Where you been?

2010 Lady Lancers Basketball Team after defeating rival Keswick 39-36 in the Regional Semi Finals.

Another basketball season ends with the Lady Lancers of Cambridge Christian School(Tampa) earning a trip to the Regional Championship game for the second year in a row. Unfortunately, we were unable to win but we were thankful to again be one of the top 8 1A girl's hoops teams in the state of Florida.

This year, more than any other, tested the team. From losing our starting senior forward and leading rebounder to a knee injury to playing sick and injured, to having to play our last six games of the playoffs on the road it was a true test of our team's character and resilience.

Here are some pics of the Regional Quarter Finals against First Baptist Academy of Naples a 44-38 win for the Lancers. naplesnews.com does a wonderful job of covering their prep. sports. Very impressive site.


#24 Chachere M. Adding to her double-double


#4 Susan B. aka "Suuuuzzzzeeee" going to the rack.


Cassy P., O, CB, and Lex. celebrating the win.

Next came the Regional Semis against our rival across the Bay, Keswick. They beat us during the regular season at home pretty handily and edged us for the District Championship 42-47 but that night saw 22-6 half time lead for Keswick evaporate into a 34-34 tie in the fourth quarter after a 3-Point bucket by #21 Rachel B. Seen here flying to the hole for two.



With the score tied at 36 after made free-throws by both teams, Rachel brought the ball up the floor with only ten seconds left in the game. She was hounded by the Keswick "D" who were trying desperately to keep her out of the paint. With time winding down Rachel rifled a pass to Chach who buried a 3 with 1.5 seconds left on the clock sealing the win. It was a huge shot and an amazing moment.

The Regional Finals found us matched up against the number one team in the state, Trinity Christian who last year beat a team in the Regional Tournament 111-25. We lost handily (75-38) as turnovers and foul trouble plagued us most of the night.

We give God all the glory for another remarkable season and thank all those who supported us and gave of their time and resources to make our season a success.

And that's where I've been.

"We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;" II Corinthians 4:8,9

Not There Yet

Turnovers turned out to be our downfall last night as we lost 71-26 to a very good Sarasota Christian team. Their 1-3-1 trap gave us alot of problems and really limited our offense. We finished the season 14-11 with a district championship and as regional runners up. We return all of our players next year as our two oldest players are only juniors.

We are very thankful for the great season that God gave to us and we are humbled by His goodness.

Thanks to everyone who came out and supported us throughout the year. We are looking forward to a great season next year and another run at the Final Four.

Cambridge Advances to Regional Finals

A region basketball: Last-second shot keeps Cambridge alive
By Justin Dargahi, Times Correspondent
In Print: Wednesday, February 18, 2009
________________________________________

When Olivia Muenter missed a layup with 12 seconds left she thought she had just blown the game for her Cambridge teammates.

Then she got another chance. And this time she didn't miss.

Muenter's layup with five seconds to go Tuesday broke a 34-all tie and moved Cambridge one step closer to a final four berth with a 36-34 win over Seffner Christian.

"I didn't know how much time was left," Muenter said. "But when I missed it the first time I said to myself, I have to get it back and then after I made the second one I knew I probably just won the game."

Arielle Jadlowski's halfcourt attempt at the buzzer hit the top of the backboard.

The Lancers (14-10) jumped out to a 16-5 lead after one quarter, but the Crusaders (16-11) had a four-point lead at halftime.

Neither team led by more than four the rest of the way.

After Jadlowski gave Seffner a 34-32 lead with two minutes remaining, Chachere Moore tied it on a midrange jumper with 35 seconds left, setting the stage for Muenter's heroics.

Jadlowski led all scorers with 18. Moore led Cambridge with nine, while Muenter and Rachael Bode each finished with eight.

Cambridge 36
Seffner Christian 34

Summer Time, Love and Basketball

Being a teacher I don't "work" in the summer. Yes, I know, it's awesome. That's why I'm a teacher. And, I have to admit, I like working with kids. They are alot like adults without alot of the emotional scarring/hang-ups we grown-ups collect as we get older.

Anyway, back to not working. I live a mile from a nice beach. Now, it's on the bay not on the gulf so it's not great. But it is natural and it is at a small resort so it's nice. I live 25 minutes from St. Petersburg beach which is white sand for miles, on the Gulf of Mexico, really nice. But where do I spend my summers? Right here for the most part, on the computer, reading and writing.

Granted, summer in Florida is very rainy, it rains every day, usually in the afternoon. So being inside is ok. I go back to "work" in a couple of weeks. I am teaching all of the middle school writing labs. Really, I can't think of a better job. Well, ok, playing for the Pistons would be cool. Maybe, getting a book on the New York Times Best Seller list.

All that to say that even though I didn't get to the beach as much as I could have, or Busch Gardens (30 minutes away) or get out on the boat (just kidding I don't have a boat unless you count the raft I cobbled together out of our old dining room chairs: Cuba here I come!) I'm feeling pretty good about this summer. I don't feel like it got away from me. Which is good. It's not fun to look back at any period of time and feel like you wasted it.

Something strange happened to me the other day. Actually it was a month ago probably by now. I was playing basketball at this park with my friend Lamar and some of these people he knew from his church. It was winner stays and my team was pretty much whooping up on everyone there. And do you know what I did after the second game we won? I sat down, and I said, "I'm sitting this one out." Huh. I was playing good, scoring, rebounding, handling the ball, dropping a sweet dime here and there. The jumper was suspect (double rims ftl) but I was getting what I wanted inside. The fact was I just didn't want to play anymore. I didn't want to play anymore.

And at that moment I seriously thought about retirement. I felt like the love just wasn't there anymore. Then I got back in the game and hit a turn around in the post that would have made Rasheed Wallace stand up and cheer.

But I'm still seriously thinking about retirement.