Win out as in, to win the remaining games on a team’s schedule. This is what Granville must do to get themselves into the playoffs.

Looking down south it looks like a wildly unbalanced league with three teams with good records including undefeated Chatham and then a major league drop off. I don’t think you can look at any of those teams and truly give them credit for being, say, undefeated through four games.

Up here it isn’t quite the same. Call it the prejudice of an old Northern Conference player, but I can’t help looking around and seeing a better caliber of football being played. That said, the better caliber hasn’t been played by the Golden Horde lately.

A costly loss to a less than stellar Tamarac is one that will haunt Granville come playoff time. If anything Granville’s worst case should have been two and two coming out of week four but that is all past and the Horde have a chance, a good chance, to be rolling on a 3-0 tide hitting crossovers and post season play.

No one is catching Hoosick Falls, that’s for sure. With Granville and Greenwich as their tests they’re off the rest of the season with bunny hunting permits, so don’t expect them to lose and look for them to get lots of rest and get healthy – great example of how things are bouncing for the Panthers this season? They have Hoosic Valley this week. Give the Indians credit for gutting out what is one tough season in a series of tough seasons. A quick peek at the HF remaining schedule reveals a cake walk.

Granville’s remaining games certainly have a creamy nougat center and maybe even powdered sugar coatings but they have to play hard and take no chances. Give any football team with an ounce of pride, and they all have some whether they have the skills to back it up, and they will wipe you out if you give them too many free chances by committing big, costly mistakes.

Look at Green Bay Monday night.

1-0  every week.

No better time for the Horde to be thinking about their coach’s mantra. 1-0. Throw out every good and bad thing that has happened over the past four week and start with a blank slate, albeit and angry, hard-hitting blank slate.  

Horde remaining opponents have a combined 3-9 mark with Corinth and Hoosic Valley winless and Lake George accounting for all of the wins. This looks to be a week where Granville shows a bit more of their metal, shows the fans the team that is 30 points better than Tamarac and can give Greenwich and Hoosick Falls a run for their money. The C North should come back to Granville a bit this week with Lake George dropping to 3-2 (Who do they play again?); Tamarac getting exposed for who they really are by Greenwich – no hooting in that locker room this week – and Hoosick Falls on cruise control. Mechanicville should beat Stillwater although that could prove to be an interesting contest between two of the lower echelon teams in C North.

What does it all mean?

I’m not sure.

And absolutely nothing if Granville drops any of their remaining games. Who to look for? Well, to say it in one word: everybody. From Mike Resetar to J. Hicks, Scribner, possibly the hardest hitting man in show biz Pauly Hanna – you name it I’m planning to have a hard time fitting all of the stats into one article.

Bryan Ricketts will be back in uniform this evening, yet another Horde weapon.

Is it Friday night at Lake George yet? 7 p.m. folks, here’s hoping Granville has a big crowd for this one.  

Tough sledding for the Horde this week as they travel to Hoosick Falls to take on the same squad that knocked them from the sectionals last season - the Panthers.

‘That’s why they play the games’ is the phrase that pops into my mind.

The Panthers managed 20 against Greenwich and pitched the shutout. They’re state of the art and don’t seem to have a whole lot of mean and nasty to them but more of a Terminator mechanical efficiency – they’re not invincible, it’s just going to be difficult to get Linda Hamilton and an industrial crushing thing onto the field at the same time.

Smashmouth, not a ska band…I mean they are a ska band this just isn’t what I’m talking about.

Granville has been doing other teams a favor all season long softening up the teams they face for their next games.

Tamarac took their lumps against Granville and Coach M. Torres’ ‘…just want them to know they played us…’ pops to mind.

Lots of ice in Bengal land after the adrenaline wears off.

Greenwich, a team with already thin numbers were likely limping around that next day.

And Stillwater looked like a team that couldn’t wait for the game to be over – if memory serves (and it doesn’t always) those Warriors haven’t won one and likely won’t.

There is something to be said for being a tough team that guts it out.

tough guy award...Bryan Ricketts (soembody remind me to do this again next season). BR took a shot from a guy that just happened to wake up in position that knocked him to the ground flat. A lesser player lays there while BR got up and shook it off on the sideline to go back into the game. Old School tough.

What else? I noticed the Bengals really seemed to target Codi Scribner’s arms to try to free up the ball. Unfortunately, they were pretty successful.

Hopefully the Horde coaching staff have something up their sleeves to loosen up the line of scrimmage. If the Panthers can stack eight in the box all night it could be a very long night. Intensity is another factor Horde fans can’t look past.

Granville's got to have it. As M.T. would say punch them in the nose right off the bat...

With the Horde handed a defeat by the visiting Witches it seems the picture of Class C North is becoming clearer - or is it?

Some felt the Horde didn’t quite deliver all of the punch this particular team has, that said the team was pretty thoroughly dominated on both sides of the ball by the Class D finalists from last season.

Can they bounce back?

Giving them credit for having a bad day against a tough Greenwich team, I’d say yes.

The Panthers won big again this weekend, no surprise, while the Bengals also won but against an anemic Valley squad.

Tamarac won in week one against Lake George and gave up 18 to the team that squeaked past Corinth week 2.

Coach Mario Torres says they’ve got some weapons (the Bengals) and one thing’s for sure – Granville can’t sleep on this team. A second loss with Hoosick Falls on the schedule for week 4 likely means losing three in a row and an exit from a playoff spot.

Lake George beat Corinth capitalizing on a late turnover and Valley continues to get abused. Tough sledding for the fledgling program, here’s hoping they stick it out, they’ll recall this time fondly if they do. Sportsmanship being what it is I wonder which Valley opponents have seen a subbed-in squad in the fourth quarter or are those teams playing for the ‘wow’ score in the paper and leaving the varsity in?

So, again, what does any of this mean?

Tamarac has yet to be tested by the looks and Granville has got to bring their A game Saturday. They played better football against Stillwater, not just dominating a lesser opponent (now 0-2) but playing a more crisp kind of football.

If you follow the ‘flat’ Granville theory a reinvigorated Horde can beat Tamarac to get to 2-1 keeping the Panthers in the corner of their eye.

After the extreme test that will be the Hoosick Falls game Granville has a shot to run the table on the regular season heading into cross over – playoff weeks with games against Lake George, Hoosic Valley and Corinth. Time will tell with the question of the week being which Horde team is the real Horde team?  

Football thoughts

Getting a sense of the league and how things will work out is difficult given the early season goings on

Hoosick Falls dominated, no surprise but their weak (get it?) one opponent wasn’t much of a test in Corinth, who turned around and gave one away to Lake George.

Falls has yet to be tested by anyone but will see Greenwich week three; Mechanicville will not test the Panthers any more than Corinth did and might score less, in fact.

Greenwich had the walkover of the week against a struggling Hoosic Valley team that I keep hearing rumors might not get through the season

Only in year four/five of starting football at a school that has never had it is tough and many out here in peanut gallery land question the will to continue – coaches and players rumored to be teetering on the brink and Granville’s homecoming opponent could vanish if this team folds

As Horde fans will remember being a doormat is no fun

Looking to Granville as an example: a team with a strong tradition still took about four years to right the ship here in town so it stands to reason that it will be that much tougher when you’re building an entire program – do the Indians have what it takes to stick it out so they can look back and say ‘I remember when’?

The Witches looked good at Granville’s camp and were highly successful last season as a Class D team that went into the playoffs. Week one was not test for them and no gauge for how Granville will do. I’m also unsure how much Granville opponents got to see last week (or should I again say weak?) What was supposed to be an improved 2-8 team only managed to score against Granville’s JV and a heavily-subbed squad with their first team still in. that shows the Warriors are not as much improved as some thought as their first-teamers struggled against the Horde JV.  

Then, a ‘thin’ Lake George, a team Granville has not seen in a few years, gets by Corinth by virtue of a late turnover and score. What does this say, if anything? Is LG better or is C-town worse than expected? Corinth has a long time to straighten out the kinks before they see the Horde in the final week of the regular season while Oct. 1 is Granville’s date with the Warriors who call Lake George home.

No word yet on who superintendent Mark Bessen will be rooting for.

I’ve got more questions that answers – what’s new? And I’m not sure how many answers this week will provide. A win could mean week to week improvement for Granville, a good sign for the season so I guess what I’m wondering is – is a loss that much bad news? Particularly a close loss or a close win.

Looking ahead to week three I still don’t know anything about Tamarac. They beat Lake George week one by 10 points, 28-18, but allowed three scores at home in Clums Corners. And it appears they’re another team with one player to beat; hard telling from a box score and one week’s play though.

If you have responded to any of the postings on this site and not seen your reply posted, try again. The site sees huge spam traffic and you legit reply could have been missed.

thanks,

Matt

Gotcha.

The power outage that hit parts of the village Monday afternoon zapped our server here. Lots of work lost. Yuck. Nothing quite so much fun as re-typing a story. All of the magic is lost

;)

Other stuff….

Got a chance to stop by the first day of practice for the Granville football team. I watched as the team did timed runs. Pretty wild. The coaches seemed impressed. They look like a fast team with lots of all around speed. Co-head coach Aaron Torres said he hoped to be able to take advantage of some of that speed but it remained to be seen if the team could get those plays down to the point they could be used during a game.

Winter and summer track obviously paying dividends here so hats off to head coach Jay Condon for all of his hard work. The football team now has a lot of these speedy track guys from state qualifier in the hurdles Mike Fiacco and a host of others I don’t yet know by sight. Coaches report good number – see what a little success can do for a program? – with about 50 guys out in cleats and helmets by the time the whistle blows on the first game. The team is missing some of the size it had last year ‘Fuji’ will be missed as will Foster, Macura.

It remains to be seen what will happen with other fall sports programs. New faces at boys soccer, field hockey and…oh, cross country being Steve Palmer, Jessica Sheldon and Lance Jordan respectively.

I’m curious to see if the World Cup has any effect on the soccer numbers. Was there a World Cup bump? In talking to a couple of athletes around town this summer I’ve heard of what looks like it will be some new faces on the pitch for 2010.

Carnival

The tradition that is the 72^nd Modern Woodmen of America Wells Carnival begins Aug. 18 at 6 p.m. and runs until everybody has had their fill and goes home Saturday night Aug. 21. Admission is free to the carnival which will go on each night rain or shine.

The carnival offers all of those favorites you’ve come to expect from fair food to fun, games and rides culminating with the big parade Saturday.

Entrants for the parade can call Todd Fenton at 645-9522 to sign up to include a float. The theme will be ‘Let’s Go to the Movies’.

Cash prizes will be awarded after the parade for the best floats. Those participating in the parade will begin lining up at the Bates Farm on Route 30 between 11:30 and noon for the 1 p.m. start. The parade will then proceed down Route 30 to the carnival grounds for the start of the final day’s fun- get there early to get a good spot.

Each night patrons can expect plenty of fair food with hot dogs, hamburgers, sausage peppers and onions as well as homemade fries and fried bread dough available. The carnival will feature a chicken barbeque Saturday with serving starting following the conclusion of the parade. The longstanding tradition of BINGO will continue with games held every night except for Thursday.

Nightly music will feature Mark LeGrand and the Lovesick Bandits on Wednesday playing vintage honky tonk country music.

Thursday, Total Entertainment presents the all-age dance party followed by Friday night’s entertainment: the Red Hot Riders. Saturday will feature Sweetwater.

Saturday will begin with the annual antique tractor pull.

the Tri-State Antique Tractor Association pull always draws a big crowd to the carnival grounds to start the day around 9 a.m. Pullers take a break to join others in the parade before returning to the lot to finish their contest.

The bicycle giveaway, with helmets, for one boys and one girls bicycle will be held Saturday evening.

Kids will receive free tickets for the drawing during the day Saturday but must be present to win the bike.

As you, all of the millions hanging on my every word;) , know the RT was opened up especially for the 5K what many including myself did not know is that the RT continues to be open although not officially. The RT is a little grown up with weeds both in otherwise fine shape.

I for one plan to get my bike ready soon to start logging some miles before the snow flies.

By-the-by, I really should write these in Word first and then paste them in because I'm just a terrible typist.

I guess with tick concerns I'd wear pants if you plan to cruise though that area but it can be done. Cool.

The village has plans to do some work on the remainder of their portion from North Street to the border at the bowling alley and the town has had much of the southern portion done for some time. It is my understanding that some land use issue cloud the future of the northern portion, but completion of that section is not out of the question.

North Granville is the fun one for people who really truly appreciate what a Holley double pumper means in the grand scheme of things. A fun show with what is typically a good solid turn out featuring some unique rides.

5-9 Sat.

Going on four years over at the Modern Woodmen carnival grounds the HHOH festival offers a wide variety of music from mostly local acts along with plenty of food. Vendors run the gammut but have had thing like hand crafted wood products, jewelry and a lot more over the past few shows

don't forget about the Hartford Fish and Game Club's chicken BBQ. Always tasty and those guys do a bang up job dishing out the main meal of the day at a reasonable cost.

All proceeds go to help keep HH open and operating. This is a need that will, hopefully, always exist. As long as the HHOH is open it will need support. With any luck the areas that are included in the HH 'web' (those who can nominate a patient for that particular service) will figure out what HH is and begin to kick in the two most needed things: donations and volunteers.

Music starts at 11 a.m.

Ding dong the clock is done

For those who haven’t heard John Freed has completed work on the Veterans Clock and all that remains to be done is get it back up on its perch at the corner of North and

The clock committee has begun to get their stuff organized for a rededication ceremony. There will be a parade leading up to the dedication ceremony with speaker(s) and some other activities

Interesting fact: the dedication ceremony will be just days apart from the original dedication ceremony which took place Sept. 26, 1943. Scheduled date of the re-dedication Sept. 18, 2010.

Organizers thought the Sept 11 date was not a good one. too much tied to that day emotionally and this rededication should be about WWII Vets.

Speaking of the ‘o’ spelling of the river…I hear from Pawlet librarian Beth Kashner alternate theories for the ‘a’

Namely citing USGS resources which as you might recall were apparently transcribed in error ‘way back when’ according to the late great Morris Rote-Rosen. I didn’t include that in the article because one: I thought it was about the spelling for Granville not across the border. The folks in Vermont can spell it any way they want. And two: I didn’t want to muddy the water and confuse the issue. We (re) published the article in the Sentinel, I’ll have to find it and post it here as well.

Summer baseball/softball is underway and it is harder than ever to keep track of what is going on around the region. Granville kids are scattered across diamonds and teams all over the place, sometimes more than one team. Tough to keep up with, but I’m planning to get after that closer in the future. In that vein, if you have results or game reports please send them in. They don’t need to be terribly detailed, just a short paragraph with some details and  - of course, the result.

I got the chance to interview

Todd Michaelsen

recently. A Granville grad from 1998 ( I think) he now lives in Brooklyn and pays the bills with rock and roll – you can’t beat that.

It was one of those fun interviews that often veered into the territory of just two guys sitting and talking music.

To paraphrase Steeley Dan “I really enjoyed myself when I reported this article; sue me if I write too long.”

Not just an engaging person with something cool and intriguing, musically and otherwise, to say but a guy a music fan, like me, seemed to instantly connect with -  not in a creepy kind of stalker way (yet…tee-hee) but in a ‘hey this guy is tuned to my mental radio station’ kind of way.

Michaelsen said he’s written more than 100 songs and I can see why, music just kind of flows out of him as evidenced when I asked to take his picture for the article.

As soon as the guitar was in hand he was playing something that he continued to strum away on during the tiny photo session.

The band -

My Pet Dragon

(get your t-shirt now so you can reserve space on the ‘I knew them when’ bandwagon) is perched on the edge of something.

Discovery?

One can hope as much for the artist’s sake as that of the people who will love this guy’s stuff.

Why perched, you say?

Simple, the songs are intoxicating and catchy.

‘Lover in Hiding’

is not an earworm kind of song, but it will stay with you long after you’ve shut off the car and gone inside.

I define an earworm as an unwelcome intruder in your gray matter versus something you welcome in and work to remember.

I do a lot of listening on the road and love to leave a new piece of music in the CD player until I know it back to front and can sing along and the Maxi-single Michaelsen gave me has me looking for a source for the band’s first outing ‘First Born’ and looking forward to the release of ‘Mountains and Cities.’  

This one and everything else on the single for that matter doesn’t break down on repeated listening. Michaelsen’s music, what I’ve heard so far, stands the test of time after time listening. When ‘Lover’ pops back into your head it is certainly welcome there just like a visit from a oh, i don't know - Lover in Hiding?

Go and check them out - just do it.

Find them here: http://www.toddmichaelsen.com/mypetdragon.cfm

Weather radar shows the skies over Granville will clear up in time for the show

The grass might not be dry but the weather should be clear - don't forget to bring a chair

TS Ensemble will play  

The State Qualifier Meet in Johnstown takes place Thursday, June 3 and Friday, June 4 with Granville qualifiers including:

Evan Miller - High Jump

Aaron Mead - Shot Put

Mike Fiasco - 110m hurdles

Meghan O'Brien - 100m hurdles, Triple Jump, 4x400m Relay

Ariel O'Leary - 4x400m

Emily Fuller - 4x400m

Elle Leach - 4x400m