High Flyin' Viking, Basketball 2009

High Flyin' Viking
Basketball 2008-09

Tom Zulewski is a senior at Archbishop Wood. He plays baseball, plans to study journalism in college and envisions being a sports writer. He's a rabid hockey fanatic, especially the Flyers, and has already established himself as one of our all-time stalwarts. Now, he's also the sports editor of Wood's school paper.
Tom may be reached at flyersfan91@verizon.net.

FEB. 25
WOOD SEASON WRAPUP
Even though the season ended in defeat for the Vikings to the eventual champs N-G, the Vikings have a lot to be proud of this season. Coming into the year no one knew what to expect from this team. Heck, I don’t think the coaching staff did either. Quickly Wood established themselves as one of the best teams in the PCL Blue. They had their ups and downs throughout the season, but for the most part this year was a major success. The Vikings captured their second ever playoff win in school history by defeating Conwell-Egan. I truly believe next year the Vikings are going to make some noise and compete for a title. Yeah, there is that powerhouse in South Philly they have to deal with, along with a very talented Archbishop Carroll. I think playing Carroll and Neumann a combined five times can only help Wood for next year. It’s all about experience. They tasted playoff success this year but I know they want more. For the most part with the exception of Sean "Smac” McCartney and Tim Fahy, the nucleus of the team will remain intact. Fran “Doc” Dougherty established himself this year as a very good player. Fran just needs to bulk up a bit, which I’m sure he knows about. If he does that and shows a bit more fire and aggression he will be dominant. Joe Getz, who will be only a junior next year, knows what he needs to do in the offseason. If Joe could just grow a couple of more inches, which he probably will, he’s going to be special. Heck, he already is. Brian O’Grady I know will come out determined next year to prove all those coaches wrong who didn’t vote him to any of the coaches' all-league teams. Personally, I think that was joke. Brian was a absolute monster on the glass for the Vikings this year. He’s the emotional leader of the team no doubt. When called upon he can also throw one down for the crowd. He’s just a tremendous athlete who can only get better. The scary thing is, basketball is his second best sport. I can’t wait to see what tricks he has up his sleeve for baseball this year. Overall it was an absolute pleasure to cover this team. I want to thank Coach Tait and his coaching staff for being so sincere and nice to me. Manager Brian Finley, for all his help. All of the guys on the team for playing their butts off and giving it all they got. Mr. Getz for his always entertaining post game chats. Finally, most importantly Ted Silary. Ted it’s been a pleasure to write for you website. The opportunity you have given me has been tremendous. Whether traveling out to Hershey with the football team, or going to famous gyms of the The Pit, Looney Bin, Burrdome, and the granddaddy of them all, the Palestra. Or how about those embarrassing pictures you took of me wearing that goofy Burger King-type crown at the homecoming game versus LC. I can’t thank you enough. As you all may know I will be graduating it the spring and heading off to college in the fall. I will be staying local, attending Penn State Abington for two years. So don’t be surprised if I check back in once and a while but it won’t be on a regular basis. I would be foolish not to mention the success of the girls' basketball team this year. Way to go Lady Vikings on a another tremendous year. Yeah, I know it ended the same way AGAIN with ANOTHER loss to Carroll at the Palestra. It’s disappointing, but there are the district and state playoffs to look forward to. How could anyone forget the upset of Cardinal O’Hara, who that week was proclaimed the No. 1 team in the nation. Or the funny and eventful opening night of the playoffs versus N-G. Beating former coach Jackie Hartzell and Archbishop Ryan. How about the tourney in Ohio? All great memories for sure. Yes, the wonder girl Ashley Robinson will be taking her game to Saint Joe’s next year. That will hurt for sure. But the Lady Vikings have great young talent in their system. There is no doubt in my mind they will be in the title hunt again next year. What a year it has been for Archbishop Wood athletics. Long after the '09 class has graduated, we’ll still be talking about this unforgettable year. From the football team going to state title game, girls swimming winning Districts, both boys and girls soccer making the state playoffs. Even both bowling teams had success this year. The future is looking bright in Vikingland.
(Ted's note: Thank YOU for everything, Tom. What a stalwart you have been! You never failed to provide information/insights/entertainment and often had your reports finished, seemingly, before the lights went off in the stadiums/gyms -- smile. All the best, Tom! I hope you received expressions of appreciation along the way from athletes/parents. Richly deserved!)

FEB. 11
CATHOLIC QUARTERFINAL
Wood 49, Conwell-Egan 37
   Once again another classic between the Archbishop Wood and Conwell-Egan. Before the game I was talking to the man who runs this site, and he gave me a stat I thought was very interesting. These two teams have combined for only 2 playoff wins in school history. I was surprised by that stat given both schools' athletic success. This game was either going to be tight close game, or a blowout. If you showed up to the game during the first quarter you might have thought it was going to be the latter. The Vikings came out on fire. They quickly jumped out to early 8-0 lead. Joe Getz looked like a man on a mission. I talked to him after school today and said “ I’m hyped up for this one.” Boy was he ever. I think he was playing with a chip on his shoulder tonight. Trying to prove his critics wrong by selecting him to third team All-Catholic. Should have made second team in my opinion, but oh well. Joe had a terrific game both offensively, and on defense. He finished with a total of 11 points tonight, 3 steals, and boatload of assists. This was all good and well tonight, but there’s more business to take of Saturday. The score after one was 19-6 Wood. In the second quarter the Wood kids finally started to show up. (We’re normally a late arriving crowd). I was worried before the game because the school once again made no attempt to hype the game during morning announcements. Come on, this was a PLAYOFF game. Our first in God knows how long. There were barely any kids on our side, compared to Egan. During the second the Eagles started to find their groove. The started to push the ball up the floor more aggressively, and most importantly they were knocking down their open shots. At one point they cut Wood’s lead down to 6. Even though it was close the I’ve never got that feeling the Egan was going to take a lead. Their leading scorer tonight was second team all-catholic forward Issac Robinson. I was joking with my friend Mike DeLucia, who by the way is a standout soccer goalie, that Issac looks like Dwyane Wade. I don’t know if it was just us, but he really has a similar appearance especially in the face. Robinson finished with a game high 14 points. The score at half was 27-18 Wood.
   In the third quarter Wood kept pretty much the same game plan. They got Fran Doc the ball early and often and he delivered. Doc finished with 13 points, and 11 rebounds, plus 3 blocks. Wood seemed to maintain a eight- to nine-point lead at all times. Besides Robinson, Egan’s big guns came up short tonight. That’s due to a couple of reasons. Number one excellent defense on the Vikings part, Number two poor shot selection. Some of the shots Egan took tonight just perplexed me. Number three, foul trouble. Not a formula for success.
   Wood would pull away in the fourth and take home playoff win number two in school history. It was total team effort win. I just loved the way they came out with passion and fire. I think they sent a message to Egan saying “You beat us a couple of weeks ago, but not this time.” Up next for Wood are those Saints of N-G. Hey, miracles can happen, right? It’s going to be tough, but you never know. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the game. I know, I might take some heat for this but what can I do. Don’t worry though, Mr. Getz has someone to take stats for me. So it’s all good. I have to give major shoutouts to Mike Maxwell, Shane Miller, Adam Citko, Sean Cunningham, and the whole crowd. Once they all showed up they got the crowd going. Their favorite target of choice tonight, including by myself, was Ryan “Crutches” Golin. It was pretty funny, we made his tonight a living hell. It all stems back to the football season. Long story. Not going to get into that. Also a shoutout to Coach Devlin, Coach Stengel, and Coach Bucher ,who were in attendance. Other scorers for Wood: Brian O’Grady ( 11 points, 8 boards), Tim Fahy ( 10 points), and Scotty “Skeet on em” Adkins ( 4 points). For Egan: Jonas Skovdal (7 points), Shayne Bonner (4 points), Andrew Schaefer (1 point), Billy Petraitis (2 points), Dave Delattre (7 points), and Kyle Bonner (2 points).

FEB. 8
CATHOLIC BLUE
Carroll 65, Wood 58
Well, this was a game the Vikings really wanted to have. Win, and they would have the third seed in the playoffs. Lost and they would be tied with West with a coin flip deciding who’s the 3rd and 4th seed, respectively. (After the game it was learned that Wood will be the 4th seed on a complicated point system). This means they will play the winner of the Egan-Dougherty game tonight. Loser plays West. Anyway let’s talk about the game. Beforehand seniors Tim Fahy, and Sean “Smac” McCartney were honored as today was senior day. Two great guys and players that the Wood basketball community will dearly miss. I knew Carroll had a very good team given their overall record. I knew it was going to be a daunting task for the Vikes to win. This was my first time seeing them. I’m going to be honest. I wasn’t that impressed. They have a handful of good players such as Kasheef Festus, D.J. Irving, and Juan’ya Green. (OK, that's three-fifths of a handful). I think maybe since they had already clinched a 1st round bye, their heads really weren’t into the game. But who cares what I think? The Patriots jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter. I was thinking, "Great, another lackluster start for Wood." That quickly changed as Joe Getz (10 points) and Tim Fahy combined to score seven points and pull the Vikings even at 7. The score after one was 14-10 Carroll. The one distinct advantage Carroll had over Wood was a inside presence. Kasheef Festus really made his presence known. Nothing against Fran “Doc” Dougherty, who had a good game as well, but Festus was a power on the glass today. Festus finished with 20 points, and 12 boards. I still can’t figure out with a kid his size, how he didn’t play football. I sure would be scared as hell to see that kid running at me. Since we are in the theme of big men, let’s talk about Fran Doc. Doc once again had another 20 plus point performance. This time he poured in 22 points. Most of his points came from the outside. He really couldn’t establish himself down low against Festus. That’s one thing that Wood struggles with is a team with a big man. They seem almost timid at times to attack the rim and basket. Brian O’Grady (7 points, 8 boards) would hit a three at the 4:30 mark of the 2nd quarter to cut the Patriots lead to 21-20. Carroll would take 25-22 margin into half.
In the early part of the third quarter Carroll started to take over the game. With some help by the men in zebra shirts (but I’m not going to go there). Overall Wood did a nice job containing Juan’ya Green, limiting him to just 9 points, but the player that (wil)burned them was Andre Wilburn. It seemed like every time Carroll needed a big basket or rebound Wilburn was there to deliver. He finished with 14 points, and 5 boards. Towards the latter part of the third the Vikings began to make a run. In fact Tim Fahy’s ( 18 points) three at the 6:30 mark gave the Vikings there first lead of the contest. However that would be short-lived. The score after three was 44-34 Carroll. The one thing about Archbishop Wood athletics in general is no matter what no one every quits, and gives up. The game isn’t over until the buzzer sounds and clock read zero. Given past game this season the Vikes like to make 4th quarter comebacks, so I knew that we had a chance. Wood kept it really close throughout much of the fourth. Fahy’s three at the 3:50 mark cut Carroll’s lead to 51-49. The Pats had a lead as much as 12 during the fourth. But in the end, it was too much for the Vikings to overcome. They were forced to foul, and Carroll hit it’s freebies. Another tough one in Vikingland. It’s okay though the boys need the rest and prepare for the second season. I’ll tell you one thing they are limping into the playoffs. These two losses to West and Carroll were games they could have one. Especially the game against West. It’s going to be interesting to see who they draw in the first round. There 2-0 against Dougherty this season and 1-1 against Egan. Right now I would not want to see Egan. They know how to beat Wood, and they could give the Vikings trouble. On the flipside Dougherty is scary as well. If Brandyn Wims goes off it could be a long night. Other scorers for Wood: Fran Dolan ( 2 points). For Carroll: DJ Irving ( 11 points), Ben Mingledough ( 5 points), and Trevor McNulty ( 6 points).

FEB. 6
CATHOLIC BLUE
W. Catholic 47, Wood 35
This might have been the most depressing game to watch the whole year. The Vikings just didn’t match the Burrs' intensity tonight. They came out flat, had no enthusiasm whatsoever, and weren’t playing like a team. Plus, it doesn’t help that two out of the big three are battling the flu bug. That being Brian O’Grady (6 points, 5 boards), and Fran “Doc” Dougherty (12 points). You could really see it in O’Grady. It looked like he was dying out there, but he’s trooper and he still managed to play a nice game. If those two were healthy the outcome of the game would have been different in my opinion. Health is no excuse, you still have to come out and play ball. I don’t care what sport you play, basketball, football, or hockey you know when you go into an opponent’s home court you need to match or even exceed their intensity to win. If you get outworked, chances are you’re going to lose. The first quarter was pretty evenly matched. Joe Getz came out a hit the first three baskets for Wood. He was really the only bright spot for Wood. Joe had a total of 11 points, and 6 assists. I thought one interesting thing Coach Ludlow did for West was not to start Rob Hollomon. I have no clue if that was part of the game plan or not. The reason why I brought this up was Rob didn’t play at all in the first quarter. I was thinking, “Maybe he’s hurt, and he’s not playing.” That thought quickly vanished when I saw him step onto court to start the second. Too good to be true, I guess. Hollomon really didn’t burn the Vikings tonight like he did last game. He finished with a total of 6 points. It was a close game at half with the Burrs nursing a 22-18 lead. At half I was fortunate enough to finally meet Huck. Huck’s a great guy and we had a nice little conversation.
West came out the locker rooms and quickly went on 7-2 run. I think that kind of knocked the wind out of the Vikings' sail a bit. The two players for West that caught by eye tonight were Aquil Younger and Ade Barek. Younger is going to be a very good player. He’s pretty explosive and can get to the rack with relative ease. He also has a nice shot as well. Aquil finished the game with 12 points, and 6 boards. Barek had a solid game on the glass, pulling down 11 rebounds, and also chipping in with ten points. He had a nice put back dunk early in the first quarter that set the gym into a frenzy. He also did a nice defensive job containing Fran Doc. The score after three was 37-26 West. In the fourth Wood was still hanging around. They cut the lead to six points after Joe Getz hit a three with about three minutes left in the game. But Wood was forced to foul and the Burrs hit their foul shots to seal the 47-35 win. All and all from the Wood perspective, very disappointing. They needed to win this game to lock up the number three seed for the playoffs. With the loss they are now tied with West for third place in terms of points each having 20 points. In order to secure the third seed the Vikings have the formidable task of beating Carroll on Sunday at home. Can it happen? Sure it can. Last game against Carroll O’Grady didn’t play well, Getz was coming off an ankle injury, and Tim Fahy didn’t even play. I think they will come out hungry since it’s the last home game of the year, and since playoff positioning is on the line. If they can’t get the job done, it will come down to a coin toss. Yes, a coin toss.

FEB. 2
CATHOLIC BLUE
Wood 80, Dougherty 60
There is no question that the Archbishop Wood fan is the most passionate and spirited fan in the all of the Catholic League. Okay, I may be biased just a bit. We do take our school pride seriously. I have to give seniors John Scullion, Shane Miller, Scott Schneider, Frank Nessel, Sean Cunningham and Drew Keogh credit. They first walk in with John holding his pet blowup monkey. Don’t know why, but he did. Unfortunately, the monkey couldn’t share in any of the glory, as Mr. Sette quickly took it away. The boys' will to get their voice heard came back better than ever in the second half. This time they were all donning T-shirts that were cut off at the side. They quickly made their way to the top of the stands, then proceeded to take off their shirts. On their chest they had Fahy written out in yellow paint, and on their backs they had Smac written in black paint. They had some funny verbal battles, with a group of Dougherty girls. All and all the boys showed true Viking Spirit. They really got the crowd into the game.
Fran “Doc” Dougherty must really like seeing his last name on the chest of the Dougherty players. He seems to save his best performances against the Cardinals. Fran right from the start made his presence known. 12 of his 22 points came from the foul line tonight. Fran, who normally struggles from the line went 12-18 tonight. Not too bad, if you ask me. It seemed like every other play he was getting fouled, and was shooting free throws. Wood jumped out to an 21-13 lead after one quarter. In the second quarter the Cardinals started to get going. Brandon Brown was the main catalyst behind this. He started to win the battles on the glass, and was getting second and even third opportunities for a basket. He played a really strong game overall. He finished with 17 points, and 7 rebounds. Dougherty had 32-31 lead with seconds to go in the 1st half until Brian O’Grady (16 points, 10 boards) sank a three-foot floater just as the buzzer rang. So Wood went into half up by 1 point. Not what Coach Tait wanted out of his team. They looked a bit tired I thought towards the end of the quarter. At halftime, the Wood dance team performed another good routine.
In the third quarter the Joe Getz show began. Joe, who was quiet up until the third, started to pour it on. Maybe it was because his Dad was in the stands for second half. Who knows? Anyway, Joe had a season-high 18 points, not to mention his 13 assists. As I was talking to Mr. Getz after the game he said it best: “Joey is the engine that drives the team, O’Grady is the muscle, and all the other players complement each other perfectly.” Which is a very true statement if you have been following Wood basketball this season. Joe also did a nice job defending Dougherty’s stud player, Brandyn Wims. Brandyn still had a solid night, pouring in 18 points including four threeballs. Joe and Brandyn go back from their days in the Department of Recreation basketball league. Mr. Getz at the helm, and Joe and Brandyn up top. Not bad at all. No wonder why they won the title. Wood had a 54-47 lead after three. Although they had a lead, it never felt comfortable to about midway through the fourth when they were up by 12 or so. The Vikings would then see smooth sailing the rest of the way en route to their 15th overall win of the year. (10-4 league) Up next for Wood is a date with West Catholic Friday at West. Should be good. Huck, make sure you find me and introduce yourself, OK??!! Because I totally forgot last game. Other scorers for Wood: Tim Fahy (16 points), Sean “Smac” McCartney (3 points), Fran Dolan (3 points), and Mike Trodden (2 points). For Dougherty: Christian Gibbs (15 points), Norman Dorsey-Poles (6 points), Dawan Earle (4 points), and Shannon Douglas (2 points).

JAN. 26
CATHOLIC BLUE
Neumann-Goretti 71, Wood 51
Coming into tonight’s game I was thinking maybe this is the boys' turn to shock the basketball world. If you recall just the other week the Lady Vikings defeated the No. 1 ranked team in the country, Cardinal O’Hara. Throughout the whole first half, that dream looked like a possible reality. Wood came out hungry and more determined. They weren’t afraid of the Saints. Joe Getz came out like a man on a mission. I think he was trying to show some people down there that he’s one a best players in the league too. Joe had a total of 12 points. He also made some nasty assists, and he was just flying through the air. Wood’s defense did a pretty good job of containing Tony Chennault (16 points) and Daniel Stewart (14 points, 8 rebounds) in the first half. They got Andre Gillette into foul trouble, and Neumann was struggling to find their shot. However, despite all of that they were still down 19-17 after one. In the second quarter the Vikings showed much of the same. The Saints started to get into a groove. The whole second quarter looked like a track meet. Up and down, up and down they go. It was one of the most exciting quarters of basketball I have ever watched. Somehow Wood managed to have a 31-30 lead at halftime. The N-G crowd seemed pretty surprised about that. My Dad came with me to the game, and at half he said to me that some guy behind him was talking on his phone to his buddy. He said to his buddy, "They losing by 1 at half, Wood’s a good team, man, I read that kid’s column who writes about them.” Well, they know who I am down there, too.
Third quarter begins and it was a whole different game. Neumann just took complete control. There is no question that they were the more talented team. They were faster, bigger, and stronger. I really think once Wood fell behind by 10 or so points, they just put their heads down and started to make dumb mistakes. You can’t let a team like that intimidate you. I’ve seen it so many times when a team has all the confidence in the world, and then the next minute they're doing some soul searching. It was tough to watch. I really think the turning point for Wood was the non-offensive goaltending call on Neumann. Chennault threw up a shot, and the ball was clearly coming down into the basket. Stewart then touches the rim with his hand and puts the ball back into the net. Should have been called, it wasn’t. Kind of a theme in tonight’s game. I hate to do this, but ask the people in attendance whether some of the calls tonight against Wood were unfair. I’m not trying to make excuses for the team, they just got outplayed in the second half. But on every other possession Wood has the ball and the refs call a travel, but when Chennault has the ball and travels on every play, no call. Give me a break. That’s a joke. Who cares if he’s Tony Chennault. He’s a great player, but it has to go both ways. Brian O’Grady had a solid night on the glass, pulling down 15 rebounds, and scoring 8 points. I know the boys have to be disappointed in this outcome, but hopefully they can bounce back Wednesday night at home against Cardinal O’Hara. This game was supposed to be played back on Dec. 8, but O’Hara cancelled. Due to Wood having a full week in between games, they're going to make this game up. Other scorers for Wood: Tim Fahy (11 points), Fran “Doc” Dougherty (10 points), Sean “Smack” McCartney (4 points), and Doug Macrone (6 points). For N-G: Tyreek Duren (15 points), Lamin Fulton (14 points), Mustafaa Jones (6 points), and Derrick Stewart (6 points). Okay, I almost forgot but we have a Puck story to share. I walk into the gym, and as I’m walking to find a seat I hear, "Yo, Rich!” I’m like I guess someone wants my Dad. Then I hear it again. I looked up and Puck is talking to me. I guess my name is Rich now. It’s all good. So I talk to him for a bit, and said, "Where’s Ted at? He should be here." Ted, I think Puck wants you to be at every game he’s at. Hahaha! Then he asks me, "You doing the game for the site?” No Puck of course I’m not. Why would I be here with a clipboard and stat sheets? Thne somehow we got onto the subject of Saint Bonaventure basketball. I guess because he was wearing a Saint Bonnie shirt, and so was I. Kind of random weird that we both had St. Bonnie shirts on. You gotta love him! That was probably the highlight of my night.

JAN. 23
CATHOLIC BLUE
Wood 62, McDevitt 39
Tonight’s game was nothing like the previous matchup between these two teams. Thank God on Wood’s part. If you recall last game Wood fell behind by 15 at one point and had to make a strong comeback to win the game. No comeback needed tonight. The Vikings were the dominant team for sure. I was talking to Mr. Dolan (Fran’s Dad) after game and we both agreed there is something about playing at home, that gives Wood a distinct advantage. Teams don’t like to play at Wood. Playing at home does have its advantages, of course. You have the support from you fans, you know the little quirks and idiosyncrasies of the court, and you just feel more comfortable. This is like that for any team in the PCL, not just Wood. Home court in basketball does have its advantages. I don’t want to compare football and basketball, but what I discovered is that home field advantage doesn’t really matter that much in football. Sure it’s great to play a home playoff game, but in reality it’s the same 100-yard field everywhere. In basketball, yeah the court length is the same, but in some places the gym is a lot smaller. You feel almost cramped being in there. Other places have nutty fans (Looney Bin) who really do provide a distinct advantage to the home team. Anyway, enough about home court advantage, let’s get to the game.
The Vikings came out and quickly dissolved any McDevitt attempt at a win. Fran “Doc” Dougherty once again led the Vikings in scoring tonight. Doc finished with 18 points, and 8 rebounds. He wouldn’t have gotten half if not for Joe Getz. Joe only had six points, but it was his play dishing the ball out that made the difference. Joe has this uncanny ability to see the floor better then anyone on the court almost every game. Most players focus on what they're going to do with the ball on the next play. It seems like Joe can anticipate plays 3, 4, or even 5 times down the line. It’s neat to watch. Oh, and how could I forget his defensive play. He forced some Lancers into some pathetic passes and shot attempts. I’m not going to drop names, because I’m a nice guy. The score after one was 16-8 Wood.
Wood held McDevitt to mere two points in the second quarter. Tim Fahy (10 points) started to get his groove back. He just needs to get his feet under him and he will be fine. If he gets going back to his old form watch out for those Vikings. Once again this is one of those games Wood needed to take care of. McDevitt is no Neumann-Goretti for sure. No disrespect or anything. The score at half was 35-10 Wood.
Halftime arrives and the long awaited debut of the Viking dance team. I have to give those girls credit. I was impressed with their routine. They were all in rhythm for the most part, and they all looked really good out there. That takes courage to get out there in front of all those people, and perform a dance routine. I know for sure I couldn’t do that. Shout out to Jackie Britton, Erin Westerfer, and the rest of the team for a solid performance. We're all looking forward to what you ladies come up with next.
It was just a matter of time before Brian O’Grady threw another one down. He had an opportunity last home game against L-C and sort of threw one down. Well, tonight he exploded along the baseline with full speed, and flew through the air and slammed one down right in the face of the McDevitt defender. Pretty cool, I must say. That’s Brian for you. Always trying to make a play. Brian had 12 points with 5 rebounds. Besides Reggie Charles (18 points) the Lancers got no offense whatsoever. He was their whole team tonight. I felt bad for him, because he just didn’t get any help from his teammates. Reggie is really solid player. He has pretty quick first step, and nice touch from the outside. This game might have been a bit closer, but McDevitt was 6-17 from the line. That's one thing that I have observed so far this year. I know teams practice on foul shots during the week, but the foul shooting as whole this year in the PCL Blue has been horrific. That can make or break a game. Coach Tait would put his subs in midway threw the fourth and Wood would just run the time off the clock. Next up for Wood is a showdown Monday night in South Philly against N-G. That could be a dandy. We’ll see what happens, maybe it’s the boys' turn to shock the basketball world. I almost forgot to mention Jenn White, who does a terrific job of singing the national anthem before each home game. Other scorers for Wood: Fran Dolan (2 points), Doug Macrone (5 points), Sean “Smack” McCartney (7 points), and Kevin “The Ice Cream Man” Fenstermaker (2 points). For McDevitt: Rodney Ellis (6 points), Matt Conroy (5 points), Colin Washington (2 points), Gardy Mercedat (6 points), Steve Dominello and Linburg Green each with 1 point.

JAN. 21
CATHOLIC BLUE
Wood 71, K-K 39
Well, after Monday night’s hiccup against Egan, I’m sure the Vikings were glad to see K-K on their schedule. No, disrespect to Kenrick but they're not having a great season and it’s a good opportunity for Wood to bounce back. Bounce back is what they did, and then some. Let’s face it, Wood is expected to handle the Wolverines, which they did. Right from the opening tip off, literally, Wood had a lead. Fran “Doc” Dougherty won the tip, passed it to Joe Getz, and Joey hit a nice 5-foot jumper. Two seconds into the contest Wood scored. I said to myself, “There’s going to be stats on the score sheet tonight.” Before you know it the Vikings jumped out to an 11-0 lead, which prompted Coach Flanagan to call a timeout. You could tell that Coach Tait’s game plan was to get Doc the ball early. The kid has improved every game this year. The unique thing about Fran is he has the ability to work down low when called upon, but he also can knock down the 18-foot jumper from the outside. Heck, even three ball once in a blue moon. That makes him extremely hard to defend. He scored 11 of his 15 points in the first quarter. A mix of easy lay ups down in the post, and he also knocked a few down from 15 feet or so. The score after one was 27-4 Vikings.
Second quarter begins and Vikings go cold from the field. They were kind of playing stupid, committing fouls, and some poor shot selection. Ironically, the Wolverines outscored Wood 14-8 in the quarter. K-K had some success when Dougherty was on the bench. Brad Miller (11 points, 6 boards) had a nice game for K-K. He used his size to grab rebounds, and contribute with points. He gave O’Grady and Doc some trouble on the glass. Robbie Griffith led all Wolverines with 13 points. The majority of his points came in the second half. I give K-K credit for playing well in the second quarter. The score at half was 35-18 Wood.
In the third quarter Wood put the sleeper hold on K-K. The just pulled away, Kenrick couldn’t keep up. Brian O’Grady led all scorers with 17 points, and 8 rebounds. I also have him down with four steals. What more can I say. He’s the energy that drives this team. This is a typical night for O’Grady. It was funny. There was a play late in the third quarter. Brian had a nice pass to Joe Getz (11 points), who knocked down the shot. Mr. O’Grady leans over and says, “Hey, you missed that assist.” I told him “Hey, it’s hard enough keeping track of the rebounds, points, and fouls.” For the record, he was just kidding with me. Ladies and Gentlemen we have a Sean “Smack” McCartney sighting. Smack scored a season-high nine points tonight. I joke with him all the time about the points he scores. Safe to say, I think he’s happy about his performance. With the game out of reach it was good time for the bench players to show what they can do. Overall, Wood took care of its business, and can put the Egan game out of their minds. It’s history now. Next up for Wood is a Friday night match up against those Lancers from McDevitt. Should be interesting!! Shane Miller has declared it Superhero night, so dress up in you favorite superhero outfit. I really don’t know who’s going to do that, but it should be fun to see. I promised Erin Westerfer that I would mention that Friday night is also the long awaited debut of the Wood Viking dance team. Should be fun to see what dance routine they perform. Other scorers for Wood: Scotty “Skeet on em” Adkins (2 points), Tim Fahy (5 points), Fran Dolan (6 points), Nick Vicari (4 points), and Kevin Fenstermaker (2 points). For K-K: Billy Malescio (2 points), Kevin Shemar (1 point), Alex Byrne (4 points), John Candelore (2 points), and Sal DiPrinzio (6 points).

JAN. 16
CATHOLIC BLUE
Wood 52, Lansdale Catholic 37
On an absolutely bitter cold night, the Wood Vikings defeated the Crusaders of Lansdale Catholic. I kid you not: Walking from my truck to the entrance, I literally froze. That’s how cold it was. It may have been cold outside, but the Vikings were surely cranking up the heat on the inside. (OK, that was really lame). The Vikings started out strong by feeding the ball inside to Fran “Doc” Dougherty. Doc was dominant in the post. He finished with a total 17 points and 5 boards. It was good to see Doc have a good game against LC. If you recall he didn’t have a strong game against LC the first time around. The Vikings did a really good job of limiting the Catholic League’s leading scorer, Brendan Stanton, to only 10 points. Joe Getz (8 points) did a pretty good job shutting down Stanton. Nine of his points came from three treys beyond the arc. There is no question that Stanton is LC’s best player. I kind of feel for the kid, because it seems like he has do everything. When I was looking at their stats they have good role players like Pat O’Hara, and Mike Barr. It’s going to be hard to win games when you rely so heavily on your star player. It is only the Crusaders' first year in the Catholic League, so as time goes they will adjust to the PCL style of ball. Once again Brian O’Grady (9 points, 8 boards) threw one down against LC . . . well, kind of. If anyone remembers the first game of the year against LC -- boy, that seems just like last week -- Brian stole the ball, and came rushing in on the fast break and threw down a two-hand slam. Well, tonight late in the third quarter O’Grady stole the ball and came rumbling down the court. You could feel a sense in the stands that he was going to do it again. He went up and the ball slipped out of his hands and into the basket. He did touch the rim with his hand though. Talking to Brian after the game he said, “ My hands were so sweaty, I had no grip on the ball. I should have threw it down with two hands.” Hey, two points is two points. Tonight was just all business for Wood. This is game that you need to win. A win is win. You've got to get all the wins you can in the PCL Blue, especially with the way Neumann and Carroll are playing. With the win the Vikings now improve to 12-2 overall (7-2 league). Up next for Wood is a match up with those pesky Conwell-Egan Eagles Monday night. It wasn’t much of a contest last game, but I expect Egan to come out fired up.

JAN. 9
CATHOLIC BLUE
Wood 58, W. Catholic 50
Once again this was another exciting game and character win for the Vikings. Wood jumped out to an early 12-3 lead in the first quarter. Things were looking promising for Wood. I was thinking to myself that this could be another runaway win. Once again I was wrong. I haven’t had that much luck lately in that department. Anyway, West would end the first quarter with 11 unanswered points and hold a slight edge over the Vikings, 14-12, after one. The leading scorer for the Burrs tonight was super athlete Rob Hollomon. I guess this is really no surprise for anyone. I was really impressed with Hollomon. He finished with a total of 20 points and three boards. You can tell that he’s the floor general of this team. He takes command of his team when needed, and provides the Burrs with great leadership. I got to Wood pretty early so I caught the last quarter and a half of the JV game, and the one player who caught my eye was No. 5 for West. So I took a look at the roster and sure enough he was another Hollomon. Rob’s younger brother, Brandon. This kid is going to be a good one, just like his older bro. Wouldn’t you know he would go on to hit the game winning shot with three seconds left to carry West to the 46-44 win. Okay, let’s get back to the varsity. Throughout much of the second quarter West and Wood were trading baskets left and right. There was a pretty good up and down tempo to the game. I thought both teams played pretty good defense all night. The score at half was 26-21 Wood. That’s a pretty low number for Vikings. Normally they're in the high 30s or 40s. Credit to West and their D for slowing down the Viking attack.
One player for Wood that had a solid night was Fran Dolan. Fran has busted his butt all year for Coach Tait. Although he doesn’t put up the numbers statistically, he does the little things that makes him a solid role player. Tonight Fran chipped in with 8 points. He just found his spot on the baseline about five feet from the net and was nailing shots. That’s a positive thing to look forward to. Brian O’Grady once again proved why he’s one of the Catholic League’s most dominant players on the glass. He’s the one who gets this team going. He was just a force on the glass. Brian had a total of 19 rebounds, not to mention chipping in a solid 12 points. Brian put in a workmanlike effort. Brian is not the tallest guy in the world, but he can jump with the best of them. His upper body strength is so good that he can outmuscle anyone for the ball. He’s a real pleasure to watch. Wood had a 44-35 lead after three. In the fourth quarter the Vikings started to get into foul trouble. At one point Wood had a total of 9 fouls while West only had one. Looked like the Flyers game the other night against Minnesota. But sure enough just like in any sport, the referees had to even it up. I think it ended up being 9 for Wood and 8 for West. Let me tell you, some of fouls call against West were weak. Just let the kids play ball for crying out loud. Credit goes to both teams for hitting their foul shots toward the end of the game. The fouls late in the fourth against West really hurt them. The Vikings hit their shots in the end to seal the game. Major props to Joe Getz tonight. The kid is blossoming right before our eyes. He took on one of the fastest and quickest players in the whole state, and wasn’t afraid of him one bit. Yes, Hollomon got his points, but when it was crunch time Joe shut him down, and passed with flying colors. Joe had 14 points and showed love to his teammates by dishing out 13 assists. Oh, and by the way. He did this all on a very tender ankle. The kid has heart and no fear. Other scorers for Wood: Fran “Doc” Dougherty (12 points), Doug Macrone (7 points), Jerry Rahill (3 points), and Scotty “Skeet on em” Adkins (2 points). For West: Aquil Younger (17 points), Haleem "P-Nut" Hayward (8 points), Ade Barek (2 points), and Kiwan Murray (3 points). Congrats to the Lady Vikings, who upset the No. 1 team in the country, the Cardinal O’Hara Lions. We all found out when the announcement was made over the microphone. Awesome work, girls. That is incredible! Next up for Wood is a Monday night contest against another tough opponent, the Archbishop Carroll Patriots. Should be another dandy!

JAN. 7
CATHOLIC BLUE
Wood 59, Dougherty 56
Driving to tonight’s game I thought this wouldn’t be an easy win for Wood. Throughout the whole first half I looked like the opposite of a genius, but that would quickly change in the second half. I should have known better. The Cardinals always play the Vikings tough. They always roster good athletes who can shoot and rebound. Plus, they feed off the energy the student section gives them. The Vikings would be down a player tonight. Senior guard Tim Fahy was seen on the bench hobbling around crutches with an apparent foot injury. That’s a big loss for Wood. It should be interesting to see who fills in for Tim. Tonight junior Doug Macrone was inserted into the starting lineup. Doug had a good showing tonight. He finished with a total of 14 points. He also knocked down three shots from beyond the arc. Wood came out very strong, especially down low in the post where Fran “Doc” Dougherty does his magic. I thought Doc looked real solid in the first half, but he seemed to slow down and fatigue in the second half. Honestly, he should have scored 40 tonight. Joe Getz (6 points) and Brian O’Grady (8 points, 9 boards) were getting Doc the ball early and often. Fran finished with a total of 19 points. Brandyn Wims, Dougherty’s best player hands down, no doubt about it, hit a three at the end of the first to cut Wood’s lead to four 16-12. In the second quarter Wood just took over. They outscored Dougherty by a 19-4 margin and led 35-16 at half. Halftime came and I took a little trip to the snack stand to grab a bottle of water, because it was so darn hot in that gym. Maybe it’s just me but that gym is always hot. While I was in line I saw legendary accounting teacher and St. Joe’s basketball guru Mr. Boyle, along with his pal the famous Wood soccer coach Mr. Krantz.
The second half begins and the Brandyn Wims show began. Dougherty went a 15-4 run to open the second half. Wims was lighting it up from the field. His jump shot was in full effect tonight. He had a total of five three pointers en route to a total of 24 points. I remember from last year that he was really explosive and had a good shot. Coach Tait would call a quick timeout to talk to his troops. After the timeout Wood looked more focused and determined. Before you knew it Wood had its lead back up to ten points. In the fourth quarter CD started to chip away at Wood’s lead. One moment I looked at the scoreboard and Wood had a ten point lead, the next moment they were only up by three. The Vikings would prevail in the end by hitting their foul shots. Scotty “Skeet on em” Adkins and Jerry Rahill would go a combined 7-8 down the stretch from the foul line to seal the win. It wasn’t easy but a win is a win. Props to Dougherty for sticking it out and not giving up. They could have easily given up at half and just forgot about the game, but they didn’t. Coach Heimerdinger had his boys ready to play in the second half. Wood improves to 10-1 overall (5-1 league). The Vikings next game is this Friday back in Warminster against those Burrs of West Catholic. For those who are not familiar with Archbishop Wood athletics, Wood and West Catholic don’t get along. This all stems back from the old PCL Blue football title games, where it was either Wood or West winning the title. I should be fun great game. Hopefully, I will actually get to meet Huck (smile). The funniest thing of night by far was the Dougherty fans heckling Sean “Smack” McCartney. Every time Sean touch the ball the crowd would scream “GINGER . . . GINGER . . . GINGER." In case you don’t know what "ginger" is all about. it’s a reference to Sean having red hair. This is not the first time that Sean has heard people poke fun at his hair. During the Eastern State Final against Selinsgrove Sean said he’s never been called fire crotch so many times in his life, and same went for the title game against TJ. Sean said after the game “ I couldn’t even play because I was laughing about it.” Overall a win is win. That’s what it boils down too. Hopefully they could do the same Friday against West.

JAN. 2
CATHOLIC BLUE
Neumann-Goretti 60, Wood 46
I was really looking forward to this game ever since the schedule came out. Going into the game both teams were undefeated and part of a three-way logjam (with Carroll, though the game totals were different) atop the Catholic Blue division. I’ve been hearing about N-G and their basketball program for years now. Everyone knows about the big time college recruits they have put out over the years, most notably Rick Jackson and Scoop Jardine both of Syracuse. Of course we all know about Tony Chennault (22 points) and his game. I was looking forward to seeing Tony play. Boy, he didn’t disappoint one bit. Wood came out in the first quarter the more hungrier team. They were out hustling the Saints on the floor, and outrebounding them on the glass. This might have caught the Saints off guard a bit. Wood showed tremendous character and stuck tough with N-G. Heck, they even had a lead after the first quarter 14-8.
Wood continued its success into the second quarter as well. The talk in the student section was, "Can we really hang with these guys and keep a lead?" I heard one student say, “It’s just a matter of time before Chennault starts lighting it up, and they start doing alley-oops.” Well, I kid you not as soon as I heard that, what happened? Daniel Stewart ( 9 points, 6 boards) puts back a rebound, and slams the ball in the hole for two. I’m telling you this was a ferocious putback. Wood gets the ball, drives down the court Joe Getz throws up a layup and Stewart comes out of nowhere and swats the ball into the crowd. I’m sure Ted could tell, since he had a great vantage point, sitting on the stage. Soccer goalie standout Mike DeLucia said, "This gym has never seen a dunk like that in years.” He was true, everyone was in awe of what just transpired. Stewart’s dunk and block was the turning point of the game for the Saints. They seemed to get their swagger back. Wood looked really tired and sluggish. But they played a really good first half. They were within striking distance the whole time. The score at half was 31-23 N-G.
The second half began and Wood regained some confidence. They started to hit their shots again, and just do the simple things they did in the first half. However this time, Goretti didn’t back down. They came punching back with authority. One player for the Saints that caught my eye was Mustafaa Jones. He kind of reminds me of Tim Fahy (5 points) a little bit. He’s not afraid to shoot the three ball. He’s a gunner out there. Jones hit four threes on the night, and finished with 12 points total. He’s a pretty good player for sure. He really complements Chennault, and Stewart. At the 2:51 mark of third Brian O’Grady hit a three to put Wood up by two. Let me talk about Brian real quickly. The kid played out of his mind tonight. Brian had a total of 17 points, and 15 rebounds. He was just a monster tonight. He didn’t back down one bit from the Saints. Brian hit 3 three pointer tonight, which is kind of unusual for him. The score after the third was 43-38 N-G.
In the fourth N-G just pulled away at the end. The Vikings started to take fouls, and Neumann hit their foul shots. The Vikings should be proud of their effort tonight. They stood tall, and showed a ton of heart and courage. Your going to lose a few games, it happens. They just need to regroup and come out strong on Wednesday against Dougherty. Joe Getz showed no fear tonight. He drove to the rack with authority, and showed why is one of the best players in the league. Joe finished with 12 points and 7 boards. He probably should have had over 20, but he missed a few easy lay ups. Shout out to former Wood standouts Dan Comas and Fran McGlinn, and former quarterback Mike Cattolico, who were in attendance tonight. Along with Coach Devlin and some his coaching staff. Overall it was good effort, but they just came up a bit short. Other scorer for Wood: Fran “Doc” Dougherty (12 points). For N-G: Tyreek Duren (6 points), and Lamin Fulton (11 points).

DEC. 30
TOURNAMENT UPDATE
I hope everyone had a very nice Christmas. While I’ve been sitting around doing nothing for the last couple of days, the Wood basketball team has been down the shore in Wildwood playing in a tournament. Unfortunately I was not able to attend this tourney, but I do have some results and point totals. In the first game Wood was pitted against Seneca High School, of South Jersey. Wood cruised to a 57-45 win. The leading scorer for Wood was Fran “Doc” Douhgerty. Doc finished the game with 18 points 7 rebounds. From what Mr. Getz told me Doc was having his way down low in the post. Other scorers for Wood: Joe Getz ( 12 points 4 rebounds), Tim Fahy ( 7 points, 2 rebounds), Brian O’Grady ( 5 points, 2 boards), Jerry Rahill ( 9 points, 3 boards), Scotty “Skeet on em” Adkins ( 2 points), and Sean “Smack” McCartney (4 points). On Monday Wood faced Schalick High School, also of SJ, in the championship game. Wood jumped outscored Schalick 19-4 in the first quarter and cruised to the championship. Joe Getz led all scorers with 16. Doc chipped in with 13 as well. Other scorers for Wood: Tim Fahy ( 10 points), Doug Macrone ( 8 points), Brian O’Grady ( 8 points), Kevin Fenstermaker ( 8 points), Sean “Smack” McCartney, ( 2 points), Jerry Rahill and Nick Vicari each chipped in two apiece. Overall it was a successful weekend for the Vikings. The real true test of where this team stands comes Friday night. When the Saints of N-G make the long trek up the 95 and Street Road to pay a visit to Warminster. This game should be fun to watch. If Wood just plays their game, then they should be fine. They can’t get behind early against Neumann. This isn’t McDevitt, where you can come back from 15 points down and win. There is a reason why N-G is nationally ranked, they're good. On the schedule the game is slated to begin at 5:00. Note the time change. If anything changes I will let everyone know. Well, may everyone have a safe and Happy New Year! Shoutout out to Mr. Getz for providing me with the stats. Much appreciated.

DEC. 23
NON-LEAGUE
Wood 66, Judge 55
Big players make big-time plays in big games. Wood once again kept their perfect record alive with another solid win tonight. Wood once again got off to a somewhat slow start from the field. Judge got some good early open looks, which they were able to knock down. Coach Tait and his coaching staff seemed a little upset with their team’s play after one quarter. Yes, they were only trailing by 6, but they just looked flat. I think one possible reason for the slow start tonight was the struggle of Fran “Doc” Dougherty (6 points, 8 boards) from the field. He didn’t look like the typical Fran. He didn’t get into foul trouble, but just didn’t seem comfortable. It kind of showed in his body language. Fortunately for the Vikings they got plenty of secondary scoring from their other players. That’s the neat thing about this team. If one guy has a bad night, the other players step their game up. Like I’ve said before, they’re a team getting use to each other and how each other plays. It seems like a perfect blend. Now, with all this positive talk about Wood I got show some love to Judge. I thought they came out very strong. They were crashing the glass with authority. Tom Ryan (11 points, 6 rebounds) was making plays. Ryan Fenningham (10 points), and John McGrath (13 points) were knocking down shots from the outside. I thought the Crusaders would continue to pound the ball inside and try to get the Vikings into foul trouble, but they kind of sat back throughout most of the second half. The score at half was 27-23 Judge.
Wood once again came out of half fired up, as always. Tim Fahy (24 points), who struggled mightily from beyond the arc in the first half, somehow found his shot. Tim is not afraid to shoot the ball even when he’s off. He keeps firing away, knowing that he will eventually find his shot. The momentum of the game swayed in favor of Wood in the third quarter especially in the closing minutes. Joe Getz found a wide-open Fahy for a three that put Wood up by five. Judge quickly drove down the court and hit a three. Fahy would then return the favor with a pass to Getz for the easy bucket. I know it doesn’t seem like much of a play sequence, but the look on the Judge players was like how go we stop Getz, Fahy, and O’Grady. The score after three was 49-38 Wood.
Judge would make things interesting in the fourth however. They narrowed the lead to two points late. Things were looking kind of shaky for the Vikings. But no need to worry. With Wood up by three, Joe Getz came flying down the court. Spotted up beyond the arc, and with his Dad in the stands with his arms raised in the air, urging Joe on, he drained the threeball. That was the dagger in the heart for Judge. Joe would finish with a total of 14 points, 6 boards, and a boatload of assists. Fran Dolan (4 points) and Fran Doc would ice the game by making their foul shots. I can’t forget about the effort of Brian O’Grady tonight. Brian put up 16 points, and 11 boards. Finally, a game with more then 11 points. (5 out 6 game he has played this year he’s scored 11 points) He was a beast again on the glass. I thought he was going to bring down the house with another dunk in the third, but the ball slipped on him. But, hey he still made the basket. Judge played well, but they just couldn’t stop the Vikings in the end. How sweet is this win for Coach Tait? Beating his alma mater as a head coach. You know he had this game circled on his calendar for weeks. Or how about Coach Hennessey coaching against his son Fran Hennessey (6 points), who was playing in Judge baby blue. Great job by the student section tonight. Good work everyone. Up next for Wood is their annual Christmas tourney down in Wildwood. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend. However, I will have correspondents at the games to give me updates on stats, and information. Merry Christmas to everyone and a Happy New Year!
Okay, now let me address something that was written in the Royal Lancer report by Kevin Gallagher. Kevin, you might want to get your eyes checked out because I was not standing up and cheering like you said I was. I think you incorrectly identified me as the obnoxious McDevitt fan who was sitting behind me and telling the Lancer players on the court what to do. It’s all good to cheer, you have every right to. But to tell players what to do and what plays to run, that’s not right. That is what coaches are for, buddy. Another thing. I don’t know if you were trying to make a joke about the whole Joe Getz jersey retirement thing at St. Cecilia’s. But it just so happens I’m friends with Joe and I talk to him and his Dad and it’s not true. So next time you go and make a statement about someone, get the facts straight please. I don’t know what it is with you people from McDevitt always trying to hate on Wood. (Not all. Just a handful. There are some very nice people at McDevitt). Don’t be hating because Wood has been winning and been in all the papers and you haven’t. You’ll have your time to shine. Kevin, I wish you and your Lancers well. May you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

DEC. 21
CATHOLIC BLUE
Wood 58, McDevitt 52
If there was a definition of a character win that could unite a team and carry them to new heights, this was the game for the Vikings. Anytime the Vikings and Lancers hook up there is always a great atmosphere that is present. Whether it’s the fans, coaches, or players all getting into it, it never fails. The two teams always put on a good show as well. Today was nothing different. McDevitt jumped out to an early lead, and really started to confuse Wood on defense. They got Brian O’Grady into some early foul trouble, and Rodney Ellis and Mike Palmero were hitting their shots. This was the first time all year that I think the Vikings came out flat. They had no rhythm whatsoever. They looked a bit confused defensively, and were getting into foul trouble. Heck, if McDevitt hit their free throws, then they would have had an even bigger 1st quarter lead. The score after one was 19-15 Lancers.
It was pretty obvious to me that the Lancers thrive off of turnovers, and they like to run up and down the court. Palmero (12 points) was deadly accurate in the first half from three land. He was wanting the ball, and the Lancers were giving it to him. At one point McDevitt’s lead swelled to 15 points. I still wasn’t worried however. I just knew that the Vikings would make their adjustments at halftime, and come fired up ready to play in the second half. I was really impressed with McDevitt soph Reggie Charles. He’s a very nice ball player, with good feet, and nice touch in the lane. Reggie finished with a total of 15 points on the day. Charles along with Rodney Ellis (12 points, 5 boards) put in a solid workmanlike effort. Wood would tighten up the score in final closing minutes of the first half, and two teams headed into the locker room with McDevitt nursing a nine point lead 35-26.
In the second half the Vikings came out hungry and more determined. The turning point of the game came when Brian O’Grady hit a three-pointer to cut McDevitt’s lead to 4 points at the 4:33 mark of the third. He then hustled back on defense, stripped the ball from the defender and found a streaking Tim Fahy, who then did a nice spin-o-rama kiss of the glass for two. Tim would then go on to hit a threeball with 30 seconds to go in the 3rd to lock the game up at 45 apiece. That would be the score after three.
In the fourth much of the same from the Vikings. They would open up with a nice 6-0 run. The Lancers kept it interesting until the very end. You would think that when a guy starts lighting it up the way Tim Fahy was from beyond the arc that someone would cover him. The Lancers tried, but Tim repeatedly kept finding clear shooting lanes. Tim finished with 19 points, 4 boards. The thing that I think prevented the Lancers from pulling this one out was they got into foul trouble early and often and they couldn’t box out. Were some the foul calls questionable? Yeah, they were. Did the referees favor Wood? I would say no, it just so happened that McDevitt had a high foul number. Now, ask that same question to some of the McDevitt fans in attendance. I guarantee that you would get a different response. The bottom line is I think the Vikings' will and determination prevailed over the Lancers. Don’t get me wrong. McDevitt showed a ton of heart and courage out there. However, the better team won the contest. If this had been last year's Viking squad, no way they win. None whatsoever. They would have just folded under the pressure and walked away with their heads down. Not this squad. They’re a team unit that feeds off each other, and knows what it takes to win. I think this was good for Wood. You're not going to score 70 every game and blow teams out by 30. There are going to be games like this. Overall, great win. Up next for the Vikings are those Crusaders from Father Judge. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 in the girls gym. Here’s something cool for you. It was kind of neat seeing Joe Getz play against Matt Conroy. Both sophomores played three years together at St. Cecilia’s in Fox Chase. Other scorers for Wood: Brian O’Grady ( 11 points, 10 boards), Joe Getz ( 9 points), Fran “Doc” Dougherty ( 14 points, 8 boards), Sean “Smack” McCartney ( 3 points), Doug Macrone ( 2 points). For McDevitt: Rodney Ellis ( 12 points, 5 boards), Linburg Green ( 7 points), Courtney Havens-Dobbs ( 2 points), Matt Conroy (4 points).

DEC. 19
CATHOLIC BLUE
Wood 74, Kennedy-Kenrick 43
The Vikings are one fun team to watch for sure. With tonight’s win this is the third straight game of scoring 70-plus points. I don’t think they scored 70 points at all last year. Granted, the 70 points came against teams the Vikings should have handled easily, in my opinion. As soon as I saw Fran “Doc” Dougherty win the opening tip and pass the ball to a streaking Joe Getz for the easy layup three seconds into the game, I knew that it would be a long night for the Wolverines. Wood came out and played their typical hard-nosed, in-your-face defense. That has been their trademark so far this year. It’s suffocating at times. Opponents can barely get a shot off, let alone get up the court without being harassed and defended by a Viking player. The Wood defense just shut down K-K. You could see the frustration in the players just by their facial expressions and body language. Joe Getz was feeding the ball to Fran Doc early and often. By halftime Fran had 14 points, and he would go on to finish with 16 points and 7 rebounds. The score after one was 24-7 Wood. In the second quarter the Wolverines started to make some open shots, and get into a rhythm on offense and defense. The leading scorer for K-K was sophomore Billy Malescio (12 points). I know K-K has had a rough couple of years in basketball, but every time I watch them play they always show heart and emotion. Especially senior Ronell Fairel and junior David Tornetta. As I was walking to the snack stand at halftime, Fairel was really upset and disappointed with his play, as he was talking to one of K-K’s assistant coaches. That was good to see him show some emotion. The score at half was 35-19 Wood. The second half seems to be where Wood really puts the dagger into the heart of their opponent. Senior Tim Fahy struggled throughout the first half, especially from beyond the arc. Come the second half Tim was on fire. Tim had a total of 21 points, including three 3 pointers. Junior Brian O’Grady once again provided another solid night, chipping in 11 points. The only negative thing that you can take away from this game was that the football players, Sean “Smack” McCartney, Jerry Rahill (6 points), and Scotty “Skeet on 'em” Adkins struggled. They looked kind of lost out there tonight, but that’s expected. They just have to get back into the swing of things. Once that happens watch out, this team can get even better. Which is kind of scary. The measuring stick will come against Neumann- Goretti on January 2. Then we will really find out what kind of team we have. The Vikings now move to 5-0 overall (3-0 league). Up next is a 2:30 Sunday afternoon matchup with the Lancers of Bishop McDevitt. Wood versus McDevitt games are always fun to watch. I expect this game to be the same.

DEC. 15
CATHOLIC BLUE
Wood 70, Conwell-Egan 39
Sometimes it just takes one game to get back into the groove of things. That’s exactly what happened to Fran “Doc” Dougherty tonight. In Wood’s previous game against LC Fran struggled all night. But, tonight he rebounded in a big way. Fran finished the night with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 8 blocks. He played really well. His teammates were looking for him early and often. I think Fran needs the ball early to establish his presence around the basket. He looked really sharp. I was also surprised to see Fran knock down 2 three- pointers. That’s something to look for. If he starts to knock those shots down, watch out everyone. Right from the opening tipoff this was all Vikings. I don’t like to criticize any team because I know how hard it is to be a high school athlete, but the Eagles just seemed a little flat. They have some solid players. Arguably their best player, Jonas Skovdal (9 points, 10 rebounds), had a pretty solid night. These numbers are definitely not what he normally puts up on a daily basis. I saw some games last year where he was dominant off the glass. The score after one was 15-5 Wood.
I was really impressed with the play of Shayne Bonner. Shayne had a total of 16 points, and 5 rebounds. He was the bright spot for sure in the Egan attack. I expect Shayne to continue this good level of play. Throughout the second quarter Wood showed why they are tough team to score points on. They play relentless defense, and have a winner take all attitude on the floor. The score at half was 33-16 Wood.
Brian O’Grady once again had a solid night. O’Grady finished with 11 points, and 7 rebounds. He’s a bulldog on defense. I think he’s turning into one of the better defensive players in the Catholic League. He shows tremendous heart and determination. Tim Fahy (12 points, 3 boards) turned in a solid night again. Tim was lighting it up from three-point land all night. In my preview, I said that Tim has one of the best pure shots around. He really does if you look at the way he shoots a basketball. I think he’s very underrated and such a key component of the squad. The score after three was 50-28 Wood.
The Eagles just never seemed to establish any kind of rhythm in the game. When, they finally did in the fourth it was just way too late. Up next for the Vikings is a home match up with the Wolverines of Kennedy-Kenrick Friday at 7:30 in the girls gym. Other scorers for Wood: Joe Getz (12 points), Mike Trodden (2 points), Doug Macrone (6 points), Fran Dolan (3 points), and Kevin “Ice Cream Man” Fenstermaker (4 points). For C-E: Billy Petraitis (2 points), Ryan Golin (3 points), Kevin DeLorenzo (2 points), Andrew Schaefer (3 points), and Isaac Robinson (4 points).
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Cunningham Family. FB star Sean Cunningham lost his father Mr. Brian Cunningham (Class of 1982) on Sunday. Sean’s a tough kid and I know he will get through this. My thoughts and prayers are with you Sean and your family. R.I.P. Mr. Cunningham.

DEC. 10
CATHOLIC BLUE
Wood 71, Lansdale Catholic 49
Tonight was the first time that Archbishop Wood Vikings and the Lansdale Catholic Crusaders met in a basketball match up. I didn’t know what to expect out of Lansdale, but the Vikings quickly slowed who the better team was. The Crusaders came out strong and got an early 5-1 lead on the Vikings. The Crusaders seemed to feed off of their raucous student section, whose members were sporting togas. Senior guard Tim Fahy led all scorers with 16 points. Tim played a solid overall game. I think Wood might have found their sixth man off the bench. Junior forward Doug Macrone came into the game with a little less than 2 minutes to play in the 1st quarter. Doug’s specialty is shooting the threeball. From the minute he entered the game, he was knocking down all his shots. Doug finished the night with 15 points (3-3 on 3 pointers), including a buzzer-beater at the end of the first quarter. Teams need to be aware of Doug when he’s on the floor. He’s not the strongest kid you will ever see, but he’s a solid all-around player. It will be interesting to see if he still has a spot on the team once the football players return. The Crusaders were still hanging around in the second quarter. They have some good players. They were led by guard Brandon Stanton (15 points), who looks like a very good player. He has smooth shot from beyond the arc, and he can really penetrate the lane with his speed. He’s one player who may surprise some people this year. Keep an eye out for him this year in the Catholic League. The score at half was 30-20 Wood. The second half was where Joe Getz and Brian O’Grady took over the game for Wood. O’Grady, with his size and speed, took over the game on the glass. Brian finished the night with 11 points, and 11 rebounds. He was hustling all over the floor. I was particularly impressed with how he has improved his defensive game this year. He also brought down the house with his fast-break dunk late in the third quarter. The kids from LC would then call Brian “muscles” all night after that dunk. Joe Getz: get use to hearing the name ladies and gentlemen. Joe put up his first triple double of his career tonight. (That’s what his Dad said, at least) Getz had 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. LC really struggled to control in the lane. Time after time, Joe was able to maneuver through the lane with ease. It may have been easy tonight, but it will get harder for sure. LC scored only 5 points in the third quarter. They got into foul trouble, and Wood just played flat out good defense. Plain and simple. The score after the third was 49-25 Wood. The Crusaders got out to an early 9-0 run in early in the fourth, but that run was quickly halted when Tim Fahy launched a threeball from the corner to silence the Crusader faithful. The Vikings were able to coast the rest of the way right to their first PCL blue victory of the year. LC also had a nice night from Matthew Tumasz (15 points, 5 boards). Fran “Doc” Dougherty (6 points, 5 boards) struggled to find his shot. I’m sure Fran will recover and find his groove. Other scorers for Wood: Fran Dolan (6 points), Mike Trodden (2 points). For L-C: Liam Coyne (9 points), Brian Keane (2 points), Joe Patzuk (6 points, 3 boards), and Mike Barr (2 points, 2 boards). Up next for the Vikings is a 2:30 home matchup Sunday, against the Eagles of Conwell-Egan.

DEC. 7
WOOD'S PREVIEW
I apologize to everyone for being a little late with this. Some football team has made it to the state finals, so I’m kind of busy covering them at the moment. As soon as football season is over, I will refocus my attention to basketball. Well, the Vikings will have a new look this season. No, they're not getting new uniforms. No, the players are pretty much the same. But Joe Sette will no longer be patrolling the sidelines or Wood in his fine Italian suits. Coach Sette is taking a one-year sabbatical leave to handle duties for District 12 and the PIAA. In to replace Sette is 1995 PCL MVP Sean Tait (Judge). Coach Tait served has an assistant under Sette. I’m really looking forward to seeing what coach will bring to the table. I want to see how he handles the players. I want to see what other plays and strategies he will incorporate into his system. Will he keep the same philosophy as Coach Sette? My guess is no, but we’ll have to find out. The core group of the team remains. They will be hurt by the loss of Dan Comas, and Eric Loughnane to graduation last year. I think, though, that junior center Fran “Doc” Dougherty is ready to emerge as a star. Fran stands around 6’5 or 6’6 about maybe 200 pounds. He’s put on some muscle since the last time I saw him play. He’s a tremendous athlete with good size, and can really maneuver his way down in the post. If you want to post him up, he can make all the shots. He also has a nice touch from the outside. Fran actually reminds me of Dan Comas a little bit. I’m sure Dan taught Fran some tricks and pointers about playing the position. The basketball team will have to wait another week or so to get two of their starters from last year back. Guard Scotty “Skeet on em” Adkins and forward Sean “Smack” McCartney are still basking in the glow of being in the State Final. Scotty is one of the quickest and smartest players I have ever seen. He looks like a natural out on the court. He has a quick first step, and knack for being around the rock. Just like he is playing corner. As for Sean, what else can I say. The kid does it all, whether quarterbacking the football team to the state final, playing great defense in basketball, or scoring goals in lacrosse. He’s one of the best athletes I have ever seen. I’m sure if you ask Sean of the three sports he plays, which one is his weakest, he would probably say basketball. Sean brings a lot of skill to the team. He can shoot from the outside, rebound, and plays great defense. Look for Sean to continue his success onto the basketball court this winter. Senior guard Tim Fahy is a very interesting player. When he’s on he is one of the best pure shooters in the league, but when he’s cold, he’s ice cold. I think Tim is a very underrated player. I’m hoping to see Coach Tait utilize him more this season. I’m hoping to see junior forward Brian O’Grady make a big leap this year. Brian got off to a quick start last year as a starter, but his time started to dwindle as he struggled to find his groove. I think that will change. Brian is a good player up front. He can rebound, and has a nice touch from the outside. I hope to see big things from Brian this year. O’Grady is also a standout in baseball. Of all the players on the roster the one player I think that has the most potential to be a star in the near future is Sophomore guard Joe Getz. Joe is a freak on the court. Boy, can that boy jump for a white boy. I’m seen him dunk the ball with ease. He has a lightning quick crossover move, good inside moves, and can really handle his own. He can play two ways. If you want to get into a track meet with him, he can handle it, or he can slow it down and just pick you apart with his pinpoint passes. There is the lack of experience factor, but I don’t buy that since he started a handful of games last year on varsity. Joe is also a great soccer star as well. Kind of see a theme here? The team is filled with great athletes who play multiple sports. That can’t be a bad thing. Even Fran Doc played tennis last year. Other key players are junior forwards Nick Vicari, Doug Macrone and Kevin Fenstermaker, and junior guards Jerry “Whatever” Rahill, and Fran Dolan. The thing I like about this team is that their core nucleus is young. I really don’t know what to expect from the other teams in the PCL Blue, but I that Wood will be competitive. Watch out, I think this team could surprise some folks. While everyone was out at Hershey on Friday night to watch the football team -- er, the estimated 300 people to Selinsgrove’s 1600 -- the basketball team defeated King and wound up winner the whole PSU Abington opening tip-off tournament. That’s a good sign to see. Hopefully Wood can build on these two early wins, and continue the success that Archbishop Wood athletics has seen this year so far.