With about half an hour left in the match against Coastal Carolina, Mikias Eticha collected a loose ball on the right side of the goal box and flipped it to his left to an awaiting Sunny Jane. At the upper left-hand corner of the box, Sunny had one defender between him and the keeper, Mark Petrus, a transfer from George Mason. As Jane brought the ball down, kids in our section shouted "It's Sunny Jane Time!" Sunny beat the defender off the dribble and then drilled a grass cutter beyond Petrus's reach off the far post effectively ending the game.
Maryland's supporters have been waiting for it to be Sunny Jane time for much of the season. It was tonight. Maryland's first goal came twelve minutes in off of superb wing play by Jane after he sent a fantastic cross that Eticha notched home. Four minutes after Sunny scored, he, in turn, enjoyed the fruits of the incredible individual effort of Christiano Francois. Francois refused to give up on a ball being shepherded over the end line by a Chanticleer defender, stole it, and then slotted it back to Jane for the brace.
In a little over an hour on the field, Jane terrorized Coastal Carolina's wings. He wasn't the only one. Maryland's smaller, faster players ran circles around the Chanticleer's behemoths. Maryland's active roster features one outfield player listed at 200 pounds, Jake Pace. Coastal Carolina has three in its starting lineup: both centerbacks, Uchenna Uzo and Kjartan Sigurdsson, and their central midfielder playmaker, Pedro Ribeiro. The two sophomores, Uzo and Sigurdsson, along with the 6'0", 182 lb. freshman Jhamie Hyde, were often left trying to snuff out runs made by Jane, Francois, Eticha, and Schillo Tshuma on their own. All three held their own, but their margin for error was slight and, given the circumstances, holding Maryland to five goals was a testament to their competence.
The one blemish for Maryland came off a poor back pass from Dan Metzger to London Woodberry that led to Woodberry losing possession and Ashton Bennett drill home a long-range goal past Cardona. Bennett made the most of limited offensive opportunities and it was easy to see why he's considered a lock to be picked in the MLS draft next year. The most impressive player for Coastal Carolina, for me, was their sophomore left back Henrik Robstak, a big, fast, skilled attack-minded fullback who put all kinds of pressure on Maryland's right flank. Ultimately, Jordan Cyrus took some measure of revenge for Robstak's assaults by beating his man off the dribble four minutes from time and laying off a terrific ball for Jereme Raley to put in the back of the net for the fifth and final goal.
It was only one game, but Pedro Ribiero (who has also been talked up in advance of the draft) did not make much of an impression. Ribiero struggled contending with Stertzer and Metzger in the middle of the field. His size caught him out, where lilliputian teammates Justin Portillo and Ricky Garbanzo seemed to find more space.
For Maryland, it was a very good showing by almost everyone who saw the field. Patrick Mullins worked and worked and worked the full ninety minutes, with a confounding free kick that eluded Petrus. Other than the flub that led to Bennett's sole goal, the backline -- anchored by two freshmen -- was terrific. John Stertzer was solid for ninety minutes and Keith Cardona made a couple of tremendous saves.
And their profit on it? A chance to fully avenge last season's early exit against Louisville back at Ludwig on Saturday.
Joseph Ngwenya was on hand to see his alma mater go down tonight. As much as I like him, I hope Nick DeLeon leaves Ludwig next week the same way he did on August 26th and Ngwenya did tonight.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Friday, November 23, 2012
Thanksgiving
One of the lingering irritations of living in the Washington D.C. area is the poor quality of sports writing at the major dailies. Over the last several years, other than Michael Wilbon, there have been exactly no sports journalists or columnists that I have taken any particular interest in or note of.
Happily, this is changing.
While at Comcast on Tuesday night watching Maryland dispatch Lafayette, I was struck once again by how well Pe'Shon Howard plays the point. He committed a terrible turnover late in the game, looked very uncomfortable attempting open jumpshots, and occasionally failed to flash out fully at a Leopard looking to pop a three. But when he was on the floor, he ran the Terps offense with poise and dropped some sizzling dimes.
I figured that I would come home and tap out another homage to Howard, one of the most underrated players on the squad. But, as it turns out, this ground has already been covered much more competently by the Washington Post's excellent Alex Prewitt in a short post on Terrapins Insider on Sunday. Prewitt really is terrific and does an incredible job providing context for what we're seeing on the court or on the field. He seems to have little interest in mindlessly promoting Maryland's athletic program, nor does he appear to have any particular agenda in attacking coaches or administrators. Instead, Prewitt provides insightful analysis and background. He's a must-read for every Terrapin supporter.
But as grateful as I am for Mr. Prewitt's contributions, I am even more grateful for the work of the Washington Examiner's Craig Stouffer.
This has been a bittersweet season following D.C. United. The dominant storyline is the team's return to competitiveness and falling just short of the MLS Cup game. Despite limited interest for the bulk of the year, fans turned out for the playoff matches and the last regular season game (against Columbus).
We bucked that trend -- after going to home fixtures throughout the year, we gave away our tickets for the last three matches. Although we fell in love with many of the players on this season's squad -- particularly Nick DeLeon -- by the end of the season, I was disenchanted and found myself rooting against Ben Olsen's favored sons.
My negativity has been further fueled by the lack of any meaningful analysis of the Olsen regime, as we are instead treated to inane hagiography. I am, at this point, almost constitutionally incapable of giving credit to Coach Olsen for any one of the many undeniable things he has done to improve the side and develop certain individuals.
Craig Stouffer's summation of the season, published Monday, provided a balanced review that has been utterly lacking in the work of others covering the team. As Stouffer observes, "Olsen’s coaching job will be universally lauded, but that doesn’t mean it was perfect." Stouffer specifically questions Olsen's utilization of Branko Boskovic and Hamdi Salihi, something that has driven us nuts as we watched some really horrible performances in the midfield and at forward by players possessing nothing remotely close to the talent that Boskovic and Salihi offer.
Since United has bowed out of the playoffs, DC has parted company with Boskovic, a player who, along with DeRosario, offered the most innovation in attack we've seen in five years. United has also locked up Dejan Jakovic with a new contract after Jakovic managed to play twenty games for the first time since 2009. All signs point to Ethan White, again, being persona non grata in 2013.
But I take solace in the prospect of somebody actually holding management responsible. Absent constructive critiques coming from those covering the team, there is little prospect that man management or personnel decisions will improve. Stouffer can fill that vital role.
Happily, this is changing.
While at Comcast on Tuesday night watching Maryland dispatch Lafayette, I was struck once again by how well Pe'Shon Howard plays the point. He committed a terrible turnover late in the game, looked very uncomfortable attempting open jumpshots, and occasionally failed to flash out fully at a Leopard looking to pop a three. But when he was on the floor, he ran the Terps offense with poise and dropped some sizzling dimes.
I figured that I would come home and tap out another homage to Howard, one of the most underrated players on the squad. But, as it turns out, this ground has already been covered much more competently by the Washington Post's excellent Alex Prewitt in a short post on Terrapins Insider on Sunday. Prewitt really is terrific and does an incredible job providing context for what we're seeing on the court or on the field. He seems to have little interest in mindlessly promoting Maryland's athletic program, nor does he appear to have any particular agenda in attacking coaches or administrators. Instead, Prewitt provides insightful analysis and background. He's a must-read for every Terrapin supporter.
But as grateful as I am for Mr. Prewitt's contributions, I am even more grateful for the work of the Washington Examiner's Craig Stouffer.
This has been a bittersweet season following D.C. United. The dominant storyline is the team's return to competitiveness and falling just short of the MLS Cup game. Despite limited interest for the bulk of the year, fans turned out for the playoff matches and the last regular season game (against Columbus).
We bucked that trend -- after going to home fixtures throughout the year, we gave away our tickets for the last three matches. Although we fell in love with many of the players on this season's squad -- particularly Nick DeLeon -- by the end of the season, I was disenchanted and found myself rooting against Ben Olsen's favored sons.
My negativity has been further fueled by the lack of any meaningful analysis of the Olsen regime, as we are instead treated to inane hagiography. I am, at this point, almost constitutionally incapable of giving credit to Coach Olsen for any one of the many undeniable things he has done to improve the side and develop certain individuals.
Craig Stouffer's summation of the season, published Monday, provided a balanced review that has been utterly lacking in the work of others covering the team. As Stouffer observes, "Olsen’s coaching job will be universally lauded, but that doesn’t mean it was perfect." Stouffer specifically questions Olsen's utilization of Branko Boskovic and Hamdi Salihi, something that has driven us nuts as we watched some really horrible performances in the midfield and at forward by players possessing nothing remotely close to the talent that Boskovic and Salihi offer.
Since United has bowed out of the playoffs, DC has parted company with Boskovic, a player who, along with DeRosario, offered the most innovation in attack we've seen in five years. United has also locked up Dejan Jakovic with a new contract after Jakovic managed to play twenty games for the first time since 2009. All signs point to Ethan White, again, being persona non grata in 2013.
But I take solace in the prospect of somebody actually holding management responsible. Absent constructive critiques coming from those covering the team, there is little prospect that man management or personnel decisions will improve. Stouffer can fill that vital role.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Traitor
For a decade now, our love of men's college basketball has been requited at the Verizon Center. Georgetown's been the fulcrum, John Thompson III the muse, and two years of NCAA tournament games the unexpected bonus.
Nevertheless, our tickets for Wednesday night's tune up against Liberty went unused. I'd wanted to see how much Mikael Hopkins and Greg Whittington had developed over the summer. It would also have been our first opportunity to watch D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera in person.
But as nice as getting to know the 2012-13 Hoyas would have been, for the first time, I wanted to be at Comcast more. I was there for the Terps' home opener against Morehead State Monday night and loved every minute. For the most part, gone were the frustrating defensive lapses, gone was the sniping, and gone was the one on four offense after play designs broke down. Instead, on the floor was a cohesive unit of charismatic players. Nothing about the win was particularly impressive, but a new day has dawned. Scoring, for example, was balanced: Nick Faust had 12, Alex Len 11, James Padgett 9, Shaquille Cleare and Dez Wells 8, Jake Layman 7, and Seth Allen 6. And others contributed by adopting specific roles: Charles Mitchell pulled down 9 rebounds, Pe'shon Howard didn't take a shot but posted 7 assists.
With only 8,724 inside the stadium, the vibe was relaxed -- low pressure -- and incredibly family friendly. Tonight's game against LIU-Brooklyn was a 7 pm tipoff and it seemed as good a time as any to bring the kids out to the new look Maryland under Coach Turgeon. The cost was foregoing Georgetown's game Wednesday, but the reward made the tradeoff well worthwhile.
Students clearly heeded Coach Turgeon's request for more active support. At 12,785, Comcast was rocking. Often, the intensity on the court matched the intensity in the stands. Dez Wells had a ridiculous stretch of three consecutive blocks. Seth Allen went five for six from beyond the arc. Pe'shon Howard had thirteen assists and one turnover. And my kids, a four-year old and one-year old, stayed with the game until the last minute.
We've been to some great games at Comcast, games that had my eldest bouncing out of the stadium. But all of those were women's games. We've been to some great men's basketball games, games that had my eldest bouncing out of the stadium. But all of those were Georgetown games. Tonight was the first time that our kids walked out of Comcast grinning after a men's game.
Nevertheless, our tickets for Wednesday night's tune up against Liberty went unused. I'd wanted to see how much Mikael Hopkins and Greg Whittington had developed over the summer. It would also have been our first opportunity to watch D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera in person.
But as nice as getting to know the 2012-13 Hoyas would have been, for the first time, I wanted to be at Comcast more. I was there for the Terps' home opener against Morehead State Monday night and loved every minute. For the most part, gone were the frustrating defensive lapses, gone was the sniping, and gone was the one on four offense after play designs broke down. Instead, on the floor was a cohesive unit of charismatic players. Nothing about the win was particularly impressive, but a new day has dawned. Scoring, for example, was balanced: Nick Faust had 12, Alex Len 11, James Padgett 9, Shaquille Cleare and Dez Wells 8, Jake Layman 7, and Seth Allen 6. And others contributed by adopting specific roles: Charles Mitchell pulled down 9 rebounds, Pe'shon Howard didn't take a shot but posted 7 assists.
With only 8,724 inside the stadium, the vibe was relaxed -- low pressure -- and incredibly family friendly. Tonight's game against LIU-Brooklyn was a 7 pm tipoff and it seemed as good a time as any to bring the kids out to the new look Maryland under Coach Turgeon. The cost was foregoing Georgetown's game Wednesday, but the reward made the tradeoff well worthwhile.
Students clearly heeded Coach Turgeon's request for more active support. At 12,785, Comcast was rocking. Often, the intensity on the court matched the intensity in the stands. Dez Wells had a ridiculous stretch of three consecutive blocks. Seth Allen went five for six from beyond the arc. Pe'shon Howard had thirteen assists and one turnover. And my kids, a four-year old and one-year old, stayed with the game until the last minute.
We've been to some great games at Comcast, games that had my eldest bouncing out of the stadium. But all of those were women's games. We've been to some great men's basketball games, games that had my eldest bouncing out of the stadium. But all of those were Georgetown games. Tonight was the first time that our kids walked out of Comcast grinning after a men's game.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Whew
Thursday's edition of the Terrapin Club Weekly highlights John Stertzer as the Solomon Eye Associates' Terp of the Week. I love Stertzer's game, particularly the consistent intensity with which he plays. This season, regardless of the opponent, Stertzer seems to have approached every game as a platoon leader responsible for leading both by example and by voice.
It is perhaps fitting then that the single most vivid memory I will take away from his senior campaign comes from a poor Maryland showing against Lehigh Tuesday night. Late in the match, after yet another offensive break came to nothing against a defense that should have been completely overrun (final tally, Maryland = 30 shots; Lehigh = 6). Mikey Ambrose had made an overlapping run wide past Patrick Mullins on the left side. Rather than drop the ball off to Ambrose in space -- without a defender anywhere close -- Mullins crossed into a tight space in front of the goal box hoping that a carom would find its way into the back of the net. After Lehigh's second-half keeper Taylor Sulmonetti collected the pass, Maryland's players ran back while Stertzer briefly lit into Mullins for not rewarding the fullback for his run. The passing moment was of no significant importance to the match and was an aberration for a team that rarely bickers on the field. But it perfectly captured a game that was slipping away as several players seemed hellbent on showing that Lehigh could be dispatched by the conversion of extraordinary opportunities rather than a pedestrian display of superiority.
Mullins ended up scoring the game winning goal with around two and half minutes left in regulation. John Stertzer assisted on that goal, which gave Patrick a brace for the match and double-digits for the season. All's well that ends well.
Nevertheless, as professional scouts begin to consider how John Stertzer may or may not fit into their plans, I hope they will look for tape of the Lehigh match. It shows a strength of character and commitment to competitive integrity that augur well for a career after college.
It is perhaps fitting then that the single most vivid memory I will take away from his senior campaign comes from a poor Maryland showing against Lehigh Tuesday night. Late in the match, after yet another offensive break came to nothing against a defense that should have been completely overrun (final tally, Maryland = 30 shots; Lehigh = 6). Mikey Ambrose had made an overlapping run wide past Patrick Mullins on the left side. Rather than drop the ball off to Ambrose in space -- without a defender anywhere close -- Mullins crossed into a tight space in front of the goal box hoping that a carom would find its way into the back of the net. After Lehigh's second-half keeper Taylor Sulmonetti collected the pass, Maryland's players ran back while Stertzer briefly lit into Mullins for not rewarding the fullback for his run. The passing moment was of no significant importance to the match and was an aberration for a team that rarely bickers on the field. But it perfectly captured a game that was slipping away as several players seemed hellbent on showing that Lehigh could be dispatched by the conversion of extraordinary opportunities rather than a pedestrian display of superiority.
Mullins ended up scoring the game winning goal with around two and half minutes left in regulation. John Stertzer assisted on that goal, which gave Patrick a brace for the match and double-digits for the season. All's well that ends well.
Nevertheless, as professional scouts begin to consider how John Stertzer may or may not fit into their plans, I hope they will look for tape of the Lehigh match. It shows a strength of character and commitment to competitive integrity that augur well for a career after college.
Friday, October 19, 2012
What was that?
With my eldest in tow, I planned to spend a relaxing evening at Ludwig watching the Maryland women play Miami. There were not going to be many more people at the stadium than for the Colgate game Tuesday, but the match was not ignored. Athletic Director Kevin Anderson was there with his daughter. President Wallace Loh showed up as well.
What everyone in attendance saw was ridiculous, an embarrassment to college athletics.
Miami features two players with local roots that both started in the defense -- Senior Ali Brennan (Columbia, Maryland) and Sophomore Maddie Simms (Bowie, Maryland) -- and both had considerable amounts of support in the stands. That's not unusual. There are often family and other partisans for the other side at games. That's the way it should be. Things went off the rails tonight, however, in part because of a complete lack of decorum from the otherwise welcome guests.
Abuse of the referees by the Miami supporters started early. Maryland's fans on the same side didn't exactly react well and howls of complaint and derision erupted every time any foul was perceived. The rancor in the stands -- focused on the referees -- fueled physical conflict on the field. In the second half, Maryland's terrific forward Hayley Brock got hammered over and over and over again. Good ball control and quick turns terrorized Miami's backline and the response, particularly from the Hurricanes' Blake Stockton, was to cut Hayley down.
The eventual breakdown was presaged by a moment late in the second half where Brock, struck down again outside the box, responded by getting up and kicking out at the face of an opponent that had also hit the ground. No card. No warning. Just the referee and linesmen being berated by boorish men.
We were on the other side of the field, but it looked like Maddie Simms got a measure of revenge by kicking a ball hard into Brock when play had been stopped and Brock responded by landing a haymaker. Bedlam.
Awful? Yes. But the lack of discipline by the players paled in comparison to the idiot dad who jumped over the fence to get in between the players. Idiot may seem a strong word. In this instance, an understatement. When I finally shepherded my four-year old out of the stadium at the end of regulation -- as a mother screamed at Miami's fans "EXCUSE ME! EXCUSE ME! NUMBER 27 IS MY DAUGHTER!" -- the same dad stood outside shouting that he shouldn't have been ejected because he "didn't go on to the field," he "only went on the sideline."
Un-frigging-believable.
That there is one idiot -- an excitable, over-involved father -- in the stands was not remarkable. That no one else within the pro-Miami faction shut him up or pulled him back was a total embarrassment.
What everyone in attendance saw was ridiculous, an embarrassment to college athletics.
Miami features two players with local roots that both started in the defense -- Senior Ali Brennan (Columbia, Maryland) and Sophomore Maddie Simms (Bowie, Maryland) -- and both had considerable amounts of support in the stands. That's not unusual. There are often family and other partisans for the other side at games. That's the way it should be. Things went off the rails tonight, however, in part because of a complete lack of decorum from the otherwise welcome guests.
Abuse of the referees by the Miami supporters started early. Maryland's fans on the same side didn't exactly react well and howls of complaint and derision erupted every time any foul was perceived. The rancor in the stands -- focused on the referees -- fueled physical conflict on the field. In the second half, Maryland's terrific forward Hayley Brock got hammered over and over and over again. Good ball control and quick turns terrorized Miami's backline and the response, particularly from the Hurricanes' Blake Stockton, was to cut Hayley down.
The eventual breakdown was presaged by a moment late in the second half where Brock, struck down again outside the box, responded by getting up and kicking out at the face of an opponent that had also hit the ground. No card. No warning. Just the referee and linesmen being berated by boorish men.
We were on the other side of the field, but it looked like Maddie Simms got a measure of revenge by kicking a ball hard into Brock when play had been stopped and Brock responded by landing a haymaker. Bedlam.
Awful? Yes. But the lack of discipline by the players paled in comparison to the idiot dad who jumped over the fence to get in between the players. Idiot may seem a strong word. In this instance, an understatement. When I finally shepherded my four-year old out of the stadium at the end of regulation -- as a mother screamed at Miami's fans "EXCUSE ME! EXCUSE ME! NUMBER 27 IS MY DAUGHTER!" -- the same dad stood outside shouting that he shouldn't have been ejected because he "didn't go on to the field," he "only went on the sideline."
Un-frigging-believable.
That there is one idiot -- an excitable, over-involved father -- in the stands was not remarkable. That no one else within the pro-Miami faction shut him up or pulled him back was a total embarrassment.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Generation Adidas
I went to Ludwig last night expecting to see the depth of Maryland on display against Colgate. Alex Shinsky got his first start in the midfield (tally me a big Alex Shinsky fan) and redshirt sophomore Marquez Fernandez replaced London Woodberry at center half.
Things didn't exactly go well in the first half and had a Colgate goal not been waved off, it would have been full freak out mode at the break.
As substitutes, John Stertzer, Schillo Tshuma, Jereme Raley, Jordan Cyrus, Sunny Jane, and Patrick Mullins took control of the game in the second half.
There were not a lot of people out for the match -- this will change Friday -- but for those that were there, Patrick Mullins demonstrated (conclusively) that he should be in play for a Generation Adidas offer. Maybe he's stuck as a Home Grown product of the Chicago Fire. If so, bummer. If not, there is not much more he needs to do to establish himself as an elite professional prospect.
The night was cold. The opponent was underwhelming. Teammates were eschewing passes to open players in order to try and break down opponents for individual glory. Mullins seemed unaffected.
Maybe it was because the Crew loudly heralded the two Deuce goals that sent the USMNT to the hexagon, but Mullins is the same height as Dempsey (6'1"), he has roughly the same build as Clint (~77 kg), and damned if his self-assured style of floating through a game terrorizing opponents doesn't seem like a fitting tribute to the best soccer player America's produced.
Mullins got an assist and a goal; Maryland got its 12th win.
Bring on Mikey Lopez.
Things didn't exactly go well in the first half and had a Colgate goal not been waved off, it would have been full freak out mode at the break.
As substitutes, John Stertzer, Schillo Tshuma, Jereme Raley, Jordan Cyrus, Sunny Jane, and Patrick Mullins took control of the game in the second half.
There were not a lot of people out for the match -- this will change Friday -- but for those that were there, Patrick Mullins demonstrated (conclusively) that he should be in play for a Generation Adidas offer. Maybe he's stuck as a Home Grown product of the Chicago Fire. If so, bummer. If not, there is not much more he needs to do to establish himself as an elite professional prospect.
The night was cold. The opponent was underwhelming. Teammates were eschewing passes to open players in order to try and break down opponents for individual glory. Mullins seemed unaffected.
Maybe it was because the Crew loudly heralded the two Deuce goals that sent the USMNT to the hexagon, but Mullins is the same height as Dempsey (6'1"), he has roughly the same build as Clint (~77 kg), and damned if his self-assured style of floating through a game terrorizing opponents doesn't seem like a fitting tribute to the best soccer player America's produced.
Mullins got an assist and a goal; Maryland got its 12th win.
Bring on Mikey Lopez.
Monday, October 8, 2012
New Generation
Maryland's football campaign has been way, way more enjoyable than I anticipated. The defense is loaded from front to back. The offense was always going to have problems, but it is very charismatic.
Stefon Diggs may be better than advertised. Kenneth Tate is back. The Terps have won three games. Suddenly, I'm looking forward to Saturdays for reasons other than Charlton Atheltic.
There's probably a lot of interesting angles to cover about the game against Wake Forest, but with a day to reflect, one thing in particular stuck: the play of Anthony Nixon. The freshman from Pittsburgh was awarded a game ball for his special team play and Coach Edsall singled number 20 out for praise in his post-game comments. From the stands, the only time I cracked open my Maryland Gameday program (featuring a profile of Mikey Ambrose and Dakota Edwards) during game action was to figure out the name of the kid playing flawless football in the secondary in the second half.
Maryland is blooding a ridiculous number of freshmen. The coaching staff has been forced to rely on young kids and remarkably many, like Nixon, are responding with aplomb.
On a related note, I've linked above to a couple of pieces from the Washington Post. After spewing all that awful vile towards the Athletics Department and Coach Edsall last year, WaPo has pulled back and become a fun read. All credit to young Alex Prewitt who is doing a terrific job covering Terrapin football this year.
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