|
|
 |
February 28, 2009 --
Eagle Basketball Community
We are too quickly closing in on the end of the year for our basketball program. Please keep in mind the following dates and important reminders: CLICK HERE
I have just returned from Kuna watching as our 9th graders defeated Kuna in the 9th grade semi-final game. Coach Johnson is doing a wonderful job with his kids and they are performing at a high level. We wish them the best for tomorrow night’s championship game. Support one another, cheer for all of our kids, and push them to greater successes. Good luck Coach and players.
Coach Shelby completed one of his all too familiar(keep it going) successful years by defeating Timberline for the Soph/Frosh Championship title. Coach Shelby’s teams keep right on producing wins and developing a reputation as the TEAM to beat in the SIC. Congratulations to Coach Shelby and his team on a wonderful season.
Coach Thompson and the Junior Varsity were derailed at the semi-finals by a hot shooting Timberline team, but not until after posting a 19-1 season record. Watching this team throughout the year brought a real smile to my face – and then I started to hyper-ventilate and sweat knowing the competition for spots next year and people that are on the bubble. That is so far away and so many things can happen, it’s best not to dwell too seriously on that issue. I do know for a fact, competition will be fierce and hopefully, kids will have taken every opportunity to improve. Thanks you guys for competing at a higher level – don’t stop now!
The Varsity made a grand rush at the end of the year to finish first in league standings. To watch these guys perform the last three games, it was a real treat. Boom, then inconsistency reared its ugly head and going into districts, the first game with Boise was a loss. Hopefully, we clearly understand the task at hand and what we need to do to accomplish our goal of getting to state. Timberline was defeated in a hard fought contest on Saturday, opening up a possible state berth by defeating Mt. View on Tuesday (Feb. 24) at Borah. The kids love to hear the fans and if you’re not doing anything, come and support the Varsity boys at 6:00 pm , at Borah on Tuesday.
Check out the wonderful photos of our players at several different locations:
Idahosports.com
Idaho Statesman
Paul Freeman Photo's
Our own EHS Website
The year isn’t over yet, so get out there and support the kids. They love seeing you in the stands, listening to your cheers, and seeing your excitement.
Thanks everyone for your support.
Coach Seifert
|
February 3, 2009 --
Hello Parents and Eagle High Boosters
We are quickly closing in on another magical season at Eagle High School. All of the Boy’s Teams have been wonderfully successful and we’re sure hoping it continues and all can end the season with smiles and a trophy. Watching the kids in practice and games and talking to the coaching staff, all of the kids have been improving and we’re looking for continued growth within our program.
Hang on parents, your first season is coming to an end, but it will just blossom into a second season with league tournaments and district play on the horizon. What an exciting and positive time of year for our kids! Schedules for upcoming tournament play will be placed on the website and given to your sons as soon as the season comes to an end and our AD’s determine the team standings. Good luck to everyone.
The Varsity Boys ran in to a determined and improved Vallivue team on Friday and joined many other teams who have visited Vallivue, by leaving with a loss. On Saturday, an energy filled Boise High team entered our gym with the idea of slowing the game down and controlling the tempo with deliberate offensive sets and a stingy zone defense. They will continue to be a competitive team in District play as they were against us on Saturday. With the game tied, Ben Van Lith hit a great looking 25ft jumper with the clock ticking to .00. The varsity will entertain Caldwell on Friday and head to Capital on Saturday. The last three games of the year will be played against some of the best competition in the valley. So, where does that put Eagle? Every game we must come to play. Placing the team goals first -competing and cheering for the good of the team, will be a priority.
As our seasons begin to wind down, it is imperative that all are supporting the coaching staff and players. We must remind ourselves, that when we win, it is an Eagle High School Team win, and when we lose, it is an Eagle High School Team loss. Ben made a great end of the game shot during the Boise game, but someone had to pass it to him, someone had to play defense to steal the ball, and many others scored/rebounded and competed during the game.
Come together fans, honor our kids for their dedication and competitiveness, even though they may not be the player on the floor as the game comes to an end. I know I am speaking for myself and Coach Humphreys when I say, “At the varsity level, we are doing everything to win and make the Eagle Community proud.”
It will be far easier to attain our goals as coaches, parents and players as one unified group/team , versus a group of individuals attempting to reach goals from numerous directions.
Good luck to all of our teams and may every shot fall and every defensive stop build our resolve.
|
January 24, 2009 --
Welcome Eagle Fans and interested visitors;
We just crossed the half-season mark and entered the dreary January part of the season. There are days when the practices look like the weather outside, but we just have to find a way through them.
The emphasis the last week and through State Tournament will be cleaning up all of the little mistakes, improving upon fundamentals, and cutting down on unforced errors. Sounded a little like a tennis guy with that last comment, but it is a big concern of all coaches that unforced errors-lack of concentration errors be eliminated as the pressure ramps up at the end of the season. Our goal is to get TO's down into single digits by District Tournament and hopefully decrease that number as we go into tournament action.
An area of concern that plagues all levels of our teams is consistency rapped around intensity and energy. Somehow, we have to develop an attitude of "us against the world" - "we will not be defeated" - "play to our potential" - with a true supportive family spirit. There are days we just need to leave our egos at home and do what is best for the TEAM.
I am genuinely excited about all grade levels and their success so far this season. Again, we have to guard against complacency, and as coaches we will do our best to support energized, smart play versus (what I term) AAU throw away plays. We have such great upside, I just can't wait to see how it all turns out. What absolute, mind-blowing success we could all have when our teams get after it.
Our Freshmen are riding an undefeated season. Coach Johnson has his kids playing some strong basketball, building on their strengths, demanding improvement on the basics, and throwing some new offensive and defensive techniques in to keep everything fresh. There next game is January 26th at Nampa followed by a home game against Skyview on Wednesday.
The Sophs keep chugging away with just a hiccup of a loss against Centennial. They have great energy and solid play. You have got to get out and see these young players perform because they have great potential. Looking forward to seeing them all in a few years.
The JV Team with Craig Thompson at the helm are maintaining their unblemished record. This is a group that can get up and down the floor and also battle in a half court set. Some strong shooters with tough rebounding will give these guys a chance to play agaisnt any competition.
The Varsity, coming off a win at Rocky Mt. faces two tough games at the end of the week. Going to Vallivue on Friday and coming home to play Boise, who happened to defeat the Mustangs in a 4 overtime game will provide a real test for our kids. Ben Van Lith leads all scorers followed by Jordan Thompson. Chris Whipps is stepping up on the inside and Dallas Yorgason provides great quickness and defensive pressure. Spencer White has stepped into the point guard position quite well and the bench forces all of the starters to keep working or lose their position. Jake Johnston is struggling abit with his shot, but his toughness and resolve help us push through those scary game moments. I like our chances with Jameson Shaw coming back from a tweaked knee, Cory Cramer giving us some solid minutes, and the possibility of Taylor Kelly stepping onto the court before District Tournament. So much can happen before the end of the year that we have to go out and make things happen and play our game.
Our losses have a lot to do with our play as well as our opponents. As I said earlier, our attitude - energy and intensity must be present for every game, the entire game. The excitement this team can generate is explosive and contagious. From defensive play to dunks and 3-pt. shots, they have many weapons.
Come out and support the team, cheer for all of the players and coaches, and make Mustang Basketball a powerhouse.
|
December 21, 2008 --
Merry Christmas Everyone,
What a great beginning for every team at Eagle. As of this writing, there is not one loss in the Boy's Program - a total of approximately 25 games. Something to get excited about, but nothing to build your reputation on. Way too many games to go with many fine teams, at every level, to be played. We have about two weeks to work on the fundamentals, do some resting up, and then get ready for the new year. It is going to start with a bang against Boise, Caldwell, Capital and Cenntennial. And that is just the first four games - with no let up through January and February.
Recap over the last few games.
Mountain View was a good test because I have never won at Mt. View. The kids battled through some fouls and numerous turnovers, and still were able to put a strong performance together. I dream of the day when there are no turnovers, missed shots, and poor decisions - could that ever be reality????
Rocky Mt. came into our gym after a big win over Centennial on Saturday and as coaches, we had to use that as motivation for our kids. Never take any team for granted, go into every game attempting to play your best game - make yourself the toughest opponent, not the team you're playing. Our kids did a great job shutting down the Rocky Mt. offense, with a first half score of 49-8. A great performance where EHS controlled both ends of the court.
Timberline really got to us during the second half, erasing a double digit lead and actually going ahead by several baskets near the end of the fourth quarter. We were lucky to get ourselves into overtime and pull out a one point victory against a tough gritty Timberline team. Unfortunately, Cory Cramer suffered a concussion at Timberline and will be out for a few days, but we're excited to get him back in a week or so. Jeff Slonaker took over the offensive chores with some great shot selections and baskets at the end of the fourth quarter and into overtime. Ben Van Lith became the rebounding leader (most rebounds in one game) with a record 18 'bounds in one game. Great job to the entire team for contuing to battle, but special kudos to Jeff and Ben.
Vallivue, the defending state champions, came into our gym on Friday, just before the break for Christmas, and we expected a tough game and got it. Vallivue was up by two baskets at halftime, but with renewed effort and intensity, especially on the defensive end, EHS went on a nice little run to lead at the end of the 3rd quarter by four, 47-43. During the fourth quarter, the offense became very disciplined and got some good shots and later controlled the ball with great offensive movement and passing until Vallivue had no choise but to foul to get the ball back. The team was led by Jordan Thompson's 17 points, Dallas Yorgason's 15 points and Ben Van Lith's 12 points. Wonderful effort against a well-coached, athletic team.
If you begin to look at our scoring, you see we have a number of weapons. Kids that can go out and score and this makes it more difficult for teams to stop us. We have to keep in mind we have a wonderful team, no weak links, and we can rely on any of the kids to step in and rebound, play defense, and score. It is only going to get tougher in our SIC Conference. EHS may be in first place at the moment, but it will take a great deal of hard work and luck to keep it all together. We're looking at getting stronger, more consistent, and improve our shooting percentage over the next weeks.
Good luck to al ofr our teams, keep battling and make YOURSELF the best player you can be.
Thanks to all of our Boosters for their great support and what a great turnout of our student body. It is getting bigger every game - the team notices it and loves their enthusiasm.
Merry Christmas Everyone - Stay safe and see you at Boise on Saturday, January 3.
Coach Seifert
|
December 15, 2008 --
Hello Eagle High School Fans
The last week has flown by and now it is time to catch up and evaluate what has been going on with the team. Certainly, as coaches, we visit every day, but with several days to think and ponder, hopefully, games and player involvement can be broken down more succinctly.
The week started with Bishop Kelly at EHS. The 4A school battled and gave us everything they could, but in the end, our depth and speed took its toll. Breaking open a close game at half with an extremely tough press, the kids cruised with a 35 point victory. BK just didn’t have an answer for our quickness (foot speed-not just hand speed) and it is all to the credit of our kids for listening to what the coaches’ were asking them to do. BK has been battling all of their opponents from beginning to end, and it was no different on Tuesday. Kudos to a great effort from our front court players, especially the juniors coming off the bench.
Thursday, Meridian entered The House of Pain and brought it all with their run-and-gun style of offense and a pesky defense. The first quarter was similar to watching a tennis match from center court. Entering the 2nd half, one of my coaches complained of neck spasms from going back and forth so quickly. Again, the depth and speed of our kids wore Meridian down and they had a tough time maintaining their first half barrage. Coach Hosely had his kids battling and they never gave up down the stretch. They will certainly surprise a few teams as the season progresses. Of the three games so far, every one of our players has not only contributed with rebounds and defensive stops, but put themselves into the scoring column. It is heartwarming for a coach to see all of his players executing and contributing in such a positive fashion.
The second road trip of the year found us over at Mountain View. Wow! What a turnout of fan support for EHS. We had far more supporters/students at the game than Mt. View. Keep it up folks. A big community rivalry with Rocky Mountain coming to Eagle on Tuesday, and on Friday, the defending State Champions-Vallivue visit EHS. Rocky is coming off a huge first win for their team, and you know their kids will bring every ounce of skill and courage to the game knowing they’re playing many of their old school friends. But, back to Mt. View and how the team performed. Mt. View has also brought the drive and kick offense to their school and for awhile, they put us on our heels. They jumped our screens and made it difficult for us, but the difficulty was more of our own making. We didn’t handle the double team very well and didn’t look at our options out of the double team. All of that comes with review and developing good practice and game habits. One has to realize, we are only into our third week of practice. Offensively, a few names beginning to emerge as real threats are Ben Van Lith, Jordan Thompson, and Dallas Yorgason. What is exciting, so many other players also have the ability to take over scoring, and every player has been contributing. Rebounding is improving, but I see it as a team rebounding skill, not just one person handling the rebounding chores. The football guys are getting their basketball legs and I expect Chris, Jake, and Dallas will have much to do with our success.
Guess what..? next week is just as busy. As I said earlier, we have Rocky Mt. on Tuesday and Vallivue on Friday, but in between we must go to Timberline and that will be a tough game for our kids. The back-to-back games will take a toll on our kids, but they’re tough and true competitors at heart.
For those of you planning Christmas break, we will practice on Monday(12/22) and Tuesday(12/23) and take off from Dec 24 through Dec. 28, (Sunday). We will be back at practice on Monday,12/29 in preparation for Boise on Jan. 3.
Reminder: FOOD DRIVE ON TUESDAY(12/16) BRING TWO CANS OF FOOD – GET A FREE BAG OF POPCORN!
Stay safe and see you at our next game.
Coach Seifert
|
December 9, 2008 --
Hello EHS Basketball Fans
Well, the season is upon us, and as I always say, once the season starts, we’re almost to Spring Break. Things go so quickly from now to March, it is astounding.
All of the Boy’s Teams at EHS remain undefeated, but from game to game, at any level, that can change with a bounce of a ball. I am very fortunate to have retained my complete staff, with Bud Johnson, again leading the 9th grade team; Ryan Shelby exhorting the Soph/Frosh team to strive to their potential; Craig Thompson and David Maxwell shaping the JV Team into a juggernaut; and myself with the great help of BJ Humphreys, trying to get a depleted, but very athletic group of kids ready for Varsity competition. It will no doubt be an exciting year, a few ups and downs thrown in to keep everyone grounded, and from past experience, a very tough, physical SIC group of teams that we will face. It may be cliché, but it is true, you’d better bring your “A” game every night, or you will get beat.
The Varsity game at Kuna was a 20 point victory, but we have a laundry list of things to work on the rest of the season. Rebounding and controlling the key will be foremost in our practices followed closely by our willingness to communicate and play with intensity on defense. Thursday and Friday practices went back to the old school practices with a great deal of emphasis on fundamentals, correct hand positioning and foot movement, physical rebounding, and throwing in a little offense at the end to keep everyone sharp. We weren’t real happy with our press, so we will adjust and get better in that area. It is of great importance we run with the dribbler and force them to turn and turn again until help can catch up. Everything is fixable and improvement has been seen.
It may take a few weeks for this team to round into basketball shape after the long Football Season, but we would like to congratulate Coach Peterson and his staff and the entire football team with their great season and getting to the State Championship Game. If I am not mistaken, all of the football teams from Freshmen to Varsity, lost only one game. Unbelievable and what a great effort!
The next two weeks are without a doubt – a busy, whirlwind of games. Six games in 9 days. Next up will be Bishop Kelly, on Tuesday, the first home games for the boys followed by Meridian on Thursday and Mountain View on Saturday. Mt. View will be at their place.
Welcome to the Basketball Year! Good luck to all of our teams.
If you haven’t seen the new floor, get a ticket, get to the gym early, and have some high school basketball fun!
Coach Seifert
| |
|
