Basketball Magicians fall in the Round of 32
The Marblehead High boys basketball team, the 20th seed in Division 2 after finishing up the regular season with a 13-7 record, took on Worcester’s Doherty Memorial (14-6), the 13th seed, in the Round of 32. They ended up losing the high scoring, competitive road game, 83-70.
“We focused on keeping them out of the paint in the first half, while making them settle for the three,” said coach Mike Giardi. “We had the lead at the break, because of that strategy, but in the second half Doherty got us off our game, and as a result we began to chase a little.”
Giardi has no complaints with the effort. “We played great, but just ran out of gas physically and mentally down the stretch,” he said.
The veteran coach went on to say that “while the seniors were naturally disappointed that their season ended so early in the tournament, the underclassmen should take this loss as a motivational tool to get better for next year.”
Wrestlers complete season at All-State Meet
After a three-month plus grind of league meets, independent tournaments and daily practices, the Marblehead Black & Blue co-op wrestling team’s season is over. It all came to an end at Springfield’s Mass Mutual Center with two of its wrestlers qualifying for the All-State Meet.
First-year sophomore grappler Anna Cruikshank made program history, when she became the Black & Blue’s first girl to qualify for the statewide event.
“We are very excited that she will be back next season, hopefully with some of her friends,” said coach Mike Stamison. “It takes a pretty special person to wrestle, but being the only girl on the team, while also being brand new to the sport takes a bravery that’s difficult to put into words.”
Senior captain Liam O’Brien (138-pounds) went 1-2 in his final high school matches, losing in the quarterfinals to Andover’s Ballou after beating Gloucester’s DeCoste in the Round of 16.
O’Brien has been a captain of the team the last three years, coinciding with placing in the states each time. He was also a New England qualifier, only one of two to go that far in program history, while completing his scholastic career with 188 wins, another all-time best for the program.
Among his numerous credits include two Cape Ann League / Northeastern Conference championships, and two Division 2 North and three Dan Gionet Memorial titles. All of this adds up to being selected once again to the CAL / NEC all-star team.
“Liam is the kind of kid, who is better than his accolades,” said Stamison. “He is very well-liked throughout the region, and is a great leader, especially this season, when he had to lead a very young squad. I will sorely miss him, along with his parents, Jim and Julie, and his brothers, Connor and Ben. This feels like losing a friend. But I also want to thank all my seniors for what they did for this team.”
Coach Stamison will get together with the entire team one more time at the annual team awards banquet on March 25.
