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What's Up on the Hill Return to TedSilary.com Home Page Tim
Gramlich, a senior, is a Chestnut Hill Academy football lineman who
doubles as the manager for the basketball team. His other interest is eating
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JAN. 25
INTER-AC LEAGUE
Chestnut Hill 47, Malvern 44
It has been a while since I've written a report and
I feel obliged to inform
all the Hillers about a classic Inter-Ac barnburner that came down to the
wire. Since I last checked in, the Blue Devils have started the Inter-Ac
League with a 4-1 record. That has got to be the best start in at least
seven years and they've turned some heads with their tough and gritty play.
This game happened to be no different. In front of a sold-out crowd both
teams played sloppy in the first half with the score being 20-18 at half.
The Blue Devils only managed 4 points in the second quarter. Sr Mike
Mattei scored 11 points in this game, 7 in the first quarter, and kept the
team in the game with tenacious defense. The headliner for the Devils once
again was emerging star and league MVP candidate Gary Lawrence, who totaled
17 pts 8 boards and 4 blocks. For the good old Friars no one really dominated
offensively but on the defensive end Freshman Lamon Church totaled seven
blocks, 8 points and altered many other shots. In the second half, the
turning point in the game was when Malvern was leading, 35-30, and Pat
Connaghan went to the line. He made the first, missed the second, got his
own rebound, and then converted on a three point play that put the Devils
within one and gave them the momentum that propelled them to this win. At
the beginning of the third quarter I turned to fellow writer and Malvern
manager Matt Thomas, and said that the first team to 40 would win this
game and that turned out to be the case when the Devils went on a 12-0
run and took the lead 42-35. The officiating in this game was bad both
ways in different times of the game. In the third quarter the Devils were
called for four straight fouls to open up the half that included a
reaching-in call on Todd Cramer while he was laying on the floor. Then a
technical was called on head coach Bill Dooley for what I would call a
light heckling of the ref. Then in the fourth, when the team fouls were 8
for CHA and 1 for Malvern the refs evened the team fouls up. This included
a foul called on Church where he blocked an open layup and was called for
the foul that resulted in two points for CHA at a crucial point in the
game. The Blue Devils managed just 27 points in the first three quarters
of the game and then exploded in the fourth for 20. Like I said earlier
the Blue Devils have opened up Inter-Ac play with a 4-1 record and have
the biggest game I would say in this decade this Tuesday at Germantown
Academy. I’m sure the “self proclaimed” best student section in the league
will be in attendance.
JAN. 3
INTER-AC PREVIEW
Basketball is back and were about 48 hours away
from the annual Inter-Ac
Tipoff Tournament at Arcadia University and the Blue Devils are sitting
pretty at 10-3 before tonight’s big test against Father Judge (8-3). First-
year coach Bill Dooley, formerly of Germantown Friends, has changed the
mentality of this program and has challenged the players to be better than
mediocre. Our schedule wasn’t the toughest, but we have won the games we
should have and this team has showed me that this is a different type of
basketball team than last years. We have already matched last year's win
total and with the Inter-Ac not having the juggernaut team this year I
think anything can happen. For us to compete in this league we will need
JR F/C Gary Lawrence to keep up his continuing improvement. In a game
down in Richmond, Virginia, over the Christmas break, Gary scored 22 points,
grabbed a career high 16 boards and had a crucial block in the waning
moments against a St. Frances (D.C.) team that had Shaun Mosley, a 6’4
guard
committed to Maryland. Senior captains Mike Lonergan, Mike Mattei and
JR Mike Rhoads all provide leadership and the intangibles for a winning
program.
Newcomers Soph Pat “THE KICKER” Connaghan and Soph Todd Cramer are
solid players who will contribute this year and could emerge as key
players in league play. Off the bench JR PG Ryan Duffy will contribute
solid minutes and is a fan favorite.