Kermit gets MLS Cup final gig

Kermit Quisenberry (far right) preparing with fellow referees before a big game

Louisville's Kermit Quisenberry has been chosen to officiate at this Sunday's MLS Cup final which sees Columbus Crew take on surprise packet New York Red Bulls (3.30 p.m.).

Quisenberry was one of six US referees officiating at the Beijing Olympic Games in August. His assignments included assistant referee for the Cameroon/Korea group game and the memorable Holland/Argentina quarter-final.

Two weeks ago, he was named MLS Assistant Referee of the Year, and has now been chosen as AR for the biggest occasion in United States soccer, which takes place this year at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

In 1997, Quisenberry moved to Florida to take a job as an assistant athletic trainer at Jacksonville University and became a national referee the following year. Attending amateur regional and youth games there helped him advance onto the USSF’s panel for FIFA, soccer’s world governing body.

Fab Five make District team

Five of the area's high school soccer players have been named on the 2008-9 All-District teams chosen by the Indiana Soccer Coaches' Association.

Seniors Ben Hughes (Providence) and Dylan Abrahamson (Jeffersonville), and juniors Jordan Adams (Floyd Central) and Drew Mattingly (Christian Academy of Indiana) are part of the District 5 boys' team. Floyd Central's senior midfield maestro Nikki Korte is on the girls' team.

Both Hughes and Abrahamson were named on the second team last year, but it is the first time for all five to be named on the first team.

New Albany's Stephan Kossis and Providence's Nathan Marshall were chosen on the second team.

All-District Showcase games will be held between the six selected teams this Saturday and Sunday (November 22 and 23) at North Central High School in Indianapolis.

Coaches nominated players by submitting profiles in advance of the their district meetings in October and every member coach in attendance has the opportunity to present and promote any players from their roster who are listed on the district ballot.

Each District selects 18 first team and 12 second team players. From this list, the top 18 junior and senior players are offered roster positions for the teams that compete against each other this weekend.

The stats don't lie

When I moved to the States I have to admit I was taken aback at how many statistics were out there in the sporting world, especially at high school and college level.

When I was at school, we either had a good game, a bad game or a so-so game. And you knew it too if the coach threw a lone shoe hurtling in your direction in the dressing room after said game. We remembered if we scored an amazing 40-yarder, or would remind those who were beneficiaries of our generosity after we "made" them a goal (what you call assists).

I think there can be an overkill on statistics, however, and it shows painfully so in some newspaper reports across the nation which can become a trudge to get through because of their over reliance on said facts.

However, there are times when they are useful. As they say, statistics don't lie. (Unless, of course, they are inaccurate.)

Last week came my way the stats for the Indiana High School season.
Six of the area's players are amongst the girls’ statistical leaders, compiled by DigitalSports, "the IHSAA’s exclusive athletic statistics reporting and publishing service."

What leaps out is how well New Albany junior Kaitlin Robinett and Providence senior Laura Jenkins fared. According to the statistics, Robinett was fifth highest in the state for goals per game (16 games, 30 goals, 1.9gpg), and sixth in the "points per game" list, which takes in goals and assists.

Laura Jenkins was joint 17th for goals per game (17 games, 23 goals, 1.4gpg), and joint 20th for points per game. She was also 15th for assists, averaging 12 per game.

Also listed is Providence's Casey Marlin for assists (nine assists per game) and points, while freshman Kameron Cole made a splash in her first season with New Albany and is listed with 17 games and 15 goals.

Alyssa Hendershot (Providence) and Taylor Briscoe (New Albany) make the goalkeepers' list, with goals against averages of 1.26 and 1.38 respectively.

So it begs the question: didn’t the area deserve to have more players on the All-District teams (mentioned above)?