CR 10 - Cape 9 in Overtime

[bootsindad]

Evenly matched teams for the most part. I don't think there was ever more than a two goal differential. The lead traded back and forth.

Only two refs for a game that determined the conference championship, I would have thought that a game that important would of had three, with at least one of them having had some experience.

This post was edited on 5/7 11:26 PM by bootsindad

 

[laxdeusa]

In your opinion, was the "excessive" celebration penalty against Cape warrented?
My impression by reading the WNJ account of the game was that the penalty enabled CR to tie the game at the end while a man up. Is that what happened or did I misinterpret the article?

 

[bootsindad]

It was a little more than just high fives. They wound up with a little dog pile back behind the goal, if they had been just slapping hands on the way back towards the mid field to set up for the next TO it wouldn't have been a problem. So, yeah, that set up CR 's EMO to be able to tie it up.

 

[biglaxfan]

From newspaper photos it looked like a Cape player or two left their feet reaching into the high 5 and possibly knocked others off balance if they did fall down. The papers describe the goal as an exceptional second effort by the scorer (who likely ended up behind the goal with other players) which probably added to Cape enthusiasm.

There should be rules discouraging excessive celebration. But considering the significance of the game, the resulting game circumstance, and that it is a procedural call totally at the discretion of the referee, the ref probably made a poor decision unless it had happened previously in the game and the players and/or coaches had been warned.

It is never a good thing when an official takes the game away from the players, even if unintentionally, especially in such an important game. Hopefully, the good news is that it results in better training for inexperienced referees. Unfortunately, the rapid growth of the game makes it very difficult for the official's organization to keep up with demand. There aren't a whole lot of 30-50 year-old former lax players looking for ref jobs so I expect many new refs will be those who never played the game.

 

[PremoHoops]

Here is video footage of the final 2 goals of regulation for each team. You be the judge on the excessive celebration penalty??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPJs4IudEDI

Cape Vs CR Final Goals In Regulation

 

[lax3135]

Neither looked excessive to me. Big time goals in a big time game. I see nothing even close to excessive from Cape, and CR is exactly the reaction you'd expect from a goal like that which is why they didn't get a flag (and shouldn't have, just to be clear). If that's what Cape was penalized for, then that's really a shame.

 

[CinqueB]

Didnt look "excessive" to me. Looks like a ref putting his stamp on the game and I have no solutions for hiring and training refs.

 

[PremoHoops]

Yea neither did to me either that's why I posted the video footage so people could post what they thought of the call. It was one heck of a game.

 

[laxdeusa]

Wow! That was excessive celebration?! Who's to say CR would not have tied the game anyway but I cannot believe the ref thought that little "group hug" was excessive.

 

[WoodenStick]

Good luck tomorrow, Cape, in hostile territory.

 

[biglaxfan]

Incredible - what a senseless call! An official should NEVER impose such an influence on a game. Makes me wonder if there was a prejudice or agenda - hard to imagine it was just incompetence.

In baseball and basketball officials usually make calls with a single gesture (or whistle) but in football and lacrosse an official calls a penalty in 3 steps - the initial decision, the reaching for the flag, then throwing it. He/she also has to identify and remember a player number so they definitely have an opportunity to reconsider their action. Experienced refs know to "check-down" the process which is why you see them often reach for the flag but not throw it. This situation is especially egregious since play was already stopped giving the ref plenty of time to think it through. Sad to think such a thing likely influenced the outcome of what sounds like an otherwise great game. The video and game situation should be included in the next referee training session.

This post was edited on 5/10 7:54 AM by biglaxfan

This post was edited on 5/10 7:56 AM by biglaxfan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPJs4IudEDI

 

[biglaxfan]

Another thought . . . senseless officiating calls not only influence the teams involved, but also the possibility of several other teams being considered for playoff positions, or even to make the playoffs.

 

[DELacrosse]

The penalty was absolutely wrong and ridiculous in a big moment in such a big game. If the call wasn't made maybe Cape ends up winning the next faceoff and putting the game away but CR actually did not score on the subsequent EMO. Cape killed the penalty and then had possession of the ball but CR forced a turnover and scored to tie the game with less than 30 seconds left.

 

[DELacrosse]

I'm not sure if this is true but what I heard was that several Cape players came off the bench onto the field after they scored the goal to take the lead. I was at the game and didn't see that but either way it's still a bad call. It really was an emotional game and after something like that I wouldn't want to see Cape in the playoffs if I was CR.

 

[laxdeusa]

Thanks DELacrosse for clarifying. I was under the impression that CR scored the tying goal while a man up as a result of the excessive celebration penalty.