HARRISON DEDICATES NEW ROMAIN STADIUM
Public address announcer Zane Clodfelter and me in the press box at Romain Stadium.
(EVANSVILLE, Indiana) – Friday night football!
On Friday evening, I had a chance to see another Harrison High School football game as the Warriors dedicated their brand new stadium in town. Public address announcer and good friend Zane Clodfelter invited me to contest against Central High School and we were able to witness the unveiling of the newly named Romain Stadium.
Harrison fell behind early but had a large comeback in the second half before the home crowd. The Warriors did end up losing 35-25, but we had a great time watching the game from the press box.
Zane is also the PA announcer for the Evansville Otters in the summer and can be heard during the offseason as the voice of the Harrison Warriors.
I was honored to see the football game and highly recommend seeing the new field if you have a chance to visit Evansville this football season.
The Week in Sports: a Look Book and a Look Ahead
The boy's basketball team hopes to play all of their games this week.
(FORT LEE, N.J.) – From basketball to wrestling, and indoor track to bowling, here is the latest news in Fort Lee sports:
- The Fort Lee boys’ basketball team was delayed twice this week for two completely different reasons. The Bridgemen were prevented from hosting Mahwah on Tuesday due to a broken water pipe at the high school, and then Fort Lee was snowed out from playing Westwood on Thursday. The Bridgemen did make up the Westwood game on Friday in a 63-44 road loss to the Cardinals. Sophomore guard Nick Gentile scored 14 points in the defeat. Fort Lee has now lost four straight games as they enter another difficult week. The Bridgemen will host Mahwah Monday at 4:30 p.m. then Dwight Morrow on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Fort Lee also visits Ridgefield Park on Thursday night at seven before hosting Ramsey on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.
- The Fort Lee girls’ basketball team finished the week even with one win and one loss. The Lady Bridgemen fell to Mahwah on the road 47-34 on Tuesday, were snowed out from playing Westwood on Thursday, and successfully defeated the visiting Lodi Lady Rams on Saturday 46-35. Senior forward Bindi Parikh scored 18 points in the team’s game against Mahwah and also recorded a 15 rebound performance in Saturday’s victory.
Lady Bridgemen End Losing Streak With Win Over Lodi
Stacie Zafiris draws up a play for Renee Mattesich.
(FORT LEE, N.J.) – Facing a possible five-game losing streak, the Fort Lee Lady Bridgemen were looking to have a strong start in their game against Lodi on Saturday in hopes of returning with a win.
Earlier in the week, Fort Lee fell behind 13-0 to the Mahwah Thunderbirds. Today, the Lady Bridgemen stormed ahead to a 9-0 advantage over the Lady Rams that eventually helped Fort Lee earn a 46-35 win.
“It was definitely a big confidence boost,” said Fort Lee senior guard Brianna Mattessich. “We never really got that lead this season in the beginning. So for us to actually have that, we felt really confident the whole game.”
Lodi was forced to battle back from that deficit, but the Lady Rams were only able to score nine total points in the first half.
“It was tough because we had trouble scoring,” Lodi head coach John Way said. “[Fort Lee] had a good game plan and they knew to take away [senior forward] Tia Cangialosi.”
Athlete of the Week: Wrestler Anatoliy Alkazov
Fort Lee Senior Wrestler Anatoliy Alkazov
(FORT LEE, N.J.) – Before the wrestling season started, senior Anatoliy Alkazov knew there would be many chances for growth.
Alkazov started wrestling during his sophomore year with the Bridgemen.
He learned more about the sport his junior season, and now has become one of the top wrestlers on the Fort Lee team for his senior year.
“Anatoliy is tough,” said coach Alex Almeyda before the first match. “He put in his time over the summer…and [Alkazov] should step up and shine.”
Anatoliy has done so on my levels, both as a wrestler and as a team leader.
With ten seniors graduating from last season and many team members wrestling for the first time this season, Alkazov took it upon himself to help the underclassmen.
Athlete of the Week: Basketball Player Dashaun Washington
Freshman point guard Dashaun Washington
(FORT LEE, N.J.) – Freshman year of high school is a unique time for all boys and girls.
It is a time to be nervous yet anxious, excited and worried, but most of all, high school comes with uncertainty.
Today, Patch’s Athlete of the Week award is presented to a freshman who is making a name for himself on the hardwood.
Against players twice his size and some even four years older than him, guard Dashaun Washington looks overmatched.
But on the basketball floor, he is matching up just fine.
Washington has been “playing up” since his time in the Fort Lee rec program where he was a younger athlete already playing with 7th and 8th graders.
This season it happened again.
Last Week’s Snowstorm Ruins Fort Lee Bowlers’ Routine
Coach Sayer said that Ammad Quraishi (left) was one of his more improved players from break.
(FORT LEE, N.J.) – The holiday season is usually very busy with very little free time.
But throw a blizzard into the mix, and all of a sudden, the holidays just became a little bit more hectic.
With all of the hours spent with family, and maybe even more hours shoveling, you can see where it may be difficult for a student athlete to find practice time in late December.
This is one of the albeit unusual dilemmas that plagued the Fort Lee bowling team during the past week.
Many of the co-ed bowlers made plans to practice during vacation but were forced to break from their normal routines due to the circumstances.
Ridgefield Park Tops Fort Lee 52-40 in Matchup of Rivals
Coach John Ziemba(left) talks to Dashaun Washington (center) and Tandee Mushanda (right).
(FORT LEE, N.J.) – Separated by just five miles, the rivalry between Fort Lee and Ridgefield Park grows large in just the small amount of space that divides the two New Jersey towns.
It is a rivalry where the Scarlets and Bridgemen simply do not like each other, and on Tuesday night, it was Ridgefield Park that walked away with bragging rights in a 52-40 win.
One of the key components of the victory was the play of Nelson Mendez, the Scarlets’ senior forward. Mendez utilized his inside presence and post-up maneuvers to lead all players with a game-high 24 points.
“Mendez is the best player in the league,” said Fort Lee head coach John Ziemba. “He made some unbelievable shots.”
The Week in Sports: A Look Back and a Look Ahead
Junior wrestler Andrew Lee stares down his opponent
(FORT LEE, N.J.) – During the past week, the Fort Lee wrestling and indoor track teams started their seasons, the co-ed bowling team had their last match before the break and both basketball teams have finished their first slate of games.
Last Tuesday, the boy’s bowling team defeated Westwood 5-0 with strong performances from senior David Daniels and junior Peter King. Both players shot in the 190s as the Bridgemen earned the sweep. On the girl’s side, the Lady Bridgemen were defeated by Westwood 5-0. Senior Yeliz Inalman had a team high game of 175.
On the mats, the Fort Lee wrestling team lost the season opening match on the road to Mahwah 58-15. Junior Andrew Lee recorded a pin for the Bridgemen in the 135 weight class and later on in the evening, senior Anatoliy Alkazov recorded a late come-from-behind win at 152.
Fort Lee Loses Season Opening Wrestling Match
The captains from both sides meet on the mat.
(MAHWAH, N.J.) – The Mahwah Thunderbirds utilized experience and seven pins in a 58-15 win over the Fort Lee Bridgemen at home on Wednesday night.
Both teams were primed for the match but were forced to wait out an 11-minute delay due to a power failure.
Once the scoreboard was turned back on, Mahwah started lighting it up.
Just 53 seconds into the first match, freshman Erik Molina pinned fellow freshman Devin Sokolicn in the 103 pound match for an early 6-0 advantage.
Fort Lee falters in the fourth in 35-30 loss
The Fort Lee Lady Bridgemen huddle during their first loss of the season.
(FORT LEE, N.J.) – In a physical, edge-of-your-seat season opener, the Fort Lee Lady Bridgemen lost to the Cliffside Park Red Raiders 35-30 in girls varsity basketball on Tuesday night.
Senior Bindi Parikh tallied a game high 14 points, but it wasn’t enough as Cliffside Park mounted a late fourth-quarter comeback for the victory.
“We panicked a little,” said senior Brianna Mattessich on the final few minutes. “We turned over the ball a lot, and it’s a tough situation. But we’ve got to get past it.”
Winter Sports Preview: Bowling
Coach Dennis Sayer congratulates senior David Daniels on a career high score.
(HACKENSACK, N.J.) – Like a baseball pitcher on the mound, a bowler facing 10 pins at the end of a lane can feel like he or she is standing in one of the loneliest places in the world.
The entire world is swirling around you, but the only thing that seems to matter at that moment is winding up, rolling a ball and hoping to knock down all ten pins.
This is the mental side of bowling, and it is something the Fort Lee co-ed bowling team hopes to master on their way to a successful season.
“The more relaxed you are, the more concentrated you are going to be and the more fun you are going to have,” said Fort Lee head coach Dennis Sayer.
Winter Sports Preview: Wrestling
Fort Lee Wrestling Coach Alex Almeyda watches his wrestlers in action.
(FORT LEE, N.J.) – With ten seniors graduating from last year, there are a lot of signs pointing to a down year for the Fort Lee wrestling team.
But don’t tell that to Head Coach Alex Almeyda and the Bridgemen, who remain very optimistic.
“My expectations are always high,” said Almeyda. “We did lose a lot but we can hold our own with anybody. It’s just a matter of believing.”
Returning wrestler Anatoliy Alkhazob already sees improvement in the younger student athletes.
“I see big things from them,” said Alkhazob of the freshman and sophomores expected to step up this season. “They have only been wrestling for this year, and within a couple of weeks, they have gotten a lot better.”
Scrimmage Proves Valuable for Fort Lee Wrestlers, Coaches
A Fort Lee wrestler goes for a pin
(NORTH BERGEN, N.J.) – On Saturday, the Fort Lee wrestling team got some valuable time on the mats against some competitive out-of-town opponents.
The team traveled to play Emerson/Park Ridge and North Bergen over the weekend as Head Coach Alex Almeyda gained a better understanding of his young team.
“It was a reality check,” said the coach immediately after the scrimmage. “A lot of the guys are hesitant right now, understandably so, but it will come with time.”
With ten seniors graduating from last year’s team, the staff is looking to many wrestlers who competed at the junior varsity and recreation levels to make the jump this year.
“The big thing is the underclassmen have to step up,” Almeyda said.
Reporters of all ages
(SADDLE BROOK, N.J.) – Today, I stumbled upon this incredible video of a five year old sports reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. I am a big fan of kids finding their passion early and it was wonderful to see it happen at such a young age. Here is Joey:
This clip also made me remember the spectacular experience I had interviewing a 12-year old sports reporter this summer. Here is the audio of Sam Barloga and me on the official radio broadcast network of the Evansville Otters:
Sam visits the broadcast booth back in July
Welcome to the club and here’s to a wonderful career guys! Keep rocking the planet!
-Mike
New headshot picture
(SADDLE BROOK, N.J.) – I’m very pleased to have a brand new headshot. I needed one for my new Patch.com media pass and am very happy with it:
Thanks again for following the site and please let me know what you think.
Best wishes,
Mike
Proud new member of Patch
(FORT LEE, N.J.) – Today, I officially became the newest member of the Patch.com family and couldn’t be happier with this amazing opportunity.
This week, I start work as the sports editor for the Fort Lee branch and am very excited about the upcoming weeks ahead.
I have a lot of ideas for stories and am extremely anxious to start writing. 
Also, I will make sure to post the articles on this site too.
Here’s to the journey that lies ahead!
Best wishes,
Mike
Teeing it up with Jeremy Schilling
(SADDLE BROOK, New Jersey) – Just finished up a great interview on Teeing it Up with Jeremy Schilling.
Jeremy Schilling, host of Teeing It Up
Jeremy is a good friend from college who has continued his award-winning show on the Internet, without missing a beat.
The weekly show is a hit with great and unusual portions of the program like the Relationship Advice segment, while also having superb insight into the worlds of sports.
I just joined him for an interview where we talked about my appearance in the Wall Street Journal, my experiences with the Evansville Otters and a few other topics.
The link can be heard by clicking here (starting at 34:00) !
Updated baseball clips
(SADDLE BROOK, New Jersey) – I’m excited to announce the updating of some audio clips.
Yesterday, the Print section of the website was renovated, and today it was the enhancing of my baseball play by play material.
Here are the clips that were revamped:
What do you think? Let me know by leaving a comment!
The Wall Street Journal and me
(NEW YORK, New York) – There was a story I did last year that got national attention, but I didn’t know how big it was until today.
I talked to Brian Foley, editor of the College Baseball Blog, today and we talked about our recent work.
The Great Wahconah Park Flood of 2009
Brian, who does a spectacular job on his website (which you can see here), also told me about a website that I appeared on last year.
So, I clicked the link and found out that my article on the Wahconah Park Flood appeared in the Wall Street Journal!
Here is the link (scroll down to see the story).
Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.
Last day at Historic Bosse Field
(EVANSVILLE, Ind.) – The clock ticked down and the last day working at Historic Bosse Field was over.
It seems as if I’m the victim of a time machine that zipped me from May and zapped me to September, but it is entirely true.
Usually, workers tend to relax on the last day and not go the extra mile to finish strong.
That simply was not going to be my final few moments.
Josh Hebert, Jon Cruzen and I cleaned out the Corona Light Party Deck at Historic Bosse Field in the morning and concluded the day by doing one of the toughest jobs of the summer.
Jon and I brought all of the flags down from the concourse level, which may sound routine but is far from it. Check out these pictures:
This is how high I had to go on a 20-foot high ladder to take down the banners.
From the ladder, I had to reach up to the top of this restroom banner in order to bring all the signs down.
Also, when we were told the day was over, I ran around the field to take a few more pictures to remember my time at Historic Bosse Field:
A look out to the diamond!
Wrap-around look at the roof at this jewel of a ballpark.
Ever climb a foulpole? I'm not afraid to! This is the look up the right field pole into the blue skies.
"Bosse Field: Where Every Fan is a Friend!" It couldn't be said any better!
Thank you sign! I'm glad I visited Bosse Field this summer!
That’s the final images of my summer at Bosse Field! Let me know what you think.
More thoughts on the entire season coming tomorrow.
Taking care of those who take care of you
(EVANSVILLE, Ind.) – Networking is one of the most important elements of succeeding in life.
Well friendships and generosity may be even more important.
On Monday afternoon, I took out the entire production staff at WUEV as a way to say thanks for all of the hard work over the summer.
John Luttrell, Paul Mattingly and Josh Woody did a superb job the entire summer working on the Otters games, that taking them out for lunch was the least I can do.
They made commercials, cut highlights and made the broadcasts possible every day for the entire summer.
I highly recommend each and every one of these guys and it was an honor to work with them during the season.
Thanks again guys!
Athletes then and now
(EVANSVILLE, Ind.) – On Sunday night, I had an interesting discussion at the dinner table with Bill McKeon, the Evansville Otters color commentator.
We had a true Polish meal of kielbasa and pierogies (which were both delicious) but the highlight of the night was the conversation.
The guests started talking about playing sports back when they were younger and how intense they were (Elbows being thrown and slamming people to the ground was merely a foul in basketball). Then the talks shifted to today’s generation and how athletes tend to be different now and are not allowed to play as rough.
What do you think? Are athletes softer now? Do today’s athletes have it better or worse? Let me know
Next stop: University of Evansville soccer
(EVANSVILLE, Ind.) – I’ve always been a big believer in going the extra mile.
This means working at nights, on weekends, and on holidays when everyone tends to take the day off.
Not for me! I love working at all times.
I’m at the University of Evansville today and am extremely excited to be working the Purple Aces soccer game. It is the ProRehab Aces Soccer Classic as Evansville challenges East Tennessee State in the championship game.
The broadcast starts at 3:15 PM EST (2:15 PM CDT) with Tom Benson announcing all of the action. The game is set to begin at 2:30 from Evansville, Indiana.
I’ll be in the studio producing the game in anticipation of broadcasting the game on Wednesday night against Belmont.
Please tune in if you can.
Determination & Dinner
(EVANSVILLE, Ind.) – During the course of the baseball season, I had a number of guests in the broadcast booth.
I was blessed to have the commissioner of the league, general managers, directors of operations, vice presidents, journalists, and writers.
But none of them may be more determined than Bryce Weiler who joined me on the air just a few weeks ago. Bryce is a blind sports journalist from the University of Evansville. He was dealt cards that are working agaisnt him, but he is committed to following his dreams. He hopes to be a play by play broadcaster and his resiliency is remarkable.
This evening, Bill McKeon and I took Bryce Weiler out to dinner to talk baseball and his plans.
We enjoyed a great meal at Texas Roadhouse will talking about who we have worked with in the past and goals for the future.
Bryce is on the right path and hopefully someone gives him the chance to reach for the stars.
September 13, 2010 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: analyze, Bill McKeon, blind, Bryce Weiler, Color Commentator, committed, describe the action, determined, Evansville, Evansville Indiana, Evansville Otters, follow your dreams, Indiana, journalist, McKeon, Mike Radomski, Play by play announcer, Radomski, reach for the stars, reporter, resilient, sports journalist, sports reporter, Weiler | 1 Comment »