RallyNorth.net: High School Sports – Merrimack Valley and Southern NH

Great news.

In their last 436 meetings–summer, fall, winter—20th century–21st century—night games, day games, twilight games—SJP has beaten CC two times—the last one when a guy averaging 1.1 for his career, scored 18. I’m sniffing victory #3 for the Eagles (does the architect who designed SJP’s “gym” still have his license?—just wondering).

But wait—Luis and Lucas swarming SJP on AFC championshp Sunday—maybe not—the more I think about it, I think it’s win # 435 for the Raiders over the “Couldn’t get into Governors” Eaglets

CC is #1 in every poll in the world—so, does anyone understand Heck’s slur on the Raiders—-puck dumpers?

Heck professes to dislike scrimmages like the Raiders 90-45 thumping of St P Marion (ESPN # 8)—but remember last year when he was touting Brooks scrimmage win over CC—he can be a pretty inconsistent behemoth, that Heck—he didn’t think CC’ s beat down of all those ranked teams in the fall and pre-season this year meant anything–hey , he could be right

And, Heck , how about getting someone on the terrible, terrible injury to Brooks brilliant guard, David Beroa? A tremendous student and a better young man—he will endure

Hey, anyone catch Heck’s little dig on the Raiders last week? He didn’t have a seat at the recent CC/AHS game but he didn’t feel he was entitled to one unlike last year when he flipped out when CC gave a stage seat to Heck’s fellow Gargantuan, Danny Ventura, while he had none

These games never start on time so even though they did move it they should have made it 11:30 and 1:00 IMO.  Good example was tonights CC vs MHS the Varsity game started around 7:50 with only 10 minute warm-up after jv game.

Seriously, this is the venom we’ve been looking for, and seriously, the pro-CC crowd does it best.
Welcome back to the fold, Leo, which ever Leo you are.
I love the shots, so I’ll take them one at a time.

As for all the SJP stuff … I’m no big fan of SJP … but didn’t Connaughton hang a pair of losses on the Raiders last winter? Yes. As for baseball, who knows who wins those games, because the Central coach chooses not to count the games. (Ooopsss, that one has gotten me in hot water over their so I will let it go).
And in football, hasn’t that matchup been just about even over the years?
Remember the Joe Bozek “Poison” punt return win for the Raiders? I loved that one.
But, back to your attempted rips at me:

The “dump-and-chase” comment was not about CC’s talent or style, it was about a rut they seemed to be in early, against Pinkerton Academy.
Maybe that’s why Coach Nault has been angry at me lately. It was no knock, it was an observation. They certainly cured themselves of that quickly, even without Luis.
Right now, they deserve the No. 1 in EMass. I’d have to agree.
How long have you been holding in the scrimmage shot? I’ll back up my use of that scrimmage and combine it with young McVeigh’s crew running stride for stride with nationally-ranked St. Mark’s last year, and say it’s a bit more relevant than Central thumping St. Peter-Marian.

Really, behemoth? A lovable big man, maybe, but behemoth???? That hurts.

We’ll look into the Berroa thing, thanks.

And CC/AHS dig at the Raiders? Sorry, as much as I dislike heaping praise on any administrator, Andover put out a couple tables for the media, I was late to the party. That was on me.
Gargantuan? Seriously?
You seem like a cold, cold person.

Sincerely,
Heckter

Gotta love ya, Heck—glad you’re back

I was afraid that you had forsaken us forever for the sumptious and free Pats pre-game buffet

Eastabos over the farm boys by 20 or 30

No, no—434-2—CC over SJP in hoops—just hoops

Hector

Please don’t confuse that Leo with this Leo. I’ve been resting and girding my loins for February’s battles. For now, you can wrestle with that disrespectful JV player, Leo12

Leo26

OK, when you said winter, spring, fall, summer, etc., I got confused.
Really, 20-30 over NA???? That’s a big number. Wow

you even call yourself the Big Hec…you actually think you;re a big deal…Heck,,,you drop nuggets then run leaving others to pick up pieces and you wonder why parents, coaches and kids get upset with you? how old are you anyway?

My father was Big Hec in my family. I use it as a screen name to honor his memory.

What nuggets are you talking about?

You’re a Central guy. Grab yourself a stack of CC yearbooks from the 1980s and you can figure out how old I am.

You’re right. He’s strictly JV material. My apologies for ever confusing you with him.

Heck

JV, huh?

If I’m JV how come I have to do all the heavy lifting around here?

I have to stir the damn drink, every time. (Heck, if you had to depend on LEO26 for your stuff, you’d be selling balloons at Xmas parades for a living)

So what about the very speedy rise of Whittier?  Playing up against Pentucket, Everett–what’s up w that?  What about your boy Mikey,—scared to death to play vs Tom Sipsey’s boys, I’ll bet.

Heck–what about the rumors that Sips is looking at CC’s head coaching job?  Huh?  See if LEO26 can help you with that!

Wait—Heck—you’re telling me that job is filled?  Well, I hear that Mr Cue Ball is getting some nibbles from D3 AND 2 schools–seems like he’s a little bit of a commodity these days.  And is his WSC old coach now at the Q interested in the Rickmeister?  There’s no law against asking–so dont everybody get all p—y on me, now.

Sipsey (“Smooth Operator”) is building up that resume—oh, he’s a slick one and AMBITIOUS!

Keep your eye on this late breaker, Heck.

Just think only a few weeks to go and old LEO26 comes back with some golden tales of olden times—he’s really going to spice things up

OK, here we go one at a time … Rise of Whittier?
No doubt Tommy does a good job, but Whittier is on a huge athletic role. Look at football and baseball. That basketball struggled for a while was not understandable. Now, that league has lost its power.
Greater Lawrence is down, Lynn Tech is down. The rest? Other than Chelsea, there isn’t much.
That said, Pentucket is not playing up. It’s the same level. Everett, not sure where Tom came up with that one.

Ricky has been rumored over years to be moving on up, moving on out. It’s the greatest job in the history of hoop jobs, but maybe he wants more.
Good for him, good coach, good guy, hard worker … not sure why he’s holding a grudge but whatever …
Sips would be a fit at CC. But before you go overboard, nobody at Haverhill is ducking Whittier Tech. They should play every year, and I bet Trovato would welcome it. I think Sips can coach iet, too. But there’ll be a thigh-high pile of resumes if that job opens.

I got to say, great stuff between you 2. If true about RN moving up to collage level that is great for him, take a look at his resume. He will go down as a legend at CCHS. I can’t understand why coach Trovato is taking so much heat. He’s in the MVC 1 with the likes of LHS, CCHS and AHS. CCHS get all the talent from all over the state, LHS builds there team though the boy’s club and AHS keeps all their kids back a year or 2 to compete with LHS and CCHS. No way can any other team in MVC 1 compete with the top 3 teams. Losing Nelson and Noah to other schools doesn’t help. Just think if these 2 stay home in Haverhill. So, how does coach Trovato get the blame for his team not winning? Put him in MVC 2 he would be in 1st place and up for coach of the year. There’s the different between playing in MVC 1 and playing in MVC 2

Huge point by you.

I want to bring up how bad things are at HHS … not with Mike or his program, but the school …

I am going to bring up a guy I’ve gotten to know through the travel hoop process over the last couple years quite well.
This is a guy who is so Haverhill, his blood runs brown and gold, through and through.
This is a guy that when I told him that I wanted to change the Haverhill Travel Hoop colors to Maroon and Gold (Whittier Tech colors), threatened to stop with his involvement in the program and pull his kid.
His kid is an average hoop player and an above average golfer.
Now, did I mention this guy is childhood friends with Haverhill High golf coach Kevin Murphy?
When it comes time for HS, he decides to send the kid to Central.
Why? Not because of Mike and the hoop program. The kid probably plays at HHS, freshmen and JV, with a chance at a year or two of varsity.
At CC, you’re talking intramurals.
And golf? The kid could play for one of his dad’s great buddies – with a solid, established program, or in a top-notch D1 program at CC.
He chooses CC. Because of the school, not Mike or any other coach. And that’s a problem for Haverhill.
He’s losing those kids.
Tyler Nelson wouldn’t have gone to Haverhill if Coach K ran the show.
It’s not Mike. It’s the school. And the attitude around it, the old-timers who piss all over everyone in the city and do nothing about it. And it’s about the younger folks in town, who say they are too busy or just don’t want to make a difference.

LHS doesn’t rebuild thru the boys club….Boys club considers any of their kids who there failures. PN has little to no connects with the club…now CCHS on the other hand builds it’s program thru the club and the othe 35 communities it draws from

Some observations:
1.  Hector makes some great points concerning Haverhill.  Some people are blind to the fact that sometimes kids go places for reasons other than just sports.
2.  On Nault going to college, to quote the great Larry Klimas: “Are you sh.t..ng me”. He has a great gig going, he wants to give it up for bus trips to Keene State.
3.  Nice adjustment of the time Central Catholic, it helps no one.  The boys game will not start at 1:30.  
4.  Being a female poster I would like to meet one of the Leo’s.
5.  Who the hell is Tom Sipsey? 

If Ricky N ever leaves you may see another heavy hitter like Jack O’Brian coming back to high school basketball for a job like CC.

Couldn’t agree more.  Most times, high school decisions are not about sports, but rather about a school’s culture. 

Hec, you took me to the woodshed pretty good when I dared to write a month ago that Central’s goal should be to hold opponents to 45 ppg. Well, we’re about halfway in and the average is 47.3.  In five of the eleven wins they’ve held the opponent to 45 or less.  Yes, two of those are Methuen, but take out the Methuen games and you’re still only a 3-pointer away from holding the opponent to 45 ppg.  RN coaches defense like no one else.  And with Luis back, look out.

And speaking of RN, where do these ‘movin on up’ rumors come from.  Silly, just silly.

Finally, and way off topic, any updates on the Federick footballer from Salem re: college choice?  Based on the 55M dash time, the kid might want to consider a track scholarship, instead. 

CC by 12 on Sunday.  Could this be the first of three CC-SJP games this year?