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(11/14/17 8:39am)
By Alexandra Parado
Staff Writer
The field hockey team has won its way to the final four of the NCAA Tournament for the 23rd time after two close games this weekend.
The Lions, ranked No. 3 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III poll, hosted SUNY Cortland on Saturday, Nov. 11, and Centre College on Sunday, Nov. 12.
On Saturday, the Lions and SUNY Cortland played a scoreless first half with both teams taking only four shots in a fierce defensive battle. Most of the first half was fought at midfield.
Sophomore Cayla Andrews felt that the great defensive effort put forward by SUNY Cortland pushed the Lions to be better.
“The great defense that we played in the first half, really pushed our offense to be better,” Andrews said.
Determined to get on the board, senior forward Elizabeth Morrison scored six minutes into the second half. In a display of veteran athleticism, she crossed from the left side of the arc to the right, deking defenders to score, putting the Lions forward 1-0.
SUNY Cortland attempted to tie up the game when an opponent made it past senior goalkeeper Christina Fabiano. Sophomore forward/midfielder Kayla Peterson had an outstanding defensive performance. She saved the ball from crossing the line, with only inches to spare.
Just a few minutes later, SUNY Cortland scored their first goal off a corner, which tied the game 1-1.
The game winner came with 45 seconds left, when junior midfielder/defender Sidney Padilla setup Andrews with a right to left cross pass for her victorious goal that concluded the game at 2-1. The Lions outshot SUNY Cortland 17-9 with nine of those being on goal. Fabiano led the defense with four saves in the game.
“I know what it feels like first hand to win a national championship, and I just want everyone on this team to feel the same thing,” Fabiano said.
On Sunday, Nov. 12, the Lions shut out Centre College in the regional final.
The duo that sent the Lions to this game got themselves on the board early. Andrews scored a goal with the help from Padilla, once again. Andrews ripped the shot past the Centre College’s goalkeeper and gave her team a 1-0 lead.
The Lions expanded their lead when freshman forward Tori Tiefenthaler blasted a shot from the top left of the arc.
The 2-0 score at the end of the first half held. The Lions controlled the second half and Fabiano had four saves in the victory. It was also her eighth shutout this season.
The Lions advance to the final four for the 23rd time in program history. The College has won 11 NCAA Division III Championships. The Lions will face Messiah College, ranked No. 1 in the NFHCA ranking, on Friday, Nov. 17, in Louisville, Kentucky.
(11/14/17 8:27am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
The College’s wrestling team lost its home opener against Stevens Institute of Technology, 26-16, on Friday, Nov. 10. The Lions also wrestled in the Ursinus College Fall Brawl on Saturday, Nov. 11, where the team saw varying success.
Despite the loss to Stevens, head coach Joe Galante saw some positives in every bout.
“We need to get a little better,” Galante said. “We can take away some positives from those last three bouts and I saw some greatness in some spots. At 125, we looked a little better than we did last week. At 149, we looked a little better than last week, the guy wrestled tough. At 165, we were right in that battle.”
While Galante acknowledged Stevens’ talent, he believes the Lions could win the matchup if they make several adjustments.
“The other guy (at 165) was ranked in the country, but I think we can win that battle with a couple little changes. At 184, 197 and heavyweight, we are happy, but we are not done working yet,” Galante said.
The Lions lost their first seven bouts of the night, which gave Stevens a 25-0 lead. The closest matchup at 165. Senior Luke Balina battled Stevens junior Thomas Poklikuha, who was ranked No. 8 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association’s latest Division III ranking.
The two wrestlers fought in a back and forth tug-of-war. They hand-fought aggressively, working toward a takedown. Balina gave up two points early in the match after a slick takedown by Poklikuha. Balina battled back in the final period, but he couldn’t hang on for the win and lost, 9-7.
The fans were given something to cheer for during the 184-pound bout. Sophomore Dan Kilroy wrestled hard right from the first whistle, getting out from an early scramble to claim his first takedown.
Kilroy grinded his opponent in the first period, earning 2:26 of riding time. He finessed his opponent, but did not get any back points in the first period. In the second period, he built on his lead, tiring out his opponent even further.
Kilroy won the match by fall in the third period. His opponent tried to run out of a double leg maneuver, but Kilroy managed to catch him by the waist and take down his opponent. Kilroy managed to land on his opponent’s chest, scoring back points immediately. After a short, strong-willed counter from his opponent, Kilroy earned the pin, getting the College its first six points.
“Kilroy’s a pinner,” Galante said. “He is a winner. Every time he goes out there he expects great things. We expect great things. I talked about the win in the locker room with him after the match.”
Even though Kilroy defeated his opponent, he was unsatisfied with his performance.
“He’s not super happy with his performance, he wants to do better,” Galante said. “In the second period, he didn’t score a lot of points. He didn’t stay as on it as he probably could have. It was like a second-period slump, a little bit. But it definitely is a good place to build from. Starting your first home dual off with a fall, I like that.”
Junior Alex Mirabella, came out strong at 197 and pinned his opponent very quickly. He walked from the top position into a near-side cradle that flattened his opponent’s back. The Lions cut into their deficit with another six points.
Senior heavyweight Kyle Cocozza also had a solid match, winning a major decision. He picked his shots well throughout the match. Cocozza ultimately won 10-2.
Mirabella and Cocozza are training together to keep their success going, according to Galante.
“They are doing one-on-one sessions with me early in the morning and I love that,” Galante said. “They are showing sacrifice. They are sacrificing their time. They are sacrificing going to bed early the night before and I think that showed through on the mat tonight.”
At the Ursinus College Fall Brawl, freshman Thomas Anderson claimed the highest place for the Lions, getting fourth place at 184. He picked up a pin just 51 seconds into his first match, won 12-3 in his second, dominated 14-1 in his third and won the fourth with a pin.
Junior Ryan Erwin and freshman Daniel Surich also wrestled at 184, both going 4-2. Freshman Connor Murphy won six matches at 133, including four by pin. Sophomore Nic Mele also won three matches
(11/14/17 8:18am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
The football team ended its season with a dominant 27-0 victory over Southern Virginia University on Friday, Nov. 10, at home. The Lions were good on both sides of the ball against Southern Virginia. For the seniors on the team, the game could not have gone any better.
The Lions scored a season high 27 points. The offense established a balanced game plan, which kept Southern Virginia honest on defense. Head coach Casey Goff thought that the win at the end of the season was huge.
“It’s huge,” Goff said. “It’s huge for our seniors. It’s huge for our program. If you told me after our first five games that we would be sitting at 4-6, I’d say, ‘I don’t know.’ But these guys battled week in and week out. They never gave up. They continued to get better and they showed it here today.”
Goff also thought that the wins at the end of the season were great for the program.
“I think at the end of the season, we had some marquee wins this season that the program can really build on,” he said.
The Lions were anxious at the start of the game, but once they established themselves, the game took on a different look. The Lions received the ball first. Their first play on offense was a wildcat running play. The Lions center snapped the ball over senior running back Khani Glover, who could not get it before Southern Virginia could pounce on the ball.
Southern Virginia was set up with great field position to score, but the Lions defense stood up to the task. The defense forced Southern Virginia to go backward on their first series with the ball. They attempted a 47-yard field goal, but it hit the crossbar and was no good. That was the closest that Southern Virginia got to scoring the entire game.
Glover picked up from where he left off last week on the ensuing offense drive for the Lions. He helped drive the Lions down the field with his authoritative running style by making defenders miss with his stop-and-go ability. The Lions scored a field goal on the drive, putting them in the lead, where they would stay the entire game.
Goff thought that Glover played his hardest.
“Khani has been running his ass off, plain and simple,” Goff said. “A lot of people called us out in terms of our run game and the offensive line. Khani answered the call. He ran the ball hard tonight and he ran the ball hard in the second half of the season. We are proud with how he has performed and the way our offensive line has performed. Like I said, they answered the call tonight.”
In the first quarter alone, Glover had 55 yards on the ground for the Lions. At the end of the game he had 103 yards on the ground and caught three passes for 21 yards. He made the Southern Virginia defense pay for every crease they allowed to form at the line of scrimmage.
Not to be outdone on Senior Night, senior quarterback Trevor Osler also played well.Osler threw for 20 completions, 248 yards and three touchdowns. He found senior wide receiver Thomas Koenig eight times for 141 yards and two touchdowns.
One of the touchdowns that Osler threw to Koenig was like something out of a movie. Osler dropped back, with defenders in his face, and delivered a bomb to Koenig. The ball seemed to be in the air forever as Koenig ran under it. The ball squeezed itself past the hand and shoulder of the defender that was blanketing Koenig, who caught it in stride. The pass and catch were spectacular, sending the crowd into a frenzy of cheering.
Goff, as always, praised his signal caller for his performance.
“He has been a hell of a player all year,” Goff said. “He’s a kid whose confidence continued to grow throughout the season. The jumps he made from last year to this year shows that he is a kid that works his butt off. I know he’s someone that’s going to go out there and crush it when he’s done with his college days in whatever job he chooses.”
Goff also expressed pride in the ability to watch his signal caller grow with the new systems in place.
“It’s been so much fun to watch him grow as a player,” Goff said. “To have it end the way it did for him is just awesome.”
The defense also had a stellar day. The Lions defense held Southern Virginia to only 154 total yards of offense. Senior cornerback Rob Agoni shined on defense with two interceptions and eight tackles. On one particular play right before halftime, Agoni batted away a ball and then in a display of acrobatic athleticism managed to intercept the ball inches before it hit the ground.
Other defensive senior standouts were linebacker Kevin Hennelly and defensive lineman Shane Kelley. Hennelly had nine tackles and one tackles for loss. Kelley had seven tackles, including 0.5 tackles for a loss and 0.5 sacks.
Goff is proud his seniors were able to end their season the way they did. They faced a lot of adversity, but played hard to the very end.
“The adversity they had to deal with this week, on top of what they’ve gone through in their four-year career say a lot about them,” Goff said. “Coming out and being to play for this football team means a lot. They have played for three head coaches and have experienced a lot of downs. I am just excited that we were able to gift them these wins at the end of the season.”
(11/07/17 7:33am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
Few players would return to the football field after going into cardiac arrest in high school. But Anthony Cortazzo, a sophomore political science major and the defensive lineman for the College’s football team, is different.
As a high school junior, Cortazzo almost had his entire life derailed when he suddenly collapsed during a routine track practice
“I was running warmup laps,” Cortazzo said. “And I collapsed, going into cardiac arrest. I was revived with CPR and an AED. It was discovered afterward that I was born with congenital heart defect.”
Congenital heart disease, one of the most common types of birth defects, affects the heart’s structure and function. It can cause death if not treated properly. In Cortazzo’s case, there were no symptoms present until he collapsed during that practice.Cortazzo underwent a five-hour open heart surgery to correct the issues with his heart.
“It was like a three-month period of absolutely no weight on my chest to let my sternum heal after the surgery,” Cortazzo said. “It was a six-month recovery period in all. I was actually able to come back and finish my senior year of football. I played the last half of my senior year in football and ran track.”
Cortazzo was able to return to sports after the traumatic experience, but he later admitted that it wasn’t easy. Coming back from what could have been a fatal experience limited his ability on the field and the track.
After high school, Cortazzo attended Rowan University and he did not lose faith in his ability to play on the field. He still hoped for a college career in football.
“I went to Rowan with the intention and the understanding that I would be able to play football there, or at least try out,” Cortazzo said. “I believed I would be able to play football somewhere after what happened to me.”
Cortazzo never got a chance to play at Rowan. He made the decision to transfer to the College after his sophomore year.
On Oct. 14, the Lions traveled to play Rowan University at their Homecoming game.
Cortazzo had played in plenty of games this season, but facing the team that never gave him a shot was some added inspiration.
“I was excited to go back and play Rowan,” Cortazzo said. “Going back and playing at Rowan was defiantly intense considering the fact that they never gave me a chance and it was their Homecoming. It was great. It couldn’t have gone any better in my opinion.”
Cortazzo played hard when he was on the field. He recorded key tackles toward the end of the game to help the Lions come away with a victory. Fellow defensive lineman Shane Kelley was impressed with Cortazzo’s performance.
“He was a monster,” Kelley said. “He made some clutch tackles that really helped out the team and close out the game.”
Kelley wasn’t the only one that had high praise for their fellow Lion.
“Anthony is one of those relentless players that plays bigger than he is,” said head coach Casey Goff. “He’s strong, he’s fast and he plays with a ton of heart. Anthony is what you want in a football player. He’s the kind of player that will go through a wall and not ask questions. He’s one of those old school players in the new age of football. I would love to have more Anthony Cortazzos.”
Goff also joked about Cortazzo’s smaller stature as a inspirational defensive lineman.
“Now we are going to feed him and feed him in this offseason,” Goff said. “And he knows that. He’s a weightroom rat. He works his balls off in there. We are more than excited about him and the progress that he has made.”
Coming into the College’s final home game, Cortazzo has totaled 20 tackles this season, putting him for 13th most on the team.
“Playing again is awesome,” Cortazzo said. “I love it. I’ve missed it. I definitely feel like I’ve created a bond with the teammates here which is something I missed from high school.”
(11/07/17 6:48am)
The College’s football team traveled to Christopher Newport University this, where the College edged out its opponent with a score of 21-19 during Christopher Newport’s Homecoming game. The game marks the College’s third win of the season and the second time it spoiled an opponent’s Homecoming.
The Lions defense forced several early three-and-outs. On Christopher Newport’s fourth drive, the Lions defense faced with a fourth-and-2 on Christopher Newport’s own 12-yard line. In a failed attempt to make a statement early in the game, Christopher Newport elected to go for it on the fourth. The Lions stood strong, forcing an incomplete pass and giving their offense the ball from a turnover on downs.
Junior offensive lineman Ryan Signora thought the defensive stops were highlights of the game.
“They were huge,” Signora said. “The defense really set the tone as to how we wanted to play early on. They were absolutely relentless from start to finish. They played a great game.”
The Lions offense scored three plays later. Senior quarterback Trevor Osler threw a spiraling pass to senior wide receiver Gabriel Rios for an 8-yard touchdown. Senior kicker Zachary Pharo kicked the extra point through the uprights to put the Lions ahead at 7-0, midway through the second quarter. Christopher Newport answered the Lions touchdown by kicking two field goals before halftime to make the score 7-6.
The Lions came out in the third quarter determined to score. The team received the kickoff and advanced 67 yards in five plays to score a touchdown. Osler was involved on the score again, throwing a 25-yard reception to senior wide receiver Thomas Koenig. Pharo then made the extra point, putting the Lions in the lead at 14-6.
The team scored again eight minutes later, when Osler threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Jack Clevenger.
Osler completed 15 passes for 146 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
All of the Lions’ scoring drives were shorter than two minutes and 30 seconds. Signora believed this was the key to victory.
“It was important to capitalize on opportunities that were given to us,” Signora said. “A lot of those came in the form of quick strikes that we could hit and turn into good gains. Trevor and our receivers seemed to be in synch and they did a great job of keeping the chains moving for us. When they finally got the shot to turn a quick strike into a touchdown, they followed through and made some big plays to score.”
The Lions ground game was solid as well. Led by senior running back Khani Glover, the Lions ground attack did enough to keep the rest of the team ahead of the chains, totaling 68 yards that day.
Glover totaled 90 yards, marking a season-high for him. Signora felt that Glover did his part to help the Lions win.
“Khani was an absolute beast in this game,” Signora said. “He was a physical downhill runner who refused to go down on first contact. There were points that he truly seemed unstoppable, and it was amazing to see.”
The Lions offense totaled 214 yards in the game. Compared to Christopher Newport’s 390 yards of total offense, the Lions’ totals may not look as impressive, but the devil is in the details. Penalties played a huge part in the game.
Christopher Newport had 10 penalties for 105 yards, nearly doubling the six penalties that the Lions had for 48 yards. The Lions also defense forced three fumbles, recovering two.
Christopher Newport managed to score with two seconds left in the game.
The Christopher Newport offense rushed back to the line for a two-point conversion, but the Lions defense stepped up. They attempted to pass the ball for the conversion, but Lions defense was all over the play, causing the ball to fall harmlessly to the ground.
On the ensuing kickoff, Clevenger recovered the ball, sealing the game away for the Lions. Even with the game so close, Signora felt the Lions were in control throughout the game.
“Toward the end of the game they started to make a comeback but we never lost faith in ourselves and our teammates,” Signora said. “We fully believed that we had what it took to finish the game with a W. Although it might’ve been more thrilling that we thought it would be, that’s what ended up happening.”
Sophomore defensive back Xavier Santos, junior linebacker Max Busca and senior defensive lineman Shane Kelley were all standouts who led the Lions to victory. Each player had 10 tackles. Santos also had a tackle for loss. Busca had 3.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and also forced two fumbles. Kelley had two tackles for losses, 1.5 sacks and one fumble recovery.
The Lions are now 3-5 in NJAC play, which is good for seventh in the conference standings.
(11/07/17 6:25am)
By Alexandra Parado
Correspondent
The College’s field hockey team won its fourth-straight New Jersey Athletic Conference title.
The Lions beat Rowan University 4-3 at home on Wednesday, Nov. 1, in the NJAC Tournament semifinals. The team then faced off against Kean University and emerged victorious with a 2-1 win, taking the title No. 1 seeded Kean.
The Lions and Rowan University battled back and forth a win in the first match. Rowan put themselves on the board first over an intense exchange seven minutes into the game. Sophomore forward/midfielder Kayla Peterson blocked the first shot with her stick before Rowan scored a goal off her rebound.
Fighting to get the ball, the Lions finally scored 19 minutes in when freshman forward Tori Tiefenthaler deflected a shot from junior midfielder/defender Sidney Padilla. Less than three minutes after the goal, Rowan fired back and took a 2-1 lead before halftime.
After the Lions regrouped in halftime, they showed an incredible offensive and defensive effort in the second half.
The Lions fought back in the second half when junior forward Taylor Barrett started to drive the ball into Rowan territory. Then Peterson finessed the ball until she was 10 yards in front of the goal and blasted in her eighth goal of the season, which tied the game at 2-2.
Rowan showed determination with a third goal just a few minutes after Peterson’s shot, but senior forward Elizabeth Morrison tricked Rowan’s goalie with some misdirection and fed the ball to junior forward Caroline Quinn who finished the shot, tying the game for the third time.
With about five minutes remaining, Padilla sent an entry pass from 45 yards out, where Tiefenthaler found the deflection and scored her second goal of the game.
“It means everything to all of them no matter who got the goal,”said head coach Sharon Pfluger. “It was a great goal and the team is happy to walk off the field having fought so hard.”
The Lions outshot Rowan 21-14, with 10 of those shots being on goal. Tiefenthaler’s goal concluded the game at 4-3, sending the Lions to the NJAC final.
On Saturday, Nov. 4, Kean hosted the Lions for the final round of the NJAC Tournament.
Peterson got the Lions on the board early, with an assist by Padilla for a 1-0 lead.
Halfway through the opening period, sophomore midfielder Jillian Farley backhanded a loose ball right in front of Kean’s net, and knocked it in to extend the College’s lead to 2-0.
Tiefenthaler had the chance to put the Lions up by three, but Kean’s defense kept them in a tight game.
With about 10 minutes remaining, Kean broke through off a penalty corner. Kean scored and brought the score to 2-1.
In the final 10 minutes of the game, the Lions faced six additional penalty corners. Senior goalkeeper Christina Fabiano made three saves in that duration with a total of nine saves in the win against Kean.
The victory marks the 25th NJAC title for Pfluger, who will coach the Lions on Nov. 11 against the winner of Keene State vs. SUNY Cortland in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
(10/31/17 5:28am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
The football team rebounded with a dominant win over William Paterson University on Saturday, Oct. 28. The team’s 20-0 win over William Paterson marks its second victory in the last three weeks. The Lions have not had a shutout victory since their final game of the 2015 season.
After last week’s crushing loss at Homecoming, head coach Casey Goff expressed deep disappointment in his team, but felt that the team could bounce back.
“It’s a matter of whether or not this team wants to come together and finish this thing out,” Goff said after last week’s loss. “I think they want to. I think this loss hurts more than any other this season and the fact I see that on them tells me that they give a shit, and that’s a good start.”
The team showed what they are capable of this week. The Lions moved the ball down the field and maintained possession with their running game to seal the game away. As a result of their focused preparation, the Lions had their best offensive output since week one.
Junior offensive lineman Ryan Signora thought the team emphasized the run game this week.
“We have two solid running backs who we know can get the job done,” Signora said. “We’re just happy (the offensive line) could open up some holes for them and let them do what they do best. Also having a solid passing offense really helped take some pressure off the run game. It allowed us to us our receivers as both weapons and distractions, which took pressure off the run game.”
Junior linebacker and defensive anchor Max Busca also felt the running game helped the defense win the game.
“Talking form a defensive viewpoint establishing the run always helps,” Busca said. “It is a huge aspect in the time management portion of the game and also frustrates the opposing defense. This helped us finish the game the way we wanted.”
The Lions totaled 339 yards of offense in the game. Junior running back Connor Owen rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown. Senior Khani Glover also rushed for 71 yards and a touchdown. Both running backs held the ball and rushed for their best game since week one.
Senior quarterback Trevor Osler also had a solid game through the air. Osler threw for 23 completions and 215 yards, continuing his solid performance this season. Senior wide receiver Thomas Koenig benefitted from Osler’s efficient day — he caught four passes for 73 yards, and continued his career year. Other beneficiaries include sophomore Vincent Guckin who caught five passes for 47 yards and sophomore Jack Clevenger who caught four passes for 43 yards.
Signora commented on Osler’s performance as quarterback and his leader ship qualities this season.
“As for Trevor, he’s our offensive leader through and through,” Signora said. “When something goes wrong for us, he is the first person to rally the offense and get us back on track. He fights to win whenever he gets the chance and is someone we can rely on to stay constantly focused on the win. His leadership qualities are what you want from your quarterback.”
As well as the offense did in the game, the defense even better. The Lions held the opposing offense to a total of 139 yards in the game. This is their best defense performance since 2015. Busca discussed the defense’s mindset coming into the game.
“We felt confident going into the game all week,” Busca said. “We put in a solid game plan that had us matchup to a lot of the things they wanted to run offensively. It just came down to executing on game day.”
Signora enthusiastically added his own thoughts on the defense.
“Our defense has been playing their hearts out,” Signora said. “Those guys deserve tons of recognition for this game because they were absolutely lights out. As an offensive player, there’s no better feeling than knowing that our defense is something we can rely on.”
The defense showed its reliably to the fullest during the game. The Lions shut down the William Paterson’s rushing attack, only allowing 29 yards on the ground. Sophomore defensive back Xavier Santos was part of the Lions defensive attack that accumulated seven tackles, five of which were for losses.
Another underrated statistic, the Lions finished their drives defensively, only allowing nine first downs the entire game and only allowed three third down conversions out of 12.
The Lions hope to continue their momentum into the last two weeks of the season.
“Winning always feels good,” Busca said. “We play for our love for the game but winning makes it that much sweeter. I believe this win will transition nicely into our last two week of the regular season.”
(10/24/17 7:38am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
For the second time in five years, Kean University came into Lions Stadium and spoiled the College’s Homecoming game.
The Lions struggled on both sides of the ball in the 26-3 loss to Kean, their fans sitting quiet for most of the game. When the Lions did have success, it was short- lived. After the game, head coach Casey Goff discussed the team’s struggles.
“We came out flat,” Goff said. “We came out flat and played uninspired, unemotional football. We’re going to look at the film and see what we got.”
Earlier in the week, the Lions looked sharp during practice.
The team got in many snaps, preparing for Kean’s explosive offense. Goff preached to his players that the game would be different than others.
Homecoming would provide a lot of distractions, but they needed to shut those things out.
“There’s a lot of distractions at Homecoming,” Goff said. “There are a lot of things that take you out of your mindset. Frankly, it is what it is. It’s great opportunity to see the team and see old friends. It simply is what it is. As a football team, you must learn to overcome outside distractions. That’s something that comes with time.”
The Lions were only able to amass 169 yards on offense, a far cry from what they have been able to field the past two weeks. Senior quarterback Trevor Osler struggled to get the ball to his receivers without tossing interceptions.
The offensive line was blown up at the point of attack and as a result, Osler was under constant pressure and was knocked down frequently. Osler came into the game after two back-to-back career games.
Unlike his previous performances against Rowan and Montclair State, Osler spent most of his time under duress against the Cougars. In the fourth quarter, Osler left the game with a non-throwing shoulder injury and did not return.
“Trevor is a little banged up,” Goff said. “He got a little banged up in the game. A lot of that was making sure we are protecting our starting quarterback. Trevor is our guy. We are going to finish the season out with Trevor. He is playing at a high level. He is playing intelligent football. We are going to protect him and that shoulder.”
Sophomore defensive back Sam Jackson set his team up with excellent field position after catching a clutch interception in the middle of the field. Osler rallied the offense and drove the ball down field, showing his football intelligence in the process.
To start the drive, the Lions ran the ball with senior running back Khani Glover, who racked up six yards. Then the Lions set up a screen play where Osler pump faked to a deep route, stunning the defense and allowing him to flip the ball out to Glover, who picked up a first down.
The Lions offense stalled, but Osler made veteran decisions. His first was to run out of bounds, on what could have been a sack for a massive loss, then to throw the ball away to set up for a Lions field goal. Senior kicker Zach Pharo kicked the 36-yard field goal to put up the team’s only points on the board.
The Lions offense stalled a lot during the game. The Lions went two for 11 on third down and only managed to pick up 11 first downs. The rushing attack just was not active for the third straight week, only squeaking out 40 yards.
Prior to the Homecoming game on Thursday, Oct. 19, defensive lineman coach Marcel Wynychuk noticed the offense’s identity change.
“I think it’s the team coming together,” Wynychuk said. “I think it’s the offense starting to believe in each and in the system. Especially on the offense, it takes time for the team to start to gel and they are really getting to that point. Trevor has battled through a lot of different things. But, let’s be honest, he gets hit a lot. He always bounces up though. He’s a competitor.”
Ultimately, the Lions took steps backward at Homecoming. The Lions were not able to gel the way they did in the previous week where Osler had 340 yards and three touchdowns through the air.
When Osler was pulled out of the game, freshman quarterback Andrew Donoghue came into the game. Donoghue has played a few times this season, showing potential as the Lions’ future signal caller.
Donoghue showed athleticism when he entered the game. On a second down play deep in Kean’s territory, a Lions’ passing play broke down which allowed multiple Kean defensive linemen a path straight into the backfield. Feeling the pressure, Donoghue faked left and spun right, slipping two tacklers in the process. He got a few yards with his legs and the Lions lived to fight another down.
Junior wide receiver Ibn Bailey tried to spark the Lions offense. Bailey woke the crowd with a few catches and some gutsy maneuvers. Unfortunately, it was all a mute point at the end of the game.
There were some bright spots on defense as well. Senior defensive back Rob Agoni proved to be a true student of the game. On one play, he broke up a pass that could have extended the Cougars lead even further. Kean’s quarterback delivered a dime to his receiver and Agoni managed to win the battle in the air with precision positioning.
Junior linebackers Jesse Streb and Max Busca also had impact on the field. Streb recorded 10 tackles and Busca recorded seven, including one for loss. However, there were also many missed tackles and a feeling of confusion on the defensive side.
Goff talked about the missed tackles and how the team played better in previous games.
“It’s something we have worked hard to correct,” Goff said. “It’s something we’ve been better at since the Wesley game, where it was a mess looking at the missed tackles. Today, we have to look at focus and those things. Defensively we missed a ton of opportunities. We had plays made in the backfield didn’t hold on.”
The Lions will look to bounce back against NJAC rival William Paterson University this week on Saturday, Oct. 28.
(10/17/17 7:50am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
The College’s football team spoiled Rowan University’s Homecoming game and won its first game of the season, 20-14, on Saturday, Oct. 14.
On Oct. 7, the Lions fell at home against Montclair State University, 21-17, in a game where they held their first lead of the season going into halftime. During the game, senior quarterback Trevor Osler set a career high passing yardage total with 308 yards against the Red Hawks only to shatter it the very next game.
Senior quarterback Trevor Osler earned the New Jersey Athletic Conference offensive player of the week honor for his performance against the Profs, where he threw a career high 340 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 25 out of 32 passes while the Lions marched to their first victory of the season.
The Lions passing attack came to life in the game against the Red Hawks, but turnovers and a stagnant rushing attack ultimately hindered them. The Lions rushed for -28 yards and Osler threw three interceptions that hurt the Lions’ offensive progress.
Coming into last Saturday’s game against Rowan University, the Lions hoped to pull off a win for the first time this season.
Junior offensive lineman Ryan Signora commented on the game plan and how it differed from the previous week.
“Between last week and this week we put an emphasis on finishing,” Signora said. “Our defense played phenomenally and Trevor (Osler) really took command and led our offense. We just wanted to make sure we were playing the game the way that we wanted to.”
The Lions did play their brand of football against the Profs. They struggled with their ground attack for a second straight week as a team only tallied six total yards, due to several tackles for losses. But Osler took command of the Lions offense as he totaled 340 yards through the air, a career high for Osler.
Senior running back Khani Glover managed to have a productive day with 58 yards on 14 carries, despite the rest of team’s struggles in the backfield.
Koenig played a large part in the Lions offensive attack for the second straight week. He also totaled 131 yards with four receptions and a touchdown. For the second straight week, Koenig broke off a huge 79-yard touchdown play to help the Lions go off to an early lead. The game marked Koenig’s third-straight 100-yard game.
But the play wouldn’t have happened if not for a stout defense stop by senior linebacker Troy Domenick. Profs running back Anthony Diorio tried to power the ball forward on the fourth down, but he was stopped by Domenick. The Lions offense then capitalized on the defense stop.
Sophomore receiver Jack Clevenger made his mark with three catches for 68 yards. Senior tight end Chase Vena caught five catches for 46 yards.
The Profs did have a chance to come back in the fourth quarter, but Busca tackled their quarterback for a huge sack that would force them to punt the ball one last time. The Lions received the punt and ran out the clock, winning the game 20-14.
This week the Lions will face off against the Kean University Cougars on Saturday, Oct. 21 at noon at the annual Homecoming game.
The Lions will be ready to keep the momentum going after their win last week. Signora expressed the Lions confidence going into Homecoming.
“The team feels much more confident in ourselves after this win,” Signora said. “We have a big matchup this week and we are going to do everything possible to make sure we continue to ride the momentum and win this week.”
Busca agreed.
“We feel great,” he said. “We feel real confident. We have been feeling really confident coming into a lot of the games recently. It’s been a different process with a new coach but as soon as we bought in and starting trusting the system, we started seeing the things that we can do and accomplish. There is a lot more to come from us.”
(10/17/17 3:55am)
Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
This past week the New York Yankees came back from three games down to beat the Cleveland Indians and win the American League division series. But can they go all the way?
The Bronx Bombers showed off in game five against the Indians with two home runs by shortstop Didi Gregorius to win the game. The Yankees lost the first two games, making even the most loyal Yankees fans sweat a little. Through sheer determination and willpower, the Yankees won three straight games.
In the regular season, the Yankees had their fair share of struggles. They had six weeks during the season where they seemed like they couldn’t win to save their lives, to the dismay of fans. But the Yankees pulled themselves together enough to win 91 games and get themselves in position to be competitive in the postseason.
New York Yankees came back from three games down to beat the Cleveland Indians and win the American League division series (envato elements).
There are plenty of storylines coming into the American League championship series. Will Aaron Judge rebound? Will it come down to a war of the bullpens? Can the Yankees continue to reverse the ALCS trend that since 2013 AL East teams have done bad? Can the Astros hot offense shake off the rust? None of the of the storylines are as important as the status of the Yankees bullpen.
The Yankees dug deep into their bullpen to force a game five in the ALDS. The Astros clinched a spot in the ALCS a game earlier and had more time to rest. The Yankees also don’t have the same experience on the mound as the Astros.
The Yankees best regular season pitcher, Luis Severino, looked like a nervous young kid on the mound in his first two playoff appearances. So far this postseason, he has allowed four home runs and six earned runs. He will need to do better against the Astros in order for the Yankees to have a chance at going to the World Series.
The Yankees bullpen is solid, but it doesn’t have the same depth as the Astros bullpen.
Masahiro Tanaka has already had a solid start for the Yankees in the postseason. He will need to bring the heat in the first game against the Astros for the Yankees to have a shot to win it. Winning the first game will be very important to both teams.
Winning the first game can help the young Yankees settle down and focus their approach to game two. Going 0-2 to start the series will be tough for the Yankees to bounce back from. The Astros are a very different opponent from the Indians.
The Astros have one the deepest and certainly most lethal lineups in MLB. Justin Verlander alone is a scary man to see on the mound. This past season he went 15-8, pitching in 206 innings and striking out 219 batters. Luckily the Yankees won’t face him until game two.
The Astros and Yankees both showed hot potent their offenses were during the season. The Yankees were second in MLB with 858 runs. The Astros led MLB with 896 runs. Both teams can put up runs in a hurry.
A key component to the Yankees success is if Gregorius can keep his clutch hitting streak going . Judge will also need to get hot. The Yankees can be dangerous if their offense gets hot. The Yankees managed to win three games without their slugger in the mix. In 24 at-bats Judge has only managed three hits and 16 strikeouts. Gregorius has hit three home runs and five hits in clutch situations so far this offseason.
The Yankees are a very good team and will definitely have to battle the Astros every game. If by some chance they win the ALCS, the World Series can be any team’s series to win. The Cubs will be looking to repeat and the Dodgers will looking to bring one home, while if the the Yankees make it, they will be looking for their 28th championship.
(10/03/17 7:38am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
In week five football, there are some key matchups to look into. Each position has a set of matchups to exploit this week. If you have a player going against the Patriots defense, start them. The Patriots are really bad on defense this year.
Quarterbacks:
Tom Brady should have a strong showing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Even if the Patriots defense is horrible, Brady is still somehow magical in the second quarter. For those who don't know, Brady pulled a win out against the Texans in week two in the closing minutes. The Buccaneers pass defense in this year has been mediocre and Brady should be able to make some magic happen.
Aaron Rodgers is also a solid pick against the Dallas Cowboys, since their linebacking core is plagued with injuries. Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks alive and is also magical. Look at any of his long range completions and you'll see what I mean.
Running Backs:
Running backs that should have big days are Le'Veon Bell of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Leonard Fournette of the Jacksonville Jaguars. They are coincidentally playing each other this week and both will be featured heavily in this matchup.
Bell is straight up scary when he is healthy and ready to go. Fournette might be a rookie but he is shaping up to be something really special. He is good on the ground and at catching balls out of the backfield. If you have him, start him.
Wide Receivers:
Wide receivers are always fun to watch as they blaze defenses up and down the field. Mike Evans on the Buccaneers should have a monster day against one of the league's worst defenses, the Patriots. Odell Beckham Jr. should also have a big game against the Chargers, a team that can't get out of their own way.
Evans needs to have a monster game this season to continue his great career success. Jameis Winston and Evans are one of the best quarterback-receiver duos in the league, if you have Evans and you're not starting him against the abysmal Patriots defense, something is wrong with you.
The Chargers are just bad. OBJ should have a good day.
Tight Ends:
The tight ends with great matchups come to no surprise. Rob Gronkowski will be leaned on by Brady against the Buccaneers. The Kansas City Chief's Travis Kelce should also torch the Texans defense, who will have trouble covering him.
Gronk is... Well he is just Gronk, one of the best tight ends to have ever lived, only when he is healthy. Kelce is fun to watch while he torches defenses. He is always a solid starter.
Defense / Special Teams:
The Minnesota Vikings defense is pretty good this year. They are playing against rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky in his first start. That means points! Seattle's defense should never be benched, no matter who they are playing. Without a doubt, start them against the Rams.
Kickers:
Kickers can really swing a matchup one way or another in a very underrated way. We are looking at you Greg Zuerlein. Start Zuerlein against Seattle, he should get a lot of action one way or another. Matt Prater should have a bounce back game against the Panthers, so start him too.
(10/03/17 7:30am)
By Miguel Gonzalez
Sports Editor
The men's and women's cross country teams competed amongst 450 colleges and high schools in the 44th annual Paul Short Run at Lehigh University on Friday, Sept. 29.
The women placed high in the 6,000-meter Brown race, finishing third out of 20 Division II and Division III universities. Meanwhile, the men secured 40th place out of 40 teams in the men's 8000-meter Gold race, which featured premier Division I, II and III schools.
Junior Erin Holzbaur led the Lady Lions as she captured 11th place and ran in a time of 22:16. Following in 12th place was junior Madeleine Tattory, who clocked in a second later at 22:17.
Five seconds later, sophomore Gabby DeVito completed the race in 19th place with a time of 22:22. Afterwards, junior Abigail Faith raced through the finish line, clocking in at 22:27 and securing 23rd place. Junior Olivia Shenkman and senior Allison Fournier were able to score points for the team, recording times of 24:08 and 24:30 respectively.
In total, women's cross country accumulated 109 points, finishing behind second place Assumption University and first place Edinboro University.
Meanwhile, the men's cross country team competed against 40 Division I teams such as Rutgers University, Georgetown University, Wake Forest University and many more.
Senior Dale Johnson led the Lions as he placed in the 40th position with a time of 25:19. Soon after Johnson, junior Brian Mitchell finished and clocked in at 25:49.
"Running against D1 schools reallys allows the team to get a sense of what other runners are doing on a national level," Johnson said.
Four seconds later, junior Luke Prothero completed the race with a time of 25:53. Freshman Joey Erskine then finished and clocked in at 26:01.
Junior Quinn Wasko and sophomore Richard Gruters capped off the race with times of 26:10.
The Lions will now head to Center Valley, Pennsylvania to compete in the Desales University Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 7.
(10/03/17 7:24am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
The field hockey team bounced back on Sept. 26, with a 3-0 win against Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham at home. The Lions then traveled to William Paterson University on Saturday, Sept. 30, where they  shutout the Pioneers, 3-0.
Since their loss against No.4 ranked Salisbury University last week, the Lions have outscored and shutout opponents, 6-0. Senior Elizabeth Morrison commented on the Lions recovery.
"Although we suffered two losses in a row, they were both two top 5 teams," Morrison said. "Those games made us stronger and helped us realize what we needed to work on before playing conference games."
In the game against the Devils, the Lions shot 29 times. Fifteen of the shots were on goal. Devils goalkeeper Samantha Rubin made 10 saves in the game, but it was not enough to stop the onslaught of Lions shots.
Morrison was the first to put the Lions on the scoreboard. Freshman forward Tori Tiefenthaler passed the ball to Morrison who fired a closely placed shot past the goalie and into the net just 24 seconds into the game.
Morrison scored again in the 62nd minute. She had a long run down the right side of the field and finished the play on the left, blasting her second goal into the net. Morrison also had a hand in the final score of the game, assisting freshman midfielder Samantha Reed.
Reed then fired a shot from three yards out that found nothing but net. Morrison later commented on Reed's goal.
"Scoring is always great, especially getting the first goal so early on in the game, but I was most excited to assist Reed's first collegiate goal late in the game,"Morrison said.
Morrison ended the match with two goals and an assist. Reed also netted in a goal. Tiefenthaler had three shots on goal and an assist.
Senior goalkeeper Christina Fabiano accumulated five saves during the game, securing the win for the Lions.
On the road against the Pioneers, the Lions were accurate with their shots — 20 were on goal. Pioneers junior goalkeeper Mallory Rickerhauser managed to make an incredible 17 saves. It was not enough to stop the Lions who scored three goals in the first half.
Sophomore forward/midfielder Kayla Peterson scored the first goal for the Lions in the sixth minute. She dribbled past defenders to hit a shot from five yards out.
In the 17th minute of the game, Morrison passed the ball from the right side of the field to Tiefenthaler, who was waiting for the pass in front of the net. Tiefenthaler fired a goal from four yards out, building the Lions lead to 2-0. In the 31st minute, Tiefenthaler poked a goal in the far post, tallying the Lions a 3-0 lead.
At the end of the day, Tiefenthaler had two goals. Peterson also netted a goal and Morrison grabbed an assist. Morrison talked about the Pioneer matchup.
"Every NJAC game is tough because we all want to host the first round of the NJAC tournament in November," she commented. "Every team we play is tough competition, and it's always interesting to see how teams match up with each other year to year."
The Lions faced off against Rowan University on Oct. 3, and on Saturday, Oct. 7, the Lions will travel to Montclair State University for another conference matchup. The Lions have won 21 straight New Jersey Athletic Conference games, a streak they have been building since 2013.
(09/26/17 6:17am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
Every Saturday, college football dominates the U.S. on all the major sports networks. The pregame shows, games and rivalries all fuel an action-packed Saturday of thrills and disappointments. Everyone that watches the games has an opinion of how the players should play or act on the field. In reality, almost no one knows the grind it takes to play on the field in the first place. But student athletes on the field at any level of college football know it’s not just a game.
It’s a vigorous lifestyle. I played football for a year here at the College and I can say that it seems like a brutal sport on the outside. For those that do not know what goes into the preparation for the game, it may even seem barbaric. In reality, some of the most important preparation takes place on a chalkboard or white board depending on the facilities. What fans see during the game was first drawn up on a chalkboard before it was ever executed on the field.
It’s great to have unparalleled athleticism, but for those that do not, they have to depend on schemes and strategy in order to win games. From my experience here at the College, learning plays on offense can take hours in a day and that’s at Division III competition. I can only imagine what it’s like in Division I.
College football players don’t just play the game, they live it. From eating right and finding time to lift everyday, to studying film religiously, the grind for a football player may seem crazy to many. During my experience, there were times where I used to watch the same play on film over and over with coaches to see how I could improve my game. At times, football felt more like a job than a sport. I grew to love the game and all of its inner workings.
Here at the College, there is a clear focus on academics, meaning that for the most part, players focus on their duties in the classroom over their duties on the field. In Division III, that seems to be the trend. Unless you are a spectacular outlier of talent, you’ll most likely not make it into the NFL. So logically, you’d focus on getting a degree more than getting a ring on the football field.
In reality, playing the sport at any level is hard. The College prides itself on its academic standing and that of its athletes. But, the struggle to balance a difficult schedule for most majors on top of a demanding athletic schedule is underappreciated here at the College.
This past week, the College’s football team dropped to 0-4 and many will rush to say that they suck or that aren’t that good. The reality is that they have played some of the toughest teams in the country to start off the year and are under a new coaching system with 36 freshmen on the team. Most Division I schools would struggle in the same situation.
The fact of the matter is, each player on the field proudly represents his school. Players go to class, lift in their off time, study plays and film for hours on end, practice everyday on the field and somehow find the time for homework and sleep. All of this so they can have the chance to play for their school every Friday night or Saturday afternoon.
Football players here at the College are at a disadvantage compared to other teams in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. Schools like Salisbury University and Kean University have a much more lenient acceptance rate. Players that get rejected by Division I schools due to lower grades compete at some of these schools, creating an imbalance of athleticism on the field.
Yet, the College’s football team never waivers and goes out every game and play their hearts out. Each game, they strap up their pads, put on their helmets, partake in their pregame rituals and keep their heads up in order to give the opposing team all they have on the field. It’s never easy for them since most teams in the NJAC are some of the best in the country. In the past three weeks, the team played the number 23th nationally ranked Wesley College and the No.12 ranked Frostburg State University, according to the American Football Coaches Association.
Yeah, the team fell to 0-4 this past week, but they are keeping their heads up high for next week. After talking to coaches, the teams seems to never let its morale waiver for more than a second, regardless of their record or who they are playing. They keep a mentality that they can compete with anyone in the country and they believe it.
So, next time you think about saying that any college team is playing badly, remember the personal sacrifices those players make to be on that field in the first place. Those players have the same academic schedules you do and pack even more things into theirs to be physically prepared on the field. There are no athletic scholarships at the College or any Division III school, so each player plays completely for the love of the sport and for their school.
The next time you see a football player with their head down at the College, give them a pat on the back and encourage them to get the next team. A little support goes a long way, especially with so many new faces on the team and when playing in such a tough conference.
(09/26/17 6:13am)
By Miguel Gonzalez
Sports Editor
The field hockey team dropped another close matchup against a top-ranked opponent.
On Tuesday, Sept. 19, the Lions narrowly defeated Gwynedd Mercy University, 1-0 at Lions Stadium. Following the win, the Lions endured their second loss of the season, 2-1 against the No. 4 ranked Salisbury University Sea Gulls in overtime on Saturday, Sept. 23, at home.
After a tough loss to Messiah College, the Lions rebounded with a shutout victory against the Gwynedd Mercy Griffins. The Lions offense managed 16 shots on the Griffins, giving them a few opportunities for the Griffins to counterattack.
In less than two minutes, junior forward Taylor Barrett finessed a cross pass from a penalty corner to freshman forward Tori Tiefenthaler who gathered the ball and shot it at Griffins goalkeeper Sarah Crane. Crane was on her foiled the majority of the Lions scoring opportunities as she recorded six saves during the match.
In the last play of the first half, the Lions got on the scoreboard when junior midfielder/defender Sidney Padilla smacked a pass from sophomore forward/midfielder Kayla Peterson.
The Lions carried the 1-0 lead to victory in the second half. The Griffins were rarely in the Lions half of the field due to the Lions insistent offense getting multiple penalty corners.
Later on Saturday night, the Lions encountered tough competition against the Salisbury University Seg Gulls. Coming to Lions Stadium, the Sea Gulls had a 6-1 record and conceded their only loss against No.1 ranked Messiah College.
The teams struggled to score on one another during the first half. Senior goalkeeper Christina Fabiano was challenged quickly into the match. At the 5th minute, Fabiano caught a fast shot from Sea Gulls sophomore midfielder Arielle Johnston.
The Lions attempted to counter in back-to-back penalty corner plays in the 19th minute. Senior forward Elizabeth Morrison and Peterson could not get their shots through the net because of the Sea Gulls staunch defense.
The Sea Gulls offense strung into action during the second half. In a span five intense minutes from the 37th to the 44th, the Lions defense stopped five consecutive penalty corners thanks to Fabiano’s solid goalkeeping.
The Lions countered in the 50th minute when Tiefenthaler found an opening to shoot until it was deflected by Sea Gulls sophomore defender Lindsey Elgin. By the 67th minute, the Lions could not withstand the Sea Gulls pounding offense. Sea Gulls defender/midfielder Emma Vicchio notched a goal with a pass from Johnston.
With only three minutes remaining, the Lions were not down and out.
Following the goal, the Lions quickly received a penalty corner. Barrett proceeded to pass to sophomore forward Cayla Andrews. Andrews then sent the ball to the top of the arc where Padilla blasted her shot and sent the match to overtime.
The Lions luck did not last for long. Two minutes into overtime, Johnston sealed the Sea Gulls 2-1 victory with a rebound shot.
The field hockey team conclude their homestand on Tuesday, Sept. 26, when they play against Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham at Lions Stadium. The Lions then travel to Wayne, New Jersey, to compete in their first conference match of the season against William Paterson University on Saturday, Sept. 30.
(09/26/17 5:57am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
The football team lost its fourth game to the Salisbury University Sea Gulls on Saturday, Sept. 23, at Lions Stadium.
The Lions fell 27-7 after a tightly contested game in the first half. The Lions kept their heads high the entire game and the defense fought hard.
The Lions felt prepared coming into the game. Senior linebacker Kevin Hennelly discussed the Lions preparation in the College’s game notes.
“Defensively this week, our focus is to do our job,” Hennelly told TCNJ Athletics. “Salisbury runs the triple option and the only way to stop them is to play responsible football. Coach Goff has done a great job preparing us for the game and we are confident in his game plan.”
The Sea Gulls received the ball to start the game. After a decent return on the kickoff, the Lions defense punished the Sea Gulls’ misdirected offense. Junior linebacker Jesse Streb came in and scooped up a fumble that was caused by Lions pressure and penetration into the backfield. The crowd erupted as the momentum clearly started in favor of the Lions.
The defense was undeniably solid the entire game. Both Hennelly and junior linebacker Max Busca had seven tackles each in the game. On top of his fumble recovery, Streb had three tackles for losses and five tackles in all. Senior linebacker Troy Domenick also made the backfield feel his presence with a sack, two tackles for losses and five tackles in all.
Senior quarterback Trevor Osler threw a dart to senior wide receiver Thomas Koenig for a Lions go-ahead touchdown, still less than a minute into the game. The crowd continued to cheer as the pep-band played a merry tune.
After the electric start, the Lions struggled to score. The Sea Gulls were known for their heavy running game that confused defenses, but the Lions defense stood strong.
Defensive line coach Marcel Wynychuk commented on the offensive struggles after the game and the overall vibe of the team afterwards.
“The team is progressing,” Wynychuk said. “This was a tough loss but they’ll keep their heads up. Effort is never a question with this group, but learning new systems is not an easy process. There are a lot of new things going in. The offense is almost completely new from last year. Learning takes time.”
The offense yet again showed the ability to move the ball, but was largely unable to score points and finish drives. The rushing attack also struggled. At the end of the game, the Lions had -21 yards.
Head coach Casey Goff talked about the offensive rushing struggles after the game.
“We played three really good teams in a row,” Goff said. “When you can’t run the ball, you put a lot of pressure on the quarterback and the passing game. Their defense was solid. The offense made some mistakes, but they are getting better.”
Osler and freshman quarterback Andrew Donoghue both felt a lot of physical and mental pressure. The Lions offensive line struggled for the second week in a row, allowing nine sacks.
When asked about using both quarterbacks, Goff expressed confidence in both of his signal callers.
“We will put in the right guy for the right situation,” Goff said. “They both have skills that we want to use in certain situations and utilize them for the best results. We are not moving away from Osler or anything like that. We just want to use each of their strengths in the right places.”
Osler had a decent performance. He threw for 192-yards, 12 completions and a touchdown, but his two interceptions hurt the Lions. Both interceptions were deflections that landed in defenders hands.
Koenig had a very exceptional game as he caught six receptions, received 142 yards and scored a touchdown.
After the loss, the Lions fell to 0-4 on the season. At halftime, the score was tied at seven and the Lions were in a good position. After watching the first half, the Lions looked primed to win it, but the Sea Gulls put up 20 unanswered points.
After what can be perceived as a crushing loss against a very good football team, Goff discussed the team’s morale.
“I don’t think that morale will be a problem,” Goff said. “These guys put in work day in and day out. Effort is never a question with them. They are learning new system and are getting better. If you look back, we played three really good teams and we competed with them. I don’t believe in moral victories but we are getting better.”
As the Lions keep their heads up for their next game, they will have an extra week to prepare because of a bye next week. The Lions return home to play Montclair State University on Saturday, Oct. 7, at noon. With the optimism that the coaches have shown, maybe the Lions can pull off the season’s first win against Montclair.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QybJZ7Ry2tM
(09/26/17 12:55am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
Hollywood often uses cheap gimmicks to make the second or third installment of a film series. Many times, film studios try to bank on the success of the first film in a franchise by rehashing plot points to try to copy what the first movie did.
But “Kingsman: The Golden Circle,” is not a rehash. It is a continuation of an already lovable and amazing story that surprised the world in 2014.
With a fresh cast of characters and the revival of some favorites, “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” took everything that was good about the first film, “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” and made it so much better.
The film is a non-stop thrill ride. It will have you crying one minute, in awe the next and then applauding during every awesome action sequence.
Many of the fight scenes in “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” are marvels of amazing camera work. The fight sequences are amazingly choreographed. Each strike is full of power and grace. Each flip, parry and dodge is perfectly captured in slow-motion or in live action.
The camera doesn’t miss a beat, following the action in perfect synchrony.
The movie makes being a Kingsman look like the coolest thing possible. The film does a very good job at connecting you with the main characters and their struggles.
The film has the typical good versus evil plot, but there are some fresh twists to it. The cast does a great job delivering lines and not letting the movie get boring at any point.
Some of the lines are delivered so expertly, you’ll definitely crack a smile and give the on-screen actor a slight nod of approval of their sheer awesomeness.
When there is a lull in the action, the witty humor and interesting plot development will keep the viewer completely entertained. There are some surprise actor appearances that will make the viewer smile and say, “Really? This guy? That’s awesome.”
The film does a good job of making what could have been another superhero-like movie and made it something special and endearing. The main character is not a trainee anymore and it makes the movie that much better because there is no build up to the action.
From the start, the film punches the viewer with as much action as they can take before destroying everything the viewer thought they knew.
In this film, a lot of characters die. Some character deaths are sadder than others. Some of them are actually hilarious if you have a dark sense of humor, but all of them tie seamlessly into the narrative of the film. No one’s death seems needless or too taxing on the viewer. But as a fair warning, no animals were actually harmed in the making of this film — not even robotic ones.
The film is honestly one of the better ones to grace the screen in a while. Hours after the film you’ll be thinking to yourself, “Did I really just see all of that on the screen? That camera work was legendary.”
The answer is yes, you did watch all of that on the screen and yes, that camera work was legendary.
The film is well worth the price of admission and some popcorn. As a matter of fact, it’s worth a second ticket as well, so that you can rewatch the whole thing a second time to take in the whole movie a second time.
You may also want to watch the first movie. It fills in a lot of plot in the second one and is worth the watch anyway. “The Kingsman: The Golden Circle” gets two thumbs up, or one and a robotic thumb up.
(09/19/17 1:10am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
The Lions dropped a conference match at home against the No. 24 Wesley College Wolverines on Saturday, Sept. 16. The Wolverines won 33-0 at Lions Stadium and put the Lions at 0-3 this season. Wesley improved to 1-1 in their campaign.
The Lions received the ball to start the game. The offense was forced three-and-out in quick order, setting the precedent for the game. Senior quarterback Trevor Osler was heavily pressured during the whole drive and the offense could not get anything going. Wesley managed to block the punt on the fourth down, adding insult to injury.
The Lions defense held fast and limited the Wolverines to a 34-yard field goal attempt that missed and went wide and to the right. The momentum from the Lions’ stoppage of the Wolverines and the Wolverines’ missed field goal did not translate back to the offense, which for the second time went three and out. The Lions managed to get a pretty solid punt afterwards.
Wesley, in quick order, took the ball down field and punched into the end zone with an authoritative running game that would cause the Lions trouble the entire game. However, Wesley struggled to make the extra point, striking the left upright post and deflecting the ball back to the offensive line, hitting a player on the helmet.
On their third drive, the Lions started moving the ball more consistently. The offensive line still struggled to run the ball at any capacity, but senior running back Khani Glover showcased his acting abilities by faking a running back drive that fooled the entire defense, allowing Osler to hit a wide receiver screen to gash the Wesley defense. The Lions yet again stall at the Wolverines 39-yard line.
With a well-finessed punt, the Lions managed to pin the Wolverines back on their own 10-yard line, but to no avail as the Wolverines drove the ball 90 yards on three plays to punch it into the end zone in less than a minute and 10 seconds. The Lions fans booed and fell silent as Wesley climbed out to a 13-0 lead towards the end of the first quarter. The only positive to come from the drive was senior defensive back Alshamiere Fields chasing and tackling down Wesley sophomore running back E.J. Lee to prevent a touchdown drive. Lee had ran for 76 yards before. The tackle would be for naught though, since the Wolverines punched it in two plays later on a vicious buck sweep run to the right.
Wesley’s lead only climbed from there, capping at 33 in the fourth quarter. The Lions defense was plagued by missed tackles, and their offense faltered with indecision paired with inconsistent line play. Head coach Casey Goff commented on the offensive line play after the game.
“I think they are coming along. Obviously, there is progress to be made,” Goff said. “We have to continue to get better on both sides of the ball. I still think it’s a matter of learning new systems and the terminology. If we are going to have any success, the guys up front have to get it done. We have to continue to improve.”
Senior offensive lineman Jake Cowperthwait and junior offensive lineman Ryan Signora also commented on the line’s performance after the game.
“Well, they were what we thought they were going to be,” Cowperthwait said. “They were strong kids, quick with the ball and they’re ranked whatever they were ranked for a reason. We have to be better on pass protection and be more physical up front.”
“There’s no denying they are a good team,” Signora added. “They have a lot phenomenal athletes out there, but we can’t let that be an excuse for a poor performance. We have to go back and look at the film to fix the problems for upcoming weeks, so we can keep getting better.”
The Lions had their opportunities to score during the game. Right before halftime, the Lions offense drove down the field and threatened to score in the red zone. They threw the ball twice, one to sophomore wide receiver Vincent Guckin, who had the ball in his hands in the end zone for a split second before a defender ripped it out. After Osler took a punishing sack, they went for it again right before the clock ran out. Osler delivered a strike to his receiver’s outside shoulder, but the defender managed to make a play on the ball for the defensive stand.
Though the Lions were shutout in the game, the team fought hard throughout the entire contest, showing a lot of heart. They kept their heads up the entire time, making nothing too easy for the Wolverines. The Lions also did manage to get some takeaways on defense. Goff spoke about his team’s performance.
“If we go out and execute, god, if we go out and tackle, this game would be different,” Goff said. “If our kids had the confidence to make plays against a team like this, we could put ourselves in better positions… We’ve made some personnel changes. A big part is that some people have come back from injury… Today we had guys in positions that we have to make plays. We have to get back to fundamentals.”
The Lions fall to 0-3 for the season, but they have shown an immense amount of heart so far this year. They will face off against Salisbury University next Saturday, Sept 23, at noon at Lions Stadium. Goff expressed confidence in his team and their ability to jump back into the groove of things, but only time will tell.
(09/12/17 3:39am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
The football team traveled to Frostburg, Maryland, on Saturday, Sept. 9, and matched up with Frostburg State University and its unforgiving defense in a hostile environment. Though the Lions fell 49-14, they did move the ball with moderate success, force turnovers and create pressure on the Frostburg quarterback. But that was not enough to push past Frostburg and into the end zone.
Frostburg’s strong offensive attack got out to an early lead, putting the Lions in a tough spot. Frostburg’s offense put up 28 points before the Lions could respond with a score of their own.
Senior quarterback Trevor Osler led the Lions on a four-play, 77-yard drive that he punched in himself in just under two minutes to put the Lions on the board in the second quarter.
The Lions did have a decent day in the air, totaling 194 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Vincent Guckin managed to have 109 yards with six receptions and the Lions only receiving touchdown. Senior tight end Chase Vena had 44 yards on four receptions.
Though the Lions struggled defensively, they did have some solid performances on the defensive side of the ball. Junior linebacker Max Busca led the Lions defensive attack with 10 tackles, including one for a loss. Senior cornerback Alshamiere Fields and sophomore Xavier Santos both had solid games with seven tackles apiece.
Senior defensive lineman Shane Kelley also made some noise on the defense, getting seven quarterback knockdowns and a sack. Senior linebacker Ryan Hattersley and sophomore defensive linemen Domenick Mazurek earned sacks for the Lions as well. Senior linebacker Anthony Gambone also thwarted a Frostburg drive with an interception in the end zone.
Frostburg’s balanced offensive attack would be tough for a team to stop. They have won 11 straight games since week three of last season. The Lions fought hard, but the Bobcats managed to put up 322 yards in the air and 144 yards on the ground against the Lions.
Junior offensive lineman Ryan Signora commented on how the team can move on from the loss.
“Coming in our game plan was to execute our offense to the fullest extent,” he said. “We hoped that we’d be able to move the ball efficiently against a really good defense. There were times that we looked good and others that we shot ourselves in the foot with penalties and slow starts on drives.”
The Lions did have an issue with penalties, totaling eight for 71 yards. But Signora maintained that the team would stay focused on next week’s opponent and move on from this loss.
“We’re focused on this upcoming week and Wesley,” he said. “We can’t get discouraged and have to continue to get better and better every week.”
The Lions’ next game is at home at Lions Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 12 p.m. against New Jersey Athletic Conference-favorite Wesley College. Wesley is a formidable opponent but the Lions remain confident and poised for the future.
(09/12/17 1:55am)
By Maximillian C. Burgos
Sports Editor
Electronic Arts’ latest installment of “Madden NFL 18” football came with some interesting innovations. The game was built on EA’s Frostbite 3.0 gaming engine, and the differences from last year’s Infinity engine are uncanny.
At first glance, the games almost look identical. The biggest changes are in the intricacies. This year, the character models are a lot more detailed and realistic. The jerseys have natural looking wrinkles in them and helmets reflect light in a life-like manner.
The goofy tackling animations are not completely gone from “Madden,” but the game does feel a lot more clean and polished than previous installments. The physics within the game feel more precise and deliberate. When a lineman uses the hit stick on a running back, he will no longer get run over like previous years. This year, the game developers counted weight and momentum into the formula for tackling and skill moves, and the difference is clear.
Aspects of offensive play have also been changed as well. Runs feel powerful and aggressive and passes feel accurate and explosive. The hit stick in the game has been amped up and the sounds of impact are really bass-heavy. Each time a user uses the hit stick, they can feel the impact in the bass of the sound — it’s almost sadistically satisfying.
The defense in the game is also different from previous years. The defensive AI is a little flawed, but that’s nothing new. The biggest difference this year is the man-to-man coverage and the defender’s ability to create turnovers. If you hang a pass up for too long, you better believe that it will be picked off.
With the new physics of the Frostbite engine, the offensive linemen get a much better push off the line this year than last year. Some running plays open up like the Red Sea did for Moses. Other plays sputter and die quickly with offensive linemen getting pushed straight into the running back or quarterback.
There are also new features that make “Madden 18” more realistic. Rather than simply running past linemen as in previous years, the user now needs to pick holes more carefully. The defense can now reach each other and grab the runner while still engaged with a blocker, the same way they can in real life. This means, if the user runs too close to a blocker, they can pay the price.
“Madden 18” also comes with an innovational but difficult passing mechanism. The user can now place passes exactly where they need to go, regardless of quarterback accuracy, with a new realtime cursor system. The system has a very steep learning curve because, during a game, decisions need to be made in a split second. However, it does still have some value. If the user masters the new mechanic, they can turn Mark Sanchez or Brock Osweiler into Peyton Manning.
Weather in “Madden 18” also has more of an impact on how the game is played. Players slip in a realistic fashion and, due to the new engine, they do not take as long to get back up. In snow or rain, the passing game is not as effective. The wind can also influence kicks and passes as well.
“Madden 18” also comes with a story mode called Longshot. It is a very cliché sports story that is influenced by the player’s decisions. It, at times, seems overreaching and cheesy but it’s up to the player to decide how he or she wants to play it. It does have heart wrenching moments, but for the most part, it plays like a discount tell-a-tale game. In the story mode, the user plays as Devin Wade, a disgraced college quarterback looking for redemption. The user’s companion in the story is Wade’s long time friend Colt Cruise, also known as the “Cruise Missile.” The story takes the player on a TV show to prove he is NFL material and the player’s decisions influence whether or not he will be drafted.
The game also has new multiplayer features that seems necessary. Now the player can play 3-on-3 games where each player controls a different skill position or group. The feature is hard to play and can be annoying if the player is not playing with others on their level of “Madden” experience.