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(11/17/10 7:52pm)
After four consecutive wins against New Jersey Athletic Conference foes, the College had a chance to play spoiler against rival Rowan University on Saturday at Lions’ Stadium.
The Profs, now 9-1, proved to be too much for the Lions, handling them steadily in a 27-7 loss in the team’s season finale. The Lions finish the season 5-5, and with at least .500 record for the first time since the 2007 season.
The College jumped out to an early lead, as senior defensive back and co-captain Matt Kreider returned a Rowan interception for a 55-yard score. It was Kreider’s second touchdown this season in his final game as a Lion.
Kreider commented on his final highlight in a College uniform.
“I recognized the out route from the slot receiver pretty early, so I was able to undercut it and pick it off,” he said. “My defensive linemen threw some nasty blocks downfield, and after I was able to zig-zag through them and I was free to coast into the end zone.”
After Kreider’s touchdown, untimely mistakes plagued the squad for the remainder of the contest. The Profs bounced back quickly, scoring twice within 90 seconds early in the second quarter. A Rowan seven-play drive following a fumble was capped off by a two-yard score by junior running back Steve Hevalow, his first of three touchdowns on the day. The Lions fumbled six times in the game, losing three.
“Rowans defense was just more physical than our offense, especially on the line,” head coach Eric Hamilton said. “That was the reason for the fumbles. All season we have done a good job with turnovers except the last game and it cost us.”
Only seconds later, Hevalow was in the end zone again following an interception thrown by junior quarterback Jay Donoghue.
Fourteen unanswered points came in the second half as Profs senior quarterback Tim Hagerty found senior wide receiver Justin Long on a short slant to the end zone. Another fourth-quarter Hevalow score kept the game out of reach.
Kreider was proud of his squad, despite being put in undesirable positions all game by offensive turnovers.
“Even with the field position we were given we still managed to force two picks, and a turnover on downs inside our ten yard line,” he said. “This defense fought until the final whistle, and I’m proud of the effort we put out on Saturday.”
For Kreider, and many other Lions, this was his final chance to play in Lions’ Stadium, but he takes it all in stride.
“It’s tough,” he said. “Football has been such a big part of my life. it’s going to be tough to give it up. But it’s been a fun ride…we’ve had our ups and downs, but I’m happy to say that I’ve been able to spend four good years here, and I’m excited to see our defense continue to improve next year.”
Although the College could not stop Rowan, the Profs will not move on, as a tiebreaker with SUNY Cortland — also 9-1 — has the Red Dragons moving on.
Bobby Olivier can be reached at olivier6@tcnj.edu.
(11/10/10 5:48pm)
My four years at the College have caused more personal phases of musical preferences than I can count. Or can I? Let’s see.
Freshman year (Fall 2007/Spring 2008): I arrived at college with tunnel vision as far as taste in music goes. This tunnel was constructed of heavy metal, and only heavy metal, metalcore to be more precise.
My roommate can attest to the fact that, between trips to T-Dubs and Eickhoff, I was listening only to Killswitch Engage, All That Remains, 36 Crazy Fists, Bullet for My Valentine, Shadows Fall, Five Finger Death Punch, etc. That was it. This was absolutely a continuation of my high school playlist, and I had no plans of deviating from this path of screaming and abrasiveness.
Sophomore year (Fall 2008): At this point, I was still in metal mode, and the releases of “The Tide and its Takers” by 36 Crazy Fists and “Death Magnetic” by Metallica were a soundtrack to my Decker Hall experience. In all seriousness, I remember three things about Fall 2008 at the College: fighting with my girlfriend, playing Crazy Taxi and listening to those two albums.
Still sophomore year (Spring 2009): This is where things take a drastic turn for me. Spring 2009 was an extremely stressful semester, and I could not take the heavy riffs any longer. I needed a break, and thanks to Pandora.com and a January College concert, I got into a whole mess of Kings of Leon and Brand New — kind of a weird combination, I know. Both of these bands seemed to calm me down, in addition to The Killers, The Strokes, Cold War Kids, Jimmy Eat World, Muse and a few others. Again, a very weird playlist spawned from this semester, and a mix CD of these bands accompanied me each morning to my internship throughout Summer 2009.
Junior year (Fall 2009): This semester was relatively stagnant, as far as musical development goes. I often listened to Killswitch Engage’s self-titled release from summer’s end, and found solace in a few Christian metal bands: As I Lay Dying, Haste the Day, Oh, Sleeper and the like. No huge musical revelations, though.
Still junior year (Spring 2010): Two specific changes happened for me in my previous semester at the College. First, I was given very powerful computer speakers for Christmas 2009, which had me downloading every bass-driven song I could think of. Disturbed’s “Down with the Sickness,” and Godsmack’s “I Stand Alone” come to mind. So, metal did return to my life last semester in a big way, mainly
because I now had the ability to play it as loud as it is meant to be played. While all of this metal revival was happening, and as the weather got warmer, my friends and I oddly reverted back to 1990s feel-good rock/pop as well. Third Eye Blind, The Goo Goo Dolls, The Gin Blossoms, Vertical Horizon, Matchbox Twenty and more or less any no-name ’90s song blasted from my friends’ house through April and beyond. Remember “Barely Breathing,” by Duncan Sheik? We loved that shit.
Senior year (Fall 2010): So where does that leave me now? Well, after a flashback to Nu Metal this summer — Slipknot, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Staind, etc. — I am in a hardcore/punk/screamo/indie things I never thought I would listen to phase. My most current mix CDs feature a combination of Four Year Strong, A Day to Remember, Taking Back Sunday, From Autumn to Ashes, A Static Lullaby, Of Mice and Men and Attack Attack, as well as Fun. and Jukebox the Ghost.
College has opened my ears to many, many different types of music I never thought I would give a second listen. Nowadays, I listen to anything that makes me remember the constant impact music has on my life, and that great music is still being made every day. I used to care about the image I was projecting by my musical preferences. I don’t anymore. Thanks college.
(11/04/10 2:14am)
I am a self-centered asshole.
Last Friday, I was on my way home from my internship, trying to return to Route 295 North so I could start my fun-filled, don’t-let-college-pass-you-by weekend. I tried a new route to the highway, and was stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Route 38 East. As I inched along, I cursed myself for not using the route that I usually take, and complained to the effect that “someone up there” didn’t want me to get home in a timely manner.
After 10 minutes or so of crawling through Moorestown, I reached the source of the back-up. One car rear-ended another, and it was not a small fender bender. The black sedan that did the rear-ending was crushed, headlights smashed to the windshield, and was completely totaled. The driver of the sedan, a young woman who appeared to be in her mid-20s was sitting on the median, dressed in a red polo shirt and black slacks — work clothes. Her face, hysterical, matched her shirt as she wept, crouched next to a police officer. The car that was hit from the back, a tan sedan, was not nearly as damaged.
I am unsure if I have ever witnessed an accident so soon after it happened, but the face of this woman, who was either headed to work or headed home, totaled her car and may have sustained some sort of injury (no ambulance had yet arrived) is tattooed onto my brain. She may have had weekend plans like me, but likely spent her Friday night in a hospital, at least for precautionary measures, and had no way of driving herself home, or anywhere for that matter.
As I drove past, like hundreds of others, I immediately realized that my frustration over a few minutes in traffic was completely unwarranted. Hence my conclusion: I am a self-centered asshole.
I am not the only one. College, and all that goes along with it, creates many self-centered assholes. We are told that these are the best four years of our lives, and that we have to make the most of it. College is a time to better ourselves, and prepare for our future. So what do we do? We act accordingly. We drive ourselves crazy over mid-terms and finals, spend as much time as possible with friends eating, drinking, partying, jumping in fountains, taking pictures and putting the best ones on Facebook to make our home friends jealous. These pictures scream through red cups and themes, “Hey! Look how much fun I’m having! Don’t you wish you were having fun like me?”
Many of us get completely sucked into this vacuum of self-satisfaction. Within the Metzger Drive loop, we lose sight of the real world, especially during freshman and sophomore year when work, school, friends, food and fun are all perfectly positioned within the brick-faced bubble.
And within this bubble, time flies. Do you ever get a call from a parent or relative asking why you haven’t called and you have no answer for them? Sleep schedules become hopelessly skewed, and normal, functioning “college hours” begin to contrast more and more with hours when the rest of the East Coast is conscious.
I suppose the point in all of this, is that from one middle-class suburban white kid walking around campus to all of the other middle-class suburban white kids walking around campus: don’t be like me. When a pipe breaks under a campus sidewalk, don’t complain, like me, that it interrupts your path to class. Instead, consider the worker who has to jack-hammer the cement until his hands go numb. When you mom or dad calls, don’t groan like me. They just miss you and probably want to hear about your day. And when you are in traffic, like me, and want to hold down the horn, don’t. Just hope that your drive was not inconvenienced by someone flying through a windshield.
You are in college, and you are probably having a great time. And that is great. I am not discouraging anyone from enjoying themselves, but do not get lost in it. Your four — or more — years at the College are a multitude of experiences designed to better you not only for yourself, but for others as well.
Don’t be a self-centered asshole.
Bobby Olivier can be reached at olivier6@tcnj.edu.
(11/03/10 4:54pm)
The College’s 22-16 victory over winless Western Connecticut State University on Saturday meant more than simply the Lions’ third consecutive win on the road.
Much more.
As the final whistle blew, this contest was the culmination of a 33-year career for head coach Eric Hamilton who claimed his 200th victory as his Lions outlasted the Colonials.
Hamilton, an All-American in 1974 and 1975 and graduate of the College, began his head coaching career in 1977 as the youngest at his position in the nation. More than three decades later, Hamilton enters an exclusive class on only 12 Division III coaches with such a total, but he remains humble.
“It feels gratifying that we have been able to get to this point, especially this year. It hasn’t been easy but the culmination of a lot of people pulling together and believing in what we are doing makes it special … The accomplishment means we have been here a while, and the fact that it is my alma mater means everything.”
For athletic director John Castaldo, Hamilton is a model leader for the department.
“(Hamilton’s) success is a tribute to him, his staff and all of his current and past players,” Castaldo said. “The quality of our outstanding coaching, combined with our top-rated student-athletes, blends extremely well with the colleges’ overall mission. We’ve found the perfect mix in the development of the whole student while integrating the mind, body and spirit in the quest to reach the pinnacle of success. Coach Hamilton symbolizes this mission and it is satisfying to witness this achievement. As great a coach he is, his successful mentoring goes far beyond the playing field.”
Hamilton’s players are honored to be involved in such a milestone.
“We’re all really excited for (Hamilton) and his family,” junior quarterback Jay Donoghue said. “He’s been here for a long time and done a great job with our program. It means a lot to have someone on your side, who’s so invested in what we do on and off the field.”
Senior linebacker Dan DeCongelio also gives Hamilton his respect.
“(Hamilton) has been around for quite some time and I know he gives his heart and soul into everything he does for this program,” DeCongelio said. “There have been a lot of players before us that are just as much a part of it as we are, but to win that game for him was something real special.”
Senior defensive back and co-captain Matt Kreider led the way in this historic win with a 74-yard punt return for a touchdown and two interceptions as the College (4-4) outplayed Western Connecticut.
“When you get an opportunity like that it’s pretty good, but it’s more of setting an example as a defense, not just me,” Kreider said. “It starts with the linemen, to the linebackers to the defensive backs — I was just in the right spot and we were just trying to score points for the offense.”
Kreider’s first touchdown as a returner gave the Lions a 12-0 lead in the first quarter, following a Colonials punt gone awry that led to a College fumble recovery on the 1-yard line. Sophomore running back Joe Falco punched in the goal-line score for the first points of the day.
Despite only gaining 175 yards of total offense, the Lions bested a stifling Colonial defense that held the College to only 91 rushing yards. The Lions came into the game with consecutive weeks of more than 300 yards on the ground.
Donoghue gives the Colonials’ defense credit.
“Our rushing attack was fairly limited this week,” he said. “We lost a lot of yardage due to penalties, fumbles, bad snaps, and sacks so I don’t think the stats tell the whole story. As a team we had several big runs, but overall their stunts and blitzes did a nice job containing us.”
Donoghue found the end zone in the 2nd quarter on a nine-yard pass to sophomore defensive back/wide receiver Brian Mills.
Win No. 201 may be more difficult for Hamilton, as the College prepares to host Kean (5-3) and Rowan (7-1) Universities in the team’s final weeks.
“At this point, staying on the road sounds pretty good,” Donoghue said. “We found a comfort level going away, where your only supporters are your buddies on the field and your coaches. We’ve got an opportunity to finish at or above .500 for the first time since 2007 and that’s something we’re taking very seriously. Kean has had our number the past few years, but we’ll be prepared for a fight on Saturday.”
Hamilton is ready to be play in front of the College’s home crowd ... if they choose to come.
“The real question is will our student body know that we are home and hopefully, like on a lot of college campuses on Saturdays in the Fall, come out and enjoy the day, show some spirit, have pride in their school and support their team,” Hamilton said. “We need to feel the home field advantage since we havent experienced that in a month.”
Bobby Olivier can be reached at olivier6@tcnj.edu.
(10/28/10 12:20am)
More than midway through the season, the Lions have finally found their stride through a potent rushing attack and an opportunistic defense.
The College showcased its ground game on the road on Saturday against Buffalo State College (1-6), pounding the Bengals for over 300 yards rushing in a 48-29 win. Led by sophomore running back Joe Falco’s 169 yards and three touchdowns, the Lions (3-4) poured on the offense in the fourth quarter, scoring 21 points to seal the team’s first back-to-back wins of the season
The Lions have gained more than 300 yards rushing in both wins, and head coach Eric Hamilton, now with 199 career victories, is content with the team’s success.
“The running game was solid due to a couple of factors,” Hamilton said. “Quarterbacks recognizing fronts and executing, the ability of the backs — especially Falco — to find the creases created by the offensive line and hitting them hard and our ability to spread the field and keep Buffalo State guessing.”
Junior quarterback Jay Donoghue only needed to throw four passes against the Bengals, and has no problem handing the ball off to his stocky running back.
“We honestly were so dominant up front this week that our passing attack wasn’t necessary,” Donoghue said. “I would like to throw it around a little more obviously, but they whole point is to move the ball, score, and win. And that’s what we did consistently this weekend.”
However, he doesn’t expect the trend to last against stronger teams.
“I have a feeling that in the coming weeks were going to need to throw to win,” Donoghue continued. “Teams will start stacking the line of scrimmage, forcing us to beat them through the air.”
Donoghue and Falco were not the only Lions handling the ball. The College’s defense capitalized on three interceptions and one recovered fumble, collecting 10 turnovers in the past two weeks.
“Winning the turnover game is one of our primary objectives,” Hamilton said. “We have a great turnover differential because we work on creating turnovers, as well as not having turnovers of our own.”
Senior defensive back Matt Kreider is ready to continue the trend.
“We’re taking advantage of offensive mistakes,” he said. “We’ve forced nine interceptions in the last two games and we want to up that number this weekend against (Western Connecticut State University).”
On Saturday, Oct. 16, the College was even more dominant on the defensive side, intercepting six Morrisville State (1-6) passes in a 30-6 win. Leading the Lions with two picks was junior defensive back Derek Goreczny.
Falco, as well as senior running back Michael Yetka and sophomore quarterback Nick Tyson found success on the ground, combining with Donoghue for 338 total rushing yards.
Heading into an away game against winless Western Connecticut State University at noon on Saturday Oct. 30, Hamilton – one win away from 200 — is not worried about his approaching milestone.
“The only number that counts is getting the W at West Connecticut and getting No. 4 on the season,” he said. “That would work us back to .500 on the season overall and on the plus side in the NJAC.”
Bobby Olivier can be reached at olivier6@tcnj.edu.
(10/13/10 11:17pm)
After three quarters of a strong push toward an upset over No. 14-ranked Montclair State University, the College sputtered again.
The Lions allowed 20 points in the fourth quarter, falling to the Red Hawks 30-14 on the road, and falling to 1-4 on the season.
Montclair State’s offense came alive as soon as the game’s final 15 minutes began, when junior quarterback Tom Fischer found senior wide receiver Joe LaSala for a 19-yard touchdown pass on the quarter’s first play. The Red Hawks did not look back, scoring quickly on an intercepted Lions’ pass returned for a touchdown on the College’s following drive.
“Playing catch-up down by 10 at the end of a game hurt us ... the turnovers really hurt us,” head coach Eric Hamilton said.
The Lions defense played well until the end, especially on the ground, holding the Red Hawks to just 74 rushing yards on 30 attempts.
“We keep showing glimpses of the defense we can be, and when we all play in sync, we are really good,” senior defensive back and co-captain Matt Kreider said. “The line played great, they constantly were pressuring the quarterback and did a great job stopping the run; when you can get pressure like that without sending the blitz, that’s when your defense can really take over. Now we just have to carry it throughout the entire game, not just three quarters.”
The College’s running game was strong, led by the duo of sophomore and junior running backs Joe Falco and Justin Doniloski. The pair combined for 112 yards rushing and two touchdowns, both coming from Falco.
“Our running backs are some of the toughest kids on the team,” junior quarterback Jay Donoghue said. “Falco and Doniloski are particularly successful because they never stop their feet on contact. They’ve got the ability to turn small gains into first downs and gave us a lot of life early on.”
The passing game continued to struggle on Saturday, as Donoghue completed only eight passes for 65 yards and an interception. He was also sacked five times.
Despite the difficulties, Donoghue feels the offense is close to breaking out.
“The passing game is only a couple big plays away from being really productive,” he said. “We had some opportunities in the first half and took advantage of some quick throws, but in the second half (Montclair State) gave us their best shot. So far we’ve faced the first, second, and third best defenses in the nation and it just so happens they’re all in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The first half against Montclair gives us a lot of hope for the upcoming weeks.”
Hamilton commented on upcoming changes in the offense. “You will start to see some faces in different locations and the use of new positions as well,” he said. “It also gets better as we improve as a team under fire. We have just faced the top two defenses in the NJAC and both are ranked in Division III.”
Bobby Olivier can be reached at olivier6@tcnj.edu.
(10/06/10 5:24pm)
Heading into Saturday’s game against SUNY Cortland, the College knew this contest would be one of the more difficult homecoming tests in recent memory. The Red Dragons were chosen in preseason to win the New Jersey Athletic Conference, were 3-0 this season, and coming off a 45-0 rout of Western Connecticut State University.
The Lions, much like every other Cortland opponent this season, proved no match for the Red Dragons, and were shut out 37-0 in front of a Lions’ Stadium packed with alumni, staff and students.
“They had a lot of talent, and when their second team came in, you didn’t notice much of a drop off,” head coach Eric Hamilton said. “They run a first-class program and make a commitment to football, and they want to be good … You can’t get yourself in a hole and come back against a team of this kind of caliber.”
The Lions fell behind early, allowing a 27-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Justin Autera on the Red Dragons’ second drive. On the following drive, Autera caught a 14-yard score from graduate quarterback Dan Pitcher. The running back finished the game with 122 total yards and two touchdowns.
The College allowed two more trips to the end zone in the first half, both on throws from Pitcher to senior wide receiver Anthony Giuliano, and trailed 27-0 at the half after a blocked extra point following Giuliano’s first score.
“We simply failed to make the plays we’ve made all season long,” said Matt Kreider, senior defensive back and co-captain. “Fundamentally we just weren’t there.”
Things did not improve after the half. Following a 26-yard field goal, Cortland scored its final touchdown on a 56-yard pass, again to Giuliano, who finished the day with 139 yards on only four receptions and three scores.
When comparing the College to Cortland, Hamilton said, “Our kids played hard and gave us everything they had, but obviously there’s a little bit of a difference.”
The Lions netted just 91 yards on Saturday, a season low. Junior and sophomore quarterbacks Jay Donoghue and Nick Tyson were the main source of offense, combining for 40 passing yards and 25 yards on
the ground.
“Our quick passing game was the only real plus for us which is something we practice very little as an offensive unit,” Donoghue said. “Most of our 91 yards came right before half because we started throwing the ball. I think we’ll continue to adjust our offense until we find something that clicks.”
After the game, Hamilton put the game in perspective.
“I told them that was a really good football team that we just played,” he said. “That team will be in the playoffs. That’s where we need to aspire to get to.”
Kreider is already looking ahead.
“Its tough, but in football you have to have a short memory and learn to move on after a game like that,” he said. “We have (Montclair State University) this week on their homecoming, and we need to focus on the challenge that is ahead.”
Bobby Olivier can be reached at olivier6@tcnj.edu.
(09/22/10 5:12pm)
When a game ends on a missed field goal, or in the Lions’ case on Friday, a botched extra point, it is easy to blame the man standing behind the mistake.
Junior kicker Tyler Olsson was the first to accept responsibility for the College’s 24-23 overtime road loss to Farleigh Dickinson University – Florham despite less than ideal conditions.
“The snap was enough to influence the kick, but I still should have made it,” Olsson said. “There are no excuses for something like that. The ball was on the ground and I should have made the kick.”
Following the point after — and tied score — that could have been, head coach Eric Hamilton was sure to quickly emphasize the loss as a whole.
“(Hamilton) took me and the snapper aside and assured us that no matter what people say, it doesn’t come down to one play and it shouldn’t have come down to that,” Olsson said.
The veteran head coach had his own take on the situation.
“Even though the game ended on that note, and it was a glaring missed opportunity, there were many other situations during the course of the game where if we had made the play, the result might have been different,” Hamilton said. “It just happened that his was at the end; the life of a kicker. That is the pressure of the position, and it also underscores just how important every play is and why you practice them.”
The Lions reached overtime after a three-yard run by junior running back Justin Doniloski tied the score at 17 late in the third quarter. Doniloski and sophomore quarterback Nick Tyson were successful on the ground against the Devils, combining for 201 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
“The offense improved, especially in the second half because they are getting an understanding of what we are trying to do,” Hamilton said.
The College more than doubled its total offensive production from its opener against William Paterson University, netting 287 yards but the coach still isn’t satisfied.
“We have to do a better job of getting more people involved in the offense, we controlled the ball and clock and statistically it was an even game, but we have to put points on the board,” he said. “We need to find the way to end zone. We unfortunately got down early, compounding it by turning the ball over on the kickoff following their first score. The bottom line is we need to make more plays than we are when the opportunities present themselves.”
The defense made itself known in the first quarter when junior defensive back Shawn Brown returned an interception for a 30-yard score, the Lions’ first points of the night.
Following the loss, the College falls to 0-2 while FDU-Florham improves to 2-0. Despite two winless outings, Hamilton is ready to move onto the team’s next game — an away game at The College at Brockport on Saturday.
“All losses are all tough, but getting up this week shouldn’t be hard for two reasons,” he said. “First any competitive athlete hates to lose and should want to do anything possible to win the next game and second, (The College at Brockport) is an New Jersey Athletic Conference game — nuff said.”
Bobby Olivier can be reached at olivier6@tcnj.edu.
(09/16/10 7:50pm)
As a New York sports fan, my favorite time of the year has begun.
From now until mid to late October — depending on a few hits and pitches — my attention becomes divided between Yankees baseball and Jets football, with sprinklings of college games here and there. In past years, my focus remains on the Yankees’ magic number, potential playoff match-ups and who will make the postseason roster, all the while glancing over to see the Jets lose a few games in September and stumble through an early regular season.
This year has been much different. The Jets have had all the drama of a reality television show (thanks “Hard Knocks”), and between Rex Ryan’s locker room language and the Darrelle Revis holdout forcing me to question the game’s integrity, it has been hard to pull away.
There really hasn’t been much to jaw about in the Bronx anyway. With its expanded roster, the Yankees have stayed .500 in September with not much more than its jayvee squad and continue to mosey along, holding the best record in baseball close to its pinstriped chest. Things are beginning to pick up however, with an important home stand versus the Rays and Red Sox, which should more or less solidify the AL East for good, starting on Monday.
But I won’t be watching Yankees-Rays on Monday. I’ll be glued to the Jets opener on Monday Night football where the team will officially christen New
Meadowlands Stadium against the Ravens, who may be the frontrunners for a Super Bowl berth already.
My dilemma is clear. In my lifetime of serious sports obsession (circa 1999), the Yankees and Jets have never been projected to be this good at the same time. I have never had to seriously choose. Thank baseball that playoff games are generally no longer played during the day, otherwise my brain might split in two. After perusing the Jets’ schedule, I can see one potential conflict. Gang Green hosts the Vikings on Monday, Oct. 11 at 8:30 p.m. I pray that no Yankees playoff game is scheduled for that day lest I wear out the “last” button on my remote.
At this point, it would be reasonable to question my Yankees fandom, considering that I am giving playoff baseball and regular season football the same portion on my sports plate. In reality, if a Yankees playoff game is close, only fire or intense viral illness will pull me away from the screen. On the other hand, if the Yankees game is dragging, or a blowout either way, I may switch over to CBS and check to make sure Mark Sanchez is still in one piece.
Either way, I am more than excited to see how this fall plays out on both fronts. Each team will be playing hard-fought games as the leaves turn and fans dig out wrinkled sweatshirts, and I am looking forward to each step. It is a great time to be a New York sports fan ... until around January. Good luck, Amar’e.
Bobby Olivier can be reached at olivier6@tcnj.edu.
(09/08/10 5:18pm)
Despite a late Lions surge that nearly erased four quarters of languishing offense, the College could not overcome a stifling William Paterson defense, falling in its season opener 15-7.
Following a blocked punt by junior linebacker Brent Ressler in the game’s final minutes, the College was given good field position and a last chance to even the score. The hosting Lions (0-1) reached the opposing 16-yard line with less than a minute remaining before turning the ball over on downs and solidifying the team’s first loss of the season.
“Our passing game was definitely hampered by (William Paterson’s) blitzing,” junior quarterback Jay Donoghue said. “We have to give credit to them for attacking us the way they did. As a quarterback, I was disappointed we couldn’t get something going early. Passing is all about rhythm and we couldn’t establish it.”
Donoghue and sophomore Nick Tyson traded snaps for the Lions on Friday, and although Tyson had some success running the ball, the duo combined for only three completions, 17 yards and an interception.
The offense’s anemic nature was clearly frustrating, but the team did not lose steam after the game’s disappointing midpoint. Down 15-0 at the half, the Lions showed a bit of life when Tyson scored the team’s only touchdown, finding the end zone on a 14-yard run. Tyson finished the game leading the Lions in rushing with 52 yards on 13 attempts.
“Fifteen to nothing looked like a pretty big hole, but we rallied in the scrimmage against Albright when we faced a similar deficit,” Donoghue said. “Nobody wanted to quit and that’s a testament to our coaching. They believe in us and we believe in each other.”
Sophomore running back Kevin Brown also ran well, picking up 46 yards on only seven attempts and averaging 6.6 yards per carry.
The Lions were much more solid on the defensive end, as they forced four turnovers and stopped the Pioneers on two fourth-down plays in scoring position. The College’s defense, which allowed an average of 32 points last season, also held William Paterson to only two touchdowns in spite of offensive troubles.
“We did hold pretty strong,” senior defensive back Matt Kreider said. “Although I feel we should have limited them to less than one score, we managed to keep the pressure on by bringing blitzes from a variety of different areas throughout the game, and randomizing it in a way so that their offensive line couldn’t have a chance to settle in and get comfortable.”
“Part of our defensive philosophy and what we do is to continuosly bring pressure,” junior linebacker Kevin Allgood said. “Be it a blitz, a D-line stunt, or a combination of both, we are always trying to play behind the line of scrimmage. Negative or zero yardage plays are what we strive for throughout the game. We mixed up our calls and kept their offensive guessing which enabled us to be successful in that aspect. Its a fun defense to not only play but to watch, and we love executing it to the fullest.” Allgood gained 10 total tackles in the loss.
The Pioneers’ offense put up points via a 42-yard score by sophomore running back Dawys German, who finished the game with 106 yards on 18 carries, and a 14-yard touchdown pass by sophomore quarterback Ryan Gresik.
Donoghue remains positive as the bye week approaches. “I think we need this week especially as an offense,” he said. “It usually takes a little longer for an offense to start clicking. I would assume we will continue with our option philosophy and take it to FDU in a couple weeks.”
The College will travel to Farleigh Dickinson University – Florham for a non-New Jersey Athletic Conference game on Sept. 17.
(09/01/10 6:14pm)
From freshmen to seniors, many of us can recall how important Facebook becomes once we unpack, meet our floor and gain 50 new friends overnight. Social networking is definitely a useful tool in keeping in touch with floormates, complaining about freshman seminars, getting the word out about events on campus and even planning parties. But, with great social power comes great social responsibility. The Facebook world is clearly not a perfect parallel of the real world, but here are a few topics of interest, and how to stay socially responsible while at college.
The “goods photo”
For those who don’t know what the “goods photo” is, this is a photograph, usually taken in the mirror by the individual, male or female, that shows off “the goods.” For girls, this picture displays the chest and backside. For guys, it is an abdominal and bicep showcase. Usually it’s taken in poor or altered lighting as to make things look more attractive than they actually are. Everyone checks themselves out in the mirror, but any Facebook veteran can attest to seeing at least one of these photos on many a profile.
Advice: Get rid of them. If you are as hot as you think you are, you will be turning plenty of heads in Eickhoff and the Brower Student Center anyway. Now that you are a seemingly mature collegian, these photos are unnecessary and will demean you in the eyes of potential employers, leaders of student organizations that you join, and/or your floor mates. Don’t pigeonhole yourself within your first week of college.
Birthdays
At home, writing “Happy Birthday” on someone’s Facebook wall is a fairly simple process. If you are good friends, you write it, and if you are just acquaintances, you generally don’t. But what happens when everyone at college is no more than an acquaintance over the first month or so? Should you write “Happy Birthday” to only those who you think will be your friends in the future, or to everyone on your floor, or somewhere in between?
Advice: If you are Facebook friends with someone on your floor, and you have spoken to them directly at some point, make the effort. You never know with whom you will bond throughout the year, and college is all about networking and being on the good side of as many people as possible. The longer you are here, the more you will realize that everyone knows almost everyone else, and a simple “Oh my god, you’re 19! Lol” can go a long way.
The relationship status
If you find that special someone during your freshman year, especially on your floor, and want to make it “Facebook official,” make sure you are in it for the long haul. Gossip spreads like wildfire on dorm floors, so if this is just a fling, keep it offline. On the other hand, making a relationship official on Facebook can dispel rumors of who likes who, who is hooking up, etc. Also, avoid “Open Relationship” and “It’s Complicated” statuses at all costs. They will only confuse people and give grounds for more whispers over ramen and Easy Mac.
Advice: If you are in a serious, committed relationship that will not be swayed by Popov and Gatorade, say you are in a relationship. If you are looking for someone, mark yourself as “Single.” If you want people to mind their own business, don’t post a relationship status at all.
Events/Parties
Any non-frat college party worth having seems to have a Facebook event page these days. As freshmen, dorm parties are difficult to pull off, but for off-campus residents, these pages can be helpful if done correctly. First off, never make a party event page “public.” You will get far more partygoers than expected, as many at the College are often desperate for a rather scarce party scene. Only invite those that you actually want to attend. Second, the beauty of Facebook is that you can plan a party with little to no confusion as to the details. If necessary, post directions to the house, where to park or not to park, if you want money at the door and whether or not friends are welcome.
Advice: Most of us got into this school because of our academic efficiency, and Facebook can make social gatherings as efficient as desired. Use it to your advantage.
Now go, disregard all of this and enjoy your college experience.
(04/20/10 5:51pm)
Following stellar performances by junior pitcher Connor Henderson and sophomore first baseman James Ruzich, the Lions grabbed three New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) wins this past week, launching them to a 8-3 NJAC record, only one half-game behind Rowan University for the top spot in the conference.
“We really have benefited from tremendous pitching from our whole staff and timely hitting one through nine,” Ruzich said. “I also think we have finally come together as a team. We always knew we had enough talent to win games, but with so many new and young players, it took some time for everyone to find their roles on the team.”
Ruzich’s role on the team has become that of an offensive leader, as he gained seven RBIs and a homerun in the Lions’ 10-1 victory over Richard Stockton College on Friday and doubleheader sweep of William Paterson University on Saturday, 3-2 and 11-5. Ruzich is now batting an impressive .418 with three homeruns and 26 RBIs on the season.
“I have been working with our hitting coach on my approach at the plate, and have started to feel very comfortable,” he said. “Whenever you are comfortable while hitting it almost seems as if the game slows down and your able to see the ball very well.”
In game one of the WPU doubleheader, it was not Ruzich’s bat, but Henderson’s arm that led the College to the narrow victory. Henderson
improved to 6-0 on the season and 14-1 as a Lion, as he allowed just two runs on seven hits over seven innings. Senior A.J. Adamczyk closed the game for the College, while sophomore catcher Mike Galeotafiore chipped in with three hits.
“Coach Palese, our hitting coach, talked about making adjustments, and that’s exactly what we did,” Galeotafiore said. “It is very difficult to beat an NJAC team, regardless if they have talent or not. The bottom line is, every game is a rivalry, and we made sure we got our business done on Saturday. We didn’t want to give them any sense of confidence during those two games, and we did a great job at that.”
In the second game, the Lions’ offense perked up, pounding out 11 runs on 14 hits in the contest. Galeotafiore grabbed three more hits, driving in three in the process. The sophomore currently leads the College in batting average with an impressive .438. Ruzich continued his offensive onslaught, crushing his team-leading third homerun of the season.
Ruzich was content with the team’s performance.
“It’s always great to sweep a Saturday in the NJAC no matter the opponent,” he said. “But, to do it on the road against a quality team like William Paterson helped prove to ourselves and we can play with anyone. Hopefully we can carry the success of this past weekend into the rest of the season.”
Earlier in the week, the Lions clipped the Ospreys for another important NJAC win at home.
Freshman pitcher Bobby Graber gave his third strong performance, holding Stockton to just one run and six hits in seven innings. Graber has only allowed four runs in his last 24 innings pitched. Ruzich started his week off strong with three doubles and two runs batted in.
The Lions will continue in-conference play this week, taking on Kean University at home on Thursday April 22 before traveling to Stockton on Friday and then to a doubleheader with Rutgers University-Newark on Saturday.
“We need to stay focused, and keep doing what makes us a successful team,” Galeotafiore said. “We need to take the bad with the good, and like I said before, constantly make adjustments.
Bobby Olivier can be reached at olivier6@tcnj.edu.
(04/13/10 5:23pm)
When the New York Yankees resume play with the Boston Red Sox, my schedule shuts down.
All of my homework responsibilities are put off for another day as I plop in front of the biggest television I can find and prepare for a marathon. I have come to expect that each and every Yanks-BoSox game is going to take forever. The game will likely feature a playoff atmosphere, at least 36 pitching changes, pinch hitters, pinch runners, mound visit after mound visit, probably a blown save and some late inning heroics that have me relieved that the contest has finally come to an end, as well as wanting more.
Recently, veteran umpire Joe West has called both teams’ long-winded style of play both “embarrassing” and “pathetic.” This was an unfair outburst at both teams who play the game as well as any. A request to speed up the game simply for time’s sake brings into question the integrity and the fundamentals of the game itself.
Each episode of the largest rivalry in professional sports lasts for four hours or more because both teams feature many of the most patient and properly trained batters in the league. Players such as Nick Swisher and David Ortiz have fantastic eyes for strikes and balls, and will take pitches, step out of the batters’ box and try to disrupt the pitcher’s timing. Yes, it makes the game last longer, but this is what good hitters do. It just so happens that both teams have deep lineups with several batters whose approach is to work the count and look for the pitch they want. And for those of us who had any sort of a stint in little league, looking for a good pitch to hit and working the count is what we are taught at a young age.
Perhaps this is why Pittsburgh Pirates – Florida Marlins games do not last nearly as long.
Another reason why these games seem to go on for ages is the fact that both teams have deep bullpens, as well as deep benches, and have the
ability to mix and match for several of the final innings. Managers Joe Girardi and Terry Francona have what seems like a fully-stocked arsenal of arms and bats on call, and neither is afraid to slow down, access the situation and make the correct moves.
Also, unlike other games that do not have the same historic rivalry implications, all of the games between the Yankees and Red Sox matter ... to a whole mess of people. Beyond both teams playing in the same division, neither team wants to lose, simply because losing to a team that they have been feuding with for nearly a century is a painful blow to either ego.
I could shell out statistic after statistic about the Yankees seeing more pitches than any team in baseball last season, or the Red Sox’ average walks per game, but that is not what this column is addressing. The bottom line is that both of these clubs compete at a high level and win 90 or more games each season because of the little things that might take a few extra minutes.
And honestly, fans pay enough money for tickets, umpires get paid enough to stand there and fans at home invest enough time glued to televisions that an extra 30 or 45 minutes to maintain the integrity of a heated rivalry are an acceptable addition. I do admit that I am a bit of a hypocrite, as I often complain about the length of these epic contests as I watch, but when it is all said and done, whether I am mildly furious or bragging to my inferior Fenway-loving friends, I am generally satisfied with the level of play, and calling it “embarrassing” and “pathetic” is just that. As Denzel Washington once said, “let the boys play!”
Bobby Olivier can be reached at olivier6@tcnj.edu.
(04/06/10 6:06pm)
Following two losses to kick off the month of April, the College’s baseball team tallied two wins in an away doubleheader against Ramapo College on Saturday.
“The sweep of Ramapo was huge for us,” senior outfielder Chris Esperon said. “We showed a lot of heart going up there and taking two games from them. The pitching was nothing short of amazing and that really helped us get those two wins.”
Esperon drove in three runs and scored four more in the Lions’ 14-2 rout of the Roadrunners in the first game of the double dip.
The Lions (8-10) grabbed 10 runs in the fourth inning behind a stellar performance on the mound from Greg Spatz. The senior held Ramapo’s batters to only two runs (one earned) on two hits over eight innings, while striking out six.
Also chipping in offensively for game one were senior infielder Ryan Anzelone who claimed two hits and two RBIs, as well as sophomore outfielder Ed Zakzrewski and freshman infielder Scott Kelly who each contributed multiple hits.
The night cap was a much closer contest, as it would take 11 innings for the Lions to best the Roadrunners, 4-1. Freshman pitcher Robert Graber allowed only one run over seven innings, but did not factor into the decision as the Lions’ offense could not produce more than a run of its own on an Esperon RBI-single.
In the top of the 11th inning, three walks, a hit batsman, two passed balls and a ground out gave the Lions a 4-1 lead, which junior reliever Joe Marchitelli maintained to grab his first win of the season.
“Anytime you take two games from a good conference team, it feels good,” head coach Dean Glus said. “I believe we learned in that game, that we are a good team and we have each others backs.”
“The two wins on Saturday against Ramapo were huge for us to finish the week on a good note,” Spatz said. “As a starting pitcher it’s tough to watch some games from the dugout helplessly so when I got my opportunity to help the team and succeeded, it was very satisfying for all of us.”
This doubleheader sweep could not have come sooner, as late-inning mistakes and an explosive first inning gave the College two losses to Rowan University and Rutgers University-Camden on Thursday and Friday.
A wild pitch in the 12th inning against the Profs erased a strong performance by junior pitcher Connor Henderson, as the Lions fell 3-2. Adversely, the College’s game against Rutgers-Camden was decided right away, as a nine-run first inning sunk the Lions in a 13-8 defeat.
“It was a good game against Rowan and it was tough to lose that game in the 12th but we learned a lot from that game and we will use that to our advantage during the remaining part of the year,” Glus said. “The game on Friday was tough but we got down 9-0 and we
fought back to make it a close game.”
Continuing through the meat of the season, Glus is not fearful that the team will stray from its recent winning ways.
“It’s not difficult at all to stay focused,” he said. “Our players train for this. We start training in September for the season and they understand that it takes 100 percent focus at all times to be ready to play. The team has develop goals for the season and to reach those goals, you need to be ready 100 percent of the time.”
Spatz agreed with his coach.
“After tallying just under 20 games and getting into conference play I feel it’s actually a bit easier to stay focused,” he said. “The NJAC is full of tough teams so we know that each game will be a battle and we prepare for this accordingly. Our preparation keeps us focused because we know we work hard each day to compete and we always believe we can win every game.”
Esperon added, “If we play like we did at Ramapo I have nothing but confidence that we’re going to be just fine. We’re playing great defense which helps us win games, the pitchers both in the bullpen and the starters are starting to pick it up, and the hitting is coming along nicely. We were in this situation last year so we know as a team what it takes to finish strong and how to win games.”
(03/23/10 4:39pm)
As I sit here, defeated and ashamed of a bracket that only contains a lowly seven of the final 16 teams remaining in the 2010 Division I Men’s tournament, I have determined one thing – March Madness is evil.
Sometime around mid-March, as conference tournaments come to a close, it begins. Talking heads like Joe Linardi and Dick Vitale surface to give the average Joe what may seem like inside and helpful information. Selection Sunday, the day/night when these horrific concoctions of numbers and lines are created, is comparable to the birth of the anti-christ.
On the following Monday, the chaos fueled by ardent optimism begins. Everyone becomes an expert, swearing on all that they hold holy that a No. 13 seed will upset a No. 4, and that one of the No. 1 seeds has less of a chance in the tournament than a group of impoverished girl scouts.
Pools and pseudo gambling rings form in all corners of the country as all walks of life, from the CEO to the mailroom clerk, try to make that one pick that will set them apart from their obviously inferior peers. This year, I had invested my cash, as well as my emotional well-being in Villanova University reclaiming a spot in the Final Four and even challenging Kansas University in the final.
Unfortunately, if you have not grimaced at the above statement already, both teams have been eliminated to my chagrin, and I now am simply praying for each game to be entertaining, as my cash has been wasted. And in a tournament where only one No. 3 seed (Baylor University) and one No. 4 seed (Purdue University) remain, entertainment has been plentiful this tournament.
Four teams from the lower half of seeding remain in the Sweet 16, and although they have been the ones to undoubtedly screw me out of a payday that I enjoyed when University of North Carolina won last season, credit must be given. The No. 9-seeded University of Northern Iowa pulled a huge upset when it dethroned Kansas 69-67, many brackets’ pick for the overall champion, including my own.
The Gaels of No. 10-seeded Saint Mary’s College also ruined my life for the next few weeks when they took down No. 2-seeded Villanova 75-68. No. 11-seeded University of Washington, the lone squad remaining from the Pac-10 Conference, throttled University of New Mexico 82-64, and has appeared to be much stronger than its seeded suggests.
The lowest seed to breathe life into this tournament is No. 12-seeded Cornell University, coming out of the usually overmatched Ivy League. The Big Red have taken out both No. 5-seeded Temple University and No. 4-seeded University of Wisconsin, and will now try to upset No. 1-seeded Kentucky – many analysts’ new favorite to win the whole shebang – in what would be one of the bigger shocks in recent tournament memory.
Yes, this piece was more or less written as a means to vent my frustrations over a March Madness that has thrown myself, and many others for a loop in our preconceived notions of how to pick a bracket. The bottom line is obvious. There is little to no skill involved in marking up these godforsaken pieces of paper, and many pools are likely going to have the uninformed fan, who picked his/her bracket by which team’s mascot was more enjoyable, taking home the cash and leaving the rest of us tearing our hair.
(03/16/10 5:23pm)
On the second day of the NCAA Division III National Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, junior Mike Denver carried much more than the 184 pounds he had used to keep his hopes alive in his first trip to the tournament.
His first Saturday bout would not only decide his All-America fate, as he needed a win to claim the honor, but he was the College’s last chance to add a link in a 37-year-old chain of excellence. At least one Lion had claimed All-America honors each year without fail since 1972, when the achievement was first created.
Denver, a No. 5 seed in his weight class, squared off in the consolation bracket against No. 6-seeded Todd Becker of Wartburg College, a junior and Iowa native. As Denver outlasted Becker 6-4 in overtime, he claimed at least a top-eight national finish at 184 pounds, along with a spot next to a list of 134 past College wrestlers who became NCAA All-Americans to cap off their seasons.
“It feels great to be an all-American and be part of such a great tradition,” Denver said.
In spite of his accomplishments, the junior still wishes he could have placed higher.
“I’m happy with being an all-American but I am not content or satisfied with taking seventh place,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong seventh in the nation is nice to say and has a nice ring to it, but not as good as saying you’re a national champ, it’s all or nothing.”
In his next bout, Denver took on Coe College’s No. 1-seeded senior, Tyler Burkle, who had been upset by a No. 8 seed earlier in the tournament. Burkle defeated him 9-2, sending Denver to the seventh-place bout, which would decide his final place in the weight class.
Denver outlasted John Carroll University senior Ben Adams 8-7 to finish seventh nationally at 184 pounds.
“I feel as though I performed pretty well for it being my first time out there,” Denver said. “The coaches were telling us all week that ‘you have to make the most out of every chance you get because you might not make it back here again so take advantage.’ I think
that played a big part in my success out there especially when I was tired and had to push through to achieve what I wanted.”
“We were happy with (Denver’s) performance,” head coach David Icenhower said. “This was (his) first time ever at a major tournament, as he never qualified for the state tournament in high school.”
Denver’s 3-2 performance also gave him a final season record of 45-4, tying 1994-95’s John Johnson for the most wins by a Lions in a single season.
Also representing the College at the tournament were junior Ed Broderick at 285 pounds and sophomores Kyle Packer and Dan Herr at 165 and 133 pounds, respectively.
None of the three were able to tally a win in the tournament.
Herr, unseeded entering the tournament, suffered a bit of bad luck, falling to a No. 7 seed before facing off against No. 2-seeded freshman Nate Fitzenreider of North Central College. Fitzenreider defeated Herr 13-5, as Herr finished his season with a record of 31-8.
At 165 pounds, Packer, also unseeded, snapped his 10-match win-streak after a difficult 1-0 loss to sophomore Joey Favia of Stevens Institute of Technology. In the consolation bracket, Packer fell to unseeded freshman Jordan Schulte of University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, 8-2.
Broderick fell to Coe College’s No. 7-seeded senior Mitch Sander 4-1, and later fell in 6:37 to Wilmington’s senior Adam Salyers in the consolation bracket. Broderick finished the season with a 27-9 record.
“I feel as though (Herr, Packer and Broderick) wrestled very well,” Denver said. “All of us, except for (Broderick), were first time national qualifiers and (he) had eight returning all-Americans in his weight class, the most of the entire tournament. I feel we wrestled very well for such a young group of guys.”
Coach Icenhower added, “I thought the other three did well but was disappointed in the fact they did not place,” he said. “I feel the end of the season injuries to two of our captains hurt the whole team mentally. Both Dan DiColo and Tyler Branham could have placed high at the National tournament and it affected the team.”
(03/03/10 7:39pm)
This is not an editorial bashing the quality of cuisine presented at Eickhoff Hall’s cafeteria. This is a short piece identifying the people who many encounter each day in the cafeteria, and who make day-to-day College life a little more frustrating.
The fruit salad girls.
For many of us, getting fruit from the fruit salad bowls near the bagel area is a relatively quick and painless process. The general procedure is take a bowl, scoop fruit salad into it, accept the combination of cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple and orange you have received and WALK AWAY. Fruit is usually my first stop in Eickhoff, and I am often immediately halted by a female (it’s only been females) meticulously picking through the fruit salad with her scoop, finding only oranges, or only grapes, or only … something. Unless these girls have a severe food allergy, here’s a heads up – it is all in the same juice and all tastes the same. Scoop and move on.
The bleu cheese dressing shakers.
Admittedly, I am a bleu cheese dressing shaker. I love bleu cheese dressing, and am determined to eat my salad with bleu cheese dressing on it. But the poorly designed bleu cheese container constantly clogs, leaving us to shake … and shake … and shake the container, trying to get a few tasty morsels onto our salads. We look like helpless morons as we do it, and unlike myself, many shakers have not thought to grab a knife or fork, wedge out the bleu cheese chunks and clear the blockage. This is not our fault, though. Sodexho, make the bleu cheese hole larger, for God’s sake!
The friends we make on the grilled chicken line.
Let’s face it, grilled chicken is a popular item for students in Eickhoff and during dinner, the one Sodexo worker manning the grilled chicken station cannot always keep up with the rush. I have been stuck on that line, waiting for as much as 15 minutes for an often burned and immediately dry piece of poultry, and have met a few interesting people. Generally, we talk about how the chicken is taking too long, and how they should do something about it. Can they really do anything about it? No, but it is usually nice to share my frustrations with others. After we finally receive the reward for our patience, we move on until we meet again on the grilled chicken line.
The picky pasta people.
Similarly to the fruit salad girls, the picky pasta people make my life miserable. These are the people who create a line at the pasta station next to the pizza, as they carefully scoop a little of each pasta, a little of each sauce and just the proper sprinkling of parmesan cheese onto their pasta. After timing myself, I have determined that it takes no longer than 10 seconds to accomplish any pasta-related goals at this station. Again, to these people – hurry up and all of that pasta is the same, tastes the same and sucks the same, it is just shaped differently so move along.
Those who partake in the Eickhoff stare-down
Whether you have noticed or not, you have likely been part of an Eickhoff stare-down. This occurs when you already have your tray full of food and someone else, who is trying to decide what to eat, glances at your tray. Only, it’s never just a glance. They look at your food, then look at you, seem to question your character and existence on this earth, then look at your food again and walk away. You feel judged, and a little violated that they looked at your tray. I’m a big fan of the Eickhoff stare-down.
(02/23/10 4:43pm)
A long day of struggles and slams in the College’s Packer Hall paid off for the hosting Lions, who claimed victories in three weight classes, as well as a first-place team finish in the Metropolitan Conference Championships.
The College scored 110 points overall, the highest among Sunday’s nine participating teams, to reclaim the team title over second-place Wilkes University. The Colonels bested the Lions in last year’s tournament, but finished with only 93 points.
“It was an excellent overall team effort that won it for us,” head coach David Icenhower said. “We had to overcome the loss of our leaders Tyler Branham and Dan DiColo in the last week, and won because all 10 of our kids placed — no other team had more than seven.”
With both captains injured, each of the 10 Lions grapplers in the tournament reached either the final round or final consolation round of their respective weight classes, with three grabbing the top slot and a ticket to the NCAA Division III National Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The College’s winning trio included sophomore Kyle Packer at 165 pounds, who pinned his opponent at 2:02, Junior Mike Denver at 184 pounds, also a pin-winner at 2:55 and junior heavyweight Ed Broderick, who won a highly contested bout, 7-5 in overtime.
Packer credited his veteran teammates for his success.
“I think practicing with guys like (Branham) and (DiColo) everyday helped me out in a multitude of ways,” he said. “Those two guys where exceptional work out partners and even better role models. They would always push the team in practice to reach our maximum potential and it showed its success throughout the team during the course of the tournament.”
Icenhower added, “Obviously I am happy and proud of the three winners, but again we won because of a total team effort. Packer was a late
replacement and did an outstanding job, Denver has been consistent all year and leads the nation in wins and Broderick wrestled a very smart match against a strong opponent.”
After impressive regional performances, Packer, Denver, Broderick and sophomore Dan Herr, a Wild Card winner at 133 pounds, will join the finest wrestlers in Division III on March 5-6.
“There are always things you can improve on or work on to get better,” Packer said. “If we as a group keep up the same work ethic and practice regiment that we have been doing for the past several months, then I think we all are equally prepared for Nationals.”
Junior Adam Koziol, who finished fourth at 197 pounds in the tournament, noted that the struggle still lies ahead.
“The competition is only going to get harder, but the guys we are sending are some of the toughest kids I have ever known, and there is no doubt in my mind that they are going to bring home a lot of hardware,” he said. “I would sell my soul to be on that plane with them.”
Two College wrestlers fell just short of an Iowa-bound in-flight movie, as both No. 2-seed junior John Barnett (141 pounds) and No. 1-seeded freshman All-American Brian Broderick (174 pounds) reached the finals but lost by close decisions – 4-2 and 5-3, respectively.
During the award ceremony, Broderick did not leave empty-handed, as he received the title of Metropolitan Conference Co-Rookie of the Year, and Lions assistant coach Joe Pollard was named Metropolitan Conference Co-Assistant Coach of the Year.
(02/09/10 11:58pm)
The New Orleans Saints’ first championship in franchise history came as the much-needed trot into the sunset for a city desperate for a shining star.
Figuratively, the sun likely still has not set on Bourbon Street, as the bright lights of pre-Mardi Gras and Super Bowl celebration have kept the city glowing through the nights, but this area that has returned to party central status can easily, or painfully, be remembered as unlit and unfit for human life not long ago.
Yes, some recovery has been achieved in a city ravaged by the costliest, as well as one of the five deadliest, hurricanes in American history. Hurricane Katrina was a surreal step into the harsh reality of nature’s true power.
I vividly remember high school class periods interrupted by coverage of this storm nearly five years ago. It was like a disaster movie without a “pause” button. The overlying question, as thousands sought refuge in the Saints’ Superdome, was, “how can a city ever recover from such destruction?”
The answer was found not only in the hands of countless volunteers rebuilding New Orleans’ schools and churches, but in the spirit of a city that latched onto a historically miserable football team and seemingly willed it to elite status.
This belief in football did not come immediately, as the Saints’ first game was played less than three weeks after water filled parts of the city, and although a John Kasay field goal against the Carolina Panthers gave the team an emotional victory, it played no games in New Orleans during the 2005 season, and finished at 3-13.
Hope was dwindling but not vanishing, as two key offseason changes, as well as the joy of returning to the Superdome revealed light at the end of a still damp tunnel. The Saints signed underrated and somewhat undersized quarterback Drew Brees from San Diego and ushered in a new head coach, Sean Payton, a former Dallas Cowboys assistant coach, to lead a program that had fallen to shambles. A blockbuster draft class also gave New Orleans the electric Reggie Bush to bring excitement to some of the most unlucky fans imaginable.
The Superdome’s doors reopened for football fans on Sept. 25 as more than 10.8 million viewers tuned into Monday Night Football to see resilience manifested in black and gold. More than 70,000 fans filed into the repaired stadium, entering the gates under a sign reading, “Our home, our team, be a Saint.” The Saints delivered on this emotional night, defeated the Atlanta Falcons 23-3 on their way to a 10-6 record and an NFC Championship game appearance, the franchise’s first.
For any team, a seven-win swing from one season to the next is almost unheard of, but for the Saints, following the storyline of rising from tragedy, something like this had to happen, a bit of Louisiana magic.
Three seasons later, the Saints now enter the halls of NFL immortality, and although not every Saints player has been a member of the team since that whirlwind of relief in 2006, every player undoubtedly knows what this Super Bowl victory means to the city it now calls home.
Redemption is not the proper word to describe this rain-saturated rags-to-riches story, and this storyline will likely be told and retold in print and online to the point of nausea, but it is a story that deserves to be told again and again. No team deserves to win, celebrate, get drunk and collect loads of beads more than the 2009 Saints who have not only brought New Orleans its first NFL championship, but a sign that it really is darkest before dawn, and that with the strength of many, great things can come from terrible circumstances.
(02/02/10 5:35pm)
To the untrained eye, it may appear that the College’s wrestling team is dragging its feet.
The No. 11-ranked Lions dropped their last two dual meets, first to No. 17-ranked Williams College in the Metropolitan/New England Duals on Saturday, and then to unranked Springfield College on the road on Sunday. A passerby might attribute these losses to lack of focus or determination late in the season. Wrong.
In both losses, the Lions were without senior Tyler Branham, and juniors Justin Bonitatis, Adam Koziol and John Barnett, a combined 304-86 career before the New England Duals.
“It is unfortunate that we dropped the last two dual meets, we all realize our team is real banged up with injuries and that this is not the same lineup we will be throwing out there for the conference tournament,” Barnett said. “For the past few weeks we have wrestled without a bunch of our starters and other guys had to step in and wrestle at different weights, and that is nothing we could control.”
As the Lions tried to get healthy, substitutes led the way in the earlier rounds of the tournament, handing the College victories over Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and Roger Williams University.
The Lions stomped the Engineers of WPI, 42-3 as freshmen James Olivo at 141 pounds and John Darling at 149 pounds filled in with victories, as well as sophomore Chris Lombardi who pinned his opponent in 53 seconds at 157 pounds.
The College then defeated Roger Williams 28-12, led by pins by juniors Mike Denver at 184 pounds and Ed Broderick at 285 pounds. Both Denver and Broderick went 3-0 on the day, winning their matches in a 22-21 loss to Williams College as well.
Freshman Brian Broderick also won all three of his New England bouts.
“I feel like I performed fairly well at the New England Duals,” Brian Broderick said. “I feel like every match that we have is helping us (as a team) get better as long as we learn from them, which will help us with our later matches.”
The Lions have one dual meet remaining before hosting the Metropolitan Conference Championships, a match against Oswego State College on Feb. 6.
“We should have a couple back for Oswego and be able to end the dual meet season on a decent note,” head coach David Icenhower said. “We should have most of the starters back by the Conference. We are not as much looking ahead as trying to get everyone healthy for the end of the year Conference qualifying tournament.”
Lion grapplers weighed in on what they expect from the remainder of the season.
“As the season winds down, I expect myself to win a conference title and go out to nationals and just wrestle every match as hard as I can and good things will happen,” Barnett said. “As for the team, I believe we can realistically send 8-10 guys out to nationals, provided everyone comes back healthy and wrestles the way they are capable of. If we do this, the end of the season could be a ton of fun and we could accomplish something very special together.”
Koziol added, “We have extremely high expectations about the end of the season. Everyone is going to be healthy and ready to go by then. It is what we have been looking forward to since September. If you can’t get excited about this … you’re probably dead.”