That's an ugly score, but those who were at the game knew it was much closer. The Red Devils, missing Junior Danny Faust, Senior Kevin Rejko and Senior Captain Jack Benage, played their best defense of the year, and for 3 quarters kept the defending state champs within striking distance.
Things started off poorly as SLUH's Junior John Heafner, going to the deep end, scored on the first possession on a surprise shot from the wing. Chaminade responded by locking down defensively and protecting the ball and not letting SLUH counter-attack. 3 minutes into the 1st, CCP's Senior Captain Kevin Arnold tied the score when left open at the point. SLUH's Junior Michael O'Neill put SLUH up 2-1 on a broken play and that's how the score remained going into the 2nd quarter. Shooting in the shallow, SLUH's Junior Will Page scored his first of three goals to open up the scoring in the 2nd and was followed by a goal by CCP's Senior Michael Kubik. SLUH's Junior Trent Going ended the first half scoring on a cross-goal shot on 6-on-5.
Down 4-2 going into the second half, the Red Devils were confident that the defensive game plan was working and actually both teams battled hard for 7 minutes as neither a goal was scored nor a timeout was called. I'm not sure if SLUH subbed on the fly, but we only subbed out one player because everyone was playing so well defensively. In between quarters, I could tell that Coach Baudendistel was not happy, and that meant that we were doing something right and we had the momentum going into the 4th.
Unfortunatly, Chaminade could not get any offense going in the 4th quarter. SLUH's permimeter defense was stifling as our boys kept getting pinned against the wall, unable to move the ball. SLUH's Will Page and Senior Captain Tim Dale combined for three goals, two of which coming with less than two minutes remaining, to finish off Chaminade.
The most telling stat to me was the score when the teams were shooting deep. SLUH scored two goals in the deep and Chaminade scored one. I don't blame the SLUH players for using the bottom to gain position (and score a goal) because that is the product of referees not forcing the players to stay floating. And clearly, our boys used the bottom just as much to get steals and prevent goals and in some cases to shoot (just not as well). But I think it is interesting that the teams played VERY evenly when shooting in the deep.
It was a fun and emotional game for me. Not only was I coaching against my alma mater, but I was coaching against a group of kids that I had been coaching every offseason for the last three years. Although there was a sense of pride in the way SLUH played, I was proud of our guys more. As good as SLUH's Mike Sizemore played on defense, I say that CCP's Chris Duncan played the best game I ever saw him play and nothing makes me prouder. Make no mistake that I am a Chaminade guy now and I was there to beat them yesterday and I will be there to beat them next time. Can we be friends after the game? I think so.
Things that went right:
- Defense (counter attack)
- Defense (half court)
- Defense (2-meter)
Things that went not so right:
- Passing Under Pressure
- Winging Out Early On Counters
- Getting the ball down to the wing
Goals: Arnold - 1, Kubik - 1
Assists: Kubik - 1
Steals: Stabler - 3, Kubik - 2, Duncan - 2, Arnold - 1, Hoette - 1, Meara - 1, Watkins - 1
Kickouts: Entwistle - 1
Saves: Stabler - 17
Player of the Game: Stabler - 17 saves, 3 steals
Up Next: Monday, March 31st v. Ladue @ Chaminade. JV at 7:00 PM, Varsity after JV at approximately 8:00 PM.
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