

2012-01-06T21:50:00.000-08:00

The 7th grade boys were handed their first lost of the season, 46-33.

In a championship rematch, the 6th grade boys won 20-17.

The 8th grade DeMarillac boys also won by an identical score 20-17.

Epic Video Tuesdays

2012-01-03T19:44:00.001-08:00

A look back at a classic...

Happy Birthday!!!

2012-01-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve Update

2011-12-31T20:31:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year's Eve!!!

HBO 24/7 - Rangers Flyers

2011-12-29T16:02:00.000-08:00

This year's NHL Winter Classic will be played outdoors in Philadelphia between the Flyers and Rangers. For the second straight year, HBO will follow these two teams leading up to the big game on January 2nd.

Here's episode one if anybody is interested in viewing. Great stuff as they go behind the scenes, into the locker rooms and onto the ice for unprecedented access.

24/7 Flyers/Rangers: Road to the NHL Winter Classic Ep. 1

Christmas Show 2011

2011-12-27T11:41:00.001-08:00

Highlights from the Christmas performances on Friday, December 17

Week 3 Highlights

2011-12-27T11:40:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Flashbacks

2011-12-25T17:33:00.000-08:00

Enjoy these flashbacks from the past few years...

Happy Birthday

2011-12-23T22:52:00.001-08:00

RE-RACK!!!

Media Pig Monday on a Wednesday

2011-12-21T20:05:00.000-08:00

Cedric The Entertainer and I

The Great Jerry Rice

The Great Jack from Jack In The Box

The Great Steve Young

49ers Warming Up

Our reporter Kim Coyle interviewing a Pittsburgh reporter

49ers during warmups

The 1st Blackout @ 5:19 p.m.

The lights slowly coming back on

Blackout in the 2nd Quarter

Hot Dog and Nachos

Cake that probably made my stomach hurt the next morning

On the field towards the end of the game

Stuart Scott

Michael Crabtree and Big Ben

Alex Smith being interviewed by ESPN

Larry Grant

David Akers

Jim Harbaugh

Kim shooting her standup after the game

What's today?

2011-12-19T06:55:00.001-08:00

Yes, it is December 19th. And Monday. But what else?

Yup, it's Bryan's birthday! Happy birthday!

-Emily

Happy Birthday

2011-12-18T01:15:00.000-08:00

Reracking saves me time. This was one of the very first birthday videos I recorded.

2 YEARS...WOW

A football score win for the 6th grade

2011-12-18T01:06:00.000-08:00

Three touchdowns will always beat two touchdowns.

The 6th grade won 21-14, thanks to some timely scoring, the same way they have won their previous two games.

At (3-0), they have yet to play a complete solid game.

There are times when they look really good. When Raymond can drive the entire court to either score or make a nice dish to a wide open teammate. Or when the Twins crash the boards on both ends of the court.

Then there are the other teams, when they like dribbling to the corner and throwing up wild shots, or when they can't seem to catch a ball.

For Saturday's game, there was more of the good with some of the bad.

As mentioned before, Raymond had a very strong second half as he was able to explode by the other team to either finish at the basket or pass it to an open teammate. He finished the game with a game high 10 points.

So far, so good record wise for the defending champions. They moved up divisions after taking home the title last year and have positioned themselves really nicely for a second straight post-season berth with three wins to begin the year.

Jason Z. hit his first field goal of the season, Grant chipped in with two points from the charity stripe, and twin Joseph scored four points. Twin Thomas added his one point also from the charity stripe, and Garrick had two points in the win.

St. Mary's 8th graders starting the season slow

2011-12-18T01:00:00.000-08:00

In a division they probably don't belong in, the St. Mary's 8th graders do not have much margin of error. They can't afford to make mistakes, and they can't afford to miss easy shots. Unfortunately, they are doing both in their first three games of the season.

The 8th grade has lost three straight to start the year with back-to-back losses Friday and Saturday.

Both were double digit losses, but progress is being made at both ends of the court.

Friday night, they had their highest output of the season offensively as they scored 17 points. Saturday, they held the other team to only 20 points, their best defensive effort to date. Offense was the issue as they only scored 5 points.

This is a brand new team who is playing without Hartman for the first time this season. So without the point guard that has been with the team since 4th grade, they have had to adjust to Moises, a 7th grader from DeMarillac.

Moises has done a good job as he has scored in every game this season and is playing a grade higher.

However, others on the team are having trouble.

Previously in the lowest division, the current crop of 8th graders could afford to get away with their sloppiness and lack of fundamentals, but right now, they can't and the results show.

It's going to be a tough season if the 8th grade can't bring their game to another level.

7th grade overcomes historic turnover count to win

2011-12-18T00:53:00.000-08:00

Unofficially, the 7th grade might have had the most turnovers of any basketball game in recent memory.

They turned the ball over a total of 30 times according to the official scorekeeper (Emily) but still some how found a way to win their third game of the year 23-20.

In a rematch against a team they lost against last year, they were motivated from the start, and perhaps a little too over anxious.

They committed seven team fouls in the first quarter alone, which put the other team in the bonus almost immediately.

But the story of the game was their inability to take care of the ball. Traveling, back-court violations, getting picked, etc...

You name a way to lose the ball and the 7th grade probably did it on Saturday.

But in the end, it was still a victory.

They got the win thanks to a great 6-0 run to start the fourth quarter.

Down 17-16 to start the final seven minutes, the 7th graders blitzed the other team for a quick six.

Justin, who had a game high 12 points, ran the fast break beautifully, timing his passes to Brandon Khuu and Brandon Tom for easy lay-ups.

Later in the quarter, he also fed Brendan beautifully by the basket for an and-one. Brendan then converted the free throw.

From the line, there wasn't much improvement from their previous game as they collectively shot 3-for-11.

They took a 23-17 lead and just stopped scoring for the rest of the game mainly because they started to turn the ball over again.

Against a pretty quick defensive team, they put the ball in harms way one too many times. Lob passes were apparent and bringing the ball right in front of a team that just constantly swipes at the ball is a recipe for disaster.

Playing without Christian, the 7th grade (3-0) did a solid job on the boards, especially Daniel who is a rebounding machine.

Brandon Tom, forced to play post with the absence of Christian, held his own grabbing a few tough rebounds as well down in the block.

Still, the turnovers will be a point of emphasis going forward. Turning the ball over 30 times is astronomical in itself.

But perhaps this year's team is different and they find ways to win despite their shortcomings.

Winning three games to start the season is a good place to begin.

Daniel had his lowest scoring output of the season, and scored only 3 points.

Tough loss as the 3rd graders fall by two

2011-12-18T00:42:00.001-08:00

By Justin Lee, written on his iPad

In maybe in one of the most brutal games of this season, the 3rd graders lost in a very low scoring game, 6-4. Calvin and Brenden scored 2 points apiece.

This was definitely a game the 3rd graders could have won, but they missed many wide open shots.

The game had many fouls, and this game had some questionable officiating. There was a lot of pushing, shoving, and elbowing.

The referee missed many of the calls, and called much of the calls on the 3rd graders.

The referee had much trouble especially on calling the full court press, which the 3rd grade does not allow. This game was full of bad officiating, but in the end, the 3rd grade lost.

The 3rd graders still need to learn the fundamentals.

Huge night for the DeMarillac 8th graders

2011-12-18T00:40:00.000-08:00

It turns out Pablo and Sebastian are pretty good on the basketball court too.

The duo that led the 7th/8th grade soccer team to a championship appearance both scored career highs in the blowout win by the DeMarillac 8th graders.

Pablo put up 17 points while Sebastian scored 10 points, giving the 8th graders a 47-10 blowout victory.

Sebastian had never scored until Friday night when the first shot he ever made in a CYO game was a 3 pointer. He added to his career night when he drained another three late in the game.

The first half was actually a close contest as the boys only led 12-6 going into halftime.

Julio missed the first half and stepped in to start the third quarter, jump starting the stagnant offense. With Julio's presence inside, the team began a huge second half run where they outscored the opposition 35-4 in quarters three and four.

It was a good shooting night for the team, as they were cashing in on the lay-ups they were missing a week or two ago. Anthony and Santiago both scored 6 points, and Julio had 8 points.

The athleticism for the DeMarillac 8th graders is hard to match so when they are clicking and playing smart, they are a very tough team to beat.

Jesus made his regular season debut.

Jonathan's season high sparks big second half

2011-12-18T00:32:00.000-08:00

Leading 10-4, the 5th grade boys relaxed just a little bit and a few turnovers led to some easy baskets by the other team. Just like that their lead disappeared and it was only 10-8.

But in the last two minutes of the first half, the boys went on a scoring barrage, scoring in three straight possessions to make it 16-8 at halftime.

The 5th grade (3-0) was at their best throughout the third quarter, getting numerous steals, scoring in transition and nailing their jump shots.

By the end of three it was 28-12 and it was pretty much game over.

Jonathan had a season high 28 points, with his shots coming in all shapes and sizes. He was hitting his jumpers from the outside, making his lay-ups on both sides of the court, and getting by defenders easily in the half court set.

Michael and Jason H. were great leading the fast breaks and all Jonathan did was fill the lane. With great timing, Jonathan was able to get the ball in stride to make the easy lay-ups.

His most impressive shot came in the first half when he was driving to the hoop and he hooked in a shot with one hand.

Jason L., one of the rookies of the team, had a very strong game, grabbing some tough rebounds underneath. He even had a nice put-back for his first two points of the season.

Michael and Jason H. both scored 4 points in the win.

A bright spot for the team that will not show up on the scoresheet was the play of Allen, who was able to get in position for several shots on the night, but he could not get the bounce.

Defensively, Allen was strong and most impressive on a play in the second half when he read a pass, stepped into the passing lane to make the steal.

Quick Saturday results

2011-12-17T13:42:00.001-08:00

The 3rd grade falls to (1-2) after losing a close one by a score of 6-4.

The 7th grade pulled out a 23-20 that featured 30 turnovers on the day. With the win they improve to (3-0).

The 6th grade, winners 21-14 and are now (3-0).

The 8th grade St. Mary's team is (0-3) following a 20-5 loss.

Full recaps later tonight.

Happy Birthday

2011-12-17T00:50:00.001-08:00

Quick Friday night results

2011-12-16T21:59:00.001-08:00

Behind Jonathan's season high 28 points, the 5th grade won by a final score of 38-22.

Backed by Pablo's career high 17 points and Sebastian's career high 10 points, the DeMarillac 8th graders were victorious 47-10.

The 8th grade St. Mary's team got scoring from Moises, Jason and the Shem, but it wasn't enough as they were dealt their second straight loss.

Full recaps to come Saturday.

This Date in Blog History

2011-12-14T19:33:00.001-08:00

Epic Video #3.

And for those of you wondering where Epic Video is, so am I? But it doesn't hurt to take a look back at one year ago today.

RAW Videos on a Tuesday

2011-12-13T18:50:00.000-08:00

A rerack of an old MMQ

2011-12-12T19:11:00.000-08:00

Two weeks into the boys basketball season and record wise, I must say I am surprised at the collective success the teams have had, considering every team has either stayed in the same division or gone up one or a few.

With that being said, every team could be better and has room to improve. So instead of rehashing some of the mistakes and flaws covered in the game recaps, I am going to rerack a post (and add some notes to it as well) I put up back in 2009. What were you doing and where were you in April of 2009? Something to ponder.

So read through this carefully and hopefully this will lead to smoother sails for the rest of the season.

HOW TO WIN A CYO BASKETBALL GAME:

In basketball, more than any other sport, the ingredients to be a good team are basic, and you don’t even need a coach to tell you what they are.

Make your lay-ups. You’ve all seen and been in games where lay-ups are missed left and right. When you make your lay-ups, more often than not, you will win.

2011 note: Over the weekend, the 6th grade and DeMarillac had huge problems with this.

Make your free-throws. Do we expect everyone to make all their free-throws? Absolutely not. But is one out of two too much to ask for? Look back at all the games you have lost in the past and how many free-throws were missed.

2011 note: Over the weekend, the 6th grade and DeMarillac had huge problems with this. 6th grade was 2-for-14, 8th graders 2-for-12.

Don’t turn the ball over. Mistakes will always hurt you. When you throw the ball away, the other team gets a head start on their offense. It’s one less opportunity for you to score, and one more opportunity for them to score. It also throws off your rhythm as you are always on your heels.

When you can control the ball, you dictate the game and how the game is going to be played.

Make the other team play your style.

Basketball is such a mental game, and you need to be as strong mentally as you are physically. When you make a mistake, you can’t let it bother you. Learn from it, and do better the next time.

When refs aren't making calls, you need to do your best to play through it. And you can't let the little things get to you and have it lose your cool (See 8th grade DM game).

We have had games this year where we haven’t been able to do all three -- sometimes not even two of those, and still found ways to win. But when all three of those expectations are met, there isn’t a team out there that is unbeatable.

I guarantee that if your team is successful at those three things, 99 times out of 100, your team will be victorious.

There you go folks, easy, simple and basic. Nobody should ever lose another game again.

See ya pals...

Highlights for 12/10/11

2011-12-11T02:01:00.001-08:00

DeMarillac 8th graders escape with a win in playoff rematch

2011-12-10T20:39:00.000-08:00

The 8th Grade DeMarillac team nearly blew a 18-11 4th quarter lead, and held out for dear life for a 18-17 win.

With 19.9 seconds left in the game, the other team had a chance to go ahead with a field goal, but it was miss after miss after miss.

The 8th graders came away with the rebound and dribbled the ball down-court to end the game.

Pablo had a game high 9 points and Julio chipped in with 5 points.

The totals would've been higher individually and as a team had they converted on their lay-ups and free throws.

From the line, they shot a miserable 2-for-12.

They took an 8-3 lead into halftime and their goal was to stretch out their lead to double digits in the third. They got close by getting it up as to much as seven, but from that point forward, they stopped playing.

Tempers flared on several occasions and both teams got a little chippy. The referee had to warn both teams to stop play at the sound of the whistle.

There is definitely some bad blood that could've been lingering over from last season as this was the same team that eliminated them from the playoffs last season. Four of the boys are still holdovers from that team.

One of the newcomers Sebastian, did not get on the score-sheet, but was really good defensively and was a factor in the team's press. He and fellow rookie John Jett both had their share of steals. JJ had two points in the contest.

At (2-0), the ceiling for this team is so high, because they have to even scratch the surface as to what they are capable of doing. Their lay-ups are inconsistent at best and their fundamental skill set is still lacking, common for a team with more than half its roster being new.

They're going to need to get the basics of using the backboard on lay-ups, dribbling with the opposite hand, being in the right position so they don't get called for fouls.

Those little things can be worked on, so even after two wins, the need for improvement is glaring.

Santiago rounded out the scoring with a put-back in the third quarter.

6th grade hangs on for win

2011-12-10T16:15:00.001-08:00

At halftime the 6th grade trailed 5-4, they were 0-for-8 from the free throw line, and Raymond already had 3 fouls.

A few minutes into the third, Raymond picked up his fourth foul, his second on an offensive charging call, and it didn't look good for the 6th graders.

But from that point forward, they took charge, surged ahead and hung on to win 16-9.

In the standings, they are (2-0), a great start to their title defense. But the way they have won the games has left a lot to be desired.

Game number two was an improvement from game one, as the boys were able to score some key points in the fourth to extend a 9-6 lead after three.

Ryan and Grant both hit jump shots, while Jason Ng split his free throws to seal the victory.

Playing without the Twins, their post players had to step up and Garrick did so in a big way. He was able to grab tons of rebounds down low, and blocked a few shots on the defensive end.

On offense, he made two really awkward looking jumpers, but the bottom line is that his shots went in the basket.

Raymond was better with his layups and had a game high 7 points, but he almost couldn't complete the game because of foul trouble.

It wasn't just Raymond as the 6th grade simply does not move their feet enough and rely on swiping at the ball instead of getting good body position.

Jason Z., Garrick and Grant had three fouls while Ryan and Raymond both ended the game with four fouls.

The other team was shooting bonus free throws before the third quarter came to an end.

As for the 6th graders, they were abysmal from the foul line, and shot 2-for-14.

Jason Z. made his regular season debut after missing the first game last week.

5th grade pulls away in second half

2011-12-10T16:06:00.000-08:00

Jonathan scored a regular season high 16 points, as the 5th grade improved to (2-0) on the season with a 23-11 victory.

The 5th grade only led by two at halftime, but stretched their lead out with an inspired second half.

From the free throw line, Jonathan didn't have his best day, but his execution on the fast breaks led to the bulk of his points.

Jason H. had his second strong game in a row and was a presence down in the post. He scored 4 points, and was able to grab many of the rebounds down low, as well as blocking several shots.

Michael added 3 points to round out the scoring.

7th grade game picks up win in forfeit

2011-12-10T15:59:00.001-08:00

The math was simple. One team had 8 players, the other had 4.

The team with 4, had to forfeit.

The 7th grade was the recipient of a win this afternoon via forfeit and are now (2-0) on the season.

8th graders fall in debut

2011-12-10T15:57:00.000-08:00

The St. Mary's 8th grade team lost their first game of the season earlier this afternoon.

Moises and Anthony S. supplied the scoring in the losing cause.

Quick Saturday results

2011-12-10T15:43:00.001-08:00

The 6th grade improves to (2-0) with a 16-9 win.

The 7th grade wins by forfeit and are now also (2-0).

The St. Mary's 8th grade team loses in their season opener and are (0-1).

The 5th grade, winners 23-11, start the year (2-0).

The DeMarillac 8th graders play later today.

Win number one for the 3rd graders

2011-12-09T19:02:00.000-08:00

The 3rd graders are in the win column.

After a scoreless first half, the 3rd graders played their best half of the season, scoring 8 points, winning their first game ever in team history.

Brendan and Nathan both had 4 points each, but the story of the game was really their defense. They were aggressive and able to limit the quality shots by the other team.

It was a soccer like first half with both teams getting few shots to the rim and no points to show for their efforts.

Brendan got the team on the board when he put in a rebound a minute into the third. The other team responded right away with two points of their own.

Nathan, probably our tallest 3rd grader in years, was a big presence in the middle and scored the next two points to give the 3rd grade the lead for good.

Midway through the fourth, Brendan hit a nice mid-range jumper and then Nathan had another basket by the hoop to finish the scoring.

Aggressive play by the team's defense made it difficult for the other team to get into any sort of rhythm on offense.

Darren, one of the twins, read a pass in the second half, stepped in front and made a beautiful steal.

After going winless in the tournament, and losing their first game by only four last week, it was only a matter of time before the team broke through with a win, and tonight was the night.

Warriors release Jeremy Lin

2011-12-09T15:58:00.001-08:00

Press Release from the Warriors:

WARRIORS WAIVE JEREMY LIN

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Golden State Warriors have waived guard Jeremy Lin, the team announced today.

Lin, 23, appeared in 29 games for the Warriors as a rookie last season, averaging 2.6 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per contest. Additionally, he appeared in 20 games for the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League in 2010-11, averaging 18.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. The 6’3’’ guard was originally signed by the Warriors as a free agent on July 21, 2010, after going undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft out of Harvard.

8th grade team previews

2011-12-08T17:04:00.000-08:00

For the second straight year we will have two 8th grade teams representing St. Mary's, and for the first time, one team will be represented by players from DeMarillac.

The common thread between the two teams is that both will have to get used to playing with new teammates.

In addition to the four players last season, there are up to four new faces for the DM 8th graders.

The St. Mary's 8th graders welcome two 7th graders from DM, 8th grader Kenny. They will also be playing for the first time without Hartman.

Both teams are going to be challenge, with the DM 8th graders in division 8-6, the St. Mary's 8th grade won't be too far behind in division 8-7.

The DeMarillac team has already played one game and came away with a win, even though they looked pretty rusty and disorganized. The good news is that they still came away with a win.

Ronnie has decided to return to the bench after a one year hiatus and will look to get the most out of this athletic and talented bunch. Whether they can come together as a team in these short few months remains to be seen.

Julio looks to be a real force in the paint, and Pablo, the reigning Rookie of the Year, will be the leaders on this team.

As for the St. Mary's team, it'll be a lot different as there is no clear cut leader. Jason has the size and talent to be a solid player, but he'll need to step up his game in actual games in order for the team to compete. He has the size, and needs to play like a big man.

Brett/Garrick is also poised to do better in his final year at St. Mary's. Year by year he has shown bits of improvement, but he has yet to break through to that next level.

They'll be helped by Moises, the 7th grader from DeMarillac who takes over for Hartman at the point guard position. Already in a few games, he has showed off a pretty good outside shot.

The key for both of these teams is how fast they can get up to game speed, and how quickly they can learn the game.

Both teams have some talent, but whether it can come together when they need it to is another story.

The two teams both play this Saturday and we'll know a lot more about them after that.

Happy Birthday Jamie

2011-12-07T20:40:00.003-08:00

RAW Video on a Tuesday

2011-12-06T20:00:00.000-08:00

Even though WWE RAW is on a Monday, we have RAW videos on a Tuesday...Hmmm...

The return of Monday morning quarterback

2011-12-05T19:59:00.000-08:00

Who dat? Post your comments below.

Monday Morning Quarterback

One who criticizes or passes judgment from a position of hindsight

____________________________________________________________________

Welcome back everybody to the return of Monday morning quarterback, and if you didn't get the definition above, it basically means we like to talk about what went wrong over the past weekend and why?

And of course, what was good.

So in other words, the good, the bad and the ugly...

Why don't we start with the good as we give out our first Gameballs of the year? If there was Epic Video and I had a sound effect, I'd play it, but I don't.

It'll be a two man race for the GB for two players on the same team, Justin and Daniel from the 7th grade.

If points matter most to you, then Daniel should get the nod on his scored a career high 15 points in the victory.

But if you are a believer in assists, then Justin should get your nod because he dished out a lot of them on Friday night setting up his teammates, leading to points. Hecka assists some might even say.

Daniel looked a lot like his brother Tommy (insert Gavin joke here) the other night as he made a 3 pointer for the first time. Daniel is usually a player who scores down low, but if he can get his perimeter game going too, he'll be even more dangerous. He was fierce on the boards and is one of the top rebounders in the school even though he is not the biggest of players.

Justin has been known to score, score and score, but this year he has really developed a part of his game a true point guard needs to have, his passing. Justin's head is up during the fast breaks and he is finding his teammates in good positions to score. A good player can score, but a great player can make his teammates better. Justin is heading in that direction.

So who do you vote for? The poll is up, voting ends Friday afternoon.

Moving onto some of the other teams, we will start with the 6th grade and their game Saturday morning in Half Moon Bay.

Lay-ups, lay-ups, and lay-ups. If you watch the RAW video that will come on Tuesday, my goodness, this game should've been a double digit win.

Part of the problem is that some of the players still don't shoot correctly and they need to start doing so. At the 6th grade level, you got to have some strength where you aren't pushing the ball with both hands. And for Pete's (or whichever name you please) sake, please leave the ground when you take a shot. This is something that needs to be worked on in practice, over and over and over, some come game time, you don't make the same mistake.

The 5th grade has fire power, they can score. So it's good to see them win a game more based on their defense than their offense. It shows that if need be, they can lock down a team.

It was also a positive sign to see both of the Jasons grab some tough rebounds inside.

Jonathan, despite scoring only 7 points, still had himself a really stellar game on the defensive end.

The last team we look at today in the return of MMQ is the DeMarillac 8th grade team. They won their last game on athleticism but that can only last for so long.

It is apparent that some of them have not been playing for that long and still lack the game experience for basketball. It can be developed with time, but they will need to start working harder in practice and focusing.

They have a chip on their shoulders because of their given talent, but that can only go so far. They'll need to hone their skills, listen to their coaches, and play smart basketball if they want to contend this year.

So winning a game where a lot of stuff went wrong is always a good thing.

And there is it, the bottom line for any team.

If you won the game and you didn't play at your best, how good could you be when you are at your best?

See ya pals.

Highlights for 12/2/11-12/3/11

2011-12-03T21:31:00.001-08:00

Be sure to explore the blog with all new links all over the place including a separate post for each game story as well as the boys basketball team previews on the side.

And enjoy the highlights from this weekend's games.

Defense solid as 5th grade picks up the win

2011-12-03T15:14:00.000-08:00

Perhaps it was the rock hard ball or the low ceiling, but for whatever reason, the 5th grade's offense today was not clicking on all cylinders.

Their defense however was right on point.

Unveiling a new man to man defense, the 5th graders limited the other team to single digits in a 17-6 win to start the regular season.

The other team was forced into some really difficult shots and the 5th graders feasted on the opponent's turnovers.

Rebounding, which had been something the team has emphasized over the last week was not perfect, but definitely an improvement from the last two games of the tournament.

Offensively, Jonathan didn't have his usual big game and was held to only 7 points, which was still a game high. He missed two usual gimmes right off the bat and that continued throughout the game.

A lot of his shots, like many of the shots everyone took, looked like they were going in the basket. It seemed the rims were a bit stiff or perhaps the ball was inflated a little too much as many of the shots rimmed in and out throughout the game.

Even though Jonathan wasn't scoring as consistently as he did in other games, he did a great job on the defensive end moving his feet and shadowing the other team's point guards the entire afternoon.

The nicest play of the game came late in the fourth when Jonathan fed Michael on a fast break, who then easily took it in for a lay-up.

Jason H. had his most impressive performance of the season, scoring 6 points, including some nice coast to coast drives off his own rebounds. Inside, he was pretty solid and was able to grab some tough boards.

The 5th grade led 9-2 at halftime.

6th grade manages to pull out sloppy win

2011-12-03T11:23:00.000-08:00

It took a 3 pointer from Joseph to tie the game and a Grant jump shot with less than two minutes to go for the 6th grade boys to salvage a sloppy season opener this morning in Half Moon Bay. They won 21-19.

The boys missed plenty of easy shots, most notably around the basket, which made the game as tense as it was.

Raymond had a team high 10 points, but left just as many points out there. He had a tough time for whatever reason this morning cashing in on his looks by the basket.

The same could be said for Grant who had his share of drives to the basket, but he made the most important shot count late in the game.

Off of a missed free throw, the 6th grade got their own rebound. Raymond, with his back to the basket, bounced a pass to Grant who banked in a jumper right inside the elbow of the free throw line.

From that point on, the 6th graders played some scrappy defense and got a few lucky bounces as the other team was unable to get the equalizer.

The game was back and forth for pretty much the entire game with the 6th grade trailing by two at the end of the second and third quarters.

Down three points midway through the fourth, Joseph chased down a ball outside of the arc and was left wide open for a 3 pointer which he drained - the first three ball of his career.

In the second half, 6th graders are allowed to press and the boys took advantage of it the more they did it.

In the third, they couldn't get any steals off of the press, but in the fourth, it was an entirely different story.

The pressure in the back-court was too much for the other team to handle and that led to some scores for the 6th grade.

Garrick, one of three players to wear the jersey #22, had two points in the first quarter.

Raymond and Thomas both also had jersey number #22. Raymond put tape over his jersey to become #21 and Garrick did the same and became #11.

Thomas left the game in the third quarter with a bruised shoulder and Jason Ng was dinged up and has a bruise on his thigh.

Daniel and Justin lead the way in 7th grade romp

2011-12-03T00:55:00.000-08:00

The 7th grade boys missed their share of lay-ups, yet still won convincingly 33-14 in game one of the regular season.

Daniel is the early front-runner for most improved player as he scored a career high 15 points for the 7th grade.

Many of his baskets came via the fast break off of some great passing by Justin. Justin is seeing the court like he never did before and is not only contributing by scoring, but making his teammates better -- signs of a true point guard.

Defensively they were quick and because of that, the boys were able to get out on the fast break.

The Brandons, Tom, 6 points and Khuu, 4 points chipped in offensively and Aaron added a jumper from the wing in the second quarter as well.

On the score-sheet, you won't see Brendan, but he grabbed at least 10 rebounds in the game and made some real good outlet passes that started fast breaks.

It was good to see this team have players that can contribute when they aren't scoring the points.

The passing, defense and rebounding was solid and that was more important than the 7th grade's ability to score points. If they can consistently get the effort on the defensive end, the scoring will come a lot more easier like it did tonight.

From the get go, the 7th grade dominated the game, racing out to a 12-0 lead after the first quarter.

Minutes into the third, the score was 29-7 and the rest of the game was a formality.

Even without playing the entire 4th quarter, Daniel still finished with his career high of 15.

Brandon T. got some action as point guard for a good portion of the final quarter with Justin on the bench. Brandon was able to execute two real nice moves to the basket for four of his six points on the night.

James and Christian made their regular season CYO debuts.

DeMarillac 8th graders, with only five, hang on to win

2011-12-03T00:39:00.000-08:00

In their first regular season game as a stand alone team, the DeMarillac 8th grade team won 21-12, despite dressing only five players, and finishing the game with only four.

The entire team pretty much got into foul trouble and they were lucky that only Julio fouled out with less than two minutes to go in the game.

Pablo led the way with a game high 10 points in a very sloppy game.

Both teams looked very rusty and the inexperience of the 8th graders showed. They took a lot of ill-advised shots and just didn't look exactly comfortable out there in their first game.

Julio had 8 points. Anthony 2 points and Jon Jett a free throw.

3rd grade close, but not enough

2011-12-02T18:57:00.003-08:00

By Justin Lee

On a thrilling night at NDV, the 3rd graders played their first regular season game, but ultimately lost 12-8.

Brendan scored 4 points. Both Nathan and Calvin scored 2.

This was a hard-fought game, where the 3rd graders played pretty good. But this game was winnable.

The 3rd graders lacked many simple things, like rules, positioning, and fundamentals.

This team has much potential in ball handlers and shooter in Calvin and Brendan, and a big man in Nathan, but they need to learn the fundamentals of the game.

You can see that they have made progress and that this team is getting better with each game. But its they still need to learn one thing - fundamentals.

6th grade boys basketball preview

2011-12-02T15:06:00.003-08:00

The lone St. Mary's team to win a championship, the 6th grade, will begin their title defense Saturday morning in Half Moon Bay.

Like all championship and most playoff teams from the year before, the 6th grade will ascend a division where the competition will be better than the teams they faced last year.

Most of the games they played weren't close, but they weren't blowouts either. But all their games had one common theme, they won.

But that was then, and this is not then - this is now.

With a new head coach in place, the expectations of success are remain the same.

John Wang says his expectations are high and making the playoffs is the first goal.

To do so, they are going to have to really improve on both ends of the court. Their last two tournament games were perfect examples of how they are going to need to elevate their level of play.

They will be without Willard, one of the team's top scorer's from last season. So someone on the team is going to have to step up to make up for the lost points.

At the helm is Raymond who has been the most consistent scorer since 3rd grade.

This team can score on the fast break a lot easier than in the half court so they will need to generate some turnovers instead of playing station to station.

The twins, Joseph and Thomas, with a year of experience under their belts should be even better than last year, as both are good players down low on defense.

Offensively they'll need to shoot the ball better not only inside but from outside. This is not a very good shooting team so their ability to get lay-ups and control the rebounds is very important.

"We have the talent and size to win games," John said. "So the team needs to play smarter and more organized. That will be my main responsibility."

6th grade boys basketball preview

2011-12-02T15:06:00.001-08:00

3rd grade boys basketball preview

2011-12-01T15:30:00.000-08:00

For the first time in three years, St. Mary's will have a 3rd grade boys basketball team.

Some of the more familiar names, Calvin, Ethan, the twins Damon and Darren are on the team.

As expected there is a learning curve and head coach Randy Stonebarger, Kaela's father, is more focused on getting the basics down, and the winning can come later.

"My expectations this year for the 3rd grade basketball team is for them to learn the fundamentals of basketball and enjoy playing the game," Randy said.

With that being said, nobody would mind if they could learn sooner rather than later.

"I also want them to be competitive and hopefully that could lead the team to the playoffs," he added.

They did not record a win in the tournament, but those three games were great experience for the upcoming season.

Where most teams are playing for the first time this weekend, Friday night's game will be game number four for most of the boys.

Brendan, brother of Justin in 5th grade, has already emerged as a shooter, leading the team in scoring in all three games of the tournament.

"Brendan shows a lot of aggressiveness in the court and is not afraid to shoot," Randy said.

With a lot of 3rd grade teams, the kids simply aren't strong enough to get off good shots. Brendan doesn't have that problem.

As the season goes on, the St. Mary's Athletics universe will be introduced to more of the new names as they embark on the beginning of what hopes to be a long and successful playing career.

Justin Lee, class of 2011 graduate, is the 3rd grade's assistant coach.

7th grade boys basketball team preview

2011-11-30T22:31:00.000-08:00

For the last three seasons, the 7th grade boys have ended the year (4-4). For two straight seasons, they've been eliminated in the playoffs.

So the question mark that surrounds them is will this year be any different.

The most notable difference or similarity is that they will have a new head coach for the fifth straight year. In the coaching carousel, James Chiu has assumed the position of head coach, and perhaps a coach with a winning track record could be the one to get this team over the hump.

"I have high expectations for this team," James said. "They have the potential to make it far in this division, but they need to focus and work as a team to accomplish anything."

There's the word, potential, which has dangled over them every year from 3rd grade until now. They've always had the talent and have shown glimpses of putting it together, but never on a consistent basis.

Their best win as a team came in the first regular season game a year ago when they rallied from a 8 point deficit to win the game.

But then there are the hiccups, losing to teams that didn't even make the playoffs.

Which team will show up?

As James points out, it all starts with practice. The boys are a little bit more mature now, but still tend to goof around during practice. The fooling around, the bickering, the who gets to be first in line, all needs to be stopped if they want to seriously contend.

On the court so far, Justin has shown great ability finding his open teammates. His passing as a point guard in the last few years needed work, and it looks so far so good as he and Daniel have connected several times already this year.

Daniel is not the biggest 7th grader by any measure, but he rebounds like he is the biggest 7th grader. He's tough and is willing to pay the price down low to get the ball. He is going to get numerous opportunities around the hoop, and he'll need to finish.

Team chemistry will also be tested as they welcome two new players to the team, Christian and James, Gavy's little brother.

Christian had his breakout game in the final game of the tournament scoring 12 points and looks to be a huge addition to the squad. But he'll need seasoning and experience to limit his mistakes.

"He needs some more work in areas like his body control for shots and positioning on defense, but that will come through proper practice and hard work," James said.

Working together as a team is more important for this team than others because of the individual talents each player has. If they can, they are definitely going to be a dangerous team in their division.

"I expect the team to play their best at every game," said assistant coach Clarissa Lee, who is now in her third year with the team.

"They all must want to win it and they need to communicate as a team better in order to have a successful season."

5th grade boys basketball season preview

2011-11-30T21:35:00.000-08:00

It's rare, even in a small school like St. Mary's, that the best shooter from grades 3-8 is in 5th grade.

That shooter is Jonathan.

As most people know, Jonathan is arguably the best shooter in the sports program. Give him an open shot and more often than not he'll knock it down. From the free throw line, he's as good as it gets.

But for the 5th grade boys to return to the playoffs, they'll need a better team effort as well as a more well rounded game from Jonathan.

In their heartbreaking sudden death overtime loss in February, Jonathan scored 22 of the team's 26 points and didn't get much help from his supporting cast on the offensive end.

This year already appears to be different.

At the top of the list is the improvement of Ryan, who took only three games to sink his first shot of the year. The way he caught the ball, shot it, and made it, it looked like he had been doing that for years.

"From what many people have told me, Ryan has made strides in his game from last season to this season," said first year head coach Leslie Truong.

A season ago, the team had only five players, and nobody had a chance to breathe. This year, there's a little more flexibility with seven players on the team, three new.

Allen, Jason L. and Michael are the newest additions.

Michael has already opened some eyes with his quickness, but he will need to develop a little more in the ball handling department to round out his game.

"This kid is fast," Leslie said of Michael. "If he is in a good ready position on defense, he is very capable of getting a steal and beating everyone down the court for a fast break layup."

In the back-court, the 5th grade looks pretty strong. But the games will probably be won in the trenches, and that's where the team needs to play better the most.

Rebounding was a huge issue last year and will continue to be this year. In their two tournament losses, they were unable to box out and grab rebounds. Without that, they can't transition into the fast break as easily.

They are definitely not the biggest team, as Jonathan actually plays down in the post on the 2-3 defense. But size only goes so far when it comes to rebounding.

"Even though other teams may be taller than us, it is not impossible to utilize effective post moves against those taller teams," Leslie said.

After making the playoffs, the 5th graders move up a division, so it will be a challenge, even with the talented players they have, to get back to the post-season, and a shot to go further than the year before.

"I want this team this year to be at the very least playoff contenders since they made it to the playoffs last year," Leslie said.

"To set the bar even higher, I want us to aim for the championship."

Jason H. and Justin, returning from last year, round out the seven man team.

BREAKING NEWS: Boys basketball schedules released

2011-11-29T09:57:00.000-08:00

3RD GRADE


5TH GRADE

6TH GRADE

7TH GRADE

8TH GRADE DEMARILLAC


8TH GRADE ST. MARY'S

CLICK THE IMAGES TO ENLARGE THE SCHEDULE.

Boys Basketball Tournament Round 3 RAW Video

2011-11-29T09:54:00.000-08:00

Media Pig Monday

2011-11-28T19:38:00.000-08:00

The 49ers helmet being inflated before the game

The view from the press box

Lunch time

Halftime Snack Time

David Akers warming up to kick.

Cardinals defensive linemen Darnell Dockett.

The 49ers press conference room as we await Jim Harbaugh

Everybody's gone.

Boys Tournament Video Wrap

2011-11-26T22:25:00.000-08:00

Be sure to read the game stories below as well as our Happy Birthday for November 26th.

Tournament Wrap: 7th grade falls in OT thriller, other teams finish out tourney

2011-11-26T14:45:00.000-08:00

In the most thrilling game of the early boys basketball season, the 7th grade boys forced overtime against a team that won the championship last year, but fell short 45-39 in overtime in the final round of the CYO Preseason Tournament.

The team got an unexpected shot in the arm from rookie Christian, a 7th grader from DeMarillac, who tied for the game high with 12 points.

Having never played a game before last Sunday, Christian has slowly acclimated himself to the game of basketball and his breakout game came in the 7th grade's latest game.

He was able to utilize his best two strengths, size and speed, which helped him lead a furious second half comeback.

On the boards, he was able to pick up points by the basket, and his long arms were able to get him several steals that led to fast breaks.

With the 7th grade trailing 29-27 early in the fourth, Christian was able to chase down a rebound with his long arms, and take it coast to coast to tie the game with a lay-up.

Then again, with less than 30 seconds left in the game and the 7th grade down 36-34, Justin found Christian in the paint who then turned around and scooped a shot into the basket. That shot tied the game once again and forced overtime.

The game might not have even gone to overtime if the 7th grade would've shot better from the free throw line. They missed their first 13 chances from the line and went an atrocious 20% (4-for-20) for the game.

There was also a lane violation early in the game that cost the boys a point.

Daniel actually got to a rebound with about five seconds to go in the game, threw an outlet down court to Christian, whose desperate heave from just inside the three-point arc fell short.

In the extra quarter, the other team took advantage of a tired squad, that did everything they could to get back into the game, and closed out the 7th grade boys.

It was a bad start for the team, as they were a step slow on defense. They dug themselves an early hole and trailed by as much as 12 before halftime.

The comeback came in the second half as they were able to get some good secondary scoring from the Brandons. Brandon Khuu had two nice mid-range jump shots in the third and Brandon Tom, who was celebrating his 12th birthday, chipped in with 5 points.

It's going to take a team effort for the 7th grade to get back to the playoffs for a third straight year this season, as they will have a healthy 8 players to start the season.

Both Justin and Daniel have developed their games, as they both now not only have the ability to score, but they both have been really good passing the ball to open teammates. The last two games of the tournament were prime examples of that.

Despite only scoring 6 points, Daniel was able to set up many good looks for his teammates.

This game was a definite positive going into the season as they were able to go toe to toe with a really solid team. Barring some missed lay-ups and the aforementioned mistakes, they could've pulled off an upset.

It's going to be some fun basketball to watch this year as the 7th graders have shown their ability to score. They averaged 42.5 points in their last two games.

8th grade salvages final game
Both 8th grade teams combined to play in the final game of the tournament, and they were able to come away with a win.

The St. Mary's 8th grade team was able to keep pace in the first two quarters and trailed only 6-4 at halftime.

From there the DeMarillac 8th graders, representing St. Mary's took charge, and ran away with the game.

In the end, it was a 29-8 win.

Moises, a 7th grader playing with the 8th grade St. Mary's team scored 4 points in the first half, including a buzzer beating shot late in the first quarter.

Kenny, a new player for St. Mary's made his debut and was able to get some tough rebounds by the basket. Unfortunately, he was unable to put them back in for points.

On the DeMarillac side, Julio and Pablo led the way. Their athleticism helped them on many fast breaks and they were both able to cash in on the easy lay-ups in the second half. Pablo had a game high 10 points, Julio had 8 points.

John Jett scored 4 points and Anthony added 3 for the 8th grade DM team.

6th grade drops last two tourney games
After a blazing start in game one of the tournament, the defending champion 6th grade boys have lost their last two games.

Today's contest was much closer than their game Wednesday night but they both yielded the same result.

Raymond's team high 9 points was not enough as the 6th graders fell 18-13 in a hard fought and physical game.

Many of the players on the team came away bruised and battered against a very rough and rugged team. Several of the players left the game battered and bruised, but none of the bumps and scrapes appear to be serious.

Sometimes a game like this could toughen up a team like the 6th grade who are going to face some stiff competition this season.

Being able to endure games against teams who may be a little more physical than others will help them out as the season progresses.

Jason Ng and Joseph both scored two points in the loss. They had several good looks by the basket but their coach Justin Khuu said that they were unable to convert on them.

Rebounds lacking for the 5th grade

The 5th grade is going to be able to put up points, but are they going to be able to stop them.

In today's 28-23 loss, they were outrebounded decisively for the second straight game. For them to bring their game to the next level, they are going to have to play tougher inside.

The other team jumped on all the loose balls by the basket, and the lack of boxing out by the 5th grade. Their second chance points were the story of the game. For whatever reason, the 5th grade has trouble getting rebounds.

They are not that small of a team as Jason H. and newcomer Jason L. both are good sized 5th graders. But rebounding is not all about size, as a lot of it is having inside position. Today, they didn't.

Offensively, Ryan scored his first two points of the year on a jumper in the fourth quarter and Jason L. scored his first points of the year with an And-1 in the fourth.

3rd grade concludes tourney with a 3 spot

The 3rd grade wrapped up the first three games in their career with a 10-3 loss Saturday morning.

Brendan scored 2 points and Nathan had a point in the loss.

Happy Birthday

2011-11-26T14:44:00.000-08:00

2nd Round RAW Videos

2011-11-25T15:03:00.000-08:00

Tons of stuff on the blog this week, make sure you take a look at all the posts including the volleyball and soccer post mortems as well as my Thanksgiving list. Hope everyone had a well Black Friday, and dropped bills at the stores.

DeMarillac 8th graders play first tournament game

2011-11-25T14:32:00.001-08:00

The 8th grade DeMarillac team started off slow but made a small push at the end of a 36-18 loss in round two of the CYO Preseason Tournament.

Pablo hit two 3-pointers and had a team high 8 points in the loss.

Both 8th grade teams will conclude the tournament tomorrow afternoon with a 1 p.m. tip-off.

NOTE: BOTH 8TH GRADE TEAMS WILL PLAY TOMORROW

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T15:11:00.001-08:00

Times to give thanks to...

All our dedicated coaches who take the time out of their busy schedules to coach our teams.

All the wonderful parents who are willing to let you play, transport you to practice and games, and continuously support our program.

Our alumni who still support athletics here at St. Mary's even when they graduate.

All the graduates who came to the soccer and volleyball playoff and championship games. I'm going to list each and every one of them, and I bet you I will forget someone. But nonetheless, here we go:

Vinette, Jamie, Michelle, Olivia, Tiffy, Emily, Melinda, Tiff Ye, Derek, Elliot, Tommy, Kelvin, Marissa, Jeremy, Gavins, Justin, Miles, Catharine, Serina, Timmy.

The students who weren't playing in the games but still came out anyways. And let's list them too...Ryan, Victoria, Fiona, Kaela, Edwena, Justin, Brandon, Aaron, Raymond, Colleen, Daniel, Isabella, Brendan.

The only members of our faculty to show up at any game this season, Mr. B and Mr. Ryan. Mrs. Mayfield counts too, but Isabella is her daughter...

Hunter, Brendan, Daniel and Brandon K. - the only boys to join soccer in the 7th grade this year.

Sabrina, the last girl standing from St. Mary's on the 8th grade volleyball team.

Cynthia and Isabella, the lone 7th graders who joined volleyball.

Hartman, the only 8th grade boy to ever play soccer.

All the players from DeMarillac who have been playing with us the last few years.

My 65 followers on Twitter.

All the students who continue to have great school spirit and try their best at everything they do.

Anybody who supports St. Mary's Athletics and has made it what it is today.

And most importantly, I am thankful for you...YUP!

7th grade bounces back, 5th and 6th grade lose in tourney action

2011-11-23T21:45:00.000-08:00

Six of the seven players on the 7th grade basketball team got on the scoresheet as they had their most lopsided win in team history,winning 49-6 in round two of the CYO Preseason Tournament.

Justin, 16 points, and Daniel 15 points, combined for 31 of the team's 49 points as both of them were on fire in the first half. Justin hit several jumpers from the outside and connected on some nice drives to the hoop, while Daniel just cleaned up everything down low.

After being held scoreless in the first half, Brendan scored 6 alone in the fourth quarter.

James and Christian, both newcomers to the team, scored for the first time in St. Mary's uniforms.

The game was never in question as they opened up a 31-3 lead at halftime. The game was well in hand so Justin and Daniel got to spend the fourth quarter resting on the bench.

Granted the other team wasn't much competition but the way the team scored was impressive.

Justin was great running the fast break, distributing it to his teammates when he needed to, and taking the show when given the opportunity.

Defensively, it felt like they had a steal on almost every defensive possession.

They play next in the Consolation Championship.

The 5th and 6th grade teams came off big wins in round one, but were both dealt losses in round two.

Up against a much tougher and physical team, the 5th grade answered the challenge for three quarters, but ran out of gas towards the end in a 28-12 loss.

They will play for the third place championship Saturday morning.

It was a close game for three quarters, as they trailed by only four points at halftime - it would've been only two if not for a buzzer beating shot. It was 18-10 after three.

The other team had a center who was a good head and a half taller than the 5th grade's tallest player so rebounds were hard to come by the entire night.

Jonathan had a team high 8 points before leaving after three quarters due to a jammed thumb. He is listed as day to day.

The 5th grade had a chance to pull off an upset as defensively they were pretty good on the outside. It's when the ball was shot it became a problem. Their post players had a difficult time rebounding all night.

Offensively, they couldn't generate as much as they did the other night, as this team was quick and got back on defense a lot quicker. They were relegated to outside shots for most of the night and were limited on fast breaks.

They didn't to themselves any favors as they were frequently trapped in a corner or turning the ball over early in the game.

But nonetheless it was a good challenge for this team, as they will need to play at a high level all season.

Saturday morning, the 5th grade plays for third place in the tournament.

Jonathan made a three pointer after the buzzer sounded in the third when he hit the ground and hurt his thumb.

The 6th grade was held scoreless until a Jason Z. free throw late in the third got them on the board.

But it was way too little, way too late as they were dealt a 24-4 loss.

In a game very similar to the 5th grade, the 6th grade was unable to get out on the fast break because the other team was bigger in size.

Defensively, they weren't generating turnovers and had trouble getting rebounds to fuel their offense.

Also up against a pretty good team, the 6th graders played a little tentative and didn't have the confidence they had in game one, which usually happens against a physically bigger team.

On offense, they were facing a man to man defensive, and nobody was able to beat their man.

Defensively, rebounds were hard to get and the team was constantly out of position, leading to an inflated foul count.

They will also play for third place Saturday morning.

Raymond had 3 points in the fourth quarter.

Volleyball and Soccer post-mortems

2011-11-22T20:02:00.000-08:00

It's been a few days since the dust has cleared from the soccer and volleyball championships, and it's a good time (or only time before we really get into boys basketball and forget about soccer and volleyball) for us to reflect on the good, bad and even ugly of our two championship games.

First of all, for both teams to get there honestly is a remarkable accomplishment. Both teams had the same dynamics, with players from the 7th grade playing in the 8th grade, the first time the players on the team played together as a team, players on the team that had never played before, and a team of strangers who never met each other until early in September.

For even one of those reasons, they were battling uphill the entire year. And yet, they were both oh so close from taking the ultimate prize.

Second of all, (since there was a first of all) to win a championship takes a lot more than just skill. It also takes a little bit of luck. In both of these games, luck just simply wasn't on the St. Mary's side.

In the volleyball championship, they were leading 23-21 and Aileen had a spike set up nicely. The ball just hit the top of the net. A few inches higher, that ball goes over, and we have championship point.

A ball on set point was right on the edge of in or out, and the lines-person as well as the referee both ruled it in. I zoomed it in 800% on my video editing system and it looked to just graze the line. But nonetheless, a break that didn't go the girls' way.

The other team also had a few balls that just barely touched the net and fell over, huge points in such a tight contest.

Sabrina had a serve late in the third set that just landed out.

Maybe it just wasn't meant to be.

Moving onto the soccer field, the team played down a man for most of the second quarter, and in return, the other team scored three goals. Eloy, the team's leading scorer was out for portions of the fourth quarter, also not good.

The team had three to four dynamic scoring chances and could not capitalize.

Up against a super fast team, the turf surface worked to the disadvantage of the team. They clearly weren't as fast so playing on a soccer field with real grass would've slowed the other team down.

A lot of calls were not made as the other team was definitely the aggressor.

But when you lose 7-1, can you really point to those factors?

What could the teams have done better?

The girls went away from the bump, set and spike. This was the same thing that happened to the 8th grade girls in their championship in 2009 (Marissa, Emily, Melinda, Tiff Ye and friends…).

When a team is confident and in a rhythm, they feel like they can spike (hit) the ball. When it's a close game, players tend to get nervous and play conservative and just bump the ball over the net, hoping the other team makes a mistake.

That's exactly what happened, and more often than not towards the end, we were the ones that made the mistake.

If you watch the footage, the other team was just solid in passing and bumping. Rarely did they spike or tip. The points that they were earned were off of mistakes that the 7th/8th grade girls committed.

One thing that I preach constantly in any sport, is that you don't look at the scoreboard. You play every point like it's the last one. I can guarantee some of the girls looked at the scoreboard and panic set in.

As for soccer, there really wasn't an answer to the other team. It makes you wonder how they even tied the first time they played.

The other team was faster, quicker, stronger and wanted it more.

The 7th/8th graders also lacked depth. After Pablo, Sebastian and Eloy, there were no goal scorers on the team. They needed some extra firepower and in a championship game, they couldn't get it.

The other team got goals from different players. All year, we got goals from the same three.

If that was the case, and we were expecting goals from only the big three, the mid-field and defense had to be at their best, and they weren't.

One thing you can point to, and Sebastian made this point very clear in his interview after the game, was that they did not practice hard enough and went into the game perhaps a little too over-confident.

Their practices were not the best if you ever watched them. They goofed around too much, and this was from top to bottom. The work ethic in practice was a factor in the game.

Hopefully, lesson learned there.

Finally, they had to have thicker skin. They were being physically pushed around by the other team and they let it affect their game. If the ref isn't going to call anything, you have to have the mental strength and determination to play through it.

I cut this out from the interviews I did, but each player mentioned that the ref didn't make certain calls.

Yes, that could be true. But in the end, there's nothing you can do about bad calls, and you need to make the plays that are needed in the game, so bad calls don't affect the outcome.

Now if you have made it this far in the post mortem, do me a favor and click one of the cool, interesting or funny buttons at the bottom just so I know how many of you were able to follow this long.

I can't stress that even though I am pointing out what they could've done better, I couldn't be more proud of the two teams.

Volleyball and soccer are two sports where we have had a lot of trouble with fielding competitive teams since we have not had it in existence for very long. Did it help we had some athletic talent from the players at DeMarillac? Yes.

But without the St. Mary's players who played before, there would be no team either.

Cynthia and Isabella were very good this year, and so was Sabrina, who was the only girl who decided to join and stick with volleyball in her class.

Daniel, Brandon Khuu, Hunter, and Brendan continued to play when other boys in their class bailed. They were rewarded with a championship game.

Hartman remained the only boy in his class to ever play soccer. He took two real hard balls to the face that we caught on camera, and both times he got back up and kept going.

Getting to these championship games was for all the players who suffered through the struggles of bad seasons when you couldn't wait for it to end because you didn't want to lose anymore. But we're not there anymore. That was then - this is now.

We were well represented and I can only hope that this year is the turning point.

Next year, I hope all the players who have played continued and this could possibly be a motivating factor for those who are scared, or parents who don't want their kids to play, to go out and try volleyball or soccer.

From here on out, we should believe we can compete in soccer, volleyball and any sport for that matter. All it takes is showing up, and the rest of it will come.

Thank you to everybody, coaches, parents, players, friends and loyal supporters for making this the best volleyball and soccer season we've ever had.

Volleyball and soccer championship ceremonies

2011-11-22T13:57:00.001-08:00

Teams bounce back Monday night from slow starts

2011-11-21T20:33:00.000-08:00

The boys basketball teams collectively lost three games on Sunday in round one of their tournament games. The 5th and 6th grade atoned for that by winning big in both of their games.

Neither game was in doubt as the 5th grade won easily 32-2. The other team didn't even score a basket until the final minute of the game. Jonathan had a game high 18 points and Michael, a rookie 5th grader had 10 points.

Defensively the team looked a lot more energetic and quicker to the ball. Having seven players as opposed to five helps and keeps the bodies on the team fresh.

With the win, they advance into the winners bracket and play Wednesday night at 7 p.m.

The 6th grade played a very slow and tepid first quarter, only scoring on Grant's breakaway lay-up. But they got it going in the second quarter and took a 10-0 lead into the half.

Raymond had a game high 9 points, while Joseph chipped in with 6 points in the fourth quarter. Even after Raymond left the game, the team still continued to score, which is a good sign for the team's depth.

Grant had 4 points and Garrick had 2 points. Both Ryan and Jason Zhao hit a free throw.

They also advance in the winner's bracket and play Wednesday night at 8 p.m.

And after playing their first game yesterday, the 3rd graders had at it again in round two of their tournament. They trailed 11-4 at the half and managed to cut the deficit to 11-7 by the end of the third quarter.

But that's as close as they got, as they fell in round two by the final of 17-9. Brendan scored all 9 points, including a shot right before the buzzer to end the game.

The final game of their tournament will be Saturday at 10 a.m.

Boys basketball rained out in round one of tournament

2011-11-20T13:43:00.000-08:00

The 8th grade boys could not get anything going this morning as they were blown out in round one of the preseason tournament.

The 3rd grade boys lost 16-5. Brendan and Calvin supplied the points for the 3rd graders.

The 7th grade boys completed the weekend with a 28-13 loss. Daniel had a game high 9 points.