The Miami Heat after finishing off the determined New York Knicks through a five game series, are now heading to the conference semi-finals. The Heat's opponent will be the Indiana Pacers, who also left their opponent, the Orlando Magic in the dust with a 4-1 victory.
The Heat didn't need to put much effort into beating the Knicks. Throughout the five game series it was the Heat's big three, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh against Carmelo Anthony. Jeremy Lin, the Knicks' point guard was out due to a knee injury. The first three games in the series the Heat completely outwitted the Knicks. Baron Davis who played point guard position while Lin is out got injured during the Knicks' game four against the Heat, but with luck on their side they managed to survive a sweep and won game four. The Heat was still superior because they took advantage of the Knicks losing Davis and won game five.
Just like their semi-final opponent, the Pacers closed the Magic and ended the series in five games. Dwight Howard, the Magic's center, was out for the season due to an injury. Knowing this, the Pacers took advantage and was able to grab more rebounds.. Even though their starting center was out the Magic had put up a good fight and won one game of the series to avoid being swept. Unfortunately, the Pacers closed the series during game five.
The Heat and Pacers faced off in game one of their semifinal series and it ended with an unexpected turn. Through the first to third quarter in the game the Heat were trailing, but they made a comeback during the fourth quarter and took the win to lead the semifinal series with 1-0. The Heat and Pacers' Semifinals game two will be in Miami so the odds are against the Pacers. Bosh, Miami's power forward and one of the big three, was out with an injury during game one. The odds are stacked against them, but the Pacers are having a huge advantage because with Bosh out, James and Wade will have to score higher than they usually would to fill his gap.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Why is the WWE bringing back older superstars?
World Wrestling Entertainment has recently brought back many veteran and favored superstars. It first started off with bringing back Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson to Wrestlemania XXVIII and then Brock Lesnar showed up at Raw on April 10. Both Johnson and Lesnar targeted John Cena, one best wrestlers the WWE has to offer.
Wrestlemania XXVIII took place on April 1st, 2012 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the home of Johnson. The main event was Cena vs. Johnson and the promotional nickname given to the match was “Once in a lifetime.” Wrestlemania XXVIII was the most watched pay-per-view in professional wrestling history. Johnson left the WWE in 2004, but made many appearances in movies and T.V. shows.
The heat between Cena and Johnson started in Wrestlemania XXVII, where Johnson interrupted Cena’s match with the Miz, causing the Miz to win. After the match, Johnson delivered his finisher, the Rock Bottom, to Cena. The next day on Raw, Johnson challenged Cena to a match a year later. Cena agreed to fight in Wrestlemania XXVIII. After months of waiting for the so-called “Once in a lifetime match,” Cena faced Johnson. Johnson ended up with the victory, after delivering a Rock Bottom to Cena. After Johnson left, there was more to come for Cena.
After a cruel and tough match against Johnson, Cena had to face the fighting machine, Lesnar. Lesnar tried to make a statement on Raw, when he gave Cena his finisher, the F5. Cena and Lesnar went at each other for about two weeks until John Laurinaitis had a contract signing in order to finalize their match at Over the Limit. At Over the Limit Lesnar and Cena put up a great fight. Both men were battered up and bleeding. Lesnar ended up breaking Cena’s arm with one of his submission maneuvers, but Cena was still able to deliver an Attitude Adjustment leading him to victory.
Although the WWE is bringing back many past superstars, they are doing it purely to attract watchers and buyers. With more fans and watchers there is more profit. Furthermore, which wrestling fan does not want to see generations collide or see another superstar return? In a bleacherrport.com survey, 92 percent of 1300 people said yes to the following question “Do you agree with the WWE's decision to bring back past superstars like The Rock and Brock Lesnar?" Even though, Lesnar has now left the WWE, he probably will come back. Let's see who the WWE brings back next.
Wrestlemania XXVIII took place on April 1st, 2012 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the home of Johnson. The main event was Cena vs. Johnson and the promotional nickname given to the match was “Once in a lifetime.” Wrestlemania XXVIII was the most watched pay-per-view in professional wrestling history. Johnson left the WWE in 2004, but made many appearances in movies and T.V. shows.
The heat between Cena and Johnson started in Wrestlemania XXVII, where Johnson interrupted Cena’s match with the Miz, causing the Miz to win. After the match, Johnson delivered his finisher, the Rock Bottom, to Cena. The next day on Raw, Johnson challenged Cena to a match a year later. Cena agreed to fight in Wrestlemania XXVIII. After months of waiting for the so-called “Once in a lifetime match,” Cena faced Johnson. Johnson ended up with the victory, after delivering a Rock Bottom to Cena. After Johnson left, there was more to come for Cena.
After a cruel and tough match against Johnson, Cena had to face the fighting machine, Lesnar. Lesnar tried to make a statement on Raw, when he gave Cena his finisher, the F5. Cena and Lesnar went at each other for about two weeks until John Laurinaitis had a contract signing in order to finalize their match at Over the Limit. At Over the Limit Lesnar and Cena put up a great fight. Both men were battered up and bleeding. Lesnar ended up breaking Cena’s arm with one of his submission maneuvers, but Cena was still able to deliver an Attitude Adjustment leading him to victory.
Although the WWE is bringing back many past superstars, they are doing it purely to attract watchers and buyers. With more fans and watchers there is more profit. Furthermore, which wrestling fan does not want to see generations collide or see another superstar return? In a bleacherrport.com survey, 92 percent of 1300 people said yes to the following question “Do you agree with the WWE's decision to bring back past superstars like The Rock and Brock Lesnar?" Even though, Lesnar has now left the WWE, he probably will come back. Let's see who the WWE brings back next.
Ibaka's surge to the NBA
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| OKC big man Serge Ibaka/ Photo taken by Keith Allison/ Flickr.com |
Just last year, the Mavericks beat the Thunder 4-2, but this year the Thunder has gained experience and they came back stronger than ever. Spotlights are shining on the team, mostly the trio of Kevin Durant, Russel Westbrook, and their 6th man James Harden, but their big man Serge Ibaka lacks recognition. Ibaka is an energetic player who brings excitement to the crowd and the team, and he should be highlighted as a reason to the team's success.
Ibaka is known to block shots, and get rebounds. He is actually a significant reason why the Thunder have been doing so well. Inside the league, Ibaka is a humbled athlete, not asking for support or recognition. He is the type of player that gives the team a 100% each game, helping the team win. Some might not know why he is so humbled, but his past actually made him the person that he is today.
Ibaka was born on September 18, 1989, in the Republic of Congo, an impoverished country in northern Africa, to a mother and father who both played basketball. While his father played professionally in Africa and playing for the national team for the Republic of Congo, his mother played for national team for the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ibaka has 17 siblings, but he only lived around 10 of them. That means that he probably didn't receive proper care from his parents. Ibaka was a caring and loving person, "I liked growing up in a family atmosphere,” Ibaka said in a newsok.com article. "Family pride is very important to me, which is also a common thing in Africa. You grow up with a strong sense of family...We took care of each other."
Ibaka started playing basketball at the age of seven, playing on the courts of the Brazaville city with his friends after school and on his free time. He purely loved the game, playing with imperfections such as cracked courts and broken shoes, "It was something that we loved so much we didn’t care about how we did it as long as we could play the game,” Ibaka said in a newsok.com article. Ibaka and other Africans played with cardboard inserted shoes to cover up the holes on the shoes. Ibaka wanted to play professionally, even though NBA wasn't his first destination. At age eight, his mother died due to natural reasons, and a few years later, his father was imprisoned during the beginning years of the Second Congo War. During his (technically) orphaned years, young Ibaka lived with his grandmother, with no electricity or running water. Ibaka's only escape was basketball, so he just kept on playing. "I played every day,” Ibaka said in a newsok.com article. "If there was a day that I couldn’t play, I felt so bad, like something was missing that day."
Already ready with natural athleticism and teachings from his father, Ibaka joined a team called Avenir du Rail and outshined all the other young players. A Spanish agent noticed his talent and work ethic, and decided to make a deal to him and his family to move to Europe. For the next few years, Ibaka went around Europe, first France then Spain and he played on leagues with equal or better competition compared to the NBA D-League. When it was time for the NBA Draft 2008, Ibaka was chosen as the 28th pick overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ibaka became the only person drafted for the NBA draft from the Republic of Congo. Ibaka along with his family was emotional when his name was called during the day of the NBA Draft.
From a horrible past to a fabulous life now, Ibaka's hardworking mindset has significantly transformed his life. "After watching him play, (I noticed) his attitude and personality. He was a fighter, a winner, a leader. And after talking to him, his mind and focus (stood out). He was a hard worker and ready to sacrifice for achieving his dreams,” said Gallego, the Spanish agent that hired him on a newsok.com article. Maybe all his troubled times allowed him to reach his goals, but it doesn't matter, because he is currently living the life. Right now, Ibaka leads the league with 3.7 blocks per game, he had a career high 11 blocks playing against the Denver Nuggets on February 19th, 2012. Even though Ibaka doesn't contribute much offensively, he's the anchor of his team's defense. Ibaka is a big part of his team's success this season and he should be acknowledged for that.
Pujols struggles, struggles, and struggles
Albert Pujols's slump has been no secret to baseball fans, nor the media. The 32-year-old first baseman was the biggest story this off season, as he left the St. Louis Cardinals for the Los Angeles Angels. Pujols, a three time MVP award winner, agreed to a 10 year $240 million dollar contract with the team, making him one of the richest players.
However, through the first month and a half this season, Pujols hasn't just been bad, he's been dreadful. He's batting .198 with 11 RBIs and only one home run. This might not have been as big a story if the Angels were winning ballgames, however, they are not. The team is 14-18 and are in last in the AL West.
Currently, only three other players are being paid over $200 million. Alex Rodriguez, Prince Fielder, and Joey Votto. In Rodriguez's first year with the New York Yankees after agreeing to a 10 year $242 million dollar deal, he batted .286 with 36 home runs. In Fielder's first year with the Detroit Tigers, he is currently batting .309 with five homers and 15 RBIs. In Votto's first year after the extension with the Cincinnati Reds, he is batting .291 with two homers and 18 RBIs. All three players' first year after getting the big bucks, have been substantially better than Pujols has been in his first year with Los Angeles.
Angels fans have been told to calm down and not worry about Pujols's early slump. Many have said his performance will raise after he gets adjusted to his new team. However, Pujols's slump has lasted awfully long now and the question keeps pressing. Will Pujols be the same hitter that he was with the St. Louis Cardinals? "The game is not easy,'' Pujols said in an ESPN article. "Sometimes we make it look easy. Most times, it's not.'' In recent years, Pujols has indeed made it look easy. This year, Pujols is making baseball look harder than ever. Fans will simply have to wait to see if Pujols can start hitting well again. As the Angels continue to struggle, a dark cloud continues to hover over Angels Stadium.
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| Albert Pujols receiving a pick off throw while with the St. Louis Cardinals /Hjelle / Flickr |
Currently, only three other players are being paid over $200 million. Alex Rodriguez, Prince Fielder, and Joey Votto. In Rodriguez's first year with the New York Yankees after agreeing to a 10 year $242 million dollar deal, he batted .286 with 36 home runs. In Fielder's first year with the Detroit Tigers, he is currently batting .309 with five homers and 15 RBIs. In Votto's first year after the extension with the Cincinnati Reds, he is batting .291 with two homers and 18 RBIs. All three players' first year after getting the big bucks, have been substantially better than Pujols has been in his first year with Los Angeles.
Who will take the king's cup?
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| The Vicente Calderon Stadium/ flickr- Derick Leony |
Even though Athletic are not considered the favorites to win they cannot be underestimated. They showed great performances throughout the Europa Cup campaign, obtaining wins over some of the best teams in the world like Manchester United. Also they has one of the best tactical and craziest managers in all of soccer, Marcelo Bielsa. Bielsa has brought up a team who has struggled for most of the season to a team that has been able to compete against some of the best teams in Europe. Bielsa’s crazy tactics have seen the bringing up Javi Martinez, who switched from a center defensive mid role to a center back and is now considered a world class defender. Martinez has been a crucial part to their recent success with his smart play with the ball and defensive abilities. Fernando Llorente, the top scorer of the tournament, is also a key factor in the game as he is a very dangerous striker. Also his confidence is spreading through his team and is encouraging the team to play hard and like there's nothing to lose if they come out strong, "Los Leones have one way forward and that is to go into the match with full confidence and hope for the best," said the author of bettor.com.
Although Athletic have a good chance of winning in the Finals, Barcelona are still the favorites to win. Barcelona, who managed 15 goals in their last three games, will look for something to fill in the void that was left when they lost La Liga to Real Madrid. Barcelona will try to win the very last trophy they can under their manager, Guardiola, who has led the team to 13 titles in the last four years, making him the most successful manager in Barcelona history. Barcelona also has arguably the best player in the world, Lionel Messi, who has broken the record for most goals in one season and is in top form. Even though Barcelona is a great team, they must not only play well offensively but defensively. Barcelona’s defense has been shaky of late and they will be without Captain Carles Puyol, who has been a vital part of Barcelona’s defense for long time.
Both Athletic and Barcelona are going to come out strong to close the season with a win but both have to play well and limit their mistakes. Even though Barcelona are the favorites, Athletic will still be able to give them a tough time and make this game to remember.
FC Bayern München and Chelsea FC in the Champions League final
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| FC Bayern Münchens logo / alialaa / Flickr |
The last and only time Bayern and Chelsea met was in 2004-2005 Champions League quarter-finals, with Chelsea winning 6-5. This year the game will be at Bayern’s Allianz Stadium, as compared to the first time they played against each other, where they played two games, the first game at Stamford Bridge, and the second game at Olympiastadion. Being at their own stadium will definitely help Bayern with the support from fans and comfort of their home stadium.
Mario Gomez, forward for Bayern, has an impressive 12 goals this season, whereas top scorer for Chelsea is Didier Drogba with five. If Gomez brings his A-game it will be tough for Chelsea’s defense and goalie to keep him from scoring. “I'm scoring so often because the team makes it easy for me. We're playing attacking football and I'm the one waiting at the end of the line,” said Gomez to UEFA.com.
Another great player for Bayern is midfielder Toni Kroos, who had to step up for the injured Bastian Schweinsteiger. He has two goals and also two assists this season. Not only is he an excellent offensive player, he is also an exceptional defensive player, comfortable everywhere on the field. “I like playing in both attacking and defensive midfield. … I wouldn't ever say anything negative about the other position because I like playing there too,” he said to UEFA.com.
If Bayern brings their best game, especially the offense with players like Gomez, they will definitely have the upper hand against Chelsea. Even though they lost to Chelsea last time they met, this year they are much better suited to win.
Baron Davis' knee injury threatens his career
On April 31st during the third quarter of the New York Knicks' win against the Miami Heat, Baron Davis had an injury to his right knee that made him leave the game on a stretcher. The injury left the Knicks without a starting point guard. However, it is not their only problem. An MRI showed a tear in Davis' patella tendon. The injury is estimated to recover in a year, but the injury is so severe it leaves the rest Davis' career at risk.
This may be the end of Davis' long career. He was first noticed as an outstanding point guard at UCLA. He suffered a torn ACL and had to stay in college for another year due to the injury. However, he came back the next season with the explosiveness he had before the injury, making him the third overall draft pick of the 1999 NBA draft.
His NBA career started off with the then Charlotte Hornets and he was quickly noticed by fans as an outstanding player. He was an NBA All-Star twice with the Hornets, once in 2002 and another in 2004. Also in that year, Davis led the league in steals. He was then traded to the Golden State Warriors, where he led the league again in steals in 2008.
He battled battled from a herniated disk in his back, which was the cause of him being traded to three teams in the last three years. However, the injury he suffered from in April is career threatening but, he it does not affect him emotionally. Knicks' coach Mike Woodson said in a conference call, ''The one thing he did say is, 'Man, hey, I tried to give you all I could,' and I have a great deal of respect for players that work for me."
Davis' injury is estimated to recover in one year, but his one-year contract with the Knicks is finished. Since the contract is over he will become a free agent. His knee injury would make him slower on the court after the recovery which will be preventing him from being signed by another team. This is probably the last of Davis we will see in the NBA.
This may be the end of Davis' long career. He was first noticed as an outstanding point guard at UCLA. He suffered a torn ACL and had to stay in college for another year due to the injury. However, he came back the next season with the explosiveness he had before the injury, making him the third overall draft pick of the 1999 NBA draft.
His NBA career started off with the then Charlotte Hornets and he was quickly noticed by fans as an outstanding player. He was an NBA All-Star twice with the Hornets, once in 2002 and another in 2004. Also in that year, Davis led the league in steals. He was then traded to the Golden State Warriors, where he led the league again in steals in 2008.
He battled battled from a herniated disk in his back, which was the cause of him being traded to three teams in the last three years. However, the injury he suffered from in April is career threatening but, he it does not affect him emotionally. Knicks' coach Mike Woodson said in a conference call, ''The one thing he did say is, 'Man, hey, I tried to give you all I could,' and I have a great deal of respect for players that work for me."
Davis' injury is estimated to recover in one year, but his one-year contract with the Knicks is finished. Since the contract is over he will become a free agent. His knee injury would make him slower on the court after the recovery which will be preventing him from being signed by another team. This is probably the last of Davis we will see in the NBA.
Golfing great Phil Mickelson now in the Hall of Fame
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Mickelson at Muirfield Village-Flickr-Ed (supergolfdude)
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But his career is more than that. Mickelson is intensely popular among fans for his charisma and engaging personality. He spends hours signing autographs and greeting his fans before matches.
The Hall of Fame Committee, aside from his exceptional record, cited his role model behavior, good image, and devotion as reasons for the induction. As PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said at the induction ceremony, “ …you've never seen Phil Mickelson on or off the golf course that he wasn't showing the proper professionalism and comportment that you want to see in any athlete.”
Mickelson's family has been an important part of his success. He learned to play golf from his father, and has continued to draw inspiration from his family. Mickelson cherishes the personal memories he has gained throughout his career. Speaking to Bleacher Report about his first Masters Championship, Mickelson said, “What I remember about that Masters was that blond curly hair, the binky in her mouth, the two year old Sophia waving to the camera as CBS panned out from the scorer's tent”.
Mickelson is a truly outstanding athlete, as a golfer, as a role model and as a person. He may now be a Hall of Fame inductee, but the ambitious athlete’s career is not over. He is expected to play in the upcoming Players Championship, and says he plans to win a US and British Open before retirement.
Chris Gayle swings for the skies in the IPL
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| Chris Gayle/ paddynapper / flickr.com |
In the 2011 season, the Royal Challengers Bangalore lined up Gayle as a replacement for Dirk Nannes. This was the second game of the season and Gayle needed to make a big name for himself after struggling in the past few years of T20 international cricket. He started off the tournament with 102 rounds off of 55 balls, a century in the first game of the tournament.
Last season, Gayle led RCB to the finals with a plethora of sixes. He averaged a half century per game and had more sixes than fours. He was dominant enough that RCB took Nannes out as the opener and put Gayle instead. Every team in the IPL is scared to see Gayle crossing the boundaries. The fans are scared too, “Dearest gayle, I [sic] m [sic] comin [sic] to c [sic] u [sic] bat tonight at the wankhede.. plz [sic] dont [sic] break my Nose by those nuclear missiles,” said fan 786338sumeet on Twitter.
This season, Gayle is off to a hot start. Fast bowlers, spinners, coaches, and video analysts are all confused at how well Gayle can hit any ball with immense power. His tally for sixes in the season has risen to 37 after Wednesday’s game against the Mumbai Indians. He has 33 boundaries and took his run tally over 500. The 32- year old has already reached a century of sixes, the only man to do so in IPL history.
In the past few years, Gayle has not been stepping up on the West Indies team. He was replaced as opener by Adrian Barath and didn't seem to be interested in playing. Now, the West Indies team are the only people missing out. They have been missing Gayle in test matches, especially against powerhouses like Bangladesh and India. Gayle has to talk with the West Indies Cricket Board, and if they have been watching RCB games, they’ll know that he has gotten better and that he is the hottest batsman in the world right now.
What does Hamels mean by saying he was bringing back "old-school" baseball?
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| Cole Hamels/ SD Dirk/ flickr.com |
"I was trying to hit him. I'm not going to deny it. That's something I grew up watching, that's kind of what happened. So I'm just trying to continue the old baseball because I think some people are kind of getting away from it," said Hamels to the Washington Post.
What does Hamels mean by, "old-school baseball"?
He hadn't said a word since his suspension.
This term confused many people that watch baseball. In old-school baseball, pitchers didn't throw at batters to hit them. Instead, they threw high and tight so the batter won't be controlling the plate. Pitchers never wanted batters to be comfortable at the plate.
Not everyone is happy with what Hamels said. Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo was fined by Major League Baseball for his comment about Hamels. "I've never seen a more classless, gutless, chicken [expletive] act in my 30 years in baseball," Rizzo said to Washington Post. "Cole Hamels says he's old school? He's the polar opposite of old school. He's fake tough. He thinks he's going to intimidate us after hitting our 19-year-old rookie who's eight games into the big leagues? He doesn't know who he's dealing with."
Nationals manager, Davey Johnson, who played baseball when it was "old school," was asked about Hamels' comment. "From some things that happened in the past, I don't make a lot of comments on other people's comments," Johnson said to the Washington Times.
Even though Johnson did not want to make a lot of comments about others, he still shared more of his opinions to the Washington Times.
"Hamels making those comments, that's kind of a rare thing to ever happen. That was the most surprising thing. But there have been a lot of things that have changed over the years. That part of the game has changed considerably. I think it's all about prevention of injuries and whatever. And the game used to be policed more in-house. Now we have rules and umpires are trying to control the game more than the players. We used to handle it in-house."
Matt Barkley, possibly 2013 best NFL rookie?
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| Matt Barkley throwing a football Neon Tommy/ Flickr.com |
This gives a ray of hope to USC, for with Barkley’s skill, it’s possible to accomplish two important things: another Heisman award and also a chance to win the national championship.
Each year Barkley has shown more and more improvement. During his freshman year, Barkley had a 59.9% passing percentage, 15 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. The next year, he improved to a 62.6% passing percentage, 26 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Last season, Barkley, improved again with a 69.1% passing percentage, 39 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions. This coming season, it’s predictable the amount of touchdowns he throws will increase and the amount of interceptions will be even lower than in previous years.
Now being predicted to be the first pick of next year’s NFL draft, everyone has high expectations for him. Washington Coach Steve Sarkisian told Los Angeles Times, "If I'm an NFL head coach, right now, I'd pick Matt Barkley ahead of Andrew Luck. I think he's playing at that high of a level." Let's hope Barkley could live up to Coach Sarkisian's hope and all of the other of his supporters.
Monday, May 7, 2012
The improving girls softball team
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| HSMSE Softball / Jane Marlowe |
The Lady Dragons have made improvements in their play due to a change of coach and the amount of practice. The new coach, Crystal Downey, has increased practice to three to four times a week. Their fielding has improved greatly, with better outfielders and defense. However, the team is weak in many areas. Right fielder, Yemi Osayame, explained, “Our fielding has gotten way better, but our batting needs improvement.” The team’s pitching, too, has been inconsistent. With ERAs of 26.00 and 15.40, respectively, pitchers Diana Acosta and Claudia Lobenthal must improve.
The Dragons are strong in many ways. Key players on the team are freshman Anya Batista and senior Samantha Kombel. Kombel is one of the best contributors to the team. Kombel leads the team with a batting average of .739. She appeared on base 23 times and got 12 runs. Kombel has had much improvement since last year when she was only able to get one hit and run. Batista is also an outstanding addition to the group. She has been on base 19 times and has scored 14 runs. She has a great batting average of .737. Hopefully, Batista and Kombel will be able to lead the Dragons to many more wins.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Will the HSMSE baseball team come out strong?
The High School of Math, Science, and Engineering boys’ baseball team was mediocre in their debut season last year, but this season they’re looking up. They started their first season in the developmental league and finished with a 3-4 record. This year they enter the developmental league again, and must try hard to make it to the "B" league.
Last year the team had a rough start, not used to playing against other teams. As the season progressed, they became more confident and played better. They won one of their last games 33-7 against Wingate Educational Campus’ team. “Last year the players were nervous, but the more they played, the better they got,” said senior pitcher Leonardo Pena.
This year the team has less people as compared to last year, but this will just make each person try harder to prove themselves. Coach David Scheiman said, “We have a shot to compete and be better than last year.” They know that they can improve if they play hard. Since they are in the developmental league, there are no playoffs to compete in. They must look forward to making it to the "B" league next year.
The "B" league will offer tougher opponents and the team has to improve before next season. One problem will be that the majority of the team this year are seniors. “We are worried about the lack of players after this year,” said Scheiman. Without their experienced seniors, the team will need to make players step up and help incoming freshmen. “It’s possible to make the "B" league, but we have to be over .500 [record] and show that we competed in every game,” said Scheiman.
Last year the team had a rough start, not used to playing against other teams. As the season progressed, they became more confident and played better. They won one of their last games 33-7 against Wingate Educational Campus’ team. “Last year the players were nervous, but the more they played, the better they got,” said senior pitcher Leonardo Pena.
This year the team has less people as compared to last year, but this will just make each person try harder to prove themselves. Coach David Scheiman said, “We have a shot to compete and be better than last year.” They know that they can improve if they play hard. Since they are in the developmental league, there are no playoffs to compete in. They must look forward to making it to the "B" league next year.
The "B" league will offer tougher opponents and the team has to improve before next season. One problem will be that the majority of the team this year are seniors. “We are worried about the lack of players after this year,” said Scheiman. Without their experienced seniors, the team will need to make players step up and help incoming freshmen. “It’s possible to make the "B" league, but we have to be over .500 [record] and show that we competed in every game,” said Scheiman.
Metamorphosis of the HSMSE volleyball team
The HSMSE volleyball team is exceeding expectations this year. With a 2-0 win on April 30th over Martin Luther King Jr. High, the team clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2007. Under the coaching of Nick Diunte, the team went 7-5 this year.
Everyone contributed to the successful season. One of the key players is senior libero Kevin Chun, who is sixth in the city in digs. He kept many rallies alive and was a big factor in getting the team to the playoffs. Another key player is junior outside hitter Yassine Khaliqui, who is seventh in the league in digs and sixth in the league in kills. “I feel that my hard work becoming a good hitter has helped me become an effective player and allows me to contribute to the team,” said Khaliqui.
Coming into the season the HSMSE volleyball team had reason to doubt themselves. They were 5-7 last year and were 6-6 the year prior. They didn’t look like a playoff bound team.
Although they had reason to doubt themselves, the HSMSE volleyball team came into the season strong, believing that this year would be different. “I think that if we played our hardest, we can make it to a place where no HSMSE team has made it before,” said middle hitter Ben Moosher.
The HSMSE volleyball team went 7-5 this season and now they’re going to the out-of-bracket match up against Christopher Columbus High School. “It’s been five years since we made the playoffs. This is my third year on the team and in my first two years, we were close to making the playoffs. It felt amazing because all of our hard work finally paid off," said senior middle hitter Rudy Outar. Everyone was pleased with the win.
Coach Diunte when asked about the win said, "I was happy that we were able to clinch a spot on the playoffs. It was exciting to see the kids do what they needed to make the playoffs after coming close for the last two years."
No matter how far the team goes, they already have had a successful season. "We can at least win one game in the playoffs, not including the out-of-bracket match. We faced teams of different skills and talents, and we can match up against them," said outside hitter Thomas Kui.
2012 Boys' Volleyball Regular Season Statistics
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| HSMSE Volleyball |
Everyone contributed to the successful season. One of the key players is senior libero Kevin Chun, who is sixth in the city in digs. He kept many rallies alive and was a big factor in getting the team to the playoffs. Another key player is junior outside hitter Yassine Khaliqui, who is seventh in the league in digs and sixth in the league in kills. “I feel that my hard work becoming a good hitter has helped me become an effective player and allows me to contribute to the team,” said Khaliqui.
Coming into the season the HSMSE volleyball team had reason to doubt themselves. They were 5-7 last year and were 6-6 the year prior. They didn’t look like a playoff bound team.
Although they had reason to doubt themselves, the HSMSE volleyball team came into the season strong, believing that this year would be different. “I think that if we played our hardest, we can make it to a place where no HSMSE team has made it before,” said middle hitter Ben Moosher.
The HSMSE volleyball team went 7-5 this season and now they’re going to the out-of-bracket match up against Christopher Columbus High School. “It’s been five years since we made the playoffs. This is my third year on the team and in my first two years, we were close to making the playoffs. It felt amazing because all of our hard work finally paid off," said senior middle hitter Rudy Outar. Everyone was pleased with the win.
Coach Diunte when asked about the win said, "I was happy that we were able to clinch a spot on the playoffs. It was exciting to see the kids do what they needed to make the playoffs after coming close for the last two years."
No matter how far the team goes, they already have had a successful season. "We can at least win one game in the playoffs, not including the out-of-bracket match. We faced teams of different skills and talents, and we can match up against them," said outside hitter Thomas Kui.
2012 Boys' Volleyball Regular Season Statistics
The Flying Dragons' road to victory
Henning is excited about his team finally being able to compete in the PSAL. The team’s first PSAL race starts in late September. The PSAL competition consists of ten races with teams from all five boroughs competing against each other for the championship. After asking Henning about his thoughts on the team’s first appearance in the PSAL, Henning replied, “It’s very exciting because we will be able to do ten races.”
Just like their coach, the Flying Dragons are looking forward to their first meet in fall. They will start preparing for this competition on the 20th of August. They will be doing drills and workouts such as long distance sprints, running up hills, and multiple mile runs four to five times a week. Sophomore Mathew Brown, one of the runners from the Flying Dragons who ran for two seasons gave his opinion on the drills and workouts, “It’s not fun, but I know it will help me improve.” These drills and workouts will turn out to help them in the future.
This will be an exciting season for the Flying Dragons. With their heads high, they will march towards victory. However, they do not expect for everyone on the team to win. Henning explained, ”You’re not trying to be first, you’re trying to be better.” The Flying Dragons want to win, but the top priority for them is to make themselves better. They are confident and training hard to get far in competition. They know that their hard work will pay off. This is a new era for the Flying dragons. The excitement within the team increases each day as the first PSAL meet gets closer.
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