Saturday September 9th
Elizabethtown College Blue Jays vs Washington & Jefferson Presidents
2006 Jako/Brothers Pizza Blue Jay Classic
7:00 pm
Ira R. Herr Field
Conditions: warm night, grass looks mildly dewy
Records: Washington and Jefferson enters tonight 1-2 overall, Blue Jays 2-0-1 following big 2-1 "boot victory" against Franklin & Marshall
Pre-Game Notes: Let it be dutily noted that I’m in an absolutely horrible mood following todays college football action (PSU was down 41-10 when I left)...so I’m really looking to the Jays to lift my spirits....also what’s with college’s with TWO NAMES!?!??!...first Franklin & Marshall now Washington & Jefferson...to express my displeasure I shall simply refer to them as "The Prez"...some changes in the lineup tonight...sophomores Mike McCabe and Bryan Holt breaking into the starting 11...McCabe up top, and Holt at the Midfield...also I’ve just noticed we have that horrible "weasel-looking" referee who has screwed up many times...hopefully we’ll get a good result tonight....Hill Monsters looking full of spirit with painted bodies, there’s even some females rocking the body paint...Me-ow.
4th minute: The Prez have a player named Dustin Jaieson-Strazdas....I vow to not type his unnecessarily unorthodox name for the rest of the eveing.
5th: The Prez looking to be the aggressor early with two hard fouls near mid-field.
6th: Blue Jay Corner... Josh Hoffman hits a beautiful in-swinger right to Wes Bunting’s head...knocked out for another corner.
8th: Another Blue Jay free kick....Hoffman with another superb service that finds Bunting unmarked at the far stick...Wes’s attempt hits the inside post but crosses the goaline...GOAL!. ETOWN 1-0.
9th: A clear by the Blue Jay defense nearly hits WWEC play-by-play man Alex Cole...This is starting to turn into a semi-enjoyable night.
13th: McCabe receives a pass on the flank, makes a nice little move and provides a great cross to Mike Helsel whose header sails inches wide.
16th: The Blue Jay defense hasn’t really been tested thus far, but I’d really like English Rick to call someone a "whanker"....It’s kind of therapeutic.
18th: Diller gives a good look with a header on goal...thought he could have maybe used his foot, but I love the effort from the big guy.
20th: The Weasel ref is proving to be one of our greatest assets...calling ANOTHER foul on The Prez...quickly followed by a Yellow issued to Mike Seminerio....don’t mess with The Weasel.
22nd: English Rick with deep throw into the box, he finds Sunshine’s head, but he hits it just over....just for the record there was a kid standing in front of Rick while he was throwing, and I’m pretty sure Rick called him a whanker.
24th: Galbraith with a hard tackle in the corner...potential opportunity for The Prez.
25th: Ball struck well skids all the way across the box...mildly frightening.
26th: Tommy Reinmiller for Mike Helsel
28th: Hill Monsters really start to ride the Prez goalie with chants of "A.J.’s Better"...simply riveting.
29th: Pete Moore for Mike McCabe
30th: Rick called for an illegal throw....definitely called the ref a whanker.
33rd: AJ gets his first action of the game on a harmless dribbler.
34th: Good work by Pete on the side, looks up and finds Tommy Reinmiller...Tommy hits a hard shot that’s punched out by the keep.
35th: Brian Raveling and Andrew Sinclair in for Zach Galbraith and Hoffman
36th: Dirty Dan Flaherty for Sunshine
41st: Bryan Holt fires a low shot from 35 yards out...sloppy play by Prez goalie, out for a corner.
42nd: Off the corner...ball deflects high in the air...Wes and goalie collide on a 50-50 ball...foul is called...I think Wes could eat The Weasel.
44th: Dirty with a sweet little step-over on the far side...and yes, it was dirty.
44th: Brennan serves a great ball to Diller in the middle of the pitch...Diller settles and rips a shot, but deflects off the keeper.
45th: With 30 seconds left, English Rick makes an amazing tackle, but a foul is called.....and I’m absolutely POSITIVE he called him a Whanker.
First Half Recap: Blue Jays put together a solid first...no one on The Prez can handle the Blue Jays height....Wes and Diller are simply too tall. Other positives...I really like McCabe up top...he’s got good speed, and lots of hustle. Hoffman has been superb on free kicks...he’s doing a great job of finding his targets heads...AJ hasn’t really been tested, but he’s played well thus far. I think Diller and Wes will get some more good looks in the air and the Jays will break this game wide open.
Stats at the Half-
Shot: 9-1 Etown
Fouls: 11-4 Prez
Saves: 4-1 Prez
Whankers: 3
Start of the 2nd Half: Petrosky and Grabiak get the start in the second for Holt and Diller...gives the fellows a more physical, defensive look.
48th: The Prez fire off an early shot, but it falls safely into AJ’s hands...hope the boys don’t get too relaxed with their lead.
51st: Prez foul results in a yellow for Brent Kenndy and a dangerous opportunity for the Jays...the Weasel strikes again.
51st: Prez goalie comes flying out to make a solid grab on a deep throw by Rick.
52nd: The Weasel has become infuriated and has issued another yellow to The Prez...this victim is Ryan McDonald.
55th: McCabe sends Sunny down the flank...defender clears the ball, Sunny comes up gimping...bad news for the Blue Jays.
55th: Reinmiller hits a shot off a Prez defender...Blue Jay corner
56th: Hoffman’s inswinger takes a bounce and is quickly scooped up by the keeper.
56th: Dirty and Diller for Sunny and Randy....definitely has the makings of a pretty badass rock and roll band.
58th: Diller gets taken down outside the box, but The Weasel further proves his "Weaseliness" by turning a deaf ear to his pleas.
58th: Prez striker Tyler Messenger gets a good look inside the box, but AJ snags it...never in doubt.
60th: English Rick with a deep free kick...it goes through the mixer and nearly misses the goal....no "whanker" this time....I’m thinking more of a "bloody hell."
62nd: Prez with some cheeky moves in the box...Kennedy receives the ball with his back to the goal, then sends a flick-on to Messenger who fires it one time into the back of the net....Goal!...nice goal, caught the boys on their heels....1-1
62nd: Helsel for Tommy, Ravs for Hoffman, Holt for Petrosky
64th: Game is starting to turn physical..Jays need to pick it up.
65th: Prez get a nice through ball to Marshall Fant..shot sails wide but Jays back four looking shaky.
66th: I hear the duck call from the hill....it’s music to my ears
67th: Ball in the air sent into the Prez goal box...McCabe goes up for it and is punched in the head by the keeper...Weasel is proving that he is not the Allie I was hoping for.
69th: Prez’s Marc Clayton gets a yellow...Weasel trying not to let the game get out of control
70th: Sunny for Dirty....after early injury, Sunny appears to be fine
71st: Foul called on a Prez player right in front of the Hill Monsters....they LOVE IT!
72nd: Hoffman for Raveling...would definitely like to see some more of those great free kicks from the lefty.
73rd: McCabe gets a great look inside the box fire a shot that handcuffs keeper but knocked harmlessly away.
73rd: Weasel gives a caution to Prez’s assistant coach for dropping the F-Bomb, and sentences him to sit on the bench for the rest of the game...The Weasel is definitely showing some cojones.
75th: Diller turns and gets a good look...shot deflected for Blue Jay corner
76th: Holt hits a low corner that’s knocked out of danger...Jays need to play in the air more.
77th: Rick launches a deep throw into the box...finds Wes’s feet, but deflected out for a goal kick....Prez doing a lot better job defending Bunting and Diller in the second half.
79th: Pete Moore for McCabe...good day for McCabe
80th: Winstanley sends a great ball into the box...Sunny rises above the pack but header goes just wide.
81st: Hard Prez foul gives the Jays a great look from 30 yards out...show me some Hoffman.
82nd: Hoffman drives it low into a sea of Prez defenders and it’s cleared out.
82nd: Diller breaks free in the box drills a shot that sails inches wide into the side netting.
83rd: Sunny links up with Pete in the mid-field....Petey sends a great ball on the ground to a streaking Diller, but the big guy gets tied up.
85th: Winstanley has the ball in the defensive third and gets drilled by a Prez player...another "whanker"
87th: Holt plays amazing through ball to Helsel who beats Prez defense...with a only the keeper in front of him, Helsel tries a chip but a great save by Hodgins.
88th: Blue Jay corner...Holt sends a low liner...knocked out for another corner.
88th: Holt tries to find Wes’s head off the corner...but it’s cleared out by the Prez defense.
89th: Wes makes great tackle in the Etown box to thwart Prez attack.
89th: Prez player fires off a long shot which skips off the wet grass...but AJ smothers it.
90th: Bunting sends a long ball in the box from mid-field...Sunny heads it low, but Hodgins makes a great reflex save to send the game into extra time.
*There will be two 10 minute extra periods, then since it is a tournament format there will be penalty kicks to determine a winner to play in the championship tomorrow...although the game will be officially scored as a draw for both teams if it reaches PK’S
End of Regulation Recap: Overall the boys need to step it up, they seemed comfortable with their lead and the Prez goal took all the wind out of their sails...they never stopped hustling but the level of play was certainly not where it was in the first....On set pieces they need to go through the air and try to find Bunting or Diller....I think the wet grass may be affecting the players ability to lift the ball.
91st: Jays get an early free kick...Winstanley hits a low kick that takes a bad hop of a Prez defender..out for a corner
92nd: Hoffman finally hits one in the air deep to the far post, Bunting gets a head on it, but it goes straight into Hodgins hands.
93rd: Hoffman tries to send a long ball to spring Pete Moore, but can’t get any lift on it...damn the grass.
94th: Helsel with a nice play on the far flank..kicks it off a Prez defender for a corner.
94th: Hoffman with a another low corner... knocked away by Prez defense.
97th: Bunting makes a diving tackle to stop a Prez breakaway...atta boy Wesley
97th: Hoffman wide open down the flank sends a great ball across to an unmarked Mike Helsel... but Hels can’t connect.
98th: McCabe for Moore....McCabe was all over the place in regulation, hopefully he’ll have something left in the tank.
99th: Blue Jays bringing the heat...flurry of shots frantically cleared by Prez defense.
99th: Runyon for Diller...I gave Runyon my blue adidas boots to wear, but he opted not to wear them... this upsets me, but if he scores a goal I think I could forgive him.
End of First Extra Period Recap: Jays put A LOT of pressure of Prez defense towards the end of the first extra period, if they can keep it up for the second period, I’m feeling a Blue Jay goal.
103rd: Mike Helsel sends a long ball in the air finding a unmarked Mike McCabe who unselfishly sends a cross to James Runyon who hammers the ball into the back of the net...GOAL!!!! .BLUE JAYS WINS...but let it be noted that Runyon’s hard-on from being so wide open almost got in the way of his strike.
Final Stats-
Shots: 22-7 Etown
Corners: 12-1 Etown
Fouls: 23-15 Prez
Saves: 10-5 Prez
Funny British Catch Phrases: 5
Cautions: ...There were five yellows issued in the game and The Prez received all five of ‘em.
Man of the Match: James Runyon
Buffalo Bills Award: AJ Fleisher
End of Game Recap: Great win for the boys...it was good to see them come-from-behind against F&M, and now tonight they’re able to get the late winner...very impressive from a young squad. I’m just concerned how much gas they have in the tank....they’ve already had a grueling test over the past couple days, and they’ll face their toughest opponent tomorrow in 12th ranked Stevens Tech...we’ll have to wait and see...and for you Mr. Runyon...you can wear whatever-the-hell you want on your...just keep scoring game-winners.
Next Up:
Sunday September 10th
4:00 pm
Ira R. Herr Field
Champion Game of Jako/Brothers Pizza Blue Jay Classic
Etown vs Stevens Tech
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