Fordham Rolls Over Rams

Fordham Rolls Over Rams

College Football Kicks Off in the Bronx

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, AUGUST 30- The earliest season football opening game since intercollegiate football began at Fordham in 1882 took place on Thursday night at Jack Coffey Field on Fordham’s Bronx campus. The Rams of Fordham welcomed the Rams of Rhode Island for the 12th meeting of a rivalry that started 101 years ago.

The two young squads appear to be moving in opposite directions. URI entered the contest with a 13-game losing streak while the Rams in 2012 made the second greatest improvement in NCAA football mobbing from a 1-10 mark in 2011 to a winning, 6-5, record in 2012 under first year head coach Joe Moorhead.

The stronger offensive performances that have come under the coaching of its star quarterback of the 1990’s were still in effect during the inaugural game of the 2013 season. For the second straight season Fordham scored more than 50 points in its opening game. The most recent contest before the two openers in which the Fordham Rams totaled more than 50 points was on September 6, 2003, also against Rhode Island.

Fordham’s quarterback Mike Nebrich began the scoring attack with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Sam Ajala at 10:08 in the first quarter. The two juniors connected again in the final quarter for a 64 yard touchdown. The two TD passes caught by Ajala equaled the output of his previous two seasons at Fordham.

Less than two minutes after his touchdown pass of the game, (8:14), the fleet Fordham quarterback rushed 32 yards for the second Rams touchdown. The extra points kicked by Brooklyn native Michael Marando gave Fordham a 14-0 advantage that was never overcome.

Nebrich also found last season’s First Team All-Patriot League wide receiver Brian Wetzel for two touchdown receptions. They combined for a 4-yard touchdown in the second period and for a 49 yard touchdown in the third quarter.

The inexperienced signal caller for Fordham showed his capabilities as he connected on 17 of 25 passes for 267 yards. He threw for four touchdowns without an interception.

Nebrich only played three games in 2012, after transferring from the University of Connecticut, before suffering an injury that ended his season.

Fordham sophomore JQ Bowers intercepted a pass of URI quarterback Bob Bentsen and carried it for a touchdown in the third quarter.

A freshman, Kendall Pearcey, scored the final points of the contest on a 16-yard run with 1:27 on the clock. Interestingly, the Bronx college student-athlete graduated from Steinbrenner High School in Lutz, Florida.

After the contest concluded, the team gathered in jubilation to ring the Victory Bell and sing the Fordham Fight Song. These two traditional activities take place on campus after every Fordham football win.

Fordham will remain in the Bronx to prepare for its next opponent, Villanova. The two will compete at the Rose Hill campus on Saturday, September 7, at 6 pm.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Deadly Driver

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Deadly Driver: Parkchester Woman Stabbed to Death at Accident Scene By David Greene BRONX, NEW YORK, BRONX 28- Police responding to a call of a...

Deadly Driver

Parkchester Woman Stabbed to Death at Accident Scene

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, BRONX 28- Police responding to a call of an overturned vehicle at just before 4 a.m. on August 28 on the northbound New England Thruway at the Pelham Parkway exit, discovered the body of a 20-year old Parkchester woman who had been stabbed several times. 

The still unidentified victim was declared dead at the scene and the woman's 31-year-old boyfriend was taken into custody at the scene and remains at the 45th Precinct where he was being questioned in the killing.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Taste of the Bronx

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Taste of the Bronx: Photos by Seitu Oronde BRONX, NEW YORK, AUGUST 26- Attendants got a chance to sample the culinary treasures of the Bronx during the 6th An...

Taste of the Bronx

Photos by Seitu Oronde

BRONX, NEW YORK, AUGUST 26- Attendants got a chance to sample the culinary treasures of the Bronx during the 6th Annual Allerton Avenue Festival & International Food Show.

Yankees realizing they are in a race

Now on to Tampa

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, AUGUST 23- There is no telling where this remaining month of August and the September stretch will take the New York Yankees. We do know this: The Yankees with their fifth straight win Thursday afternoon, 10th in their last 12 overall, are in good position for a wild card spot in the American League.

And, there is still an outside chance of contending for the Al East division as New York heads for an important three-game series down in Tampa Bay. The Yankees left the Bronx, after their 5-3 win and four-game sweep of the Blue Jays, 3/1-2 games off the pace for the second wild card spot in the league.

Six games away from the division lead, does not look bad either. Compare this to the standings of two weeks ago when it seemed improbable. There were those ready to pack their bags for the winter and the Yankees were preparing to make plans for their off-season moves.

Many moves on this roster will still be made, regardless what the final results will say at the end of September. But for now, with a schedule also in their favor, the Yankees believe they are in the playoff mix. After three down in Tampa Bay, it’s three games up in Toronto.

It is the same Blue Jays team the Yankees swept this week, a ballclub that has lost to New York ten consecutive games. Yes, they can make up more ground in the standings and it is entirely possible when they return to the Bronx, August 30th with three games against Baltimore, they could be closer.

“We’re making up ground and that’s what we need to do,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi after his team improved to 7-1 in their last eight games against American League East competition. The Baltimore Orioles, a team that used to win those one-run ballgames last season quickly see the Yankees moving on up.

Girardi has seen the difference. His team is getting good pitching and the home run ball has returned. Andy Pettitte held the Blue Jays to an earned run in 6.0 innings, on four hits. He won his second straight game after going 0-3 in five previous starts.

Curtis Granderson tied the game with a solo home run leading off the fifth inning, his first off a left hander this season.

“We’re right there,” said Pettitte (9-9) who had the cutter and fastball working again to his advantage. “We play good baseball the rest of the way we’re gonna pull this thing out.”

Girardi said, he has seen a different vibe with his team. Of course, winning will change the complexion of any team, in any sport. With the exception of a few additions, and return of the few walking wounded, the controversial Alex Rodriguez in particular, this is the same group of Yankees that had trouble hitting and pitching half way through the schedule.

“Seems like you can look up and down the lineup and that’s a different feel,” he said. Pettitte could not hold runners on, and the lineup had trouble getting runners home. That has all changed.

Pettitte has now held his opponent to no more than one earned run in each of his last three starts.

“Andy got a lot of ground balls,” commented Girardi.

The Yankees are fully aware now, as to how important their schedule is. A month or so ago, they still believed there was a chance at playing October baseball. But the reality was, they needed to pick up plenty of ground in the standings.

They have done that and will need to continue this run by winning as many series as possible in their remaining 35 games. The next nine-games and 26 of them are against Al east division teams. And the next three games down in Tampa Bay, against their tough pitching staff are important.

“Big, because they are ahead of us in the standings,” said catcher Chris Stewart.

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Yanks Sweep Four Game Set over Blue Jays

Yanks Sweep Four Game Set over Blue Jays

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, AUGUST 23- The Yankees continued their concerted effort to reach the 2013 American League playoffs with a 5-3 victory over the Blue Jays on Thursday afternoon.

The win was their fifth straight and 10th in the last 12 contests. The four game sweep of Toronto was the fourth consecutive series win for New York.

After the game, Yankee skipper Joe Girardi spoke of the forward movement of the team, “We’re making up ground and that’s what we need to do. That makes it [reaching the post-season] attainable. There’s a different vibe [on the club] because we’re winning.”

A light rain caused an interminable delay of three hours and 32 minutes before the game began. The announced crowd of 40,116, most of whom left early or never came to the ballpark, were given the opportunity to exchange their tickets for a grandstand or terrace seat to a game with the Chicago White Sox on September 2, 3 or 4.

Each of the starting pitchers, Andy Pettitte and J.A. Happ, did not yield a run, gave up only one hit and one walk during the first four frames.

The scoreless duel ended in the fifth when J.P. Arencibia, on a 0-1 pitch, led off the inning by lifting the ball into the stands in left for his 19th home run of the campaign.
For the eighth time in their 12 victories over the Blue Jays, the Yanks came from behind to earn the victory.

A lead-off homer by Curtis Granderson in the bottom of the same inning tied the score at 1-1.

Later in the inning, a fly ball to center by Vernon Wells was inexplicably ruled a fielder’s choice rather than a hit or an error led to the second Yankees’ run. Toronto manager John Gibbons and Toronto pitcher Mark Buehrle were ejected from the game after arguing that the ball was caught.

The bottom Yankee batting order led to three tallies in the sixth. Three walks were followed by a two-run single by Eduardo Nuñez and an RBI ground-out by catcher Chris Stewart.

Pettitte recorded his second straight win. He pitched six innings while surrendering only one run and four hits. Girardi commended his performance, “He pitched very well. I thought his fast ball and cutter were good today. Andy got a lot of ground balls.”

The Blue Jays scored two runs in the seventh, but it was not enough to prevent them from losing their ninth of the last 12 games.

The Yanks now leave for a six game trip against American League East rivals, Tampa (3 games) and Toronto (3 games).Hiroki Kroda, C.C. Sabathia, and Ivan Nova are scheduled to be the starters in Tampa on the weekend.