First off, hot off the rumor mill and all but certain now, the Haverhill High boys basketball job, according to sources, is in the hands of Mike Trovato.
The former Central Catholic and Bentley College point guard, who most recently has dabbled into the world of AAU hoop, heading up Mass Rivals will reportedly make it official the first of next week.
Trovato has been an assistant most recently at Woburn High and before that for John McVeigh at Brooks School.
Reportedly, Charlestown and Salem, Mass., legend Jack O’Brien was interviewed this week for the post.
If the story holds, Trovato, who was contacted by The Eagle-Tribune and said nothing was finalized, will replace Bob Walsh.
His proposed presence immediately brings forth an interesting situation.
Georgetown High frosh phenom Jamie Spears has been a regular with Trovato’s Rivals summer teams the past few years. Spears’ grandfather Barry Sr., who is an assistant at Georgetown, is listed as a coach with Mass Rivals.
Jamie lives in Haverhill but attends Georgetown, where he played varsity as an 8th-grader.
Hmm.
Trovato’s rivals program also has inner-city ties to Lawrence. Could Haverhill start to tap the fertile Lawrence Boys Club pipeline, which has been so good over the years first and foremost to Central Catholic?
Things, all of a sudden, become interesting at Mansfield Gym.
Switching over to football, we took in the LHS-Masco game in the monsoon that Veterans Stadium’s turf managed to handle.
First impressions? If you haven’t seen Masco sophomore QB Chris Splinter, you’d better. The kid has the makings of a Joe Herra type.
I had a chance to talk with a couple of good guys from the Seacoast, Triton teacher/coach Jim Hounam and his sidekick Eddie Hunt, who were scouting the Lancers for the Vikes’ upcoming meeting.
Had to take the time to ask both guys, Hunt’s family is politically involved in Salisbury, as to why Triton Regional can’t afford to fund its sports. It cost players nearly $1,000 a year ago, just to play on the football team.
First off, Hounam said the user fee is a more reasonable $250 this year.
But why is there a fee anyway?
Triton is a school for the towns of Salisbury, Newbury and Rowley and Byfield. So much of that region is seasonal. Take the Longo beach shack in Salisbury. We pay taxes but don’t use the schools. So many other homes up there are the same. Think of all the seasonal places, who pay taxes and use minimal services . . . police and fire in the summer, that’s about it.
So why isn’t there more than enough cash to fund these programs?
The Triton guys listened to me vent, but didn’t really clear up the dilemma.
If anybody can help, please respond.
