RETOONING; KENNEDY ACTUALLY IMPROVED AFTER STAR PLAYER WAS INJURED.Byline: Gerry Gittelson Daily News Staff Writer If Kennedy's boys' volleyball team advances past the second round, credit Jeff Toon's unstable ankle. Toon, the Cougars' 6-foot-7 center of attack, sprained it April 18 in the Tournament of Champions. The team responded by regrouping and winning two of its past three matches to hold on to second place in the Northwest Valley Conference. The Cougars actually improved when Toon was sidelined. ``It's good I've been out,'' he said. ``When it happened, people said, `Oh, great.' But it showed them they can play without me. I think it gave them confidence.'' Confidence was notably absent when Toon got injured in·jure tr.v. in·jured, in·jur·ing, in·jures 1. To cause physical harm to; hurt. 2. To cause damage to; impair. 3. . After trying to block a hit, his weight shifted as he came down and he turned his right ankle. ``I felt excruciating pain for a couple of minutes,'' he said. ``Then came the throbbing throb intr.v. throbbed, throb·bing, throbs 1. To beat rapidly or violently, as the heart; pound. 2. To vibrate, pulsate, or sound with a steady pronounced rhythm: and swelling. It looked like a big grapefruit grapefruit, pomelo (pŏm`əlō), or pummelo (pum`məlō), citrus fruit (Citrus paradisi) of the family Rutaceae (orange family). .'' This was followed by a team letdown letdown 1. the sudden flush of milk flow that occurs when the calf begins to suck or when milking commences in a properly prepared cow. Depends for its occurrence on the release of oxytocin from the pituitary gland in response to massage of the teats and udder. . Kennedy failed to advance out of its pool. But something good happened the following week. Players played better and beat Granada Hills in five games. The Cougars had defeated Granada Hills earlier this season in five games with Toon. ``Instead of abandoning ship, it was row for their life,'' Kennedy coach Mike Stanton William Michael (Mike) Stanton (born June 2, 1967 in Houston, Texas) is a left-handed specialist relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds. From 1989 through 2006, Stanton has posted a 67-60 record with a 3. said. ``This team showed you can beat a formidable team in Granada without Jeff.'' Instead of letting down after beating Granada Hills, Kennedy held on and beat Cleveland in three (as it had earlier with Toon), clinching second place in the conference. Who stepped up? Outside hitter Daniel Brookshire and setter setter: see sporting dog. setter Any of three breeds derived from a medieval hunting dog that would set (lie down) when it found birds so that it and the birds could be covered with a net. Setters have long hair on the ears, chest, legs, and tail. Andrew Choy were two. Brookshire put up Toon-like numbers with 31 kills against Granada Hills. Choy's assists also increased and his leadership never more valuable. ``I had to take control of the team and I did,'' Choy said. Toon, meanwhile, received assurance from Cal State Northridge coach Jeff Campbell Jeff Campbell (Born August 25, 1979) is a New Zealand soccer player who has represented his country at U20, U23 and senior levels. The attacking midfielder made his debut for the All Whites against Jamaica in January 2000 and collected 13 caps (5 goals). that his scholarship was set and his injury probably wasn't serious. Campbell was right. Toon started practicing Wednesday and was cleared by doctors Thursday. CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS All matches 7 p.m. Div. 4-A: Birmingham at Palisades Palisades, cliffs along the west bank of the Hudson River, NE N.J. and SE N.Y., extending from N of Jersey City, N.J., to the vicinity of Piermont, N.Y., with a general altitude of from 350 ft to 550 ft (107–168 m). , Banning at Taft, Bell at Kennedy, Chatsworth at Westchester, Venice at Granada Hills. Div. 3-A: LACES at Monroe, Franklin at Van Nuys, Hamilton at Sylmar, Fremont at Poly, Canoga Park at Eagle Rock. CAPTION(S): Photo, Box Photo: Kennedy High volleyball star Jeff Toon has recovered from an ankle injury that sidelined him for two weeks. Hans Gutknecht/Daily News Box: CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS (See Text) |
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