Sports – The Mirror

NFL Week One Game of the Week: Jets 22, Bills 16

September 13, 2023 by Gus Garvey

AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Let’s cut to the chase and get this over with, shall we? There is a lot to discuss. On the 22nd Anniversary of 9/11, the Bills and Jets faced off in Monday Night Primetime. For the Bills, the same expected greatness is on the horizon, while the Jets also had similar feelings. They were experiencing emotions like “hope,” “hype,” and “optimism” for the first time in a long time. That was due to their new guy under center. A guy who toiled on the Tundra of Lambeau for 15 years, a former Super Bowl Champion. Aaron Rodgers.

His mere presence on the field got the crowd amped up as he walked onto the field for his opening drive. The Jets were going to march down the field when Rodgers hurt his ankle just four plays into the game and had to be carted off the field. Wait, what? That wasn’t part of the script.

It’s in typical Jets fashion to give their fans hope and then rip it away, just as they’re reaching for it, and this moment in last night’s game just upped the ante tenfold. The Jets had hope, optimism, and offensive competence – and then the O-line failed to protect their prize asset for even a single drive.

So they had to deal with Zach Wilson… as he threw a pick to a wide-open Matt Milano and set the Bills up in prime field position. The Bills go up 13-3 at halftime, but not without hiccups on offense due to Allen throwing up an arm punt to Jordan Whitehead late in the 1st quarter.

Then came the 2nd half. It is here that Josh Allen morphed into a complete turnover machine. The Jets started by going down the field but were forced to settle for a field goal to make the game 13-6. It is here that Allen decides to believe in charity and let them think they can win this game: yet another arm punt into double coverage to Jordan Whitehead. The Jets still can’t get anything done on offense. That’s fine, Allen can just do it again! This time, he didn’t do it near the end zone, but at the 40-yard line to set up the Jets in prime field position. Even better, he even threw it to the same guy! Jordan Whitehead was second on the Jets in receiving that day. He plays defense. That’s how bad Allen was in terms of throwing interceptions.

With Allen’s charity, the Jets finally started moving the ball and managed to score a touchdown with maybe the catch of the week by Garrett Wilson. With the game now tied at 13, the Bills got the ball back with 5 minutes left with a chance to win the game. What do you think happened? Fumbled snap and the Jets recovered in prime field position. Fortunately, the Bills defense did enough to prevent a touchdown, but it was crunch time. Buffalo didn’t have enough time for a touchdown to win the game, but they got Tyler Bass into field goal range to tie it.

That’s exactly what they did. The offense finally got their act together and marched 50 yards downfield to set up Bass for a tying field goal. In typical Jets fashion, the kick hits the goalpost but goes through. Jets luck at its finest.

In overtime, the Bills got the ball first and proceeded to go 3-and-out. But hey, at least it wasn’t a pick, right? The punted it away. The Jets receiver catches it and runs off to the end zone as none of the Bills can make a tackle to save their lives. Game over. Jets win. The entirety of Buffalo drowns itself in liquor, and the Bills lose at MetLife for the second straight year. God help us all.

I’ve followed the Bills for almost 10 years now. Trust me, I’ve seen it all with this team. But this is something I wasn’t ready for. Just like most other Bills losses in the past few years, Buffalo found a way to beat themselves. The Jets did nothing special. They were okay, but their offense had one good drive and the defense just had to sit there as Allen and the Bills threw up pizzas all game. This game is candy to the rest of the division. Good job, Jets. You successfully embarrassed your division’s top dog for the second year in a row.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: GusOnNFL

NFL: NFC Preview

September 9, 2023 by Gus Garvey

The NFC experienced a talent drain this offseason that they haven’t suffered in a few years. Nearly every big free agent and trade target left for the AFC, leaving this conference very predictable and top-heavy. That doesn’t mean a lack of drama, though. Let’s go over the 16 teams trying not to suck this year.

Chicago Bears

The defending tank bowl champions will be looking to do a tad bit better this coming season. That starts with their offseason moves. For winning the tank bowl, they were able to get some decent players and assets by trading the 1st overall pick. Enter DJ Moore- the new threat at wideout for the Bears. Regardless, the key to success for this team is Justin Fields. Will he take that next step forward with his arm? Or will he turn into a diet Lamar Jackson? This season is critical to his development.

Green Bay Packers

For the Packerena, the time has come. Aaron Rodgers is gone. Now, Jordan Love, the much-maligned first-round pick of the team from 2020, has big shoes to fill. The unfortunate thing is that Rodgers took most of his wide receivers with him when he went to the Jets, so in addition to having a paper-soft defense, they also no longer have an offense. It’s going to be a long year on the frigid tundra of Lambeau.

Detroit Lions

This is the most optimistic Lions fans have felt in a generation. A competent offense. A semi-competent defense. Expectations are through the roof. A weak division. It is all right in front of them. This offense might be the best they’ve had in 5 years, and Hutchinson has added some oomph to a defense that has slid a little. Dan Campbell is a beast, and I hope for his sake that they do well.

Minnesota Vikings

The purple people eaters, coming off an embarrassing playoff loss, are coming back with a vengeance, but serious questions loom for the Vikings. They spent a lot of last year dancing through the raindrops, and a 13-4 year on that kind of luck is highly unsustainable. In addition, the Kevin O’Connell luster may have worn off, and Kirk Cousins might be the most Jekyll and Hyde quarterback in the league right now. It’s going to be an interesting year in the land of a thousand lakes. Justin Jefferson needs to be paid too.

New Orleans Saints

This is the weakest Saints team we’ve had the pleasure to see on a gridiron in a very long time. While the offense has the potential to be something, especially with Derek Carr now in the saddle at quarterback, it still doesn’t fix their disastrous tire fire of a defense. Dennis Allen hasn’t proven himself as a coach yet, and they will likely be a stepping stool for real teams in their pathetic joke of a division.

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons are looking to usurp control of a terrible division through fun, exciting youth. In addition to Kyle Pitts, they added an electric back in Bijan Robinson to hopefully serve as a bell cow back. The defense looks a bit better, led by guys like AJ Terrell and Grady Jarrett. Even Cordarrelle Patterson is back in the mix. This could be an exciting year for a franchise that has known nothing but pain and misery. Knowing the falcons, though, they’ll probably find a way to screw it up.

Carolina Panthers

Carolina is entering an interesting time. A new young quarterback, a good defense, and a strong coaching staff. The hope is that they’ll do a bit better than last year and surprise us all. However, these are the Panthers, the incompetence has been top-down for a few years now. David Tepper will find a way to screw something up and derail their season, won’t he?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This team is a joke. Behold the heavyweight QB battle of Baker Mayfield versus Kyle Trask! While the defense is still solid, I don’t trust Bowles and Leftwich to manage the offense, especially without Brady holding their hands this year. Nothing else to say on this front, they’re gonna be last in the division and it won’t even be close. Prepare the tanks.

Washington Commanders

The bad man is gone, Washington. Dan Snyder has finally sold off the team, albeit for much more than he should have got, to billionaire Josh Harris, the owner of the New Jersey Devils.

A much-needed culture change is hopefully on the way, and maybe another name change. It turns out that the name change was so lazily done that Snyder didn’t even bother trademarking the name. One last black eye on a disaster of a tenure for him, good riddance. As for the team, Sam Howell is their starting quarterback, so they’re a complete wild card. And not in a good way.

New York Giants

The Giants, coming off a surprisingly good year, are looking to build on the success. Brian Daboll, fresh off the NFL’s version of a Jack Adams Award, will also get to face his former team this year, on primetime. The Giants are a weird team to me. They’re not all that talented, but then again, look at what happened last year. Guys like Daniel Bellinger will probably keep popping up to keep them fresh and unpredictable, and the G-men will do a lot better than a lot of “experts” are predicting this year.

Dallas Cowboys

Jerry Jones is frustrated. He wants a winner no matter the cost. Limping into the playoffs and getting massacred by the Niners twice in a row won’t suffice this year. Conveniently, the team that bested them has some trash for them to pick up at a garage sale. Trey Lance. Acquired for a 4th round pick. Horrendous asset management by the Niners brass aside, the Cowboys might have just made their best move of the century. Even better, Zeke is no longer hogging a roster spot, too. Tony Pollard is now the feature back. Once again, nobody outside of the Dallas-Fort Worth area wants them to succeed. If they fail, it will be candy to the 31 other fan bases in the league.

Philadelphia Eagles

What do I even need to say, this team needs no explanation. After spending the entire offseason complaining about the turf and the refs, the Eagles are looking to run it back to the big game with a much different result. This team is absolutely stacked. The offense is otherworldly, and the defense, while losing pieces, is still solid. They lost both coordinators this offseason but should still be in decent shape under Sirianni. This is one of the few exciting teams in the NFC this year, and I can’t wait to watch them play. Grab the popcorn.

Los Angeles Rams

This was one of the hardest teams for me to gauge this offseason. They lost two defensive stalwarts in Leonard Floyd and Bobby Wagner, and Stafford is still recovering from a lingering injury and might not play. Cooper Kupp is going to be out for a while, and it looks like Aaron Donald might be single-handedly carrying the defense this year. Sean McVay can dream. 2 more years and then he can get thrown a Brinks truck of cash by Amazon to go do Thursday Night Football.

Arizona Cardinals

This organization is a joke. The on-field product is a joke. Kyler Murray will be out for most of the year. If there were relegation in North American sports, the Cards would be in League 2 by now. Nothing else to say here.

Seattle Seahawks

A year ago, I thought this team was DONE. Now look at them. Geno Smith has been revealed to be a competent NFL quarterback. This alone makes them a contender. Kenneth Walker has the potential to be a generational talent, and if he doesn’t get hurt this year, this team is a serious contender. Not Super Bowl material yet but getting there with some help next year.

San Francisco 49ers

Behold a masterclass in asset management, featuring John Lynch, GM of Santa Clara! Trade multiple high draft picks and assets to get the 3rd overall pick. Draft a quarterback with that pick, even though you already have one. Play him about 3 times over two seasons. Then trade him for pennies on the dollar. Buy high, sell low, a true masterclass by the Niners brass! As for the team, nothing eventful happened other than that. Nick Bosa just finished his contract holdout after being thrown a dump truck full of cash, and now will be playing in week 1. The quarterback will be Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy. He’s recovered in record time after receiving Tommy John. If the rest of the defense doesn’t skip a beat, this team could be scary.

Playoff Predictions

The NFC is going to be wild this year. Every division is up for grabs this time around. I have the Eagles repeating in the east, the Lions getting their act together and taking the North, the Falcons being the least horrible in the South, and the Niners taking the west. The wild cards will be Dallas, Seattle, and the Vikings. It’s going to be a great year. Brace yourselves.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: GusOnNFL

NFL: AFC Season Preview

September 9, 2023 by Gus Garvey

It’s time for another season of the wonderful fall pastime of football. This year’s AFC will be even crazier than last, with three-quarters of the conference involved in Football’s version of an arms race. Let’s go over the 16 teams vying for the Lamar Hunt Trophy.

Cleveland Browns

Cleveland’s predicament is the definition of a no-win situation. If they are good, it’s because they are employing a scumbag of a quarterback who gives Wander Franco a run for his money. If they are bad, subtract the bragging rights and bring up the same talking points. They are easily the most hated team in the AFC this year, surpassing the Chiefs and Cowboys, and their division rivals will be jumping for joy if they falter yet again this year.

Pittsburgh Steelers

This team is still rebuilding. In my opinion, they overachieved on their way to a 9-8 campaign last year thanks to their opponents either being incompetent or injured to hell and back in the case of Baltimore. Their defense, while looking shaky at times last year, is formidable, and should give Kenny Pickett and co. the insulation and time to develop into studs. While I expect them to take a slight step back, they’ll still be competitive.

Baltimore Ravens

This team angers me. What I see is untapped potential at every corner. The last two seasons have played out the same way. They get off to a great start, Lamar is all over the highlight reels, the defense plays great, and then everyone gets injured, and they sputter into an embarrassing end to their season. This year’s team leaves more questions than answers. Will Lamar finally live up to his hype? Will the defense stay healthy enough to perform as advertised? Will their young receiving core take that next step to greatness? Time will tell, but this season could be very telling as to this organization’s future.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are going to be good this year and I’m going to hate it. They turned a lot of people against them last year with how much they talked before getting stifled at Arrowhead, and far fewer people will be rooting for them this time around. Regardless, they are still a top contender in the AFC. The real question is with Joe Burrow. He injured his calf in training camp and could be out as long as 5 weeks. Their backup is Jake Browning. That’s enough for some Cincy fans to panic. Relax, it’s only a few weeks, you’ll be fine. Unfortunately.

Houston Texans

After gloriously choking away the first overall pick due to their head coach wanting a job next year, last season’s tank of tanks is looking to take a step forward this year. They did end up getting one of the top quarterbacks in the draft in C.J. Stroud and traded up immediately afterward to pick a potentially generational defensive talent in Will Anderson. This will be the true test for the Texans in development. In years past, players of this caliber have either flopped miserably or have been revealed to be total scumbags in the case of Deshaun Watson. Losing their best defensive player from last year to Buffalo doesn’t help, either. It’s going to be a long year.

Indianapolis Colts

To say last year was a trainwreck for Indy would be like calling the eruption of Krakatoa a minor disturbance. This team is going to be awful. In addition to reaching in the draft for a volatile project of a quarterback in Anthony Richardson at 4th overall, they also completely ignored his status as a project and named him the week 1 starter, because everyone knows the key to developing young signal callers is to chuck them to the wolves the minute they enter the league. Even worse, Jonathan Taylor, the only thing that was keeping their offense anywhere near relevant, is angry about his contract situation and the Colts’ treatment of his injury and wants out. 31 other teams were salivating at the chance to trade for him, but Irsay, in typical fashion, demanded way too much for him and all potential deals fell through. The only reason to watch this team will be to see how they compete with the Texans for the basement. Shameful.

Tennessee Titans

After last season’s disastrous collapse that saw them miss the playoffs after starting 7-3, the Titans will be looking to rebound. Ryan Tannehill is back, along with a new threat at wideout in Deandre Hopkins. While he’s past his prime, he can still be a reliable weapon to throw to. Their running game needs no explanation, and their defense is one of the stouter units in the league. Unfortunately, last year showed us that this team is very mortal and prone to collapse, so I don’t see a playoff berth in their future this year, especially in that murderer’s row of an AFC.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Last year was a tremendous step forward for Jacksonville, and they’ll be looking to add to that this year. Trevor Lawrence is a stud, and their defense has quietly rebuilt into one of the best units in the league. While I disagree with the people who think they’ll be the #1 seed, I still think what they have is enough to win that pathetic division they’re in.

New York Jets

This is the most excited the Jets fan base has been for a season in a very long time. Last year showed much promise, in between the offense being unable to function for most of the 2nd half of the year. That defense is stacked, though, and Aaron Rodgers is hopefully the answer at quarterback that they’ve been looking for since Sanchise. Unfortunately, this is the Jets, and they can have no nice things. In typical Jets fashion, they will probably butt-fumble away every opportunity given and miss the playoffs again. Followed by trading Rodgers to Minnesota to complete the Favre arc.

New England Patriots

This might be the weakest Patriots lineup I’ve seen in a very long time. Mac Jones looked highly suspect last season, the defense turned itself into Swiss cheese, and the special teams decided that imitating a Monty Python sketch would be a good idea in a must-win game. Of course, with Belichick under the headset, they’ll be a threat, but how much time does he have left? A washed-up Zeke won’t fix all of their woes on offense, and new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien won’t help matters either. Pats fans, you deserve this failure. You’re one of us now, boys, and you will be for a while to come. Welcome back to the basement. We kept the seat warm for ya.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins were one of the major players in this off-season’s arms race, and their fans are perhaps the most optimistic they’ve been in 10 years. On paper, this team is stacked. Good quarterbacking plus a stout defense should be competitive in that division. However, the question lies in whether they stay healthy, specifically Tua. I’m of the opinion that if he gets another concussion, he shouldn’t play a down of football again. If he gets hurt, it could completely rank their season. Skylar Thompson does not inspire confidence.

Buffalo Bills

My first instinct, just like every other year with this team, will be to proclaim them Super Bowl champs before a game has even been played. While I’ll undoubtedly be shouting that from the rooftops, this Bills team is one of the more volatile bunches to be assembled up there over the past 6 years. Will Josh Allen live up to the hype? Will the defense stay healthy enough to be dominant? Will Sean McDermott’s old-school style translate to playoff success? They realistically have about 3 more years until their true championship window closes and they’re in cap hell. The grace period was over a long time ago. Strike while the iron is hot, boys. My sanity depends on it.

Denver Broncos

The good news about the Broncos is that with what happened to them last year, there’s almost nowhere to go but up. The bad news is, well, last year. Sean Payton is at the helm there now, and he’s wasted no time tearing apart the previous coaching staff for their flaws. Even with a much-needed culture change, the Broncos can still have no nice things. Their entire wide receiver core is in the infirmary right now, some for the season. It’s gonna be a long year. Just keep it competitive against KC, will ya?

Las Vegas Raiders

After last year’s abysmal failure, the time was right for the Raiders to blow it up and start over. In a feigned attempt at staying competitive, they have brought in Jimmy Garoppolo to throw ducks to opposing defenses and pull some more Orlovskys in the endzone. This team is going to be horrible once again this year, and Mark Davis might actually be able to afford to fire Josh McFraud this time. I can’t wait.

Los Angeles Chargers

The redheaded stepchild of the NFL is coming off their most embarrassing loss in franchise history: blowing a 27-0 lead to a team that had only won 3 playoff games in their last 20 years. Brandon Staley is still around, for reasons I don’t know, to continue to bumble on the sidelines pretending to be an analytical savant. The Chargers will continue to waste Justin Herbert’s career, and they did next to nothing in the offseason to fix their mangled mess of a defense. Poor Herbert. Poor Joey Bosa. They deserve better than this.

Kansas City Chiefs

Hooray, another year where the Chiefs are considered the frontrunners for the AFC, what a shocking turn of events. Let me put on my stunned face. Yay. The Chiefs are returning most of the same faces on offense, but their suspect defense took a massive hit this offseason. Chris Jones, their most talented pass-rusher, is angry with his contract situation and is deep into a contract holdout. At this point, who knows if he ever plays a down for the Chiefs again. Jones will command a good deal on the open market, and it’ll be very interesting to see how this plays out for both him and Kansas City. Popcorn season is in session. Bring it on.

Playoff Predictions

In terms of playoffs, much like last year, the divisions are cut and dry. The only real division in contention is the East, which I see going to the Bills. As for the rest, it will be the North to the Bengals, the South to the Jags, and the west to the Chiefs. Wild cards, different story. There are a lot of fine suitors for these three spots, but I see them going to Miami, the Chargers, and the Jets. Yes, the Jets. I know, sacrilege. It’ll be very interesting to see how this conference shakes out this year. Play ball.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: GusOnNFL

Soccer Closes Season with Friendlies vs. the Boston Bolts

May 19, 2023 by Aly El Mofty

The U19 and U17 teams pose for a photo together at Penn State University in the fall of 2022. Photo provided.

Over the last weekend, both Northwood Soccer teams had the pleasure of hosting the Boston Bolts for their last games of the season. The boys enjoyed a long season of hard work and dedication and were excited to wrap up the year at home.

The U17 kicked off the weekend by breezing past the opposition. The Bolts are no easy task as they are one of the biggest soccer clubs in the Massachusetts area. The 17s, however, were on a different level. They were everywhere on the field and making every extra run, knowing it would be the last time they could do so this season. The U17 ended up beating the Boston Bolts with a 6-1 victory. Jace Donawa and Diego Green were the two standouts of the game, both finishing the game with two goals. Jace had this to say on the game: “It was great to help the team out with the two goals, and I couldn’t be happier to end the year off on a good note.” Other goals came from AJ Etumnu ’25 and Quinn Roth ’25. Captain Mitch Baker had this to say: “It was a great performance from the lads and the best way to end off a great year. I’m looking forward to recharging in the summer for an even better season with the 19s next year.”

The U19 had a more difficult game versus the Bolts. The 19s started off very slow and let in 3 goals in a very small period of the game. After a couple of swaps by Coach Moodey, the team started playing a lot better and controlling the game more. They eventually got back two goals, coming from Sachiel Ming ’24 and Jeremy Tsang ’23, but those weren’t enough as the Bolts scored a fourth to end the game. Although the boys didn’t get the result they wanted, by no means was that a performance they couldn’t be proud of as their last game of the year. Thebe Mosehathebe, the U19 senior, had this to say after the game: “We’ve had an up and down year and could have achieved a lot more together, but I’m proud of the boys this year: we never stopped fighting and always gave it our everything. Thank you, everyone, for this much-enjoyed year.”

As the seasons are over and summer is quickly approaching, the players are getting ready for graduation and going away for summer. The Northwood Soccer team is excited about what’s in store next year. With players leaving for college, the U17 moving up to U19, and new recruits coming in—there is a lot of hope for a successful season next year. Northwood Soccer would also like to thank everyone for their support this year. It has truly meant a lot and has not gone unnoticed. See you next year!

Filed Under: Sports

Nordic Athletes Add Depth and Endurance to Crew

May 19, 2023 by Gus Garvey

Clockwise from top left: Abigail Van Dorn ’25, Bella Wissler ’23, Sophia Kelting ’23, and Daven Linck ’25. Photos by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Since Crew is not one of the major sports at Northwood, about half of the athletes partaking in it each season are new to the sport and have had very little experience in a shell. This spring season, the Crew team took on five new athletes, four of whom make up the Northwood Nordic Ski Team. Those athletes are Bella Wissler ‘23, who will ski for Middlebury, Sophia Kelting ‘23, who will ski for UNH, as well as underclassmen Daven Linck ’25 and Abby Van Dorn ‘25.

While Nordic skiing and rowing share a major similarity in that both hinge on endurance, there is still a pretty big learning curve when it comes to balancing the boat and rowing it effectively.

Linck has already fallen out of the boat once, but he’s enjoying crew. “It’s good. Took a little adjustment period but it was made out to be harder than it is. It gets more fun as I get more comfortable in the boat,” Linck said.

“My first time in the boat was a little weird,” Wissler said. “I couldn’t get off the down without Mr. Runyon, and it took a while for me to get used to being on the water. I’d used the machines, but being on the water felt very new. The second time, it felt a lot better, and the third time on the water, I was able to use my full body to propel the boat, which is the stage I’m at right now,” she added.

While the Nordic athletes are too new to rowing to race at State Championships, Linck and Van Dorn have the potential to become very skilled rowers due to the endurance nature of their other disciplines. The future is bright for the Northwood crew.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

Baker Tallies More Than 50, Breaks Scoring Record

May 19, 2023 by Ahmed Elganainy

Mitchell Baker ’25 attacking the goal in a game this season at Northwood. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Scoring 50+ goals in one soccer season isn’t something we see players do regularly here at Northwood, but one man decided to break all the records he could during his sophomore year at Northwood, and that’s the U17 Soccer team Captain, Mitch Baker ’25. “Mitch is one of the best strikers I’ve seen in my footballing career at our age, and if he continues on the right track he will become one of the best strikers in the world,” said U19 player Aly el Mofty ’23.

“Mitch has been integral to our team’s success this season,” Coach Kelvin Martinez said. “His talent and hard work on the field have helped the team secure critical wins and reach new heights. He consistently leads by example, pushing himself and his teammates to perform at their best. His contributions to the team go beyond his impressive scoring record; his positive attitude and team-first mentality have been instrumental in fostering a strong and cohesive team culture,” added Martinez.

Mitchell Baker ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

“It feels very good scoring over 50 goals this season because, as a striker, you obviously want to score goals, and I love scoring, so I’m very proud of myself for hitting this milestone. I remember at the start of the year, Profe Martinez told me to put a goal for myself to hit 50 goals, and I did it. I couldn’t have done this without my teammates. They’re the ones that play and create the chances for me, and I just finish them, so this wouldn’t be possible without them. I also want to thank Coach Martinez and Coach Komar because they motivate me and help me become better, and hopefully, one day I will fulfill all my dreams and become one of the best strikers in the world,” Baker added.

“We always knew that Mitch had the potential to be a prolific scorer, but his performance this season has exceeded our expectations. His dedication to training and his natural ability to find the back of the net have resulted in an impressive number of goals. We are thrilled with his success and proud of his achievements,” said Martinez.

Baker struggled to name his favorite goal this season. “I’ve scored more than 50, so choosing just one goal as my favorite is hard, but if I had to choose one, I’d choose the goal against the New England Revolution because they’re one of the best teams in the country and playing against them was very good, and we could’ve won the game.”

“The most important goal I’d say that helped the team, I think, was the goal I scored in the Northwood Invitational Semifinal because, without that goal, we wouldn’t have reached the final.”

“My Favorite hat trick has to be vs. the U19 team. To score a hat trick against the older lads isn’t easy, especially when we almost won that game. It’s very special and very important.”

Mitch is a leader for the U17s on and off the field. He constantly shows that he’s a top student-athlete whether it’s on the field or in the classroom. He always knows how to get the job done. Mitch recently got his first U19 call-up to play with them in a friendly match recently, and Mitch did what Mitch does best and proved that it doesn’t matter whether it’s U17 he’s playing against or U19 or even collegiate players. He will find his way to score.

“I can’t wait to continue to play with Mitch next year. I played with him this weekend and realized how good he is, and I can’t wait for next season,” Sam Knauf ’24 said.

“Mitch’s experience and expertise make him a valuable asset to our team, and his positive attitude and work ethic set a great example for his teammates. He leads by example, always putting in the effort and commitment required to succeed. As a captain, he plays a key role in inspiring and motivating his teammates to perform at their best,” added Coach Martinez.

Filed Under: People, Sports

Leddel Competes for the Philippines in Southeast Asia Games

May 18, 2023 by Cedric Lemaire

Noah Leddel ’23 represented the Philippines at the 2023 South Asia Games in Cambodia. Photo provided.

Noah Leddel ’23, a talented soccer player on the U19 team at Northwood, has been given the incredible opportunity to represent the Philippines Under-23 National Team in international competitions. Born to a Filipino mother, Leddel’s selection is a proud moment for him and the Filipino soccer community, as well as the highest level of soccer he has achieved in his career.

Leddel summarized his experience to me, saying, “Yeah, so just to summarize, the experience of playing international football and at this level has been incredible. The treatment of us players and the professionalism of the camp from top to bottom was just amazing. We had two training sessions a day, stats, nutrition, everything taken care of, massages, physio, strict bedtime, and obviously, that’s something that can be bad, but when you’re preparing for a big tournament like this, that’s what you want really, and I’d say more than anything it was a grind eating the same hotel food being in the same routine, but at the same time it’s such an amazing experience being together, and you’re fighting for your country.”

The Philippines National Team, also known as the Azkals, has been striving to make its mark on the global soccer stage. Leddel’s inclusion in the team adds talent and diversity to the squad. Though the team did not get quite the results they wanted, Noah says, “We had the youngest team in the tournament, and we can only go up from here… I didn’t know any of the boys really coming into this and just coming out of it with now having 20 brothers that I have a shared experience.” Leddel’s journey to this achievement has been marked by dedication and hard work. As a player, he is always striving for more and pushing himself and the players around him.

Leddel expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to play for his mother’s homeland. Leddel shared what this experience meant for him, “It means a lot that I can connect with my Filipino side and the people of the Philippines and share this experience with my Filipino Brothers. Obviously, living in Hong Kong and the USA has kind of made me feel the disconnect… being here and singing the national anthem side by side with my boys and my brothers really means a lot to me, and it makes you more passionate even for the country just to come back and keep fighting and bring the Philippines on top of Asia and competing with the likes of Japan and Korea…It’s only given me more to keep going.”

Leddel’s inclusion in the Filipino national team represents a step forward in the growth and recognition of soccer in the Philippines. The biggest driving force for this development is from the supporters, and Noah puts it best when he says, “Seeing the support for the Philippines and seeing the support for the Philippines and just the support, in general, was pretty incredible. Southeast Asia (SEA Games) is an event that happens once every two years and changes host country each year. This year, Cambodia did a really good job promoting the event and getting the general public and the people of Cambodia very hyped up for the tournament. Every game that Cambodia played would have about 30,000 fans, and we were fortunate enough to be in a group with them and play them.

Leddel also acknowledged the support and guidance he received from Northwood, teammates, and coaches. “Thank you to everyone at Northwood for supporting me and helping me get to here, and making this possible for me. Obviously, it hasn’t been easy accommodating mewhile I have been away, and I really appreciate it.”

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

U19s Win Soccer Showcase; U17s Take 3rd

May 9, 2023 by Mitchell Baker

The U19 Team won the showcase. Photo provided.

Northwood recently hosted the Black Rock Spring Soccer Showcase. Teams from all over North America came to Northwood School to showcase their talent in front of top colleges. Several coaches left the showcase happy because of the high-standard games and the well-run program. The U19 and U17 Northwood teams competed hard and played in 4 intense games. The U19 team sought to defend its title on home turf after triumphantly winning the previous Northwood Invitational. The U17s were determined to avenge their previous effort to win the Northwood Invitational, where they, unfortunately, lost in the final in penalties. Northwood faculty and students were eager to support both teams and did so passionately.

The U19s started the weekend with a 1-0 victory against Pro Stars Fc. Sachiel Ming ’24 scored a beautiful left-footed goal in the first 10 minutes of the game. The hockey boys showed superb support and celebrated with the players after the potent goal. The game slowed after the first goal, and the U19 held on and won 1-0. The U19s then took on Riberio Moojen SPU for their day’s final match. The support decreased from the Northwood community due to the inclement weather, but that did not affect the team. The boys won 1-0 with a classy finish from Andreas Viteri ’23.

Sachiel Ming expressed, “The first day of the showcase was heaven. We were determined to put on a show in front of our fans, and we did. Playing in front of fans gives you that extra boost to work harder. The Northwood community was like a 12^th man with its support.”

The team dominated the last day of the showcase, winning its first game against Western Reserve 1-0 and its second 3-0 against Burlington Football Club. Cedric Lemaire proclaimed, “The team was excellent on our home turf. We entered a flow state as a team and were unstoppable.” The U19s defended its title, going undefeated without conceding a goal. They excelled in the previous Northwood Invitational and continued their impressive home form.

The U17 team started the weekend extremely slow, losing 2-0 against St. Anthony Futuro SC. The team started the game off lethargically, and the score line reflected it. Lohkoah Paye ’25, Co-Captain stated, “We started off terribly. We weren’t playing like us, and the team morale was low. St Anthony took advantage of that and capitalized early to put the game to bed. We picked our form up later in the game, but it was just too late.” The second game started much better for the U17s, as they took the lead early, with Mitchell Baker ’25 scoring off a Jace Donowa ’25 cross. They, however, didn’t hold the lead as the game continued and drew 1-1. Sam Rudy, a skier who watched the game, said, “The 17s played a lot better in the second game. They came out stronger and scored a nice goal. Unfortunately, the other team scored a banger which was almost impossible to save, but the 17s looked a lot better than I expected.” The U17 team was disappointed with their results after the first day because it put them in the 3^rd and 4^th playoff, not the final. They played the semifinal for the 3^rd and 4^th playoff against Immaculate Heart School (IHC), a familiar rival. It was IHC who won the previous Northwood Invitational. The U17 team was out for revenge and took this game personally.

Coach Martinez analyzed IHC’s game plan and changed the team’s formation and press. Coach Martinez deserves much credit for this tactical change because the team won the game. The team came out strong pressing hard. IHC didn’t know what to do, and the boys finally broke through with 10 minutes left. Diego Green ’25 scored off a Jace Donowa cross. Diego celebrated passionately, and the lads were experiencing pure joy. Later in the game, Baker scored a cheeky goal chipping the goalkeeper off a Hamish Riddle ’26 through ball. The game ended 2-0, and the team got their revenge.

The win secured a start in the playoffs for 3^rd place against Pro Stars FC. The game was immensely scrappy due to tired legs and heavy rain. Both teams were exhausted but battled hard but couldn’t find the back of the net. The team was preparing for a penalty shootout, but with 3 seconds to go, Baker scored a header from an AJ Etumnu ’25 corner. The team went crazy and stormed the pitch, celebrating the victory. The U17s weren’t happy with 3^rd place but were pleased with their performance on the second day.

Both teams competed hard over the weekend and entertained a passionate crowd. Northwood School held another successful event and would like to thank all teams and coaches who made the trip to compete over the weekend. The community loves hosting games for the teams and looks forward to many more successful showcases.

The U17 team took 3rd place in the showcase. Photo provided.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

Paddlers Hit the Whitewater

May 8, 2023 by Aidan Lasky

During the spring at Northwood, most students are tasked with choosing a separate co-curricular from their fall/winter sport. One of the unique offerings here at Northwood is a complete course in whitewater kayaking. I have had the pleasure of joining this course for the past two years, so I can provide some insight into how incredible this offering is.

The whitewater kayaking course is a subdivision of the recently re-launched Northwood Outing Club (NOC), led by Bobby O’Connor and Matt Roy. With these two leading, you get a combination of Mr. Roy’s years of experience and Bobby’s mastery of teaching students the disciplines of the outdoors.

This course starts very mildly, and Bobby does a great job of starting from a clean slate so that pretty much anyone can join, regardless of skill level. Bobby likes to joke about how cool it is to see how the group whittles down over the first few days. It tends to scare some students off between the cold water and the surprising amount of technique required to keep the boat going where you want it to. If you happen to be one of these students though, both Mr. Roy and Bobby encourage you to stick with it because those hardships are worth going through when the techniques finally click.

Alex Randall ’25 (Photo: Mr. Bobby O’Connor)

When first starting the course, we had a flatwater day out on Mirror Lake so Bobby could show the group all the basics of what it takes to succeed on moving water. We went over basic forward strokes to harder draw strokes that will help us dodge obstacles on the river. After that, we take a step up from that and go down to Saranac Lake Dam. There is a very mild amount of moving water there, and it is excellent for putting the skills learned on the first day to use in moving water. This is the day when most students realize if they want to continue because even though there is a small amount of moving water, it isn’t hard for beginners to tip the boat over accidentally. After the group gets a bit smaller, we make our way to the next level, which is a short stretch of faster-moving water again, so students aren’t taken from 0-60. After that, the students made their way to take on a 5-mile stretch of the Ausable East Branch. In this one Alex Randall ended up taking a swim so we got a great demonstration of what a river rescue is like. Anytime we are able to Bobby and Mr. Roy promote safety first when on the river. The very next day we went from the Wilmington dam to further down the Ausable West Branch. Through all these runs we have learned to identify river features and how to navigate certain obstacles when we are quite literally thrown into them. It has been a fantastic experience so far, and I know the others in the group would say they have had nothing but fun despite taking a few swims.

It is great to participate in such an amazing outdoor discipline, and in doing so, you get to connect with other students you might not usually talk with. I have nothing but great things to say about it, and I want to thank Bobby and Mr. Roy for being such great teachers to the group because we really appreciate the time and effort put into this. This is what has been happening so far in the Whitewater coco and we are excited to see what water the “Northwood Swim Team,” as Bobby likes to call us, takes on in the final weeks of the school year.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

NHL: Devils Eliminate Rangers in Game 7

May 2, 2023 by Gus Garvey

Devils forward Ryan McLeod (#20) celebrates after scoring the first and game-winning goal. The Devils would go on to win game 7, 4-0, advancing to the Second Round. Photo: NY Post.

Wow. When I saw this matchup, a part of me figured the Rangers would lose this series, but not like this. Behold one of the greatest embarrassments in franchise history: a star-studded team goes into the playoffs and lose in the first round. To a team they had a 2-0 series lead over in dominating fashion. A team whose average age is about 20 years old. A team whose defense consists of Dougie Hamilton and a bunch of wet plywood. A team that was down to their third-string goalie in game three because the other two options sucked. You can make excuses about how Akira Schmid was unstoppable and how the playoff structure sucks, but either way you look at it, this is downright pathetic.

This team had cup ambitions? Really? I sure couldn’t tell with this garbage. A team that went all-in at the trade deadline wholly self-destructed. This was probably their best chance at winning the cup in this contending window, and they completely defecated all over it. I got losing to Tampa last year, but THIS? Did anyone even bother showing up for this? I couldn’t tell by the lack of urgency from most of the team. The grace period is over, boys. It’s time for me to pick apart this team for its flaws like everyone else I write about. And I’ll do it with pride.

Chris Drury has got to be one of the most frustrated executives in the NHL right now, if not the four major sports. With his deadline moves, he is easily a candidate for GM of the year. The dude pretty much built an All-Star team. Want to know how spoiled for wealth the Rangers were this year? They had Vladimir Tarasenko on their second power-play unit. What do the Rangers do with this luxury? Waste it. Like every other year they’ve been a contender over the past decade. Drury did nothing wrong. He did exactly what he needed to do. He added star power for bargain-bin prices, he added quality depth in the lineup, he did everything according to the book and then some- and then everyone else let him down.

I don’t want to admit this, but I have no choice. Gerard Gallant needs to be fired. There, I said it. His tactics are wearing off, and honestly, he’s falling into the same traps he did in Vegas. There were about six guys on the Rags that actually looked awake in this series: The 4th line, the top D pairing, and Shesty. That’s it. For a team that has enough star talent on it to single-handedly populate an all-star team, this was incredibly disappointing to witness.

Artemi Panarin has been hot garbage these playoffs from every conceivable metric. Two assists for a guy making 8 figures a year is a borderline criminal underachievement. So why is it that when he keeps turning the puck over and doesn’t backcheck that he gets a permanent place on their top line? Why is he a core piece of the penalty kill? This guy can’t do anything on defense, yet Gallant is trotting him out there because Panarin exists to satisfy the idea of a top-flight winger. An argument can be made that his is one of the worst contracts in the league. This man makes $11.6 million per year. Three more years of this. Nice work, Gorton. No wonder Dolan fired him two years ago.

I know the excuse amongst players and fans for this year will be something along the lines of the following. “Our team is still good. It’s okay. We came up short yet again. There’s always next year, you know!” WHAT PART OF THE RANGERS DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND? NEXT YEAR NEVER COMES! Once again, this was quite possibly their best chance to win a cup in this contending window, and they blew it spectacularly. This honestly feels worse than that 2017 series loss to Ottawa. My jaw has hit the floor. If major changes aren’t made this offseason, this team isn’t doing a thing for the next few years.

That’s enough of my salt and rage—time to make fun of other teams that embarrass themselves.