Fall season awards and random observations of 'other' sports

The swimming and diving state finals last weekend marked the end of the fall sports season in Washtenaw County, but before the move to the warmer confines of indoor winter sports, some awards are in order.

These awards aren’t of the traditional “Player of the Year” sort. They’re more of a hodge-podge of moments that stood out to me personally that I’d like to share with the moms and girlfriends of the world.

The first award which we’ll call the “You probably shouldn’t be bragging award” will go to (drum roll please)…me!

Not that anyone was counting, but this season I defeated the readers 5-of-7 weeks and 40-17-3 to 35-17-8 overall in the picks competition. I’m giving myself this award because, let’s face it, 5 ties is not exactly a large margin of victory, so I shouldn’t be bragging.

I saw most of the teams the predictions were based on play, and spent hours on top of that researching the picks, pouring over stats and old articles, attempting to catch a glimpse of Nostradamus’s crystal ball. Still, I managed just a 5 tie advantage over the readers, the majority of whom actually have a life, and 99 percent of whom don’t have jobs which require them to actually be knowledgeable on the subject in which we were competing.

Room for one more prediction of the season, but we’re leaving the field for the stage. My cousin, Colleen Cunningham, a senior at Saline, is Clara in the Majestic Dance Ensemble’s production of The Nutcracker Prince this weekend at Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre in Ann Arbor. I’m taking the Nutcracker Prince in his epic battle with the Rat King for Clara’s hand, unless this variation of the ballet allows prison rules…then my money’s on the vermin.

Now, on to the awards.

The “You Deserve to Scream for Approximately 364 Days” award: Elena Ghormly, Skyline diving.

This award goes to Ms. Ghormly for having the most justified reason to be all sorts of upset until next year’s state finals.

The Skyline swimming and diving team, which is comprised entirely of freshmen and sophomores, took third at the Division 3 state finals on Saturday. Despite being one of the top divers in Division 3, Ghormly was not able to compete because, before the regional meet, she had broken her leg…or so she thought.

After falling from her loft-style bed at home, and slamming her leg (just below the knee cap) against a plank, Ghormly had X-rays taken on her throbbing leg. They revealed her worse nightmare: A stress fracture.

“She showed up to practice the Friday before regionals, regionals were on a Tuesday, with a cast on from hip to toe,” said Skyline coach Marissa Issac. “For selfish reasons, my heart just broke, and it broke for her too because I knew how bad she wanted this.”

Something wasn’t adding up though. The X-rays had revealed a fracture in a location other than where Ghormly had actually been struck. Plus, before being casted, the pain in her leg had subsided.

On Friday, Nov. 20, when she should have been diving in the preliminaries of the state championships, Ghormly went to the doctor to check on the progress of her healing leg. The X-rays revealed that the fracture hadn’t improved, and had actually stayed exactly the same, which meant it wasn’t a fracture at all, just a stable abnormality that had been there all along.

“She’s grown six inches in the last 15 months, her growth plates are wide open. I’m sure it wasn’t the easiest X-ray to read,” said Elena’s mother Tammy. “But the over-read in this instance had a bigger impact than for someone just riding a bike or something.”

So the uninjured Elena watched as her team took home third place overall, and as Chelsea’s Lauren Dark, whom Elena had beaten in dual meet competition, took home third place in diving. Even if Elena took first, Skyline would have placed the same, but to not be able to compete for an individual state title…

Please Elena, commence screaming loudly.

Of course, Elena is just a sophomore, and instead of facing a lengthy stint in a cast and rehab, she has suffered a cruel twist of fate that can act as motivation in the future. Something tells me we’ll be hearing from her again.

As for the cast?

“We’re going to make it into a piñata and just beat it up,” Issac said.

The “This Play Made Me Break the First Two Rules of Sports Journalism” award: Zach Walega, Saline boys soccer.

The first rule in sports journalism is no cheering in the press box, the second lesser known but equally important rule is no screaming four-letter obscenities while cheering in the press box.

Walega made me break both rules when he struck a ball from 25 yards out in the first round of districts against Pioneer. Walega beat his defender on the left sideline, then shot the ball across his body, which rocketed as if on a frozen rope to the upper-right corner of the Pioneer net. My reflexive reaction to witnessing this was to exclaim (loudly), “Holy @*?! What a shot!!”

Pioneer goalie, Saul Sanchez, who is a very good goalie, didn’t even bother diving. Sanchez helplessly watched it go in, then looked up at his defense, palms up, as if to say, “What was I supposed to do?”

I don’t know what you were supposed to do Saul, but I know what I wasn’t.

Honorable mention: Emy Guttman, Pioneer field hockey, for her goal against Huron on Sept. 16.

The “Silver Delorian” award: Dexter vs. Huron, water polo.

On Oct. 23, in the third- and fourth- place match of districts, Dexter scored against Huron to seemingly tie the game, 6-6. After the Dexter goal, the referees took a timeout to have a discussion. After the discussion, the score was 7-5 Huron, and three more minutes had been added to the game clock.

Three minutes prior to the alleged game-tying goal, a Huron goal had been disallowed because it had been scored illegally. Apparently, after Dexter tied the score, the officials decided they had screwed up on the previous call, re-allowed the Huron goal, disallowed the Dexter goal, and went back in time to 3 minutes earlier.

Great Scott!!!

This was the most bizarre play in sports since the re-allowed game ending shot in the gold medal basketball game of the 1972 Olympics.

What if a player had been ejected in that 3 minutes? Would he have been allowed back in the game? What if it wasn’t just 1 goal scored in that three minutes, but 4 (very possible in water polo)? How do you just erase 3 minutes of play?

Dexter ended up losing 9-8 and listened to Cher the whole bus ride home.

The “I Probably Shouldn’t Think That’s Cool…But it Was” award: Ben Patterson, Huron boys soccer.

This award can also be called the T.O. award, for best (or worst) celebration. Celebrations after touchdowns, goals, etc., we’re taught, shouldn’t be unsportsmanlike. When they are, we’re taught these actions should be discouraged.

Now I’m not saying I approve of unsportsmanlike celebrations, but the fact of the matter is…sometimes they’re flat out cool.

Patterson, in the district finals against Pioneer on Oct. 24, split two defenders and the goalie with a simple touch on a pass about 10 yards from the goal. There was enough spin on the ball, and enough space between him and the defenders, that Patterson didn’t need to touch it again to score. Instead, he opted to turn his back to the goal, face his counterparts and give them a “Come and get me” wave.

A Pioneer defender got in his face, I thought he might take a swing. Patterson was yellowed.

This wasn't the best display of sportsmanship I saw all year, but I'd be lying if I told you it wasn't a sweet celebration.

Sorry, I’m a bad person. Of course gratuitous celebrations can come at a steep price. Patterson had to sit out the last ten minutes of the game, and with the goal putting Huron ahead 3-0 and essentially ending Pioneer's season, he was probably lucky a senior Pioneer defender (who didn't have to worry about getting thrown out of the game) didn't pop him in the nose.

Most Sportsmanlike Play: Peter Jacobson, Greenhills boys soccer.

Yes, I’m a bad person, but I also recognize and appreciate displays of good sportsmanship. In Greenhills’ regional semifinal game versus Lansing Christian on Oct. 28, Lansing Christian players were dropping like flies with cramps due to unseasonably warm weather and a lack of subs. When a defender fell at the foot of Jacobson, writhing in pain from a calf cramp, Jacobson didn’t call for the ball and try to score against the depleted defense. Rather, he stopped in his tracks, grabbed his opponent’s leg and helped him stretch. It was as if to say, “Come on and get better so there’s no asterisk next to this game winning goal,” (which he scored in overtime, by the way.)

Another defender fell for the same reason later in the game, and Jacobson employed a textbook fireman’s carry to help him to the sideline.

It’s hard to hate a guy that’s trying to help your team get healthy, even when he brings your season to a premature end.

The “Funny ‘Desperate Housewives’ Moment” award: Greenhills fans.

In the aforementioned regional soccer game, Jacobson, displeased with the abuse he was taking from the Lansing Christian defense, lifted his shirt while protesting to the ref and walked back toward the half slowly, and to the pleasure of the female contingent, near the Greenhills parents section.

Not to sound weird, but Peter’s a good looking guy, and dude’s ripped.

Watching some of the Greenhills adult female fans swoon at his abdominal display was pretty hilarious. I think I may have even seen a high five.

Patriot Award: AnnArbor.com sports staff.

By my estimation, the prep sports staff stood for a combined 20 national anthems each week during the fall season. Multiply that by roughly 12 weeks of games and that’s 240 times that “so proudly we hailed.” Well done us.

Grammar Police Award: Unnamed e-mailer.

“Where is your editor? I grimaced as I read your summary of last week's predictions. ‘At deadline, last week's contest between me and the readers was undetermined, with me leading...’ I remember being drilled on grammar back in 7th grade. "I" is a subject. "Me" is the object of a preposition. Always use the other parties' name before your own.”

As I told the e-mailer in a response, me and the editors regret the error and me and the editors will continue to strive for improvement.

The “Not That I Endorse Betting on High School Sports…But I Called This One” award: Nick Hill, Chelsea football.

Chelsea played Tecumseh on Oct. 2, and (being from Tecumseh) a lot of old friends and other people I knew at the game wanted some inside scoop. My response to all of them: “Nick Hill will score 5 touchdowns in the first half, and not play in the second.”

Called it.

Biggest Fan Award: (The aptly-named commenter) Yourbiggestfan.

As a journalist, one of my goals is to have a loyal readership that enjoys reading my material and engaging in fruitful discussions. Yourbiggestfan, was the most regular contributor, so thank you for that.

Maybe one day I’ll get comments from people that weren’t my college roommate.

Side note:

This last part isn’t an award, but I think it’s worth noting. Pioneer field hockey coach Jane Nixon was in a serious auto accident on Nov. 18. In the short time I’ve known Jane, she’s been nothing but kind and it’s clear she is deeply loved and respected by just about everyone she’s been in contact with, be it through field hockey or otherwise.

Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by e-mail at petercunningham@annarbor.com, or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.