FOXBORO – Leave it to a great trigger to supply a poetic victory.
With one other exhibiting of development and evolution because the unique Wally Seaver HS Invitational boasted 16 basketball groups within the spirit of fundraising to struggle ALS, the twelfth annual version wrapped up Sunday night time having hosted over 120 groups from six completely different states between two amenities. But as the extent of competitors raised to an all-time excessive with extra juggernaut applications becoming a member of in, it was a program that’s simply one among 4 to play in all 12 invitationals that will win the title on this 12 months’s high bracket.
Behind 17 factors from Boston Herald All-Scholastic Sean O’Leary, the Franklin boys surged previous newcomer North Andover to win its first Blue Division title, 62-55, at Mass Premier Courts.
Considering Seaver coached the Panthers for a decade within the Nineteen Nineties earlier than transferring on to different alternatives, and ultimately passing from ALS, it was solely becoming the Franklin junior varsity crew received the Gold Division.
“It’s really cool,” O’Leary stated. “Playing for a good cause, especially since he coached at Franklin, it’s definitely great to win it. Our younger team won it, too. We’ve just got a great program, top to bottom. All our guys put in the work day in and day out.”
Invitational director Paul Seaver – one among Wally’s sons – is optimistic that this 12 months’s turnout, when paired along with his fundraiser stroll to Fenway from months prior, raised over $15,000 for the ALS Association in what may mark the match’s largest donation. But except for the plain monetary objectives of elevating as a lot cash as attainable to assist struggle the debilitating illness, what pleases Seaver is how passionately the neighborhood desires to be part of the invitational.
Not simply due to what it represents, but additionally the chance to get non-AAU summer time reps towards fellow established applications.
The premier division’s ultimate in 2021 noticed perennial contender Mansfield tackle a powerhouse from Rhode Island. Newton North, one other fixed state match menace, received it final 12 months within the Tigers’ first 12 months taking part. Franklin needed to beat Newton North within the semifinals on Sunday, solely to face North Andover – a Div. 1 Final Four crew final winter – within the ultimate.
Factor within the robust groups relative to their faculty’s dimension within the decrease divisions of the invitational, and this 12 months’s version was a hotbed of elite competitors.
“We’re getting some high-caliber teams … there’s a lot of good appeal, good basketball and just tons of talent,” Paul Seaver stated. “There’s actually nothing prefer it. … That’s a testomony to the gamers, the coaches, the referees, the scorekeepers. Just all people concerned who makes this occasion tremendous particular each single summer time.
“You see guys working laborious and having enjoyable, that’s what my dad would’ve wished.“
That improvement during the last couple years didn’t go unnoticed for North Andover All-Scholastic Zach Wolinski, who took the chance to gentle up the scoreboard from deep in his crew’s debut.
“Right when we heard about it, we were invited, we said, ‘Absolutely, we’ve got to take advantage of this,’ ” he stated. “We took it like the state tournament, we took it like it was the most important thing. Very competitive basketball … with the team you’re going to be playing with (next season). It was a lot of fun.”
“We definitely got balanced, there’s a lot of great teams here in this tournament,” O’Leary added. “It’s really cool to see all these talents come to this one gym, see all the rest of the players.”
Chicopee Comp beat Merrimack (N.H.) for the Green Division title on the subsequent court docket over. Old Rochester defeated Pembroke within the Black Division, Norton received the Navy Division over Stoneham, and Monty Tech topped David Prouty for the Maroon Division crown. Fontbonne received the women’ Pink Division.
Source: www.bostonherald.com