Week of September 21...

Park squads invaded the fields of rival schools last week, even as those teams littered our own venues. In the end, some Bruins excelled while others' heads hung low. A select few managed to do both.

To put it plainly, field hockey had a rough go. The Bruins labored to score goals and, in so doing, left themselves porous on defense as well, losing to Mt. de Sales 0-4 and Maryvale 1-6. Coach Hickok and her seniors struggled to maintain the team's composure in the wake of the losses, and must now find ways to avoid relinquishing their hope for the future. Fortunately, the season is still young and successes are not always measured by simple standings. Rebounding this week, however, will require a formidable (Herculean?) effort as Park faces a 3 game schedule. On Monday, the girls travel to Friends School to take on the 0-3 Quakers in a rivalry game to break out of the cellar in the B-Conference. Third place Glenelg then comes to campus on Wednesday and then it's back on the bus for a trip to first place and 5-0 McDonogh on Friday. Stay strong ladies. Go get 'em.

FH: M 9/21 @ Friends, W 9/23 v. Glenelg, F 9/25 @ McDonogh.

Though the 16-47 score may not have shown it, the boys' cross country team's loss to undefeated Loyola was not tragic. Coach Kessinger felt the lads ran well, further toughening their bodies and resolve for the second half of the season. That forward thinking and focus will again be tested when Calvert Hall, listed at 4-0 in the A-Conference, visits Park this Tuesday. If nothing else, the boys hope to challenge the Cardinals, earn their respect and yet remain under the radar until the November showdown at the championship.

MCC: T 9/22 v. Calvert Hall

Girls' soccer fell to 0-2 and the bottom of the B-Conference after losses to capable teams from Friends and St. Paul's. The lowlight of the week was not necessarily the losses, 0-3 and 0-6 respectively, but the lack of scoring. The Bruins had some opportunities but often found it difficult to find any flow through the midfield into the attacking zone. In the first half of the St. Paul's match, our girls appeared unready for the physical nature of the game. They made appropriate adjustments in both style and attitude during the break, but the goals remained allusive. The first opportunity to jump back into the thick of the conference race occurs Wednesday when Park travels to Chapelgate. On Friday, the girls hope to further tune their skills against non-conference foe Cristo Rey.

WSC: W 9/23 @ Chapelgate, F 9/25 v Cristo Rey

Park's girls' tennis team has, at 2-1, embedded themselves right in the middle of the B-Conference standings. Last week included two 5-0 sweeps of lower-ranked St. Tim's and St. Frances, even while missing two varsity players! Chalk one up for depth, strategy and good coaching. While the caliber of opponent in those matches may not have rivaled the early season challenge from McDonogh, each game provides opportunity for the girls to improve, further preparing them for the schedule to come and the finals themselves. Tuesday, Park hosts 0-3 Glenelg at Chestnut Ridge.

WTN: T 9/22 v Glenelg

The girls' cross country team also occupies the middle ground in the B-Conference. Last week included wins over Glenelg and Beth T'Filoh, improving the Bruins' overall record to 5-3 (of note, the IAAM website is entirely incorrect on this one). Tuesday, the girls face competition that resides above them in the standings when they travel to Seton Keough to race the Gators along with Severn and others. This week, the Bruins may indeed have to shed their smiles and claw for contention in order to continue their winning ways.

WCC: T 9/22 @ Seton Keough

The boys' soccer team may have had not only the most triumphant week of the lot, but possibly one of the more impressive regular season weeks in recent memory, knocking off perennial talents Friends School and Boys' Latin in successive games. The 2-1 and 1-0 victories catapulted the Bruins to second place in the B-Conference standings behind only undefeated, and recent A-Conference dropout, St. Paul's. Unfortunately, once the celebrations began upon the final whistle, emotion and an alleged game-long berating from antagonistic fans got the better of at least one Bruin, leading to an inappropriate taunt directed towards the crowd. The exaltation has resulted in the suspension of a key player for Tuesday's match against Red Division leader AACS, our GAME OF THE WEEK. Now, of course I'd prefer the focus of today's blog remain upon the outstanding effort and successes of the team. However, I feel it necessary to use the medium in some small way to remind current Bruins who may be reading that we at Park judge our actions not by means of some comparison to the behaviors of others, but according to our own standards of ethics, morals and sportsmanship. It's a matter of character, upon which we pride ourselves. No matter the degradations occasionally hurled by others, the flagrant fouls or other misdeeds that may occur on or off the playing surface; No matter what, you stay classy Bruins.

MSC: T 9/22 v. AACS

As always, check the website for updated schedules, times and venues!

GO BRUINS!