GOAL ORIENTED; RITTER PROVING IMPENETRABLE.Byline: Brian Dalziel Daily News Staff Writer Brad Ritter's mother, Elaine, vividly remembers the day her son was born almost four weeks premature on May 24, 1980. ``Because his muscle tone was bad, (doctors) thought he had cerebral palsy cerebral palsy (sərē`brəl pôl`zē), disability caused by brain damage before or during birth or in the first years, resulting in a loss of voluntary muscular control and coordination. ,'' she said. ``We had to register with the state for future wheel chairs. ``He would just lay in his crib and he was sloppy slop·py adj. slop·pi·er, slop·pi·est 1. Marked by a lack of neatness or order; untidy: a sloppy room. 2. . I looked at him and thought he would never play sports.'' About four months later, doctors reassured re·as·sure tr.v. re·as·sured, re·as·sur·ing, re·as·sures 1. To restore confidence to. 2. To assure again. 3. To reinsure. the Ritter rit·ter n. pl. ritter A knight. [German, from Middle High German riter, from Middle Dutch ridder, from r family that Brad didn't have cerebral palsy. The poor muscle tone resulted from Brad's premature birth premature birth Birth less than 37 weeks after conception. Infants born as early as 23–24 weeks may survive but many face lifelong disabilities (e.g., cerebral palsy, blindness, deafness). and his mother's diabetes, doctors told them. Brad was a normal child who developed into quite an athlete. Today, Saugus High is reaping the benefits - especially the soccer team. Ritter, a senior playing in his first varsity season, almost has been unbeatable in the nets for the Centurions. The 6-foot, 180-pounder has helped his squad to a 3-0-3 mark in the Foothill League (6-6-6 overall), one-game behind first-place Hart in the standings. In 10.5 games, Ritter has seven shutouts - five coming in league, where he's allowed just one goal. ``Brad is doing what any keeper is supposed to do - keep us in the game,'' Saugus coach Nate Wright Nate Wright played professional American football in the NFL from 1969-1980. Professional Career Wright earned All-Pro honors at defensive back in 1974 and 1976. He career consisted mostly of time as a defensive back with the great Minnesota Vikings teams of the 1970s. said. ``He's doing a great job.'' The 18-year-old Ritter, who is an outfielder on the baseball team, had a choice to make last season. Because there were two senior goalkeepers, Wright asked Ritter if he wanted to play on the junior varsity junior varsity n. Abbr. JV A high-school or college team that competes in interschool sports on the level below varsity. Noun 1. . ``We talked early in the season and I said, `Do you want to sit or play? And he didn't have any problem with going to the JVs,' '' Wright said. ``His parents even felt it would be best for him.'' The choice wasn't as easy for Ritter. ``It was a tough decision, because most of my friends were on the varsity,'' Ritter said. ``I would have liked to have been with my friends, but I didn't want to sit the bench. I was disappointed, but what are you going to do?'' Instead of sulking over it, Ritter took advantage of playing every day, which Wright said helped him coming into his senior season. ``It was more valuable for him to play JV, because by playing he gets better,'' Wright said. ``If he sat all season, he would have gotten rusty rust·y adj. rust·i·er, rust·i·est 1. Covered with rust; corroded. 2. Consisting of or produced by rust. 3. Of a yellowish-red or brownish-red color. 4. . He didn't gripe gripe v. To have sharp pains in the bowels. n. 1. gripes Sharp, spasmodic pains in the bowels. 2. A firm hold; a grasp. about playing JV and then came in this year and said it's my turn.'' Wright describes Ritter as a ``straight up and down goalie,'' which means he's not as mobile as some goalkeepers diving to his left and right. But Ritter proved Wright wrong last Friday when Saugus faced Hart. ``He made four or five saves that were critical, and two of those were outstanding,'' Wright said. ``In the first half, he made a save going to his left and made and excellent stop. ``In the second half, one of their guys got around our fullback and drove the ball hard and low near the goal, and Brad was right on the goal line and caught it. ``It was like he stepped it up a notch notch (noch) incisure; an indentation on the edge of a bone or other organ. aortic notch dicrotic n. cardiac notch 1. . He really put on a show. Maybe I underestimated his lateral movement Lateral movements are movements made on a horse that are used for training purposes, that involve the horse moving in a direction other than straight forward. They vary in difficulty, and should be used in a progressive manner, according to the training and physical limitations of .'' Wright calls Ritter a thinking goalie. ``He's always at the right angles (on shots),'' Wright said. ``And he reads the game well and that takes time and maturity to develop. He understands the game and the opposing team's offense and how they'll attack. ``Every game you can tell Brad is focused on the game.'' It should come as no surprise that the Centurions are doing so well. When Ritter was goalkeeper on the JV team as a sophomore, he and his peers captured the Foothill League championship, and he had 13 shutouts in 20 games that season. ``Basically it's the same group of guys,'' Ritter said. ``We were just hoping (at the time) that the talent would get together again and do well.'' That talent is certainly evident this season. But can Saugus pull together for another league crown? ``I hope so,'' Ritter said. ``We've been playing strong and have a lot of momentum right now. We just have to keep working hard. ``The defense has been really strong and fast, so I've had very few breakaways to defend. The defense does a good job clearing the ball and they all work together. ``They've just been playing really well.'' And so has Ritter. THE RITTER FILE Name: Brad Ritter. School: Saugus High. Sport: Soccer, baseball. Positions: Goalie, outfielder. Class: Senior. Height/weight: 6-foot, 180 pounds. 1998-99 soccer stats: Has recorded seven shutouts - five coming in the Foothill League, where he's allowed just one goal. CAPTION(S): Photo, Box PHOTO Saugus High goalkeeper Brad Ritter, having learned his lessons at the junior varsity level, is excelling on the varsity team In the United States and Canada and UK, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, or high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of . Shaun Dyer / Special to the Daily News BOX: (Ran in SAC Sac: see Sac and Fox. SAC - 1. An early system on the Datatron 200 series. [Listed in CACM 2(5):16 (May 1959)]. Edition only) THE RITTER FILE (see text) |
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