SPRING SOCCER REGISTRATION

Practices for spring soccer begin next week.  If you would like to officially join the team, please fill out the Registration Form and Soccer Waiver Form located to the right under the LINKS tab.  Written copies are also available at the Arborbrook Office.  The registration fee for the season is $110 and must be submitted with both forms to the Arborbrook Office as soon as possible.

Our team of coaches will include Brian Davidson, Graham West, and Jim Hughes – all with extensive soccer experience.  Practices will be held one day/week at Southbrook Church immediately following school (actual practice day has not been determined).  Games will be held at Christ Covenant Church in Matthews beginning April 18-19.

SEASON RECAP

The Arborbrook Basketball Program started in November with conditioning drills in the school parking lot.  We did not have a gym available, we did not know if we would have enough girls for a team, and we were not sure how many boys really wanted to play.  We did know we were starting with limited basketball experience and little basketball knowledge.  If you would have told the coaches that these two teams would both win trophies in a season ending tournament, we would have said:  “Yea right.  I own part of the Golden Gate Bridge too.”

What an unbelievable year.  We all traveled the same road together and when I look back, I don’t even have a word to describe this year.  I have been involved with sports my whole life either playing or watching my sons participate from the time they were 5 years old up through college.  I have never seen a fan base like Arborbrook.  It started in the first game against Garr and continued to build throughout the season.  We doubled or tripled the opposing team’s fans on their own home floors.  We were always much louder and this support energized our players.  Everything peaked the last game of the tournament.  The boys and girls were scheduled to play back to back.  The entire gym was for Arborbrook.  The noise level was deafening.  ARBORBROOK bounced off the walls.  On behalf of the coaches for both teams and the players for both teams, I would like to thank our fans for the support thay have given us from day one.  You are awesome.   Your commitment to the basketball program and your support was a major part of the success we experienced this first year.

Sports is all about statistics and so I will share a few with you.  We finished the season with 9 wins and 6 losses.  We played 7 games against high school teams and came away with a very respectable 5 and 2 record.  We won 7 out of our last 9 games after losing 3 of our first 4.  We won 7 games by less than 10 points,  5 by less than 4 points.  We lost 3 games by less than 6 points.  We scored 577 total points and gave up 569.   Nate Johnson scored 308 points followed by Trey Barnes with 60, Mitch Moore with 58, and Josh Black with 54.  We were invited to participate in a high school tournament as a play-in team and finished in 3rd place.   These are just numbers.  Here are the statistics that really matter.

We learned how to play basketball.  We learned to never give up and to play with all your heart.  We played for the glory of God.  We represented our parents and our school  well and were called a “class act” by an opposing coach.  We learned their are consequences for our actions both on and off the court.  We learned we had to be worthy of respect.  We learned to work hard all the time.   We did all this and still had fun.  These are the only stats that count.  Basketball is only an opportunity and a means to prepare students for life.  That was our goal.  Time will tell if we were successful.

I thought the three Lake Park games would be the highlight of the season but I was wrong.  I have never been involved in anything  like THE SHOT that ended the season.  I will remember that moment forever and I am so thankful to have been a part Arborbrook’s first basketball season.  Parents, you have done a wonderful job raising you children.  I have never been called “sir” so many time in my whole life.  I thought I was back in the military service.  It’s hard to believe the seson is over, it seems like it just started.  Coach and I started discussing next year right after the final game.  For now, all future teams will be measured against this team.   The legacy established by the 2007/2008 Arborbrook Falcon Team:  They played with all their heart and never gave up.  They were a “class act.”

THE SHOT

Falcons 50 – First Assembly 49

This would be our third game with First Assembly and our third game in 3 days.  It would also be the rubber match.  We won the first game when they played with only one senior on the floor.  They won the second game playing with all four seniors  under tournament conditions.  We expected a tight game and thought our defense could win it for us.  Coach had plans A, B, and C ready.  We were prepared.

The Falcons jumped to an early 4-0 lead before Matt Ott (#11) of First Assembly made his first 3 pointer of the game.  Remember #11.  Our defense played well and we kept First Assembly off the boards.  Nate scored 9 points in the quarter and Trey added a 2 pointer from just above the free throw line.  Trey played his best all round game of the season finishing with 7 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals.  He was a force in this game.  The Falcons went into the second quarter leading 11-7.

The second quarter started out strong but started to go South at the midway mark.  Nate, Mitch, and Caleb Farmer all picked up their second fouls.  Early foul trouble is something we did not need against a team like First Asembly.  This was not part of plan A, B, or C.  Trey kept us in the game knocking down a huge 3 pointer and adding a second basket.  Josh scored his first 2 points of the game.  Josh also played his best game of the year, scoring 12 points with 7 rebounds and 5 steals.  Josh has a nose for the ball and the speed and quick hands that make him a superb defensive player.  Nate also added 3 points and we went into the locker room with a 21-20 lead.

Sidenote:  Caleb Farmer was in foul trouble and was replaced by Alan Fox.  Alan is a small 5th grader on the floor with high school seniors.  He was like a little gnat swarming around your head.  They were trying to brush him off but he was constantly in their way causing havoc.  He was a constant irritation to the much larger players and I thought he was awesome.

The third quarter was our downfall in our last game but not today.  Josh scored 6 more points,  Nate scored 6 points and Mitch made his only basket of the game.  Mitch played another outstanding game.  He is a natural leader and the other players follow his example.   He was in foul trouble most of the second half but played smart and stayed in the game.  His presence on the floor cannot be replaced.  Caleb Farmer also scored in this quarter and once again turned in a sparkling performance.  Caleb’s head is always in the game.  He has what we call basketball IQ.  He was all over on defense even though he carried 4 fouls.   We scored 16 points in the quarter and continued to play solid defense.  The score was 37-30 heading into the 4th. 

The Falcons have made the fourth quarter exciting in every game this year.  This would be no exception.  We built a 12 point lead with 5 minutes left in the game and the fans and coaches were hoping for an easy victory.  First Assembly had other ideas.  They picked up their intensity and starting crashing the boards using their superior height and bulk.  Number 11 knocked down a 3 pointer and made a couple of quick drives to the basket to cut the lead to 5.  Nate and Josh each scored but were matched by First Assembly.   Coach called time out and put in Plan B on defense.  A box and one on number 11 with Josh being the one.   A quick steal cut the lead to three and 2 free throws by number 11 cut the lead to 1.  The teams traded baskets as we entered the final minute of the game.  The Falcons had the ball and the strategy was to pass it around and force First Assembly to foul.  It worked until Nate tripped and fell and the ref’s called a jump ball with possession to First Assembly.  Josh was all over number 11, we knew he would take their shot. Josh deflected a pass and saved the ball from going out of bounds.  A great play but a player from First Assembly picked up the ball and spotted number 11 on the other side of the court.  Josh spotted number 11 at the same time and almost outraced the ball but got their a split second too late.  His shot was true and the Falcons were down one with 24 seconds left in the game.  Everyone in the gym knew this was Nate Johnson time.  Nate had scored 25 points in this game and we were all hoping he would finish with 27.  Coach called time out and told Nate to take his shot.  He worked the ball down floor, took a good shot and missed.  First Assembly secured the rebound as the seconds ticked away.  Mitch, Josh, and Nate surrounded the First Assembly player and tied him up.  Falcon Ball with 2.2 seconds left.   Then came THE SHOT.

ARBORRRBROOK!  ARBORRRBROOK!  ARBORRRBROOK!  The chanting ricocheted off the gymnasium walls.  The Falcons were in a time out huddle with Coach and you could barely hear him speak.  There were 2.2 seconds left on the clock.  The Falcons trailed 49-48 and it was Falcon ball on the side.  The stategy was set.  Coach had one last word for Mitch.  “If you can’t get the ball to Nate, call time out and we will regroup.”   We expected Nate to be double teamed if not triple teamed.  He wasn’t and Mitch made a good inbounds pass.  Nate took one dribble, squared himself to the basket and let it fly.  All eyes in the gym were on the arc of the ball.  Time seemed to slow down as if in slow motion.  It had a chance and as the buzzer sounded signaling the end of the game the ball sailed through the rim without touching iron.  It was a perfect shot.  It was and forever will be: THE SHOT.  Pandominum broke loose on the floor.  Players and fans hugged each other and Coach smiled.  The thrill of victory for Arborbrook but one look at the First Assembly bench showed the true agony of defeat. 

This was the final chapter in a magical season.  The legacy has been written.  The season ended as it should have.  The fans, the players, and the coaches may never experience another moment like the one we just shared.  This is the end of part one.  I will make a final entry on Monday morning and recap the year.