Eight games in eight straight nights for these eyes, and North Andover vs. Reading delivered as the top game of them all, so far.
What a comeback, even though North Andover, which fought back like a champion, came out on the short end.
Watching Steve Boudreau squeeze every ounce of guts, talent and ability out of his 6-foot frame is absolutely inspiring.
Let’s just be nice. Talent wise, the knights weren’t in Reading’s class. But their heart, led by Boudreau, was nearly the great equalizer. Congrats to a heck of a player in Evan Smotrycz and one heck of a supporting cast for the Rockets. Good luck, this one was hard-earned.
Speaking of folks and their A games. This one was near-perfect on the officials’ end. Of course, I’ve come to expect that when Jimmy Slattery (I think it’s Jim, folks, help me out if I’m wrong) is toting the whistle. They were in charge, yet let the athletes, the stars like Smotrycz, Boudreau and Sean McManus decide the outcome. There were no bad touch fouls to get the stars in trouble. And it was a nice, clean, thoroughly entertaining game.
Also, nice job by the folks at Methuen, doing the right stuff to make this one special.
AD Jim Weymouth is to be commended, first for averting a pre-game scoreboard disaster when a wrong wire was cut.
Then, at the site, there’s Weymouth, wheeling out sections of stands so the North Andover band (A++++++, again Knight band. Super Job!) could sit together and support their team.
He wheeled out tables for the press and had a quality crew set up to mann the site, including top-flight game announcer Ray Pilate.
Both schools’ student sections were electric. Outstanding stuff, all the way around.
Random thought: Is my crew the only one, planning on an early dinner stop at Kitty’s in North Reading, before heading over to Central-Charlestown at 7 p.m. Tuesday night? I have to figure this to be a popular idea.
