Game 11 ends with the USA winning by 5. The US powered through the weary Canadians in a fierce game. The US quickly took control in the 2^nd half and pulled away to an easy victory.

Offensive player of the game: Ian Chan
Defensive player of the game: Martin Mainguy

Game 12:
US 48 Canada 41

After a competitive 1^st half the Canadians fatigued in the 2^nd half and couldn’t recover.

Offensive player of the game: Dave Willsie
Defensive player of the game: Jared Funk

Overall it was a good camp/friendly games even though the final outcome of the games favored the Americans, the Canucks showed that they are well on their way to being ready for Beijing. It was a grueling camp and the season promises to be very intense with lots of competitive opportunities and hard training.

I will keep you posted.

Over and out from Bama;)

Canada line up for game #11
Whithead 3, Nording 3, Lavoie 3, Chan 3, Simard 1.5, Schmutz 1.5, Crone 1.5, Paradis .5, Mainguy 0.5

US line up
Wilmoth 4.0 (oops 3.5), Sumner 3, McBride 2, Kirkland 2, Gloor 2, Lyduch 1, Fonner 1, Crouch .5

Halftime of game #11
Canada 21-20 USA
Canada has no time outs left, US has 3
US to start the 3q with the ball

September 7th, 2007

Game #9
USA 28-27 Canada (ot)
CANADIAN LINE UP
Chan, Lavoie, Nording, Whitehead, Crone, Schmutz, Simard, Mainguy, Paradis

Story of the game:
US handled the pressure a little better at the end of the 4th and in ot, we lacked some intensity during crucial moments but overall games are super close and both teams are struggling with lots of turnovers.

Canadian players of the game
Offensive player of the game: Chan
Defensive player of the game: Crone



Game #10
Canada 34-33 USA
last goal was scored with 6.6 seconds by Willsie and US denied at the end trying to tie
CANADIAN LINE UP
Hickling, Cloutier, Chartrand, Kim, Larocque, Luangkhamdeng, Murao, Willsie, Bacon, Hirschfield, Funk

Story of the game:
Again lots of turnovers for both teams but for this game Canada proved to be better down the stretch under the leadership of Willsie and Hickling.

Game #11 at 14:00 and Game #12 at 15:30
Canadian players of the game
Offensive player of the game: Hickling
Defensive player of the game: All the deuces

After the inter-squad game between the US and Canada, we asked a couple of the players for some comments on the game.

Travis Murao (2.0) - "We played semi-awesome!"

Coach Benoit Labrecque - "The players were a bit sleepy for this morning's game. It's an early morning and such, but it goes both ways, and the US players had the same situation."

________________________ {updating...}

The next game will feature all the American Deuces... Kirkland, Cohn, Springer, Groulx, McBride, and Gloor starting in various rotations for the US, against a starting Canadian line of Lavoie, Chan, Crone, & Funk.

Profiles of many of the American players can be found on this page of the USQRA web site.

And game 8 is now ON...

Marco - Kirkland, Cohn, Groulx and Springer

Marco - Lavoie with an early turnover, 10 seconds no dribble...

Marco - Lavoie with the pass to Chan in traffic, lucky for Canada as Cohn is called for an over and back penalty...

Marco - Lavoie with the goal... 2-2

Marco - US now with the jump...

Marco - Funk on the spin...

Marco - Young Crone amongst the big boys...

Marco - Funk taking a big hit from Kirkland but maintains his pick...

Marco - Funk might be in need of a new axle...

Marco - Lavoie scores, to take it to 4-4

Marco - Cohn goes coast to coast...

Marco - While Kirkland makes a spin...

Marco - Canada on the sub

Marco - Running 3.0 Chan, 2.0 Luangkhamdeng, 1.5 Simard, and 1.5 Crone

Marco - 5-5

Marco - Springer on the goal

Marco - US contact before the whistle

Marco - Groulx on Crone

Marco - Canada with crisp passing and a goal

Marco - Simard calls for inbound...

Marco - Crone on the contact before the whistle... on Will Groulx of the US

Marco - Canada with some good passing to break the press

Marco - Canada with some good passing to break the press, now making the score 9-8 for the US

Marco - Whitey is on the bench with me, and would like to say that the Deuces looked really good in the last game, as there were a lot of positives going on while they were on the court.... good switching on D.

Whitey - "Whitehead choked in the 3rd"

Marco - Turnover for Canada...

Marco - Ian off a trap trying to reach Say, over his head...

Marco - 24.3 seconds left...

Marco - 10 secs...

Marco - Groulx for the goal with 4.5 seconds left on the clock

Marco - "No comment" from Willsie ;)

Marco - Luangkhamdeng with the jump... Canada ball!

Marco - Lavoie running with Luangkhamdeng, JJ Kim and Bacon

Marco - vs Cohen, McBride, Gloor, and Springer

Marco - Lavoie with the goal

Marco - 11-9 US

Marco - 11-10

Marco - John 'Joey' Kim with the goal...

Marco - Seth McBride countering for the Americans with the goal...

[Editor Don] - Keep hitting F5 to refresh your screen for the latest news, as I am updating the site periodically in batches from Marco, who is reporting to me over MSN Messenger...

________________________ {updating...}

Marco - JJK with the goal

Marco - 3.0 Lavoie, 3.0 Chan, 1.5 Schmütz and 0.5 Funk on the court now for Canada

Marco - Cohn with the goal for Team USA

Marco - 4:46 left in the 2nd quarter

Marco - Erika Schmütz on the in-bound...

Marco - Lavoie goes coast to coast, weaving through the traffic...

Marco - Schmütz with the goal

Marco - Kearley counters with a goal for the States

Marco - Good pressure from Canada... Lavoie with the goal!

Marco - 3:10 left...

Marco - Chan with the goal off the Lavoie feed

Marco - USA now running with Cohn, Groulx, McBride and Kearley

Marco - Time out for Canada as Lavoie was on 1 wheel... crashing to the floor...

Marco - 2:16 left, with my laptop battery almost dead...

Marco - Say LKD with the goal!

Marco - Canada now running 3.0 Chan, 2.0 LKD, 1.5 Crone, and 1.5 Simard

Marco - Groulx hits the floor off of a Chan spin...

Marco - Team Canada's assistant coach Adam Frost is filming this game...

Marco - 1:15 left in the quarter, with the US up by a score of 19-18...

Marco - Time out USA their 1st...

Marco - They have 3 left, while we have 1...

Marco - 1:04 left...

Marco - US now running 2.0 Bryan Kirkland instead of Steve Kearley

Marco - 30 secs left...

Marco - 20...

Marco - 2.8 left, and a US goal...

Marco - We're at half-time now, with the US leading by a score of 20-18.

________________________ {updating...}

Marco - Start of the 2nd half...

Marco - Canada rolling with 3.0 Cloutier, 3.0 Lavoie, 1.5 Simard, and 0.5 Funk

Marco - US starts with 2.0 Springer, 2.0 Kirkland, 2.0 Groulx, and 2.0 Andy Cohn

Marco - 23-20 US

Marco - Fabien Lavoie replies with a goal for Canada...

Marco - McBride for Groulx on the sub

Marco - 5:37 left in the 3rd...

Marco - Lavoie sealing Cohen so Simard can score untouched...

Marco - Both teams are going goal for goal...

Marco - Canada on the sub...

________________________ {updating...}

Editor Don - Good to hear from Brian McDonald of the Ottawa Stingers... we hope to have more thoughts to follow from others...

Marco - Lavoie with the goal...

Marco - Canada now out there with Chan, LKD, Schmutz and Crone...

Marco - Contact US, their 1st of the second half...

Marco - LKD hard pass in the front court to Crone, who can't quite reach it...

Marco - US turns it back over, and Luangkhamdeng (LKD is so much faster...) calls for a time out...

Marco - Chan cut in front of the pass and picked it off...

Marco - Canada called for 15 seconds...

Marco - US scores...

Marco - 27-24 US

Marco - McBride calls a time out for the US...

Marco - Good defense...

Marco - as McBride was turned and had no options...

Marco - Three minutes left...

Marco - LKD can't handle soft pass... turnover!

Marco - Canada subs...

Marco - US has 2 time outs left, Canada has none...

________________________ {updating...}

Marco - Team Canada rolling with Lavoie, Chan, Simard, and Funk

Marco - US calls another time out...

Marco - [By the way, I changed batteries, so my computer should be fine now for quite a long time.]

Marco - 1 minute left now in the 3rd quarter...

Marco - 30 seconds...

Marco - Steve Kearley can't control the pass at the goal line...

Marco - No goal... the score ends 28-26 after the 3rd Quarter.

________________________ {updating...}

Marco - The US starts the final quarter with a quartet of deuces: Springer, Kirkland, Cohen and Gloor

Marco - Spinger trapped and he's forced to call time out...

Marco - Canada rollin' with 3.0 Lavoie, 2.0 LKD, 2.0 JJK and 1.0 Bacon...

Marco - Fabien Lavoie showing lots of resolve and scores...

Marco - Team USA's Bryan Kirkland responds with the goal...

Marco - Lavoies scores again... with 6:50 on the clock...

Marco - Bacon turns the ball over at goal line off of Kirkland pressure...

Marco - 31-28 US

Marco - 2.0 Will Groulx now in for the US, replacing 2.0 Sam Gloor

EditorDon - I won't be putting up those "update breaks" any more... I'll just update more frequently, so press F5 to refresh your screen every now and again...
Marco - The US goes back to the key "BLUE, BLUE, BLUE" is their call to go back in the key...

Marco - Canada with the turnover

Marco -Kirkland called for the reach...

Marco - LKD working hard under pressure...

Marco - LKD with the goal!

Marco - Kirkland busts out of the penalty box trap...

Marco - and the US scores!

Marco - ... and they go back to the key...

Marco - Cohn out of bounds off of pressure from Crone...

Marco - LKD to Crone on the in-bound...

Marco - under 5 minutes left... LKD with the goal.

Marco - Kirkland going for the quick in-bound...

Marco - Good defense forcing short pass to Groulx who fumbles the ball at goal line for a turnover...

Marco - Canada turns the ball over...

Marco - Simard tried to pick up a pass meant for LKD but couldn't reach it...

Marco - 34-32 CAN after Crone scores...

Marco - McBride, who comes from Alaska, goes coast to coast...

Marco - LKD to Chan on the in-bound...

Marco - Chan across half and scores off a Crone pick...

Marco - under 3 minutes left...

Marco - Andy Cohn scores...

Marco - LKD gets the give and go to Chan as they cross half...

Marco - US trying to set up in the key...

Marco - Canada scores!

Marco - 2:08 left in the game...

Marco - US with no more time outs...

Marco - Groulx scores!

Marco - US trying to set up in the key...

Marco - They go on the press and Groulx is trapped low...

Marco - Canada scores!

Marco - US called for 15 sec violation turnover US with 1:17 left...

Marco - Canada down by 2 with the ball and the jump...

Marco - Canada rolling with Lavoie, Chan, Simard and Funk...

Marco - Canada turns the ball over at half court...

Marco - Simard couldn't retrieve the ball... 48 seconds left...

Marco - US on the inbound

Marco - Springer scores!

Marco - 30 seconds left...

Marco - Chan scores to make it 38-36 for Canada

Marco - Simard down... lifted up by CAN staffers Ryan Doyle and Bob Hirschfield

Marco - US turns the ball over

Marco - 10 second to inbound

Marco - 6 secs left...

Marco - Too little too late...

Marco - Canada turns ball back over trying to set up quick inbound and goal

Marco - US setting up...

Marco - US turnover at goal line...

Marco - Last second follies continue...

Marco - Canada turns the ball back over...

Marco - although it was clear it went off the Americans...

Marco - Game over.

Marco - A case of turning the ball over too many times after creating a turnover...

Marco - You must seize the opportunity and we didn't...

Marco - 38-36 final score in Game # 8

Marco - The Game 7 score was 35-30 US

Marco - Later everyone. Peace out!
______________________

Well, since it's been some time between postings, there's a new owner in town and his name is Google.

I've jumped through all the hoops, and am now ready to report on the CAN-USA training camp that is going on down in Birmingham, Alabama at the Lakeshore Foundation.

The entire Canadian National Team are there, along with a grade-A support team of coaches and staff.

Amongst the Canadians at the camp are national team members:

0.5 - Jared Funk (Niverville, MB)
0.5 - Daniel Paradis (Quebec City, QC)
1.0 - Trevor Hirschfield (Parksville, BC)
1.5 - Patrice Simard (Quebec City, QC)
2.0 - Martin Larocque (Embrun, ON)
2.0 - Say Luangkhamdeng (Surrey, BC)
2.0 - Trevor Murao (Vancouver, BC)
2.0 - David Willsie (London, ON)
3.0 - Ian Chan (Surrey, BC)
3.0 - Fabien Lavoie (Quebec City, QC)
3.0 - Mike Whitehead (Bradenton, FL)
3.5 - Garett Hickling (Vancouver, BC)

National Squad members:

0.5 - Martin Mainguy (Quebec City, QC)
1.0 - Mike Bacon (Saskatoon, SK)
1.5 - Jason Crone (Owen Sound, ON)
1.5 - Erika Schmütz (Whitby, ON)
2.0 - Allan Chartrand (Wabamun Lake, AB)
2.0 - John 'Joey' Kim (London, ON)
3.0 - Sébastien Cloutier (Trois-Rivières, QC)
3.0 - Dale Nording (Edmonton, AB)

Stand by for a recap on today's inter-squad "friendly" game, as Marco Dispaltro is watching the game and giving us play by play feedback:

Marco - The game has just started, and the US just got a turnover

Marco - The US is now up by 1 goal...

Marco - I'm here, sitting next to John Bishop, the USQRA webmaster...

Marco - Zupan with the goal!

Marco - Murao on the give and go with Hirschy

Marco - Long front court pass to Hirsch with the goal...

Marco - The US with another turnover when Murao tried to pass over Sumner...

Marco - Stolen and a score of 5-2 for the US...

Marco - Canada now with the ball... the jump i mean

Marco - USA going for last goal...

Marco - 1:10 left...

Marco - 6-4 usa...

Marco - Both teams with 4 time outs...

Marco - [I will have to leave soon to take up camera duties from Adam...]

Marco - No last goal and the US had to call a time out...

Marco - Bad pass from Willsie turnover...

Marco - Jump ball!

Marco - Next jump will be US posession...

Marco - The score is now 12-10 for the US

Marco - 12-11... with 1:45 left

Marco - US probably going for last goal

Marco - Subbing Sumner for Wilmoth (for height purposes)...

Marco - Sumner, Zupan, Lyduch, & Hoggsett for the USA vs Willsie, Murao, Chartrand & Larocque for Canada...

Marco - 45 secs left...

Marco - 30 secs left...

Marco - Hoggsett barking out the play for the USA...

Marco - Zupan with the goal with 4.7 seconds left on the clock...

Marco - US up 13-11

Marco - We're now at Half Time with the US up by 2...

Marco - Scores in the earlier games were:

Game 1 - USA 41 - CAN 31
Game 2: USA 38 - CAN 28
Game 3: USA 41 - CAN 35
Game 4: USA 39 - CAN 24
Game 5: CAN 39 - US 38 (3 OT)
Game 6: USA 41 - CAN 38
Game 7 - in progress RIGHT NOW!

Marco - US running Sumner, Tapec, Kearley, & Regier vs Canada's line of Whitehead, Nording, Hirschfield & Mainguy

Marco - on the US bench are Lyduch, Zupan, and Wilmoth

Marco - Whitehead turns the ball over

Marco - Goal US up 15-11

Marco - Tapec bailing US out reaching on Whitehead and tapping the ball out of bounds

Marco - Hirschey on the in-bound

Marco - Turnover Canada

Marco - Nording getting a turnover off of Tapec

Marco - US setting up in the key

Marco - Crouch, Fonner, Cohn (1.0 from AZ)

Marco - Kirkland also on the bench for the US

Marco - Whitehead with a long pass to Mainguy...

Marco - Turnover!

Marco - New line up for the States... Wilmoth, Zupan, Fonner, and Crouch

Marco - 17-12 USA

Marco - US up by 5...

Marco - Nording with the goal... spread is now 4

Marco - On the bench for Canada are Chartrand, Larocque, Murao, Willsie, Hickling, and Paradis

Marco - The 10:30 game will feature the rest of the team.

Marco - Whitehead passing to Mainguy with a direct pass that Mainguy can't handle... Turnover!

Marco - Hickling, Murao, Willsie, and Paradis on the court for Canada...

Marco - Willsie with the goal after Hickling does all the work...

Marco - Canada with 3 timeouts... make that 4, and the US with 3

Marco - Fonner inbounds

Marco - Zupan with a bad pass, turnover!

Marco - US now subbing in their tall line up... with Tapec, Sumner, Hogsett, and class 1.0 Cohn

Marco - US crosses half... Sumner with the goal

Marco - Hickling follows up coast to coast with the goal for Canada

Marco - Tapec scores... 21-16 USA

Marco - Hickling picking his way through US defense over half...

Marco - US going back to the key...

Marco - Hickling in the key, Willsie with the pass and... scores!

Marco - 21-17 now for the States...

Marco - 2 minutes left... turnover US, Tapec pass on Sumner's bumper...

Marco - Canada corner in-bound deep in the US zone...

Marco - US in the key... Willsie surveying...

Marco - Canada going for last goal...

Marco - 35 secs...

Marco - 25 secs...

Marco - 20...

Marco - 15...

Marco - Canada turns the ball over...

Marco - Murao reaches...

Marco - 2.2 secs left...

Marco - Canada to start with the ball and with Murao in the box...

Marco - Time out Canada

Marco - Deuces on the floor...

Marco - Murao's penalty could prove costly...

Marco - Willsie inbounds to Rock...

Marco - Nice catch!

Marco - Deuces bail out Murao... Rock with the goal

Marco - 22-19 US

Marco - Zupan with the ball and goal

Marco - The Deuces using patience and elusiveness to score...

Marco - 24-20

Marco - Murao in-bounds to Willsie

Marco - Willsie passes to Larocque, picked by Sumner...

Marco - USA calling time out after the turnover...

Marco - US down to 2 time outs

Marco - 6:11 left in the game with Hogsett in-bounding...

Marco - bumps pass to Zupan and a goal...

Marco - Canada running HI-LO with Hickling, Whitehead, Hirschy and Paradis

Marco - US running a 3, 3, 1, 1 lineup with Zupan, Sumner, Lyduch, and Hoggsett

Marco - US on the press...

Marco - Canada breaks the press and scores...

Marco - 26-22 US

Marco - Hoggsett in-bounds the ball...

Marco - Zupan breaks the Whitehead coverage and goes coast to coast...

Marco - US setting up in the key with Sumner in the middle...

Marco - The US loves his height...

Marco - Canada calls time out

Marco - 2 time outs each...

Marco - 4:16 left

Marco - US looking to sub...

Marco - Hickling to Whitehead for the goal

Marco - US breaks the Canada press and Zupan scores

Marco - US going back to the key

Marco - Hickling to Whitehead goal

Marco - Can and US going goal for goal

Marco - Hoggsett called for 2nd contact before the whistle

Marco - US running Wilmoth, Zupan, Hoggsett and Regier

Marco - Zupan long lead pass to Wilmoth for the goal

Marco - 30-25 US with 2:48 left...

Marco - Long in-bound from Whitehead to Hickling...

Marco - Back to Whitehead for the goal...

Marco - US answers back... 31-26

Marco - Canada subs... deuces are back in the game...

Marco - Meanwhile, Fonner subs for Hoggsett for the USA

Marco - Larocque with the break away goal...

Marco - 2 minutes left... 32-27 for the US

Marco - Wilmoth on the spin

Marco - Canada on the power play...

Marco - Larocque gets the jump...

Marco - US gets the ball...

Marco - Fonner in-bounds to Zupan

Marco - to Wilmoth for the goal

Marco - 1:08 left

Marco - Willsie 1 on 1 against Regier, easy goal

Marco - Wilmoth coast to coast

Marco - Spun at the goal line for the penalty goal

Marco - 44 secs

Marco - Willsie with the goal at the corner

Marco - Murao hit hard to the floor

Marco - but he's fine

Marco - couldn't get the turnover

Marco - US scores

Marco - 8.4 secs left...

Marco - Canada sticking with the Deuces

Marco - 0.9 left Canada calls time out again

Marco - Game over. 35-30 US

Marco - The next game is scheduled to start at 10:30