Kronum League Round 9 - Work Horses vs. Night Owls

The Work Horses are living proof that “luck favors the bold.”

In Kronum, everything from jumping a pass for a steal on defense to passing up a low percentage Chamber shot in lieu of a Crown Ring gamble, is high risk – high reward. An 8-point Kronum shot from the cross through the ring offers life to any team that has a hard-headed and confident enough scorer  to put the team on his back and go for the glory. In this particular matchup versus the Night Owls, the Horses saddled up two cowboys for the gunfight, rookie sensation Dave Slusser and captain Jeff Yetter. The two combined for a Kronum League record three, 8-point “Kronums” accounting for 24 points that, if not scored, would have left the Horses in the stable and out of contention against the high-powered, second-place Owls.

The first period offered a plethora of points, passes, and penalties. Owls ranger Luke Dougan (28 points) drilled home half of his game-high total in the first with 14 points early, including two 4-point shots from 17 yards out and Phil Cavalcante (22 points, 7 assists, 6 blocks) got some help from Horses’ wedgeback Trevor Lyman (7 saves) on a deflected penalty that found it’s way through a Crown Ring for 6 points. Owls' wedgeback and ROY candidate Matt Sola (18 points, 12 saves) patrolled the field and found open shots from the Flex and Cross Zones, connecting for 10 points in the opening frame to go along with 5 saves in net while Greg Ashton (11 saves) recorded 7 saves. The Owls were flapping along  with a double-digit lead early when Horses' rookie ranger Dave Slusser (24 points) sniped the first of his two 8-point "Kronum" shots on the day to breathe life back into his squad. Kosta Nikolos drilled 8 of his 10 points to support Slusser's heroics and the Horses were within reach, trailing 46-34 after one.

The re-emergence of Horses' captain Jeff Yetter seemed to have more than an inspiring effect for the defense in the second period. The team's physicality alone stymied the Night Owl shooters, forcing ill-advised shots and turnovers in the middle of the field. As good as the first line of defense was in the second, the wedgebacks were even better. Bill Zane (8 points, 10 saves) led the cavalry with 5 incredible stops to help limit the Owls to less than half of their first period total. Around the 11:00 minute mark in the second, Slusser decided to go ahead an bury another 8-point "Kronum" to start the surge that would eventually bring the Horses within two points to close out the period. Yetter began heating up as well drained a 4-pointer from the Cross and a 2-point dunk late. The Owls needed to mend their broken wings but escaped with a slim lead at 68-66 heading into what would be one of the greatest 3rd period battles in Kronum history. 

The winless Work Horses smelled blood against the Nimble Jacks three weeks ago where they played lights out and took a 6-point loss. In this game, they already took a bite and had it running down their chin. Yetter (28 points, 5 assists) was the first to jump in on the carnage, going off for 18 points in the 3rd and showed his versatility in the process. An 8-pointer from the cross, a 2-point kick score in the wedge zone, a 4-pointer from the cross, AND a 4-point Ring shot from the Flex. Matt Urglavitch (16 points) played Robin to Yetter's Batman in the 3rd and chipped in 8 points. Bob Zane (9 saves) was going crazy in net for the Horses, turning aside all 5 shots fired on him in the final 20 minutes. The Owls' were missing ranger Jay Klein, their "Maestro in the Middle" and turned to their All-Star wedgeback Joe Tulskie for a spark and Tulskie went ballistic. Working in unison with Chris "CVT" Von Tanhausen (game-high 7 assists), "Polish Joe" went 5-for-5 from the Flex to erase 5-point deficit. With half-a-minute left in the game and the Horses leading by 1, Tulskie calmly fired a bullet past Bob Zane to give the Owls a one-point lead. Now, every sport has its own legendary finishes. Bobby Thompson's "Shot Heard Round the World", Ali/Frazier's "Rumble in the Jungle", and so on. The final 20 seconds of the 2011 Work Horses/Night Owls second go round will forever be known as the "Mess in the Wedge". After Tulskie's go-ahead shot the Horses put all their focus and effort on Quad 1. About 12 players battled in the "no hands" Wedge Zone as the Horses tried to get off a shot and the Owls desperately tried to clear the zone. Elbows, shoulders, knees, and hips were thrown spastically by each team in the frenzy. Tick, tick, tick. The clock seemed to be in slow-motion but eventually timed out on the Horses and the Owls "limped" away with a hard-fought and exhausting 106-105 victory. 

The Horses fell to 0-9 and the Owls made a bigger push for the first round bye and advanced to 6-3 heading into the final week of the regular season.

Tune into kronum.com on January 8th beginning at 10am to view all the action.

PC

Kronum League Round 8 – Work Horses vs. Jet Sets

When teams in the Kronum League line up on the 2nd circle for the Prime Rush, they see a multitude of threats cloaked in more bright orange and hues of blue than your classic Cosby Sweater. Their primary concern, however, is to execute a plan to shut down Jet Sets’ ranger Jeff Regensberg. The 2010 Kronum League Scoring Champion has built a reputation on his ability to score whenever and wherever he sees an opening, while oddly enjoying the contact that physical defenses implement in an attempt to contain his offensive outbursts. They expect him to shy away from it later in the game but to no avail.  Wicked shots from the Cross, Flex, and the moon’s surface rain down upon wedgebacks with the fire of 10,000 suns as Regensberg and the netminder in his primary quadrant play their own game of rapid fire, just without the saves.

The Jet Sets rely on their big “Spruce Goose” to carry the cargo week in and week out as a dependable provider of everything offensive on the round and even chip in on ‘D’ with an occasional block or steal, but it is the medium-sized Bombardiers and the single-engine Cessnas that take turns re-filling the jet fuel levels of a very volatile team. When they are on, they appear invincible. Riding the Jetstream with gusts of smack-talk, physical, and some necessary showboating on top. Their confidence is admirable and their on-the-fly experimentation is questionable. Nevertheless, every week fans and viewers are treated to a unique version of Kronum. Attention passengers, we are now boarding…
The aforementioned Bombardiers and Cessnas have become the backbone of the sets throughout the season where they sit in 4th place holding a 4-4 record. A very talented supporting cast, players like Nick DeLuca, Vinny Greco, and Most Improved Player of the Year Candidates Ant Barbera and Jim Andorko are a huge part of the Jet Sets’ turnaround since the 2010 regular season, and they were the ever present in their most recent victory over the Work Horses in Round 8.

Playing a winless team is tricky. They’re hungry for a win and will play 100% to get it. The Jet Sets did not fall into the 0-7 Work Horses turbulence trap” as  Regensberg (22 points, 3 assists) and crosser Matt Parsons (21 points, 4 assists) came out firing 2 and 4 point shots as usual while Steve Vandenberg (14 points) and Andorko (15 points) nailed 4-pointers to assist in the fast start. Sets’ wedgeback Christin Rota killed it from the get-go, making 4 of his game-high 14 saves in the first 10 minutes of the first period. Horses’ newcomer an 8-pointer extraordinaire Dave Slusser kept the margin thin by drilling three 4-point shot from the Cross and scoring all but 2 of his 16 points in the opening period. Teammate Bob Zane (10 saves) did his best to limit the high-scoring Sets and turned away 4 shots early, keeping the Horses within striking distance at 38-30 at intermission.

The minute that the Horses turned their backs, literally, on the Jet Sets players in the Goal Zone, is when the aerial assault began. Andorko, wedgeback Scott Reimer, and ranger Mike Schaeffer (8 points) combined for 6 Crown Ring stuffs in the 2nd period. The common denominator and mastermind of the dunk-a-thon was ranger Nick DeLuca (8 points, 9 assists), who passed up some open shots in lieu of offering some fine china. China as in dishes. Dishes as in assists. C’mon people! Work Horses’ crosser and equally talented assist man Ray Hunter (8 points, 5 assists) led the offensive effort in the 2nd while wedgeback Ryan McGlensey made the better half of his 7 total saves in the period but trailed 72-56 heading into the 3rd.
An injured but still hard-nosed Jeff Yetter did not let his cavalry settle for a quiet trot into the countryside. Ranger Mike Small (14 points) and wedgeback Bob Zane (12 points, 7 saves) combined for 22 points from the Flex and Cross Zones and got their squad fired up for a comeback and when Brett “Monster” McGlensey (team-high 18 points) hit a scud missile 8-point Kronum, it appeared that the Horses were back in business but the Sets countered with Anthony Barbera (14 points), who “flowed” his way to 10 third period points and a couple key blocks on the defensive end to pull up the reins on the Horses shooters and the Sets got back to .500 with a 114-94 win.

The big brothers Airbus 300s, Boeing 747s, and Antonovs of the Kronum League will usually get theirs on any given Sunday, but its the puddle-jumpers that pick up the pace whenever they are needed and in this case offered more than expected.

Wish I could say the same for U.S. Airways…..I really loved that suit.

PC

Kronum League Round 8 – Night Owls vs. Nimble Jacks

The final two minutes of this rivalry match was difficult to watch.  The first and second periods suggested that it would be a tooth-and-nail, grind it out special until the buzzer. But in the third period one team flipped and the other flopped. Although Kronum allows for quick and high scoring capabilities that never leaves a team entirely out of contention, and while no team in the Kronum League ever goes quietly, this ending reeked of desperation and futility. The Night Owls pelted the Goal Crown from the Cross Zone in seek of an 8-point Kronum shot that would bring them back into the game. Every shot was uglier than the one before. This was bad, and after having played such a tight and competitive game throughout the first two-and-a-half periods, the Owls hooted their last hoot when Jacks' captain Scott Kennedy rejected his rival skipper Kyle McGrath's 8-point attempt with extreme prejudice.

Think Jordan's White Sox stint, comeback with the Wizards, and those really awkward Hanes commercials all rolled into one. It was THAT kind of ugly.

Early on, the Owls and Jacks came out hot, loose, and just plain on their games. The Owls looked like the team that just put together a convincing team win the previous week over a streaking Throwbacks squad, and the Jacks turned a 180 on the careless play that led to their first loss and a shaky 8 point win over an 0-7 Work Horses team in their last two outings. Jacks ranger Jared O'Donnell (13 points, 3 assists) and Owls ranger Luke Dougan (21 points, 3 assists) got their teams started early with 11 and 10 points, respectively, in the opening period. Saves were plenty as well with Owls' wedgebacks Matt Sola (5 points, 13 saves) stopping 6 shots and Pete Weiss (8 points, 12 saves) gathering 6 to go along with two 2-point dunks for the Jacks. The two teams delivered, as expected, and cranked out a combined 74 points, 27 saves, and 17 assists with the Owls taking a 39-35 lead into the first intermission.

Jacks All-Star ranger Ryan Coyne, held scoreless in the first 20 minutes, leaped out of his rabbit hole and put the Jacks on his back in the 2nd. He connected for 12 of his 18 points in the period with a combination of left-handed throws, kicks, and topped things off with a thunderous 2-point jam. Scott Kennedy (24 points, 6 assists) has his own 2-point ring and found Weiss in the goal zone for two more slams. The Owls countered with 12 second period points from ranger Phil Cavalcante (28 points) and crosser Jay Klein's booming drop-kick from the Cross Zone past a sprawling Ben Hutchison (9 saves) but the Jacks had exposed the Owls in the Goal Zone for a total of 5 Crown Ring dunks and turned a 4-point deficit into a 75-74 lead after two.

The beginning of the end. Both teams played evenly in the first 40 minutes. Shot for shot, save for save. One team made a run and the other would check 'em. Each team was the Charlie Murphy to their opponent's Rick James, but the Owls eventually took the brunt of the "What did the five fingers say to the face?" joke and got slapped in the third and final period. Jacks rookie ranger Joe Petrino (28 points) was cruising along at his 22.5 ppg pace with 12 after two frames then switched quadrants and exploded for 16 game-changing points highlighted by a quick steal and 4-point shot in transition from the cross and a pinpoint 4 -point ring from the Flex in the final minutes with Scott Kennedy draining two 4-point Cross scores of his own. The Jacks wedgebacking crew stood on their heads to combine for 22 third period saves with Sean Kennedy (13 saves) leading the way with 8 of those. Not to be outdone, the Owls' Greg Ashton (13 points, game-high 17 saves, 3 assists) added 8 of his own in the final twenty minutes. The Owls carelessness with the ball led to their demise and the Jacks took home a 113-99 victory to stay alone in first place.

The right approach and mindset wins games in all athletic endeavors, both team and individual. When the right plan is executed with a winning attitude, athleticism THEN becomes the deciding factor.

Some teams just know how to get it done while others panic.

Kudos.

PC

Kronum League Round 8 – Urban Legends vs. Throwbacks

Statistics do not win games.  Victories are not earned in the columns of  assist totals, shooting percentages, or game-highs. If this was not the case, and numbers told the whole story in Kronum League games, then the Throwbacks would be fresh off one of the biggest shellackings in League history, and the Urban Legends would be off to Hollywood as the next to star in one of those Southwest Airlines “Wanna Get Away?” TV spots.

This is really nothing to joke about, I mean, look at the numbers. They’ll tell you what you need to know, right? Well maybe not since Tim Tebow has been winning games with a completion percentage equivalent to his age, but a game’s paper trail is usually a good outline of the outcome.

Not in Kronum, brah. The Throwbacks shot 46% to the Legends 38%. The T-Backs never shot lower than forty-five percent in any one period to be specific. Their save total of 39 dominated the Legends 28 stops. Their Mommas taught them how to share their way to 20 assists against the Legends’ selfish 17 AND they held a controlling 8-point lead after two periods. The T-Backs looked to be in control and on their way to their fourth win on the season and a chance to climb the standings to compete for a playoff bye in the coming weeks. However, things didn’t exactly pan out on that front for the Maize and Navy. In Kronum, more is definitely better but “how” and “where”  are the real factors that tell the difference.

The ”Cross Zone”, to keep things simple, is comprised of the areas of the field farthest away from any one goal. Each goal quadrant has a Goal Zone, Wedge Zone, Flex Zone, and a Cross Zone. However, in any given Flex Zone, a part of the inner circle of the Cross exists and this is where…..jeez, you know what, just YouTube Kronum Basic Rules. OK, you seen it? The Cross is worth more points and The Legends won because they do it more often and better than other teams, got it? I’m actually sitting here yelling at myself for trying to write about where a zone is. It’s like someone  explaining, in words, the location of Birmingham to someone who doesn’t know where Alabama is on a map.

The Throwbacks came out firing in the first period, taking a commanding 13 point lead just 5 minutes into the game with ranger Kevin Casero drilling a big 4-point shot and had 11 different players tally points in the frame. For the first ten minutes, the T-Backs’ wedgebacks stonewalled almost every single shot from the Legends’ shooters. Jim Bradley (8 points, 13 saves), had 8 stops to lead the defense to a total of 21 saves in the 1st period alone, which is almost unheard of in Kronum. That’s over 1 save per minute. The Legends stayed persistent with their shots on net and finally broke out halfway through with Greg Ermold (14 points) and Kevin Glover (18 points, 4 saves) leading the effort to chip away at the T-Backs early onslaught and trailed by only two points, 28-26, at the end of one.

The second period was almost identical to the first as the Legends started out slow and gradually clawed their way back within striking distance. Throwbacks’ crosser John Graham (12 points) nailed a 4-point shot from the cross and a 4-point Ring from the Flex Zone while teammate Steve Botta (14 points, 11 saves, 6 assists) had his own 4-point ring and came very close to earning the Kronum League’s first ever Triple-Double. The Legends countered with some specialty footwork from Todd Wampler (8 points) and Glover. Ranger Kevin Clark (Game-high 26 points, 4 assists), despite a slow start, hit a big 4 from the cross, and showed signs of life that would make for an exciting 3rd and final period. Jordan Welles (6 points, 7 saves) and Bradley made fine plays in net for their respective squads in the period and the T-Backs took a 62-54 lead into the 3rd.

In the way that the 3rd period played out, one would of thought that the Urban Legends were slow playing their opponent and simply turned it on when they felt like it or the vaunted T-Backs wedgebacks were getting a few bucks from a couple unknowns in leather jackets seen hanging around the team bench areas. The Purple Orchids from West Philly blew up for 44 points and the spark that Clark showed in the 2nd period ignited a wildfire in the form of 14 3rd period points, including an 8-point Kronum shot that served as the death dagger when the team were locked at 88-88 a piece with a few minutes to go. Ermold, Glover, and Mike Ragan (12 points, 4 assists) provided the support to Clark’s late game heroics and Cory Robertson (8 points, 11 saves) shut down the T-Backs big shooters with 5 saves in the final 20 minutes. Ranger Steve Fariss seemed to be the only Throwback with a pulse in the 3rd, connecting for 14 of his team-high 18 points but the Urban Legends earned their third straight win, 98-88, to advance to 5-3 as they T-Backs fell to 3-5 on the season.

The Legends’ effort late in the game proved that one period, one minute, one turnover, one shot, or one player can completely change the pace of the game.

Big stat numbers are fun, great topics for discussion, and they get you in the Hall of Fame. But go ask Dan Marino, Karl Malone, Ted Williams, and Barry Bonds how many titles they bring your way.

PC

Kronum League 2011 Player Profile – Joe Ferrigno of the Throwbacks

As the world watches the final minutes of the most thrilling upset in Kronum League history, Joe Ferrigno knows the task is unfinished. He knows that the lead his team had built could crumble within seconds. He knows his opponent's capabilities for a comeback. He knows what you did last summer. He knows the answer to the math problem solved by Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting. He knows who, what, where, when, why, and how on the Kronum Round. Raise your hand and ask away kids, because Joe knows diddly.

The 3rd year captain of the Kronum League Throwbacks gathers his players prior to the start of each game and draws out the vision that has been burning in his brain throughout the week on how to best approach this Round's opponent. "I really enjoy that aspect; setting a game plan and trying to have guys buy into it", he claims. Ferrigno has devised an attack pattern on offense that has revealed itself to be one of the most effective and almost guaranteed methods of getting an open shot on net for a particular shooter. Defenses around the Kronum League are still figuring this out and will hopefully get back with an answer soon. He has also cultivated a defense that has given up a league-low 681 points. Built upon a rock solid core of wedgebacks, his next line of defense is a tactical nightmare for high-scoring, fast-paced offenses. If you think that a simple dribble, drive, and pass to the open shooter will suffice in generating open looks on net, then you might as well pack up your turf shoes and exit the premises. Two, three, even four passes may get the job done, if Ferrigno's complex scheme hasn't already forced you into a turnover.

A rapsheet comprised of various soccer achievements has enabled Ferrigno to become one of the most talented "foot" players in the Kronum League but Joe has embraced the use of his hands and a way to better control the ball and manage the pace of the game. Utilizing skills with both hands and feet, Joe has patented one of the league's most deceiving and theatric shot fakes to shake defenders in one-on-one situations. He approaches the Flex Zone line at full speed, leaps and performs a mid-air head and ball fake to his left with a facial expression similar to a Stanley Ipkiss in The Mask, drops the ball to his feet while the defender tends to a newly twisted ankle, and calmly buries a 2-point wedge kick past a very vulnerable wedgeback. Obviously standard practice drills for Joe during his time as captain for the Millersville University soccer team.

As both a student and teacher of Kronum, Ferrigno's ability to innovate comes from in-game substitutions in which he selflessly removes himself for a few minutes for a breather and a bird's eye view of the action on the field. This allows Joe to play and manipulate his opponent as a chessmaster would by making in-game adjustments to improve his team's play. Never will Ferrigno allow the Throwbacks to take the field unprepared or under-prepared. This was most evident in a recent matchup vs. the undefeated Nimble Jacks. The Throwbacks came in as a 40 point underdog to an equally prepared and strategic Jacks squad, winners of 18 stright over a 2 1/2 year span and Ferrigno was at his best. "We did a little tweeking to face the Jacks, knew it would be a tough game but our guys stuck to the gameplan and executed everything we were looking for", Ferrigno said. " Bit of an understatement in this writer's opinion. The T-Backs played PERFECT for the final two periods and captured the win in dramatic fashion.

As the Kronum League playoffs approach, the cunning captain is preparing his troops for the important weeks ahead. Other teams need to take note and come with their best. Even the most talented athleticism can be contained with a solid plan so try to develop a more intricate, less predictable game plan. This might  seem like a good idea to try and take Ferrigno by surprise, but there is something teams need to realize.

Joe is prepared.
Joe sees your thoughts.
Joe already knows.

PC

Kronum League Round 6 – Night Owls vs. Jet Sets

“Return of the Mack,
Return of the Mack
Return of the Mack
You know that I’ll be back”
-Mark Morrison, 1996

That song may not resurrect memories for some of you readers, nor has it gotten you as lucky as this writer while dancing closely at the Welcome Freshman Fiesta in high school.

The Kronum League Jet Sets have their own version of the tune re-written as “Return of the Matt”. Parsons that is. The highly anticipated comeback has built hype levels surpassing that of  The Return of the King, Return of the Jedi, and Return of the McRib combined, and it lived up to its high expectations.

For those unfamiliar with the Kronum League’s version of Lenny Dykstra, sans the financial woes, Matt Parsons arrived onto the scene in 2010 and contributed immediately to a very talented, yet disorganized Jet Sets club. They had an elite scoring threat in ranger Jeff Regensburg, a tier 1 foot skill ranger in Nick DeLuca, and a plethora of above-average wedgebacks to boot. Still, games within reach turned into lop-sided losses as the Sets finished 2009 in the basement of the League. Enter Parsons. His hustle, ball-control, vision, and game management skills in addition to a deceptive left-handed shot, rocketed the Sets from a doormat to a playoff semi-finalist in 201o. In September 2011, Parsons suffered a broken collarbone in a pre-season match versus the Urban Legends and was forced to watch from the sidelines where he kept his team and his vocal chords in fine tune as the Jet Sets awaited his return.

In his first game back, Parsons picked up right where he left off, netting 22 points and dishing out 3 assists as the Sets edged out the Night Owls 120-119 in a tooth and nail game decided by a shot at the buzzer. Regensburg (21 points, 3 assists) seemed to benefit the most with the return of his favorite crosser, getting open early and connecting for 15 points in the first. Luck seemed to be on the Jets Sets side as well in the opening period, as both Mike Schaeffer and Nick DeLuca hit 4-point Crown Ring shots that were deflected by Night Owl wedgebacks. The Owls put up some offense of their own as Kyle McGrath (23 points, 6 assists) drilled a 4-point ring, a 4-point throw from the cross, and a 3-point penalty shot while ranger Phil Cavalcante (12 points, 4 assists) and wedgeback Greg Ashton (12 points, 10 saves) hit double-digits early with 10 points apiece in the 1st. Defense was hard to come by but the Sets’ Scott Reimer (8 saves) and the Owls’ Joe Tulskie (12, points 10 saves) made critical saves early and the Owls’ led 52-51 at the end of the opening period.

Now, the Modus Operandi, of the 2011 Night Owls, in the words of Ray Finkle’s father, is that “the engine’s running but nobody’s behind the wheel”. The Owls stayed consistent with their second period carelessness and squandered their lead as Parsons, fellow crosser Steve Vandenberg (game-high 23 points), and wedgeback Zack Van Fosssen (17 points, 9 saves, 3 assists) when to work on the Owls defense nailing home 2s, 3s, and 4s throughout the period. Van Fossen added a highlight reel save on Cavalcante’s 2-point throw attempt in the final seconds of the 2nd. Owls’ speedy crosser Jay Klein (14 points, 7 assists) was a rare bright spot as he found the net with his patented drop-kick from the Cross Zone and wedgeback Derek Clouser (6 points, 8 saves) hit a few big “hook” throws from the Flex. The Sets took a 95-88 lead after two with the third period promising some real fireworks.

However, the final period turned out to be a showcase of defenses and superb wedgeback play as the Sets combined for 14 saves and the Owls stopping 16 shots. Vince Rota led the way for the Jets Sets D making 5 of his 9 saves in the 3rd. Both teams struggled to find open shooting lanes and looks at the net. Vandenberg took over in the frame burying a 4-point cross throw followed by a 3-point penalty shot. The Owls’ had no intention of going quietly as Chris VonTanhausen (6 assists) hit a big 4-point shot and Tulskie nailed a 4-point ring with Matt Sola (11 points, 8 saves) adding a booming 3-point penalty kick and with under 10 seconds left crosser Marc Stewart (8 points), known for his shooting accuracy and shot placement, found himself in the open field with a great look at the goal. As the arena collectively held its breath, Stewart released a high throw for the win but both Van Fossen and the goal crown combined for the game-saving stop and the Jets Sets flew away with a 120-119  victory.

The high-level play of Parsons no doubt played into the ‘W’, but it was the effect his presence had on the field for his team members that proved to be the biggest factor. Great players know how to make those around them better.

Parsons would be a great pitchman for Jet Blue Airlines, under the alias “Jet Glue”.

PC

Kronum League Round 6 - Nimble Jacks vs. Throwbacks

Throwbacks defeat Nimble Jacks. No big deal.

Game 2 of the day featured two .50 caliber offenses in the Jet Sets and Night…whoa, wait, hold up a hot second. What the hell did I just type? Is that first recap a dyslexic slip or has temporary insanity found me? Maybe it was a keyboard glitch. These damn things. Whatever the cause, I’ll go back and correct the err…wait, they lost? and THEY won?!

An award-winning fiction writer would have had trouble coming up with a chapter that told the story of the Kronum League Throwbacks taking on and taking down the two-time champion Nimble Jacks, winners of 18 straight games over a two-and-a-half year stretch that could be its own era in the history of time. The Jackassic Period? Probably not. Moving on.

Game One of Round 6 featured the top two strategic Kronum clubs in the league. A re-re-match of the 2010 Kronum League Championship game. A chance to avenge a 40 point loss earlier this season. These squads are similar in approach and game-planning, the ‘Jacks just always had a higher talent level athletically, and after the first 20 minutes, fans and viewers around the globe were settling in for another predictable match-up.  Nimble Jack ranger Joe Petrino (game-high 20 points) was a bit ring happy in the 1st period, connecting for two 4-point rings from the Flex and another 4-pointer from the Cross Zone. Captain Scott Kennedy (20 points, 5 assists) fed Petrino pinpoint passes on two of his 4-point scores. The T-Backs responded with a steady dose of 2-point throws and kicks from captain Joe Ferrigno (8 points, game-high 6 assists) and ranger John Graham (13 points). The typically slow-to-start Throwbacks came to play offensively on this day but their usually reliable defense did not and the Jacks took a 44-28 lead into the 2nd period.

Ferrigno must have huddled his troops and watched ’300′, ‘Gladiator’, and ‘Little Giants’ all within a 3-minute intermission because the T-Backs put a serious whoopin’ on the Jacks in the second and made it look easy. They nearly doubled the Jacks scoring output in the period, putting up 52 against 27 with ranger Nick Ferraro (14 points, 7 blocks) playing like a man possessed hitting two 4-point rings from the Flex while rejecting shot after shot with authority in his zone. The Jacks could barely get a shot near the net in the “Botta Quad”. Ferraro was playing through a torn plantar fascia ligament injury that he suffered early in the game but overcame the pain to dominate on defense. Wedgeback Steve Botta (12 points, 8 saves) of the aforementioned “Botta Quad” drilled an 8-point Kronum to highlight the T-Backs outburst with Steve Fariss (15 points) and Kevin Casero (8 points) chipping in with 6 points a piece, respectively, in the period. Meanwhile, the Jacks were literally going postal on the goalposts. The most accurate shooting team in the league was certainly not showcasing their target-shooting skills on this day. The T-Backs defensive pressure forced quick shots that banged off what it seemed like all eight posts of all four goals on the round. Crosser Ryan Coyne (15 points, 6 assists) hit a 3 point penalty kick and Wedgeback Sean Kennedy (13 saves) had 6 saves in a damage control effort to end the period down ‘only’ 9 points at 80-71.

Could this really be happening? Is this where it ends? Why won’t they stop shooting on 21? These were just some of the questions coming from a record-high and stunned spectator crowd mostly comprised of Nimble Jack supporters. One could argue all day which team the pressure was on in the 3rd period and both sides would have been correct. The Jacks had a perfect season and undefeated streak on the line and the Throwbacks were in danger of hitting a 2-4 mark on the season with a loss and neither squad was considering losing as an option. Both teams turned up the intensity but the period belonged to the T-Backs wedge-backing crew of Ryan Hoff (12 point, 10 save double-double), Jim Bradley (11 saves), Botta, and James “Cell Block T” Thomas. Before Alcatraz became a defunct federal prison, Cell Block D was the famed in-penetrable segregation chamber of the San Francisco Bay slammer. On this day, Thomas locked down his quadrant making 8 of his game-high 15 saves in acrobatic fashion. The four combined for 20 total saves in the third period alone as the Jacks frantically peppered the net with time winding down and wedgeback Dustin Gebhard completed a 5-point “And 1″ play with a 2-point ring jam while getting fouled and drilled the 3-point penalty kick past Bradley to cut the lead to one. However, Ferrigno kept his crew calm, cool, and collected down the stretch. When the final buzzer sounded the T-Backs achieved the unthinkable, outlasting the mighty Nimble Jacks by a score of 104-98. The win propelled the Throwbacks to 3-3 and right back into the mix while the Jacks fell to 5-1 yet remain at the top of the 2011 standings.

What a game. What a finish. What an upset. What a streak. What the hell?

PC