Game 1 vs Millard West JV W4-2 After the long and early drive to Omaha, we arrived at a Creighton Preparatory High School in the middle of major renovations. A new football field (with permanent lacrosse lines on its field turf!) and a new gym were under construction. This severely limited parking and bathroom access.We watched a little bit of the Prep/Papio varsity game before heading off to an open and relatively flat area to warm up. We started with a pep talk, stretching, and line drills. By the time the varsity game was over, our boys were bursting with adrenaline.
The boys came out strong and played a very physical game. Cam Bostwick won the opening face off and took it straight in to score within the first 10 seconds. That set the tone for the first half. It seems that the Wildcats may have underestimated us early on because we noticed more varsity players on the field and improved play during the second half. Despite giving up two goals, we never slowed down or let up. We definitely ruled in the hitting department.
Game 2 vs Creighton Prep JV W6-1We had about an hour after the Millard West game to stretch out, get a drink, and have a snack. Meanwhile I prepared the score book at the scorers' table. I overheard a group of Blue Jays talking smack about Valley based on their experiences at the Lincoln Tournament last fall. I used what I had heard as a motivational tool when we addressed the team before the game.
The kids took it to heart and came out with a fury. They fought for ground balls, made solid passes, and delivered stunning hits.We were closing in a on a shutout (on their home turf no less) but Coach Zach jinxed it...
No matter, we plowed through Prep and the boys looked as though they had been playing for years. It was an outstanding result and no doubt earned us some respect and credibility in the league.
Next week we'll have four games in the two day Lincoln Tournament. Unlike this week's contests, the games at the University of Nebraska will be against varsity teams. This will be a great test for the boys and the coaches as we will face the Creighton Prep varsity squad; they won the league championship last year. We will also play Papio, who we saw against Prep prior to our first game yesterday. We will also play Blue Valley West, a more established program from Kansas City. It will be an interesting weekend...
On a side note, the sun must shine brighter over in Omaha because all three coaches got a bit of a sunburn. My ears are red and I have raccoon eyes from wearing my sunglasses all day. Oh well, it was worth it! The pictures are courtesy of Ron & Nate Jacobs; the full gallery can be found here.
I figured this would be an appropriate place to include the results of the last poll:33% of respondents said that they planned on attending all three Home games
49% of respondents were players or coaches
16% of respondents did not plan on attending any games
