PBI XXII (BLUE 70- GOLD 40)
MVP: Jacob Gross - 21/36, 294 yards passing, 5 TDs, 3 int; 144 yards
Referees: Oren Swagel, Jonah Gross, Zachary Gross
Pre-game “Entertainment”: Paul Blank’s dramatic reading of George Washington’s letter to the Newport synagogue
Rosters:
BLUE: Corey Hirsch, Gabriel Swagel, Ethan Walfish, Jacob Gross, Seth Cohen, Eli Lerner, Ethan Swagel, Joel Vardon, Jacob Myers, Tani Makovsky
GOLD: Harris Block, Aviv Assaraf, David May, Ilan Blask, Robbie Shorr, Brian Shorr, Jeremy Schooler, Alex Garber, Jon Sandler, Matthew Foldi
Trophies:
Most Valuable Player: Jacob Gross (donated by PBI Board)
This Game is Older Than You Award - Ethan Swagel (donated by Paul Blank)
Baby Shark Award - Joel Vardon (donated by previous PBI Board)
Worst Sportsmanship Award - Eli Lerner (donated by the Schooler family)
Tough As Nails Award- Harris Block (donated by the Hirsch family)
"Should Have Seen That One Coming" Award - Matthew Foldi (donated by Mark Krakauer)
Best TD Celebration - Ilan Blask (donated by Steven Freidkin)
Single Best Play - Tani Makovsky (donated by Daniel Ymar)
As a Driven Leaf Award: Aviv Assaraf (donated by the Shorr family)
Least Valuable Player: Jacob Myers (donated by founding PBI Board)
Referees: Oren Swagel, Jonah Gross, Zachary Gross
Pre-game “Entertainment”: Paul Blank’s dramatic reading of George Washington’s letter to the Newport synagogue
Rosters:
BLUE: Corey Hirsch, Gabriel Swagel, Ethan Walfish, Jacob Gross, Seth Cohen, Eli Lerner, Ethan Swagel, Joel Vardon, Jacob Myers, Tani Makovsky
GOLD: Harris Block, Aviv Assaraf, David May, Ilan Blask, Robbie Shorr, Brian Shorr, Jeremy Schooler, Alex Garber, Jon Sandler, Matthew Foldi
Trophies:
Most Valuable Player: Jacob Gross (donated by PBI Board)
This Game is Older Than You Award - Ethan Swagel (donated by Paul Blank)
Baby Shark Award - Joel Vardon (donated by previous PBI Board)
Worst Sportsmanship Award - Eli Lerner (donated by the Schooler family)
Tough As Nails Award- Harris Block (donated by the Hirsch family)
"Should Have Seen That One Coming" Award - Matthew Foldi (donated by Mark Krakauer)
Best TD Celebration - Ilan Blask (donated by Steven Freidkin)
Single Best Play - Tani Makovsky (donated by Daniel Ymar)
As a Driven Leaf Award: Aviv Assaraf (donated by the Shorr family)
Least Valuable Player: Jacob Myers (donated by founding PBI Board)
A buzz was in the air this year, as a new era in the Paul Blank Invitational began, with the average birth year of the players in PBI XXII at least five years later than any previous year. Spry graduates mostly from the 2013-2018 era of JDS graduating classes warmed up and shook off hangovers in the crisp, 40 degree fall air, as the Rockville breeze began to pickup around the Upper School's immaculate Rabbi David Bienenstock Stadium (AKA the lower softball field outfield mostly filled with dead grass and inconsistent leveling)—often considered the Lambeau Field of DMV Jewish Day School football stadiums.
PBI XXII began with a kickoff from the boot of one of it longest tenured players, David May, who has been known around JDS for his legendary רגל since before half of his PBI XXII teammates were born. However, May pinning the Blue team deep in their own territory to start the game would prove to be the worst field position either team started with all day. The light breeze that was found during warm-ups picked up ferociously throughout the game, as passes were knocked down, leading to PBI records of eight interceptions and 110 points, smothering the Vegas pregame total of over/under 71.5 points. Far more accurate on this day was the Talmudic over/under on total yards, naturally at 613.5.
Before the Blue team could know what hit them, they found themselves down 27-0 with just 13 minutes to go until halftime, with quarterback Jacob Gross connecting beautifully on touchdown passes to receivers Joel Vardon, Jacob Myers and Gabriel Swagel. Desperately needing a touchdown to stay in the game, Gold quarterback David May threw a beautiful spiral between outstretched blue defenders, finding Brian Shorr in the end zone. To further the newfound momentum for team Gold, May converted a two point conversion run, behind his dependable offensive line of Robbie Shorr, Harris Block and Ilan Blask. Gold capitalized on that momentum, after a Brian Shorr interception, where it seemed the Ruach* had almost as much impact on the throw as it does on Zimriyah**, and return took Gold into the red zone. May this time found Alex Garber in the end zone, and the Blue lead was cut in half. Blue scored once more before the half, as a Swagel design run on 4th down was led by blocker Seth Cohen and gave the Blue team a 35-14 lead at the break.
Gold was not let down, however, as May and wildcat QB Aviv Assaraf led two scoring scoring drives as precise and clean as a Mohel eight days after the birth of each player. Touchdowns to Jeremy Schooler on a double reverse and Ilan Blask on a goal line catch brought the score to 35-28. It appeared we'd have a ball game the rest of the way more enjoyable than a hamburgers, hot dogs and fries lunch on Wednesday meat day. Alas not, as two pick sixes (Swagel, Lerner, Makovsky) and three other Blue touchdown passes by Gross and Swagel (Gross, Vardon, Walfish) with just two Gold touchdowns in between, led to a game wackier than the JDS 10th grade Historical Figure March Madness competition. Jacob Gross, brother of multiple refs was able to win MVP (it seems his brothers may not have passed 9th grade Ethical Dilemmas), as Blue was able to overpower Gold with the ease of classic Lower School six base kickball home run.
PBI XXII began with a kickoff from the boot of one of it longest tenured players, David May, who has been known around JDS for his legendary רגל since before half of his PBI XXII teammates were born. However, May pinning the Blue team deep in their own territory to start the game would prove to be the worst field position either team started with all day. The light breeze that was found during warm-ups picked up ferociously throughout the game, as passes were knocked down, leading to PBI records of eight interceptions and 110 points, smothering the Vegas pregame total of over/under 71.5 points. Far more accurate on this day was the Talmudic over/under on total yards, naturally at 613.5.
Before the Blue team could know what hit them, they found themselves down 27-0 with just 13 minutes to go until halftime, with quarterback Jacob Gross connecting beautifully on touchdown passes to receivers Joel Vardon, Jacob Myers and Gabriel Swagel. Desperately needing a touchdown to stay in the game, Gold quarterback David May threw a beautiful spiral between outstretched blue defenders, finding Brian Shorr in the end zone. To further the newfound momentum for team Gold, May converted a two point conversion run, behind his dependable offensive line of Robbie Shorr, Harris Block and Ilan Blask. Gold capitalized on that momentum, after a Brian Shorr interception, where it seemed the Ruach* had almost as much impact on the throw as it does on Zimriyah**, and return took Gold into the red zone. May this time found Alex Garber in the end zone, and the Blue lead was cut in half. Blue scored once more before the half, as a Swagel design run on 4th down was led by blocker Seth Cohen and gave the Blue team a 35-14 lead at the break.
Gold was not let down, however, as May and wildcat QB Aviv Assaraf led two scoring scoring drives as precise and clean as a Mohel eight days after the birth of each player. Touchdowns to Jeremy Schooler on a double reverse and Ilan Blask on a goal line catch brought the score to 35-28. It appeared we'd have a ball game the rest of the way more enjoyable than a hamburgers, hot dogs and fries lunch on Wednesday meat day. Alas not, as two pick sixes (Swagel, Lerner, Makovsky) and three other Blue touchdown passes by Gross and Swagel (Gross, Vardon, Walfish) with just two Gold touchdowns in between, led to a game wackier than the JDS 10th grade Historical Figure March Madness competition. Jacob Gross, brother of multiple refs was able to win MVP (it seems his brothers may not have passed 9th grade Ethical Dilemmas), as Blue was able to overpower Gold with the ease of classic Lower School six base kickball home run.
