Section Championship

Don't worry, I don't have as many photos as I did in that last basketball post.  (I put all the pictures up because it was the last game....not going to see basketball pictures for a while.)  (well, maybe you will because Andrew is going to play a spring season of AAU basketball)

Today was the CIF Northern Section Championship.  Bradley's team went into the game undefeated on the season and with zero goals scored on them in the whole section championship tournament.  They continued the streak by winning 4-0.  They played Shasta, who was the same team PV played last season in the section championship.  Shasta was one of the only teams PV played this season who really tried to play "their game" not just try to stop PV by having everyone play defense all game long.  Shasta lost both times in the regular season by pretty much blow outs (6-0, 4-1), but Shasta still always tried to pass and move the ball forward, set up plays, etc.  They did the same today and also they have improved throughout the season.  Before today, they had won 5 in a row and were the second seed in the tournament.

We watched the highlights of Shasta's 6-1 win over Chico earlier in the week.  They scored 4 of their goals off of free kicks and the others off of long throw ins, so every time they had a free kick or a close to PV's goal throw in, it was scary, but besides that all their other offense was shut down but our center back who is all muscle and the starting running back for the football team.  No one could get past him, he had his best game of the season, by far.  Also, the goalie, who has hardly been tested this whole season grabbed or punched out all good shots.  He's very tall and big, one break away guy kicked and missed and the goalie just grabbed the ball and clobbered him and another time a well kicked, well placed shot couldn't go over his head and outstretched arms.

But besides those two, PV's players didn't play as well as most other times in the past.  They seemed really tight, their passes off.  Shasta enticed them into the rough game, while PV usually is totally a finesse team, that can just calmly pass anywhere.

So, PV scored fairly early into the game on a corner kick, which was headed in by the football player, buffed, fullback.  That score stayed for most of the whole game.  You know a 1-0 lead is a terrible lead, but PV couldn't score goal number two, they hit the post and got stopped by blocked shots and goalie saves, but nothing in the back of the net.  Shasta worked REALLY hard, playing frantically and with passion.  It was kinda scary because PV usually blows people out and by the end of the game, the subs get in, but not this game!!!  Only one sub from PV ever got in.  15 others sat patiently on the bench.  But I feel like those bench warmers were very key to this league championship season because they were able to make practices tough on the starters.  It was a team effort.

So, the game was getting really close to the end, with that only 1-0 lead, the goal scored by a defender.... I have had the thought before that PV has a strong defense....but the team's highlight has always been their offense, so it was interesting that no one up front could score.

Then with about 5 minutes left in the game, the left back shot a long shot, perfectly kicked, that soared into the exact upper 90 corner, no chance for the goalie at all.  2-0, such an important goal!!!!  Then a minute or so later, another goal, then another!  4-0 win!!!!

It was really exciting and fun to watch!

Chico vs Marsh= another loss

Andrew's team played their last game of the season tonight.  They played Marsh AGAIN....they lost again....they used to be pretty even, but lately Marsh has been beating them.  Marsh has two hour practices every day of the week (except game days), Chico just practices for an hour at a time whenever there is gym availability...so I think that might be the difference, oh that and the coach not giving equal playing time like the Marsh coach does, therefore, youth sport karma is making Chico lose...haha! 

 

Andrew played really well when he was in.  He guarded Marsh's big guy (who you may remember from the whole redneck thing in 6th grade).  I don't think he scored at all when Andrew was covering him and he fouled Andrew twice.  Andrew made two of his free throws, but his great defense helped to get the tall guy benched.  (Andrew's defense also caused him to travel once and Andrew got a few rebounds over him.) 

 

The "subs" actually did better than the starters this game.  But the starters and the subs change just about every game, so in general they are all pretty equal.

 

It's really sad that the season is over!  It's been a great season and Andrew has learned a lot and loves basketball!

Shed Moving

I have more pictures somewhere, but through these, you can get the idea of the shed move we did this past Saturday.  Scott has a friend who has an orchard (the house/property we had Melanee's reception at).  The friend sold the house/orchard, but wanted to keep the shed located there, but move it out to his rice field.  We are not a moving company, but Scott always figures out how to do things with the stuff he has, so he got a crew of Bradley, Andrew, and I, plus one muscular friend and we set out to do it.  He got an ATV trailer from work.  He built a platform for it.  He used a comealong he made way back when in a machine/welding type class and a bunch of straps.  He thought it would take a "few" hours....it took "A LOT" of hours.  Luckily, there was nothing going on Saturday after morning church basketball.  Also, luckily, it was a very nice day, not too hot, not too cold. 

On to the Championship Game

Bradley was still on the sideline waiting patiently to come in...there was not a throw in for several minutes while he stood there ready.  Too bad subbing is not like hockey!!!                                                        ( this picture is funny....both PV guys have their hands in their pants)

Bradley's team played in the second round of the sectional playoffs yesterday and beat Red Bluff 7-0.  It was a fairly easy game.  PV is going to have to play better in the final, though.  Even with the big score line, PV did not look sharp for big portions of the game.  Red Bluff was way worse, though.  PV has now beat Red Bluff with combined game totals 29-2 in the 4 times they've played this season.....wow! 

Bradley beat his defender on some really slick moves to get this opened, but then he PASSED the ball....the guy he passed it to SHOULD have scored, but didn't, and by not scoring it really made the fact that Bradley didn't shoot hurt even worse, you can look at the photo and see he was past the defense!

Just one more game and the season will be over.  It has been a great season no matter the outcome!

Church Basketball

The boys both get to play on our church basketball team.  There aren't a lot of games or practices, but just getting out there on the court is usually fun.  I like watching the boys play together, but I don't think they like it much.  Bradley yells at Andrew when Andrew messes up. 

Also, Andrew is one of the tallest in Junior High basketball, but one of the smallest in church basketball, so he has to play a totally different game.

Our team won, but it was a pretty close game!

Chico Jr vs. Chico Country Day School

Andrew's season is winding down.  They only have one more game to go. 

I have lost track of their record, but they won both games this week.

Andrew scored 3 points, one basket and one free throw.

I probably should have edited these photos, so you can see things better!