Directions to George School

• Highlights

The annual Alumni Scrimmage occurred again this year on September 4, the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Fans were treated to a very entertaining game as George School hopefuls took on many champions of the past.

An unusually large and strong team of mostly alumni withstood a whirlwind attack during the first half as the varsity team moved the ball well over the field with crisp passing but lacked the finishing touch.

The Alumni then put the cherry on their Sunday by earning a 1-0 victory when Chris McDonald nailed a brilliant side-winder volley of a cross by Scott Klein from deep on the left side. A first-class finish that thrilled everyone in the crowd except a couple of partisan parents.

The Alumni defense was anchored by J.T. Lawrie and legendary Thomas Helmkamp who brought his gear from the Pittsburgh area to visit his parents and play.

George School: (alphabetically) Paolo Alighieri, Clement Bohr, Eli Bresler, Mike Carbonara, Kurt Castro, Neil Chakravarty, Drew Fisher, Igor Gateniuk, Gabe Haug, Brandon Hodges, Simon James, Jared Kimelheim, Noah Kimelheim, Zack Kimelheim, Tommy Lodge-Yanez, Evan McGowan, Justin Mendez, Brinton Mooberry, Owen Moon, Luke Osenberg, Nate Philips, Sean Potter, Caleb Smith, Cyrus Vakili, Anthony Verleysen, Peter Verner, Will Yarnall. (Injured: Brennan Kinnel, Jay Koh, Ramzi Lodge-Yanez)

Alumni: (by eras) ’70’s Chuck Norris; early ’90’s Joe Davidyock, Tony Guerrera, Thomas Helmkamp, Dave Restituto; mid ’90’s Christian Donovan; late 90’s Ari Betof, Scott Klein; early 00’s Andy Carten, J.T. Lawrie, Chris McDonald, Josh Mandell, Bill Ross, Kyle Sanphy, Josh Silvester, Matt Smith; mid to late 00’s Lucas Hamren, Richie Schulz, Dylan Sio, Nathan Small. Plus Glenn Curry (asst. A.D.) and John Arth, Timonei Kharisof, Ethan Lamb.

No statistics are available.

Directions to George School

• Highlights

After a week of torrential tropical rains that twice drowned an opportunity to open the season against traditional power LaSalle—the game has been rescheduled for Monday October 3—George School enjoyed a few rays of sunshine, new uniforms, and a hard-fought 4-0 victory over a determined team from Lower Moreland. It should be noted that despite a foot or more of rain, the marvelous George School field was firm and in great shape. Drainage is remarkable, and the Grounds Crew (Vince Campellone, Dave Kosan, and the gang) is the best. 

The game developed according to a classic plan for a skilled team. In the opening minutes, George School moved the ball laterally through midfield with controlled passes and made rapier-like thrusts up the flanks. As the fatigue (both mental and physical) of chasing the ball compounded for the Moreland players, the field opened up and George School moved with increasing ease into the attack. After a scoreless but threatening first fifteen minutes of action (including a powerful half-chance shot by senior midfielder Evan McGowan that rebounded fifteen yards off the quivering crossbar), junior striker Justin Mendez earned a corner kick on the right flank. He then delivered a powerful cross into the window of opportunity that senior Anthony Verleysen deflected home from the front post. A classic header for a 1-0 lead. 

Although George School continued to create good chances, they (the author is feeling a bit “British” tonight) could not push the ball past the Moreland keeper. Perhaps most memorable was a thrust down the middle late in the half by junior striker Igor Gateniuk. Igor competed for and won a high ball from a taller central defender and steamed unopposed toward the penalty area. As the keeper advanced ten yards off his line to cut down the angle, Igor ripped a powerful waist-high shot that blistered the goalie’s hands. A nice play with an unfortunate result. Igor will learn to tuck away such chances as he gains experience. 

At halftime, George School held a slim 1-0 lead despite having a majority of the possession and almost all of the good scoring chances. During the second half, however, the Cougars began to earn their reward on the scoreboard. In the 54th minute, senior midfielder Tommy Lodge-Yanez motored down the left side and delivered a good cross into the “second six” where junior striker Paolo Alighieri turned a “J-Lo” header past the wrong-footed keeper and into the side netting at the back post. Brilliant! 2-0. 

Fifteen minutes later, junior fullback Jared Kimelheim, always a threat on the left flank, was crudely and painfully tackled at the edge of the attacking third. After trainer Juana Bivens helped Jared from the field, his brother Zack made Lower Moreland pay by delivering an accurate rocket of a free kick to the head of senior Gabe Haug. Gabe, a three-year letterman, made no mistake and the ball bent the back of the net behind the helpless keeper. Classic! 3-0. 

Finally, in the 77th minute, with the ball bouncing around inside the box, senior midfielder Nate Philips grounded a hard shot past the keeper into the far side netting, the first ball kicked successfully into the goal. 4-0. 

All in all, a promising beginning. This season should be entertaining. 

George School: Simon James; Anthony Verleysen (Drew Fisher), Gabe Haug (Drew Fisher, Will Yarnall), Sean Potter, Jared Kimelheim (Drew Fisher); Zack Kimelheim (Evan McGowan, Nate Philips), Noah Kimelheim (Will Yarnall), Tommy Lodge-Yanez (Caleb Smith, Peter Verner); Clement Bohr (Justin Mendez, Jay Koh), Will Yarnall (Paolo Alighieri, Igor Gateniuk)

Goals: 16 Verleysen (Mendez); 54 Alighieri (Lodge-Yanez); 69 Haug (Z. Kimelheim) 77 Philips (Alighieri)
Shots: GS 11 + 7 = 18 LM 3+1 = 4 Corner Kicks GS 6 LM 1
Saves GS (James) 3 + 1 = 4 LM (???) 6 + 3 = 9
(As often happens in the opening game, the statistics are often rough approximations.)

Directions to Munro Park

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When questioned, a Yankee pitcher of long ago named Lefty Gomez attributed his success to “clean living and a fast outfield.” The George School soccer team might mention “great effort and a hot goalkeeper!” to explain its success against Archbishop Wood.

Indeed, senior goalkeeper Simon James made one brilliant save and controlled most of the box in the second half to preserve a 1-0 victory over Archbishop Wood, a team that beat GS last year 5-0. The “spiderman” palmed one point-blank “own-goal” around the post when most observers thought it in the goal.

The game itself, however, had an interesting ebb and flow. For minutes at a time, George School controlled play and moved the ball successfully over the pitch, and then Archbishop Wood would gain the ascendancy and move forward with forceful intent and threaten the GS back line with power and speed. Usually one team controls play for most of the game, or defends bravely for most of the game, but this game saw each team in control for 5-10 minutes at a time.

George School created a few good chances early in the game and forced the Wood defenders onto their heels but Wood soon adjusted and the game settled into the middle third. Then, in the 14th minute, GS attacked down the right side and discovered gold. A weak cross bounced around in the box among several players until eventually striker Justin Mendez toe-poked it free from a defender to the offensive midfielder Gabe Haug. The senior promptly ignited a rocket from the eighteen that burned through the keeper’s hands and bounced into the back of the net. 1-0.

The rest of the game settled into a familiar pattern of contrasting styles. George School moved the ball through midfield and attacked down the flanks with varying degrees of success while Wood mixed mostly shorter passes through the GS defense to an attacker running diagonally with the occasional long ball. Both styles earned their chances, but Wood uncharacteristically sprayed most of their shots high and/or wide of the goal. Most of the GS shots were blocked by aggressive defenders.

There were two notable plays in the second half, one for each team. For GS, a Wood defender blocked a shot inside the six and the ball rolled to the foot of midfielder Tommy Lodge-Yanez. He hit a fine shot to the far post from twelve yards that rebounded off the post and outside the eighteen. Inches from a goal.

And then a Wood corner kick fell to ground and bounced off two defenders toward the GS goal, but James somehow got a hand to the ball and pushed the potential “own goal” around the post. Whew!

Eventually the whistle sounded the end to the game, a real team victory with important contributions from every player. The willingness of players to sacrifice their chances at greater glory and fill unfamiliar roles bodes well for the season.

George School: Simon James; Anthony Verleysen, Clement Bohr (Gabe Haug), Sean Potter, Will Yarnall (Drew Fisher); Evan McGowan (Ethan Lamb), Noah Kimelheim, Gabe Haug (Timofei Kharisof, Will Yarnall, Evan McGowan), Tommy Lodge-Yanez (Caleb Smith); Justin Mendez (Jay Koh, Clement Bohr), Paolo Alighieri (Igor Gateniuk, Justin Koh)

Goals: 14 Haug (Mendez)
Shots: GS 5 + 2 = 7 AW 5+7 = 11 Corner Kicks GS 0 + 1 = 1 AW 4 + 2 = 6
Saves GS (James) 3 + 2 = 5 AW 2 + 1 = 3

"Varsity Boys' Soccer Defeats Archbishop Wood"
philly.com, September 14, 2011

Directions to Abington Friends School

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George School opened its Friends League campaign with an exciting 1-0 victory over their determined, skillful, and well-coached hosts from Abington Friends. On the first cool day of the late summer and perfect for soccer, George School traveled to play on Abington Friends’ beautiful new level and re-sod-ed pitch. 

After enjoying success against teams with strong reputations, George School arrived confident in its ability to control play and dominate possession. Abington soon disillusioned their guests. A tight aggressive, swarming defense disrupted the familiar GS rhythms and frayed nerves. At first, George School adapted pretty well and created a couple of openings with long diagonal passes. After squandering those early chances by taking an extra touch, the George School attack was effectively smothered by the Abington midfield and the occasional through ball was handled with ease by the flat back four. 

Indeed, in the early going, Abington had the best chance when a couple of good passes and a fortuitous bounce opened up a path for a shot from fifteen yards. Despite being wrong-footed, senior goalkeeper Simon James reacted quickly, dove, and got his right hand to the ball and palmed it around the post. Great save! 

Then George School players decided to irritate the referee. In the 14th minute, Zack Kimelheim, despite his extensive experience, failed to hear a whistle for offsides and deposited a shot in the AFS goal. Yellow card! (for unsportsmanlike conduct.) By rule, Zack had to leave the field. Uh oh. 

Senior Evan McGowan played while Zack tried to convince the coaches that he could avoid all possible card-able offenses for the remainder of the game. After all, a second infraction would mean a red card with the team playing a man down (10 v 11) and a suspension for the next game against Friends Central on Tuesday. Trouble. 

The senior substitute almost earned lasting glory when Tommy Lodge-Yanez turned the left corner deep in AFS territory and delivered a pass accurately to Evan’s head, but alas the 12-yard header found the wrong side of the near-side netting. 

Again play settled into the middle third with neither team able to penetrate the other’s defenses. But then, after a brief rest, senior Tommy Lodge-Yanez received a pass wide on the left flank just over midfield, took a long touch to beat two converging defenders, and motored toward the eighteen. A desperate AFS defender reached forward to grab his shoulder and pull Tommy down (unsuccessfully I might add, but clearly a foul) and the referee awarded a free kick just outside the corner of the eighteen.

Noah Kimelheim asked for the ten yards and then, when the whistle granted permission, curled an accurate kick to the head of senior Gabe Haug at the back post. A leap, a nod, and the ball bounced into the back of the net. Clinically done! 1-0! 

Noah, however, sometimes has a habit of offering the referee advice. Warned to stop by the ungrateful referee, Noah earned his own card with a gesture after a play by striker Igor Gateniuk who was plowed over but called for obstruction when he stopped to shield a center back before reachinga  playing distance of the ball. In this case, Noah may have been innocent, but the referee raised his yellow card for dissent. Now Noah had to leave the field and, if he returned, he too risked a second card and a suspension if the officials thought his play was beyond the spirit of the game. By now, the whole team was worrying about the referees rather than the game itself. Even goalie Simon James had to chime in with an “Oh Sir!” when Sean Potter lost his footing in the corner of the field. 

At halftime, the team tried to refocus on soccer and the coaches tried to decide whether or not to risk a Kimelheim suspension by playing them during the second half. Confident in the depth of this team, they decided to begin the second half with Noah on the bench with versatile Will Yarnall playing defensive midfielder. Within three minutes, Zack was embroiled in some physical play and a heel-clipping that smelled of a potential, if inadvertent, second card. With a one-goal lead, the coaches decided to avoid the risk. It helps that McGowan is such a fine player. 

Most of the second half was without incident. Lodge did blast a side-winder from fifteen yards over the bar, and an AFS free kick bounced and then pin-balled tantalizingly several times inside the GS six before being rolled wide to safety out of a crowd of swinging legs. Actual shots on goal remained at a premium for both teams. Finally the whistle sounded and George School emerged with a very narrow 1-0 victory. Abington, to their credit, had fought hard within the rules, and had forced the Cougars to achieve a better level of play. Sport at its best with both teams demanding the best of each other.

George School: Simon James; Anthony Verleysen, Clement Bohr (Gabe Haug), Sean Potter, Will Yarnall (Drew Fisher); Zack Kimelheim (Evan McGowan, Ethan Lamb), Noah Kimelheim (Evan McGowan, Will Yarnall, Caleb Smith, Gabe Haug), Gabe Haug (Timofei Kharisof, Evan McGowan) Tommy Lodge-Yanez (Evan McGowan); Justin Mendez (Clement Bohr, Caleb Smith), Igor Gateniuk (Paolo Alighieri, Ethan Lamb)

Goals: 31 Haug (N. Kimelheim)
Shots: GS 3 + 4 = 7 AFS 3+1 = 4 Corner Kicks GS 0 AFS 1 
Saves GS (James) 2 + 1 = 3 AFS (Dougherty) 1 + 2 = 3

"Varsity Boys' Soccer Defeats Abington Friends School"
The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 17, 2011

Directions to George School

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George School learned a valuable lesson (without catastrophic after-effects, one hopes) as a talented and determined team from Friends Central fought on after surrendering the go-ahead goal in the 60th minute and earned their reward and a valuable point by scoring in the 73rd minute. 

Neither team could penetrate the other’s goal in the two ten-minute overtime periods and both could feel the pain of blown chances and the joy of being let off the hook. In short, this was a well-played game and a fair outcome. 

Central earned the first great opportunity when a corner kick to the six-yard line was headed powerfully down, a great header but the ball bounced up and off the cross bar. All George School breathed a sigh of relief. 

Ten minutes later, senior tri-captain Tommy Lodge-Yanez penetrated down the left side and curled a cross that kissed the bar but fellow tri-captain Gabe Haug running toward the far post awkwardly side-footed the waist-high sitter past the goal from four yards. Now Friends Central felt the breath of the soccer gods. 

And so the game settled into midfield. As the Central pressure increased, the GS midfielders played “smaller” (shorter passes) and lost the rhythmic lateral play that had opened up Lower Moreland in the opener. More and more the ball stayed in the center of the field. 

By halftime, both teams believed themselves ready to take control. Neither did. The George School effort was high, but passes were often desperate surrenderings of the ball rather than creations within the normal patterns. Coach Machemer exacerbated the problem by insisting on putting players in unfamiliar roles while searching for a magic elixir. 

George School did put together one beautiful sequence involving six or seven players (perhaps Verleysen, Zack K., Noah K., Justin M., McGowan, Haug, and Tommy L-Y) with rapid one- and two-touch ball movement ending with a through pass to Tommy attacking down the left side of the funnel. Alas his shot rolled wide. 

Soon Tommy had another chance, and his powerful low shot beat the keeper but rebounded off the far post. Fortunately, striker Igor Gateniuk had followed the shot, and the ball bounced off him and into the goal from 4 feet. A “garbage goal” rarely smells as sweet! 1-0 with twenty minutes to play! 

Alas, Coach Machemer continued his creative pattern of substitutions and 12 minutes later, a long Central kick was tracked down by their big dynamic striker. He collected it at the edge of the eighteen, cut back, cut inside between two defenders, and rolled the ball past goalie Simon James and off the far post into the goal. George School, after being let off the hook several times by inaccurate shooting, had surrendered its first goal of the season. 1-1. 

In the Friends League, teams try to resolve ties by playing two 10-minute overtime periods to conclusion—no golden goal.

George School created a good chance in the first overtime period when after a scramble, junior Justin Mendez whistled a good cross through the box. Sophomore Ramzi Lodge-Yanez, seeing his first action of the fall, was positioned at the far post but could not pull the trigger before a crowd of defenders arrived. Many players kicked at the ball, but eventually it rolled out of the box, and the chance was lost. 
    
Central had their chances in the second overtime but their free kicks floated into the box and were safely cleared by tri-captains Gabe Haug and Sean Potter. 

With players starting to cramp in the humidity, the referees blew the whistle and the game ended.

George School: Simon James; Anthony Verleysen, Clement Bohr (Gabe Haug, Drew Fisher), Sean Potter, Drew Fisher (Will Yarnall);  Zack Kimelheim (Ethan Lamb, Caleb Smith), Noah Kimelheim (Ramzi Lodge-Yanez), Gabe Haug (Evan McGowan, Ramzi Lodge-Yanez) Tommy Lodge-Yanez (Evan McGowan, Ramzi Lodge-Yanez);  Justin Mendez (Caleb Smith, Clement Bohr, Ethan Lamb), Will Yarnall (Igor Gateniuk, Paolo Alighieri, Evan McGowan, Ethan Lamb)
 
Goals: 59 Gateniuk (T. Lodge-Yanez)
Shots: GS 6 + 9 + 2 + 0 = 17 FC 7 + 3 + 1 + 0 = 11 Corner Kicks GS 4 FC 2
Saves GS (James) 4 + 2 + 0 + 0 = 6 FC (Schoemberg) 2 + 2 + 1 + 0= 5

"Varsity Boys Soccer Ties Friends' Central"
The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 20, 2011

Directions to Moorestown Friends School

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After surviving the most recent floods, George School earned a vital three points in the FSL by beating a game team from Moorestown Friends 3-1. 
    
Moorestown immediately won the opening tap and penetrated down their right side to earn a corner kick that the George School defense safely cleared. Whoa! And George School was still on the bus! 
    
Junior Igor Gateniuk, however, calmed GS nerves in the third minute when he buried a low shot to the far post. Classmate Justin Mendez had delivered a clever pass into Igor’s path for the first time shot.
1-0. 
    
George School then enjoyed a lot of possession and passed the ball artfully around the park. Great stuff but generally sterile in terms of creating goal-scoring opportunities. Moorestown remained dangerous on the counter-attack, although senior tri-captain Sean Potter displayed a masterful sense of timing as he defused the attacks before they could explode inside the eighteen. 
    
In the 28th minute, Sean reacted quickly when the GS left fullback was beaten by a nifty change of pace; although Sean himself was also unnerved by a similar move, he recovered and knocked the ball over the by-line for a corner with a clinical sliding tackle. Brilliant execution with no risk of a foul. 
    
Still 1-0 leads are tenuous at best. 
    
Then, in the 37th minute, GS penetrated down their left side and junior Noah Kimelheim penetrated through the MFS defense along the by-line. A quick pass to the foot of Igor, and he made no mistake. Low to the far post again. 2-0. 
    
Perhaps GS started to feel full of itself, if not its brilliance, and the passing game started to disintegrate. Players surged forward down the center of the park, and MFS won the ball easily and counter-attacked. A ball floated into the box, goalie Simon James called but failed to reach the cross, and a MFS player headed the ball into the undefended net in the 40th minute. 2-1. Back in the balance again! 
    
After reviewing the tactical necessities during halftime, George School started to assert its offensive potential, but shot after shot slid wide of a post. Meanwhile, MFS threatened on the counter-attack. 
    
Finally, in the 62nd minute,junior Zack Kimelheim (who had a very good second half of attacking soccer) ripped a low cross through the box that senior Caleb Smith banged home three yards from the back post. Clinical! 3-1. 
    
George School continued to control the ball and tempo of the match, but MFS gamely fought on and mounted the occasional threat. The GS back four (Anthony Verleysen, Clement Bohr, Sean Potter, and Drew Fisher) held firm, however, and goalie Simon James picked up the occasional ball that made it into the eighteen. 
    
Eventually the referees signaled the end of the game, and George School walked off with a satisfying, hard-fought victory.

George School: Simon James; Anthony Verleysen, Clement Bohr, Sean Potter, Will Yarnall (Drew Fisher); Zack Kimelheim (Ethan Lamb, Evan McGowan), Noah Kimelheim, Evan McGowan (Zack Kimelheim, Ramzi Lodge-Yanez) Tommy Lodge-Yanez (Ramzi Lodge-Yanez, Evan McGowan); Justin Mendez (Ethan Lamb, Caleb Smith, Zack Kimelheim), Igor Gateniuk (Ethan Lamb)

Goals: 3rd Gateniuk (Mendez); 37th Gateniuk (N. Kimelheim); 62nd Smith (Z. Kimelheim)
Shots: GS 8 + 6 = 14 MFS 3 + 1= 4; Corner Kicks GS 2 MFS 5
Saves GS (James) 3 + 1= 4 MFS (Price) 1 + 2 = 3.

"Varsity Boys' Soccer Defeats Moorestown Friends"
Burlington County Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 28, 2011

Directions to George School

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The heavenly rains held off but the George School offense produced a flood of goals in an 8-0 victory over an out-manned but determined young team from the Valley Forge Military Academy. Often such one-sided scores produce a chippy game, but the Cadets maintained their poise and played good soccer throughout. 
    
Junior Igor Gateniuk continued his torrid goal-scoring streak by netting the first two goals. The first was assisted by Justin Mendez who profited when Igor juked a defender with his first touch and buried his second in the 9th minute. 
    
Nine minutes later, Igor leaped high at the back post to head home a cross from freshman Ethan Lamb. 2-0. 
    
Ten minutes later, senior tri-captain Tommy Lodge-Yanez headed a cross from Zack Kimelheim past the VFMA keeper who was charging off his line. 3-0. 
    
In the 35th minute, Lamb accelerated to a ball that got behind the flat and tiring VFMA defense and grounded a fine shot into the far side netting. 4-0. 
    
Then two minutes later, senior fullback Anthony Verleysen lifted a 30-yard pass over the fullback line for speedy classmate Caleb Smith to collect. Caleb got a first touch into the box and then was almost obliterated by a recovering VFMA defender. Penalty! Noah Kimelheim stepped forward and buried his attempt in the back of the net. 5-0 at the half. 
    
The second half provided a good opportunity for GS players to work on ball movement while exploring less familiar positions. 
    
In the 46th minute, freshman Lamb scored his second with a blast from the edge of the eighteen than deflected off the shoulder of a flinching defender. 6-0 
    
In the 59th minute, senior Peter Verner buried a goal-mouth cross delivered by Justin Mendez for his first goal of the season. 7-0. 
    
Then, three minutes later, senior Evan McGowan powered in a cross stroked from the right flank by Verner. 8-0. 
   
The ball entered the net one more time when senior Kurt Castro headed home a corner but GS was whistled for shirt-grabbing, and the apparent goal was disallowed. 
    
After the game ended, the George School players extended their “cool-down” run by parading up and down the pitch filling divots and smoothing out footprints. 
    
As Coach Machemer remarked after the game, “These one-sided games often degenerate into selfish 1 v 1 affairs as every player decides to ‘get his goal.’ I was pleased that the team continued to play to its patterns and scored its late goals with good ball movement and accurate finishing. We made progress today!”

George School: Simon James; Anthony Verleysen (Ramzi Lodge-Yanez), Clement Bohr (Drew Fisher, Noah Kimelheim), Sean Potter (Igor Gateniuk), Drew Fisher (Ramzi Lodge-Yanez, Anthony Verleysen, Zack Kimelheim); Zack Kimelheim (Caleb Smith, Evan McGowan, Peter Verner), Noah Kimelheim (Tommy Lodge-Yanez, Drew Fisher), Evan McGowan (Zack Kimelheim, Evan McGowan, Ethan Lamb), Tommy Lodge-Yanez (Kurt Castro, Evan McGowan, Anthony Verleysen); Justin Mendez (Ethan Lamb, Zack Kimelheim, Evan McGowan), Igor Gateniuk (Clement Bohr, Ethan Lamb, Kurt Castro)

Goals: 8th–Gateniuk (Mendez); 19th–Gateniuk (Lamb); 28th T. Lodge-Yanez (Z. Kimelheim);
35th Lamb (unassisted); 37th N. Kimelheim (pk); 46th Lamb (unassisted);
59th Verner (Mendez); 62nd McGowan (Verner)
Shots: GS 17 + 9 = 26 VFMA 2 + 0= 2; Corner Kicks GS 7 VFMA 2
Saves GS (James) 2 + 0= 2 VFMA (Adams) 3 + 2 = 5.

"Cougars Remain On Early Season Roll"
Bucks County Courier Times, September 29, 2011

Directions to George School

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With rain in the forecast and a puddle just off the soggy pitch near the gymnasium, but the soccer gods smiled on George School as junior Zack Kimelheim scored an unlikely 40-yard shot in a thrilling 3-1 overtime victory over traditional powerhouse Hun from Princeton.
 
George School began the game with a lot of the ball, but Hun soon found its rhythm and the game evened out. The pattern was established as George School switched fields and penetrated down the flanks, and Hun primarily stormed down their right side. 

After 24 minutes of mostly innocuous play as both teams failed to find a finishing touch, junior Justin Mendez pounded a Hun turnover into the back of the net with a powerful shot. 1-0, out of nothing. 

After halftime, Hun’s five-man midfield (with four defenders) began to harass the GS midfield and win the ball as GS passes got shorter and less accurate. Hun had a full head of steam at this point, and was slowly forcing the GS team back on its heels. 

In the 65th minute, the seemingly inevitable happened. A weak GS clearance, a ball rolling around in the box, a slip (or push, depending upon one’s allegiances), and a Hun player made no mistake from six yards. 1-1. 

Fifteen minutes to play, and George School was visibly tiring under the pressure. Yet this team has reserves of energy (and good depth on the bench), and, reorganized, the Cougars fought back to a territorial stalemate. 

No longer defending a lead, the GS team found it easier to attack. In the dying minutes of regulation, senior tri-captain Tommy Lodge-Yanez had a couple of headers in front of the goal snared by the well-positioned Hun keeper. 

Overtime! George School generally plays two ten-minute overtime periods to conclusion (no golden goal) and Hun had agreed to the format before the game. 

As Coach Machemer said during the brief interlude after regulation ended, “This is fun. We needed this extra twenty minutes to help us get into better shape for the challenges to come. Let’s work hard, and enjoy the opportunity.” (Actually, the Coach probably said something else, but he wishes he had said some such thing, and your intrepid reporter will not let the truth get in the way of a good story.) 

By this time, the game had become a bit chippy. Lots of shirt-grabbing and a few egregious fouls on both teams. 

In the 85th minute, right back Anthony Verleysen got involved in a “wrestling match” along the right touchline. The referee awarded GS a free kick, and junior Zack Kimelheim curled a beauty forty yards into the upper left corner of the goal. 2-1 but there remained fifteen minutes to play. 

Hun continued to attack as George School fans pleaded for a bit more possession and a faster clock. 

Hun mounted its last best challenge with four minutes to go in the second overtime period. A couple of corner kicks whistled into the box, and a shot or two whistled wide. 

In the 98th minute, with Hun sending every player but their goalkeeper forward to at least the edge of their offensive third to get the equalizer, a last Hun corner was cleared outside the eighteen. Midfielder Zack Kimelheim collected the loose ball, looked up, and delivered an accurate and well-weighted pass for striker Igor Gateniuk to run onto. Igor, 15 yards behind the nearest defender, but still in the GS defensive half, hesitated to make sure he was ruled onside and then motored down the field with the Hun defense in desperate pursuit. Igor reached the eighteen, slowed down a half beat, and slotted the ball past the onrushing keeper. 3-1. Surely the game was secure now. 

That conclusion, not always justified in the wonderful world of soccer, was valid on this day. The whistle sounded, and George School had earned its sixth victory of the season with a wonderful team effort. Every player had contributed vital minutes and good play to the cause. 

The players then warmed down by wandering the pitch and replacing divots as their adoring fans looked on.

George School: Simon James; Anthony Verleysen (Ramzi Lodge-Yanez), Gabe Haug (Clement Bohr), Sean Potter, Will Yarnall (Drew Fisher, Zack Kimelheim); Evan McGowan (Ethan Lamb, Ramzi Lodge-Yanez), Zack Kimelheim (Timofei Kharisov, Will Yarnall) Noah Kimelheim, Tommy Lodge-Yanez (Ramzi Lodge-Yanez, ); Clement Bohr (Justin Mendez, Caleb Smith), Ethan Lamb (Igor Gateniuk Clement Bohr, Will Yarnall, Justin Mendez, Caleb Smith, Gabe Haug)

Goals: 26th–Mendez; 85th–Z. Kimelheim; 98th–Igor Gateniuk (Z. Kimelheim) 
Shots: GS 7 + 4 + 2 + 2 = 16 Hun 11 + 4 + 1 + 1= 17; Corner Kicks GS 2 Hun 3
Saves GS (James) 2 + 3 + 1 + 1= 2 Hun 1 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 5

"Varsity Boys Soccer Defeats Hun in Overtime"
The Trentonian, October 1, 2011

Directions to George School

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This game scheduled for Monday is canceled.

Directions to George School

• Highlights

George School played well in a convincing 4-0 victory over long-time rival Academy of the New Church (Bryn Athyn). Junior Justin Mendez scored his first hat trick and senior goalie Simon James notched his fifth shutout as the Cougars improved their record to 7-0-1 (3-0-1 in the FSL). 

George School gained control of the ball and the midfield from the opening whistle but it could not convert good penetration into shots because the aggressive ANC goalkeeper came off his line to intercept a succession of crosses. 

In the 11th minute, however, after a lot of possession but few shots, senior fullback Anthony Verleysen curled a cross into the box that Justin Mendez caressed with his head over the keeper and into the far side netting of the goal. 1-0. 

Still George School controlled the ball and moved it fluidly over the pitch. Five minutes later, senior left wing and tri-captain Tommy Lodge-Yanez passed the ball to junior Zack Kimelheim on the edge of the eighteen. A clever reverse spin move enabled Zack to elude two defenders and enter the box. A quick low shot beat the keeper. 2-0. 

The pattern of play continued. ANC occasionally stepped forward to intercept an ambitious up-pass and mount a counter-attack, but senior tri-captains Sean Potter and Gabe Haug snuffed the attacks outside the defensive third. 

Meanwhile at the other end of the pitch, George School continued to penetrate but fail to get on the end of crosses. 

At halftime, the teams regrouped and ANC returned with renewed vigor. In the 45th minute, however, Justin Mendez cut across field just outside the eighteen and ignited a hopeful rocket that beat the ANC keeper and kissed the inside of the left post. 3-0. 

For the next twenty minutes, George School created and squandered a succession of fairly good chances. The quality of the attacking play was perhaps the most creative of the season but lacked the sharp edge of accurate finishing. 

Finally, in the 71st minute, Mendez floated a ball from the left side of the eighteen over the keeper and into the far side netting. 

When the game ended, the team felt good about the quality of its play but the coach mourned the wasted opportunities and wondered whether the finishing touch would show up as the pressure mounted.

George School: Simon James (Brinton Mooberry); Anthony Verleysen, Gabe Haug, Sean Potter, Ramzi Lodge-Yanez; Evan McGowan (Ethan Lamb, Tommy Lodge-Yanez, Justin Mendez), Zack Kimelheim (Timofei Kharisov, Ethan Lamb), Noah Kimelheim, Tommy Lodge-Yanez (Caleb Smith, Justin Mendez); Justin Mendez (Zack Kimelheim,Caleb Smith), Igor Gateniuk (Justin Mendez, Caleb Smith, Ethan Lamb)

Goals: 11th Mendez (Verleysen); 16th Z. Kimelheim (T. Lodge-Yanez); 45th Mendez; 71st Mendez
Shots: GS 9 + 15 = 24 ANC 3 + 1 = 4; Corner Kicks GS 1 ANC 1
Saves GS (James) 1 + 0= 1 ANC 5 + 1 = 6.

Directions to Pennington School

• Highlights
• Press

Mighty Pennington controlled the ball, shot over 30 times, hit the woodwork three times, had a shot cleared off the line (by Anthony Verleysen) and a loose ball cleared from behind the keeper (by Noah Kimelheim), and forced goalie Simon James to play his best game of the year, but could not score and allowed George School to escape with a 0-0 tie after two ten-minute overtime periods. 

Pennington looked larger during the warm-ups, and it took only a few minutes of action to prove that they were faster and possibly more skilled as a team than the Cougars. They passed the ball accurately, frequently with their first touch, moved the ball quickly over the pitch, and stormed the GS defensive back four (Anthony Verleysen, Gabe Haug, Sean Potter, and Ramzi Lodge-Yanez.) 

Nevertheless, senior tri-captains Sean Potter and Gabe Haug anchored the center of the defense and limited most of the Pennington attacks to hopeful blasts from outside. One rocket did deflect off a GS defender, but Simon James changed directions and caught the ball cleanly, a great save. 

Although the GS defense was absorbing a lot of the Pennington pressure, the Cougar attack could not penetrate its attacking third. During the first half of play, only Igor Gateniuk managed to get a shot off as the strong Pennington defenders smothered the slower GS attackers. 

After halftime, George School, perhaps a bit overwhelmed earlier by the step up in competition, adjusted to the pace of play, moved the ball more confidently, and found a bit of space. 

Then, only three minutes into the second half, disaster struck. Gabe Haug indicated to the referee that he was hurt and hobbled off the field with an injured ankle. Junior Clement Bohr moved back from his attacking role to lend his size and speed to the defense, but the team lost both Clement and Gabe (and their physical presence) as possibilities in the attack. 

Pennington started to surge forward again, but squandered several clear chances. A couple of angled shots slid by the post while defenders frantically blocked a half dozen or more blasts and cleared loose balls from the box before a Pennington player could tuck the ball away in the goal. As mentioned before, Verleysen cleared a ball off the line, and Simon James blocked a couple of point-blank shots. 

Again George School was hanging on defensively, but in this half, the Cougars produced a couple of worthy counter-attacks. The best probably occurred when midfielder Zack Kimelheim stepped free of a crowd near midfield, spied Tommy Lodge-Yanez racing toward the back of the Pennington defense, and delivered a lovely pass into his path. Tommy sprinted down the edge of the funnel but his strong toe-poke bounced harmlessly to the keeper. 

Soon junior Will Yarnall, nursing a upper leg injury, and senior Evan McGowan, with a bone bruise on his foot, indicated that they’d reached their limits. Further action today could put them out for another week. 

Regulation time ended. Possibly another twenty minutes of action, but in New Jersey the over-time periods end with a “golden goal.” The healthy players would just have to persevere. 

The back four (Anthony Verleysen, Sean Potter, Clement Bohr, and sophomore Ramzi Lodge-Yanez) seemed solid if a bit tired. But what about the other six positions? 

This year, however, the GS team has remarkable depth, and players can step up to greater responsibility and strange roles. 

For example, senior fullback Drew Fisher played vital minutes effectively as a striker and a midfielder, and senior utility man Caleb Smith pumped energy into the team with his speed and determination. 

Freshman midfielder Timofei Kharisov adapted pretty well to a new role as a striker, and junior striker Paolo Alighieri, recently returned from the injured reserve, re-joined the attack, providing necessary rest for juniors Igor Gateniuk and Justin Mendez. 

Of course, stalwarts Noah and Zack Kimelheim, and Tommy Lodge-Yanez continued to battle for control of the midfield against Pennington’s superior size and speed. 

In the first overtime, Pennington slid another shot wide, missed a back-post header on a corner kick, and hit a post. But George School survived. 

Another ten minutes to go. Noah Kimelheim succumbed to a cramp and had to come off after two minutes. Some water, a stretch, and he was back on in two minutes. 

Still Pennington surged forward. With little over a minute remaining, a Pennington blast shot beat goalie James, but bounced loudly off the end of the crossbar. Surely it would be cruel to surrender the winner with only a minute left. 

Pennington attacked again down the left side, but a pass rolled over the endline. George School knocked the six-yard kick forward, and Igor had the frustration and satisfaction of dribbling toward the corner of the eighteen as the horn sounded. 

George School had held on against the odds and earned a 0-0 draw. Hard work, a full team effort, and a lot of luck had enabled the Cougars to overcome, uh tie, a superior opponent. Some ties are definitely better than kissing your sister.

George School: Simon James; Anthony Verleysen, Gabe Haug, Sean Potter, Ramzi Lodge-Yanez;  Evan McGowan (Will Yarnall, Zack Kimelheim, Drew Fisher), Zack Kimelheim (Will Yarnall, Timofei Kharisov), Noah Kimelheim (Drew Fisher), Tommy Lodge-Yanez (Drew Fisher);  Clement Bohr (Justin Mendez, Timofei Kharisoz, Caleb Smith, Paolo Alighieri), Igor Gateniuk (Timofei Kharisov, Justin Mendez, Caleb Smith)

Goals: none
Shots: GS 1 + 4 = 5 Pennington 10 + 14 + 4 +5 = 33;  Corner Kicks GS 1 Pennington 12; 
Saves GS (James) 3 + 7 + 4 + 3 = 17 Pennington 0 + 2 + 0 + 0 = 2

"Varsity Boys' Soccer Ties Pennington"
philly.com, October 07, 2011

Directions to Hill School

• Highlights

Six days after escaping the clutches of Pennington with a scoreless tie, George School traveled to The Hill School and suffered its second consecutive shutout and its first loss of the season 2-0. 

Staying in class as long as possible, George School ran into a bit of traffic and arrived late at the game. The Hill graciously offered a few extra minutes for a warm-up, but then ruthlessly (:-)) opened the scoring on their first strong thrust down the field in the fourth minute. (Tommy Lodge-Yanez actually took the first shot after a foray around the right corner of the Hill defense; he bruised the goalie’s chest!)
 
But Hill tallied first when a hopeful ball into the box bounced oddly over the swinging foot of junior centerback Clement Bohr, and rolled harmfully into the far corner of the net. 0-1, and the stopwatches had barely been turned on. 

To its credit, George School fought hard to even the match, but the Hill defense was too strong, both literally and figuratively. Although George School moved the ball quite well at times during the game, the team could not penetrate the Hill eighteen. Oh there were a couple of balls in the box, but nothing of significance beyond a hopeful deflection by Zack Kimelheim of a hard cross delivered by Tommy. 

Then, with George School primed for one last push forward, Hill nailed their second goal by penetrating down their left side, stepping around senior centerback and tri-captain Sean Potter and passing square to a striker eight yards from the goal. He made no mistake and rolled a fine shot past senior goalkeeper Simon James. 2-0. 
    
Up next is the stretch run of the league season. At Shipley on this Friday, Friends Select on Tuesday, Westtown on next Friday, and at Germantown Friends on the following Monday. Will the team collapse as it did at the end of last season? This should provide quite a succession of good challenges!

George School: Simon James; Anthony Verleysen (Ramzi Lodge-Yanez), Clement Bohr (WonSuk You, Drew Fisher), Sean Potter, Ramzi Lodge-Yanez (Jared Kimelheim); Zack Kimelheim (Evan McGowan), Jared Kimelheim (Zack Kimelheim,Timofei Kharisov), Noah Kimelheim, Tommy Lodge-Yanez (Kostas Panagiotakis); Igor Gateniuk (Justin Mendez, Clement Bohr), Will Yarnall (Zack Kimelheim, Justin Mendez, Caleb Smith)

Goals: none
Shots: GS 1 + 2 = 3 The Hill 5 + 4 = 10; Corner Kicks GS 1 The Hill 4
Saves GS (James) 0 + 1 = 1 The Hill 1 + 0 = 1.

Directions to Shipley School

• Highlights

The clock struck midnight! Or did it? Just two days after losing for the first time to The Hill, George School lost to league powerhouse Shipley. Ho hum. Another emphatic loss to a good team. Well, not quite. 

After driving through a downpour, George School arrived on the Shipley “turf” field, warmed up in a couple of rays of sunshine, started the game full of ambition and hope, and promptly, laid an egg. 

In the opening minutes, Shipley penetrated deep down the left side and chipped a cross that surprised senior goalie Simon James and slipped off his hands, but fullback Anthony Verleysen somehow cleared the ball out of the goalmouth. Would George School surrender another early goal? 

Yes. Unfortunately, a Shipley free kick from their right side to mid-goal was headed down to a teammate and then hammered in from five yards as the George School defense watched. Great goal. 0-1. 

George School then stiffened its resistance a bit, and slowly advanced the game out of its defensive third. Although Shipley still controlled the ball and the tempo of the game, George School was competing, and slowly gaining confidence. 

In the thirtieth minute, George School earned a corner kick that was deflected toward the far corner of the eighteen. Senior tri-captain Tommy Lodge-Yanez had a free crack at the rolling ball, but powered his shot into the trees behind the goal. A chance! 

By halftime, Shipley dominance had diminished and George School returned to the field dreaming of glory. 

Those dreams were soon shattered when senior right back Anthony Verleysen got tangled up with the dominant Shipley player and both went to ground inside the eighteen. Penalty kick! (Was Anthony the victim of a very experienced player drawing a foul by holding an arm and going to ground? Perhaps. If so, a lesson learned, maybe. If nothing else, it’s dangerous to chase an opponent into the box.) 

At any rate, Shipley converted the penalty kick and settled into a comfortable rhythm after only seven minutes of second-half action. 0-2. 

After another five minutes of play, Shipley earned four or five consecutive corner kicks and threatened the GS goal. Somehow, the ball stayed out of the net (Simon James had one very good save by lifting a rocket over the bar, and another ball was deflected over the goal by the thigh of senior fullback Drew Fisher.)  Could George School escape its end of the field? 

Then suddenly, against the run of play, George School started to move forward and attack the Shipley goal. 

In the 70th minute, fullback Anthony Verleysen lofted a free kick into the Shipley box, and, as the ball rattled around among the players, junior Noah Kimelheim got a touch, the ball rolled to his brother Zack, and Zack deposited it in the back of the net. 1-2! 

Slowly George School gained territory, and Shipley became just a bit worried. Another free kick was curled by Jared Kimelheim, (yes, the third of the triplets), and kissed the top edge of the far corner of the goal. Close! 

With George School knocking on the door, junior Paolo Alighieri came on as a striker. Another free kick! 

Zack Kimelheim delivered the goods to the back post, the ball disappeared in a mass of humanity, and then fell to the foot of Paolo! He calmly converted the last minute opportunity! 2-2. 

Back to even. But in the Friends League, teams play two ten-minute overtime periods to conclusion. 

And in the 96th minute, the carriage (coach?) became a pumpkin. Pressured while facing his own goal, Noah Kimelheim passed forty yards back to Simon James who tried to complete a pass to Jared K. on the left edge of the funnel. 

Shipley had followed the pass-back, swerved to pressure Jared, and won the ball with a double team. A touch, a couple of steps, and Shipley knocked the ball in low to the far side netting from the edge of the eighteen. Clinically done! 2-3! 

And the remaining four minutes evaporated without incident. 

With the loss, George School falls to fourth place in the FSL standings and needs to play well in the next three league games to gain a berth in the league playoffs.

George School: Simon James; Anthony Verleysen, Clement Bohr (Will Yarnall), Sean Potter, Ramzi Lodge-Yanez (Jared Kimelheim, Drew Fisher); Zack Kimelheim (Evan McGowan, Tommy Lodge-Yanez, Caleb Smith), Jared Kimelheim (Zack Kimelheim, Timofei Kharisov), Noah Kimelheim, Tommy Lodge-Yanez (Caleb Smith, Jared Kimelheim); Igor Gateniuk (Will Yarnall, Paolo Alighieri), Justin Mendez (Zack Kimelheim, Clement Bohr)

Goals: 70th Zack Kimelheim (Noah Kimelheim); 80th Paolo Alighieri (Zack Kimelheim)
Shots: GS 3 + 7 + 0 = 10 Shipley 7 + 9 + 4 = 20; Corner Kicks GS 1 Shipley 9
Saves GS (James) 2 + 2 + 3 = 7 Shipley 2 + 3 = 5.

Directions to George School

• Highlights

Alumni games are fun! The current varsity players get to experiment with specific tactics, different formations, and new positions. The former players get to reunite with former teammates, play alongside various legends, and revel in the game while playing with others who share a tactical awareness. The coaches get to marvel at the mature players that have returned while seeing the boys within who used to play. The parents and spouses get to see their relatives having fun with the game. And George School always wins! 
    
In fact, the scoreboard is relatively unimportant. The teams are competing, yes, but the result does not matter except as a minor reflection of the quality of play and in the personal satisfaction of contributing to a job well done. 
    
For those who do keep score, the George School varsity spotted the Alumni a quick 3-0 lead in the first half and then roared back to knot the score in the last minute of the game. No overtime was played. 
    
The day started inauspiciously when senior goalkeeper Brinton Mooberry bloodied his nose during the pre-game warm-ups and needed some medical attention. He was replaced in goal by senior Simon James who was expecting the day off to nurse the various bumps and bruises that yesterday’s tough overtime game provided. 
    
Thrust into the game without a warm-up, only a bit of stretching, Simon and the team were immediately caught out by a typically strong run down the left flank by Andrew Carten (2004) who delivered a cross to the back post. Full of energy, the Alumni had four people in the box. Eugene McDermott (2004) leaped to head the ball forcefully off the post. It rebounded to Cameron Bentley (2010) who hammered it home. Clinically done! 0–1 and less than two minutes played. 
    
Eight minutes later, forward Jeremy Deleat (2007) ran onto a bouncing ball outside the eighteen and lobbed it over the onrushing James. 0-2 within ten minutes! Surely the game couldn’t be this easy! 
    
Substitutions came on the pitch for the second quarter but the theme remained the same. (We played 20-minute quarters to ease substitutions and tactical changes, and provide a bit of water and rest for the “old men.”) 
    
Within four minutes, the Alumni tallied their third when Cameron Bentley sprinted down the left side and beat Mooberry (cleaned up and cleared to play by trainer Juana Bivens) with a low shot just inside the near post. 0–3! (That is an exclamation point, not a factorial symbol… the score was not mounting that rapidly! It just felt that way.) 
    
But this George School team enjoys the game for its own sake, and continues to play whatever the circumstances. Panic and frustration only mount when one allows the score to define the quality of the game. Ideally, players get lost in the moment and concentrate on the play rather than worry about the score. Sure. 
    
The comeback started innocently enough. Justin Mendez, playing on the right side, emerged from a confrontation near midfield with the ball, cut inside, and slipped a beautiful pass to striker Anthony Verleysen who had bent his run away from the central defenders.
In free, Anthony slowed down as he entered the eighteen and calmly rolled the ball past the keeper. Beautifully done. 1-3 in the 50th minute, and not a complete embarrassment on the scoreboard. Not that anyone cared. 
    
George School started the fourth quarter with a slow pair of internationals (Paolo Alighieri and Igor Gateniuk) supported by a skilled midfield (Zack Kimelheim as offensive midfielder and Justin Mendez at defensive midfielder––yes, really––with Noah Kimelheim and Will Yarnall on the flanks. 
    
Little of consequence happened until the 70th minute when Mendez completed a sweeping attacking move against a tiring alumni team by slipping a pass through a gap for Noah to run onto and finish with a low shot to the far post. Another clinical goal. 2-3. Now the lads had saved some pride! 
    
Still the varsity surged forward as the Alumni substituted rapidly to find fresh legs. 
    
In the 80th minute, Anthony Verleysen delivered an inswinger from the left corner that sailed through the box and bounced off an Alumnus into the goal. 3-3, a much better result that even pleased the referees who promptly blew their whistles to preserve the tie. Another win for George School soccer past and present! 
    
That having been written, the story line of this game better not become a habit! 
    
Although scoring late goals is always a good thing, surrendering early goals is not so hot!

George School Varsity: Simon James (Brinton Mooberry [1{11:00},2,3,4]); 
     Anthony Verleysen (Ramzi Lodge-Yanez [2], Caleb Smith [3], Clement Bohr [4]),
     Clement Bohr [1,3] (Will Yarnall [2], Drew Fisher [4]),
     Drew Fisher (Brandon Hodges [2,3,4]),
     Ramzi Lodge-Yanez (Drew Fisher [2,3], Anthony Verleysen [4]); 
     Zack Kimelheim (Noah Kimelheim [2], Justin Mendez [3], Will Yarnall [4],
     Timofei Kharisov (Anthony Verleysen [2], Zack Kimelheim [3,4],
     Noah Kimelheim (Kostas Panagiotakis [2 inj.], Evan McGowan [2],
     Timofei Kharisov [3], Justin Mendez [4]
     Evan McGowan (Caleb Smith [2], Noah Kimelheim [3,4]); 
     Igor Gateniuk [1,4] (Paolo Alighieri [2],Anthony Verleysen [3]),
     Justin Mendez (Clement Bohr [2], Will Yarnall [3], Paolo Alighieri [4])

George School Alumni (alphabetical): Alex Artaki (05), Cameron Bentley (10), Sam Berenstain (05), Andrew Carten (04), Jeremy Deleat (07), Christian Donovan (95), J.T. Lawrie (04), Scot Lawrie (07), Chris MacDonald (03), Gene McDermott (04), Chuck Norris (75), Alex Reese (09), Kyle Sanphy (04), Josh Silvester (02), Stefan Verleysen (03),

Goals: 3rd Cameron Bentley (McDermott), 10th Jeremy Deleat, 24th Cameron Bentley, 53rd Anthony Verleysen (Justin Mendez), Noah Kimelheim (Mendez), o.g. (Verleysen) Editors note: it is highly unusual to award an assist for an o.g.!!!)

No statistics are available for this game.

Directions to George School

• Highlights

George School took advantage of its big pitch and good depth to wear down an outnumbered but game team from Friends Select. The Cougars scored two goals in the last five minutes of the first half, surrendered a penalty kick early in the second, and scored two more to cement a 4-1 win that kept their dreams of the playoffs alive. 
    
“Last learned, first forgotten” is a lament of many coaches. After a long weekend, the George School team reverted to brilliant individual play rather than moving the ball quickly as a team over the field.

During the first twenty minutes of the game, the ball got stuck to the feet of too many players; they dribbled around in circles, looking for the great pass, and ultimately lost the ball frequently to a pack of eager Select defenders. George School did create chances, but the quality of play seemed a bit sophomoric in comparison to the play in the last couple of weeks. 
    
Slowly George School found its accustomed rhythm and the ball started to move with greater intent. 
    
Finally, in the 33rd minute, junior striker Paolo Alighieri won an up-pass just inside the eighteen and slipped a lovely little pass through a gap to senior midfielder Caleb Smith making a diagonal run into the box. A touch and a hard finish got through the diving keeper’s hands and bent the back of the net. An excellent finish to a good play. 1-0. 
    
Six minutes later, right back Anthony Verleysen curled a kick from the front edge of the middle third into the box. Paolo soared unsuccessfully to head the ball, but freshman midfielder Timofei Kharisov anticipated the ball’s unimpeded flight and side-volleyed the ball into the goal. Clinically done! 2-0. 
    
At half time, the team reminded itself that a two-goal lead had not been definitive for Shipley on Friday, but an experimentally offensive lineup promptly forgot the message, played uninspired defense, and promptly conceded a penalty kick. Goalie Simon James saved the first kick, but the referee had not blown his whistle. The second attempt found the net. 2-1. Now the fat was in the fire! 
    
For about eight minutes. Then, in the 56th minute, junior Justin Mendez worked some magic deep in the left corner and delivered a cross to the back post where classmate Will Yarnall soared to head the ball home. Beautiful! 3-1. 
    
At this point, George School’s greater depth (and consequent speed) started to exhaust the Select team and spaces opened up. The Cougars peppered the Select goal area, but could not score until Paolo Alighieri extended to toe-poke a pass to Mendez. Justin took a touch and then cracked a swerving, dipping, dervish of a shot that rocketed past the Select keeper. A memorable shot from 20 yards. 4-1. 
    
Fifteen minutes later, the referee whistled the end of the game.

George School Varsity: Simon James (Brinton Mooberry); Anthony Verleysen (Ramzi Lodge-Yanez), Sean Potter, Clement Bohr (Drew Fisher, WonSuk You), Ramzi Lodge-Yanez (Drew Fisher, Jared Kimelheim, Noah Kimelheim); Will Yarnall (Evan McGowan, Noah Kimelheim, Zack Kimelheim), Noah Kimelheim (Jared Kimelheim, Drew Fisher), Zack Kimelheim (Timofei Kharisov), Tommy Lodge-Yanez (Caleb Smith); Justin Mendez (Jared Kimelheim, Will Yarnall, Zack Kimelheim, Clement Bohr), Igor Gateniuk (Paolo Alighieri, Anthony Verleysen)

Goals: 33rd Caleb Smith from Paolo Alighieri; 39th Timofei Kharisov from Anthony Verleysen; 56th Will Yarnall from Justin Mendez; 65th Justin Mendez from Paolo Alighieri
Shots: GS 16 + 16 = 32 Select 1 + 2 = 3; Corner Kicks GS 2 + 1 = 3 Select 0;
Saves GS (James) 1 + (Mooberry) 1 = 2 Select 1 + 6 = 7.

Directions to George School

• Highlights

Derbies (an English word used to describe contests between two teams located in the same city—Liverpool v Everton, for example, or Manchester City v Manchester United) are always intense, usually tight, and a lot of fun. 
    
George School v Westtown fits the mold. The two most storied Quaker boarding schools have been playing soccer against each other since 1915, and the games are almost always tense affairs decided by a goal, maybe two. 
    
The 2011 game was no exception. After a pulsating game in front of a large crowd including distinguished alumni from both schools, Westtown emerged on top with a 1-0 victory. In the process, Westtown guaranteed itself a trip to the playoffs (probably in third place) and a vital “Moose Point” in the annual sports competition between the two schools. (The Westtown j.v. also emerged victorious 1-0 when the GS j.v. surrendered an own goal.) Two big Moose points for Westtown! 
    
And frustration for George School who had rather fancied their chances. 
    
To be sure, Westtown, defending FSL league champions, played quite well, was the better team on the day, and earned the victory. 
    
Still, George School had its opportunities. In the 15th minute, junior Justin Mendez enjoyed a clear breakaway until he powered his shot yards over the goal from fifteen yards. 
    
For some reason, a free kick was then awarded, and junior Zack Kimelheim blasted a shot into the keeper’s chest. 
    
In the 26th minute, senior Paolo Alighieri beat the Westtown keeper to a cross at the near post, but his header bounced back off the bar and was cleared by an alert Westtown defender. 
    
Coulda, woulda, shoulda…the loser’s lament. 
    
After an evenly played first half, George School dominated possession early in the second but could not create good scoring chances as the Westtown defense held firm. 
    
In the 60th minute, Westtown launched a counter-attack down their left side, turned the corner, and delivered a cross just inside the penalty spot. Bingo! An accurate first-touch shot tickled the net behind goalie Simon James and Westtown was on the board. 0-1. 
    
With 20 minutes left and the clock ticking, Coach Machemer rolled the dice and committed more and more resources to find the tying goal, but the attackers could not break down the sturdy Westtown defense and create a clear opportunity. Eventually the game was whistled to an end. 
    
After such a promising start to the season—and three losses in its last four games, George School now finds itself fighting for its playoff berth in a winner-takes-all game at Germantown Friends on Monday at 4:00. The Cougars have been resilient all season, but this game will test their poise and courage.

George School Varsity: Simon James; Anthony Verleysen, Sean Potter, Clement Bohr (Drew Fisher), Jared Kimelheim (Ramzi Lodge-Yanez); Will Yarnall (Evan McGowan, Ramzi Lodge-Yanez), Noah Kimelheim , Zack Kimelheim (Timofei Kharisov, Ramzi Lodge-Yanez), Tommy Lodge-Yanez (Caleb Smith); Justin Mendez (Zack Kimelheim, Ethan Lamb), Igor Gateniuk (Paolo Alighieri, Zack Kimelheim)

Goals: none
Shots: GS 6 + 4 = 10 Westtown 6 + 3 = 9; Corner Kicks GS 0 + 2 = 2 Westtown 2;
Saves GS (James) 3+ 2 = 5 Westtown 4 + 0 = 4.

Directions to Germantown Friends School

• Highlights

Possession may be nine tenths of the law, but any old soccer coach will tell you that goals pay the rent. And the George School varsity team, undefeated in its first nine games of a challenging schedule, has been unceremoniously evicted from the FSL playoffs. 
    
George School played well and enjoyed a lot of the ball, but host Germantown Friends created the far more dangerous shots—remember the first-time shot midway through the second half that whistled inches over the bar?––and earned the final FSL playoff berth with a gutty 2-1 victory. 
    
To its lasting credit, George School fought back after conceding a goal in the 71st minute, and gained an equalizer in the 76th minute when junior Will Yarnall converted a corner kick beautifully delivered to the near post by senior Evan McGowan. 
    
A tie would put George School through. But Germantown deprived spectators of an extra 20 minutes of riveting drama by penetrating down their left side, crossing the ball hard and low into the box, and taking advantage of a botched clearance to score the game winner from eight yards in the 79th minute. 
    
Resilient in the face of defeat all year, George School could not mount another improbable comeback and stood still in disbelief as the whistle sounded the end to its dreams of championship glory. 
    
Oh, George School had its chances, especially in the first half. In the opening minutes, senior tri-captain Tommy Lodge-Yanez motored down the left edge of the funnel and blistered the goalie’s hands with a strong shot to the near post. 
    
And a powerful shot deflected to the foot of junior striker Igor Gateniuk twelve yards from goal, but he was whistled off-sides. And a bouncing cross found junior striker Paolo Alighieri fifteen yards from goal but at an awkward height and his shot sailed comfortably to the keeper. And a hard low cross through the six to two arriving strikers was cut out securely by the diving GFS keeper. 
    
In the second half, George School’s attack became just a bit less widely defined but still the chances occurred. On one of the few crosses, Alighieri beat the keeper to the ball at the near corner of the six but his flicked deflection found the outside of the post. And junior Zack Kimelheim penetrated into the box and, unchallenged except for the keeper, rifled a shot wide of the goal. 
    
And triplet Noah Kimelheim made a brilliant run to the back of the GFS defense, accelerated into the box with a change of speed, cut back inside onto his right foot to lose the escorting defender, and slipped. A frustrating anti-climax with the ball teed up eight yards from goal and Noah lying on his side! 
    
And then there were also the half dozen attacks that foundered on the rock-ribbed ledges in the middle of the GFS defense. Plus the long cross to the far side that Yarnall headed safely into the goalie’s welcoming hands. 
    
By contrast, most of the best GFS chances came from determined attacking play that earned dangerous corner kicks. Clear shots were at a premium, but GFS converted two of them. 
    
Losers of four of its last five games, including three one-goal defeats, the George School team faces a winter of discontent thinking of what might have been. Some pages in the scrapbook of memories are less pleasant to look at, but must be revisited for vital growth and understanding. Bill Buckner, anyone? Ryan Howard? 
    
Those are individuals, however, and George School wins as a team and loses as a team. 
    
There is one remaining chance ot have fun playing the game we love. George School will host a playoff game against Mercersburg Academy (of the mighty MAPL league—that includes Hill, Lawrenceville, Peddie, Hun, and Blair) in the newly coined state independent school playoff. The team is looking forward to the challenge.
This will provide a rare chance for fans to enjoy the talents of all the seniors and especially those of the three four-year lettermen, the tri-captains Gabe Haug, Tommy Lodge-Yanez, and Sean Potter.

George School Varsity: Simon James; Anthony Verleysen, Sean Potter, Clement Bohr, Jared Kimelheim; Zack Kimelheim (Evan McGowan, Will Yarnall, Ethan Lamb), Noah Kimelheim , Will Yarnall (Zack Kimelheim, Timofei Kharisov, Evan McGowan), Tommy Lodge-Yanez (Caleb Smith); Justin Mendez (Zack Kimelheim, Caleb Smith), Igor Gateniuk (Paolo Alighieri, Zack Kimelheim, Anthony Verleysen)

Goals: Will Yarnall (Evan McGowan) 76th minute
Shots: GS 8 + 5 = 13 GFS 2 + 6 = 8; Corner Kicks GS 1 + 2 = 3 GFS 3 + 4 = 7;
Saves GS (James) 1 + 3 = 4 GFS 5 + 2 = 7.

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• Highlights

We’ve read this script before. Recently. Like just last week. As in the final regular season game against GFS, George School played Mercersburg Academy to a scoreless standstill in the first half, surrendered a goal, clawed back to a tie, and then conceded the game winner in a 2-1 loss. The result knocks the Cougars out of the inaugural state tournament for independent schools and ends the season. 
    
Yup, the same plot. But the games and circumstances were quite different beyond the playoff winner-take-all atmosphere and the 2-1 final score. 
    
Originally scheduled to play on Tuesday, November 1st, the two schools spent most of last week for a date to accommodate Mercersburg’s hectic schedule and a more-than-three-hour bus journey. The game was changed to a very rare Sunday matchup (the last game on a Sunday for George School was a memorable 3-0 championship victory over GFS after an ice storm in 1987!), but the threat of a freak October snowstorm forced the schools to reconsider. 
    
Mercersburg moved its regularly scheduled game against Peddie to the Sunday (and then was forced by the reality of the snow storm to shift that game to the following Saturday when Mercersburg will play an extraordinarily rare double-header against Peddie and a second local school at 2 and 4 o’clock!) 
    
On the Sunday, two or three inches of snow blanketed the field. Fortunately, the temperature rose, the sun emerged radiant, a bit of judicious shoveling revealed some grass, the wind blew, and by Tuesday the field, though still wet, shone a luxuriant green. With temperatures in the 50’s, a perfect day and conditions for soccer. 
    
Enough background information. What happened in the game? 
    
George School kicked off, senior tri-captain Tommy Lodge-Yanez trucked down the left wing and delivered a strong cross to the back post. With the ball in the air, fans wondered if classmate and tri-captain Gabe Haug would have a storybook return to the pitch after missing five games with a severely sprained ankle. Uh, no. The ball flew over his head. 
    
Mercersburg controlled the action for the next five minutes or so, but George School then adjusted to the realities of the game and gained possession and confidence. 
    
In the 14th minute, junior midfielder Noah Kimelheim passed forward to his classmate Justin Mendez. He in turn slipped a clever pass into the path of junior Igor Gateniuk, 1 v 1 with the goalie. Alas, Mercersburg’s Brazilian keeper ran off his line to smother Igor’s left-footed attempt. 
   
The first half, contested mostly in the middle third, ended scoreless. 
   
Goal-mouth action picked up in the second half. 
    
Against the run of play, in the 50th minute, the big Mercersburg #10 penetrated down the left side, cut back to elude a recovering defender who slid past, touched the ball past a second defender, and accurately shot into the far side of the goal. Euphoria for Mercersburg. 0-1. 
    
This George School team never quits. Within four minutes, Mendez fed Haug at the eighteen. Gabe took a touch to space and volleyed a top-spin dipper past the keeper. 1-1. Perhaps the captain would write an heroic final chapter to his long career after all. 
    
Reality, and Mercersburg, intruded on the fairy-tale finish. In the 58th minute, Mercersburg again penetrated into the left side of the GS eighteen, eluded a couple of recovering defenders, and slotted home the game winner. 1-2. 
    
Again George School stubbornly fought back and stormed forward, but could not penetrate the phalanx of Mercersburg defenders for a vital shot on goal. Indeed, most of the last couple of minutes ticked away with Mercersburg dribbling into their offensive corner, a classic method of maintaining a lead. 
    
Soon the whistle sounded the end of another season. And, sadly, the end of the George School careers of eight seniors: Simon James and Brinton Mooberry (goalkeepers), Sean Potter, Drew Fisher, and Anthony Verleysen (fullbacks), Evan McGowan, Caleb Smith, and Tommy Lodge-Yanez (midfielders), and Gabe Haug (striker, midfielder, and centerback extradinaire.) 
    
This team has been a joy to coach. The seniors have shown by example the way to subordinate ego for the good of the team, and have shared their love and enthusiasm for the game throughout the last year. 
    
As the jackets say, “Meminisse juvabit.” It will give pleasure to recall these events.

George School Varsity: Simon James; Anthony Verleysen (Will Yarnall), Sean Potter, Clement Bohr (Gabe Haug, Drew Fisher), Jared Kimelheim; Zack Kimelheim (Evan McGowan, Ethan Lamb, Will Yarnall), Noah Kimelheim , Gabe Haug (Timofei Kharisov, Ethan Lamb, Zack Kimelheim), Tommy Lodge-Yanez (Evan McGowan, Zack Kimelheim); Justin Mendez (Will Yarnall, Clement Bohr), Igor Gateniuk (Paolo Alighieri, Gabe Haug, Anthony Verleysen)

Goals: Gabe Haug (Justin Mendez) 59th minute
Shots: GS 6 + 3 = 9 M’burg 4 + 9 = 13; Corner Kicks GS 0 + 0 = 0 M’burg 1 + 3 = 4;
Saves GS (James) 2 + 4 = 6 M’burg 2 + 0 = 2.