All right, some thoughts on Central Catholic and whether as one friend said, we should just line up a four out of seven series between the Raiders and Brockton to decided the EMass title:
Bishop Hendricken didn’t win, but the Rhodeys (not their true nickname but it sounds cool) might have done more to lessen the aura of invincibility surrounding the Raiders for all the other teams in Eastern Mass.
If you missed the thriller, you missed a heck of a good “team,” in Hendricken. Coach Jamal Gomes (Pretty sure I covered the Merrimack games when he played Bryant???) runs a dandy program.
Hendricken had a handful of players. Five or six guys finished off sweet plays, looking like scorers. They have the marquee senior in the state in Baron and a great-looking sophomore swing type in Ricardo Ledo.
Also, remember, they were without the 6-foot-5 Barbosa kid, who was rated a top 10 kid in the state as well.
Hendricken’s pace and pressure took Carson desrosiers out of the offense on a day in which the big guy didn’t shoot it well.
Gomes blitzed Billy Marsden and enveloped Desrosiers, using the running game to Hendricken’s advantage.
Central needed Carson in the backcourt to break the press.
The running game forced Desrosiers into nothing but trailing jumpers much of the night and the collapsing defense forced the ball elsewhere. He got away from the box where over the last few weeks he’s been unstoppable.
Now, in this one, Central got just enough out of the Wheeler-Zenevitch-Garcia-Alvarez-Pena … yes Pena … crew to win it.
They came in spurts, Zenevitch had some good minutes, then Alvarez made a couple and finally Pena.
But the ball was in these guys’ hands, not CD’s and to some point not Marsden, who did have a bundle of shots, mostly contested.
If it wasn’t for Rick Nault’s switch in the fourth to the extended 2-3 zone,
Central might have lost, but it was a bigtime coaching move and his players, again on a down day with the flu running rampant, hung on with some grit.
Carson might not have been the “phenom” he is usualy, but on the toughness meter, his stock soared. He couldn’t get a call when he went to the hole, just one of those things I guess, but when the offense was slowed down and Hendricken attacked elsewhere, eliminating the blocked shot from the repertoire, CD just owned every rebound. Yes, for a flash there was that “Leo Parent style” hunger, and it was a little scary.
Fun stuff, again, all the way around.
OK, turning the page, just a huge one in the Commonwealth Conference where 11-1 Lynn Tech hits the Tarbox Gym in West Andover for a title-deciding date with the 10-1 Reggies.
Admittedly, this is not one of Marvin Avery’s overwhelming championship squads coming up from Lynn, but the Tigers are very athletic and very good.
This is a crucial time for “Teflon” Don Celestin and the boys, who play for the title then prep for the D3 North tourney.
As much as I like Harry’s boys down at Watertown in D3 North, the Reggies and North Reading, who meet coming up, could be factors, if not true potential champs in the sectional.
Love, the 4:45-5 p.m. start time for the Regaroos, it allows me to then slide down Route 113 for the nightcap, pitting Methuen and Dracut.
Each has four league losses, meaning the winner is all but assured of winning the MVC Small.
Of course, this one will center on the health of Ranger hotshot Edwin Gonzalez, who has missed time with an ankle problem.
I’m thinking that I’ll go River street, up one exit on 93 to 113 into Dracut. The dilemma here is who can give me a quick place for dinner along the way. I’m thinking a sub, but I want something good, something I’ll remember.
Any ideas out there???
Where’s Beas when you need them?
For you youngsters, Beas was mad good in my day. Oh those memories of my father bringing home cutlet subs late Friday nights. You wonder why I am what I am. A 13-year-old kid knocking down a large cutlet at 11 p.m. That was smart.
Nothing was better than cutlet sub with Jolly Treat, or even better, Cott’s root beer.
But i digress.
I need a sandwich stop, folks. Help a brother out.
A couple of other pretty good ones on the slate with Lawrence at Lowell and Haverhill at CC.
Can the Lancers step it up and sting Lowell, like Andover did?
And can the Hillies, who need two wins with Central, Lowell and a two-game tourney ahead, qualify?
An upset of the mighty Raiders would go a long way for Trovato’s 8-8 Hilltoppers. They’d have to fly in Al Michaels for his “Do You Believe in Miracles,” for the Brown and Gold to go down and win on Hampshire Street.
Well, I’m hooped, I mean pooped.
Remember: We’ll check in with an updated Fantastic Four on Wednesday night, 6-8 p.m., as I venture into the world of live-blogging again.
Please join me, if you’re not too busy. I will venture into the postseason, looking at some potential matchups and seedings, contenders for the D1,2,3,4 North crowns.
