What a week in Falcon Sports. On Friday Men's and Women's hockey practice started, Saturday was a 3OT thriller against La Crosee, Wednesday is the final home conference volleyball match at 7pm against Stout, the Men's hockey team opens play at Hunt Arena on Friday against Concordia and Saturday the football team plays at #2 Whitewater. We all know what happened against La Crosse so lets look ahead to the upcoming week.
On Wednesday the Volleyball team plays host to Stout in a game the Falcons should win. They have already clinched a spot in the WIAC tournament and will be looking to improve their seeding. Also this is the only Volleyball game scheduled to be aired on WRFW this season, it is also the first game that will be broadcast one channel 19 by the new River Falls Sports Network.
On Friday the Men's hockey team will open the season against Concordia. The Falcons are trying to rebound from last year's disappointing 4-9-1 conference record. Much of the Falcons success will rest in the hands of Derek Hansberry, Pat Borgestad and Dustin Norman who were 2nd-4th in scoring last year for the Falcons. The Falcons will also have to make up for the loss of TJ Dahl who led the team in scoring last season and is 3rd all-time in the Falcon Record books with 41 goals 114 assists 155 points.
Saturday the football team makes the long trek to Whitewater to take on the Warhawks who are ranked 2nd in the nation. Even though the Falcons have played well all season and could just as easily be 5-1 as they are 2-4, and have played two nationally ranked teams tough losing by a combined six points, I don't see us hanging around long in this game. Whitewater is in a class of two that includes Mount Union as those two teams have played for the national championship in three straight seasons. After that comes the class of other ranked teams and the ones that can compete with them, which I put our team in based on the fact our four losses have come by a combined nine points. All that said I'm hoping the score will look something like 42-21 Whitewater.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Week 7 Picks
After our first week of picking games on Just A Bit Outside I have a three game lead over Andrew Magee. This weeks picks are almost identical, with Magee's picks that different from mine being preceeded by M-.
Rob 9-5 Magee 6-8
Indy over St. Louis
Pitts over Min
NE over TB
SD over KC
GB over Cleveland
SF over Houston
Car over Buf
NYJ over Oak
NO over Miami
Cin over Chi
M-Chi over Cin
M-NYG over Ari
Ari over NYG
PHI over Was
M-Dal over Atl
Atl over Dal
Rob 9-5 Magee 6-8
Indy over St. Louis
Pitts over Min
NE over TB
SD over KC
GB over Cleveland
SF over Houston
Car over Buf
NYJ over Oak
NO over Miami
Cin over Chi
M-Chi over Cin
M-NYG over Ari
Ari over NYG
PHI over Was
M-Dal over Atl
Atl over Dal
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Falcons struggles continue, Cats end Skid
On Friday night the River Falls Wildcats were able to break their 5-game losing streak on senior night at Ramer Field. Saturday the Falcon football team fell in 3-OT to #LaCrosse 49-47.
With the season over from the standpoint the Cats can't make the playoffs anymore, River Falls took the field in the final game at home for its seniors. Coming in with a 5-game losing streak, facing up against one of the best defenses in the Big Rivers Conference and coming off the worst performance of the season in a 7-turnover 17-0 loss to Eau Claire North the Wildcats looked poised for another defeat. But on senior night it was the underclassmen, with a little help from a couple of seniors, who would come through to send the entire senior class off the field victors in their final home game. Sophomore Quarterback Ryan Kusilek threw 2-TD passes and Junior Wide Reciever Jack Herum would catch another TD, a halfback pass, from Senior Running Back Dylan Dock.
The biggest performer in the game however was Junior Running Back/Corner Back Nick Zimmerman. Zimmerman would run for over 100-yards and get a TD. He also would seal the game with under a minute to play when he picked off a long bomb from Supeiors Quarterback Kellen McCoshen. The Final score was 28-14 in favor of the Wildcats. With the win the Wildcats improve to 1-5 in the Big Rivers Conference and 3-5 overall. The Cats have one game left on Tuesday at Rice Lake.
Saturday's Falcon football game had more big moments in the one game then the Wildcats have had in all games combined. Yet at the end of the day disappointment was again in store for the Falcons and their fans. In the 3-OT game it was #24 LaCrosse escaping with a 49-47 win. For the Falcons it was their fourth loss of the year, however, those four losses come by a combined nine points.
Giving the way this season has finished it should not suprise anyone that the final play of the game was tipped by one Eagle Reciever just out of the reach of Matt Gajeski to fall into the ends of another Eagle Reciever for the score. This of course comes after the Falcons were able to force overtime on a 46-yard field goal by Drake Klatt.
Again with the loss more questions arose about this Falcon football team. This week Ryan Luessenheide showed a vast improvement making some great plays and most importantly making good decisions with the football. Two big questions were put on the table after this football game however, the first one being why the Falcon offense does not have a pitch or sweep rush in their playbook. Taylor Edwards finished with over 100-yards on the ground, yet he was unable to break loose in the second half as the Falcons kept running the ball up the middle.
The second question was why in the world did we ever switch punters from Drake Klatt to Dustin Samplawski. Since the change we have lost 8-yards on average per punt and to top the statistics off the punting game gave up 2-TDs in this game neither off returns. The first one was a blocked punt and the second on Samplawski dropped the snap and the defense took it to the house. We lost this game because our punter blew it, flat out.
As a side note, our school spirit sucks. Our cheerleaders quit cheering in the middle of a close game in the 4th quater. PATHETIC, GET IT TOGETHER LADIES.
With the season over from the standpoint the Cats can't make the playoffs anymore, River Falls took the field in the final game at home for its seniors. Coming in with a 5-game losing streak, facing up against one of the best defenses in the Big Rivers Conference and coming off the worst performance of the season in a 7-turnover 17-0 loss to Eau Claire North the Wildcats looked poised for another defeat. But on senior night it was the underclassmen, with a little help from a couple of seniors, who would come through to send the entire senior class off the field victors in their final home game. Sophomore Quarterback Ryan Kusilek threw 2-TD passes and Junior Wide Reciever Jack Herum would catch another TD, a halfback pass, from Senior Running Back Dylan Dock.
The biggest performer in the game however was Junior Running Back/Corner Back Nick Zimmerman. Zimmerman would run for over 100-yards and get a TD. He also would seal the game with under a minute to play when he picked off a long bomb from Supeiors Quarterback Kellen McCoshen. The Final score was 28-14 in favor of the Wildcats. With the win the Wildcats improve to 1-5 in the Big Rivers Conference and 3-5 overall. The Cats have one game left on Tuesday at Rice Lake.
Saturday's Falcon football game had more big moments in the one game then the Wildcats have had in all games combined. Yet at the end of the day disappointment was again in store for the Falcons and their fans. In the 3-OT game it was #24 LaCrosse escaping with a 49-47 win. For the Falcons it was their fourth loss of the year, however, those four losses come by a combined nine points.
Giving the way this season has finished it should not suprise anyone that the final play of the game was tipped by one Eagle Reciever just out of the reach of Matt Gajeski to fall into the ends of another Eagle Reciever for the score. This of course comes after the Falcons were able to force overtime on a 46-yard field goal by Drake Klatt.
Again with the loss more questions arose about this Falcon football team. This week Ryan Luessenheide showed a vast improvement making some great plays and most importantly making good decisions with the football. Two big questions were put on the table after this football game however, the first one being why the Falcon offense does not have a pitch or sweep rush in their playbook. Taylor Edwards finished with over 100-yards on the ground, yet he was unable to break loose in the second half as the Falcons kept running the ball up the middle.
The second question was why in the world did we ever switch punters from Drake Klatt to Dustin Samplawski. Since the change we have lost 8-yards on average per punt and to top the statistics off the punting game gave up 2-TDs in this game neither off returns. The first one was a blocked punt and the second on Samplawski dropped the snap and the defense took it to the house. We lost this game because our punter blew it, flat out.
As a side note, our school spirit sucks. Our cheerleaders quit cheering in the middle of a close game in the 4th quater. PATHETIC, GET IT TOGETHER LADIES.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Falcon Sports on Focus on U
Today I made my first sports segment on the show Focus on U. I screwed up and was flustered, evening asking them to stop taping. In hindsight however I think it went pretty well. It included highlights from the homecoming football game and the volleyball teams upset over then #9 Whitewater back in September. With the first one in the books things can only get better, or so I hope.
Make sure to watch my sports segment on Focus On U on channel 19 everyday at 9, 5, and 9. Don't forget to listen Mondays to Just A Bit Outside on 88.7 WRFW.
Make sure to watch my sports segment on Focus On U on channel 19 everyday at 9, 5, and 9. Don't forget to listen Mondays to Just A Bit Outside on 88.7 WRFW.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Football Team Struggles
The Falcon football team dropped their second straight conference game Saturday, falling to Oshkosh 31-28. Before the game Coach John O'Grady said quarterback Ryan Luessenheide was on a short leash following his eighteen pass five completion performance on October 1st against Stout. The leash seemed to be the longest short leash ever made before however as Luessenheide was allowed to toss three interceptions. Two fourth quarter drives with the game wrapped made Luessenheide's numbers look like he played well as he finished with 254 passing yards and 2 TDs.
In the eyes of the announcers and the fans it is time for a change at quarterback. Luessenheide's numbers are not good, and he seems to have a problem with feeling uncomfortable in the pocket. The pocket issue is the big thing because his offensive line has been doing very well and he often has all day to throw the football. That said he still won't set his feet
If Luessenheide struggles early again on Saturday, then the time has come for B. J. LeTourneau to get his shot.
WE WANT BJ! WE WANT BJ!
In the eyes of the announcers and the fans it is time for a change at quarterback. Luessenheide's numbers are not good, and he seems to have a problem with feeling uncomfortable in the pocket. The pocket issue is the big thing because his offensive line has been doing very well and he often has all day to throw the football. That said he still won't set his feet
If Luessenheide struggles early again on Saturday, then the time has come for B. J. LeTourneau to get his shot.
WE WANT BJ! WE WANT BJ!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Week 6 Picks
Just A Bit Outside Pick'em for Week 6---Battle for Jimmy Johns
Rob--
Cincinnati over HoustonRob--
Green Bay over Detroit
Minnesota over Baltimore
New Orleans over NYG
Pittsburgh over Cleveland
Carolina over Tampa Bay
Washington over Kansas City
St. Louis over Jacksonville
Philadelphia over Oakland
Arizona over Seattle
New England over Tennessee
NYJ over Buffalo
Atlanta over Chicago
Denver over SanDiego
Magee--
Cincinnati over Houston
Green Bay over Detroit
Baltimore over Minnesota
NYG over New Orleans
Pittsburgh over Cleveland
Tampa Bay over Carolina
Kansas City over Washington
Jacksonville over St. Louis
Philadelphia over Oakland
Seattle over Arizona
New England over Tennessee
NYJ over Buffalo
Atlanta over Chicago
San Diego over Denver
St. Louis over Jacksonville
Philadelphia over Oakland
Arizona over Seattle
New England over Tennessee
NYJ over Buffalo
Atlanta over Chicago
Denver over SanDiego
Magee--
Cincinnati over Houston
Green Bay over Detroit
Baltimore over Minnesota
NYG over New Orleans
Pittsburgh over Cleveland
Tampa Bay over Carolina
Kansas City over Washington
Jacksonville over St. Louis
Philadelphia over Oakland
Seattle over Arizona
New England over Tennessee
NYJ over Buffalo
Atlanta over Chicago
San Diego over Denver
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