Season recap

Glens Falls finished the season with a 6-6 overall record. The team started a bit erratically, but as the season went along, the Indians played a consistent (with one exception) brand of attacking, possession-oriented soccer.

70% of the team's goals were assisted, a testament to TEAM-oriented soccer based on passing and movement rather than just expecting one player to do everything. This was illustrated in the team's first goal against Broadalbin-Perth, by far the best team goal I've seen in 11 years of coaching modified. It was set up with a amazing sequence of 14 passes without losing possession in which 7 different players touched the ball, demonstrating patience, skillful execution and good decision-making at every opportunity.

I also can't remember a team that that was involved in so many games that were close (8 of 12 decided by 2 goals or fewer) and well-played by both teams, which certainly provided a great challenge to our team. It was certainly an exciting season and I hope the players enjoyed it and felt they improved.

A few notable statistical achievements were accomplished this year...
-Julian Winston: 17 saves in a game (ties all-time team record)

-Dylan Balcom: 3 goals in a game (ties record)

-Balcom: 10 goals in a season (2nd best all time)

-Drew Nizolek: fastest 2 assists (under 2 minutes)

TEAM LEADERS
Goals: 10-Balcom
Assists: 6-Nizolek
Points: 22-Balcom
Most shots: 32-Balcom
Most shots on goal: 23-Balcom

Shooting accuracy* (% of shots that were on goal): 80.0%-Andrew Stamatel
Finishing accuracy* (% of shots that were goals)" 37.0%-Balcom


Goalkeeper saves: 31-Luke Kelly
GK minutes: 290-Kelly
GK goals allowed average (per 60 minutes): 1.26-Matt Parent
GK saves per 60 minutes: 7.2-Winston

*-mininum 6 shots

Hope to see everyone next year!

Thanks

Thank you to everyone for the gift card as well as for the autographed ball. Just a reminder to make sure you touch a soccer ball once in a while before next fall. Hope to see everyone next year!

Final team gathering and uniform collection on Tuesday

We will have one final team get together on Tuesday from 4:15-5:00 at Kensington. We will do something fun such as a scrimmage or shooting games or something else the players can find consensus on. Players must bring both jerseys and their pair of shorts to turn in at this event. Players are not required to stay for the activities if they have something else going on but they (or a parent) should show up at some point during this time to return their school-issued uniform. Any issues, please let me know. See everyone then.

Game report: GF 4-2 J'town

Saturday October 22
Glens Falls 4-2 Johnstown

Glens Falls concluded their season with a 4-2 win against Johnstown at Kensington. The Indians started slowly, conceding a pair of goals in the first few minutes of the contest. After a tactical switch, they tightened things up in the back but couldn't get anything going offensively. They finished a disappointing, lethargic half down 2-0. But as the third quarter opened, GF was a completely different team. The Indians scored only a few minutes after the break and were completely rampant in the second half with aggressiveness, high energy and a great passing game. They scored three more times before it was over in a match that is believed to be the first time in GF modified history that the team came from two goals down to win.

SHOTS ON GOAL: GF 6, Johnstown 6
GOALKEEPER SAVES: Matt Parent 2, Julian Winston 2

SCORING
32'-Liam Forbes
45'-Dylan Balcom
50'-Balcom (Matt Parent)
59'-Balcom *PK*

Note: Balcom's three goals was the first GF modified hat trick since 2006 and the second fastest recorded in team history.

Click here to see final team stats

Game report: LG 3-2 GF

Thursday October 20, 2011
Lake George 3-2 Glens Falls

On a wet afternoon, Glens Falls narrowly lost to Lake George 3-2 after a fantastic game of soccer both ways. The teams were tied at 1 at halftime when GF scored on a breakaway toward the end of the third quarter. However, the Warriors scored once early in the fourth quarter and again with under 3 minutes left to seal the win. GF had several good chances throughout the game but their finishing was not as sharp as it had been in recent games. Glens Falls moved the ball around the field better than they have all year but were undone by a problem that’s plagued them since the game one: leaving opposition attackers unmarked in front of their goal. The game represents the 7th in 11 contests decided by two goals or fewer.

SHOTS ON GOAL: LG 8, GF 11
GOALKEEPER SAVES: Luke Kelly 5

SCORING
19’-Andrew Stamatel (Willy Herrmann)
44’-Dylan Balcom (Matt Parent)


Click here to see full season stats

Game report: GF 6-2 HF

Thursday October 18
Glens Falls 6-2 Hudson Falls

Glens Falls snapped a three game losing streak by thumping Hudson Falls 6-2 at Kensington. The Indians scored in just the 2nd minute of the game to take an early lead but the Tigers threatened at various times throughout the first quarter. GF exploded for four goals in nine minutes in the second quarter, including three in three minutes, to take a commanding 5-0 lead into halftime. Hudson Falls dominated the third quarter, getting two goals back and nearly more. However, the Indians stabilized things in the final quarter and added another for the final margin of victory. GF's shooting accuracy was excellent with all of their 14 shots being on goal and 6 of the 14 going in.

SHOTS ON GOAL: GF 14, HF 7
GOALKEEPER SAVES: Matt Parent 2; Mike Schrammel 3

SCORING
2'-Dylan Balcom
19'-Drew Nizolek (Andrew Stamatel)
26'-Stamatel (Nizolek)
27'-Kellen Wolfe (Nizolek)
28'-Nizolek (Wolfe)
51'-Stamatel (Wolfe)

Note: Nizolek is believed to be only the 2nd player in GF modified history to have multiple goals AND multiple assists in the same game! His 2 assists in 2 minutes is the fastest pair of assists in team history.

For full team stats, click here.

Gloversville makeup game

I am currently in the process of trying to arrange a makeup date for our away game to Gloversville that got postponed. It seems likely that it will be next week on a school night. I will let you know.


Update: I've been told that the game will NOT be made up on Fri. Oct. 21 so anyone in the MS band event will be ok.

2011 team photo

Note: Click on the pic to make it bigger

Front row (L-R): Willy Herrmann, Andrew Bulmer, Josh Greenwood, Liam Forbes, Michael Schrammel, Andy Culliton, Matt Parent & Tymothy Dorvee.

Middle: Drew Nizolek, Cooper Knapp, Andrew Stamatel, Dylan Balcom, Julian Winston, Peter Mauro & Luke Kelly.

Back: Coach Farenell, Henry Vanderminden, Andrew Nichols, Kellen Wolfe, Greyson Brady, Austin Shufelt & Jacob West.

Missing: Rzonathan Morris

****

TEAM LEADERS

L-R: Co-captain Andrew Bulmer, alternate captain Kellen Wolfe and co-captain Peter Mauro.

Party and photos

If anyone is interested in organizing a post-season team party or some other get together, please let me know.

Also, if anyone has game photos that they'd like posted on the website, please email me.

Game report: Qby 3-2 GF (2OT)

Thursday October 13
Queensbury 3-2 Glens Falls (2OT)

Glens Falls suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime loss away to Queensbury today in what was an exciting, well-played game of soccer. The Indians scored first but quickly fell behind. They fought back with a gritty goal in the 3rd quarter to even it up. GF was generally very sharp in the 2nd half, moving the ball around the field well and giving an excellent overall TEAM performance. However, with under 2 minutes left in the second and final overtime, a long distance shot slipped past the Indians' goalkeeper. On the final play of the game, GF nearly equalized but a pass across the face of the goal just barely missed being poked in two players.
SHOTS ON GOAL: GF 5, Queensbury 20
SAVES: Julian Winston 17 (Note: this ties the all-time team record for most saves in a game)

SCORING
9'-Mike Schrammel (Peter Mauro)
37'-Andrew Bulmer (Drew Nizolek)

Click here to see full team stats

Game report: GF 0-7 SGF

Wednesday October 12
Glens Falls 0-7 South High

Glens Falls fell 7-0 to a rampant South High team at Morse. The Indians started strong in the first few minutes and nearly scored in the first minute of the game. But the Bulldogs scored about 5 minutes into the game after a great through ball. The Indians lost their composure and by the time they finally regained it, they were already down 5-0 early in the 2nd quarter. Although the effort was not lacking, Glens Falls season-long problems with lack of focus particularly hurt them against this undefeated opponent.

SHOTS ON GOAL: GF 3, SGF 21
SAVES: Luke Kelly 3, Matt Parent 11

Click here to see full 2011 team stats

Game report: GF 1-2 Scotia

Saturday October 8
Glens Falls 1-2 Scotia

Glens Falls was extremely unlucky to lose to Scotia 2-1 despite a fantastic performance against an strong opponent. In the last three years, Scotia had scored an average of 6 goals a game against GF, but today, the Indians' defense was remarkably strong and organized - 1 of the goals conceded was on a penalty kick. Glens Falls' attacking players kept the Tartans' defense under relentless pressure and were very unfortunate to score only once. If this effort is repeated, the second half of GF's season should be exciting to watch.

SHOTS ON GOAL: GF 3, Scotia 8
GOALKEEPER SAVES: Luke Kelly 6

SCORING
20'-Andy Culliton


Click here to view team stats.

Game report: HF 0-5 GF

Thursday October 6
Hudson Falls 0-5 Glens Falls

Glens Falls scored 4 goals in 17 first-half minutes to cruise to a 5-0 win at Hudson Falls.

SHOTS ON GOAL: HF 1, GF 13
GOALKEEPER SAVES: Matt Parent 1, Julian Winston 0

SCORING
13'-Peter Mauro (Willy Herrmann)
15'-Dylan Balcom (Drew Nizolek)
22'-Nizolek (Andrew Stamatel)
30'-Andrew Bulmer (Cooper Knapp)
42'-Balcom

Click here to see season team stats.

Game report: SGF 2-0 GF

Wednesday October 5
South Glens Falls 2-0 Glens Falls

Despite losing 2-0 to South High, Glens Falls gave a strong, organized effort against a top class opponent. The performance was a remarkable turnaround from a 8-1 scrimmage loss to open the season.

SHOTS ON GOAL: SGF 15, GF 2
GOALKEEPER SAVES: Luke Kelly 13


Click here to see season team stats.

Game report: GF 3-0 Qby

Monday October 3
Glens Falls 3-0 Queensbury

Three different goal scorers contributed to Glens Falls' third win in a row and first clean sheet of the season as they defeated Queensbury's B team 3-0 at Kensington. The Indians opened the scoring when Mike Schrammel played a through ball to Kellen Wolfe who blasted it over the Spartans' keeper. The Indians dominated the entire game, except for a brief stretch in the middle of the first half. They doubled the lead in the middle of the second quarter when a shot was fumbled by the keeper and Dylan Balcom pounced on the rebound. GF continued to control the play and extended the lead in midway through the fourth quarter when Peter Mauro took a pass from Balcom and poked it home. Matt Parent and Luke Kelly combined for 3 saves on the afternoon. Andrew Bulmer and Willy Herrmann did excellent jobs distributing the ball from the attacking midfield position while the central defensive pairing of Henry Vanderminden and Jacob West had another solid outing.

SHOTS ON GOAL: Glens Falls 16, Queensbury 3
SAVES: Matt Parent 2, Luke Kelly 1

SCORING
6'-Kellen Wolfe (Mike Schrammel)
20'-Dylan Balcom
49'-Peter Mauro (Balcom)


Click here to view team stats.