Anonymous wrote:Most of the games I have seen this year have been so slow and boring to watch. Yes they are still laying lax and yes there are transitions, but agree with other pps, that seeing a tend when a team is up a couple goals, they just kill clock. Also agree with a pp when a public school has 1 or 2 main players that do all the scoring, they tend to kill clock. Prime example is oakton, not picking on them but they really have 2 main players, maybe 3 (but she runs hot and cold) that do 90 percent of the scoring or more. And all they do is basically kill clock the whole game.
There’s no real coaching or strategy going on besides keep away.

Not true. I’ve seen every Oakton game this season, and Oakton doesn’t hold the ball with a lead until the 3 or 4 minute mark near the end of the game (which any smart team would do). They will also burn some time setting up a play, but it’s not a stalling tactic, much of that is dictated by the opposing defense. That said, a shot clock would improve play across the board, forcing teams to move the ball faster on the offensive end.

Most of the games I have seen this year have been so slow and boring to watch. Yes they are still laying lax and yes there are transitions, but agree with other pps, that seeing a tend when a team is up a couple goals, they just kill clock. Also agree with a pp when a public school has 1 or 2 main players that do all the scoring, they tend to kill clock. Prime example is oakton, not picking on them but they really have 2 main players, maybe 3 (but she runs hot and cold) that do 90 percent of the scoring or more. And all they do is basically kill clock the whole game.
There’s no real coaching or strategy going on besides keep away.

Shot clock is a league rule. Some privates going to it. Would take a lot to implement widespread. Stalling, while and issue, is not always an answer.

It is really hard to kill clock beyond 3-4 minutes if the other team has any skill defensively. The majority of the times I see it tried for too long, there is a turnover, especially at the public school level unless the ball skills of everyone touching are really good. Smart goalies will also jump passes and or allow teams to score to get it back to a draw and give themselves a chance at make it take it. Most public school players also don’t have the discipline not to shoot on an empty net or realize when they are being allowed to score and can be baited into it. A lot like football when running out the clock. Sometimes scoring is the wrong move.

Whistle starts under 2:00 in HS also a big killer of this. Just start fouling defensively under 2 mins and sooner or later the teams will usually false start. Happens a majority of the time as well.

Usually teams slow the ball down to eat clock when they have a lead with 3 or 4 minutes left. The only big outlier I know was Madison doing it for the last 9 minutes against Oakton with only a one goal lead. If folks have other examples of this being an issue I would like to hear them. I believe shot clock is in the high school rules, but only if all the schools have one. It’s probably a budget issue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oakton was up 7-1 then packed it in with 13 mins to go. played keep away with 13 mins instead of putting the game away. The outcome was never in jeopardy. Woodson and Oakton goalies played so well. Woodson flatly outmatched tonite. Oakton’s defense was ridiculously good. Good luck walking up the hill as you may get “rolled” back down. The lack of intensity comment is very funny and won’t age well. It’s the state semis. really?

As long-time coach/parent of boys game, can I ask perhaps dumb question about girls game: why is "keep-away" so prevalent/option in girls game? Sure you can stall/possess ball/move ball quickly in both - but have heard from multiple observers (and this thread) how often girls team get lead with 5/6/13 mins to go and they just play keep away... Is it really that hard to stick check loose, double ball, blind slide or otherwise get ball to ground to get possession? Is there no keep-it-in rule? Like the free-flowing nature of girls game but these endings sound terrible and boring with keep away strategy - legitimately just curious...

This is not as prevalent in the girls game as you may think. There are a small group of 6A teams that have employed this strategy recently. None have high scoring offenses and tend to lean on a player or two for goals, so they see the odds of stalling as better than the risk of trying to score. It’s part of the game so can’t fault them for doing it. With the shortage of refs its doubtful we will see a shot clock in the girls game any time soon.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oakton was up 7-1 then packed it in with 13 mins to go. played keep away with 13 mins instead of putting the game away. The outcome was never in jeopardy. Woodson and Oakton goalies played so well. Woodson flatly outmatched tonite. Oakton’s defense was ridiculously good. Good luck walking up the hill as you may get “rolled” back down. The lack of intensity comment is very funny and won’t age well. It’s the state semis. really?

As long-time coach/parent of boys game, can I ask perhaps dumb question about girls game: why is "keep-away" so prevalent/option in girls game? Sure you can stall/possess ball/move ball quickly in both - but have heard from multiple observers (and this thread) how often girls team get lead with 5/6/13 mins to go and they just play keep away... Is it really that hard to stick check loose, double ball, blind slide or otherwise get ball to ground to get possession? Is there no keep-it-in rule? Like the free-flowing nature of girls game but these endings sound terrible and boring with keep away strategy - legitimately just curious...

Short answer is yes- it is really hard to create turnovers in the girls game without committing a foul unlike the boys game.

Anonymous wrote:Oakton was up 7-1 then packed it in with 13 mins to go. played keep away with 13 mins instead of putting the game away. The outcome was never in jeopardy. Woodson and Oakton goalies played so well. Woodson flatly outmatched tonite. Oakton’s defense was ridiculously good. Good luck walking up the hill as you may get “rolled” back down. The lack of intensity comment is very funny and won’t age well. It’s the state semis. really?

As long-time coach/parent of boys game, can I ask perhaps dumb question about girls game: why is "keep-away" so prevalent/option in girls game? Sure you can stall/possess ball/move ball quickly in both - but have heard from multiple observers (and this thread) how often girls team get lead with 5/6/13 mins to go and they just play keep away... Is it really that hard to stick check loose, double ball, blind slide or otherwise get ball to ground to get possession? Is there no keep-it-in rule? Like the free-flowing nature of girls game but these endings sound terrible and boring with keep away strategy - legitimately just curious...

Interesting semi-final. Oakton is 17-0 vs any team not named Madison and Robinson has won 16 straight vs any team not named Woodson. Best game plan for each may be to borrow jerseys from Woodson and Madison.

Since that won’t likely happen, here are the odds…

Oakton -2 over Robo (o/u 16)

Colgan just played its two toughest games of the season and maybe started to toughen up. Not a gimme, but Battlefield coaches win this one.

Battlefield -3 over Colgan (o/u 23)

I’m going with oakton by 5, then for the upset, colgan. Oakton wins it all.
No skin in the game and not a fan of either teams.

And then there was four!

(alphabetical listing)
Battlefield
Colgan
Oakton
Robinson

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Madison’s habit of playing down to lesser opponents is what ended their season. Their coach pulled out every trick possible when they faced Oakton (face guarding, playing keep away for 10 minutes), but apparently was too complacent against Robinson.

Every trick possible. LOL. You can’t make this stuff up. 😂😂

Those aren’t tricks. It’s just normal game play.

Apparently not against Robinson 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Madison over looked a lesser opponent and paid for it.

Oakton will send Robinson rolling back down that hill.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Madison’s habit of playing down to lesser opponents is what ended their season. Their coach pulled out every trick possible when they faced Oakton (face guarding, playing keep away for 10 minutes), but apparently was too complacent against Robinson.

Every trick possible. LOL. You can’t make this stuff up. 😂😂

Those aren’t tricks. It’s just normal game play.

Apparently not against Robinson 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Anonymous wrote:Just curious on the comment about Oakton nine coaches… how many unforced turnovers did they record…how many 8 shots did they miss? I was told by a friend that Oakton should have won by at least 10. Robinson will take advantage of this sloppy play… Should be interesting since Oakton nemesis was defeated… will they bring intensity?

Oakton led 7-1 and had the game well in hand but got a bit sloppy trying to kill clock in the last 8 minutes. Woodson is not a bad team. They have some players who are fast and can score, so them having a mini run is not surprising. Oakton generated more turnovers than they gave up.

Robo at Oakton Wednesday. Maybe it will start in time. 🤦‍♂️

Oakton was up 7-1 then packed it in with 13 mins to go. played keep away with 13 mins instead of putting the game away. The outcome was never in jeopardy. Woodson and Oakton goalies played so well. Woodson flatly outmatched tonite. Oakton’s defense was ridiculously good. Good luck walking up the hill as you may get “rolled” back down. The lack of intensity comment is very funny and won’t age well. It’s the state semis. really?