ROCKFORD ATHLETICS I HOME OF THE RAMS

This weekend the boys varsity water polo team traveled to Birmingham Seaholm to feel out some of the East side competition and also some out of state competition. This weekend ended up being a major challenge for the team as we split up into 2 groups to maximize playing opportunities for everyone. Both teams played well but couldn't get anything clicking on the weekend. After a long bus ride the first matchup was Rockford orange vs Jenison. This game was an extremely aggressive and physical game. The rams struggled to but stayed composed from the start to the finish. Ultimately the rams fell to Jenison 6-11 for the first matchup of the weekend. To begin Saturday morning the Rams faced the host team of the Birmingham maple leaves. The rams came to play this game and came out on top with the victory. The rams had multiple scorers and had exceptional defense. The rams finished the game with a final score of 17-8. Going into the third game of the weekend the rams faced an extremely talented team form Ohio. The Rams faced the Upper Arlington Golden Bears who right now are sitting as one of the tope teams in Ohio. The first quarter the rams played exceptionally well and held a small lead. Once the second quarter started the Bears turned up the action and speed of the game. The rams struggled with the speed but had great defense when we were in the setup. Coach Peterman was extremely proud of how the Rams communicated on Defense and rand a great switch drop defense. We still have a lot of work to do but this game showed were can play extremely strong and consistent. The final score was the rams falling 6-11 but they took those loss with pride. The final game came a rematch with the Pioneers of Ann Arbor. This game was totally different than last weekend for the rams. With only a 1 game break the rams bodies were broke down and extremely tired from the other 2 games on the day. The rams tried to push through the pain and discomfort but it was a major challenge. The rams sadly struggled to stay out of foul trouble s well which extinguished any home of making a comeback. The rams ultimately fell to the Pioneers 8-18. Besides going 1-3 on the weekend it was a joy to see some different competition and also see different officials that we normally dont see. This weekend was a wakeup call to the Rams that we need to regroup and fix some major mistakes to get back on track. Next up the rams face West Ottawa at home on Monday, September 15 at 6:15 PM.