The Bears also wish for a VERY SPEEDY recovery for Coach Jon Gross who suffered a broken ankle in the OHS JV football game. Get well!!

Beware of the Bear!

Game #6 Sunday 11/2/2008

The "Dangerous, strike at anytime" Giants flew into town for the 2nd "Black and Blue" matchup of the season and it was certainly a bruising game for both teams! DEFENSE was the name of the game today as both teams struggled to gain any yardage throughout the day. The first half belonged to the Bear's Punter/Placekicker Mud "Blake" Igoe. After both teams were 3 and outed offensively, it was becoming a battle for field position. With the wind at his back, Blake toed a punt from midfield, over the return men and it rolled to the 1 yard line! The Bear defense stiffened with big plays from Tristan Bocchi (Bruised elbow) and Michael Valerio! After another 3 and out, and a Giant's punt into the wind, the Bear's offense began at their own 30 yard line. The Giant defense was tough again! #82 MUST have had 75 sacks! Facing a frustrating 4th down and 4 situation, the smell of Chicken Parmigian filled the stadium and Blake was called on to try the 1st Stallion's Field Goal in many, many years! His kick split the uprights and he connected on the 34 yarder for the only 3 points of the first half! NOAH sattelites over the North Atlantic picked up a signal that the ball is still in flight somewhere over Iceland at this time! Great half of football by both teams!
The 3rd Qtr was the same. Neither offense found any rhythym and the defenses were both brutal. The Defensive lines of Sean Farry, Robert Domanico (Bloodied Nose), Justin Morelli, Joey Denaro, Michael Grasso, Chris Rederscheid (Sore wrist), Michael Valerio, Mud Igoe, and Tristan Bocchi made play after play, stopping any Giant advance. Michael Wohgelmuth, Tommy Russo (Banged up ankle), Justin Jones and Vinnie Iaquinta each came up with big TD saving tackles for the Monsters of the Midway! The start of the 4th Qtr featured a nice steady march up the field by the Big Cubs, with Lex Pinkiert and Daniel Kerr (Bruised elbow) picking up "KEY" chunks of 1st down turf, keeping the drive alive. It was highlighted by a great 15 yard gallop up the gut by Jake Frankel (Sore ankle) who put the Bears "O" within striking distance of the endzone! Jake Leibstein then swept, scampered and cut his way across the goal line for the TD and Mud added the PAT. Late in the 4th Qtr, Michael Valerio recovered a Giant fumble in the red zone. Johnny Condon, who averages 1 carry per game, ran and cutback his way into the endzone for his 3rd TD of the season! His agent contacted the Bears's front office immediately after the game looking to renegotiate his current contract! Today's Iron Man award goes to BIG Chris Rederscheid, who stepped in and did a FANTASTIC job at the center position, filling in for Benny "Brett" Igoe who was placed on IR prior to the start of the game! Chris was quoted as saying. "It was scary in there!"
Great game by both teams! Congrats to the Giants and their coaches!
Beware of the Bear!

Game #7 Sunday 11/9/2008
The Bears entered week #7 against the Jets, knowing this was a MUCH improved team, laden with talent and having the ability to beat ANY team on ANY Sunday. As halftime approached, like in every week prior, the Bears had a slim 8-0 lead behind the solid running of FB Daniel Kerr who punched it into the endzone for his 1st TD on the year, and as usual Golden Toe Blake Igoe kicked the PAT. Daniel has been a big surprise and has done an outstanding job all year! With seconds left in the 1st half, after a fumble recovery by Michael Valerio, the Bear's D pinned the Jets at their own 5 yard line. LB Tommy Russo beautifully read and picked off a pass, returning it for a TD! Golden Toe connected once again, with 20 yards to spare! The 2nd half became a defensive battle as the Jets and Bears exchanged hard hits into the 4th quarter. RB Jake Leibstein bounced off would be tacklers, cut and juked his way for 55 yards and a touchdown behind some outstanding blocks from the infamous Bear "O"Line! With 2 games remaining on their season, the Bears know that in both games against the Mighty Giants and the season finale against these same Jets, that they will be epic battles to the last tick of the clock, and they will have to play their best football of the season to survive!
Beware of the Bear!

Game #8 Sunday 11/16/2008
The first predicted epic battle began today as the Giants drew first blood, setting the tone and scoring on a nice reverse, taking the early 6-0 lead. In fact, when leaving the field today after the game, there was a pair of socks laying on the field! It was cold and the wind was blowing hard putting a damper on any type of passing game, so the Bears went to work on the ground with Daniel Kerr, Jake Leibstein, and Tommy Russo chewing up yards and putting together a nice time consuming drive. Jake Frankel showed his guts and determination as he swept right, hobbling on a sore knee, and cut into the endzone for a TD and tied the game 6-6! Captain Sean Farry led the way on the TD play with a beautiful downfield block, as he has matured into a special player this season! The Deli King, Blake Igoe split the uprights for the 8-6 lead at halftime! Defensively it was a battle with Robert Domanico and Justin Morelli leading the way with multiple tackles and key stops against a Giant attack that was looking to regain the lead! Defensive lineman Michael Grasso, our Rookie of the Year, continued to impress by putting pressure on the QB all afternoon! Michael Valerio, Vinnie Iaquinta, Joey Denaro, Chris Rederscheid and Brett Igoe plugged holes and did the dirty work in the trenches today! Michael Wohgelmuth and Jake Leibstein did an excellent job at safety and kept Big Blue from getting that one BIG play to take the lead. Perhaps the best defensive day belonged to OLB Justin Jones who made play after play, containing a dangerous Giant offense. Sunflower Seed King, Tristan Bocchi played well on the D line and had a couple tough runs, setting up a nice TD run by Lex Pinkiert who has become a VERY dependable weapon for the Bears!

The Giants are a VERY classy talented young team that comes to play each and every game and that eminates from their coaching staff! Coach Tom, you should be VERY, VERY proud of your BOYZ!!!

In this unprecedented 9 game season, the Bear's final 2008 game is next Sunday 130p vs the VERY dangerous J-E-T-S!
Beware of the Bear!

Game #9 Sunday 11/23/2008
The Bears finished the 2008 season against the Jets with a VERY solid victory on BOTH sides of the ball as they completed an unblemished 9 game campaign! EVERY player stepped up and contributed in this 21-0 gem like they have in EVERY game throughout the season!

Question: What is the #1 job of the defense?
EVERY Bear's answer: Get the ball back!

They did!
With too many Bear's highlights to list in this week's game recap, just watch the following video to describe the Bear's approach to EACH AND EVERY GAME this season:
(Click on photo)

Remember:
Beware of the Bear!

2009 Annual Bears Review
(In progress!)
#81 - Sean Farry - (DL/OL) - (Captain-MVP-Offense/Defense) - Sean became a team leader and like in the video above, he is a feared defender who exudes fear in his opponents before even making a hit. He is Moby Dick in a goldfish bowl! Almost always double teamed, NOBODY hits harder than Sean! PERIOD! An exceptional player on both sides of the ball, he will CERTAINLY be an outstanding OHS player when his time comes! Never missed a practice - Never missed a game!Thanks also to his dad, Tom, for being a coach!

#30 - Jake Frankel - (QB/S) - (MVP-Quarterback) - Jake has been a QB since he started with the Stallions way back in his Pee Wee Raider days in the "Tommy Forkin School of QB"! This year's top Senior QB with a head for the game and the intelligence to match, he added a new dimension to his game and became a threat to run the ball as well as any other back in the league. Operating at about 80%, most of the season with a sore knee, he showed true heart and determination throughout the season! See you on the OHS field!

#55 - Jake Leibstein - (RB/QB/LB) - (Most Improved Player) - A meteoric rise in confidence and ability has turned Jake into a VERY solid player on both sides of the ball. There isn't a position on the field he can't play well! As a runner he became a threat with every carry. As a linebacker, he does NOT miss! He's a player who puts the uniform on before he goes to bed on Saturday night before a Sunday game! I will certainly miss him as he moves on to play school ball! GREAT job "Matt"! Thanks also to his dad, Al, for being a coach!

#88 - Vinnie "GQ" Iaquinta - (OL/DL) - (Most likely to date a Jets Cheerleader! - Most Versatile Player) - Vinnie has been a pleasure to coach the past 3 years and he has tremendous potential when his time comes to play OHS ball and it will! When a player shows the desire to play like Vinnie, the sky is the limit! Defensively he has a great nose for the ball and he did a terrific job this entire season! He could hit as hard as ANYBODY in the league and not one hair would be out of place! Good Luck GQ!

#99 - Robert Domanico - (OL/DL) - (Most Improved Player) - Robert can be the MOST dominate player on the field at ANY time! Put a chip on his shoulder and he becomes a wrecking ball on defense. A terrific player, a great kid, and a TOP prospect for the OHS team down the road, Robert will certainly make the highlight films in years to come! Word is he's also a very talented skate boarder! Good Luck Robert!

#56 - Joey Denaro - (OL/DL) - (MVP-Defense) - Ferocious defensive mentality! Butkus like in every way! He can rev up his teammates like nobody else can and he has a tremendous nose for the ball. Offensively he showed good hands and he did an exceptional job blocking on the offensive line. This year's growth spurt put Joey over the weight limit for the first time and he proved he can play with the BIG boys! Looking forward to seeing him play with OHS!

#60 - Justin Morelli - (DL/OL) - (MVP-Offense/Defense) - Speed, quickness, athletic, instinctive, hard hitting, GREAT hands, GREAT feet, aggressive, I could keep going on with the superlatives! The complete package and THE fastest player on the field in ANY game! Justin has the potential to become a SERIOUS offensive weapon for OHS down the road. Put the ball in his hands and wait for the smoke to clear to see him in the endzone! Congrats!

#23 - Tommy Russo - (RB/LB) - (MVP-Most Likely to DOMINATE in 2009) - Tommy played up in the Seniors last year as a 10 yr.old. As an 11 this year, he surpassed all expectations and reestablished himself as a top performer on both sides of the ball in his age group. As a defender, pound for pound, THE hardest hitter in the league! As an offensive player, speed, moves and toughness guided him into the endzone several times! GREAT attitute and a STRONG desire to "want the ball"! Qualities you love in a player! Thanks also to his dad, Tom, for coaching!

#95 - Danny Kerr - (FB/LB) - (MVP-Offense) - Danny was, by far, the best north/south runner in the Seniors. A very tough runner and a solid defensive player who makes any team better just by being there! He did the work as a blocker and set up numerous TD's for his fellow backs! Danny is one of those kids who makes coaching a pleasure when you see him succeed and do his job! Thanks Danny, terrific season to be proud of!

#91 - Tristan Bocchi - (OL/DL) - (Future Star-Most likely to become a millionaire!) - Tristan was an absolute pleasure to coach and is a great kid to be around! He improved tremendously as the season progressed and as a returning 12 yr.old next year, his presence will be felt! He also holds the record for "Most Sunflower Seeds Consumed" in one season! Great job Tristan!

#75 - Blake "Mud" Igoe - (OL/DL) - (MVP-Best PK/P in the league!) - Blake may have been the top point scorer in the league this year, as his MANY PAT attempts became routine laser strikes through the uprights! He connected on a 34 yd. FG for the first 3 pointer in 7 years! Aside from his podiatric prowess, he was a dominate defensive lineman and a dependable blocker on both sides of the ball. Clearly he is earmarked for playing on the OHS team in the future! Nice job Blake! Thanks also to his dad, Kevin, for coaching!

#48 - Brett "Benny" Igoe - (OL/DL) - (Most Likely to DOMINATE in 2009) - Brett quietly became one of our most dependable defensive lineman as you can see in the Night game video! #48 brought his "A" game whenever he was asked! He also touched the ball on offense more than ANY other Bear, as our center, he performed flawlessly and gave us the edge on EVERY play! The brothers Igoe could be bookends on a Sailor line in the future! Great job Brett! Thanks also to his dad, Kevin, for coaching!

#62 - Michael Grasso - (DL/RB) - (Rookie of the Year - Most Likely to DOMINATE in 2009) - I have seen MANY first year players over the years and you develop an eye for the good ones! Mikey not only surpassed ALL expectations on the field, but he was perhaps the MOST enjoyable young man to have on a team that I have ever coached! It was an absolute pleasure! If you asked him to run through a brick wall, you would have to tell him when to stop! VERY athletic and VERY tough, the sky is the limit as to what he can do on a football field in the future! GREAT job Michael!

#82 - Chris Rederscheid - (DL) - (Future Star) - Chris was a first year player who grinded it out with the big boys all season long and he improved dramatically! A terrific young man, the most courteous player and a great teammate! You can tell when somebody loves the game and I hope Chris continues to play football because he could be a terrific player now that he has the confidence and experience of the season under his belt! Great job Chris!!

#33 - Michael Wohgelmuth - (S/LB) - (Future Star - Most Honest Player - Smartest Player!) - Mike did a terrific job all season as a safety, not giving up a single TD all season long from his position. As a 12 yr. old, he will definitely be a force to be reckoned with! An intelligent player who was a pleasure to coach and have as a teammate! Nice job Mike!

#97 - Justin Jones - (LB/RB) - (Future Star-Most Improved Defense) - Justin became one of the BEST OLB's in the league, with routine open field tackles and exceptional play at this very tough position! Offensively, when he lowers his shoulder and "POWER" runs, he is unstoppable! Outstanding young man with a boatload of talent and potential! Great job Justin!

#88 - Johnny Condon - (S/RB) - (Future Star-Rookie of the Year) - Johnny had a terrific first year! Defensively, you can see he has tremendous "nose for the ball" instincts and can hit as hard as anyone! He broke up many, many plays on defense as our strong safety. Offensively, he got little opportunity to run the ball, but when he did he made it count scoring 3 TD's! Outrageous potential, terrific player! Nice job Johnny!

#66 - Michael Valerio - (OL/DL) - (Future Star-Most Valuable Lineman) - Michael did a terrific job on both sides of the ball. He recovered numerous fumbles, as his nose for the ball lead the way! Always smiling, he will certainly be a player for quite awhile because he truly enjoys playing the game Excellent job Michael!!

#44 - Lex Pinkiert - (LB/RB) - (MVP-Offense) - Lex became one of the premiere RB's in the seniors this year! His speed, moves and determination kept him bouncing off would be defenders throughout the year! Strong and fast describes his game on defense as well, as an OLB he was NEVER beaten! Outstanding season Lex, 2009 watch out!!!!

Coaches: Tom Farry - Tom Russo - Kevin Igoe - Al Leibstein
The players were very lucky to have such caring coaches all season long! You guys did all the work
and should be proud of your efforts! Thank you!!!

Bear's Parents and Fans
Thanks for your support all season long and thank you for sharing your boys with us coaches! They are a special group!

2008 Cheerleaders
Thank you for your beutiful cheers and routines each and every week! You make our games very special! Thanks!

2008 Referees - Ed Lally
You guys did a great job as always! Except on that last call! Kidding...

The Spirous & Frank LaMagna, Lianne Doherty
- Thanks for all you do for these kids! Organizing, setting up the EVERY week, fundraising so we can be a better league next year!
Thank you!

See you January 24th @ The Coral House - Noon!!!!!!
Enjoy the Holidays!!!

© 2008 Oceanside Stallions. All rights reserved.
Contact us at: letzrock@optonline.net