BLTF by John Nichols 03.13.2020

BLTF 031620

With the spread of the Corona virus (or COVID-19) through the U.S., colleges and universities have radically altered their spring semesters.  Consequently, athletic departments at these schools have instituted extensive changes, including cancelling the balance of a season.  The NCAA has already cancelled its championship tournaments for all spring sports.  The team-by-team details below are current as of March 13 and are subject to change as circumstances warrant.

Bears Lax Trax Fax will pick up again in early April with game recaps or an update on the status of future games.  Any games played over the balance of March will be recapped in that update.

[Since John finished writing his BLTF, the NCAA has granted the 2020 Spring athletes a “red shirt” to replace their lost seasons. That means as many as seven Bears are eligible to return.]

UNDERSCOREUNDERSCORE = 2020 college graduate or end of standard eligibility

D-I

COVID-19 Schedule effect updates:

Army (Drennan Greene)-Season Cancelled (Patriot League)

Bucknell (Colin O’Brien)-Season Cancelled (Patriot League)

Cleveland State (Justin ConnerJustin Conner)-Games against Utah and Lafayette cancelled, all others still scheduled (Independent)

Colgate (Griffin BrownGriffin Brown)-Season Cancelled (Patriot League)

Dartmouth (Brendon Gallagher, Brett Gallagher)-Season Cancelled (Ivy League)

Furman (Michael Abizaid)-Games through the end of March postponed, balance of season still scheduled (Southern Conference)

Jacksonville (Hunter Sells, Andrew MitchellHunter Sells, Andrew Mitchell) -Games through the end of March postponed, balance of season still scheduled (Southern Conference)

Johns Hopkins (Joey Epstein)-Season Cancelled (Big Ten)

Loyola (Cam James)-Season Cancelled (Patriot League)

Maryland (Justin Shockey, John Geppert, Matthew Kopp)-Season Cancelled (Big Ten)

Michigan (Zach Johnson)-Season Cancelled (Big Ten)

Navy (Thomas Evans, Shane Corcoran)-Season Cancelled (Patriot League)

Penn State (Nate Buller)-Season Cancelled (Big Ten)

Richmond (Will Bou)-Season Cancelled (Southern Conference)

St. Joseph’s (Thomas Halm)-Season Cancelled (North East Conference)

Towson (Mo Sillah) -Games Cancelled through April 4, balance of season still scheduled

Virginia (Ryan Pride)-Season Cancelled (ACC)

BEARS VS. BEARS

Penn State (Nate Buller) 22

Furman (Michael Abizaid)7

Penn State almost shut Furman out in the first quarter, but the Paladins got their first goal of the game with just one second left on the clock.  After Furman scored again, early in the second period, the Nittany Lions went on a goal-a-minute tear, scoring six times in a hair under six minutes.

Nate took two shots, one on goal, and picked up one ground ball.

OTHER GAMES

Cleveland State (Justin ConnerJustin Conner) 13

Mercer 16

Mercer pulled away from the Vikings in the middle of the second period, scoring five goals in five and a half minutes.  Cleveland State had a solid final period to cut into Mercer’s lead, but could not beat the clock.  Neither goalie had a particularly good day, both letting in more than they saved, but Mercer’s goalie was three saves better.

Jacksonville (Hunter Sells, Andrew MitchellHunter Sells, Andrew Mitchell) 8

Duke 18

The Dolphins held the Blue Devils in check through the first half, trailing by just three goals at the half.  Duke dominated the second half, including a barrage of seven goals in less than seven minutes in the fourth quarter.

Hunter made four saves and got one ground ball.  Andrew had one ground ball, also.

Johns Hopkins (Joey Epstein) 13 OT

Mount St. Mary’s 12

The Blue Jays were in a deep hole, down 12-8 with less than five minutes remaining in the game.  Hopkins mounted a furious comeback in those closing minutes, including three straight scores in just over a minute of game time.  Hopkins got to a 12-12 tie with 57 seconds left in regulation.  Mount St. Mary’s won the faceoff and got off a shot, but Hopkins’ goalie made the save.

In overtime, the Blue Jays won the face off and their first shot ended up in the Mount’s goalie’s cross.  Hopkins got a second chance when Mount St. Mary’s turned the ball over and the Jays got the win on their next shot.

Joeyscored two goals and contributed an assist.

Michigan (Zach Johnson) 13

Marquette 12

Marquette opened up the game with a pair of goals then the Wolverines roared back with six goals in the last six minutes of the first quarter.  Michigan’s lead held up until the fourth quarter when, after incrementally eating into Michigan’s lead, Marquette tied the score at eleven all.  The teams traded goals after that with Michigan going up by 13-12 with a bit over three minutes left in the game.  Michigan won that faceoff and ran the clock down inside two minutes before turning the ball over.  In their final possession, Marquette had two timeouts, two shots and two ground balls, but no scores.

Zachplayed in this game.

D-III

COVID-19 Schedule effect updates:

Colby (Miles Tonkel)-Season Cancelled

Colorado College (Max Becker)-Season Cancelled

Gettysburg (Mitch Laughlin, Billy Banfield)-Postponed through 4/4 except for 3/17 game against Tufts which has been cancelled, balance of season still scheduled

Oberlin (Farley Price)-Games through the end of March cancelled, balance of season still scheduled

Ohio Wesleyan (Guy King)-Non-conference games on 3/13, 3/14 and 3/25 cancelled, all North Coast Athletic Conference games still scheduled

Salisbury (Brian Menendez, Jace Menendez)-3/14 and 3/17 cancelled, 3/21 and 3/27 games postponed, balance of season still scheduled

Tufts (Kyle Amitay, Garrett Kurtz)-Season Cancelled

Washington College (Will Oliver)-Postponed through 4/15, balance of season still scheduled

GAMES

Colorado College (Max Becker) 14

Baldwin Wallace 10

Colorado College led throughout the game, but never comfortably so.  Through the first three quarters of the game, each time the Tigers stretched their lead out, Baldwin Wallace was able pull to within one.  In the fourth, Colorado College finally put some distance between themselves and the Yellow Jackets with a three goal run.

Max played late in the game.

Gettysburg (Mitch Laughlin, Billy Banfield) 12

Washington & Lee 11

Gettysburg’s early four goal lead was wiped out a run of seven goals by the Generals.  Gettysburg was able to come from behind in the fourth quarter, scoring the games last four goals to get the lead and the win.  The winning goal came with just forty-seven seconds left in the game.   Over the last three minutes of the game, Gettysburg did not allow a single possession by W&L.

Oberlin (Farley Price) 8

Otterbein 9

Otterbein dominated the scoring early on, but Oberlin shut them out for twenty-seven minutes in the middle of the game to turn a four goal deficit into a two game lead.  Unfortunately, Otterbein was down but not out and the Cardinals scored the final three goals of the game to get the win.  Oberlin had one chance as the clock ticked down towards zero, but their lone shot sailed wide of the goal.

Farley played in the game, taking one faceoff.

Salisbury (Brian Menendez, Jace Menendez) 22

Rhodes 5

The Gulls scored the games first seven goals, let in a pair by Rhodes, then scored seven straight again, including four goals in just two minutes.

Tufts (Kyle Amitay, Garrett Kurtz) 26

Ithaca 11

Late in the first quarter, Ithaca pulled within one of Tufts, then Tufts pulled away.  Ithaca didn’t score again until the middle of the third period and by then the Jumbos had tacked on another fourteen scores.

Kylesaw his first (and unfortunately last) playing time of the season and got to three ground balls.

Washington College (Will Oliver) 12

Illinois Wesleyan 13

The Shoremen got the game’s first four goals which gave them a lead they were able to protect until midway through the fourth period.  Illinois Wesleyan closed the game with a six goal run, the last, and winning, score coming with just nine seconds left on the clock.

Will took one shot in the game and scooped up two ground balls.