Bronx News Sports: Fordham wins playoff game at home

Bronx News Sports: Fordham wins playoff game at home: Fordham wins playoff game at home (Photos by Gary Quintal) By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 1- On Saturday afternoon, ...

Fordham wins playoff game at home

Fordham wins playoff game at home

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 1- On Saturday afternoon, for the second straight year, the Fordham Rams (11-2), the Patriot League title-ists, hosted the Sacred Heart Pioneers (9-3), the North East Conference champions, at Jack Coffey Field on the Fordham University campus in the Bronx in a first round contest in the FCS championship playoff.

Last year’s 37-27 victory by Fordham was the first football meeting between the two schools. It was also the first time the Pioneers qualified for the FCS Division I championship, and the first FCS playoff game hosted by Fordham. 

The weather on Saturday was not a factor in the outcome of the important contest as skies were filled with clouds; winds were blowing for less than 10 miles per hour and the temperatures were in the 30’s. 

The Thanksgiving weekend festivities held the crowd at the crucial playoff contest to a disappointing 2,442.

The Rams jumped off to an early lead, 14-0, after Mike Nebrich, the 2014 Offensive Player of the Patriot League, threw two touchdown passes in less than two minutes. At 12:11, Tebucky Jones, Jr. grabbed a one-yard touchdown toss, and at 10:43, Brian Wetzel scored after a 50 yard run after catching the second touchdown throw by Nebrich in the first quarter. The scores came on the second and third Fordham possessions of the game.

The Pioneers closed the quarter by cutting the Fordham advantage to 14-9.

Michael Marando began the second quarter by kicking the first of his three field goals in the contest. The 25, 23 and 38-yard kicks raised his career total to 45, a new Patriot League mark. 

Jones and Wetzel, two seniors who were selected First Team All-Patriot League, each caught eight of Nebrich’s passes and each scored a second touchdown in the game. With nine seconds remaining in the first half, Wetzel caught a 14 yard touchdown pass. The first score of the second half was a 97 yard reception by Jones. Nebrich commented on his fourth touchdown pass, “It felt like it was a good time to call it.”

Jones bested 1,000 receiving yards for the second consecutive season and Wetzel for the third straight year.

The final touchdown of the game was a 26-yard rush by Fordham freshman Chase Edmunds, the Patriot League Rookie of the Year. The Rams scored 10 points in the final quarter while holding the Pioneers scoreless. 

That result was a stark contrast to the regular season showing of the Pioneers in the final quarter. In their 11 regular season games, the Pioneers outscored opponents 80-22 in the fourth quarter.

Sacred Heart coach Mark Nofri honestly assessed his team’s performance after the conclusion of the game, “We didn’t play our best. They [the Rams] capitalized on it. Three or four times, we should have had touchdowns and we didn’t.”

Fordham’s head coach Joe Moorhead complimented Fordham’s opponent, “That was a quality opponent for the first round. We had to fight for every inch.” He then praised his own team’s performance, “This [game] was a point of reference of how we have to prepare for the next game. It was good enough to beat a quality opponent.”

The 44-22 final score was completely in sync with Fordham’s per game average this year. Fordham averaged 42.2 points and averaged giving up 21.6 points per game.

The victor, Fordham, will advance to the second round and travel to Durham, New Hampshire, to face the #1 seed of the FCS, the University of New Hampshire, on the afternoon of December 6.

Bronx News Sports: Hayes Stuffs Mount in Turkey Bowl

Bronx News Sports: Hayes Stuffs Mount in Turkey Bowl: Hayes Stuffs Mount in Turkey Bowl (Photos by Gary Quintal) By Gary Quintal BRONX, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 28- In the 72nd editi...

Hayes Stuffs Mount in Turkey Bowl

Hayes Stuffs Mount in Turkey Bowl

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

By Gary Quintal

BRONX, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 28- In the 72nd edition of the annual Thanksgiving morning Turkey-Bowl , Cardinal Hayes and Mount Saint Michael Academy battled each other and the snow.   

Mount Saint Michael was looking to avenge last season's 20-16 defeat, while Hayes was hoping to win consecutive match-ups for the first time since 1979-1980.  

The Mountaineers  could not get anything going on offense gaining only one first down in the first half while Cardinal Hayes book-ended their scoring with 1 yard touchdown runs. The first came the opening drive of the game and the second to end the third quarter capping the scoring with a 32-0 Hayes victory.

Bronx News Sports: Yankees’ Good Luck Charm Passes Away

Bronx News Sports: Yankees’ Good Luck Charm Passes Away: Yankees’ Good Luck Charm Passes Away (Bill Stimers with Bert Blyleven, a Basebll Hall of Famer, in the broadcast booth at YS.    —Ph...

Yankees’ Good Luck Charm Passes Away

Yankees’ Good Luck Charm Passes Away

(Bill Stimers with Bert Blyleven, a Basebll Hall of Famer, in the broadcast booth at YS.    —Photo by Howard Goldin)

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 15- There are very few fans of sports teams who have become a part of the organization they root for. Bill Stimers, who passed away at the age of 67 on Thursday at the Hebrew Home of Riverdale, his place of residence for the past 10 months, was considered a valued member of the Yankee family by the Steinbrenners. 

Stimers, a devoted rooter for the Yankees since his early childhood, met Steinbrenner at Shea Stadium, where the Yankees played their home games during the refurbishment of Yankee Stadium, shortly after the Cleveland businessman led a group that purchased the Yankees from CBS. The story, as Stimers always told it, went like this, “I said to George, ‘Let’s hope the Yankees win today,’ and he just took a liking to me.”

Stimers was an only child, a brother died in a miscarriage, born to a middle class couple in Queens. His father worked on the Long Island Railroad and his mother was a telephone operator. The couple and their young son moved to Brentwood, Long Island, where they each remained for the rest of their lives. Even though both parents worked full-time, they were devoted to their son. To the day of his death, he told stories of his parents concern for him to a close friend. He remembered them with love and respect and was not embarrassed to say how much he still missed them.

At the age of five, Stimers attended his first baseball game in May of 1952. As his memory was astonishing, decades later he recalled seeing Mickey Mantle hit a home run and the Yankees winning the ballgame. He did not return to the Stadium for several years as his father thought he was too young for such an outing. 

He was an enthusiastic sports fan, especially of baseball, throughout his life. His ability to remember what he read, what he heard and what he witnessed made him exceptionally knowledgeable of many topics. He was one of the most well-known callers to radio station WFAN, where he was known as “Bill the Baker”

The sobriquet came from Stimers’ occupation at Entenmann’s Bakery in Bay Shore, Long Island. In his senior year in high school, Stimers worked in a co-op program at Entenmann’s. He kept the job after his graduation, and worked there until his retirement at the age of 50. 

Over the past several decades, Stimers attended many MLB All-Star Games and  World Series games. He told interesting stories of many events such as the earthquake during the World Series in San Francisco and seeing the final hit (#3,000) of Roberto Clemente. 

For whatever the reason, Steinbrenner was dedicated to the well-being of Stimers. On July 26, 1976, Stimers moved to a seat with his own nameplate in the Press Box at Steinbrenner’s behest. The Yankee owner told Stimers, “You’ll be more valuable to me in the press box than in the stands.” Stimers’ seat was next to Steinbrenner’s box in the old Stadium. The Yankee owner and members of his family often came to Stimers’ seat and engaged the dedicated fan in conversation. Steinbrenner joked with him, solicited advice on players and discussed that day’s game. He also invited Stimers to travel with the team to post-season playoff trips. 

Bill, who considered Steinbrenner his greatest friend, liked to recall that shortly after his mother died, Steinbrenner invited him to travel to the American League Division Series. When Stimers was threatened with the loss of the family home due to a second mortgage that his late mother took out, the Yankee principal owner saved the home by paying off the money owed. Those who are familiar with the relationship between the two men understand the charitable nature and compassion that was an important part of Steinbrenner.

Stimers retained his seat in the Yankee Stadium Press Box through the 2012 a. L. Division Series. He attended only nine games during the 2014 season, but had a seat in the lower stands. 

On an even more personal note, another devoted Yankee fan and extremely knowledgeable observer of baseball, my brother Jeffrey also passed away in 2014. The two had many congenial baseball conversations. Jeffrey was well-educated and had much knowledge and understanding of many diverse matters. He worked quietly, but with great capability and effort for the New York State Court System for many years. Despite being a private person and soft-spoken, he was very pleasant to spend time with because of his highly advanced sense of humor and kindness. Like Bill, the 65 year-old man passed away far too soon. He was a blessing to his family and all who knew him.

May you rest in peace Jeffrey and Bill. You are both missed.

Bronx News Sports: Football Invades Yankee Stadium

Bronx News Sports: Football Invades Yankee Stadium: Football Invades Yankee Stadium (Photos by Gary Quintal) By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 10- The first of three col...