Leading off today: I was tempted to ask whether there was a full moon Saturday, but I already knew that the year's last full moon arrived Thursday.
Otherwise I'm out of explanations for how a five-overtime game in CHSAA boys basketball actually got outdone by a contest in Pennsylvania that went seven -- count 'em, seven -- OTs.
First, the New York City clash:
St. Francis Prep, winless in its first two league contests this month, outlasted host Christ the King 104-101 after regulation ended in a modest 64-64 tie.
The first OT ended with the teams tied at 72, and it was 78-all heading to the third overtime. Four more minutes resulted in an 84-84 tie, and then it was 94-94 entering the decisive fifth extra period.
A defensive stop by the Terriers plus a turnover and baskets in transition gave St. Francis Prep a six-point lead with 10.8 seconds to go. The Royals' Ryan Myers made a 3-pointer at the final buzzer to finish with a game-high 30 points, but Christ the King came up short.
St. Francis Prep got 29 points from sophomore Chance Morrish and 28 by junior Todd Rochelle.
"I'm so proud of our guys," Terriers coach Jimmy Lynch said. "Whether things were going our way or going Christ the King's way we just stuck with it."
As wild as that game was, it was no match for Fairfax (Va.) Paul VI Catholic beating host Warminster (Pa.) Archbishop Wood 130-128 in seven overtimes. At one point, Archbishop Wood coach John Mosco asked the players who hadn't yet fouled out -- the teams combined for 113 free throws -- to gather in front of him so he could piece together a lineup.
"I think everyone got their 10 dollars' worth," Mosco said.
Archbishop Wood led 57-42 after the third quarter, but Paul VI scored 37 points in the fourth to tie the score at 79-79.
DeShawn Harris-Smith gave Paul VI the lead for good with a driving bucket to start the seventh OT, then Luke Triggs made two free throws and Reiss Whittaker knocked down a 3-pointer for a 127-120 lead..
"They left everything on the floor and did everything they could to win the game, we had guys you wouldn't even know are on the team out there," Mosco said.
Compounding the craziness, the Archbishop Wood players and coaches had to get to the airport at 4 a.m. Sunday to catch a flight to Hawaii, where the team will play in the Iolani Classic.
Hall of Fame class announced: The New York State High School Girls Soccer Hall of Fame will induct 13 new members on Sept. 12 at Niskayuna High School.
The honorees at the fourth annual ceremony will be:
- Tatiana Saunders (Rye, 2011), a goalie was all-state three times and player of the year once, along the way also starting in the nets for England's U-17 team.
- Carve Enfield (New Lebanon, 1975-1993), who compiled a record of 254-87-18 as coach with 12 Section two titles and one NYSPHSAA crown.
- Caitlin Colfer (Colonie, 2005), a 103-goal scorer at striker who was all-state three times and went on to play in the WPSL.
- Tom Basel (Poland, 1997-2019), who just retired after a second state title. He was 349-92-15 with eight Section 3 championships.
- Bill Stepanovsky (Union-Endicott and Vestal, 2000-2018), whose teams went 294-37-27 with 256 shutouts and 17 Section 4 championships.
- Tanya Vogel (Penfield, 1992), a Section 5 standout appointed last year as director of athletics at George Washington University, her alma mater.
- Mary Neilon (Ellicottville, 1984- 2018), owner of a 458-160-34 career record with four NYSPHSAA championships and 25 Section 6 trophies.
