Fordham Retains Liberty Cup

Fordham Retains Liberty Cup

Rams defeat Columbia for fifth straight year 

BRONX, NEW YORK (SPORTS)- In each of his four years at Fordham, head football coach Joe Moorhead has set three goals for the Rams. The first involves retaining the Liberty and Ram‐Crusader Cups and Fordham checked off Liberty Cup retention today as the Rams upended Columbia University, 44‐24, on Jack Coffey Field as part of Homecoming 2015.

The win is Fordham’s sixth in a row over the Lions and the Rams now lead the all‐time Liberty Cup series, 10‐4.

The Fordham offense compiled a season‐high 537 yards of total offense, while running just 69 plays, and scored a season‐best 44 points.

Looking for offensive heroes? Fordham had plenty of them on Saturday. First there was junior quarterback Kevin Anderson, who completed 22 of 30 passes for 330 yards and five touchdowns. Or maybe Chase Edmonds, who rushed 13 times for 125 yards and one score and caught five passes for 45 yards and another touchdown? Perhaps senior tight end Phazahn Odom, who hauled in five passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns? Then again there was senior wide receiver Robbie Cantelli who made a highlight reel one‐handed touchdown catch.

The game got off on the wrong foot for Anderson who had a pass tipped and intercepted on the third play of the game on the Fordham 26. But Columbia couldn’t take advantage of the miscue as a 41‐yard Cameron Nizialek field goal attempt went wide right.

Later in the first, the Rams took over on their own 35 following a punt and moved to midfield where Anderson found Jonathan Lumley for a 22‐yard gain and, on the next play, found Odom over the middle for a 28‐yard scoring strike with 3:50 left in the quarter.

The Lions came right back to tie the game on a five‐yard run early in the second but the Rams then capped a 75‐yard, ten‐play drive with a three‐yard scoring pass from Anderson to Austin Longi with 9:29 left in the half.

A 31‐yard Nizialek field goal on Columbia’s next possession pulled the visitors within four, 14‐10, but the Rams executed a perfect two minute offense, taking over on their own 46 following a punt with 32 seconds left and completing a 25‐yard pass to Lumley and a 22‐yarder to Longi to put the ball on the Columbia seven. On second and goal, Anderson led a diving Cantelli perfectly and Cantelli came up with a diving, one‐hand scoring grab to give Fordham a 21‐10 halftime lead.

On Fordham’s first possession of the second half, Edmonds took care of business himself, gaining 73 yards on a first down carry to put the ball on the Columba one and then scoring on the next play to boost the Fordham lead to 18, 28‐10, 4:20 into the second half.

The 18‐point lead was short‐lived as Alan Watson returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a score to make it a 28‐17 game.

Later in the third, Skyler Mornhinwig capped an 80‐yard, 15‐play drive with a one‐yard scoring plunge to pull the Lions within four, 28‐24, with 1:48 remaining in the third.

Fordham responded by moving the ball to the Columbia 37 but a holding penalty backed them up to midfield where Anderson found Cantelli with a 47‐yard connection to put the ball on the Columbia one. Two plays later Anderson hit Edmonds with a three‐yard touchdown toss to extend the Fordham lead to 34‐24.

After the Fordham defense held Columbia to a three‐and‐out, the Rams took over on the Fordham 12 and the Rams marched to the Columbia 26 where an offensive pass interference call pushed them back to the Lions’ 41. But Anderson connected with Odom for a second scoring strike on the day on the next play to put the Rams up 41‐24 midway through the fourth.

Makay Redd closed out the scoring with a 34‐yard field goal with 3:19 left for the 44‐24 final.

Jihaad Pretlow led the Fordham defense with 13 total tackles, six solo, including one for loss, and he also broke up a pass, while Stephen Hodge finished with eleven stops, three solo, including 0.5 for loss.

The Rams return to action next Saturday, September 26, as they host the Monmouth University Hawks on Jack Coffey Field at 1:00 p.m.

The Liberty Cup trophy will now remain at Rose Hill for the foreseeable future as the two teams will no longer play each other every year.

The win continues a streak of wins after losses during the Moorhead era. The Rams have never lost back‐to‐back games under Moorhead.

Fordham is 18‐2 over the past three years when playing on Jack Coffey Field, winning 15 of the last 16.

The game was the 16th in which the Rams scored more than 40 points since 2012 (when Moorhead became head coach).

Edmonds’s 125 rushing yards brings his career total to 2,163, eighth on the Fordham career rushing list while his rushing touchdown gives him four on the year and 27 in his career, tied for fourth most in school history.

Edmonds’ 125‐yard rushing performance was his 12th career 100‐yard game, third all‐time at Fordham.

Anderson’s five touchdown passes was one shy of the school record set by Kevin Eakin at Rhode Island in 2003 and matched by Mike Nebrich against Penn last year.

Seven different receivers caught at least one pass today, four of them true freshmen.

Pretlow also returned three kickoffs for 79 yards, including one for 54 yards.

Fordham sophomore offensive lineman Anthony Coyle celebrated his 19th birthday on Saturday.

#Fordham #Rams #Football #Columbia #LibertyCup

BRONX NEWS: Early Pitchers’ Duel Ends with a One‐sided #Yankee...

BRONX NEWS: Early Pitchers’ Duel Ends with a One‐sided #Yankee...: Early Pitchers’ Duel Ends with a One‐sided #Yankee Win over #Mets in Final Subway Series Game By Howard Goldin QUEENS, NEW YORK (SP...

Early Pitchers’ Duel Ends with a One‐sided #Yankee Win over #Mets in Final Subway Series Game

Early Pitchers’ Duel Ends with a One‐sided #Yankee Win over #Mets in Final Subway Series Game

By Howard Goldin

QUEENS, NEW YORK (SPORTS)- As they had in the three game Subway Series in April, the Yankees again captured the September version two games to one. As was predicted by many, the three important contests were sold out and a playoff atmosphere was felt throughout the ballpark. Many fans were attired in Yankees pinstripes or the orange and blue of the Mets. Many chanted and cheered for their respective favorite team while traveling on the #7 train or walking toward Citi Field.

The fans of both teams were treated to a true pitchers’ duel for the first five innings. Yankees veteran hurler CC Sabathia, 35, ran into trouble immediately as the first two Mets batters, Ruben Tejada and David Wright doubled. Wright’s double drove in the first and only run Sabathia yielded. He also walked two batters in that frame, but surrendered no additional runs and only three isolated hits in the next five innings he pitched to earn his fifth win of the season.

Sabathia has held opposition batters to a .190 average since his return from the disabled list. He expressed his pleasure since coming back, “To be able to help the team out and try to get wins, just to be healthy enough first of all and to be able to go out and do it, it feels good.”

Mets starter Matt Harvey, 26, was nearly unhittable during his five inning stint. He blanked the Yanks, giving up only an infield single to Brett Gardner in the third. He fanned seven of the 15 Yankees who were retired, throwing 51 strikes of his 77 pitches.

Despite his superlative pitching, as had happened several times previously this season, Harvey was the subject of controversy. After the 11‐2 defeat by the Yankees, many reporters questioned Mets skipper Terry Collins and Harvey regarding the reasons for Harvey’s early departure.

The veteran baseball manager appeared uncomfortable with the situation. He stated Harvey’s removal should not have been a surprise as “everybody knew Matt was going out early’ and was based on pitch count and preparation for the post‐season. It was the second straight start in which Harvey threw 77 pitches or less.

After not having given up a run for the ninth time in his 27 starts, Harvey seemed defensive and stressed his desire to be on the mound, “I want to be out there and pitch for the Mets. The last thing I want to do, especially in a close game like that, is to come out. I’m going to be ready for my next start, whenever it is.” When Harvey will pitch again and for how many innings is not apparent.

Had the Mets pen men not totally faltered, there may have not been a controversy. The Yankees took complete advantage of the Mets secondary relievers, obtaining eight hits, drawing six walks and, most importantly, scoring 11 runs in the final four frames.

The meaningful win of the Yanks coupled again with a Toronto loss cut the Blue Jays American League East lead to 2.5 games. The Yankees, with increased confidence, now travel to Toronto for a crucial three game series before returning to Yankee Stadium on Thursday. The magic number of the Mets to clinch the national League East pennant still remains at eight.

BRONX NEWS: Another District Manager Bites the Dust at CB7

BRONX NEWS: Another District Manager Bites the Dust at CB7: Another District Manager Bites the Dust at CB7 By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK (BRONX NEWS)- Community Board 7 District Manager Dustin ...

Another District Manager Bites the Dust at CB7

Another District Manager Bites the Dust at CB7

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK (BRONX NEWS)- Community Board 7 District Manager Dustin Engelken announced during the District Manager's report that he will be leaving his position as District manager as of October 10th, thus giving CB 7 three weeks notice. 

Engelken would only say it was personal reasons. He said that his wife has accepted a job offer in Germany, and that he would be moving there with her. 

Engelken was chosen as the new DM of CB 7 at the May 2014 board meeting. He now becomes the third District Manager in as many years to leave CB 7. Tom Lucania of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz's office will assume the duties of the District Manager until the board finds a replacement once again. There is speculation that Ms. Iashia Bravo may become the next District Manager of CB 7.

Not withstanding the reappearance of Iashia Bravo (who was the Housing Chair of CB 7 very briefly before she resigned from CB 7) there was speculation about her reappointment to CB7. Ms. Bravo said that she might be seeking to run for the 78th Assembly District seat next year, but there could be another position she may be going for now that she was replaced by the Assemblyman Marcos Crespo the new Bronx Democratic County Leader as Executive Director of the BDCC that opened up as the meeting went on. 

#Community Board 7 #Politics 

BRONX NEWS: Who Really Won #SubwaySeries: Scott Boras

BRONX NEWS: Who Really Won #SubwaySeries: Scott Boras: Who Really Won #SubwaySeries: Scott Boras  #Yankees get the win and Boras won Harvey #Mets innings battle. By Rich Mancuso  QUEENS, NEW Y...

Who Really Won #SubwaySeries: Scott Boras

Who Really Won #SubwaySeries: Scott Boras 

#Yankees get the win and Boras won Harvey #Mets innings battle.

By Rich Mancuso 

QUEENS, NEW YORK (SPORTS)- The New York Mets may have lost a series finale game to their crosstown rival Yankees Sunday night at Citi Field, but the real winner was agent Scott Boras who won the first round battle of an innings limit pertaining to his client Matt Harvey. And there could be more of a battle ahead with the Mets and Boras if these Harvey rules proceed as planned.

For the moment the Mets are in control of their own destiny with a six-game lead over the Washington Nationals with 13 games remaining and playing sub .500 teams with a schedule in their favor. The magic number to clinch the NL East remained at eight after a 11-2 loss to the Yankees, and chances are it will dwindle with the 60-90 Atlanta Braves and three games next for the Mets.

But the Harvey innings debate will continue because his five innings pitched, an infield hit and no runs allowed were outstanding. Harvey the competitor did not want to be lifted after throwing 77 pitches, and manager Terry Collins would have preferred to keep him on the mound with the Mets holding a 1-0 lead.

And nine pitches later, the Yankees got to the Mets bullpen and quickly had a five-run sixth inning. So for round one of this Harvey innings limit, Scott Boras won the battle. Take it as a loss that the Mets can afford. However circumstances would be different if their lead over the Nationals was a game or two.

Or if this was a postseason game, where the Mets are expected to be next month, would Harvey and that precious arm that Boras deems as important to his assets, gone another two innings? That is a matter of discussion for another time and the outcome of another Harvey start will in all probability lead to more questions.

Certainly this has become a predicament for the manager who would rather be planning a possible postseason rotation. But the rules appear to have been implemented and it certainly seemed that Harvey was in control with a 97 mile fastball, a nasty changeup and all done on 12 days rest.

The team on the other side needed this win more than the Mets.  Suddenly a three-game series for the Yankees starting Monday night up in Toronto looms as the significant series of the season because the Toronto Blue Jays lead in the AL East has dwindled to 2-½ games. And the Yankees have their ace back, because CC Sabathia with a knee brace had his third respectable start tossing six innings of five hit ball and allowing one run.

But Boras also won this battle Sunday night, though the Yankees bats feasted on a Mets bullpen that did not have it because the Matt Harvey innings rules were in place. There is a perspective that Harvey would rather not have it this way, and of course every Mets fan in the house would not have it this way either.

In the end it is always about the well being of Matt Harvey and the Mets going with the plan. Boras is the winner as Harvey goes with the plan, and he has no say in the matter. Saying the wrong thing obviously goes against the wishes of Boras and if this was a boxing match, Boras right now would win by unanimous decision.

“My job is to get ready,” Harvey said. “Whenever they call me to pitch, I will be ready for that. Tonight I wanted to be out there more than anything. The last thing I want to do is not play and not pitch.” 

Don’t bypass that this interleague rivalry had significant meaning again because over 130,000 fans attended the three games that set a Citi Field series record. The Yankees got a reprieve when Harvey left the game and getting around the question, the first preference for Collins was to allow Harvey to continue.

Collins is old school and got around the question. He does not agree with these Harvey rules, and has to go with the plan. Don’t forget this is a manager who at one time in previous tenures would have been more outspoken.

“You either adjust to it or you get out,” he said about the rules he needs to respect. “So I’m going to adjust to it. I might get out of here pretty soon, but I’m going to adjust to it for now.” Harvey had struck out seven Yankees in the five innings. 

But the Boras battle made that preference go the other way. Errors by Daniel Murphy and David Wright also contributed to the Yankees big inning and Carlos Beltran, who has come up in big games for the Yankees had a two-run double off Hansel Robles that put his team in the lead, and a three-run Dustin Ackley home run also contributed to the damage. 

Ackley and the Yankees were aware that Harvey was throwing well. “We couldn’t really string anything together,” Ackley said. “And yeah, when he (Harvey) did come out we got some guys on base. We knew that was a good chance to really make something happen and we just continued to roll pretty much the rest of the game and didn’t hold back at all.”

Harvey was repetitive and made his case. More than once he said, “I’m getting ready for every start.” But Boras had to hear Harvey’s plea as to why he stays prepared, and with 176 ⅔ innings he is close to tying a career high in innings pitched, but the postseason is what every position player and pitcher wants.

“The last thing I want to do is not play and not pitch especially in the postseason,” Harvey said. “That’s where everybody wants to play and everybody wants to pitch and that’s never changed for me one bit. That’s always been on my mind. I always want to be out there.”

Yes, Scott Boras won the first battle and the Mets lost a game because of the innings limit. But Boras may not have an answer to what Collins said after the loss about how difficult it was to take Harvey out of the game after letting him bat in the fourth inning with a runner in scoring position.

“It was the perfect storm,” Collins said. “You couldn’t have set it up any worse than it was.” Round one for Scott Boras in this battle of the innings watch and the next one could be more interesting as the Mets try to reduce that magic number.

Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com  Twitter@Ring786 Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso

#Yankees #Mets #SubwaySeries #MattHarvey #ScottBoras