2017 Season - National Perspective

[bestfancle]

Pool C's -- Amherst, Cortland St, John Carroll.....only 16 spots left...or is it 15?  The bubble is already getting smaller and tighter.

Pool C
John Carroll, Amherst, Cortland.

I believe Brandeis and Buffalo State get one so five.

Tonight either Hopkins or Dickinson will get one.

6 will be gone after tonight leaving 13 spots.

Now you and rudy are doing a different project, projecting ahead, which also would be interesting.  Obviously at least several more definite Pool Cs are coming, like the Messiah vs Lycoming loser.  I was just counting the ones that already have happened.  I agree Brandeis is a definite.  Not so sure about Buff State.  And some others we might think are sure things could be dependent on outcomes over the next 3 days.  What if Oglethorpe loses.  And if Capital if beats Otterbein, which I would bet on.  OWU could definitely beat Kenyon.  I could go on.  At least a couple of teams that seem like sure fire Pool Cs are going to be left out.

P.S Once you start counting out 18 to 19 Pool Cs and the absolute locks already in place those slots evaporate in a hurry.  Even teams like Kenyon and Otterbein that seem like they should be locks could be in trouble.  Imagine if Springfield also loses, and so on.

Otterbein reminds me of JCU's 2014 team. Should they be in if they lose, probably, will they be in, probably.

[PaulNewman]

rudy, your scenarios provide a perfect example that could lead to panic for Pool Cs.  Will anyone be shocked if F&M wins the AQ?  Or shocked if several more favorites falter in their conference tourneys?

[Falconer]

Falconer, I'll go with Schilling...after considerable research.  You failed to mention Kenyon won 2-1 in 1996!

Nicely done, Paul, nicely done. As far as I know, Messiah and Kenyon have played just twice, with the other game (as you know) being in the tournament just a few years ago. Both were in Grantham. 1996 was at or near the end of the coaching career of the late Layton Shoemaker, a longtime friend of mine. Because one of his players (Schlling) had a brother (it might be a twin, but I don't trust my memory on that part) who played for Kenyon, Layton promised to arrange a game. I love that: it's what all college sports should be about, namely, the cultivation of relationships that last and enrich us.

Thanks for taking the challenge. I enjoyed offering it. If you ever have one for me, I'll try to do as well as you did with it.

I can't imagine I'll come up with one that good, but I'll try. 

Here's one....without looking, can you name the minute Kenyon missed the sitter off a cross to take the lead in the 2nd half in 2013?

The way you word this, it must have been pretty late. Was that an OT game? I can't do better without looking it up...

One of the nice things about being a Falcon fan is that you get to watch some terrific games with top teams, in which both teams bring their A game and either one has one or two opportunities to put the other side away. I recall that game with Kenyon as a barn burner, so I'll go with this hunch and wait for the full truth from you.   

Obviously, Paul, you and other Kenyon fans would have been just a small group in the Falcon ocean, but I hope you felt welcome nonetheless. I've often overheard cordial exchanges involving fans of the visitors, and I've sometimes made a point myself of greeting parents and friends of visiting players. A lot of us respect people who've driven some distance to support their team, and we even (if often quietly) appreciate good, clean plays by the visiting team--and good strategies well implemented. It's a very intelligent crowd, after decades of watching beautiful futbol.

(Etown games are the exception, since many people on both sides wear shirts indicating their loyalties and carry bunches of marshmallows to throw at someone's face. The fans can get heated. I never throw stuff, but I do wear something appropriate and always get hit several times. I could do without the marshmallows.)

[PaulNewman]

Falconer, from the Messiah recap.....

"Kenyon even played as the aggressor for a long stretch of the frame, and came close to going ahead in the 73rd minute."

I've said this before, but that evening, even in defeat where an incredible victory seemed possible, was one of the highlights of all of my time following soccer and certainly one of the top 2-3 experiences in all of the years of watching my own kid play.  It was a bitterly cold evening, like colder than I've ever been at a game (as there was a rare arctic mass over all of the Northeast and I believe much of the Midwest), but the atmosphere was fantastic.  I'll likely never find myself at Shoemaker Field again but it was an experience I'll never forget.

BTW, Ramirez scored the winner in the 89th minute off a failed Kenyon clearance.  McCarty I think intentionally kept Kenyon from subbing as the Lords were exhausted.  All American CB Justice had saved a Thompson ball off the line just a few minutes before.

[Falconer]

Falconer, from the Messiah recap.....

"Kenyon even played as the aggressor for a long stretch of the frame, and came close to going ahead in the 73rd minute."

I've said this before, but that evening, even in defeat where an incredible victory seemed possible, was one of the highlights of all of my time following soccer and certainly one of the top 2-3 experiences in all of the years of watching my own kid play.  It was a bitterly cold evening, like colder than I've ever been at a game (as there was a rare arctic mass over all of the Northeast and I believe much of the Midwest), but the atmosphere was fantastic.  I'll likely never find myself at Shoemaker Field again but it was an experience I'll never forget.

BTW, Ramirez scored the winner in the 89th minute off a failed Kenyon clearance.  McCarty I think intentionally kept Kenyon from subbing as the Lords were exhausted.  All American CB Justice had saved a Thompson ball off the line just a few minutes before.

Thank you very much for those memories, Paul. Ramirez was a rare talent. An older brother played winger for the Falcons, but wasn't quite as good. I think there may be another brother who played at a very high level in central America, but I am not confident of that part.

I was actually on Kenyon's field once, but not for a game. I had business a few miles away, stayed with a friend who is a triathlete, and we cycled through the campus one spring morning.

[Dave B]

Falconer, from the Messiah recap.....

"Kenyon even played as the aggressor for a long stretch of the frame, and came close to going ahead in the 73rd minute."

I've said this before, but that evening, even in defeat where an incredible victory seemed possible, was one of the highlights of all of my time following soccer and certainly one of the top 2-3 experiences in all of the years of watching my own kid play.  It was a bitterly cold evening, like colder than I've ever been at a game (as there was a rare arctic mass over all of the Northeast and I believe much of the Midwest), but the atmosphere was fantastic.  I'll likely never find myself at Shoemaker Field again but it was an experience I'll never forget.

BTW, Ramirez scored the winner in the 89th minute off a failed Kenyon clearance.  McCarty I think intentionally kept Kenyon from subbing as the Lords were exhausted.  All American CB Justice had saved a Thompson ball off the line just a few minutes before.

I was also at that game and can confirm that it was as exciting as it was cold.  Both games (the next night against F&M) were absolutely frigid.   

Have you seen the video recap?  It shows the cross that you might be talking about.  I remember holding my breath against a foul being called on that play. 

[PaulNewman]

Thanks Dave B...I sent you a PM.

[Ron Boerger]

The SCAC may only get one school to the NCAAs after Colorado College loses in the opening round of the SCAC tourney to the #6 (of 6) seeded Southwestern, 0-1.  The Tigers fall to (11-4-5); Southwestern improves to 6-11-3.

[PaulNewman]

And the upsets keep rolling in....Hopkins out and a very likely Pool C...F&M leading Gettysburg and likely would be even odds or better versus Dickinson...Colorado College out....St Norbert out.....Oglethorpe does manage to get by Berry in OT but will be challenged hard by Centre.

[The Cove]

I was also at that game and can confirm that it was as exciting as it was cold.  Both games (the next night against F&M) were absolutely frigid.   

Have you seen the video recap?  It shows the cross that you might be talking about.  I remember holding my breath against a foul being called on that play.
[/quote]

As a fellow attendee, one of the sights of that game was seeing Sam Justice, with a clear hamstring injury (torn?) hobbling to the sideline to take off his wrapping and return to play. I think he played 90 minutes on that injury and kept Kenyon close in what could have been another route for Messiah. Especially after Messiah's early round scores and after they scored a brace before Kenyon even touched the ball.

Also worth noting: Jordan Glassman was injured for the game and Kenyon ended up playing with only one striker — unheard of for them as of late.

[Mr.Right]

Bubble teams alert..Trinity TX down 1-0 10 minutes into 2nd Half...Mayhem erupts as Trinity pushing #'s forward and Austin gets a breakaway going the other way. Trinity's GK comes charging out and prevents a goal by pushing him down. Gets a straight red. Trinity down to 10 men.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity ties it at 84' on a PK from Christian Sakshaug.  4' to play.

[Ron Boerger]

And wins after a handball is called in the box with 13.9 seconds remaining.    Brady Johnston with the game winner. 

[blooter442]

OWU over Kenyon in PKs, with both goalkeepers saving multiple PKs (OWU swapped its keeper out IIRC.) 3 OWU misses and 4 Kenyon misses — not sure if it was good goalkeeping or lackluster penalties? Think it might have been a bit of both.

[PaulNewman]

OWU over Kenyon in PKs, with both goalkeepers saving multiple PKs (OWU swapped its keeper out IIRC.) 3 OWU misses and 4 Kenyon misses — not sure if it was good goalkeeping or lackluster penalties? Think it might have been a bit of both.

Another freak show for Kenyon.  Never seen a team miss their first 3 PKs (OWU) and win.  Kenyon had a 2 goal lead with 2 kicks left.  Carmona has got to take a friggin PK.  Sickening.  Kenyon had chance after chance after chance, especially in the OTs. 5 corners in a row at one point.  Breakaways.  OWU karma strikes again.  Give OWU credit.  Played a smart game.  Fought hard.  Gave themselves a chance.  At least Kenyon didn't lose but there is just no way to explain this.  Hats off to Lowry.  By far the best player on the field and almost took the game in his own hands going coast to coast a couple of times and of course buried his PK after OWU got back to even.

P.S. Kenyon shots 18-8 and corners 11-1.  Unreal.