Lauding, applauding determination

You've got to respect the student-athletes who keep their heads up despite posting losing records.

I remember my playing days at Holy Ghost Prep. Back then, our baseball team didn't lose too much but when we'd go on three- or a four-game losing streak, it was the worst feeling in the world.

Anyway, enough about me: Cardinal O'Hara topped Monsignor Bonner, 5-2, Wednesday behind a two-goal day by Jeff Signora (pictured, in blue). Both teams' seasons will end next week bereft of playoff berths.

Yet the guys I talked to were proud of their efforts and seasons. They weren't afraid to pat each other on the back, and overall, they played like a team should: passing well and looking for an open teammate before forcing a shot on his own.

Kudos to student-athletes who demonstrate determination, even in the face of a sub-.500 season.

ALSO: Keep an eye out for Thursday's Daily Times, which is loaded with scholastic notebooks. The boys soccer, volleyball and football notebooks will be in print.

More on Lijah Thompson

Monsignor Bonner senior forward-center Lijah Thompson gave a verbal commitment Friday to Robert Morris University. His decision was first reported by the Daily Times Sunday. Here is more from interviews with Lijah and his coach at Bonner, Brian Daly:

BRIAN DALY, Friars coach
...on Thompson's potential:
"I think everybody agreed that his ability is at a slightly higher level conference-wise but he believes in the idea of a solid education and finding the right place and feeling comfortable."

...on Thompson making his choice:
"I told him before he left to prepare himself and take some quiet time. I said, 'You have to have two answers prepared. One is, 'Thanks for the offer but I need to speak to my parents first.' And the other is, 'I really want to be a Colonial. I want to play for Robert Morris. When he texted me real late (Friday), I knew which answer he gave them."

LIJAH THOMPSON, Friars senior
...on making his choice:
"I wanted to go somewhere where it would be real easy to fit right in. I wanted to go where it wouldn't be too hard to adapt to after high school. When I saw the school, I knew this was it. And my mom (Cheryl), she was all for it. She was so happy for me."

Bonner's Thompson is Robert Morris bound

Monsignor Bonner senior center Lijah Thompson visited Robert Morris University this weekend and he liked what he saw. Thompson wasted little time, committing to the Northeast Conference school hours after making his official visit to the Moon, Pa., campus.

Thompson averaged 13 points and 10 rebounds last season as a Second-Team All-Delco pick a year ago.

Thompson, known for his high-flying dunks and athletic blocked shots will be a freshman there in 2009-10 with Chester's Russell Johnson and North Catholic's Velton Jones in their sophomore seasons with the Colonials.

I have some extras from my interviews with Thompson and Friars coach Brian Daly, but they're at the office ... and I'm at home updating the blog on my off day. I'll post them when I get in on Monday.

Until then, here's the story (which was first reported by the Daily Times). Enjoy the weekend.

Photo by the Philadelphia Daily News

The race is on

It seemed like yesterday that the boys soccer season was getting underway. Now only two full weeks of the regular season remain and the title hunt is on for several teams.

Among them are Taylor Bensel and Upper Darby and Dennis Zonchar and Strath Haven, pictured. Zonchar, a UD transfer, and the Panthers fell to the Royals this week and lost some serious ground in the Central League race.

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In the notebook, we look at another playoff contender in Archbishop Carroll, whose defense has been the reason for their success.

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Elsewhere, Marple Newtown's Anthony Pezzotti, one of the county's leading goalscorers, has seen an uprise in his play. One reason in particular? Pezzotti credits a summer trip to Brazil where he worked on his skills.

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ON THE GRIDIRON
Another week into the football season and the Daily Times has you covered. We staff every game that features a Delco team, and this weekend was no different.

Video and a story from the game of the week - Garnet Valley 21, Haverford 14 - are available just by clicking the links. John Lohn, our deputy sports editor, has you covered.

In other games:

• Chester took down Interboro, 27-20, for the first time in 11 years
• Cardinal O'Hara, without Corey Brown, eked past Roman 21-14
• Academy Park topped Penn Wood, 33-13, for its first league win
• Episcopal Academy stayed unbeaten, 33-0, by taking its act to Delaware
• Ridley kepts its focus in a 43-0 rout of Harriton
• Sun Valley got rolled by W.C. Rustin, 34-6
• Strath Haven needed its backfield in a 41-20 win over Springfield
• Upper Darby couldn't counter Conestoga's D in a 19-0 shutout

There are three more games today, so stay close to the Daily Times for the latest.

Day of the Nonleague Win

Saturday was a huge day for three Delaware County teams, which scored big-time nonleague wins.

Delaware County Christian: I was at the Delco Christian/Springfield game, where the Knights staked a 2-0 win behind goals by Andrew Crisanti and Sean Ellsworth. DC looked like a formidable team, one that could challenge for the Bicentennial Athletic League title in its first season under that banner. The Knights have a huge game this week against defending champ Holy Ghost Prep Tuesday that could dictate the league.

Archbishop Carroll: The Patriots erased a halftime deficit to beat La Salle, 4-2, on the road. Ryan Flynn, Nick Szalejko and Andrew Bulman all scored in the second half. The Explorers are considered one of the titans of the bigschool division of the Catholic League, so that's a huge notch in the Patriots' belt.

Marple Newtown: The Tigers took down Harry S Truman, 3-1, on the strength of Anthony Pezzotti's pair of goals. It never hurts to beat a school with two times the enrollment of your school.

Haven's Beck-Cullen is lights out

No, he's not Superman. Ask him. Kelsey Beck-Cullen will tell you he's not invincible.

But he's doing his best Brad Lidge impersonation.

The Strath Haven goalkeeper (pictured) has been lights out for the Panthers this season, posting a county-best seven shutouts through the season's first three weeks. And to think that he had been a varsity newbie at season's onset.

To read more about Beck-Cullen's stunning success, take a look at this week's installment of the boys soccer notebook.

Other cool stuff featured in the notebook include:

• Updates on Chichester's Zach Woods, who suffered a concussion Tuesday in a game against Penn Wood. His coach, Kingsley Donaldson, said Woods should be back on the pitch after a two-week respite.
• Where is Lower Merion's Greg Robbins headed to college?
• Where have all the unbeaten teams gone?
• Who's leading Sun Valley through some difficult times?

And much more, only in the Daily Times.

Chichester's Woods recovering

Chichester boys soccer player Zach Woods is recovering Wednesday after suffering a "severe concussion" a day earlier in a game against Penn Wood.

His coach, Kingsley Donaldson, said Woods will see a specialist later this week. Donaldson expects Woods to miss up to two weeks while recovering. Donaldson, who has suffered a couple concussions during his playing career, said it would take a doctor's orders for Woods to return to the pitch.

"In Jamaica, it's not like it is here," said Donaldson. "Here, there are medical lawsuits all over the place. We want to make sure Zachary is OK before he returns to play."

For more on Woods, check out the weekly boys soccer notebook in Thursday's Daily Times.

Did you see that?

Here at the Daily Times, we're getting with the times.

In case you missed the first few installments, football beat writers John Lohn and Jon Campbell (with the help of our photography department) will film game action and stand-ups weekly from the Game of the Week.

Last week's footage came from Interboro's win over Glen Mills. For video from the game, and the full report that appeared in the paper, follow the link.

And be sure to check back each week for more live shots from the Game of the Week.