MHC Dish From the Pitch 2013 MHC Dish From the Pitch 10 | Page 9

Trinity Builds Playoff Momentum in Epic Battle Over Burke’s
by Tony Gilbert
For the last game of
the 2013 regular season, the
sun finally broke through, the
temperature rose, and Trinity
and Burke's took to the field.
While both teams were already
assured a playoff spot, one
could sense that both teams
were dialed in and focused on
going into the playoffs on a
high. Even so, nobody could
one have predicted the
excitement that lay in store.
After some early
skirmishes, Rebel Jessie Rapkin
opened the scoring, only for
Castleman Tony Johnson to
quickly answer back for Burke's.
The tone had been set, with no
quarter being asked for, none
given, and both defenses
stamping their authority on the
game. Points were the order of the first quarter
and the sides finished the opening stanza with
Burke's leading 0-5 to 0-3.
The second quarter started with Burke's
continuing to build on their lead. When Joe
Blanchar’s fourth consecutive point made it a 0-7
to 0-3 score in favor of Burke’s, the questions on
the sideline were whether Trinity could stop the
bleeding. That question was answered with a
resounding YES, with a flurry of six unanswered
points from both dead and live ball situations.
When the dust settled, and the half time whistle
blew, it was the Rebels in green that had nudged
ahead and took a 0-9 to 0-7 lead to the halftime
locker room, (conveniently located under a shady
tree). Both teams were still in the game, with
defense having been the name of the game for
the opening half hour and all to play for in the
second half.
If the first half was even, the second
was even better, albeit with a decidedly different
feel. After a few early points, Burke's finally
found the net with two quick goals and suddenly
a two point deficit became a five point
advantage. Gut check time for Trinity who, after
a brief injury stoppage, answered with a Shannon
Meller goal. A couple of more Blanchar points
and Burke’s lead was back to 4 points, when
Trinity were awarded a free from around the 20.
Some indecision on taking the point or going for
goal led to the shot being blocked but Trinity
jumped on the rebound to score a goal. When the
whistle blew at the end of the third. it was
Burke’s 2-11- Trinity 2-10.
The 4th quarter resumed with both
defenses, for Trinity, Suzanne Beck and Aislinn

photo credit: Zoe Braun
Leonard, and for Burke’s Sarah Eslyn, Ron
Burghaus, and Nick Yanasak, again intent on
taking control of the game.   Every possession
was challenged, every loose ball chased after,
with plenty good clean