.
Monday, October 31, 2011
BREAKING NEWS: 7th/8th grade soccer playoff game announced
The 7th/8th grade soccer team will play in the first ever St. Mary's soccer playoff game this Saturday at 12 p.m. The game will be played at West Sunset against St. Paul.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Saturday Recap: 7th/8th grade soccer team clinches playoff spot
Quick Hit
The 7th/8th grade soccer team became the first St. Mary's soccer team in history to make the playoffs with an impressive 3-0 win in their final game of the year...The 5th/6th grade soccer team played a game representative of their entire year, scoring, a chance to win, and a brutal end as they lost 2-1 after leading 1-0 with about five minutes left in the game...Th 5th/6th grade volleyball team disposed of their opponent easily this morning with a straight set win, while the 7th/8th grade volleyball team was off, and will play back to backs next weekend.
Third straight win puts the 7th/8th grade soccer team in post-season
5th/6th grade soccer team's last five minutes represented their season
Two set victory for the 5th/6th grade girls
The 7th/8th grade soccer team punched their ticket to the playoffs with a 3-0 shutout win late Saturday afternoon.
Eloy scored minutes into the game and added an incredible laser beam shot from outside the box in the second half, leading the first St. Mary's soccer team to make the playoffs in school history.
The same two teams will meet next week in the playoffs, with the winner advancing to the championship two weeks from today.
As impressive as the three goals on offense are the zero goals allowed by the defense. Daniel and Hunter played their best games of the year and were stellar from start to end. The other team did have a good scoring chance or two, but their kicks went wide of the net.
After a few rough games, Anthony has settled in at goalie and recorded his second straight shutout. If it wasn't for a mishap against Epiphany earlier, he'd have a three game shutout streak.
The game was played predominantly on the St. Mary's attack side with Eloy, Sebastian and Pablo trying to create scoring chances from the get go.
Sebastian set up Eloy's first goal when he lobbed a ball forward that Eloy tracked down. Using his speed, Eloy beat three defenders to the ball and skipped it past the goalie to make it 1-0.
Less than a minute into the third, Eloy scored his 12th goal of the season when he struck a ball outside of the box into the corner of the net. A professional goalie may not have been able to make that save.
They finished the scoring late in the fourth when Eloy centered a ball to a wide open Sebastian who easily tapped it into the net. A few minutes before that, in almost the exact same play, Sebastian tried to bump in a ball with his chest, but it hit the post. He finished the season second on the team with eight goals.
Next Saturday, the 7th/8th graders will make history and also look to add to it when they play in the first St. Mary's post-season soccer game in school history.
Their wins and goals are already school records that may not be broken any time soon.
If they can play like they have the last three games, they are going to be tough to beat. The offense is scoring timely goals and the defense is really doing a great job of keeping other teams away.
Julio, leading the defense, is as fast to the ball as they come, and the improved play of other defensemen Hunter, Daniel and Brendan have really made a huge difference.
When the defense is able to play solid, the forwards do not need to cheat back and therefore can get a headstart in generating offense.
The boys end the season with 14 points, (4-2-2).
5th/6th grade soccer team's last five minutes represented their season
Leading 1-0 with about five minutes left in their season, the 5th/6th grade soccer team was on the doorstep of winning their first game of the year.
But in all too familiar fashion, the 5th/6th graders broke down at the worst times, and the other team took advantage scoring two goals to hand the 5th/6th grade boys a 2-1 loss to end the season.
Three of the team's five losses have all been by a goal, and their two ties were also a result of breakdowns at the end.
This may be the best winless team in the history of CYO it seems.
Dante scored his third goal of the year in the second half to give the 5th/6th graders a 1-0 lead.
Even with the tough losses, the team should be proud of how they played, considering they were put together at the last minute. They had three new players and two players from NDV.
Team chemistry took a few games but once they starting getting used to play with each other, they had plenty of chances to win.
Raymond, Joseph and Garrick all scored goals for the first time this season, after playing on a team last season that scored one goal the entire year.
A lot of strides were made and we can only hope that this team stays with it and looks to break through next year.
Two set victory for the 5th/6th grade girls
The 5th/6th grade girls volleyball team can finish .500 on the season.
With a dominating 25-17, 25-13 win this morning, they already have three wins and can get a fourth next week against a team that they had already beaten earlier in the year.
The girls played a solid game this morning as they were able to serve consistently and return consistently.
When those elements work for the girls, they play with confidence and get positive results.
The game was close in the first set until the girls pulled away towards the end.
In the second set, it wasn't very close as Fiona served six balls over including an ace to end the match.
They are now (3-4) for the year.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Fall Festival on Saturday
Before, after or in between games, come by Fall Festival tomorrow at Old St. Mary's, with the fun beginning at 10 a.m. all the way until 5 p.m.
The main event attraction that you need to go check out is the Haunted House, put together by Mr. B.
Check out Mr. B's blog on the Haunted House, great stuff, and something you definitely do not want to miss. See you all there tomorrow.
http://www.mrbcryptofchaos.blogspot.com/
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Media Pig Mondays
In our newest blog feature in a desperate attempt to drive more blog hits, we bring you Media Pig Monday, a look at the perks of a media pig, aka myself.
 |
| Plate one of my free lunch |
 |
| Seconds |
 |
| The view from the press box right before the Raiders were shut out 28-0. |
 |
| Jason Campbell, injured Raiders QB in street clothes, can only ponder what went wrong. |
 |
| Raiders LB Kamerion Wimbley doing interviews after the tough loss. |
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Saturday Recap: 7th/8th grade volleyball some how pull out a win
Quick Hit
The 7th/8th grade volleyball team didn't start playing until it was almost too late, as they came from behind to win in three sets, improving their record to (4-2). The 5th/6th grade volleyball team played a competitive game against the number one team in the division, but came up a bit short.
On the soccer field, the 5th/6th grade tie again, with Garrick scoring his first goal ever in a 1-1 tie, while the 7th/8th grade took care of business and won 4-0 behind a hat trick by Sebastian.
(Highlights updated below)
7th/8th grade girls wake up, win game
Take this as a lesson - you can't take any team for granted.
Going up against a (1-4) team, the 7th/8th grade girls played like they should've automatically been handed a victory based on their record. And in return, they were four points away from being upset by a sub .500 team.
After spotting the other team the first set 25-17, they found themselves down 21-12 in the second set until the light switch finally came on.
From that point forward, the girls surged ahead and won the second set 25-23, and the third set 15-10. They escaped with a much needed win.
The good news is that when the girls are motivated and play focused, they can win games. When they don't, they'll get the effort and results for the first half of the game.
Much of the same problems persisted in the first set and a half, with no communication and more than one girl going after the same ball. Their serves which had been so consistent also fell by the waist side.
However when they were clicking, all their bad habits turned 180 degrees, and they were able to make one of the most incredible comebacks in St. Mary's volleyball history.
With the win, the girls have won three straight and are now (4-2).
Strong effort by 5th/6th grade girls
Two hours before the 7th/8th grade girls took the court at CYO Serramonte, the 5th/6th grade girls were going for an upset bid of their own, matched up against the undefeated first place team.
In perhaps a sign of things to come for the afternoon, the 5th/6th grade girls, the heavy underdogs gave the first place team a run for their money.
After a competitive first set which saw the girls lose 25-17, they took a 17-13 lead in the second set. But they simply ran out of gas towards the end and lost the second set 25-22.
For the second straight week, Alexandria served a ball over and Alexis was able to return a ball, both for points.
But against a first place team, the little mistakes all add up, and were too much to overcome.
The 5th/6th grade girls (2-4) served consistent for the most part, but they made faults on a few serves, which really stalled momentum.
Fiona attempted a spike, as the girls were able to three hit, with a bump, set and the eventual hit. However Fiona's ball was spiked too hard and it went over the end line.
There were several moments in the game when the girls were able to get to balls they wouldn't have gotten to two weeks ago. They are also showing the beginning signs of the bump, set and spike.
Sebastian hat trick leads 7th/8th grade soccer
Behind Sebastian's hat trick, the 7th/8th grade soccer put themselves in the driver's seat for the playoffs.
Sebastian scored one goal in the first half, and a pair in the second in a 4-0 win.
Eloy put the 7th/8th graders on the board first with a goal minutes into the game when his hard kick hit the goalie and into the net. He has scored ten goals on the year.
It was also another solid game by the defense who pitched their first shut out of the game. Julio and Brendan were great again with their kicks, getting solid contact on the balls, keeping the other team's attackers out of the zone.
With the win, the 7th/8th grade (3-2-2, 11 points) now controls their playoff destiny.
If they can win next week, they will automatically secure a playoff spot. Lose or tie and they will need some help in the standings from other teams.
The offense today just kept coming and you had the feeling they were going to score some goals. The trio of Eloy, Sebastian and Pablo were in the attack zone all day, wearing out the other team's defense.
John Jett also did a good job playing aggressive and controlling the midfield. His control of the ball set up the third goal when he was able to elude some defenders and getting the ball to Eloy.
With a nice swift kick, Eloy set up Sebastian perfectly as he did on Sebastian's other goals.
Pablo started in goal and was relieved by Anthony, who was late to the game.
Garrick latest to score goal, team ties
It was a very typical game for the 5th/6th grade soccer team. Someone scored a goal, the game was winnable, and a fluky goal was scored by the other team.
Garrick got his foot on a ball in the first quarter to give the 5th/6th grade a 1-0 lead. The goal was Garrick's first goal in his career.
Up against a team that beat them 6-2 the first time, the 5th/6th graders played hard all game and should've could've come away with their first official win of the year.
The only goal that the team gave up was what Jason H. called a "magical shot" that curved into the net.
And that's how it goes for a team scrapping to make the playoffs in their first year.
According to the CYO website, the 5th/6th graders were credited with a win in their first game of the year. And with the tie this afternoon, they can still make the playoffs next week if they win their final game of the year, so a lot is still at stake.
They had a few chances late in the game to get the go ahead goal, but just couldn't push through goal number two.
In fact, Joseph got to a ball late in the game, booted it, thought it went in, but the ball never crossed the line.
The 7th/8th grade volleyball team didn't start playing until it was almost too late, as they came from behind to win in three sets, improving their record to (4-2). The 5th/6th grade volleyball team played a competitive game against the number one team in the division, but came up a bit short.
On the soccer field, the 5th/6th grade tie again, with Garrick scoring his first goal ever in a 1-1 tie, while the 7th/8th grade took care of business and won 4-0 behind a hat trick by Sebastian.
(Highlights updated below)
7th/8th grade girls wake up, win game
Take this as a lesson - you can't take any team for granted.
Going up against a (1-4) team, the 7th/8th grade girls played like they should've automatically been handed a victory based on their record. And in return, they were four points away from being upset by a sub .500 team.
After spotting the other team the first set 25-17, they found themselves down 21-12 in the second set until the light switch finally came on.
From that point forward, the girls surged ahead and won the second set 25-23, and the third set 15-10. They escaped with a much needed win.
The good news is that when the girls are motivated and play focused, they can win games. When they don't, they'll get the effort and results for the first half of the game.
Much of the same problems persisted in the first set and a half, with no communication and more than one girl going after the same ball. Their serves which had been so consistent also fell by the waist side.
However when they were clicking, all their bad habits turned 180 degrees, and they were able to make one of the most incredible comebacks in St. Mary's volleyball history.
With the win, the girls have won three straight and are now (4-2).
Strong effort by 5th/6th grade girls
Two hours before the 7th/8th grade girls took the court at CYO Serramonte, the 5th/6th grade girls were going for an upset bid of their own, matched up against the undefeated first place team.
In perhaps a sign of things to come for the afternoon, the 5th/6th grade girls, the heavy underdogs gave the first place team a run for their money.
After a competitive first set which saw the girls lose 25-17, they took a 17-13 lead in the second set. But they simply ran out of gas towards the end and lost the second set 25-22.
For the second straight week, Alexandria served a ball over and Alexis was able to return a ball, both for points.
But against a first place team, the little mistakes all add up, and were too much to overcome.
The 5th/6th grade girls (2-4) served consistent for the most part, but they made faults on a few serves, which really stalled momentum.
Fiona attempted a spike, as the girls were able to three hit, with a bump, set and the eventual hit. However Fiona's ball was spiked too hard and it went over the end line.
There were several moments in the game when the girls were able to get to balls they wouldn't have gotten to two weeks ago. They are also showing the beginning signs of the bump, set and spike.
Sebastian hat trick leads 7th/8th grade soccer
Behind Sebastian's hat trick, the 7th/8th grade soccer put themselves in the driver's seat for the playoffs.
Sebastian scored one goal in the first half, and a pair in the second in a 4-0 win.
Eloy put the 7th/8th graders on the board first with a goal minutes into the game when his hard kick hit the goalie and into the net. He has scored ten goals on the year.
It was also another solid game by the defense who pitched their first shut out of the game. Julio and Brendan were great again with their kicks, getting solid contact on the balls, keeping the other team's attackers out of the zone.
With the win, the 7th/8th grade (3-2-2, 11 points) now controls their playoff destiny.
If they can win next week, they will automatically secure a playoff spot. Lose or tie and they will need some help in the standings from other teams.
The offense today just kept coming and you had the feeling they were going to score some goals. The trio of Eloy, Sebastian and Pablo were in the attack zone all day, wearing out the other team's defense.
John Jett also did a good job playing aggressive and controlling the midfield. His control of the ball set up the third goal when he was able to elude some defenders and getting the ball to Eloy.
With a nice swift kick, Eloy set up Sebastian perfectly as he did on Sebastian's other goals.
Pablo started in goal and was relieved by Anthony, who was late to the game.
Garrick latest to score goal, team ties
It was a very typical game for the 5th/6th grade soccer team. Someone scored a goal, the game was winnable, and a fluky goal was scored by the other team.
Garrick got his foot on a ball in the first quarter to give the 5th/6th grade a 1-0 lead. The goal was Garrick's first goal in his career.
Up against a team that beat them 6-2 the first time, the 5th/6th graders played hard all game and should've could've come away with their first official win of the year.
The only goal that the team gave up was what Jason H. called a "magical shot" that curved into the net.
And that's how it goes for a team scrapping to make the playoffs in their first year.
According to the CYO website, the 5th/6th graders were credited with a win in their first game of the year. And with the tie this afternoon, they can still make the playoffs next week if they win their final game of the year, so a lot is still at stake.
They had a few chances late in the game to get the go ahead goal, but just couldn't push through goal number two.
In fact, Joseph got to a ball late in the game, booted it, thought it went in, but the ball never crossed the line.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry goes back to school at Davidson
Courtesy: San Jose Mercury News
By Marcus Thompson II
mthomps2@bayareanewsgroup.com
Stephen Curry strolled in late for an interview at the Davidson College newspaper last month, a look of disinterest on his face. With an iPod earbud attached to one ear, the Warriors point guard sent text messages as he answered questions and even interrupted the interview to take a call.
Then, suddenly, Curry burst into laughter, his attempt at playing the part of a bigheaded sports star gone awry.
"Steph tried to punk us," said Andrew Barna, co-sports editor of The Davidsonian. "But he could only last three minutes because he is such a nice and down-to-earth guy."
Clearly, Curry is right where he belongs. He could be playing overseas, earning back some of the money he is losing during the NBA lockout. He could be using this time to hang out, travel, or play video games. Instead, Curry, 23, is back on his old stamping grounds at Davidson, finishing up a degree in sociology.
"It's about finishing what I started," Curry said.
Going back to school may sound noble considering the pampered, diva label often affixed to NBA players. But in Curry's world, such a decision was "not a big deal." And that probably explains why transitioning back into school has been as smooth as his jump shot.
"I was excited, but I really wasn't surprised," said Curry's mom, Sonya. "It's a big deal to get a Davidson degree. And that's the expectation that (Davidson) Coach Bob McKillop set -- that his players graduate. I didn't want my baby being the only one who didn't."
The lockout has afforded Curry a rare opportunity to knock out a bulk of classes at Davidson, which is in Charlotte, N.C. So instead of signing to play internationally, where he could make money and expand his fame globally, Curry is back on the scholastic grind.
Offseason surgery in May to repair two ligaments in his right ankle made the decision to avoid full-time basketball easier. Curry's ankle is still not 100 percent, though he was cleared for full activity on Sept. 14.
Still, Curry said he would've gone to college even if the ankle were healthy. The opportunity to secure his degree, he said, is more fulfilling than the money or the experience he would get playing overseas.
If the lockout ends suddenly, Curry might have to drop the books and head to training camp, withdrawing from his classes. If that scenario played out late enough in the semester, he could possibly work out an arrangement with his professors.
"Since I'm so close, it's important to finish," said Curry, who after this semester will have one class and his senior thesis left to complete his bachelor's degree. "I don't know that I will have this opportunity again. I told my coach and my parents I'd finish eventually. They assumed I would take one summer class a year for the next seven years. But that wasn't going to happen."
Things are different this time around at Davidson for Curry. Two years removed from school, he is older and married, tying the knot with longtime girlfriend Ayesha Alexander on July 30.
These days, Curry makes the 45-minute commute to campus in his Mercedes rather than experiencing the joys of dorm life. He also enjoys much more anonymity walking across campus than he did in 2008, when he led Davidson on its Cinderella run to the NCAA Elite Eight.
To be sure, he's still popular, though.
"It's awesome to walk (across campus) and see someone you've seen in video games," Davidson sophomore Sam Trawick told The Davidsonian.
But what might surprise those who don't know Curry is how he blends in. Despite being an NBA star among coeds, Curry has managed to keep a low profile on campus. No entourage. No fancy jewelry or sunglasses worn in class. Normal college kid attire: a backpack, T-shirt and shorts.
Curry's courses -- history of education, medical sociology and a research class -- make for a busy Tuesday/Thursday schedule. But, similar to his mindset on the basketball court, Curry is fully engaging himself and focused on being a good teammate.
"He does a fabulous job interacting with students," said Jessica Taft, one of Curry's sociology professors. "He's just one of the students. He adds a lot to the classroom. It says a lot about what of person he is. It says something about his commitment to education."
When he's done with class, Curry heads over to the gym to work out with the men's basketball team. In addition to helping McKillop prepare the Wildcats for the season, Curry is strengthening his ankle and polishing his game.
On his way to the gym, he may sign an autograph or two or chat about the good old days. And he might even prank an unsuspecting fan. But it's clear Curry is back where his NBA stardom was launched for bigger reasons than basketball. It's about finishing something important to him when the chance was presented.
As he said, "I had an opportunity to get it done."
By Marcus Thompson II
mthomps2@bayareanewsgroup.com
 |
| Stephen Curry has gone back to school during the NBA lockout. |
Then, suddenly, Curry burst into laughter, his attempt at playing the part of a bigheaded sports star gone awry.
"Steph tried to punk us," said Andrew Barna, co-sports editor of The Davidsonian. "But he could only last three minutes because he is such a nice and down-to-earth guy."
Clearly, Curry is right where he belongs. He could be playing overseas, earning back some of the money he is losing during the NBA lockout. He could be using this time to hang out, travel, or play video games. Instead, Curry, 23, is back on his old stamping grounds at Davidson, finishing up a degree in sociology.
"It's about finishing what I started," Curry said.
Going back to school may sound noble considering the pampered, diva label often affixed to NBA players. But in Curry's world, such a decision was "not a big deal." And that probably explains why transitioning back into school has been as smooth as his jump shot.
"I was excited, but I really wasn't surprised," said Curry's mom, Sonya. "It's a big deal to get a Davidson degree. And that's the expectation that (Davidson) Coach Bob McKillop set -- that his players graduate. I didn't want my baby being the only one who didn't."
The lockout has afforded Curry a rare opportunity to knock out a bulk of classes at Davidson, which is in Charlotte, N.C. So instead of signing to play internationally, where he could make money and expand his fame globally, Curry is back on the scholastic grind.
Offseason surgery in May to repair two ligaments in his right ankle made the decision to avoid full-time basketball easier. Curry's ankle is still not 100 percent, though he was cleared for full activity on Sept. 14.
Still, Curry said he would've gone to college even if the ankle were healthy. The opportunity to secure his degree, he said, is more fulfilling than the money or the experience he would get playing overseas.
If the lockout ends suddenly, Curry might have to drop the books and head to training camp, withdrawing from his classes. If that scenario played out late enough in the semester, he could possibly work out an arrangement with his professors.
"Since I'm so close, it's important to finish," said Curry, who after this semester will have one class and his senior thesis left to complete his bachelor's degree. "I don't know that I will have this opportunity again. I told my coach and my parents I'd finish eventually. They assumed I would take one summer class a year for the next seven years. But that wasn't going to happen."
Things are different this time around at Davidson for Curry. Two years removed from school, he is older and married, tying the knot with longtime girlfriend Ayesha Alexander on July 30.
These days, Curry makes the 45-minute commute to campus in his Mercedes rather than experiencing the joys of dorm life. He also enjoys much more anonymity walking across campus than he did in 2008, when he led Davidson on its Cinderella run to the NCAA Elite Eight.
To be sure, he's still popular, though.
"It's awesome to walk (across campus) and see someone you've seen in video games," Davidson sophomore Sam Trawick told The Davidsonian.
But what might surprise those who don't know Curry is how he blends in. Despite being an NBA star among coeds, Curry has managed to keep a low profile on campus. No entourage. No fancy jewelry or sunglasses worn in class. Normal college kid attire: a backpack, T-shirt and shorts.
Curry's courses -- history of education, medical sociology and a research class -- make for a busy Tuesday/Thursday schedule. But, similar to his mindset on the basketball court, Curry is fully engaging himself and focused on being a good teammate.
"He does a fabulous job interacting with students," said Jessica Taft, one of Curry's sociology professors. "He's just one of the students. He adds a lot to the classroom. It says a lot about what of person he is. It says something about his commitment to education."
When he's done with class, Curry heads over to the gym to work out with the men's basketball team. In addition to helping McKillop prepare the Wildcats for the season, Curry is strengthening his ankle and polishing his game.
On his way to the gym, he may sign an autograph or two or chat about the good old days. And he might even prank an unsuspecting fan. But it's clear Curry is back where his NBA stardom was launched for bigger reasons than basketball. It's about finishing something important to him when the chance was presented.
As he said, "I had an opportunity to get it done."
 |
| Curry also took out some time during the lockout to pose for pictures with noobs. |
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Monday night news and notes
MMQ will return next week.
So hello everybody out there, hope you had a good start to your week. Tonight I will just make a few announcements as well as random thoughts that come to my head as I sit here for about ten minutes. So here we go...
And finally, on a real tragic note, please say a prayer for IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon, his family, and everyone involved in one of the worst race car accidents in history yesterday in Las Vegas.
In the final IndyCar race of the year, Wheldon was one of several cars that went flying through the air and into the barricades and walls. One driver described the scene "like a war scene from Terminator."
Wheldon was airlifted to a local hospital where he passed away.
He was one of the most popular drivers on the IndyCar circuit and actually won the Indy 500 this year.
Wheldon had only raced three races this year, and decided to race Sunday because of the grand prize. As part of a promotion, he would've won $5 million and split it with a randomly chosen lucky fan had he won the race.
They canceled the race after the crash and the remaining drivers all drove 5 laps around the track, paying tribute to their fallen friend.
Dan Wheldon was only 33 years old.
 |
| Raiders LB Kamerion Wimbley being interviewed after the game. |
- Thank you to Tiff for bringing my mail back to school.
- Boys Basketball forms are due at the end of the week. Read the forms carefully, as attendance is expected and anything less than a firm commitment will result in being removed from the team. Don't lag on these, because the quicker you give the okay to play, the quicker we can start practices.
- For the first time we will be practicing upstairs on the roof.
- Girls soccer. Give it a shot, and I will find you a team. Wouldn't it be cool if we had a girls soccer team? Well, wouldn't it be cool if we had more 7th or 8th grade boys play soccer from St. Mary's? SMH = shake my head
- Big shoutout to the 7th and 8th grade St. Mary's soccer players who all played a great game Saturday in their 2-1 win. Hartman, Daniel, Hunter, Brandon K. and Brendan - phenomenal effort, hope you guys can keep it up.
- What a crazy weekend in sports. The 49ers with another great victory, and if you didn't see what happened at the end of the game between the two head coaches, you got to look it up somewhere.
- The Raiders lost their starting QB Jason Campbell for at least 6 weeks, it's going to be tough in Raider land without Campbell. But at least they are (4-2). Maybe some more Al Davis mojo could help them in the upcoming weeks.
- Follow me on Twitter please.
- When is Epic Video going to be back asks some of you? If you watched Epic Video #30, I talked about it in Part 3.
- I'm going to start a new feature on the blog called Media Pig Monday starting next week and maybe I'll do Tuesday morning quarterback, or maybe I'll just do two posts on Monday.
- Hey, where's Shem's Corner?
- On October 17, 2008, the class of 2009 girls won another volleyball set. They won set number one 25-19, but lost the next two sets.
- Who is going to be my basketball coach? I think every team will have at least one or two new coaches.
- Does anybody watch the highlights anymore or is YouTube messing with my view count? If I can't get more, I might need to shudder down.
In the final IndyCar race of the year, Wheldon was one of several cars that went flying through the air and into the barricades and walls. One driver described the scene "like a war scene from Terminator."
Wheldon was airlifted to a local hospital where he passed away.
He was one of the most popular drivers on the IndyCar circuit and actually won the Indy 500 this year.
Wheldon had only raced three races this year, and decided to race Sunday because of the grand prize. As part of a promotion, he would've won $5 million and split it with a randomly chosen lucky fan had he won the race.
They canceled the race after the crash and the remaining drivers all drove 5 laps around the track, paying tribute to their fallen friend.
Dan Wheldon was only 33 years old.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Saturday Recap: Gutsy win for the 7th/8th grade soccer team, volleyball teams pick up wins
Saturday Quick Hit
The game of the day saw the 7th/8th grade soccer team win 2-1. The 5th/6th grade boys lost by the identical score, meanwhile the 5th/6th grade girls dominated their morning game, winning in straight sets and the 7th/8th grade girls are now (3-2) thanks to a forfeit.
*Highlights Updated Below*
Defense strong as ever in 7th/8th grade win
They are not going to get on the highlight reel often, and won't show up on the score sheet very often, but the defense of the 7th/8th grade grade boys soccer team played their best game to date in their 2-1 victory that brings them back to .500.
The defenders, led by Julio, kept the other team at bay for much of the game, limiting their shots and quality scoring chances.
In fact, even the first goal of the game wasn't the defense's fault as Anthony got far too under a punt, and the other team just floated a ball towards the net before Anthony was able to get back in goal putting the 7th/8th graders behind early 1-0.
The offense made the most of their opportunities after that when minutes later Eloy made another highlight reel type play, tapping the ball to himself and kicking a laser into the corner of the net to tie the game at 1-1.
Pablo almost gave the team a lead in the second quarter when he broke through the defense and fired a shot towards the net. Only thing is he hit it way too hard and it bounced right off the crossbar.
He made up for it a few minutes later when he made a touch pass to Sebastian in the box to set up the eventual game winning goal.
The other team couldn't clear the ball out of the box and the 7th/8th graders kept the pressure on inside the zone. When Sebastian had the ball at his foot, he faked a hard shot, which deked the goalie, and all Sebastian had to do was simply squib the ball into the net for his fourth goal of the season.
From that point forward, the defense took over.
Julio, along with Daniel, Brendan and Hunter were physical and played smart soccer, getting themselves into good positions and kicking the ball with authority.
The midfield of John Jett, Brandon K. and Hartman also played admirably as they were a good buffer between the defense and offense.
Anthony, who had a rough start with the muffed punt, came back strong and made good decisions the rest of the way and made a crucial save in the third quarter to preserve the 2-1 lead.
This was by far and away the best team effort from a soccer team we have see in the four years here at St. Mary's.
The offense did what it needed to do and the defense held up strong from beginning to end.
The 7th/8th graders have two games remaining and have put themselves in a good position for a playoff spot.
To do that, they will need to replicate their effort and execution like today and they'll be a real tough team to play against the rest of the way.
With the win, the 7th/8th grade team has already set the record for most wins in a soccer season by a St. Mary's team.
Whether they are the first St. Mary's soccer team to make the playoffs will be determined in the next two weeks.
Breakdowns key in 5th/6th grade loss
The 5th/6th grade boys soccer team added to their tally of tough losses this afternoon with a 2-1 defeat, in yet another game that they could've won.
Dante scored his second goal of the season minutes into the game to give the boys a 1-0 lead, but the defense collapsed twice in the first half leading to the unanswered goals.
The first goal they surrendered was a blatant miss by several members of the defense. The ball was rolling and at least two, if not more St. Mary's players took a kick and completely missed the ball.
The other team's forward didn't and he booted the ball past Jason H. for the tying goal.
On the second goal, Jason had just punted the ball, but came too far out of the net. The ball went off a St. Mary's player's head and back into the box.
With Jason out of position and the defense too slow to get back, the other team pocketed the shot into the back of the net before halftime.
The 5th/6th graders had some chances in the second half to tie the game, none better than when Raymond was just a second too late getting to a ball by the goal.
Off a corner kick, the other team's defender clearly touched a ball with his hand after it ricocheted off his foot, but the referee was screened and was unable to make the call.
If a handball was called, it would've award the 5th/6th graders a penalty kick.
But that's the way the ball bounces for the 5th/6th graders who can't catch a break.
They've played good enough to win at least half their games this season, but right now good enough is just enough for a well played game.
Easy win for 5th/6th grade girls
The 5th/6th grade girls won easily this morning 25-8, 25-13 in straight sets.
Alexandria served the ball over for the first time in her career, sending two balls well over the net and Alexis made a great play in the game when she bumped a ball over the net, giving the team a point.
Fiona and Victoria were great with their serving, as Fiona served six consecutive balls over and Victoria nine.
Their record on the season is now (2-3).
Forfeit gives 7th/8th grade win
The 7th/8th grade girls won by forfeit this morning. Even though they didn't play, a win is crucial and puts them in a good position to make the playoffs, as their record now sits at (3-2).
The game of the day saw the 7th/8th grade soccer team win 2-1. The 5th/6th grade boys lost by the identical score, meanwhile the 5th/6th grade girls dominated their morning game, winning in straight sets and the 7th/8th grade girls are now (3-2) thanks to a forfeit.
*Highlights Updated Below*
Defense strong as ever in 7th/8th grade win
They are not going to get on the highlight reel often, and won't show up on the score sheet very often, but the defense of the 7th/8th grade grade boys soccer team played their best game to date in their 2-1 victory that brings them back to .500.
The defenders, led by Julio, kept the other team at bay for much of the game, limiting their shots and quality scoring chances.
In fact, even the first goal of the game wasn't the defense's fault as Anthony got far too under a punt, and the other team just floated a ball towards the net before Anthony was able to get back in goal putting the 7th/8th graders behind early 1-0.
The offense made the most of their opportunities after that when minutes later Eloy made another highlight reel type play, tapping the ball to himself and kicking a laser into the corner of the net to tie the game at 1-1.
Pablo almost gave the team a lead in the second quarter when he broke through the defense and fired a shot towards the net. Only thing is he hit it way too hard and it bounced right off the crossbar.
He made up for it a few minutes later when he made a touch pass to Sebastian in the box to set up the eventual game winning goal.
The other team couldn't clear the ball out of the box and the 7th/8th graders kept the pressure on inside the zone. When Sebastian had the ball at his foot, he faked a hard shot, which deked the goalie, and all Sebastian had to do was simply squib the ball into the net for his fourth goal of the season.
From that point forward, the defense took over.
Julio, along with Daniel, Brendan and Hunter were physical and played smart soccer, getting themselves into good positions and kicking the ball with authority.
The midfield of John Jett, Brandon K. and Hartman also played admirably as they were a good buffer between the defense and offense.
Anthony, who had a rough start with the muffed punt, came back strong and made good decisions the rest of the way and made a crucial save in the third quarter to preserve the 2-1 lead.
This was by far and away the best team effort from a soccer team we have see in the four years here at St. Mary's.
The offense did what it needed to do and the defense held up strong from beginning to end.
The 7th/8th graders have two games remaining and have put themselves in a good position for a playoff spot.
To do that, they will need to replicate their effort and execution like today and they'll be a real tough team to play against the rest of the way.
With the win, the 7th/8th grade team has already set the record for most wins in a soccer season by a St. Mary's team.
Whether they are the first St. Mary's soccer team to make the playoffs will be determined in the next two weeks.
Breakdowns key in 5th/6th grade loss
The 5th/6th grade boys soccer team added to their tally of tough losses this afternoon with a 2-1 defeat, in yet another game that they could've won.
Dante scored his second goal of the season minutes into the game to give the boys a 1-0 lead, but the defense collapsed twice in the first half leading to the unanswered goals.
The first goal they surrendered was a blatant miss by several members of the defense. The ball was rolling and at least two, if not more St. Mary's players took a kick and completely missed the ball.
The other team's forward didn't and he booted the ball past Jason H. for the tying goal.
On the second goal, Jason had just punted the ball, but came too far out of the net. The ball went off a St. Mary's player's head and back into the box.
With Jason out of position and the defense too slow to get back, the other team pocketed the shot into the back of the net before halftime.
The 5th/6th graders had some chances in the second half to tie the game, none better than when Raymond was just a second too late getting to a ball by the goal.
Off a corner kick, the other team's defender clearly touched a ball with his hand after it ricocheted off his foot, but the referee was screened and was unable to make the call.
If a handball was called, it would've award the 5th/6th graders a penalty kick.
But that's the way the ball bounces for the 5th/6th graders who can't catch a break.
They've played good enough to win at least half their games this season, but right now good enough is just enough for a well played game.
Easy win for 5th/6th grade girls
The 5th/6th grade girls won easily this morning 25-8, 25-13 in straight sets.
Alexandria served the ball over for the first time in her career, sending two balls well over the net and Alexis made a great play in the game when she bumped a ball over the net, giving the team a point.
Fiona and Victoria were great with their serving, as Fiona served six consecutive balls over and Victoria nine.
Their record on the season is now (2-3).
Forfeit gives 7th/8th grade win
The 7th/8th grade girls won by forfeit this morning. Even though they didn't play, a win is crucial and puts them in a good position to make the playoffs, as their record now sits at (3-2).
Friday, October 14, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The life of Al Davis
As most football fans and even casual sports fans should know right now, the NFL and the game of football lost one of the all time greats Saturday morning when Raiders owner Al Davis passed away.He was 82.
If you flashback a few years, I wrote a little thing about Al Davis on the blog and you can check that out by clicking right here: I am Al Davis
[Looking back on that, I took some shots at Mr. Davis, and actually when the entire story unfolded, Lane Kiffin was just as guilty as Al Davis and his stubborn self, but that's a whole other story.]
I never got to meet Al Davis, didn't even get to stick a microphone in his face. But he was one of the most unique personalities in the sporting world.
From his track jumpsuits to his mispronunciation of names, he was just such a character.
On a much larger scale, he changed the game of football and influenced the lives of everybody who plays football today, not to mention the millions of fans out there who watch the NFL on a weekly basis.
Not everything Mr. Davis did was accepted by the public and in fact, he probably was the butt of many jokes within the last few years, but nonetheless, the world lost a football icon Saturday morning.
Sunday, following the Raiders game, their head coach Hue Jackson, was in a crouch, crying after the Raiders had pulled off a victory in the final seconds.
Ironically, there were only 10 players on the field for the last play. Normally in football, you line up 11. But I guess the 11th player was out there in spirit.
Enjoy below also the CBS-5 retrospect on the life of Al Davis. The video starts probably 20 seconds in, so don't think it froze on you.
Tuesday Soccer Practice Off
Due to wet fields, the 5th/6th grade soccer practice for Tuesday has been canceled.
They will practice tomorrow (Wednesday) @ 4:30 p.m.
They will practice tomorrow (Wednesday) @ 4:30 p.m.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
5th/6th grade drops heartbreaker, 7th/8th grade ties again
Highlights include last night's volleyball game
The 5th/6th grade soccer team squandered opportunity after opportunity to score goals this afternoon and one breakdown was the result of a heartbreaking 1-0 loss.
For the second straight game, the 7th/8th grade played to a tie.
They erased a 1-0 halftime deficit and tied it in the third quarter on a nice kick in the box from Eloy. They had a few chances the rest of the way but never cashed in and settled for a 1-1 draw.
One defense mistake cost the team the first goal of the game. A simple throw-in from the sideline midway through the first quarter went untouched until a reached a player on the other team inside the box. Our defense was too slow to react and the ball went in the 7th/8th grade net.
Just moments earlier, Eloy dribbled down the right wing and centered a ball perfectly for Sebastian but he chipped the ball over the net, squandering an early scoring chance.
The other team was physically bigger and stronger than the 7th/8th grade and many of the players took some hard hits out on the field.
In the first half, Hartman was bowled over near midfield but he popped back up like he has many a times in his career.
The midfield of the team is getting better, evident by the passes Hartman and Brandon K. were able to connect on with the forwards.
But the consistency is still lacking as the midfield and defenders all collectively tend to whiff on kicks and controlling balls.
On the misses, the offensive rhythm stalls.
Throw-ins also stalled the team today as they were called for bad throws on several occasions.
They survived a few scares on defense when Anthony, the goalie, wandered way too far out of the night on a handful of plays but the 7th/8th grade was able to dodge a bullet.
Defensively, they were able to weather the storm. The core of Daniel, Julio, Hunter and Brendan were all able to make the plays when they were called upon during the game. Their kicks are a lot stronger than even last week, and are a big reason why this game was a tie and not a loss.
This is the second straight tie for the 7th/8th grade, and they remain alive in the playoff hunt at (1-2-2, 5 points).
The 5th/6th grade soccer team squandered opportunity after opportunity to score goals this afternoon and one breakdown was the result of a heartbreaking 1-0 loss.
For the second straight game, the 7th/8th grade played to a tie.
They erased a 1-0 halftime deficit and tied it in the third quarter on a nice kick in the box from Eloy. They had a few chances the rest of the way but never cashed in and settled for a 1-1 draw.
One defense mistake cost the team the first goal of the game. A simple throw-in from the sideline midway through the first quarter went untouched until a reached a player on the other team inside the box. Our defense was too slow to react and the ball went in the 7th/8th grade net.
Just moments earlier, Eloy dribbled down the right wing and centered a ball perfectly for Sebastian but he chipped the ball over the net, squandering an early scoring chance.
The other team was physically bigger and stronger than the 7th/8th grade and many of the players took some hard hits out on the field.
In the first half, Hartman was bowled over near midfield but he popped back up like he has many a times in his career.
The midfield of the team is getting better, evident by the passes Hartman and Brandon K. were able to connect on with the forwards.
But the consistency is still lacking as the midfield and defenders all collectively tend to whiff on kicks and controlling balls.
On the misses, the offensive rhythm stalls.
Throw-ins also stalled the team today as they were called for bad throws on several occasions.
They survived a few scares on defense when Anthony, the goalie, wandered way too far out of the night on a handful of plays but the 7th/8th grade was able to dodge a bullet.
Defensively, they were able to weather the storm. The core of Daniel, Julio, Hunter and Brendan were all able to make the plays when they were called upon during the game. Their kicks are a lot stronger than even last week, and are a big reason why this game was a tie and not a loss.
This is the second straight tie for the 7th/8th grade, and they remain alive in the playoff hunt at (1-2-2, 5 points).
Not enough in the 5th/6th grade tank
There are nights when you beat yourselves, and there are nights when you just get beat.
On Friday night, the 5th/6th grade girls just got beat.
Facing a much more formidable opponent, the girls were dominated in the second half of both sets and lost 25-12, 25-13.
The first set actually started out real well for the girls as they jumped out to a 5-1 lead early on behind some real strong serves by Edwena.
In the first three games of the year, the girls fell behind early, so for once, they had a quick lead.
But once they turned over the ball, they were unable to compete with the other team and their barrage of overhand serves.
Coupled with the fact that they were able to bump, set and spike, the 5th/6th graders needed to play error free volleyball and that's just too steep of a hill for them to climb this early in their careers.
The second set was more of the same, as the teams were neck and neck and at one point tied 7-7. But again, the overhand serves by the other team extended their lead over the girls, and eventually the match was lost.
A lot of the normal mistakes, inconsistent serving, a lack of communication, indecisiveness all contributed to their worse loss (point wise) of the season.
Midway through the season, some girls still look like they are brand new, and for them to win games like these, everyone needs to play with confidence.
Half the battle currently is getting serves over, which the all the girls still struggle with from game to game.
After winning their first game of the year, they have now dropped three straight games to fall to (1-3).
On Friday night, the 5th/6th grade girls just got beat.
Facing a much more formidable opponent, the girls were dominated in the second half of both sets and lost 25-12, 25-13.
The first set actually started out real well for the girls as they jumped out to a 5-1 lead early on behind some real strong serves by Edwena.
In the first three games of the year, the girls fell behind early, so for once, they had a quick lead.
But once they turned over the ball, they were unable to compete with the other team and their barrage of overhand serves.
Coupled with the fact that they were able to bump, set and spike, the 5th/6th graders needed to play error free volleyball and that's just too steep of a hill for them to climb this early in their careers.
The second set was more of the same, as the teams were neck and neck and at one point tied 7-7. But again, the overhand serves by the other team extended their lead over the girls, and eventually the match was lost.
A lot of the normal mistakes, inconsistent serving, a lack of communication, indecisiveness all contributed to their worse loss (point wise) of the season.
Midway through the season, some girls still look like they are brand new, and for them to win games like these, everyone needs to play with confidence.
Half the battle currently is getting serves over, which the all the girls still struggle with from game to game.
After winning their first game of the year, they have now dropped three straight games to fall to (1-3).
Thursday, October 6, 2011
7th/8th graders pull out nail-biter in straight sets
The 7th/8th grade girls left their last two games disappointed, knowing that they should've and could've came away with victories.
Tonight, there was no wishful thinking, and they just did it.
The girls put together a solid first set, and came from behind in the second set for a straight set victory to climb back to .500 on the year.
Cynthia extended the girls' lead in the first set and closed it out with some strong serves, giving set number one to the 7th/8th graders 25-18.
They fell behind 5-0 in the second set, but rebounded nicely to keep the set within reach.
Tamia was the star of the game as she spiked the ball over hand on several occasions throughout the night, including one sequence where she batted three straight balls back towards the other team to earn a point.
Both teams went back and forth, until late in the set when the 7th/8th grade girls fell behind 22-20.
However, they turned it on when they need to and even paced themselves out to a 24-23 lead.
But the other team was resilient returning some balls that were very difficult, and it had the feeling like this set was going to go quite a while.
Tied at 25-25, Tamia once again hit a ball over the net that nobody on the other team could get to, setting up match point.
Following a few rallies, Cynthia bumped a ball to the backrow that the other team could not handle, and the game was over.
The girls won the second set 27-25.
Dressing only seven girls tonight, the girls played one of their better games of the season. There were the handful of head shakers including some poor serves early on and in the middle of the second, but there play otherwise made up for some of their faults.
Pamela had the best game of the year and made quite a few nice jumping overhand serves.
The most experienced player on the court, Cynthia, made the big plays when it mattered. Her serves catapulted them to victory in set one and then down the stretch, her returns were just what the team needed.
One of the best things all night was to see the girls starting to come together as a team, as they even had their own cheer for aces, and the continuous slapping of high fives after points.
Midway through the year, their team chemistry is building, setting them up for a good stretch run.
For the second straight week, the referee reminded the girls on some basic volleyball etiquette and said, "You're in 8th grade, you should know this by now."
So it looks like the way they play and compete has the ref and everybody else fooled, even though most of the girls just finished playing the fourth game of their careers.
Tonight, there was no wishful thinking, and they just did it.
The girls put together a solid first set, and came from behind in the second set for a straight set victory to climb back to .500 on the year.
Cynthia extended the girls' lead in the first set and closed it out with some strong serves, giving set number one to the 7th/8th graders 25-18.
They fell behind 5-0 in the second set, but rebounded nicely to keep the set within reach.
Tamia was the star of the game as she spiked the ball over hand on several occasions throughout the night, including one sequence where she batted three straight balls back towards the other team to earn a point.
Both teams went back and forth, until late in the set when the 7th/8th grade girls fell behind 22-20.
However, they turned it on when they need to and even paced themselves out to a 24-23 lead.
But the other team was resilient returning some balls that were very difficult, and it had the feeling like this set was going to go quite a while.
Tied at 25-25, Tamia once again hit a ball over the net that nobody on the other team could get to, setting up match point.
Following a few rallies, Cynthia bumped a ball to the backrow that the other team could not handle, and the game was over.
The girls won the second set 27-25.
Dressing only seven girls tonight, the girls played one of their better games of the season. There were the handful of head shakers including some poor serves early on and in the middle of the second, but there play otherwise made up for some of their faults.
Pamela had the best game of the year and made quite a few nice jumping overhand serves.
The most experienced player on the court, Cynthia, made the big plays when it mattered. Her serves catapulted them to victory in set one and then down the stretch, her returns were just what the team needed.
One of the best things all night was to see the girls starting to come together as a team, as they even had their own cheer for aces, and the continuous slapping of high fives after points.
Midway through the year, their team chemistry is building, setting them up for a good stretch run.
For the second straight week, the referee reminded the girls on some basic volleyball etiquette and said, "You're in 8th grade, you should know this by now."
So it looks like the way they play and compete has the ref and everybody else fooled, even though most of the girls just finished playing the fourth game of their careers.
Happy Birthday to my Faja
Happy Birthday to my Dad.
Here are my two favorite videos of my Dad on Father's Day:
Here are my two favorite videos of my Dad on Father's Day:
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
This Day in St. Mary's Athletics History
October 5, 2009
Tom Cen left St. Mary's and gave us his thoughts as he said goodbye:
We caught up with Tom last year briefly when he came back. Here's a clip from Epic Video:
Tom Cen left St. Mary's and gave us his thoughts as he said goodbye:
suup dude, i will miss u guys i think, n hows school n mrs.chan. i will com back somtime but idk when. n holp the guys win at less 1 game n i want to com back for the baacketball but idk do bryan or the school let me. if not i ll com back to watch the basketball game sometime (maybe) n idk bye guys hav fun with mrs.chan LOL
We caught up with Tom last year briefly when he came back. Here's a clip from Epic Video:
Rerack: No practices for Wednesday
Soccer and volleyball practices have been called off for today, Wednesday, October 5.
7th/8th grade volleyball play tomorrow night at 6 p.m.
Both soccer teams will practice on Friday at Moscone, weather permitting. It is a half day so time to be announced.
7th/8th grade volleyball play tomorrow night at 6 p.m.
Both soccer teams will practice on Friday at Moscone, weather permitting. It is a half day so time to be announced.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Tuesday Soccer Practice Off
It just started to rain, so no soccer practice for the 5th/6th grade team today.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Monday night quarterback - more prizes
Monday Night Quarterback
Congratulations to Kindercop, whoever that is for your win last week, being the first person to identify Darren McFadden. Come find me whoever you are to redeem your prize. Same rules apply for this week if you would like a prize.
Happy Monday to everybody as we welcome you into Monday night quarterback, and we will call this MNQ because it's never updated during the morning.
Now out of five games this weekend, we did not pick up a win. In fact we lost four times, and tied once.
And in another first, this will just be a column to give praise to those who improved and highlight those who did well. Of course there is room for improvement but we rehash those so many times throughout the weekend so let's just point out the good.
We'll start with Raymond who scored his first goal ever. Whenever you can score a soccer goal, it is a huge accomplishment and it's something that only a handful of St. Mary's graduates have done.
The feat is so rare that in three and a half years of soccer, less than 10 St. Mary's players have actually scored a goal. So to be on the list is very impressive.
Raymond battles hard and gives it his 100% on the field. You can tell when you watch a soccer game the way he wills himself towards the action, how he is fearless in pursuit of the ball. It's not much of a surprise that sooner or later he would get rewarded with a goal.
On that same note, Brendan Quock played the best game I've seen him play in his 3+ years of soccer. He has a very powerful kick and it showed on Saturday. When he gets into a good position to line up a kick, the ball goes far, and without his play on Saturday, the game would've ended in a loss and not a tie.
Volleyball, good job by Edwena, Fiona and Victoria who all had a tough go last week in their 9 a.m. game. Maybe it was too early for them, but the three girls stepped it up this week and played very well in Saturday's game. Those three are pretty consistent on the serves, as when they step up, more often than not, the ball is going to go over the net.
On the older team, Pamela, Cynthia, Maria and Jocelyn, all so great on the serves. Congratulations to Belin for getting her first serves over as well. Now the other parts of the game need to come together.
Cynthia was in the same boat as Edwena, Fiona and Victoria. Last week, she had a not so good game, but she bounced back strong this week to help her team almost pull off a great comeback.
All in all, thank you to all of the players who are playing. I know it's tough out there, especially with new teammates, and being on a new team - again, but that's how we roll here at St. Mary's. Every year feels like brand new year because we're always trying to scramble to put the pieces together to find teams.
Maybe one day we won't have to do this, but for now, you got to make the best out of this situation.
And a special shout out to all the kids from St. Mary's who continued to play soccer. You all very easily could've picked up your ball and quit, but you didn't. You continued to give it a shot, and the results are right in front of you.
All the games over the weekend, whether it was volleyball or soccer were winnable games. A few things go our way and we would've had an undefeated weekend. Far fetched? A bit, but definitely possible.
These past few years, barring a few exceptions, every soccer and volleyball game was not too competitive.
We've come a long way, as now we are trying to get to the next level where we can expect to win a ballgame and not just compete.
Patience is virtue - the best things in life are worth the wait.
See ya pals.
- One who criticizes or passes judgment from a position of hindsight
 | |||||
| Identify both players in the pictures and get a prize. Leave it in the comments. |
Happy Monday to everybody as we welcome you into Monday night quarterback, and we will call this MNQ because it's never updated during the morning.
Now out of five games this weekend, we did not pick up a win. In fact we lost four times, and tied once.
And in another first, this will just be a column to give praise to those who improved and highlight those who did well. Of course there is room for improvement but we rehash those so many times throughout the weekend so let's just point out the good.
We'll start with Raymond who scored his first goal ever. Whenever you can score a soccer goal, it is a huge accomplishment and it's something that only a handful of St. Mary's graduates have done.
The feat is so rare that in three and a half years of soccer, less than 10 St. Mary's players have actually scored a goal. So to be on the list is very impressive.
Raymond battles hard and gives it his 100% on the field. You can tell when you watch a soccer game the way he wills himself towards the action, how he is fearless in pursuit of the ball. It's not much of a surprise that sooner or later he would get rewarded with a goal.
On that same note, Brendan Quock played the best game I've seen him play in his 3+ years of soccer. He has a very powerful kick and it showed on Saturday. When he gets into a good position to line up a kick, the ball goes far, and without his play on Saturday, the game would've ended in a loss and not a tie.
Volleyball, good job by Edwena, Fiona and Victoria who all had a tough go last week in their 9 a.m. game. Maybe it was too early for them, but the three girls stepped it up this week and played very well in Saturday's game. Those three are pretty consistent on the serves, as when they step up, more often than not, the ball is going to go over the net.
On the older team, Pamela, Cynthia, Maria and Jocelyn, all so great on the serves. Congratulations to Belin for getting her first serves over as well. Now the other parts of the game need to come together.
Cynthia was in the same boat as Edwena, Fiona and Victoria. Last week, she had a not so good game, but she bounced back strong this week to help her team almost pull off a great comeback.
All in all, thank you to all of the players who are playing. I know it's tough out there, especially with new teammates, and being on a new team - again, but that's how we roll here at St. Mary's. Every year feels like brand new year because we're always trying to scramble to put the pieces together to find teams.
Maybe one day we won't have to do this, but for now, you got to make the best out of this situation.
And a special shout out to all the kids from St. Mary's who continued to play soccer. You all very easily could've picked up your ball and quit, but you didn't. You continued to give it a shot, and the results are right in front of you.
All the games over the weekend, whether it was volleyball or soccer were winnable games. A few things go our way and we would've had an undefeated weekend. Far fetched? A bit, but definitely possible.
These past few years, barring a few exceptions, every soccer and volleyball game was not too competitive.
We've come a long way, as now we are trying to get to the next level where we can expect to win a ballgame and not just compete.
Patience is virtue - the best things in life are worth the wait.
See ya pals.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Saturday Recap: Tough losses and another tie
It was a tough day for all the St. Mary's teams today, adding to the heartbreak from Friday night. However, the 7th/8th grade did come away with a tie, in a game they were leading in the fourth quarter. The 5th/6th grade boys and girls were also in action, read about how they did as well.
Full recaps and highlights of each game are below.
Raymond scores in 5th/6th grade loss
The 5th/6th graders trailed 2-0 halftime and the game had all the signs of an encore presentation of last week.
Not so fast. Dante scored on a penalty kick in the third quarter to put St. Mary's on the scoreboard, cutting the lead down to 2-1. And then moments later, Raymond caught up to a ball in the open field and netted the first goal ever in his career to tie the game at 2-2.
However, those quick strikes by the 5th/6th graders woke up a sleeping giant, and the other team from that point forward went on to score five straight goals, turning a close game into a one-sided affair, handing the 5th/6th graders their third loss of the season 7-2.
Jason H. made his first start in goal in an effort to get both of the twins on the field to create more offense.
The boys were once again playing with 10 players with the absence of Garrick, and were exhausted towards the end of the second half.
That was a huge reason why the floodgates opened late as the team started to fatigue.
On the bright side, the two goals are the most scored by the team this year midway through the season. Conversely, they also gave up the most goals today as well.
The 5th/6th grade boys (0-3-1) currently sit in a five team division so all but one team makes the playoffs. With a tie under their belt, a win or two could catapult them into postseason play.
7th/8th graders grind through double-header
For the first time in school history, a St. Mary's soccer team was forced to play a double-header.
Coming off a 9-1 win, the boys were riding high, but were quickly brought back down to earth.
They trailed 1-0 early in the first game and then scored two unanswered goals in the first half, first on a goal by Pablo, then followed up with another by Sebastian.
But they gave up a goal later in the half and went into the break tied 2-2.
The 7th/8th graders had their share of opportunities in the second half but were unable to cash in with a goal. The other team did, with one in the third and another in the fourth, as the 7th/8th graders dropped game one by a score of 4-2.
Game two was just a test of will power as the 11 boys on the team were tired. They gave whatever they had left in the tank and were able to come away with a 2-2 tie.
They took the lead 1-0 in the final seconds of the first quarter as Eloy just chipped a slow roller past the other team's goalie.
The other team tied it up in the third, but the 7th/8th graders went back ahead just seconds into the fourth.
Pablo raced down the right sideline and sent a beautiful ball towards the middle. Sebastian made a nifty move to angle his kick into the corner of the net to give the boys a 2-1 lead.
Midway through the fourth, the defense erroneously kicked a ball out of bounds towards the goal line setting up a corner kick. The other team took advantage as the corner kick trickled into the box, and a player got enough on the ball to put it past Anthony to tie the score.
The 7th/8th graders did have some chances late for the winning goal, but nothing ever transpired.
It was a gutty performance by this team, especially an hour after playing such a hard fought game. Julio, John Jett and Brendan were all playing at a high level, leaving everything they had out on the field.
Their effort this afternoon was great, but there execution was just a little lacking.
Midway through the season, their record is (1-2-1).
5th/6th grade girls still working out kinks
The 5th/6th grade girls played a much better game than they did last week, but unfortunately lost in straight sets for the second straight week. 25-17, 25-20.
Victoria, Fiona and Edwena all bounced back from a rough performance last week, as the three girls who have played for two plus years, served consistently and did a real good job overall.
After dropping the first set 25-17, Victoria pushed the girls out ahead 13-9 on four straight serves in the second set, two of them aces.
Fiona started the second set with a beautiful bullet like serve that hit the girl on the other team right in the face. The girl was okay.
Edwena was consistent all afternoon on her serves, and made a brilliant over the head return in the first set, and then followed that with a nice set to earn the team a point.
Still getting used to playing together as a team in volleyball games, the team really had trouble communicating and moving their feet.
Girls were colliding on some balls and then on others, everyone stared and watched the ball hit the floor.
After winning the first game against an inexperienced team, the 5th/6th grade girls (1-2) haven't been able to up their game to compete with the stronger teams.
Many of the inexperienced girls had numerous balls fly awkwardly off their arm, and that's what ended up hurting them in today's contest.
The good news is that these games that the girls are losing are winnable games if they can just rectify their mistakes.
But making mistakes is part of the process when it comes to learning a new sport.
Ivy, Alexandria and Alexis, who are all playing for the first time this year, all made at least one nice return during the game.
Now it's just a matter of doing it over, and over, and over.
Full recaps and highlights of each game are below.
Raymond scores in 5th/6th grade loss
The 5th/6th graders trailed 2-0 halftime and the game had all the signs of an encore presentation of last week.
Not so fast. Dante scored on a penalty kick in the third quarter to put St. Mary's on the scoreboard, cutting the lead down to 2-1. And then moments later, Raymond caught up to a ball in the open field and netted the first goal ever in his career to tie the game at 2-2.
However, those quick strikes by the 5th/6th graders woke up a sleeping giant, and the other team from that point forward went on to score five straight goals, turning a close game into a one-sided affair, handing the 5th/6th graders their third loss of the season 7-2.
Jason H. made his first start in goal in an effort to get both of the twins on the field to create more offense.
The boys were once again playing with 10 players with the absence of Garrick, and were exhausted towards the end of the second half.
That was a huge reason why the floodgates opened late as the team started to fatigue.
On the bright side, the two goals are the most scored by the team this year midway through the season. Conversely, they also gave up the most goals today as well.
The 5th/6th grade boys (0-3-1) currently sit in a five team division so all but one team makes the playoffs. With a tie under their belt, a win or two could catapult them into postseason play.
7th/8th graders grind through double-header
For the first time in school history, a St. Mary's soccer team was forced to play a double-header.
Coming off a 9-1 win, the boys were riding high, but were quickly brought back down to earth.
They trailed 1-0 early in the first game and then scored two unanswered goals in the first half, first on a goal by Pablo, then followed up with another by Sebastian.
But they gave up a goal later in the half and went into the break tied 2-2.
The 7th/8th graders had their share of opportunities in the second half but were unable to cash in with a goal. The other team did, with one in the third and another in the fourth, as the 7th/8th graders dropped game one by a score of 4-2.
Game two was just a test of will power as the 11 boys on the team were tired. They gave whatever they had left in the tank and were able to come away with a 2-2 tie.
They took the lead 1-0 in the final seconds of the first quarter as Eloy just chipped a slow roller past the other team's goalie.
The other team tied it up in the third, but the 7th/8th graders went back ahead just seconds into the fourth.
Pablo raced down the right sideline and sent a beautiful ball towards the middle. Sebastian made a nifty move to angle his kick into the corner of the net to give the boys a 2-1 lead.
Midway through the fourth, the defense erroneously kicked a ball out of bounds towards the goal line setting up a corner kick. The other team took advantage as the corner kick trickled into the box, and a player got enough on the ball to put it past Anthony to tie the score.
The 7th/8th graders did have some chances late for the winning goal, but nothing ever transpired.
It was a gutty performance by this team, especially an hour after playing such a hard fought game. Julio, John Jett and Brendan were all playing at a high level, leaving everything they had out on the field.
Their effort this afternoon was great, but there execution was just a little lacking.
Midway through the season, their record is (1-2-1).
5th/6th grade girls still working out kinks
The 5th/6th grade girls played a much better game than they did last week, but unfortunately lost in straight sets for the second straight week. 25-17, 25-20.
Victoria, Fiona and Edwena all bounced back from a rough performance last week, as the three girls who have played for two plus years, served consistently and did a real good job overall.
After dropping the first set 25-17, Victoria pushed the girls out ahead 13-9 on four straight serves in the second set, two of them aces.
Fiona started the second set with a beautiful bullet like serve that hit the girl on the other team right in the face. The girl was okay.
Edwena was consistent all afternoon on her serves, and made a brilliant over the head return in the first set, and then followed that with a nice set to earn the team a point.
Still getting used to playing together as a team in volleyball games, the team really had trouble communicating and moving their feet.
Girls were colliding on some balls and then on others, everyone stared and watched the ball hit the floor.
After winning the first game against an inexperienced team, the 5th/6th grade girls (1-2) haven't been able to up their game to compete with the stronger teams.
Many of the inexperienced girls had numerous balls fly awkwardly off their arm, and that's what ended up hurting them in today's contest.
The good news is that these games that the girls are losing are winnable games if they can just rectify their mistakes.
But making mistakes is part of the process when it comes to learning a new sport.
Ivy, Alexandria and Alexis, who are all playing for the first time this year, all made at least one nice return during the game.
Now it's just a matter of doing it over, and over, and over.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)