Soccer Kicks Off with a Bang in the Bronx

Soccer Kicks Off with a Bang in the Bronx

Photos by Gary Quintal

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 16- The long awaited arrival of the first team in MLS history to represent New York City took place at Yankee Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Controversies and expectations were high as the day of the first NYC FC game in New York City approached.

To those in the stadium, except for fans of the New England Revolution, the controversies were forgotten as the expectations were more than met. After the starting lineup of the NYC FC was announced, the Revolution fans, seated behind third base chanted, “Where is Lampard?.” They were referring to English star Frank Lampard, who will remain with Manchester City, the 80 percent owner of NYC FC. He will not join NYC until July.

Another controversial issue was playing soccer in a non‐soccer dedicated stadium. The question was asked of Coach Jason Kreis and superstar David Villa after the match. Both responded with their satisfaction of the conditions on the Yankee Stadium. Villa answered thusly, “The pitch was fine today. With even better weather, we will benefit from even better conditions.”

Kreis spoke of the positives of the occasion, “It fulfilled my dreams. We couldn’t ask for a better result against a very good team, and we couldn’t ask for better support from our crowd.”

Original plans were for approximately 27,000 seats to be allocated for the crowds at NYC FC matches. The opening day crowd numbered 43,507 fans, an extremely impressive and happy surprise for the organization.

Another happy surprise was the final score of the match. To the delight of the crowd, NYC was victorious by a score of 2‐0. The shutout by veteran goalie Josh Saunders was, of course, his first of the new season and the 21st of his career. He commented, “I think we can truly give something for the fans in New York City to cheer about.”

Most of those in the stands were looking forward to watching the excellent talents of Spanish superstar David Villa, the first player signed by the club to be

displayed during the match. They did not have long to wait as Villa scored the first goal of the match at the 19 minute mark on an assist from Ned Grabovoy. Kreis said of the American, a member of MLS Cup winners in 2005 and 2009, “Grabovoy is an extremely important member of this team.”

Late in the second half, the 84th minute, Villa expertly set up the last goal with a pass to Patrick Mullins, who has entered the match as a substitute less than one minute earlier. Kreis remarked, “Most of the credit for that goal goes to David.” Mullins, who was drafted by New England last year, enthused over having Villa as a teammate, “The biggest thing I’ve taken from him is he’s a winner. He’s such a special player.”

Mullins also spoke of the play, “I’ve seen him get it there many times in practice. I wasn’t going to let him down.”

The New York City team will travel to Colorado to face the Rapids on March 21 and return to Yankee Stadium for their second home match against Kansas City on Saturday evening, March 28.

#Soccer #NYCFC #Yankee Stadium #David Villa #Bronxnews

Highbridge News: Fordham Kicks Off Atlantic‐10 Championship with a ...

Highbridge News: Fordham Kicks Off Atlantic‐10 Championship with a ...: Fordham Kicks Off Atlantic‐10 Championship with a Win  By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 12- March Madness has arrived. ...

Fordham Kicks Off Atlantic‐10 Championship with a Win

Fordham Kicks Off Atlantic‐10 Championship with a Win 

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 12- March Madness has arrived. The four months of the regular college basketball season has concluded. Conference championships are currently underway or have recently ended. Next week, college basketball teams will be selected and seeded for the national tournaments.

Two days prior to the start of The Atlantic‐10 Championship, which began at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Wednesday night, the Manhattan Jaspers, Fordham’s Bronx rival, defeated the Iona Gaels to capture the MAAC Championship and automatically qualify for the NCAA National Tournament. The Fordham Rams (10‐20) and the George Mason Patriots (9‐22) clashed in the first game played of the A‐10 tourney at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The two teams had previously met four times with Fordham the victor in each encounter. They last met exactly three weeks earlier with Fordham winning, 80‐68. The result of Wednesday’s Atlantic 10 Championship opener was in accordance of the previous history between the two teams as Fordham was victorious by a score of 71‐65.

The first half of the contest was extremely competitive. The lead changed hands six times and the game was tied on seven occasions in the first 17 minutes. A layup by freshman Chris Sengfelder with 2:59 remaining in the first half gave the Rams a 30‐28 advantage, which they never surrendered. Another layup by the talented freshman and a jumper by senior Bryan Smith accounted for Fordham’s six point lead at the half, 34‐28. Sengfelder’s three rebounds in the final 1:42 of the first stanza helped protect the lead for Fordham. The frosh from Germany was the only player to score in double figures during the half with 15 points.

Fordham maintained its lead throughout the second half, but never reached a double digit advantage during the game. Each team scored 37 points in the second half on impressive 50 percent accuracy in shooting from the floor. In the first half, each squad netted 13 of 28 shots from the floor.

A three by Patrick Holloway of the Patriots the Fordham lead to two with 19 seconds on the clock, but two free throws by Smith and two by Sengfelder brought the Rams a six point win, 71‐65.

The Rams effectiveness of getting to the charity stripe was crucial to their victory. The netted 20 of 27 attempts while the Patriots sunk 11 of 15 free throws. The Rams scored their final nine points from the free throw line.

An injury caused Atlantic‐10 Rookie of the Year Eric Paschall to only play 11 minutes and score one point, but his absence was made up for by the spectacular efforts and talent of Sengfelder. The German native scored a career high of 27 points. Both coaches praised the freshman. Patriots’ coach Paul Hewitt remarked, “Sengfelder just played a great basketball game.” Tom Pecora commented, “He [Sengfelder] keeps getting better and better. He’s a lot of fun to coach.”

Brooklyn native Bryan Smith, a senior, received a lot of credit from his coach. Pecora said, “The job he has done has allowed Christian and Eric to develop a lot quicker than some of our freshmen have in the past.”

Smith was on the court for all but one minute of the game and scored 12 points. He described his elation of contributing to the victory in his home neighborhood, “It’s a great feeling. I have a lot of my friends and family here cheering me on and cheering the team on. I get to win in front of them, especially 10 minutes from where I live.”

The Rams, the 12th seed, move on to the next round to face VCU, the fifth seed, on Thursday afternoon.

#Fordham #Rams #Atlantic‐10Championship #Bronxnews

Highbridge News: Dim Bulb Pointed Laser at Cops, Planes

Highbridge News: Dim Bulb Pointed Laser at Cops, Planes: Dim Bulb Pointed Laser at Cops, Planes By Dan Gesslein BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 10- All signs point to a true dim bulb. Cops a...

Dim Bulb Pointed Laser at Cops, Planes

Dim Bulb Pointed Laser at Cops, Planes

By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 10- All signs point to a true dim bulb.

Cops arrested a Pelham Bay man they said had been targeting commercial planes with a laser pointer affecting the pilots’ vision. He was charged with assaulting police pilots.

Members of the NYPD Aviation Unit canvassed Pelham Bay Monday night after receiving a report from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that someone was targeting commercial airline pilots with a laser pointer. Investigators said that three pilots on two separate occasions suffered eye injuries. Two of those pilots were officers operating a police helicopter. The officers were treated for their injuries at Mount Sinai Hospital. In another incident, a pilot from an Air Canada commercial airliner suffered eye injuries.

On March 9, a police helicopter spotted the beam from a laser pointer from inside 2801 Coddington Avenue, Apartment 3. Officers from the 45^th Precinct responded. While conducting an investigation police observed a black tubular device labeled "Laser 303" on top of the refrigerator. While interviewing Frank Egan, 36, the resident of the apartment admitted the laser pointer was his and that he had used it that night.

Police arrested Egan and charged him with the following: assault on a police officer (2 counts), felony assault (3 counts), menacing a police officer (2 counts), reckless endangerment (3 counts) and three counts of criminal possession of a weapon.

#NYPD #LaserPointer #Airplane #Bronxnews

Highbridge News: Support for Bam’s immigration plan here

Highbridge News: Support for Bam’s immigration plan here: Support for Bam’s immigration plan here By Koi Germany BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 9- Bronx residents appear to support President Ob...

Support for Bam’s immigration plan here

Support for Bam’s immigration plan here

By Koi Germany

BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 9- Bronx residents appear to support President Obama’s executive order that imposes changes in the nation’s immigration policies.

Seeking to streamline the process of becoming a naturalized citizen, the President has urged those who are undocumented to step forward and pay their share.

With a plan to strengthen border security and introduce earned citizenship among other guidelines, residents were questioned on this allocation of the nation’s resources.

Some were frank about the issue, commenting on what they believe are backwards policies in the United States.

“Politicians complain about immigrants, yet they hire them,” noted Ursuline Lindsey. “They’re here, and they work; we should make a pathway for them to contribute to the tax system.” Expressing a desire for greater accommodation, she added, “We have to secure borders, but we shouldn’t be sending people back home.”

“If they want to work, they should be widely accepted and represented,” asserted G. Tanya Clarke. Positing that the influx of workers will positively affect the economy, she claimed “We can put the labor to good use.”

Erol Ford, an immigrant himself, echoed these sentiments. “Whatever we’re afraid of is already here,” he opined. “I agree with the President’s spending.”

Others were in support, albeit skeptical. “I think I need to understand more. However these are progressive statements when people are too quick to marginalize,” commented Matthew Thompkins. “I have mixed feelings. We’ll have to see.”

The policies were also met with criticism from some.

“Everybody has the right to come here, but why should they receive rights we can’t?” shareholder Sheryl Parker lamented in dissent. “We should be worried about ISIS.”

Koi Germany, a sophomore at Hunter College who lives in Co­op City, is a contributing writer for the News.

#ImmigrationReform #Obama #Amnesty #Bronxnews