THE ANCHOR-Diocese of fall River-Thurs. feb. 26, 1976
15
SCHOOLBOY SPORTS IN THE DIOCESE By PETER J. BARTEK
Norton High ,Coach
Seventeen Area Hoop Teams Begin Championship Journey Seventeen schools from within the confines of diocesan territorial limits will embark on the championship trail this week when the Eastern Massachusetts Schoolboy B~sketball tournament commences. Predictably the unpredictable transpires over winners of the three divithe course of this gala single The sional titles in the South secelimination tourney. Only tional will join the divisional ti:he "elite" from the school- tlists from the North and West-
boy ranks qualify for event and any school is capable of stringing together the four victories needed to earn the title Eastern Mass champion. There are no clear cut favorites entering the extravaganza. All teams participating have either won their respective league championships or, a minimum, of 59 per cent of their games. There is no such thing as a soft touch in tourney competition. Under the new format, local schools will vie for the right to represent Southern Massachusetts in the state finals which will be staged in mid March.
ern Mass. to form the field for the state playoffs. Alignment of schools within divisions for the tourney is accomplished strictly on male enrollment in grades 10-12 basis. The largest schools compete for Division I honors while the smallest battle for the Division III crown. Only two local schools have qualified for play in Division I. Durfee High of Fall River and Attleboro both from Southeastern Massachusetts Conference Division I. Realistically, Attleboro's chances of success are limited while Durfee's are good.
Level of Competito,:, Sets Tourney Tone The Hilltoppers have been impressive all year enroute to their second consecutive league title. The fact that they have not been seriously challenged could hurt against stronger competition, or prove their suspected superiority. Durfee makes its tourney debut tomorrow evening against the winner of the Braintree-Quincy game in Taunton. Many schoolboy baskeball followers believer that the level of competition experienced during the course of the regular season sets the tone for the tourney. In Durfee's case the competition has not been consistently strong, but for Dartmouth and Bishop Connolly High of Fall River the situation was reversed. The Indians and the Cougars who will participate in Division II of the state tourney competed against
Conference Division I opponents all season. Dartmouth will be tested by Roslindale while Connolly meets Rockland in opening round action. It will be interesteing to compare the fate of both with qualifiers from Division II of the Conference. Qualifiers from that bracket include Somerset, Seekonk and Barnstable. Somerset and Barnstable are paired off against each other in preliminary action scheduled for tonight at 7:00 at Old Rochester High in Mattapoipoisett. Seekonk plays Westwood in its first tourney game. Dighton-Rehoboth will step up a division from its Conference III position to compete against schools of equal size. The Falcons will be the only team from the area moving up a notch from Conference placement.
Oliver Ames Area's Best in Division II Of the seven area clubs chas- their small enrollments. Both ing the Division II title, OJiver are expected to fare well. Ames High of Easton is the only New Bedford Vocational and non-Conference team. The Tigers Norton will also play in the III will represent the Hockomock League as champions of that 10 bracket along with three repreteam circuit. On paper and per- sentatives of the Cape and Isformance OA appears to be the lands League. The latter includes diocesan's strongest representa- Martha's Vineyard, Sandwich and Nauset. The eighth area tive in the second grouping. Tonight's docket lists Oliver school in the division is SouthAmes against the winner Of the eastern Regional of Easton and Burke-Plymouth-Carver game at the Mayflower League. Brockton while Dighton-RehoAll preliminary rounds of the both will meet Boston Trade at tournament will be completed Bridgewater. by tomorrow. The survivors will Wareham and Bishop Feehan advance to the quarter finals High of Attleboro, who battled . which will be held tomorrow and Somerset and Seekonk for the Saturday. The semi-finals in all Conference's Division II crown, divisions are slated for Wedneswill participate in Division III day, March 3, and the finals for of the state playoff because of the following Saturday, March 6.
...:: CYO ALL-STARS: Excitement marked the Junior CYO All-Star Tournament, held at
Anawan Street CYO Center, Fall River, as Taunton All-Stars defeated Attleboro in the first game, then Fall River nipped New Bedford for the right to play Taunton for the cham,pionship., In a well-played game, the Fall River Stars squeezed out a 47-46 victory to take the tournament. Named to the All-Tourney Team were Alan Berard and Brian Donnelly, Fall River, Bill Williams, New Bedford, Scott Clemmey, Taunton. At top, from left, Alan Berard, All-Star; Tim Leary, Taunton, MVP; Brian Donnelly and Scott Clemmey, AllStars. Bottom, left, Leary goes up for a shot; right, so does Clemmey.
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