Good afternoon everyone. Here’s another post to the blog since there haven’t been that many this week. First of all, I forgot that Coach Lemberakis of the St. Joseph’s-Green Freshmen Team had told me at the Piscataway vs. Seton Hall Prep Game in the 2007 Vaughn Stapleton Classic that today’s scheduled varsity tilt between Colonia and St. Joseph’s at the Bird Cage was for 7:00 PM. Nevertheless, I traveled up to St. Joe’s to see its highly touted Freshmen team take on Colonia. The catch to this trip was the fact that I walked to the school from my home in South Plainfield. It was quite a walk, but I have run through that area on occasion over the years, and the weather was more than cooperative considering how cold and windy it was earlier this week.
Leaving the house at about 9:40 AM, I walked to Plainfield Ave in South Plainfield, past the Police Station and Rescue Squad, and then onto Maple Avenue past the Fire Department. Then, I took a shortcut through some neighborhoods to cut down on the time, and eventually got over to Oak Tree Road. This portion of the trek is one that I have made many times from the time I was a kid. Going over the small bridge on Park Ave in Edison after passing the Golden Acres Shopping Mall in town, I eventually crossed the border into Edison. I then proceeded down Park Ave in Edison until I got to Plainfield Road. I took that road all the way down pass Charlie Brown’s, and eventually got to the school at about 10:45 AM. The trip there took me approximately an hour and five minutes. When I arrived in the gym, there was just two minutes to go in the third quarter with St. Joseph’s leading 33-12 in the GMC Hoops Freshmen Game of the Week.
I watched the rest of the Freshmen Game, which St. Joseph’s-Green won easily 44-24 although Colonia went on a 6-0 run in a 1:38 span to trim the deficit to just 33-18 with 19.0 left. Slay Sudah then made two free throws for a 35-18 Little Falcon lead going into the fourth. In the final period, St. Joe’s outscored Colona by a 9-6 margin as Ace Sudah passed to Matthew Hratko for a three pointer from the top of the key that opening the quarter scoring, and made the score, 38-18 with 7:38 left. The Little Falcons cruised from there with the twenty point win. Next, I stayed and watched the JV Game since I had made a promise to St. Joe’s JV coach, Pete Mercatili that I would try to come by, and see his kids in action. They didn’t disappoint although Colonia had an 8-0 run at the end of the first half to turn a 26-19 deficit into a 27-26 lead at the intermission. However, in the second half, the Junior Falcons clamped down on the defensive end, and limited the Junior Patriots to just five points over the final two periods including an 11-0 showing in the third for a 45-32 victory.
I will have more details on these two games in the Freshmen and JV Roundups as well as a full article on the Freshmen Game soon. After the two games, I walked the same route from St. Joseph’s to my home. That trip was for about an hour and ten minutes. I guess I lost a step. It was quite a hike though, but it was nice since I haven’t been able to get out much lately not only due to the hectic schedule I have, but also because of the recent weather. I had done a similar thing in the pre-season when I walked down to the Faber Gymnasium in Dunellen to watch the Destroyers take on Edison in a scrimmage. It’s good exercise, and it saved me some gas.