Pleasant Valley Wins in the Purple Pit!

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It might have been close at the beginning, but PV got stronger as the game clock clicked down. East Stroudsburg South connected on some early passes, like the one in the photo above. Quarterback, Jakob Cirillo, made some quality and accurate passes to keep PV’s defense on its heels early in the game.

in East Stroudsburg on Friday, October 9, 2015.

Penalties were costly for both teams at times and the referees had to consult on several occasions to sort it all out. The game actually took a lot longer due to all the penalties and especially because of the time it took the refs to get it all figured out along the way.

in East Stroudsburg on Friday, October 9, 2015.

PV’s quarterback, Mikey Brown, was a double threat with his arm and his legs. He connected on some crucial passes but also gained some positive yards against the Cavalier’s defense.
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Even though the Cavaliers got behind on the scoreboard they didn’t give up. Cirillo kept throwing to his receivers and made the game more interesting.

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These high school athletes certainly can put a great game on the field! It is a privilege to have the opportunity to photograph them and try to capture their athletic skills with my cameras!

The Kickers

in Brodheadsville on Friday, October 2, 2015.

The place kickers and punters in a football game can become heroes or goats in an instant. Just look at the fate of the NFL kickers this past Sunday and how many kicks missed their mark. It is not easy being a football kicker. The pressure and conditions can all take a toll on the psyche of any kicker. Last Friday night the weather in Brodheadsville for Pleasant Valley was terrible. It was raining steadily and the wind was whipping. Consider this: being a high school kicker is hard enough in good conditions let alone these terrible conditions!

in Brodheadsville on Friday, October 2, 2015.

Photographing a kicker can be equally frustrating! A lot of action happens on every place kick, punt, and kickoff. Players and referees appear all over the field and oftentimes right  in front of the kicker! Timing is imperative, too.

I think of capturing the kickers during the game as a game within the game for us sports photographers. Newspapers, magazines, and news wires want the touchdown scores and sometimes the celebrations after the score. But then, immediately after all this exciting action, is the point after attempt. We need to get into the proper location right away or we will completely miss the extra point attempt.

Here is one more of my favorite shots I captured of a high school kicker. Kickers do not have it easy and yet win many games!

at  in Stroudsburg on Friday, September 4, 2015.

 

 

Faces in Sports Photography

in Brodheadsville on Friday, September 25, 2015.

Sometimes in sports photography it is difficult to capture the players’ faces, especially if they are wearing a helmet. Faces show emotions and passion. Last Friday night, Pleasant Valley showcased their Cubs Football Players and Cheerleaders.

in Brodheadsville on Friday, September 25, 2015.

They were introduced onto the field prior to kickoff, as parents, families, and fans cheered and supported them. It was much easier to capture some of these incredible faces!

in Brodheadsville on Friday, September 25, 2015.

in Brodheadsville on Friday, September 25, 2015.

Following the introductions of the PV Cubs, it was time for the National Anthem and the High School Alma Mater. It was during this last song that I captured this photo of a game-ready face before he strapped on his helmet for the game.

in Brodheadsville on Friday, September 25, 2015.

Faces show a lot and we should try our best to capture the athletes’ faces in sports photography!

Borre Runs Wild!

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Austyn Borre had a big night for Pleasant Valley as they faced off with William Allen. Both teams entered the game looking for their first win of the season. PV’s schedule was incredibly tough in those first three games and the team played well at times but not enough to secure a victory.

Tonight was different. Borre had three big pass receptions and ran wild all over the field. He even had a blocked punt that he recovered for another touchdown! At times he ran down the open field but there were other times when he gained tough yardage.

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PV and Austyn Borre were about to have a big night. It was a just a matter of time. I believe Borre is going to have another big night very soon!

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ESU Wins Big as Head Coach Douds Coaches His 500th Career Game!

in East Stroudsburg on Saturday, September 19, 2015.

Not just kudos to Head Coach Douds for his longevity; he still gets it done and with class!

Congratulations, Coach Douds!

I Love Football!

2015-08-30 ESU WebsiteLast week I attended the Penn State football game in State College. The Nittany Lions were hosting the Buffalo Bulls for the second game of the new season. I used to buy Manchester United football tickets from Ticket4Football.com and this time I also bought tickets there. I took my good friend and former football coach, Al Van Houten. We met my brother and my son for the pre-game activities and we visited some other friends in the RV tailgate area. Then it was game time! There is nothing quite like college football on a Saturday afternoon!

Just two days before the game I received a call from the Sports Information Director, Greg Knowlden, at East Stroudsburg University asking if I could photograph some of their football games this year. Yeah?! Of course! The only thing better for me than watching college football on a Saturday afternoon as a fan is photographing the game down on the field! So this Saturday I will be on the Eiler-Martin Stadium field to photograph the ESU game.

I covered one game last year for ESU and a few of my photos were published on their website and in the local newspaper, The Pocono Record. However, as I was doing my research before this weekend’s game, I discovered that one of my photos is featured on the 2015 East Stroudsburg University Football Media Guide! (You can see the cover below and my photo is in the upper left.) This photo was also featured in the local newspaper’s pre-season football issue.

Did I say I love football? Well, I do, don’t you?

2015 ESU FB Media Guide

 

Sometimes a Photo just Behooves a Specific Caption!

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I never quite know how photographing a football game is going to go exactly. Will I capture the winning play? Will my photos portray accurately the way the game played out?

Well, tonight I captured a photograph that told me exactly what the caption should be for this photo: “Brendan Kearns (7) and BJ Olaniyan (40) stack up the defense against Bethlehem Catholic in Brodheadsville on Friday, September 11, 2015.”

Defense is a team effort and this photo depicts two defenders making a combined tackle on an offensive player. Many times a defensive team needs to stack up together against an offense. And every once in a while, two defenders can stack up together on an opponent, as they did here!

Bears Continue Their Win Streak

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The PV Bears won another game, this time at home against East Stroudsburg North. It was a thrilling game that wasn’t completely decided until close to the end of regulation. PV struck first on a touchdown pass to Danny Hunter.

at  in Brodheadsville on Friday, October 17, 2014.

 

It was Senior Night at Pleasant Valley and before kickoff the Senior football players and cheerleaders were announced. They were accompanied by parents as they were introduced to the crowd.

at  in Brodheadsville on Friday, October 17, 2014.

Quarterback, Brandon Kuehner, had a big night and threw for two TDs. He connected with Tanner Parascando who made a circus catch as you can see in these next three photos.

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It was a very memorable night for the 2014 PV Senior Football Players!

at  in Brodheadsville on Friday, October 17, 2014.

 

 

 

 

September Photo of the Month

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For a few years now, I highlight one photo each month as “The Photo of the Month.” It typically features one of my favorite shots or one that stands out in some way above the others.

This concept gained some momentum even among the players I photograph. Some of them even mention one of their goals is to be featured in my photo of the month! I enjoy getting to know these athletes both on the field and the sidelines. They are real people who do some amazing things that I am fortunate to capture with my camera.

This month’s photo of the month was captured at an East Stroudsburg University football game. It includes some of the goals I aim for in sports photography. You can see the description of this photo here.

Pleasant Valley Rolls Over William Allen

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Pleasant Valley was looking for their first win of the season. Once they won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff, it didn’t take long. Brandon Kuehner (14) dropped back to pass on the first offensive play of the game and threw to Kevin Cruz, who turned the completion into a touchdown! PV never looked back.

They scored and they scored often–on offense and special teams. It was a victory on many levels.

Two of my photographs of the game and a photo gallery are featured in the Saturday edition of The Pocono Record.

I also posted a photo gallery of last night’s game here.

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