datasets.iitb.crawledDocs.yn_08Oct08_file_302 Maven / Gradle / Ivy

Show more of this group Show more artifacts with this name
Show all versions of bat-framework Show documentation
A framework to compare entity annotation systems.
There is a newer version: 1.3.6
      | | | | | Web Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH 39°F Right now in Corvallis HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS | | Last modified: Monday, October 6, 2008 10:03 PM PDT Browse Archives Browse articles that have been published online at Gazettetimes.com. You can browse the last 14 days or click below to perform an advanced archive search going further back. Casey Campbell | Gazette-Times Philomath’s Carlos Donoso and Renay Norman battle for control of the ball as the boys and girls soccer teams scrimmage against each other during practice last Friday. Philomath boys, girls scrimmage each other often By Raju Woodward Gazette-Times Reporter Philomath High’s boys soccer team doesn’t have enough players to play 11-on-11 in practice. Meanwhile, its girls squad is rarely challenged in Special District 4 play, which can hurt come playoff time. But coaches Shawn Bonds and John Williams have come up with a solution. Their teams scrimmage against each other. As a result, girls get to play against tougher competition, while the boys are able to scrimmage with a full amount of players. When Bonds arrived at PHS three years ago, such scrimmages occurred once or twice a season. That’s not the case anymore, as they have become almost weekly events. In fact, the girls usually scrimmage against the JV boys as well. “This year it has been John wanting them to pick up the speed and intensity for his girls. Because they haven’t faced much competition in league matches,” Bonds said. “They have been winning by so many goals that he would like to see a faster pace of play.” And the girls have gotten noticeable results from playing against their male counterparts. Sophomore defender Andrea Whiteman said she and her teammates are playing quicker in games, making their touches on the ball smaller and faster. At the same time, she admitted sometimes the girls don’t take the matches against the boys as serious as they should. That’s the same concern Bonds has about the scrimmages. While he supports them and likes how they allow the two teams to get out on the field and interact outside of the classroom, it can be a challenge to make sure they are productive for both squads. As a result, the scrimmages only take about 30-45 minutes of practice. The girls hold their own against the JV boys because of their ability to move the ball around, so those scrimmages are evenly matched and usually close. It’s a different story when they play with the varsity, though. Since the boys are a lot faster, they usually win. Bonds said he couldn’t recall his squad losing to the girls. So is Bonds worried that his team isn’t getting enough competition when they play against the girls? Hardly. “We need to work on our positioning,” Bonds said. “We may be faster, but if we are out of position, they can still move the ball around and come down and score goals on us, which they do with some regularity.” Added senior boys captain Morgan Foster: “They have a really good offense, so playing against them strengthens our defense too.” The scrimmages also allow both coaches to experiment with lineups and formations, something they can’t really do in league matches too often because they have to win those. Bonds also likes giving his players a chance to see the playing field from a different perspective so they can understand what their teammates are going through. Make no mistake, both squads want to win. Foster said there’s plenty of trash talking before the scrimmages and lots of bragging following them. So while there aren’t as many slide tackles, the scrimmages tend to get physical at times, much to Foster’s dismay. “When our coach refs, every time I get knocked down by one of them, he calls a foul on me,” he said laughing. “So every time I’m on the ground, I get a foul called on me, so they like to play into me more.” If you ask the girls, though, they are just trying to play off the ball more effectively, which requires them to play a little more physical. It doesn’t have to do with any of them having crushes on the boys. And while couples have played against each other in the past, there’s none this year. So it begs the question: Why does Foster always find himself on the ground? “Morgan is the one I usually take out,” Whiteman said. “He’s kind of cocky. So when he thinks he can school us, I like to knock him down.” Overall, Foster and Whiteman agree that scrimmaging against each others’ teams has been very beneficial. The girls play at a faster level and are more adept at passing than their Special District 4 opponents, while the boys are able to play against 11 players and work on their weaknesses. More importantly, it allows everyone involved to escape the grind of high school sports, even if it’s just for 30 minutes. Since most of the players are friends, Foster said the scrimmages are a lot of fun. And while their coaches, who know that working together leads to positive things, do the organizing, Bonds insists it’s really the players who make it happen. “The guys and girls want to do this,” Bonds said. “They get to get out on the field and kick the ball around with each other.” And knock each other down from time to time. GT Reader Comments The comments below are from readers of gazettetimes.com and in no way represent the views of the or . *Member ID: *Password: Remember login? ( You must be logged in to comment. It's free and quick! | | | | | | | | | | | Copyright © 2008 , A subsidiary