Another win for Javanon - this time against FOSC

The second game of the day was against Fairfield Ohio Soccer Club.  These guys were huge too.  Holy Cow.  

Look at the size difference between Robert and their #26.  It was funny 26 vs 26.

 It was a great game.  We were ahead at half 1-0.

 At the end of the game the final score was 2-1.  We won.  We have one tie and one win going into the next round.

Robert saves the game - OP Eagles

Last night Robert and I had to drive up from LaGrange to Cincinnati through a terrible thunder storm (with terrible windshield wipers).  Neither of us had a very good night's sleep.  So when 6 am came around and we had to get up and get ready to be at the fields by 7 am for a game that didn't start until 8 am, we were tired.

When the other team showed up we about panicked.  They were huge.  They had at least 2 or 3 really developed players.

We started with our same routine - breakfast of hot cakes at McDonalds with chocolate milk or hot chocolate.  Robert was all set.  It was still dark at 7 am and not a single boy (nor coach) was on the field.  Around 7:10 Mason, Eric and Parker walked onto the field, so Robert joined them.  

The game started at 8:00 am.  Robert didn't start, but came in after 12 minutes.  While he was in he played mid-wing.  He played fantastic!  

 He had a great game, play after play.  Stopping their biggest player from running with the ball.

 He made great passes at the right time.  The ball stayed in our possession when Robert had it.  He had a nice soft touch when needed.  I was so happy he could have such a great first half.

Robert usually doesn't start the second half if he played the end of the first half, but the coach kept him in.  He played the remainder of the game, but this time as a defensive back.  Again, Robert kept the ball from advancing on our goal.

 Once, Robert intercepted the ball and took it down the side for a shot on goal.  He shot too close to the ground so the goalie got it, but he once again was playing very aggressive!

It was a tremendous game, each team giving 100%.  The final score was 0-0.  It was a victory to us!

Oldham County Kick Off

It's Friday night starting at 6:00 pm, we are all gathered at the Oldham County HS track for Marissa's events.  They are not running a 4x800 meter relay so Marissa is having the chance to run the 1 mile and the 2 mile in the same meet.  This is the first time her coaches are letting her do this.  She is so excited.

Time:  6:30 - Marissa will be running with Gabriella Karas and the girl from Sayre.  They both have great times.  Marissa gets starting position (in the middle) but gets crowded or boxed in after the gun goes off.  She is also running against girls from Sacred Heart, Bullitt East, and OC.  Marissa has a great 1 mile run, but she got trapped in a pack which hurt her time a bit.  She still ran an amazing race and earned a PR of 5:46.25 but she was upset that she got trapped in the middle.  The good thing is this really fired her up to do well in the 2 mile.

Right now I should leave with Robert to drive him to Cincinnati for his soccer games tomorrow but I don't want to miss Marissa running the two mile.  She wants to break the school record.  She is all set to run 8 1 and a half minute laps.  It is 8:30 and they still haven't called for the race.  YIKES!  This is creating such conflict for me.  It's an hour and a half to get to Cincinnati, and Robert needs a good nights sleep, but I don't want to miss seeing her run.  Around 8:45 they start the 200 meter dash, the 2 mile is right after it.  I decide to stay to watch.

We also see Oliver there.  He is running track for NOHS.  Today he is running the mile too.







Marissa was so excited.  She and Christina were warming up inside the track when the officials called lightning and called the whole meet at that point.  It's over.  She didn't get to run the 2 mile.  She was so disappointed.

Mark took her home while Robert and I headed up to Cincinnati for his tournament tomorrow morning.  He has to be at the fields by 7:00 a.m.

Henry County All Comer

Tonight the NOHS Girls Track and Field team went to the Henry County All comer meet. The meet started at 5:30 with (as tradition) the 4x800 Meter Relay.  There were only 4 girls teams there (NOHS, Henry Cty, Trimble Cty, and Eminence).  Christina Ausley wasn't able to attend the meet so Hannah Jeuttner took her place on the 4x800.  Marissa's 4x800 team took 1st place but due to the lack of competition there wasn't anyone pushing them, and then came in at 11:09.  They were slightly disappointed because they didn't push themselves, but they enjoyed the run. 

Marissa's coaches didn't place her in the mile, instead they had her run the 2 mile (3200 meter run).  She was very excited for the chance to run this race.  Jessica ran this race once last year in 12:06.   Marissa didn't try to beat her time...she just wanted to see what it would be like to run the race.  She did an amazing job, finishing in 12:21 - finishing first for the girls and second overall (girls and boys) getting a new PR and earning the fastest time for this season.  Marissa set a new goal to break the school record of 11:58.  Jessica was only 8 seconds (1 second per lap).  I believe Marissa can break the record. 

Our team took first place in the meet!  They were very excited.

CAL Invitational

Saturday, March 24 - Usually these are early mornings were we are going to see Jessica run or jump, but now it is Marissa.  She is running the 4x800 m and the 1600 meter run.  Ironically, those are the same events Jessica ran her senior year.  Marissa is running the 4x800 meter relay with Ally Hall, Hannah Gray, and Christina Ausley.   I love the relay events - there is a tremendous teamwork effort and camaraderie that brings the girls together.  

Ally Hall (junior) runs the first 800 - she hands off to 

Hannah Gray (senior).  Right before the hand off an official stepped in front of Ally making it difficult to pass to Hannah.

Hannah passes to Christina Ausley.  Last meet Marissa ran in the third position, but this meet Christina Ausley (Freshman) is the third runner.  Unfortunately, an Manual runner stepped in front of Hannah trying to pass the baton to Christina.  Luckily they made the exchange but it took up time.

Marissa is the anchor of the relay (same as Jessica).

Marissa's split time was 2:41 and the team finished 11th with a time of 10:46.  This is a 4 second PR from their last race.

Marissa and Christina after the 4 x 800 meter relay waiting for the 1600 meter run.

Marissa starting the 1600 meter.  She had to start in the very last position of the race in the 8th lane.  YUCK!!!  She had to sprint to get into a good position for the race.  

She did a great job getting into a better position, she was about 8 back from the lead as they headed into the first turn.

She has excellent strides and worked extremely hard to start in a good position.  

For the rest of the race, Marissa held a steady pace.  She has had to race against this girl from OCHS twice.  She is a good runner.  This is Marissa getting ready to start the second lap.

On the third lap Marissa passed the tall girl from Presentation, but maintained the same pace as the girls from Elizabethtown  until the last lap.  

On the last 100 meters of the race, Marissa decided to sprint the ending - passing the girl from Elizabethtown and drawing very close to the girl from Manual Dupont.  She had a fantastic race finishing with a new PR of 5:46 (a 4 second PR) in 11th place against three AAA teams.  She might have been in 1st place for AA teams.  I will have to see. Way to go Marissa!!!

Robert's 1st NOMS game against Shelby West

Tonight was Robert's first game for NOMS.  They had a game on Tuesday that Robert couldn't attend due to Javanon Practice.  NOMS won that game 3-0.  

Tonight they are playing the toughest team in the league - Shelby West.  Last year we beat them 5-2 in season and then had to play them for the district championship.  Tonight was the first night for several boys:  Mason, Parker, Robert….  We also didn't have our regular goalie, Justice.  We had a new guy BJ.  The boys played a very competitive game scoring first, then SW scored (1-1).  Then SW scored again, then we scored (2-2).  With about 10 minutes left in the game SW scored another goal (3-2).  We made several attempts to score again but ran out of time.  Final score 3-2 - first loss of the season.

Shelby All Comer - first meet of the season

Today is the big day - it is the first meet of the Spring Track and Field.  It is Tuesday, the meet starts at 5:30 p.m. with the temperature reaching 86 degrees.

The first race is right at 5:30 with the 4x800 meter.  Marissa is running in this event.  There is an interesting twist to this meet - it is on a feet track, so the girls started the race at the far end of the track instead of the finish line.  This messed Betsy up because she wanted to get a start picture.

Marissa is the third runner for the "A" team.  Her team consists of Alli Hall (Jessica ran with her), Hannah Gray (Jessica ran with her too), and Christina Ausley (another freshman).  Alli set off on fire and set a great lead for our team, Hannah had a rough 800 loosing ground coming around in 2nd place.  Marissa took off super fast and made up some distance but still exchanged in second place.  Christina kept the pace.  Our 4x800 team finished at 10:50 in 2nd place.

The second event for Marissa is the mile.  It was the 5th event for the day.  With this being an all comer there was a long delay for all the many, many heets of 100 m girls and 100 m boys.  At 7:15 they started the 1600 m run.  Marissa was stuck out in the 8th lane without a cascade.  She knew what she had to do - and she executed it perfectly.  As soon as the gun went off, she sprinted for the 1st lane and made it in first place.  She held the lead of the race for 7/8 of the first lap, and slipped to second.  She ran a super race finishing 5th with a new PR of 5:50.  AMAZING! 

It was such a thrill to see her run.  She stayed up with the front runners, taking the lead for NOHS.  She finished in front of Alli, Christina and everyone else.  She looked so strong and confident.  After the race she said she knew exactly what she needed to do and she "owned" this race.  She wanted it and she got it!!!

Mark and I had to leave the meet to pick up Robert from soccer practice at 7:30. Everything worked out perfect.

The girls ended up taking 1st place (WINNERS) of the meet.  AWESOME!!!

Devon Speaks at Stake Conference

Two weeks ago Devon was asked by the Stake President to speak on "Duty to God" in Stake Conference which is on March 18. 

Devon prepared for this speech, practicing at home, and building confidence.

The day of his speech, he appeared to be very nervous.  Mark spoke with him to help him know where to look, how to pace himself and to wish him good luck.  I wished him good luck (since Mark had already done the pep talk).

Devon spoke after the wife of the mission president, wife of the temple president, after the patriach, and after the young women's speaker.  While walking to the podium Devon took a deep breath and sighed - everyone could see.  He did the same thing once he got to the podium.  You could tell he was stressed, but he also had a smile on his face and his eyes were focused on his audience. 

Devon did a great job giving examples of how he had used the "Duty to God" program, and how the program works.  He told the story of how we shared the gospel with Jern Jern, and how he recently had the opportunity to share the "Standards for Youth" with Oliver.  He also shared the story of how he volunteered to be lowered into a sewer to retreive a ladies keys that she had accidentally dropped.  Both his youth leaders had to hold Devon up by the legs while they lowered him into the sewer.  Devon did this service with a glad heart and was happy that he could help the lady and her husband. 

Devon ended his talk by thanking God, and his family.  He said, "I'd like to especially thank my mom and wish her a happy birthday."  He got me.

Devon did a great job!  We are so proud of him.  There were over 1000 people present at Stake Conference!

Game 2 against Evansville

Robert had two games in one day.  In between the games I took him to Fazoli's in Frankfort, KY.  He ordered the chicken parmeasean - he loves it, but it was filling.  We went shopping to walk off his food. 

The second game started at 5:00 p.m. but we had to be at the fields by 4:15.  This time they are playing another very competitive team from Evansville, IN.  The opponent's players are large.  It is the perfect day for soccer; it is about 80 degrees with a gentle breeze.  It is beautiful.  At first we don't look very good again - we are slow and sluggish - the very reason I made Robert walk around - so his lunch wouldn't make him slow.  He went into the game around 15 minutes into play.  He didn't have a very good first half either.  The boys are lucky to get away with a 0-0 half time.  The second half of the game goes much better for us.  We control the ball more, complete passes better and score with about 10 minutes left in the game.  Just like the previous game, the other team plays like they are in a panic to score.  The last 10 minutes is manic with activity at our goal.  We are strong and withstand their pressure.  The game ends as a win 1-0.  YAHOO!!  Two wins in one day. 

Robert and I have had a long day but it was worth it.  Unfortunately, playing with the ACL brace causes him to hit his other knee while he runs.  He has bruises on the inside of his right knee.  It would be nice to finally get out of that brace.