Championship Saturday
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- November
- 3
Well gang, the day most of us have been waiting for since the ball bags were officially opened in the preseason has arrived. In less than 12 hours, we will have champions crowned in each class. The Class A (1:30 p.m.), B (4 p.m.) and AA (6:30 p.m.) games are at Suffern Middle School while the Class C finale is at Bronxville High School at 2 p.m.
First up is No. 1 Byram Hills and No. 2 Lakeland meeting in a rematch of last year’s scintillating Class A championship game under the lights up in Cross River at John Jay. This should be one of the best—if not the most physical and exciting—game of the four. And we won’t have to wait long to see who the winner is. This is one of those games where you won’t want to fall behind becaise both teams are stingy defensively and the pressure will begin to mount as each second ticks off the clock.
Second comes top-seeded Valhalla and No. 2 Blind Brook meeting for the Class C crown. Blind Brook got the best of the Vikings in their Oct. 25 meeting, but don’t read too much into that because the Vikings rested four of their top players so they would be fresh for the postseason. I dont think these two teams like each other too much, so this should be an all out you know what.
Next up will be No. 3 Bronxville meeting top-seeded Hastings. The Yellow Jackets and Broncos haven’t met this season, so there’s nothing to gauge how this one will go. If nothing else, the Broncos do have more postseason experience since they played for the title last year, losing to Albertus Magnus in the championship game. But Hastings has silenced the doubters so far, so anyone who doesn’t think they have a legitimate shot isn’t thinking too claerl.
Lastly, there’s the game everyone predicted: No. 5 Greeley and No. 10 Scarsdale playing for the Class AA title at 6:30 p.m. If you thought this was going to be the matchup, please raise your hand. For those raising your hand, put them down quickly before they are struck by lightening. You have to give it to Greeley coach Bob Oddo and Scarsdale coach Joe Cipriano. Both have done a great job beating the odds to get their respective teams here and they are each one win away from the big dance, AKA the state tournament. Each team is loaded with seniors, so it will come down to the team that takes serious advantage of any good scoring opportunities they can get.
If for some reason you can’t make it to either of the two sites, have no feat. The Just Kickin’ It blog crew is here. I will do my best to provide you with instantaneous updates as the games go along. I will be at Suffern and my man Eric Lebowitz will be at Bronxville. So keep it right here if you have a prior engagement that won’t allow you to be there in person.
Check back early and often. In the meantime, I want you guys to weigh in with your predictions. Who ya got?
This entry was posted
on Saturday, November 3rd, 2007 at 9:29 am by Rod Boone. 
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nick vasta scores on a header with 15 mins left in first and lakeland leads 1-0.
blind brook leads valhalla 2-0 at the half.andrew babat scored both goals, the second coming from 25 yards out.
stephen paresi scores on a pk with 13;11 left in the second and byram hills and lakeland are all square at 1-1.
Blind Brook beat Valhalla 2-1
Valhalla made a late push as they scored within the last 5 min, but Blind Brook held tough and secured their second consecutive section 1 championship
Byram wins 2-1 in OT.
Yes Byram fan, the Hills won 2-1 in OT on a goal by junior Pat Vierengel. They will play Section 4 champ Owego at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta.
I thought there was a regional championship before the state part of the tournament…any idea where/when Blind Brook will play?
I’m thinking that BB will play the section 9 champ, Millbrook…probably played somewhere up in section 9 which is made up of Orange,Sullivan,Ulster
Blind Brook will play Millbrook at teh Dome up in Orange County
HSFan,
Blind Brook will play Millbrook on Tuesday at the Hudson Valley Sportsdome in Milton.
hastings wins 5-4 in ot
greeley and scarsdale are scoreless at the half
Byram Hills REPEATS as they go down 1-0 at halftime and BEAT LAKELAND 2-1 FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR
SORRY LAKELAND
Byram refuses to lose again, and totally stops lakeland in their tracks
don wong lee scored with 26 minutes left and scarsdale leads 1-0
harrison lewin ties it with 10 mins left
yaaa…......the polls are all shit…u all said we wouldnt make it to finals but we WON!!!!!!!
Rod,
the Byram-Lakeland game was played just the way you said it would play, exciting and physical. It was only fitting that it went to overtime to decide the winner. I don’t know if you watched the psot game ceremonies, but Lakeland actions were awful, an embarasssment to their community and school. As the Byram players were receiving their individual awards and team plaque, most of Lakeland’s players and coaches turned their backs to the ceremony. I’m waiting for the photo’s taken to be emailed to me do I can post them. Now, I understand that they were upset that they lost, maybe even pissed off they let a 1-0 get away, but to not show proper sportsmanship during a postgame ceremony is a sad display of respect to any team. Maybe if an adminstrative person such as an athletic director or school principal was there it may have been different because the coach sure didn’t do anything to correct the situation. But no one was there. It was classless.
I was also at the Class A Boys final and could not believe that a high school coach would tolerate the immature behavior of his team actually turning their backs on a 1st place ceremony. Coaching is about building high school athletes into men and women, not condoning rude acts decided upon in the heat of the moment. Lakeland HS and their fans should be proud of the effort their boys put forth on the field, but ashamed of the behavior afterwards, especially by their coach. This was a tough loss obviously, but be a leader, Coach.
Class is nonexistent for this Lakeland team.. Atleast they shook Byram’s hands this year.
the referee gave that game away giving byram hills a penalty kick off a poor call
was it a bad call Rod? Either way I’m very surprised that Lakeland reacted that way after the game. Are people overeacting or was there a total lack of respect?
Greeley and Scarsdale tied and thats the end of the game? is it me or does this not make any sense? i dont know what to think. rod or someone can you tell me what is going on with the AA final game.
I would also like to congratulate two Lakeland seniors. Regardless of the result of today’s game are the type of athletes that make a team great. Mike Malan and Lou Demello. If you had 11 of these competitors you would not loose a game. I know some are going to say ” they are hot heads, dirty, ect” but the bottom line is they compete at a level differently than the typical high school athlete. I’ve seen too many athletes in this area recieve bad names becuase of misjudgements in character due to certain athletes who bring intensity and competitiveness to another level. These two individuals are what you look for in leaders for any team. Lakeland was so succesfull because both (especially lou this year)were able to pick up their team in times of need to allow them to compete for a sectional championship. Without Lou and Mike this team is an average team with a tradition. With both of them on the field they turned into one of the best teams in Class A with two young adults that lead by example at a collegiant level.
I understand the Byram Hills game winner came in the 1st overtime, which was a sudden death overtime.
I thought the OT rules were you played two minute, non golden goal OT’s and then if the score was tied you either went to two golden goal OT’s then PK’s.
Was there a rule change? Why the change in OT rules from regular season games where you played two non-golden goal OT’s?
Seems odd.
does anyone know who all the teams play in the next round?? Especially Hasintgs?
Greeley plays vestal/ithaca winner, Byram plays Owego free, hastings plays dududuuuu & blind brook plays & will lose!! yeah…best of luck to the section 1 teams who represent section 1 in the regional tourney.
hastings plays lansing and Blind brook plays marathon…best of luck fellas!
whitney stark gave the game to byram. lakeland fell back in to a defensive set in the second half and byram was having trouble getting the ball in to the box. whitney calls a ticky tack foul and emphatically signals for a penalty. ive never seen a referee more happy to make a call. in the past 5-6 years ive seen this embarassment of a referee take control of many games and its a shame. lakeland was not disrespecting byram at the end. maybe they didnt show respect by watching, but i dont think its DISrespectful to not watch. congrats to byram, they got the breaks today. it was a really well played game otherwise. way to go whitney. i wish him luck against owego.
Watch the tape! It was a clear take down in the box. Can’t call a shove in the box, ticky tack. Good play to sell it but you have to make that call. In addition, settling for a 1-0 win at halftime is not the right strategy as Byram did dominate the second half of play. Lakeland left it in the referrees hands and lets be honest, they got some serious calls in the first half including a throw in that led to their first goal. They only got four quality shots on goal so let’s not blame poor Whitney no matter how emphatic he is. In addition, for the past two years, the Lakeland team did not respect the outcome of the game. Last year, no hand shake. This year, turning their backs to the ceremony not only shows a lack of class but a lack of teaching from the coach. In the end, its about teaching the kids about honor and losing with dignity. (In defense of the Lakeland squad though, I did see Mike Malan and Lou DeMello congratulate the Byram team and showed extreme class during the game and beyond.) In the state finals last year, when Byram lost, I watched those Byram kids stand on the podium as Aquinas received individual awards with their heads up high. It was classy and ultimately the boys learned from it which is the most important lesson of all. Let’s not talk about breaks here WBI, your team was outclassed and outcoached. Can’t let a team with a stronger midfield penetrate into your half of the field for 40 minutes and expect to win.
Anyone, Can you explain to me why section 1 so frequently must play the extra game to get into the regional final? Section 1 winners have to win 3 and sometimes 4 games to win the section, more than most other sections, and then they must play this extra regional semi final game 3 and a half hours away. Why do they do this? Does this make sense?
Why aren’t more people noticing the fact that both greeley boys and girls soccer teams won the class AA championship on pks? Overall, greeley went 9 for 9. pretty cool heads from those kids from chappaqua. whens the last time both the boys and girls have won the section in the same year from the same school?
wbi,
First off, it was a foul. Secondly, Byram Hills had possession for 95% of the second half because Lakeland seemed content to try to fend off the dogs for 40 minutes with a 1-0 lead, something you can’t do against a team with the players Byram has. Congrats to Section 1 for hosting a great event at Suffern MS.
Great feat for the Horace Greeley boys and girls. The late game last night was a classic soccer game and what a shame for the game to end on penalty kicks after co-champions are declared. Pull a player off the field and open it up and settle it on the field.
As far as the Sectionals and States are concerned, Sections 1,4,9 are always grouped together. It’s unfair that they do not rotate it as Long Island Schools only have to play one other section instead of three. Anyway, they work on a rotation schedule. Last year, Section I got a bye as 4 & 9 played each other in the regional semi final. This year, Section 9 has the bye and 1 & 4 play each other. It’s about as fair as it can be but they do not rotate who plays who and that is due to geography.
Good luck to Greeley, Byram and Hastings in Oneonta.
In other sports, they moved Section 4 to play Sections 2 & 3. The Southern tier might be closer to the Capital Region and Syracuse area than the LoHud.
I remember driving to Cortland for last year’s basketball regionals and passing Syracuse on the way.
I don’t see why they can’t do the same here.
ill admit that lakeland had absolutely no midfield presence, but i really think that byram would not have scored without that pk. while maybe it wasnt the best strategy to play defense for 40 minutes, it worked for about 30 minutes until whitney took over. i saw 2 plays in the last 10 minutes where a lakeland player was clotheslined and then another was chop blocked, and not one card was taken out. byram wasnt a dirty team, but some of the plays out there warranted cards. whitney is a known lakeland hater. byram is clearly a legit team, and they earned their second goal, but i dont think they even get to that point without whitney on their side.
a penalty is a penalty.. there was contact in the box as a lakeland player took down a byram player from behind. Let’s not try to come up with excuses and saying that was not a penalty because it was.
Wow how did greeley and scarsdale make it to the AA finals they are so bad. the finals should have been 2 different teams for sure and as for scarsdale think they were going to kill greeley because they beat them 5-1 earlier in the year, i am happy scarsdale lost. scarsdale is so bad and they should have never made it to the finals because they caught a beating early on in the year.
Wow how did greeley and scarsdale make it to the AA finals they are so bad. the finals should have been 2 different teams for sure and as for scarsdale think they were going to kill greeley because they beat them 5-1 earlier in the year, i am happy scarsdale lost. scarsdale is so bad and they should have never made it to the finals.
Lakeland was completely outcoached and should never have packed it in for the whole half. With Byram pressing for 40 minutes, it was inevitable that they’d get the breakthrough. And no real complaints should be made about the pk call, it was a legitimate takedown in the area, not to mention Whitney missed at least three calls on byrams number 5 in and around the box. So you can’t say he was biased in his decisions. A classless act it certainly was to turn their backs during the ceremony, and this is a direct result of Lakeland’s coach, who instills no class or discipline in his team. I heard he was very ignorant towards the Byram players when the teams shook hands and am suprised he had them shake hands at all. Last year, of course, he was fine with his team not doing so at all. A sore loser and certainly not the type of guy you want leading your kids. Having said that, credit Malan and a few others for still showing some level of class and congratulating Byram on their win. In the end, Byram was dominant from the 2nd half on and definetely deserved the win.
scarsdale and greeley made it to the finals because greeley has one of the best goalies in the section and scarsdale has one of the best defenses in the section… just because whatever team you play for/root for got upset by one of those teams doesnt give you the right to belittle what they did… if arlington and john jay were so great, they shouldve been able to handle beating greeley and scarsdale pretty easily…
try practicing everyday over the summer- running then scrimmaging- every day over the summer- imagine loving your teammates as much as your family- this lakeland team was FAMILY- and to have poeple complain about their acts after the game – having to watch the same team take it from them – terrible play by numbr 10 on lakeland for the pk- u cant do that with so little time left- a hugeletdown to the team. i congratulate #s 15,3,16,7,11,17, 12 for hard fought games they all played very well and feel 15,3,17,7,11 should try to play in college- i understand 10 was a captain- how does a captain do that to his team . 23 mike malan was no where to b found on thefield – let down just like 10. their coach is a man who tauhgt dicsipline to this team, his tactic of packing it in would have worked if 10 didnt foul, i congrtulate all seniors on the team and feel whitney let bryan off the hook – the good guys never win
byram did not deserve to win that game i disagree with fan1
why did byram not deserve to win?
byram would absolutely not have scored in regulation other than on a pk. the 5 foot 5 defender on lakeland was locking down byrams supposed best player. lakelands goalie is ridiculous. lakeland isnt a deep team so they couldnt play both sides of the ball in the second half and so they did the smart play and held byram defensively. byram controlled possession but didnt get any good shots on goal. plus you have to think about the psychological perspective of an athlete. land played their hearts out the entire game and you could tell they were visibly exhausted. to have the ref change the game like that kills your morale. without that call, lakeland wins the game.
I would just like to point out that as a spectator, you are no where near the field. You have no idea the things that go on out there verbally. While Byram Hills may seem like little angels, and Lakeland looks disrespectful, you don’t really know what goes on during a game. Trash talk is a part of sports, and it’s something the fans never get to hear. So while you think that Lakeland was being disrespectful after the game, just know that Byram aren’t the most respectful players themselves.
well repeat you got two answers right there
so yea, your saying that byram didn’t deserve to win because they allegedly trash talked during the game?... you sure make a lot of sense
yea i guess you’re right.. lakeland lost due to alleged trash talk by byram. and i dont know why you are acting like that ref handed byram an unjust penalty. it was a foul. lakeland’s whole offense was based on throw ins and set pieces..
it was a foul in the box…i would know
...byram deserved 2 win the game hands down and if u think that working hard all summer and loving your team as a family is an excuse to not shake byrams hands or have their backs turned to them is a completetly terrible excuse…but the only thing that really matters is that byram is sectional champions 2 years in a row
To repeat and player-
across the board in any athletic i have taken part of, i can honestly say that Byram Hills, more than anyother school, shows more blatant disrespect and “dirty” play. Whether this stems from their coaching staff, the parents, or the town itself I truly dont know and will not point fingers. But as player put it before, Byram Hills players are not angels by any reach of the imagination.
Ps. Lakeland worked very hard to get to where they got and yes, turning there back was disrespectful, but i feel as if it was soley an act of dissapointment, especially for the seniors who will perhaps never have another opportunity. I only wonder how byram wouldve handled losing a game like this.
When they lost in the state, they handled it like men with their heads straight forward. Acts of disappointment is one thing but class is another. And I think the dirty play is from the town itself…the entire town actually. We really should blame them especially that bagel store in central armonk, that is where they teach dirty soccer tactics every Thursday at 6:00 PM to 6:15 PM. After the session, they sit with onion bagels and lox to discuss the tactics. It’s crazy. Outsider….blatant disrespect…get serious because you just pointed fingers at the coach, the parents and the town.
Ok, lakeland comes up with more whining and excuses.. fact of the matter is byram rolls on and lakeland is crying as they blew it another year. Outcoached, outclassed, outplayed
GLORY TO THE HILLS
to outsider:
im pretty sure wen byram lost the state final to aquinas that they shook their hands so dont say that byram hills is dirty and disrespectful wen it took lakeland about 5 minutes 2 actually even shaking byrams hands this year it doesnt matter wut he circumstance is u still should show some class atleast
This is ridiculous… All these people claiming to be outsiders when they are truly lakeland fans upset. Byram played well, and don’t even talk about how they trash talk. They are a bunch of classy, unified players who have shown in the last two seasons that they can win in unbelievable fashion in the playoffs.
Glory to the hills, and shame on opposing fans for trying to downplay the significance and beauty of their win on saturday.
It’s not easy to lose any contest at this level because of the amount of time that is put into the preperation for these games. I personally know both coaches here and both put more time in than 80% of the rest of the section. It’s no coincidence that both teams were playing each other. I was very surprised to hear what Lakeland did after the game and question the fact that they did this. Especially after hearing Coach Allen’s(who may be the best Coach in class A) quote in the paper today “Lakeland is the best team we have faced all year and extememly wqell coached” I don’t think this would have been his response if Lakeland turned their backs to his team during the award ceremony? Just a thought
Lakeland didn’t lose because Byram talked trash. I’m explaining why Lakeland may have shown a lack of respect towards Byram. It’s easy to say you respect a team that you beat, but imagine being on the losing end of an intense rivalry game, especially one you may or may not feel cheated out of. When I played in high school, my team lost a game in the regular season and a game in the state tournament. While the state tournament game ended our season, our regular season loss was to a team that we were familiar with and had a rivalry with. So it was harder to shake hands with the team that beat us in the regular season. So keep pointing out how Byram is so respectful to a team that they have no history with. It proves nothing. As for Lakelands coach, you know nothing about him so relax about that.
player:
u obiviously are a player on lakeland y would u be some former high school player sticking up for them and hating on byram hills. EVERYONE JUST FACE THE FACT THAT BYRAM HILLS OWNS LAKELAND 2 YEARS IN A ROW IS NOT A FLUKE and glory to the hills
and btw there is no rivalary between byram and lakeland since that byram does pretty much own them
I’m no lakeland fan by any reach. All im trying to say is is that byram hills supporters should be careful when talking about other schools in regard to classlessness. Maybe certain sports more than others but i’m not making this up, byram has a rep in section one when it comes to sportsmanship.
i know all i need to know about their coach when i went to say good game and he barely acknowledged me… this is what carried on to their players.. and dont keep bringing up how hard lakeland worked over the summer and wanted this, etc.. u dont thnk byram hasnt put in just as much time in the off season and didnt have that same kind of drive.. thats no excuse to act the way they did after the game.. as fenton put above me, glory to the hills! who once again proved they are the class of section 1
for soccer at least, as outsider said i cant speak for other sports but have not seen a problem
VWK-
Maybe, just perhaps, the cynicism and arrogance that embodies your statement has permeated the playing field in byram. Just an observation
lakeland lost b/c they tried to hold a 1-0 lead for a full 40min. They applied no pressure to the byram defense, and left paresi wide open to tool on lakeland. the pk had to be called, it was a clear foul. And what round is next for section 1? Why is Greeley playing at the hall of fame already?
Actually its sarcasm. Nothing cynical about what I wrote. Either way, this blog is self-defeating as no one gets anything out of it. Regardless, it was a great game played by both teams and it was a shame that someone had to lose. Malan and Dimello were classy throughout the game and Foci in net was amazing throughout. The save he made on the direct kick in the wind was incredible. The Hills played well and their keeper played big on their set pieces and Paresi played exceptional in the midfield. The main focus should be the players and the game which was one of the best I have seen from the stands. It made me wish that I was back out there.
i just saw someone say that byram owns lakeland. until the past 2 games between the two, i can remember only lakeland victories. and on another note, byrams goalie could not catch a ball. to say he played big on their set pieces is a travesty.
not cathing a ball = 1 goal allowed
lakeland goalie = 2 goals allowed
I’d rather take the goalie who couldn’t catch a ball
Lakeland didn’t deserve to win because they tried to play defense for the entire second half and then just one mistake which allowed byram into the box led to their downfall. Lakeland got lucky that they even got the one goal off a terrible play by the defense and the goalkeeper. THe byram keeper is so bad that he can’t even catch a ball. I would perfer a 12 year old in goal that can catch the ball.
As as an outsider with no allegiance, I think the biggest disgrace to the sport is the uneducated comments from both sides on this blog. The Lakeland team did not turn their backs on the ceremony, a few kids who were still in tears from the loss turned so as not to be seen in that state by the crowd. As far as the coach, I saw him taking the time to console some of those players through a difficult time.
As far as the game, well played by both teams. It is a treat to see a game played with such intensity and skill. Complaining about the calls of a referee in a soccer game is a sport in itself and I would say much more competitive in the stands in most games than what’s happening on the field. Foul? I don’t know, it doesn’t matter it was called. Game plan? If it works you’re a genius, if not you’re an idiot. Usually the game plan is acceptable, sometimes the execution isn’t 100%.
All of that said, I would like to tip my hat to the players and coaches of both teams who put in so much time to insure that lovers of the beautiful game like myself get to enjoy watching the fine youth of our communities play a game like we were able to witness on Saturday.
Well said soccerbum…it is very sad to see how immature many of the adults that comment on this blog are.
if you would rather have the byram goalie over the land goalie your crazy. the only way byram scored was on one on one oppurtunities which are near impossible for any goalie. the byram goalie let in a header from almost 18 yards out, how does that happen?
wrong and B,
both of you should just stop singling out players for bad reasons. Both goalies played tough games.
Soccerbum states it the best. Why do the Byram fans feel the need to put down Lakeland after the defeat? That’s a lack of class. Why did Byram fans feel the need to trashtalk Lakeland players after the game while they were obviously devastated? That’s a lack of class. Where were the adults and values being demonstrated while Byram was rubbing the loss in the Lakeland players face? Did anyone see the picture of Nick Jerussi comforting a devastated Keio player when Lakeland beat them in penalty shots during playoffs last year? Did anyone read the article about how Lakeland played their 2nd string Senior goalie in their last regular season game this year against John Jay rather than working for the win at all costs? That’s class and caring. Perhaps Lakeland was too sad to cross the field and observe Bryam being handed a trophy that they felt they deserved. Not one of them talked trash to Byram as this was going on. They were too devasted to participate. No one on this blog can say that Byram was a better team. There were mistakes made, and Byram took advantage of them fair and square. Give Lakeland a break, grow up and move on. Karma may get the best of you. There’s nothing more satisfying than winning Sectionals at this level. The remainder of the games are a gift.
Just got the pictures, can’t figure out how to get it downloaded so you can all see, 13 backs turned, that’s more than a few. I was on the track for the ceremony so I would like to think I had one of the best views, the pictures confirm my comments.
byram will always win with adolph whitney on there side.
At the game and this blog stream is out of control. As an bystander, both teams were incredible that Saturday and the coaching staff did a fine job with both teams who shook hands and showed their mutual respect. Lets just say that both teams performed well, forget the refs, the backs turned and all the nonsense…it was great Section I soccer. Plain and simple. Congrats to both teams and schools.
luvofthegame,
its the second year in row, last year no hand shake, this year turn their backs, your argument would make some sense if it was a one time deal, but it wasn’t. of course they didn’t trash talk during the ceremony, their backs were turned, pictures speak a thousand words. As far as the fans, there was plenty of Byram Hills security that took of the potential issues for the BH fans. There was no one, no AD, no HS prinicpal or assistant principal, no one from adminstration there that made their presence known from Lakeland. But that’s another whole issue. Too sad to stand and watch, absurd. If someone would just say it was unsportsmanlike, it would be put to rest, but there just seems to be more and more excuses coming each day.
don’t get it
I agree with you as far as the game was played, but it isn’t just about the game anymore. New York State has made a concerted effort to improve sportsmanship among all the sports. Coaches and their teams need to step up when they have the opportunity to show the quality type of people they are and the programs they represent. lakeland missed a golden opportunity on one of the biggest stages they will ever be a part of, but they were too sad, that’s a shame.
is byram really going to cry the rest of their lives about how lakeland didnt watch them get a plaque? if getting the plaque itself isnt good enough then why are you playing. just so you can rub it in lakelands face in it after you beat them? should teams that lose in the section finals not be allowed to blink during the plaque ceremony either, because they might miss part of it and that would just ruin the whole victory for the other team.
to cry:
yes its all about the plaque…2 bad u dont have 1
>: O
i actually do have a plaque moron. and my team had a better record than byram does while playing a legitimate schedule of a and aa teams. not the worst b teams in the section like byram puts together. and when i won i wasnt worried about the team we beat. i couldnt even tell they were there. so take your plaque and move on, stop worrying about what lakeland does.
All of you Bryam fans who are crying that Lakeland did not watch you get your plaque….get over it! Your team won and you are doing the most whining. Are you that pathetic?? And why do you care so much??? Newflash-
You won Sectionals! You should be worrying about your next game. Please move on and go represent our Section. Stop crying already, everyone has moved on-its time to grow up.Good sportsmanship occurs when teammates, opponents, coaches, and officials treat each other with respect. Players learn the basics of sportsmanship from the adults in their lives, especially their parents and their coaches. Kids who see adults behaving in a sportsmanlike way gradually come to understand that the real winners in sports are those who know how to persevere and to behave with dignity  whether they win or lose a game.
Parents can help their kids understand that good sportsmanship includes both gestures and heroic efforts. It starts with something as simple as shaking hands with opponents before a game and includes acknowledging good plays made by others and accepting bad calls gracefully. Displaying good sportsmanship isn’t always easy: It can be tough to congratulate the opposing team after losing a close or important game. But players who learn how to do it will benefit in many ways throughout their adult lives.
Coaching children is an honor and a privilege that carries with it a moral responsibility to contribute to the healthy character development of players.
This never would have been allowed in a professional or olympic sport. What makes it ok now ??
Professionals do whatever they want. They make unsportsman-like comments all of the time (sometimes even act on them.)
I was at the game and it was not a big deal. I can’t seem to understand why Bryam Hills cares so much. Did someone hurt your feelings? Worry about yourselves! Athletes are suppose to be tough. They are not suppose to cry because the Losing team did not celebrate their win with them.
I guess “cry” is the right word for you. Because it is you who are doing all of it ! Enough said.
To single out specific players for their mistakes in such a great game shows nothing but a great lack of class and respect. I saw the entire game, including Lakeland’s goal in the first half, and the keeper was screened by attackers and defense. There was nothing he could have done; just a stroke of bad luck. As for his skill in the air: for wrong to say “byrams goalie could not catch a ball. to say he played big on their set pieces is a travesty” is a completely uneducated statement. Anyone who watched this game saw that although some of the balls in the air were bobbled, Byram’s keeper completely dominated throw-ins and set-pieces in his 18. As for the few were bobbled, the keeper quickly regained control without giving up a scoring opportunity. Anyone who knows anything about goalkeeping also knows that with cold weather, the palms of gk gloves harden taking away from the grip of gloves which could have been the problem with these few bobbles. Regardless, it is completely classless and disrespectful to try and bash a good player who deserved the title his team received. Congratulations to Lakeland on a great season and a well played sectional final match, and to Byram on their well deserved win. Good luck to Byram this Saturday in their Regional Final match against Cornwall of Section 9.
Hills is back at it again representing section 1 as best as it can be done with a 4-0 shutout of Cornwall in the regional final.