Peering into a dark crystal ball
By David Boldt
SCISL Weblog
After a season in which past records have often seemed to mean little, prognosticating about the championship tournaments Monday and Tuesday becomes a truly perilous undertaking.
There are only a few safe predictions, one of them being that the league will play its first night soccer game. It seems safe to forecast that the sun will be gone from the sky and the lights on before International and Cambridge teams take to the field Tuesday at Co-operative for the premier event of the playoffs: the boys varsity soccer championship. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30, and will probably be later than that.
Don’t forget that you read it here first.
The scheduling, by the way, should also provide an interesting test of whether evening games can draw more fans.
Now on to more substantive matters.
Volleyball: A favorite and a conundrum
In Monday’s volleyball finals at International, the Griffins’ girls varsity (6-0) looks like the safest bet in any of the championship contests as it takes on Christian Learning (3-3) at 4:00.
The International girls have been more dominant than any other varsity team. They have lost only two sets all season, both to Cambridge, a team they don’t have to worry about anymore.
They have outscored their opponents by an even 100 points, 321 to 221. Christian Learning, by contrast, has actually been outscored by 15 points, 270-285.
Almost the entire Griffin starting line-up serves overhand (or, in one case, sidearm), and doesn’t often miss. Several players can spike well, their setters are artful, and their team play has been exquisite.
Still, Christian Learning played its most impressive game of the season in the semifinals, easily defeating Cambridge, a team that had been a thorn in their side. Senior Sabrina Hallock, arguably their best spiker, seems to have recovered almost fully from an ankle injury that hobbled her almost all season.
The Eagles are clearly in an upward phase. The question is: How far up can they go?
SCISL Weblog
After a season in which past records have often seemed to mean little, prognosticating about the championship tournaments Monday and Tuesday becomes a truly perilous undertaking.
There are only a few safe predictions, one of them being that the league will play its first night soccer game. It seems safe to forecast that the sun will be gone from the sky and the lights on before International and Cambridge teams take to the field Tuesday at Co-operative for the premier event of the playoffs: the boys varsity soccer championship. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30, and will probably be later than that.
Don’t forget that you read it here first.
The scheduling, by the way, should also provide an interesting test of whether evening games can draw more fans.
Now on to more substantive matters.
Volleyball: A favorite and a conundrum
In Monday’s volleyball finals at International, the Griffins’ girls varsity (6-0) looks like the safest bet in any of the championship contests as it takes on Christian Learning (3-3) at 4:00.
The International girls have been more dominant than any other varsity team. They have lost only two sets all season, both to Cambridge, a team they don’t have to worry about anymore.
They have outscored their opponents by an even 100 points, 321 to 221. Christian Learning, by contrast, has actually been outscored by 15 points, 270-285.
Almost the entire Griffin starting line-up serves overhand (or, in one case, sidearm), and doesn’t often miss. Several players can spike well, their setters are artful, and their team play has been exquisite.
Still, Christian Learning played its most impressive game of the season in the semifinals, easily defeating Cambridge, a team that had been a thorn in their side. Senior Sabrina Hallock, arguably their best spiker, seems to have recovered almost fully from an ankle injury that hobbled her almost all season.
The Eagles are clearly in an upward phase. The question is: How far up can they go?
* * *
In the 2:00 pm consolation game for third place between Cambridge (2-4) and Co-operative (1-5) Cambridge looks like the stronger team on paper, but they have been a streaky, inconsistent team. The teams have split their meetings this year, with each school winning one.
* * *
The boys championship between Christian Learning (4-2) and International (4-2) scheduled for 5:00 pm is much more of a puzzle.
The Eagles won the most recent meeting between the two teams, but International had the more impressive victory in the semi-finals. Christian Learning has outscored its opponents by a wider margin, 82 points, than International, which had a more modest 23-point advantage. However, in the semifinals International beat a more impressive opponent by a wider margin than Christian Learning.
Both teams are loaded with talent and have improved the quality of their play over the season. It’s easy to imagine either one winning.
The opening set could be an important indicator. The Eagles this year have tended to either be “on” or “off.” When they’re hot, they’re hot; and when they’re not, they’re not, as the expression goes. More specifically, they have either won their matches in straight sets – or lost them in straight sets.
International has seemed less decisive, or more resilient, depending on one’s point of view. They have played two three-set matches, and once came back to win a set after trailing 24-17.
* * *
In the consolation game, Co-operative (4-2) will be heavily favored over Cambridge (0-6).
Soccer: Two too close to call
The Co-operative (4-0-2) and Christian Learning (3-1-2) have played two closely contested matches this year. In the first they tied 1-1. Co-operative prevailed 2-0 in the second, giving the Eagles their only loss, by exploiting two egregious defensive lapses that will not necessarily be repeated when the teams meet Tuesday at 5:00.
The Christian Learning girls soccer team, like its girls volleyball team, will benefit from the return to action of Sabrina Hallock, who had been an important scorer before suffering an ankle injury. Another important offensive player, Daniela Brooks, seemed to return to her early season form in the semifinal game, in which she scored twice.
Co-operative’s advantage lies in team speed. Its crew of junior high-aged strikers – Tania Landivar, Fernanda Vaca Diez, and Hailey White – have demonstrated that they can out-sprint Christian Learning’s defenders. For that matter, Co-operative’s defense has not had much trouble keeping up with the Eagle attackers speed-wise.
The return of Hallock may help redress this imbalance. She showed in the semifinal that she has plenty of speed, though she still may not be “cornering” as well as she once did. Christian Learning should gain some advantage from the fact that its players, other than the somewhat delicate-appearing Hallock, are generally bigger and more experienced than Co-operative’s.
But this game can clearly go either way.
* * *
The girls consolation game between International (1-3-2) and Cambridge (0-4-2) at 2:00 Tuesday should also be close. These teams tied 2-2 in their first meeting, and International won the second 2-0.
International appears to have a marginally better offense. It has scored four goals this year; Cambridge’s has produced only the two it got in the first game with International.
* * *
The boys championship between International (3-3) and Cambridge (2-4) is even tougher to call. International won the two games played during the regular season, both of which were decided by one goal late in the game.
However, there is some question as to whether the Cambridge team that is playing in the playoffs is the same team that played during the regular season.
The players look very much the same, but the team that hit first-place Christian Learning like a runaway freight train in last Friday’s semifinal game, winning 4-0, did not much resemble the Cambridge team that lost its first three games this season.
For that matter, International doesn’t appear to be paying much attention to past records. It got to the championship round by knocking off Co-operative, a team that had beaten the Griffins twice.
While all bets based on past records may be off for this championship, the most recent meeting between International and Cambridge does demonstrate how volatile the collisions between the teams can be. International won 4-3, but had to overcome a 3-1 Cambridge lead to do it.
Over the season, International has been the most prodigious goal scorer in the league, with 17. Cambridge has been the least productive, with only nine. However, if Cambridge had been scoring all season at the pace it has shown in its last two games, the Knights would have posted 21 scores.
The boys championship between Christian Learning (4-2) and International (4-2) scheduled for 5:00 pm is much more of a puzzle.
The Eagles won the most recent meeting between the two teams, but International had the more impressive victory in the semi-finals. Christian Learning has outscored its opponents by a wider margin, 82 points, than International, which had a more modest 23-point advantage. However, in the semifinals International beat a more impressive opponent by a wider margin than Christian Learning.
Both teams are loaded with talent and have improved the quality of their play over the season. It’s easy to imagine either one winning.
The opening set could be an important indicator. The Eagles this year have tended to either be “on” or “off.” When they’re hot, they’re hot; and when they’re not, they’re not, as the expression goes. More specifically, they have either won their matches in straight sets – or lost them in straight sets.
International has seemed less decisive, or more resilient, depending on one’s point of view. They have played two three-set matches, and once came back to win a set after trailing 24-17.
* * *
In the consolation game, Co-operative (4-2) will be heavily favored over Cambridge (0-6).
Soccer: Two too close to call
The Co-operative (4-0-2) and Christian Learning (3-1-2) have played two closely contested matches this year. In the first they tied 1-1. Co-operative prevailed 2-0 in the second, giving the Eagles their only loss, by exploiting two egregious defensive lapses that will not necessarily be repeated when the teams meet Tuesday at 5:00.
The Christian Learning girls soccer team, like its girls volleyball team, will benefit from the return to action of Sabrina Hallock, who had been an important scorer before suffering an ankle injury. Another important offensive player, Daniela Brooks, seemed to return to her early season form in the semifinal game, in which she scored twice.
Co-operative’s advantage lies in team speed. Its crew of junior high-aged strikers – Tania Landivar, Fernanda Vaca Diez, and Hailey White – have demonstrated that they can out-sprint Christian Learning’s defenders. For that matter, Co-operative’s defense has not had much trouble keeping up with the Eagle attackers speed-wise.
The return of Hallock may help redress this imbalance. She showed in the semifinal that she has plenty of speed, though she still may not be “cornering” as well as she once did. Christian Learning should gain some advantage from the fact that its players, other than the somewhat delicate-appearing Hallock, are generally bigger and more experienced than Co-operative’s.
But this game can clearly go either way.
* * *
The girls consolation game between International (1-3-2) and Cambridge (0-4-2) at 2:00 Tuesday should also be close. These teams tied 2-2 in their first meeting, and International won the second 2-0.
International appears to have a marginally better offense. It has scored four goals this year; Cambridge’s has produced only the two it got in the first game with International.
* * *
The boys championship between International (3-3) and Cambridge (2-4) is even tougher to call. International won the two games played during the regular season, both of which were decided by one goal late in the game.
However, there is some question as to whether the Cambridge team that is playing in the playoffs is the same team that played during the regular season.
The players look very much the same, but the team that hit first-place Christian Learning like a runaway freight train in last Friday’s semifinal game, winning 4-0, did not much resemble the Cambridge team that lost its first three games this season.
For that matter, International doesn’t appear to be paying much attention to past records. It got to the championship round by knocking off Co-operative, a team that had beaten the Griffins twice.
While all bets based on past records may be off for this championship, the most recent meeting between International and Cambridge does demonstrate how volatile the collisions between the teams can be. International won 4-3, but had to overcome a 3-1 Cambridge lead to do it.
Over the season, International has been the most prodigious goal scorer in the league, with 17. Cambridge has been the least productive, with only nine. However, if Cambridge had been scoring all season at the pace it has shown in its last two games, the Knights would have posted 21 scores.
One potentially interesting distiction betwee n the teams is that the match will bring together the most penalized team in the league -- International -- and the least penalized -- Cambridge. The Griffin boys have accumulated 14 yellow cars amd 2 red cards, and have the only player who was banned from the league. Cambridge players have sewn up the league's Fair Play (or "nice guys") trophy, having been shown only 6 yellow cars and one red card.
Where will it all end? We’ll have to wait for the opening whistle at 6:30 Tuesday to find out.
* * *
The boys consolation game at 3:30 pits Christian Learning (4-2) against Co-operative (3-3). If past records were a guide, Christian Learning should win easily. They have dispatched Co-operative twice, 3-1 and 4-1. But, at the risk of being overly repetitive, past records haven’t counted for much in these playoffs.
The statistics in this article were compiled by Alejandra Salto, athletic director of Christian Learning, and league statistician.
* * *
The boys consolation game at 3:30 pits Christian Learning (4-2) against Co-operative (3-3). If past records were a guide, Christian Learning should win easily. They have dispatched Co-operative twice, 3-1 and 4-1. But, at the risk of being overly repetitive, past records haven’t counted for much in these playoffs.
The statistics in this article were compiled by Alejandra Salto, athletic director of Christian Learning, and league statistician.
