Sunday, April 18, 2010
The Lions headed out to Las Vegas this weekend for the first real hit out of the season, playing the first game of the perennial home-and-away series against the Gamblers.
It was a beautiful, sunny day with hardly a cloud in the sky. The weather was warm, but not scorching. A soft breeze made for rather pleasant playing conditions.
After arriving and getting prepared, the teams' leadership determined that we would be playing 15-a-side, with the Lions providing Vegas with an additional two players--Albert "The Russian" Yakubovitch and Mickey Martin--in order to fill out their ranks. The Gamblers were hospitable and eager to play as usual. Stalwarts Kurt and Jeremiah provided leadership for an inexperienced and young side, with six players pulling on the boots for their very first game of footy.
The first quarter saw both sides a bit stiff and rusty in the skills department. The play was scrappy, with the ball being played from the ground during most of the quarter. Poor hand passes, botched drop kicks, and missed opportunities were the rule rather than the exception. Both sides were able to move the ball into their respective forward lines many times, yet without bearing much fruit. The Lions struck first when veteran Donnie Lucero (back fresh after taking most of last season off) snapped a bender from the goal square for a major score . Soon after, ruck Matty Lilien scored a running shot from about 30 meters in front of the goals. The Gamblers answered back with two of their own, however, while the Lions missed two scoring opportunities, settling for behinds. The Lions scraped together two more majors before the quarter was out, yet Coach Simon Schenk was not pleased.
Quarter 1: Las Vegas 2.0.12 San Diego 4.2.26At the quarter break, Coach Schenk got a bit fired up and called the Lions out for not taking the time to grab and control the ball. While he commended the Lions' effort at the ball, nerves and carelessness were causing many turnovers and opportunities lost. He asked each team member to take the extra split second to control the ball, back himself, and make a good delivery.
It seems that the pep talk worked, because the second quarter saw both the Lions and Gamblers gaining in confidence and skill. Hand passes were on their mark and the kicks were more accurate. The Lions defense--led by John Bucci at full back and Brandon Blankenship at half-back--however, locked down the Gamblers' attacks. The second quarter the Lions only saw the ball in the danger zone three times, while the Lions' center line and forward were manly able to trap the ball in their forward half of the field. Jimbo Boyer made his mark at full forward, scoring four goals this quarter. However, inaccurate shots at goal plagued the Lions as well.
Half: Las Vegas 3.0.18 San Diego 9.8.62The third quarter saw the skills improve even more, though fitness more than anything began to play a key role in control and movement of the ball. The Lions seemed to maintain a steady pace and attack on the ball, while the Gamblers seemed to flag a bit. It was the Lions' strongest quarter, adding 8 majors and only 3 behinds. Stand-out contributors were Justin Valley, who added three goals to the tally, and Jimbo Boyer, who clocked another three, for seven total on the game. The Gamblers managed just two behinds in the third quarter.
Quarter 3: Las Vegas 3.2.20 San Diego 17.11.113In a bittersweet tribute, Coach Schenk decided to put Joel "Muff" Roman in the forward line for the opportunity to score in what could be his final game ever as a Lion. He had just informed the team that he'd taken a job in the Bay Area and would be gone after the weekend. The Lions were able to feed the ball to ol' Muffer on several occasions, and though he fought nobly, the tenacious defense of the Gamblers proved too much to overcome. Twice Muff snapped a shot, only to have it graze the post for a minor score. John Bucci, newly moved up from the back line, Brian Nickel, and Donovan Trost were able to post five majors between them, though, and the knackered Gamblers only managed to add a single behind to their score before the final siren.
Final: Las Vegas 3.3.21 San Diego 23.14.152After the game the Gamblers graciously put on a BBQ and the two teams were able to socialize a bit before the Lions headed out to the strip for a night of revelry. The Lions would like to thank the Gamblers for their warm hospitality and the opportunity to keep this friendly rivalry going over the years. We look forward to seeing them again in San Diego in the coming months this season.
Umpire: Simon Schenk
Lions Goal Scorers: Boyer 7; Valley 5; Lilien 3; Nickel, Bucci 2; Lucero, Blankenship, Kistler, Trost 1
Lions Player's Player: Jimbo Boyer
Lions Board Award: Joel Roman
Lions best on Ground: Boyer, Bucci, Kistler, Valley, Blankenship, Roshan
A warm farewell and best wishes to Joel Roman, too, with his new job and life in the Bay Area. We'll miss you, Muff, and hopefully we'll get to see you in the ugly, detestable blue and orange of the Roos before too long!
Joel "Muff" Roman
The Lions headed out to Las Vegas this weekend for the first real hit out of the season, playing the first game of the perennial home-and-away series against the Gamblers.
The first quarter saw both sides a bit stiff and rusty in the skills department. The play was scrappy, with the ball being played from the ground during most of the quarter. Poor hand passes, botched drop kicks, and missed opportunities were the rule rather than the exception. Both sides were able to move the ball into their respective forward lines many times, yet without bearing much fruit. The Lions struck first when veteran Donnie Lucero (back fresh after taking most of last season off) snapped a bender from the goal square for a major score . Soon after, ruck Matty Lilien scored a running shot from about 30 meters in front of the goals. The Gamblers answered back with two of their own, however, while the Lions missed two scoring opportunities, settling for behinds. The Lions scraped together two more majors before the quarter was out, yet Coach Simon Schenk was not pleased.
Quarter 1: Las Vegas 2.0.12 San Diego 4.2.26
Half: Las Vegas 3.0.18 San Diego 9.8.62
Joel "Muff" Roman
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