Tigers vs. Tigers

at Malvern Fall League

(posted 10-13-10)

The Wilmington Tigers placed two teams in the Malvern Fall League this year -- the teams that will play as 11U and 12U next AAU season.  These are current 6th and 7th graders, respectively.  Both teams requested to compete in the 7th/8th grade division of the fall league and were allowed to do so.  It may be that neither of the two head coaches (Dennis Leizear - 11U; Jeff Skowronski - 12U) even think of these teams as "Wilmington Tigers".  Both teams have girls playing for them now that did not play the AAU schedule.  Both teams have girls that played in the AAU season, but that opted out for fall league.  So, the rosters are a bit different from those that played under the Tigers' banner in the spring, yet, for each of the teams, there is a core group of girls that did indeed "carry over."  And that's why I, for one, still regard them as Tigers, despite what the coaches might believe.

As the two teams play in the same division, it was a matter of consequence that they would have to face each other before the season was over.  That matchup happened this past Sunday at West Chester University.  DGB.com was there.  The 12U's jumped out to a hot start with a three-pointer by outside shooting specialist, Alyssa Irons.  They led 9 - 2 after the first quarter.  The 11U's, meanwhile, were playing tenacious, inspired defense, even if they could not get their own shots to fall.  At halftime, the score was 16 - 10, still in favor of the 12U's, but the younger team had shaved a point off the margin in the second quarter.  In the final two frames, though, the experience and skills of the 12U's came to the fore, and that was all she wrote.  The 12U's took the game running away, 44 - 19.

Alyssa Irons had 18 points in the winning effort for the 12U's.

In tough losses like this one, you get to see what your players are made of.

Coach Leizear was very impressed with the effort of 6th grader, Lindsay Bollinger.

Gabby Julian, 12U player and former iPOW winner, is the picture of concentration on these two different layups.

Sarah Metz is an accomplished softball and volleyball player, as well as being quite skilled at hoops.  She somehow finds the time to play guard for the 11U's.  Sarah is part of that 11U nucleus that stayed together for fall league.

12U point guard Alena Skowronski fires the rock over to Alyssa Irons.

12U forward Taylor Samuels' game has improved exponentially since we first saw her many months ago.  Taylor is usually a major part of the 12U offense, and her height on defense is most intimidating to opponents.

Kiera Wendel (right) with an awesome block of Lindsay Bollinger's shot attempt.

And speaking of Kiera, here she is in a tussle for the ball with a couple of 11U Tigers.  The play was ruled a jump ball.