The 'Hillville' squad of Hill and L'ville players scores and tours England
Chris Drowne '89, the Carl Knoblach Instructor of Economics, history instructor, and assistant varsity boys' soccer coach, has provided updates via e-mail (arranged here in chronological order) of the Hill-Lawrenceville soccer team's games and touring in England over Thanksgiving break! Read on to hear how the Blues and the Larries fared across the pond. Click here to view photos from the trip.
Here are the installments from Chris' e-diary:
Hill-L'ville Draw 1-1 with Eton, Having Great Time!
After flying through the night and having only a brief training session, the combination of 15 players from Hill and Lawrenceville journey west to Eton and Windsor Tuesday for their opening match and school visit. The squad toured Windsor Castle in the morning and then walked downtown to Eton College. The weather was perfect, upper 50s, low 60s and slightly overcast. Eton coach Glen Pierce met the group and gave it a first rate tour of the College and shared a great deal of history. Stops in the upper and lower school rooms reinforced the majestic tradition of the College founded by King Henry VI in 1440. Our party was dressed in academic dress (Hill blazers and ties) and felt underdressed by a wide margin when the Etonians strolled by in their mourning coats of white ties and tails.
The main field was swamped with recent rains so the match was moved to the practice field on the backside of campus. Wearing the Hill away blue uniforms, the boys from both teams got off to a slow start and were outplayed in the opening 15 minutes, falling behind 1-0 on a corner kick volley past Matt Rudy '05. As the half wore on "Hillville" came together and began to control play. Other than an ankle injury to Captain Graham Miller '05, the Americans felt confident at halftime.
Chris Bayon, L'ville '05, dominated the defensive center midfield position and teamed up well with former club teammate Mike van Beuren '05. Todd Threlfall '06 found van Beuren in the Eton box for the tying goal one minute into the second half. Hillville controlled play the rest of the match, save one short flury from the Etonians, but could not finish. Eton coaches were pleased with the tie saying "you should have won 4-1 and were a wonderful side once you got going." They also praised the play of Bayon, van Beuren, and Greg Harrington '06. The boys truly came together in a hurry and are eager for their next match.
Match tea and supper followed a shower (our first since Sunday!!!). The boys got to tour some houses and meet with their counterparts from Across the Pond. They were even treated to an hour's worth of Eton Fives, a game similar to handball.
The day could not have gone any better as all of us throroughly enjoyed walking the fabled grounds of Shelly, Walpole, Wellington, and more recently Princes William and Harry. We're going to sleep in today as we've had only seven hours of sleep since we left Philadelphia Sunday night.
Cheers from England!!!
Hill-L'ville Thrash Bradfield College 3-1
After a day visiting Tower Bridge, Tower of London and Fulham before watching Chelsea tie Paris-St. Germain 0-0, the now closely knit squad from Hill and Lawrenceville traveled west to Bradfield College. A tour of the beautiful countryside school on an unseasonably warm (60 degree) and bright day got the boys excited to play their second match. Despite the absence of Graham Miller '05, still sidelined with an ankle injury and Mike van Beuren '05, who only played 15 minutes before leaving the match sick to his stomach, "Hillville" truly came on strong. Lawrenceville's Chris Bayon '05 served as match captain and inspired the boys collectively to a great first half. Lawrenceville's JD Mosley '06 scored twice to give Hillville a commanding 2-0 lead after 40 minutes. Defensively, keeper Matt Rudy '05 had superb support from Greg Harrington '06, TD McDermott-Doviak '05, Dave Zujkowski '06 and Jack Lord, L'ville '06 in the back. Todd Threlfall '06 extended Hillville's lead to 3-0 midway through the second half. Bradfield managed a goal following a direct kick rebound off the crossbar to ruin the Americans' clean sheet. Bayon, Harrington, Zujkowski , and Mosely were commended by the other coaches.
Hill-L'ville Finish Tour with 3-0 Victory over Charterhouse
The Hill-L'ville team, Hillville, closed its match schedule out with another victory, this time 3-0 over The Hill's sister school in England, Charterhouse. A scoreless first half thanks to a brilliant save by Matt Rudy '05 and unlucky missed header by Greg Harrington '06 had the Americans frustrated heading into the second half. Lawrenceville's Corey Larkin '07 finished off a great build up to net the first goal of the match. T.D. McDermott-Doviak '05 passed to Harrington, who found Mike van Beuren '05 in the box. Van Beuren found boyhood friend and L'ville captain Chris Bayon '05 who passed to Larkin in what was easily the most pretty goal of the week. J.D. Mosely '06 of Lawrenceville scored on a breakaway off a Rudy punt to open things up 2-0. Van Beuren scored off a short corner from Mike Font '06 to close out the scoring at 3-0 Hillville.
Two more brilliant saves from Rudy and a fortuitous crossbar kept the Carthusians off the board. David Zujkowski '06 played a solid sweeper in place of an injured McDermott-Doviak in the second half. Lawrenceville's Chris Thomas '07 and Evan Sullivan '06 had solid matches in midfield and the back for Hillville, who finished the match with only one healthy reserve.
Overall, everyone enjoyed a great day at beautiful Charterhouse and unanimously voted the hosts the best campus and best pitch award. The goals were suspended in the rear by poles in classic World Cup style and the pitch, located in the heart of campus, was perfectly flat, green, and manicured. Steve Hearn, who served as an instructor of science at The Hill on two separate teacher-exchanges with his primary employer Charterhouse, toured the group and sent his best wishes back to Pottstown.
Yesterday, everyone enjoyed a mini-bus trip to Bath and Stonehenge. Weather for the week has been great, upper 50s low 60s each day.
Tomorrow the group will ride double-decker buses and tour London with stops at Buckingham Palace, Parliament, Big Ben, Piccadily Circus and other points of note before being hosted for dinner by the Blake Family, Becky '05 and Sam '08.
An early flight home on Monday will get the boys back just in time for the end of study hall and the beginning of the Winter Term at Hill. Hillville will return exhausted, but with two wins and one tie in its three matches.
Date: 11/30/2004
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