WIZ Words: Tourney This Baby Is Wide Open, Plus WIZ Top 10 Teams- Week # 10

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Where every day is a victory celebration

By The WIZ
Wow! This is it folk’s it is Tourney Time. Every year you hear the same old thing that when the tournament starts it is a brand new season and this is all very true, but this year more than ever because of things that have happened and so many teams are evenly matched “This Baby Is Wide Open”. Keegan Hyland (South Portland) States # 1 player has been out all season, but he did suit up against Portland this past Tuesday night and then on Friday night he played against Cheverus and his Red Riots team bumps off the Stags ending their undefeated season.  Keegan came off the bench and played in all 4 quarters in three to four minutes spurts and he finished with a game high 18 points. So it looks like Keegan will be a go for the tournament. Indy Faithfull (Cheverus) as we all know has used up all his 8 semester eligibility and he can’t play in the tournament. Cheverus has been the top favorite in Class A all year, but now without Indy it kind of evens things out in Western Class A. Is Cheverus still the favorite or does that now go to Westbrook or South Portland?

Speaking of the issue with Indy Faithfull this still does not sit quite right with me. We have a team is Western Class D, A R Gould that is being allowed to go to the tournament and I am all in favor of this. But also in another way I am kind of torn about it. Here you have a school with kids who have been in some kind of trouble in society that and are put into this school to be rehabilitated if you will, these kids have broken the law in some way and are sentenced to this school. Now you have Indy Faithfull who has done nothing wrong other than playing in Australia for an extra semester because school starts in January instead of September over there. Here in Maine we are not allowing him to play because of this. In Australia high school teams are not very strong, they practice once a week and play one game per week. Indy came to this country to improve his education and to hopefully through his basketball skills get a college scholarship. He has been a very good student and an excellent role model. The 8 consecutive semester rule is in place for a reason, but in Indy’s case it has nothing to do with that reason. Waivers have been given by the MPA for many different reasons in the past and not just for basketball they have done it in all sports. My feeling is if a player is allowed to start the season and he follows all the rules he should be allowed to finish the season. Just some of my thoughts folks.

Back to the tournament as I was saying things seem to be on an even keel heading to the “Big Dance” In Class A East just take a look at the teams records, Edward Little, Bangor,  and Brunswick all at 16-2. Brewer is at 15-3 and Hampden is at 14-4 anyone of these teams is capable of beating one another on any giving night and then there is also Mt. Blue at 11-7 who is very capable of upsetting anyone of these top teams.

As I said last week heading into the last week of regular season games that anything can happen and it usually does. It looked like Rockland wasn’t going to make the tourney, but then the last game of the season they knock off # 1 Camden handing the Windjammers their 2nd loss in less than two weeks.  It looks like any of the top 5 teams in B East could take it, but I still like Camden. Over in Class B West the Capers of Cape Elizabeth knocks off previously undefeated Falmouth in the last game of the regular season. They not only knock them off the steal the #1 seed away from them. Then there is Mountain Valley they are undefeated at 18-0 but they play a much weaker schedule then Cape or Falmouth, but how good are the Falcons this year? We shall find out very shortly. I think one of these three teams will come out of the West.

In Class C West I think it is between Livermore Falls and Dirigo, but OOB or Hall-Dale could surprise. In Class C East it’s a crap shoot between the top 5 teams with Washington Academy and Calais the two leading favorites, but you can’t count out Lee, Stearns or Foxcroft.

In Class D West Richmond has been the top team all year, but Valley has beaten them once and “Watch out” for the A R Gould Bears! They are undefeated at 11-0, but they have not played any of the top teams. How good are the Bears? You can’t count out Forest Hills and watch out for the WIZ Preseason pick the Hyde Phoenix! The Phoenix only had a 14 game schedule and they draw the # 5 seed. In Class D East its Wide Open between Schenck, Central Aroostook, Fort Fairfield, Jonesport-Beals, Washburn, and heck I guess you can’t count out South Aroostook, Shead or even Greater Houlton Christian.

Lets take a look at the seedings:

Class A West: 8 teams only:

1. Cheverus (17-1)
2. Westbrook (17-1)
3. South Portland (14-4)
4. Windham (13-5)
5. Thornton (13-5)
6. Deering (11-7)
7. Portland (10-8)
8. Scarborough (11-7)

Class A East: 8 teams only:

1. Brewer (15-3)
2. Edward Little (16-2)
3. Bangor (16-2)
4. Hampden (14-4)
5. Brunswick (16-2)
6. Cony (10-8)
7. Mt. Blue (11-7)
8. Skowhegan (9-9)

Class B West: 9 teams are in with 7 teams getting a bye and 1 prelim game:

1. Cape Elizabeth (17-1)
2. Falmouth (17-1)
3. Mountain Valley (18-0)
4. Greely (13-5)
5. Maranacook (14-4)
6. Lincoln (11-7)
7. York (11-7)

8. Yarmouth (11-7)
9. Lake Region (11-7)

Class B East:10 teams are in with 6 teams getting a bye and 4 teams playing a prelim game:

1. Camden Hills (16-2)
2. Ellsworth (15-3)
3. Mt. View (15-3)
4. Presque Isle (17-1)
5. Medomak (14-4)
6. Old Town (12-6)

7. Winslow (12-6)
8. Caribou (12-6)
9. Mt. Desert (10-8)
10. Rockland (9-9)

Class C West: 10 teams are in with 6 teams getting a bye and 4 teams playing a prelim game:

1. Livermore Falls (15-3)
2. Dirigo (15-3)
3. Old Orchard (16-2)
4. Hall-Dale (11-7)
5. Wiscasset (12-6)
6. Boothbay (11-7)

7.Monmouth (10-8)
8.St. Doms (11-7)
9. Georges Valley (9-9)
10. Traip (11-5)

Class C East: 10 teams are in with 6 teams getting a bye and 4 teams playing a prelim game:

1. Washington Academy (17-1)
2. Calais (16-2)
3. Lee Academy (14-4)
4. Stearns (14-4)
5. Foxcroft (15-3)
6. Penquis (10-8)

7.Madawaska (12-5)
8. Penobscot (11-7)
9. George Stevens (8-10)
10. Hodgdon (8-10)

Class D West: 8 teams only:

1. Richmond (16-1)
2. A R Gould (11-0)
3. Valley (11-6)
4. Forest Hills (13-5)
5. Hyde (10-4)
6. Vinalhaven (10-6)
7. Greensville (7-9)
8. Buckfield (8-10)

Class D East: 10 teams are in with 6 teams getting a bye and 4 teams playing a prelim game:

1. Schenck (17-1)
2. Central Aroostook (16-2)
3. Fort Fairfield (16-2)
4. Jonesport-Beals (15-3)
5. Washburn (12-6)
6. South Aroostook (13-4)

7. Shead (13-4)
8. Greater Houlton Christian (13-5)
9. Deer Isle (10-8)
10. Machias (9-9)

Undefeated Teams: Undefeated teams drops from 4 to 2 this week as Cheverus and Falmouth both suffered a loss this week:

Mtn. Valley--18-0
A R Gould---11-0

As we head to this weeks WIZ Top 10 Teams there a several changes. Cheverus with the loss to South Portland drops from # 1 to # 2. Falmouth with the loss to Cape drops from # 2 to # 6. Westbrook with two more wins takes over the # 1 spot. Edward Little jumps up to # 3 and Bangor jumps up to # 4. Cape with the big win over Falmouth jumps up to # 5. South Portland with the upset win over Cheverus jumps up to # 7. Brewer with a loss to Bangor drops to # 8. Camden with a loss to Rockland drops to # 9. Hampden with another win moves back into the Top 10 at # 10 and Brunswick with a loss to Cony drops out for now.

WIZ Top 10 Teams- Week # 10:

1.Westbrook-----17-1- Blue Blazes Baby! They Take Over the # 1 Spot! How Sweet It Is! For Now Anyway! Blazes Crushed Bonny Eagle! 65-28! Crushed Gorham! 68-47! Jobin! Borelli! Nouchanthavong! Murphy! They Want It! Bring It on Baby! Up Next! Quarter-Final! They get Portland! 9:00pm! Saturday Night! CCCC! Blazes Take This One!

2.Cheverus------17-1-Stags No Faithfull! Beat Deering! 55-38! Stags Lose One! SP Gets Em! 53-43! It Wasn’t Pretty! Hopefully That’s their One Bad Game! Stags Will Miss Indy! Need to Regroup! In a Hurry! Next Up! Quarter-Finals! They get Scarborough! CCCC! Friday Night! 8:30pm! Could Be Interesting! Stags Move On!

3.Edward Little--16-2- Eddies Are Ready! Took care of Mt. Ararat! 63-35! Took Care of Lewiston! 55-41! Bo! Yusef! James! Are You Ready! Bring It On! Baby! Next Up! It’s The Cougars of Mt. Blue! ACC Baby! Saturday! 5:30pm! Quarter-Final Action! Place Will Be Rock’n! Could Be Very Interesting!

4.Bangor--------16-2- Roger’s Ready! Beat Mt. Blue! 40-27! Handled the Witches! 59-46! Tourney Is Coming! Rams Can’t Wait! Roger Loves This! Up Next! It’s Rams Vs. Rams! They get Cony! Quarter-Final! 4:00pm! ACC! Bangor Moves on!

5.Cape Eliz.----17-1- Oh Baby! Big Games! Big Wins! Beat Yarmouth! 52-51! Gets it Done Over Falmouth! 48-45! What a Game! Just a Preview of The Tourney! Maloney! Dicky! Bowe! Brown! They’re All Ready! Baby! Get This Baby On! Up Next! Capers Get the Winner of Yarmouth/Lake Region Prelim! Saturday! 4:45pm! CCCC! Capers Will Be Fired!

6.Falmouth----17-1- Got by York! 60-56! Capers Get’Em! 48-45! That’s Ok Though! Better Now Than next Week! Halligan Will have them Ready! Mancini Is Very Hungry!
Next Up! Quarter-Finals! Yachtsmen Get York! 3:15pm! Saturday! CCCC! Yachtsmen Advance!

7.So. Portland--14-4- Riots Lose a Tough One! To Portland! 49-48! Last Game Of The Season! Hyland Returns! Riots Take Down The Stags! 53-43! Wasn’t Pretty! But a Big Win! Riots Grab The # 3 Seed! Next Up! Riots Get Deering! Quarter-Finals! Saturday! 7:30pm! CCCC! Won’t Be Easy! But Riots Will Take It!

8.Brewer------15-3- Witches Beat Skowtown! 77-53! Lose to Bangor! 59-46! Still Get the # 1 Seed! Witches Better Get Ready! It’s Tourney Time! Baby! First Up! Skowhegan! Not A Gimmie! Saturday! 9:30pm! ACC! Witches Move On!

9.Camden----16-2- Windjammers Beat Gardiner! 73-39! Oh No! The Jammers Get Jammed! And by Rockland! 67-66! WOW! Surprise! Surprise! Still gets the 1 Seed! And Still the Favorites! Hart will Have Them Ready! T-Mac! Pieri! They’ve Been there! There Going Back! They Know what It Takes! First Up! Jammers Get The winner of Winslow/Rockland Prelim! Saturday! 3:00pm! Bangor Auditorium! Will Be Exciting! But Jammers Will Take it!

10.Hampden--14-4- Broncos Crushed Messaloskee! 69-39! They Slide Back into The Top 10! Gearing Up! Getting Ready! They can Taste It! It’s Tourney Time! Baby! It Won’t Be Easy! But The Bronco Will be Buck’n! Up Next! Quarter-Finals! They Get Brunswick! This Could Be a Good One! Everyone Thinks Brunswick Is Easy! We Shall See! Saturday Night! 8:00pm! ACC!

Teams Knocking on the Door

Brunswick-------16-2
Presque Isle-----17-1
Mt. View---------15-3
Mtn. Valley------18-0
Wash. Acad.----17-1
Windham--------13-5
Schenck---------17-1
Thornton--------13-5
Ellsworth--------15-3
Stearns----------14-4
Calais------------16-2
Livermore Falls-15-3
Foxcroft---------15-3
Medomak-------14-4
Dirigo-----------15-3

Til’ Next Week: It’s Tourney Time! This Baby is Wide Open! Good Luck to All Teams!

The WIZ