Nov. 11, 2014
The Blog, "A tradition unlike any other"
Greetings folks! I am saddened to say this is the last blog that I will write as our season has come to an end, and my senior season of college soccer is over. The end of our season was a memorable one to say the least. We finished our last six games with six wins. And we played our last two games on our home turf since we earned the right to host the G-MAC tournament.
Our first game was against Alderson Broaddus. We played the Battlers earlier this season and only won 1-0 so we knew this game was going to be tough. We trained hard for three days in a row leading up to that game, and when we stepped on the pitch we were ready for battle. The conditions were brutal with hurricane type winds and a mist of a rain that lasted the whole game. The first half was a dog fight, both teams had a couple chances but it was scoreless after 45 minutes. Then after the scoreless first half the floodgates opened. The first and second goals were both scored by Connor (touch touch CUT!) Scott with assists coming from Christian (I broke my finger) Alexander and then Jared (pull the jersey from behind) Newman. After our second goal however the Battlers scored a free kick that put their spirits back in the game. But we crushed their spirits after scoring three unanswered goals. Goal number 3 was scored by Ethan (second teamer) Shula, goal number 4 was scored by Justin (The new McKindly of ankle rolls) Santoro, both goals were assisted by Chris (The Hulk) Anderson. And the final goal was scored by Joel (be a big time player) Twinem. And we walked off the field pleased with a 5-1 victory.
Next up we played our rivals Davis & Elkins in the finals for the second year in a row. We beat them last year in a shootout in the G-MAC championship so we knew they were going to be out for revenge. But we too also had a lot riding on that game. We were playing on our home turf, we were voted to win the conference and we were unbeaten in our conference up to this point. So losing was not an option. The first half was another dog fight. We played for the first 45 minutes but it was still scoreless. Both teams had a couple quality opportunities but no one finished. As the second half started, it was clear that D&E could not keep up with our fitness level. We were out possessing them and winning most of the 50/50 balls. Not long after the second half started Connor (touch touch CUT again) Scott scored a glorious game-winning header goal that was crossed in by Christian (Grease lightning) Alexander. This was the first goal and the only goal of the game. D&E tried very hard to get a goal, but after so many games and practices this season we were just too good at protecting the baby. And all their efforts were stifled by our back line and our man Paulo in between the posts. And we ended the season as G-MAC champions for the second year in a row.
There are so many things I could say about my four years in this program. It has been an unbelievable road that has come to an end all too quickly. From freshman year taking the sleeper bus down to Florida playing endless rounds of bull, to our 21-hour plane ride to Thailand in search of George Webber and the Bangna Towers, then back to back conference champions, the Lord has been with us every step of the way. There is a lot more in store for this team, and I cannot wait to see where the Lord takes you. I love every one of you guys as my brother and I can’t tell you how much I am going to miss the blood, sweat, and tears we pour into winter workouts, treadmill runs, summer workouts, practices and games. But the reality is that the wins and losses will fade away, but being here in this program builds a bond in Christ that will last an eternity and that is something no one can touch. And after my four years of being on this team I can truly say that this is a team unlike any other, and it has been a privilege and a blessing from God to be here and serve you guys. To next year’s team I implore you to do one thing, well two things actually. First and foremost, Remember the Titans, and secondly no matter what, Protect the Baby!
Much Love!
- Santo #12
Nov. 4, 2014
The Blog, "A tradition unlike any other"
Greetings folks, this week was much less eventful than our previous week of taking over Nashville. But there were still many notable moments about this past week. After our high of conference wins we had one more game to go in our regular season at Ohio Dominican University. This was a game that we all wanted to win badly. In the past three years we have played them twice in the regular season and have yet to get a win against them.
We knew this game was not going to be easy and playing on their artificial turf that was faster than a skating rink did not help. So to adequately prepare us for the change of surfaces we practiced at the local sports complex in Xenia, AIA (Athletes in Action). After two good days of practice we had ODU in our sights. Once the game was under way we realized this was going to be a battle. But we got the best of them late in the first half when Ethan (the real 1st team G-MAC) Shula scored after he made a diagonal run into the box and received a ball from Chris (Fort Wayne bound) Anderson who crossed the ball in. Thus ended the first half with the score 1-0 in our favor. The second half was no easier as ODU did everything they could to even the score, but after 45 more minutes of a tough fight we were able to protect the baby and the game ended 1-0 with a scoreless second half.
After our game was over we realized that the next item on the agenda was the G-MAC tournament. So we took the practice field Thursday pleased with our win against ODU and had a good practice of recovering our legs and getting some technical touches on the ball. Friday’s practice was a bit different than usual. It was a cold rainy day so we were all expecting that pre-practice text or email telling us practice was going to be in the gym or field house. Well we received the text, but when we got to the field house we didn’t find any soccer balls or goals or cones set up, but what we did find was dodgeballs. That’s right, dodgeballs. To release some stress and just enjoy being with our team we had an epic dodgeball tournament to the death. Shout out to Daniel (fast and ferocious) Rigby for winning his team the championship in a sudden death 1vs1 battle. After perfecting the art of dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge we had the weekend off to relax and regain focus for our next task, our first game in the conference tournament against Alderson Broaddus this Thursday at 5 p.m.
Shout out of the week goes to Coach Faro who turned 28 this weekend, also to his wife Shelly for putting together an epic game of cops and robbers.
- Protect the baby!
Oct. 28, 2014
The Blog, "A tradition unlike any other"
Greetings folks! It has been a long week for CU men’s soccer as we finished up our final games in the G-MAC before conference playoffs start. The first game of the week was Monday, Senior Night, against Salem International, our last home game of the regular season. Shout out to our seniors: Ethan Dewhurst, Ethan Lee, Ethan Shula, Connor Scott, Justin Santoro, Grant Kovac, Daniel Rigby, and Jerret Kersten.
This game was less than favorable weather and the fans were few expect for the loyal families of nearly all the seniors. But we were still pumped for this game and we wanted to make sure that we would host the conference tournament. And it did not take long for us to get the ball rolling. Four minutes into the game Connor (Mick Dodge) Gilmour was taken down in the box, and then converted the PK to put us on the board first. Another goal was scored 11 minutes later by Christian (Lauren Newman) Alexander after getting a ball crossed in from Connor (JT) Scott. The final goal of the game was scored once again by Gilmour and that concluded the goals for the game and we won 3-0.
Next up for the weekend was our annual trip down to Nashville, Tennessee and Owensboro, Kentucky to play Trevecca and Kentucky Wesleyan yet again. First up was our game against Trevecca, this was an important game because it would clinch our spot hosting the conference tournament. It was also another chance to set things right after we tied them earlier in the season, and oh did we set things right. We stepped onto the field against Trevecca and we played Cedarville Soccer for 90 minutes. We moved the ball, we found splits, and we put the ball into the back of the net, over, and over, and over again. Just to make it easier on myself I am going to sum up the scoring like this, Connor (hats off) Gilmour scored three goals, and Christian Alexander scored four. The goals were flowing like milk and honey. It was a good night for the Jackets, and we finished the game with a 7-2 victory.
Now that we took care of business against Trevecca we were able to enjoy an afternoon in Nashville, Tennessee. Highlights of the afternoon included Chris (Hippie) Anderson learning how to be homeless and play the mandolin, Mike (Bob Barker, Barb Barbra) Auld buying a new wardrobe labeled Nashville TN, and Joel (Maple leaf) Twinem being the only one on the team to get a picture with Penguins star and best hockey player in the world Sidney Crosby. I guess there is one good thing about being a Canadian, being able to strike up conversation with a hockey star. Once the fun was over we headed to Owensboro. But the fun was not over yet. Our evening was filled with delicious food from Cracker Barrel, and then fun team activity playing the families game. Shout out to Aaron (Miss Piggy) Plummer for picking the most forgettable name and winning the game.
Now it was time to get ready for Kentucky Wesleyan. This was a game we had to be mentally prepared for more than anything. It was important for us to put our stamp on another game and go unbeaten in the conference, something we have never done before. It was no secret KWC was ready for this game as it had several playoff implications for them. But we did not let that determine the course of the game. We knew what we had to do and we got the job done. It was not an easy game as KWC played very hard for 90 minutes but it didn’t prevent us from putting three shots into the back of the net. The first goal was scored by Joel (where are my shorts) Twinem, the second scored by Connor (I liked him better with the long hair bro) Scott and the third was scored by Chris (Chrando score, Chrando eat, Chrando sleep!) Anderson. And the game ended 3-0. We accomplished the goal we set out to achieve, hosting the conference tournament and going unbeaten in the conference.
Next up, we play our last regular season game at Ohio Dominican on Wednesday night.
- Protect the baby!
Oct. 20, 2014
The Blog, "A tradition unlike any other"
Greetings folks!
It was another fun week for the Jackets as we headed into fall break last week. It was a very short school week for us only having class on Monday and Tuesday as we left for Alderson Broaddus Wednesday morning. That was our first game of the week, and we wanted to start the week off right. We have had a good track record playing AB in the past beating them the past two years in a row. This would make it #3, and it was. It was not an easy task as they only gave up one goal that was scored in the first half by Christian (about a week ago!) Alexander with the assist going to Connor (Kentucky basketball is my life) Scott. The second half was another battle and we came close to getting another goal, but couldn’t find the net and we headed back to the cornfields with a 1-0 victory.
Later that week, we had our annual pumpkin carving contest which was hosted by CU assistant track coach Jason (the human torch) (flame on) Scott. This guy was on fire, literally. As pumpkins were being judged Jerret (gasolina) Kersten dumped about a liter of gas on the "stogie" (piece of corn) that was sticking out of his pumpkin’s mouth. Little to his knowledge, he was also dumping about half of the gas onto Coach Scott’s leg. Well as soon as a spark lit the flames burst through the air (I haven’t seen a flame that righteous since the ring was forged in Mt. Doom) and up the leg of Coach Scott who could not believe what was happening. Luckily Coach Scott dropped to the ground and started rolling faster than a flywheel down Mt. Everest. In doing so he successfully suffocated the fire and saved his leg, minus a few hairs. After the flames were put out it was time to judge the pumpkins. First place this year goes to Ethan Shula and Chris Anderson (the paper champions) who cleverly carved an image of Usain Bolt into their pumpkin - winning the favor of the judge, Coach Scott. Second place goes to Grant Kovac and Connor Gilmour (the true heroes) who shaved their pumpkin into the spitting image of super Mario character Yoshi.
After the pumpkins were carved, Coach Knight introduced us to an Austrian game called Scenarios, formerly known as "Scenaaarios". Scenario of the night goes to the freshmean crew Mike Auld, Kyle Nikerle, Kyle Smoker, and Graham Sachtelben for acting out a story of a freshman boy who goes on a date and has a "crappy" time. Once the games were over we ended the night with worship and prayer and then headed home. Shout out to sophomore goalie Paulo De Suza De Pinto Beans Ricardo Rivera Diniz for doing a great job on the guitar.
After the dust of the team activity settled, we started getting ready for our game against the University of Charleston. We all had our eyes on this game for a while now and we were excited to test ourselves against a national powerhouse. We knew this game was going to be a fight, and it surely was. We battled with UC and had a couple opportunities to capitalize with one of our best chances coming when Joel hit a screamer off the crossbar, but couldn’t get the ball in the net and we ended the first half down 1-0. The second half went similarly to the first half in the fact that we had a couple opportunities as did UC, but UC capitalized on one more ball which put them up 2-0. We fought for the full 90, proud of our effort but not satisfied with our result, we can always improve and always get better.
This coming week we have three conference games, starting with senior night on Monday when we play Salem International.
- Protect the baby!
Oct. 14, 2014
The Blog, "A tradition unlike any other"
Greetings folks, I guess I will just get right into it this time around. So this will be a bit shorter than usual.
This past week we had a tough combination of games. We had Davis & Elkins, a team which we have never beat, in the past three years, and Slippery Rock our foes from Western PA.
The first team we played was D&E. We knew this was not going to be an easy task, and we prepared rigorously in practice leading us to that game. And it paid off, we won 2-0. Both goals were scored in the first half, and both goals were two of the best goals that were scored all season. The first goal was scored by none other than Chris (hotel motel) Anderson who ripped a ball into the back of the net over the keeper from about 25 yards out. The second score came from Connor (team Jacoby) Gilmour who scored in a similar fashion as he crushed a ball from about 20 yards out with a left footed shot that curved into the far post side netting. These goals concluded the first half and we entered halftime with a bit of excitement. The second half was another 45 minutes of battling, but we grinded it out as Coach Faro loves to say and we came away with a 2-0 victory against our conference rivals.
Next up was Slippery Rock. There is no easy way of saying this besides saying the facts, which is that we lost 5-2. Needless to say this was a heartbreak for us, we entered that game believing whole heartedly that we were going to win and we absolutely could have and have the potential to. I digress, we went up early in the first half when Connor (I’m running out of nicknames for you) Gilmour put a ball into the back of the net from a restart taken by Jerret (D’Amico flow) Kersten. But Slippery Rock answered back and scored three goals in the span of 14 minutes and we ended the half down 3-1. In the second half Slippery Rock scored two more goals and we scored one, once again by Connor (the long haired wonder) Gilmour thus the game ended 5-2.
However there are still plenty of positives and good things in store for us the rest of this season which is far from over. Now we are hard at work practicing for a big conference game at Alderson Broaddus on Wednesday, and a big non-conference game Saturday at Charleston who is currently ranked #2 in the country.
- Protect the baby!
Oct. 7, 2014
The Blog, "A tradition unlike any other"
Greetings Folks, we are now past the halfway point of our season and we are striving toward continually getting better every day to give each team our best with the expectation of post season play.
With that to be said it has been a roller coaster of a week for our team. This past Thursday we played Ohio Valley and won 9-0. Goals were scored by Connor (Jacoby is bae) Gilmour who scored a hat trick. Mike (bae is gone) Auld who scored his first career goal for the Jackets. Kyle (the Frenchman) Nikerle who also scored his first career goal for the Jackets as did Jon (well I’ll be John Brown) Brown.
The other three remaining goals were scored by Christian (Sara is bae) Alexander who netted two goals and Zach (backbone of the middle) Harris. And if you are reading this blog right now I would ask that you pray for Zaz (Zach Harris) as he suffered a serious injury to his leg in the first half as he scored his goal. He has been a huge encouragement to the team while he has been out and I know he will continue to do so. He is a great teammate, leader, friend, and brother in Christ. As far as the rest of that game goes there is not a whole lot to say about a game that you win 9-0 besides that the team was very bad and we played about average.
Our next game was Saturday and it was also our Homecoming game. Despite the cold weather and the rain, we still had a decent crowd come out to the game many of which were former Cedarville soccer players. We were very excited for that game with so many alumni in attendance, but to pump us up even more we got a great pre-game speech from former Cedarville captain Matt Niemiec. After that we headed out to the field for warm-up. When the game started we battled for the first 45 minutes of the game with no goals scored but produced some quality opportunities.
That changed in the second half, as we started to connect the final piece and put on a great second half for the fans. We scored four goals in the second half, the first goal came from Connor (dragon slayer) Gilmour who chipped the keeper after he received a through ball from Jared (Lauren is bae… so we think) Newman. The second goal was scored by Joel (gym is bae) Twinem who scored a goal that came in from Justin (Sarah is bae) Santoro. The next goal was scored by Daniel (Big Rig) Rigby as he beat two defenders and slid the ball into the corner of the net. Goal #4 was scored by Chris (the bulldozer) Anderson after he smashed the ball and the keeper into the back of the net. And so we ended the game with a 4-0 win with a solid performance and shutout from the whole backline and keepers.
Next up is conference rivals Davis & Elkins in West Virginia on Wednesday the 8th, and Slippery Rock at home on Saturday the 11th.
- Protect the baby!
Sept. 29, 2014
The Blog, “A tradition unlike any other”
Greetings Folks,
Another week has come to pass and two more games are under our belts.
This week started off with a bit of a surprise to us. After a battle against Kentucky Wesleyan last Saturday night, the coaches decided to give us a day without practice to recover our tired legs. So we utilized our day with recovery jogs, vice baths, and some stretching sessions. After our much needed day of recovery we were prepared to get back on the practice field to get better for our next game against Gannon.
With two days of practice and improving our play we were ready for Tuesday night to beat Gannon and get the “flywheel” moving. For those of you who don’t know what a flywheel is, “A flywheel is a rotating mechanical device that is used to store rotational energy. Flywheels have a significant moment of inertia and thus resist changes in rotational speed. The amount of energy stored in a flywheel is proportional to the square of its rotational speed.” (Wiki)
Any way you slice it we wanted to start moving that massive wheel and the way to do that was send Gannon home with an L on their record books. And that is what we did. We battled the Golden Knights for 90 minutes and beat them 2-0. Both of our goals came in the second half. The first goal was scored by Christian (hipster not prep) Alexander as he beat the keeper with a ball shot low and hard to the back post. Goal number two came from Connor (if Ali was a soccer player) Scott who headed the ball in after two rebounds came back off the crossbar. We finished the game 2-0 and were happy to return the favor to the Golden Knights who got the best of us last year.
Next on our schedule was the #13 team in the country Mercyhurst. Our adventure to Mercyhurst started Friday night, as we boarded the S.S. Buckeye once again and started our journey to Erie, PA. We traveled half way and spent the night in Medina, OH. The next morning to help us wake up we had a team session of grey skulls (a team juggling game) to help us wake up and get our legs moving. We then got packed up and headed to Mercyhurst. Upon arriving at Mercyhurst, we changed into our gear and were focusing on nothing but the game. We headed out of our quiet but focused locker room ready to take the field. However, this game did not go as we intended it to. Within the first five minutes, Mercyhurst scored on us off of a counter attack which was the only score of the first half.
As the second half began, Mercyhurst got another leg up on us as they scored their second goal within the first six minutes of the half which came from a questionable "no call" as Jerret got pulled to the ground from behind. It was a battle for 90 minutes and we created some chances to score but could not get the ball in the net against a very good opponent (credit where credit is due). I digress. There are more games to play and we are now looking forward to getting better this week for our games against Ohio Valley and Shawnee State.
- Protect the baby!
Sept. 22, 2014
The Blog, "A Tradition unlike any other"
Greetings folks,
Another day another dollar, another game another tie.
It has been yet another exciting week for the Yellow Jackets. The week has been filled with games, practices, and coaching our final matches for the Little Dribblers.
As we started the week we were ready to get back at it and ready to get better. This week of practice was filled with many drills to help us improve on putting the ball into the back of the net, which was much needed. After 110 minutes of scoreless soccer against Lock Haven we wanted to make sure that would not happen again. So we shot and shot and practiced many combinations that helped us break the line of defense and put the ball into the back of the net.
As the week went on we put our practices into motion as we took the field against Trevecca University. We knew this was not going to be an easy game because TU was gunning for us as we have beaten them the last five times we have played each other. It was a battle just as we expected and the first half remained scoreless. As the second half progressed we were spending most of our time with the ball trying to get behind the defense which we were able to do as Daniel (toilet paper bandit) Rigby chipped the keeper with a cheeky little stutter step. But Trevecca was quick to counter as Bruno the Brazilian scored an impressive set piece from 25 yards out. We were more than furious and our furry amplified when Trevecca scored again off of a corner. But this anger and aggression only fueled the senior forward, Ethan (the machine) Lee. To quote a famous man:
"You got anger that’s good you’re gonna need it, you got aggression that’s even better you’re gonna need that too. But any two-year old child can throw a fit! Football is about controlling that anger, harnessing that aggression into a team effort to achieve perfection!" - Coach Herman Boone
And that is exactly what Ethan (wonder ball) Lee did. When all hope seemed to be lost Ethan (pump up the jam) Lee scored one of the best goals in the history of Cedarville to tie the game in the last minute to send us into yet another overtime. We spent 20 minutes peppering the goalie from Trevecca but we just couldn’t seem to connect the final piece and we ended with a 2-2 tie.
With a nice recovery practice on Friday we were mentally and physically ready for our game on Saturday against Kentucky Wesleyan College. But before our game we had our very last Dribblers game for the season. It was exciting and nostalgic as I realized that this would be the last Dribblers game I would ever coach.
Now we were focused on our game, and after tying on Thursday against Trevecca we were ready to get another victory under our belts. It was not going to be an easy game as KWC has also never beaten us. And a dog fight it was, we battled back and forth with KWC until finally Christian (tats magee) Alexander shot a ball perfectly placed into the far post and we ended the game with a 1-0 victory. Now we are preparing for our game against Gannon University on Tuesday night.
- Protect the Baby!
Sept. 15, 2014
The Blog "A tradition unlike any other"
Greetings Folks!
This past week was not very different from the rest. It was filled with practices, little dribblers games, and matches. After our devastating overtime loss to Saginaw last week we were excited to get back to practice and ready to play Malone and get a victory. And that is exactly what we did. Tuesday we loaded up the SS Buckeye at 10 a.m. and set sail for Canton, OH known famously for the NFL "Hall of Fame". But before getting to Canton we made a pit stop in the outskirts of Mansfield, Ohio to carbo-load with some tasty pasta from Pizza Hut. Except Coach (bombs away) Faro was not a lover of the pasta as he tossed a whole tray to the ground. With our stomachs full of nutrients we loaded the bus once again and arrived at Malone a few hours before the game giving us time to eye up the pitch.
We came out with guns blazing scoring two goals in the first half. Our first goal was scored by Connor (check out my new sword) Gilmour off of a penalty kick that came from Christian (twinkle toes) Alexander drawing a foul in the box after beating a guy 1 vs 1 leaving him no choice but to foul the cheeky speed demon. Our second goal came from Chris (Bella es mi amore) Anderson as he smashed the ball into the back of the net with his face off of a ball whipped in from Ethan (the prowl is tiring) Shula. Goals three and four both came in the second half. Goal three was scored by Joel (#twineming) Twinem as he wins the award for slowest rolling ball to score in the history of soccer. And goal four was scored by Connor (Aragorn) Gilmour who volleyed the ball past the keeper, and we left Malone fairly pleased with a 4-1 victory.
Our focus was now on the next Big Game which was against Lock Haven this past Saturday under the lights on our home turf. We were pumped to be playing in front of our own fans again, but this game did not go the way we intended it to go. We battled the Lock Haven Eagles for 90 minutes and at the end of the game it was still scoreless. So yet another overtime was upon us, and we were not about to lose another overtime battle. So we took the field ready to send these Eagles back to the mountains of PA with a loss. We did almost everything we could to get the ball into the back of the net. We scratched, we clawed, and at one point we ended up with a total of six Cedarville and Lock Haven players sprinting towards an open Lock Haven goal. Of those players, all six ended up sliding into the Eagles nest with three players trying to score a goal and three players trying to prevent a goal. That was the closest we came in overtime to scoring and somehow we ended up tying Lock Haven who seemed overjoyed with a tie. But as one of my previous coaches told me after a tie, "Soccer is a fickle game" and how true that is. We were disappointed with that result, as we should have been. But our goal is to glorify God in our wins losses and ties. And we now have more work to do and we are now preparing for a week of conference games that will need our full attention.
Shout out of the week goes to the CU Men’s Basketball Team for being the loudest, most rowdy fans since the North Street Elite.
- Protect the Baby!
Sept. 9, 2014
The Blog "A tradition unlike any other"
Greetings Folks!
Another exciting week for the Jackets as our first week of games has already flown by.
As we prepared for our first game against St. Joe’s we could not have been more excited. Not particularly because of the stellar competition of St. Joe’s which we beat 4-0, but by the fact that it was our home opener. The weather was beautiful, the stands were full, and our new scoreboard was electrifying.
After a few quick seconds of admiring our surroundings we were all focused in on the game and concentrating on our individual and team objectives, (With objective #1 being "protect the baby").
We marched on the field ready to hunt some pumas and outplayed our opponents on many levels if not all. Our first goal was scored by Zachary (3 times a charm) Harris off of a cross that came from Connor (the cheater) Scott. Goal number two was scored by Connor (learn how to count) Scott after beating a defender and sliding the ball past the goalie. Shortly after that Joel ("Squad Leader") Twinem scored by beating the keeper high near post after getting a ball from Ethan (still on the prowl) Shula who beat a guy down the line. We entered the second half up 3-0 and ready to put the ball in the back of the net a few more times. As we set off to do that, we got a bit too big for our britches and started playing a brand of soccer that was not labeled Cedarville. We scored one more time in that match which came from a free kick from Zachary (1 in a million) Harris as he shot a ball directly to the keeper who seemingly grabbed it and threw it into the back of the net. After that goal a vital keeper change was made as the Pumas subbed in Lewis Jones the Fourth, who made a great save on a 60-yard ball that was dangerously over hit by Justin (the blogger) Santoro. Our game ended 4-0 and we were now focusing on our next match in Michigan against Saginaw Valley.
Our match against Saginaw Valley was set for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday and the journey ahead of us was just over five hours. So our coaching staff made preparations for us to leave on Friday night and drive about half way and then finish with a quick two hour trip; opposed to waking up at 5:30 a.m. the day of the game and driving over five hours to jump off a bus and play one of the best teams in the region. A good idea (so we all thought). As we boarded the SS Buckeye and got on the highway we headed north, but after an hour into the trip we came to a dead stop which was nothing short of a catastrophe. A tractor trailer had flipped, motorcycles and multiple cars were involved and ambulances were flying back and forth. This was all taking place for a solid two hours. We passed time by learning the real value of a baseball player in the feature film "Money Ball" and we also learned how to pick up girls from Will Smith. During our stand still, the SS Buckeye acted as temporary outhouse for neighboring cars on the highway, and members of the Yellow Jacket team befriended a crew of truckers. Once all this was over and the road was clear we made our way to the hotel only to arrive at 1:30 a.m. to which was supposed to be a 10:30 p.m. arrival. As soon as we got to the hotel we all jumped in our beds with one thing on our mind which was to defeat Saginaw Valley.
After putting behind all that happened the previous day we woke up with clear eyes and full hearts ready to take the field. Once getting to the oversized Saginaw Valley we eyed up the field then walked a country mile to the locker room. When the whistle blew the game was fast and hard-hitting from the start. For 110 minutes we battled with the Cardinals trying to get the ball into the back of the net when in the 84th minute it seemed that the game shifted in our favor when Ethan (welcome to the ballet) Shula drew a red card from a Cardinal player that came into a tackle late. But still the game ended scoreless in regulation. So we went into overtime with fire in our hearts ready to win this game but in the 108th minute of the game we were heartbroken when the Cardinals put a ball into the back of the net and we ended up losing 1-0. With all that to be said, the season is long there are more games to be played and it’s time to get back to work!
- Protect the Baby!
Sept. 3, 2014
The Blog "A tradition unlike any other"
Greetings folks!
We are finally back at Cedarville after a long summer of grueling track runs, sprints, cuts, and driven balls. Before we dive into preseason, there a couple things worth mentioning that happened this summer. First off, Coach (tiger woods) Faro got married to the newly Shelley (go huskers) Faro. Coach (Big Daddy G) Knight and his lovely wife, Lisa (for the love of Austria) Knight got pregnant! And our very own Ethan (where is my bike?) Lee got engaged to Bethany (great clips) Gustin.
After all the romance was over we snapped back into reality and realized it was time to undergo yet another fitness test known as "the mile" where the freshmen get to learn the meaning of "the legs feed the wolf". This feat was going to take place at midnight on the 15th of August (thanks NCAA). We headed around the track and when the run was completed we were ready to start preseason.
Our first day of preseason started off better than most with the unveiling of our brand new locker room thanks to the best carpenter on both sides of the Mississippi, Coach Ben Galbreath, assistant coach of the CU Men’s baseball team. We then hit the field with our new practice gear and were ready to train and get back into action. After three training sessions in the span of 10 hours we dragged our new members of the CU soccer team to the freshman party. This year the freshmen had to dress up as females and waltz around all of their classmates and see if any girls had enough pity to pose with them for a picture. Ugliest girl goes to Paul (the apostle) Messerly who scared away all who dared to look at him including "peaches" the stray cat that roams around campus.
The rest of preseason was filled with many practices where we learned the ins and outs of the 4-3-3, pressure cover defense, and many options on how to get the ball in the back of the net. We also learned the value of protecting the soccer ball at all costs. Coach (protect the baby) Knight explained this concept further as he compared his yet- to-be-born child to a soccer ball, after this analogy we finally understood what he meant.
Even though we all love the grind of preseason practices, we get the occasional stress reliever with beloved team activities. This preseason was filled with great fun as our first team activity involved corn-hole, bocce, ping pong, s’mores, and wise words from Jimmy Hoffman. We also had the opportunity to play soccer golf where we found Coach Faro’s new calling as he shot a -14. Another highlight involved the CU women’s soccer team as we all caravanned over to Washington Courthouse to teach youngsters the fundamentals of soccer.
Preseason wrapped up with 3 scrimmages. We went 1-2 in our 3 contests as we trampled Wittenberg, but came up short against Mount Vernon and Findlay as we found out the hard way what happens when you don’t "protect the baby".
- Protect the baby!
Justin Santoro is a senior at Cedarville University from Cranberry Twp., Pa. and majoring in business marketing.
