-Game Over: Football Season

by C. A. Williams

During the 2009 football season, Ivanna Eudora Kean’s Rays put up their best to be champions. The season started out with a disappointment, but ended with a 3:3 win/loss record. The first game of the season, which was supposed to be played by the Rays and the Charlotte Amalie Chicken Hawks at the Lionel Robert Stadium, was canceled. This game was cancelled because earlier in September there was a motorbike event that was held at the stadium and Public Works employees did not repair the field.

Because the Rays and Chicken Hawks weren’t able to play, The Education Department was planning to move the game to the Chicken Hawks home field, but Dr. Sharon McCollum, the principal of the Ivanna Eudora Kean School, didn’t agree with this because it was the Ray’s home game, not the Chicken Hawks'. Since Dr. McCollum didn’t approve the agreement, the Rays forfeited the game. People wondered if Kean would have a rematch against the Chicken Hawks. Mr. Peter Siepel, the head of Kean’s Physical Education Department said, “There will be a rematch in an up coming game against Charlotte Amalie High Chicken Hawks.”

With a total of 6 regular season games to play against different schools in the USVI, the Rays and the coaches had to practice to be victorious in their games. Seipel said ,“Tom Rathmann, Coach Donovan, Andy Narcisse, and Sean Greenway, they are doing a decent job with the players. Deshawn Christian, Ugel George, Patrick Fordrasse and this year’s quarterback Jolly Joseph are the most experienced players of the team.” Rookies Leo Greenaway and Maleek Leonard are two of the teams up coming players, Mr. Seipel reported.

In Kean’s first game of the season which was played October 9, The Rays failed to capture the win when their lost 28-0 against the Arawaks. Since it was the Rays first game of the season, they played their best to win. On October 16, The Rays got they first win against the Caribs in St. Croix winning by 46-22. The Rays put up a challenge to be victorious this season. Maleek Leonard (a wide receiver) along with Andre Smith (a running back) both made touchdowns to get their first win of the season.

On October 31 at the Lionel Roberts Stadium, the Rays outlasted the St. Croix’s Pirates to get their second win of the year with a score of 14-8. On November 6 the Rays got their last win of the season to make their tying record (3-3). With a score of 14-12 Patrick Fordrasse made an interception to help Kean win the game. In their last game against the Chicken Hawks, the Rays put up a challenge, but the Hawks got the victory.

The team had their strengths and weaknesses. “[With] the team's kickoff, and running plays, we have some good strength,” Mr. Seipel said. “Passing plays-- we have to work on since it’s a weakness of the team.” This year Kean’s Rays have improved a lot compared to their play in the past the couple of years. Hopefully in the years to come, Kean would work as hard as possible so they can win more games and get the championship.