In the liveliest game of the season so far, the Trojans beat the Narragansett Warriors 39-32 at Bromfield on Tuesday, Dec. 19. In contrast, the Tahanto Stags beat the Trojans 64-43 in a sedate game on the Stags’ home court, Thursday, Dec. 21. Bromfield’s record in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Midland-Wachusett D League is 2-2.
Josh Pelak goes up for 2 points in a game against Parker Charter School. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)
The game on Tuesday against the Warriors was loud and intense, and it had patrons in the stands on the edge of their seats. It wasn’t looking good for Bromfield by the end of the first quarter when they were down 13-7. It seemed the Trojans just couldn’t get the ball in the net, though not for lack of trying. They came out swinging, literally and figuratively, in the second quarter and, with a minute and 27 seconds left on the clock, a fight broke out on the court after an intense play that resulted in technical fouls against both teams. With adrenaline running high, the half ended with Bromfield trailing Narragansett 22-18. Coach Tim Skaggs later commented, “We kind of got ourselves discombobulated by getting caught up in the emotions of the game and not doing some of the things we are capable of doing.”
The second half of the game showed better control by Bromfield in both ball-handling and emotions. Play stopped in the third quarter with less than 30 seconds to go when sophomore Jake O’Neil’s bleeding elbow caught the eye of the ref. Play resumed but was immediately paused again to clean some blood off the floor. In the end, senior high scorer Luke MacLean helped carry the team to victory.
Two days later, the atmosphere couldn’t have been more different at Tahanto as the Trojans faced the Stags. The stands were packed with home team supporters and many Bromfield fans as well, but you wouldn’t have known it based on the silence hanging over the court. Baskets were scored, fouls were called, and nary a cheer or objection was heard. A few sedate claps here and there added to the strange vibe. By the end of the first quarter, the Trojans were down by 17 points as only a small fraction of their shots landed in the net.
The team had some forward momentum in the second quarter thanks to MacLean and junior Ethan Russo but still couldn’t close the gap with the Stags leading 38 -20 heading into halftime. The second half of the game was frustrating as referees called foul after foul. Coach Skaggs changed the lineup in the fourth quarter, later explaining: “[Junior] Brady [Quirion] did an excellent job in the second half playing defense on Tahanto’s best shooter,” he said. “We dug ourselves such a hole in the beginning of the game that it was really difficult to get out of it, but I am optimistic that when we play them again, we can win.”
Bromfield was off for the winter break but returned to the court Jan. 1 for the annual alumni game (see photo, page 18). Such auld acquaintances were not forgot as Baylor (class of ’19) Dylan (’20) and Donald Ashe (1979), Sam Shepherd (’12), Nate Rogers (’20), Dallas Briggs-Adams (’21), Nick Russo (’22), and Amyl AitDowd (’23) took to the court to play multiple pickup games against the current varsity team in a time-honored tradition.
Trojans kick off the new year with a win
The Bromfield boys varsity basketball team beat West Boylston 55-45 at an away game Friday, Jan. 5. It was no wonder the game stretched on for an hour and 45 minutes, given the number of fouls, which looked more like a running game score at 27-24.
The Trojans took their time warming up in the first quarter. With West Boylston leading 11-9, Bromfield got the ball rolling in the second quarter and finished the half at 32-19. The third quarter saw Bromfield’s lead dwindle to 5 points, while the end of the game was fraught with confusion and fatigue as the clock was stopped for fouls more often than it ran.
In the end, team high scorer and co-captain junior Ethan Russo’s 31 points carried Bromfield to victory.
The Trojans faced two tough teams the week of Jan. 8. They were scheduled to play Worcester County’s South Lancaster Academy, whose record stands at six wins and two losses, on Tuesday, Jan. 9, at an away game at 7 p.m. On Friday, Jan. 12, they were to face off against Ayer Shirley in the first home game of the new year. Ayer Shirley’s standing in the MIAA Mid-Wach D League is 5-2, while Bromfield’s is 3-2.
Julie Gowel is a Bromfield varsity basketball parent.
