Sometimes you wonder why a coach doesn't make a change earlier.
I'm thinking of this at halftime of the U.S.-Germany women's semifinal in the World Cup televised from Montreal Tuesday, June 30.
U.S. Coach Jill Ellis, a Briton, didn't change out veteran Abby Wambach through group play and into the quarterfinals. Wambach, the all-time leader--male or female--in goals scored in international play, looked slow, sluggish, lacking dynamism in her forward position.
Finally, when two other American players had to sit out a one-game suspension due to accumulation of yellow cards, Ellis made mini-wholesale changes, including inserting speedy Amy Rodriguez and 22-year-old Morgan Brian.
At this writing, the U.S. has played its visibly best soccer of the whole tournament during the first half, holding ball possession superiority over the Deutschlanders by something close to 58%-42%. The Americans are moving fast, pressing the attack, having repeated shots on goal. It's beautiful, if you're a Yankee supporter.
Which makes you wonder why Ellis didn't make changes sooner: The U.S. was winning, so even though the team wasn't dynamic, it was continuing to win. But it wasn't explosive or dominating. As Carli Lloyd said, they had been back on their heels.
Wambach, bless her heart, was once world player of the year. But she looks far past her prime in this tournament. Her best role would seem to be as captain and exhorter of her teammates, a role which she played to key effect in the 1-0 quarterfinal over China.
We'll see how far the U.S. can take it.
Copyright 2015 Ed Piper
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Monday, June 29, 2015
LJ b BB 62, Otay Ranch 47
The 6'4" Farley guards
Limon, a 5'11" lefty,
in Viking win.
(Ed Piper)
Reed Farley, La Jolla's point guard, and Oscar Limon had some fun Monday evening, June 29.
The 6'4" Farley and Limon, Otay Ranch's considerably shorter one-guard at 5'11", were teammates on the Top Gun Academy team years past.
Though the two contrast in height, they play the same position.
Limon, a crafty lefty with long hair, led the Mustangs to an early lead. He just came back to play on the court last week, after breaking a bone in his right foot in a tournament in Dallas two months ago. His foot was probably a little sore after Monday's game--feeling the effects, as well, of a defeat by 15 points.
Farley and the Vikings caught up and sped ahead. Otay Ranch, in the early going, hit several shots in a row. And La Jolla, with seven players present with several others on vacation, committed a few mistakes.
As the flow of the game went on, 6'6" Alex Pitrofsky had no one to stop him on passes inside. Daniel McColl, getting lots of minutes, pounded the boards and made four of four free throws, exhibiting a nice shooting touch.
The final was 62-47. Carlos' dad, Victor, sat on the end line each half and shouted encouragement to his son. Carlos was thirsty at one point, so Dad threw him a chilled bottle of water.
Meanwhile, his opponent and former teammate, Farley, had his mom present at the Montgomery High league, sitting at the opposite end.
The two leaders for their respective teams patted each other at one point, when Oscar hit the deck. Reed gave him an "attaboy" on the back. Mutual respect for a good effort.
Nick Hammel looked fairly comfortable for the Vikings. He was a teammate of McColl's on the LJHS junior varsity last year. Francisco Ramos saw a lot of time at guard. Tony Coan hit a shot or two from outside. He seems to still be getting comfortable handling the ball when given that responsibility.
La Jolla moved the ball around the offense, making several passes on their set offense. That's what Coach Paul Baranowski wants to see plenty of.
The Vikings play again at Montgomery Wednesday night. Tuesday night's game is at Hoover High.
Copyright 2015 Ed Piper
LJ b BB: Banger
Vikes' Daniel McColl (black jersey) fights for
ball in win over Sweetwater June 24.
(Photo by Ed Piper)
I usually don't write a post about one player, especially this early in their varsity career. But I have to say it, after watching him play two times: I enjoy watching Daniel McColl play basketball for La Jolla.
I had never seen him play as a JV. I know Daniel from football, where he had a breakout season as a sophomore last fall on both defense and offense.
It isn't likely he'll start in the coming season as a junior. He'll come off the bench, as he is doing in La Jolla's summer league games at Montgomery and Hoover high schools.
What I like is that Daniel isn't afraid to mix it up inside. The Vikings need some players like that. Every team needs players like that!
Another thing Daniel carries is, he knows where he is and what to do. You can tell he has played sports. But you can also tell that he knows basketball: He knows where the ball is going, he has a nose for it, and when he grabs a rebound he either goes up with the ball or knows where to look for a teammate to pass to.
The joy of following high school sports includes the new faces you get to see each season. Daniel is one of several in a new crop coming up from the junior varsity.
Copyright 2015 Ed Piper
Thursday, June 25, 2015
My parking spot!
"My" parking spot--what have they done to it?!
I drove by LJHS in the afternoon, Thurs., June 25. The handicapped parking spot closest to the Big Gym is mulch!
Inside the fenced stadium area, something appears to be being done with the old press box. The window openings seem to have 2x4's vertically inserted. What that's about, I don't know.
On the softball field, rolls of artificial turf-looking material are strewn down the right field foul line.
Press box remodeling?
Copyright 2015 Ed Piper
Edwards Field: Update
Apparently, the rickety old restroom next to the football field, along with the boys locker room and coaches office, could be razed by the end of the week as construction continues on Edwards Stadium.
Trailers on the two-level parking lot next to the Small Gym and softball field will serve as a replacement for the boys locker room while the new one is constructed.
The new complex will parallel the football field and stretch a good distance from one end to the other along the western sideline, opposite the home stands and pressbox. Included will be a boys locker room, coaches office, and team room for football.
The tennis pavilion, which will consist of an overhang to shield spectators from the sun, will go ahead. There is some question, apparently, on whether there is enough funding to replace the pressbox.
The 10-year-old playing surface at Edwards Stadium hasn't been ripped up yet. That artificial turf was paid for by LJHS Foundation funds a decade ago, before other schools got money from bond issues via the school district. The new surface will be paid for by a bond issue.
Due to equity issues--i.e., equal facilities for females and males, as per Title IX, the federal mandate--the softball field may have to be upgraded in tandem with the football field.
Copyright 2015 Ed Piper
Trailers on the two-level parking lot next to the Small Gym and softball field will serve as a replacement for the boys locker room while the new one is constructed.
The new complex will parallel the football field and stretch a good distance from one end to the other along the western sideline, opposite the home stands and pressbox. Included will be a boys locker room, coaches office, and team room for football.
The tennis pavilion, which will consist of an overhang to shield spectators from the sun, will go ahead. There is some question, apparently, on whether there is enough funding to replace the pressbox.
The 10-year-old playing surface at Edwards Stadium hasn't been ripped up yet. That artificial turf was paid for by LJHS Foundation funds a decade ago, before other schools got money from bond issues via the school district. The new surface will be paid for by a bond issue.
Due to equity issues--i.e., equal facilities for females and males, as per Title IX, the federal mandate--the softball field may have to be upgraded in tandem with the football field.
Copyright 2015 Ed Piper
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
LJ b BB 41, Sweetwater 40
Daniel McColl (right) scrambles for the ball
in Vikings' win June 24 in the Montgomery
league. (Photo by Ed Piper)
There are some new faces, and it's nice to see on the La Jolla High boys basketball team.
Bijan Hashemi is new to me--nice guy when I asked him his name at the Vikings' summer league game Wednesday night, June 24, in Montgomery's beautiful curtained facility.
Others that you're probably familiar with from JV's and possibly Novice/Freshman but I'm not include Nick Hammel, Quinn Rawdin, Jacob Ohara, and Charlie Gal, among others. Alex Drew is newly in Coach Paul Baranowski's program. He's a senior.
Francisco Ramos, a guard, is compact but hard-working. He takes a serious defensive stance when guarding his man. He will be fun to watch in the coming years.
Garrett Brown, fresh off catching in the CIF Finals for the Viking baseball team, looked good shooting Monday against Eastlake. He came in on the second platoon Wednesday.
There is a constantly changing cast of characters each night of summer league, as families take vacations and have other commitments. Bijan said he went to Monday's game at Montgomery but didn't play. Jacob Ohara has been missing this week after playing over the weekend at West Hills.
La Jolla used everyone, with Paul's son Jake coaching, and edged Sweetwater, 41-40, Wednesday. The score was tied earlier at 21-21.
That makes a clean sweep of three wins this week in summer league games: 44-39 Monday night over Eastlake, by eight over Poway Tuesday in the Hoover High league, and the one-point win Wednesday.
Guard Reed Farley helped his teammates break the Devils' press in the first half. Daniel McColl, up from the JV's and a football up-and-comer, was active again under the boards, banging bodies. He knows what to do with the ball, and his shot is fine. He came off the bench in Jake's second platoon.
Morgan Albers was active under the basket. Tony Coan hit his trademark outside set shot at least once with the second unit. He is sporting a headband this summer.
Bijan had several minutes of playing time and was called for an unusual technical foul for elbowing an opponent in the back.
Eddie Parker showed some poise in handling the ball. He slipped inside for a nice drive, his strength on offense.
Center Alex Pitrofsky, by far the tallest player on the court at close to 6'7", was dynamic and showed he likes contact underneath the basket. To think his family thought four or so years ago that he wouldn't be athletic enough to play high school sports just shows how much he is growing into his tall, mobile body.
The Vikings play Monday and Wednesday nights at Montgomery High in San Ysidro, and Tuesdays at Hoover High for the next three weeks.
Copyright 2015 Ed Piper
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Women's World Cup
I've never seen it at any level--neither youth league, high school, college, or pros.
FIFA, in deciding the brackets for the Women's World Cup a year ago, placed many higher seeds in the same groups and same bracket. That means strong teams, instead of meeting each other later in the month-long tournament, are facing off already in the Round of 16.
Case in point: Germany, ranked number one in the world, defeated Sweden, ranked number five, 4-1, Sat., June 20.
The problem is that in grouping the good teams together, instead of placing them in opposite brackets to earn their way through the rounds, you sabotage your tournament.
The top teams begin eliminating each other, instead of meeting in the semifinals and finals.
Grant Wahl, the sideline commentator in Fox Sports One's television coverage of the Germany-Sweden game, passed on the official FIFA response that "we wanted to create good match-ups and fill the stadiums."
Aly Wagner, the analyst in the booth, cut through the baloney. "It's a travesty," she said.
And it is. FIFA's corruption, we now know, stretches wide and deep. From the charges of massive corruption that U.S. federal law enforcement is bringing against numerous current and former FIFA officials, I wouldn't be surprised if large amounts of money exchanged money over the arrangement of brackets.
It just doesn't make sense to create brackets that would cause Germany, the number one, to face number-five Sweden in the Round of 16, then assuming both teams make it that far, to face number-two U.S. shortly thereafter.
Any bracket maker knows that you spread your strong and weaker teams out through the various groups, then make sure that one meets the lowest seed possible, two meets the next lowest, and so forth. It's for the health of the competition. You reward higher-ranked teams with easier match-ups.
Copyright 2015 Ed Piper
FIFA, in deciding the brackets for the Women's World Cup a year ago, placed many higher seeds in the same groups and same bracket. That means strong teams, instead of meeting each other later in the month-long tournament, are facing off already in the Round of 16.
Case in point: Germany, ranked number one in the world, defeated Sweden, ranked number five, 4-1, Sat., June 20.
The problem is that in grouping the good teams together, instead of placing them in opposite brackets to earn their way through the rounds, you sabotage your tournament.
The top teams begin eliminating each other, instead of meeting in the semifinals and finals.
Grant Wahl, the sideline commentator in Fox Sports One's television coverage of the Germany-Sweden game, passed on the official FIFA response that "we wanted to create good match-ups and fill the stadiums."
Aly Wagner, the analyst in the booth, cut through the baloney. "It's a travesty," she said.
And it is. FIFA's corruption, we now know, stretches wide and deep. From the charges of massive corruption that U.S. federal law enforcement is bringing against numerous current and former FIFA officials, I wouldn't be surprised if large amounts of money exchanged money over the arrangement of brackets.
It just doesn't make sense to create brackets that would cause Germany, the number one, to face number-five Sweden in the Round of 16, then assuming both teams make it that far, to face number-two U.S. shortly thereafter.
Any bracket maker knows that you spread your strong and weaker teams out through the various groups, then make sure that one meets the lowest seed possible, two meets the next lowest, and so forth. It's for the health of the competition. You reward higher-ranked teams with easier match-ups.
Copyright 2015 Ed Piper
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