20/20 Vision
On January 5th, in an article titled “Predictions for the New Year”, the New England Recruiting Report predicted the various league champions throughout the region. Now that the season has officially come to an end, here’s a look back at how we did.
League –NEPSCAC Class A
Predicted – Bridgton Academy Champion – Bridgton Academy Result: 1/1
They survived surging South Kent for their 4th title in 5 years.
League – NEPSAC Class B
Predicted – Tilton School Champion – Tilton School Result: 2/2
Didn’t take Nastradomus to predict this one with Oriakhi, Coombs-McDaniel, and Coleman on board
League – NEPSAC Class C
Predicted – St. Mark’s Champion – St. Mark’s Result: 3/3
Ditto above…only with Murphy(s), Lubick, Basabe, and Johnson
League – NEPSAC Class D
Predicted – Pingree School Champion – Pingree School Result: 4/4
We predicted the upset in January and the 4 seed came through. 4/4 in the NEPSAC!
League – WNEC
Predicted – Hotchkiss School Champion – Loomis Chaffee Result: 4/5
Hotchkiss left the WNEC mid-year and played in the class B tournament, but we’ll take the L nonetheless, Loomis was great all year.
League – CIAC Class LL
Predicted – Windsor Champion – Windsor Result: 5/6
We called this one at the beginning of last year as we always had faith in Coach Ken Smith and his seniors
League – CIAC Class L
Predicted – Trinity Catholic Champion – Bulkeley Result: 5/7
Bulkeley shocked top seeded Trinity Catholic in the quarters and kept the momentum through the finals win over Torrington
League – CIAC Class M
Predicted – Sacred Heart Champion – Sacred Heart Result: 6/8
We had our money on Josh Turner, Cory Andrews, and company all along
League – CIAC Class S
Predicted – Kolbe Cathedral Champion – Cromwell Result: 6/9
Cromwell knocked off Kolbe in the semi’s and Hyde in the final
League – NHIAA Class L
Predicted – Trinity Champion – Trinity Result: 7/10
No big surprise here as Jordan Laguerre led the team to a dominating victory in the final
League – NHIAA Class I
Predicted – Monadnock Champion – Portsmouth Result: 7/11
5th seeded Monadnock fell in the 2nd round while 6th seeded Portsmouth swept the top three seeds en route to their championship.
League – NHIAA Class M
Predicted – Conant Champion – Conant Result: 8/11
Conant was just 1-1 on the season at the turn of the year, but they rattled off 15 in a row to claim the Class M title and keep us .500 in New Hampshire.
League – NHIAA Class S
Predicted – Colebrook Champion – Moultonborough Result: 8/12
Colebrook met Moultonborough in the semi-finals and Moultonborough scored a dominating 78-47 win, then beat Newmarket in the finals.
League – RIIL Division I
Predicted – Bishop Hendricken Champion – Bishop Hendricken Result: 9/13
We really went out on a limb saying the 5 time running champions would win their sixth straight.
League – RIIL Division II
Predicted – Classical Champion – Classical Result: 10/14
The defending champs returned almost everything and so it’s no surprise to see them repeat.
League – RIIL Division III
Predicted – Moses Brown Champion – Moses Brown Result: 11/15
Anjuwon Spence led Moses Brown to their 2nd consecutive championship, upsetting Central Falls.
League – MIAA Division I
Predicted – Central Catholic Champion – St. John’s Result: 11/16
Central Catholic suffered their first MIAA loss in the tournament and St. John’s took the title.
League – MIAA Division II
Predicted – Stoughton Champion – Milton Result: 11/17
Milton knocked off the defending champs in the sectionals and then won two more to capture the title
League – MIAA Division III
Predicted – Watertown Champion – Watertown Result: 12/18
The Stockmals come through to make sure we don’t go “o for” in the MIAA
League – MIAA Division IV
Predicted – N. Cambridge Catholic Champion – Cathedral Result: 12/19
The defending champs lose to Cathedral in a thriller
League – VT Division I
Predicted – Burlington Champion – Rice Result: 12/20
Burlington was a big favorite going into the final, but Jon Goldber was the hero and Rice won.
League – VT Division II
Predicted – Springfield Champion – Springfield Result: 13/21
Grant White was arguably the best player in division II all year long and he didn’t disappoint in the final as his 33 point performance led the way.
League – VT Division III
Predicted – Lake Region Champion – Hazen Result: 13/22
Lake Region was nowhere to be found in the final as Hazen held off BFA-Fairfax for the title.
League – VT Division IV
Predicted – Proctor Champion – Proctor Result: 14/23
We’re going to keep picking them until they lose as Proctor has now won four straight division IV titles in Vermont.
League – MPA Class A
Predicted – Cheverus Champion – Thornton Academy Result: 14/24
Ian Barwise was the only connection to Cheverus in the final
League – MPA Class B
Predicted – Camden Hills Champion – Camden Hills Result: 15/25
Camden Hills surprised no one and completes the undefeated season
League – MPA Class C
Predicted – Dirigo Champion – Calais Result: 15/26
Calais had an answer for Thomas Knight and so they capture the Golden Ball
League – MPA Class D
Predicted – Woodland Champion – Woodland Result: 16/27
Woodland comes through and we go .500 in Maine
All in all 16 out 27 isn’t bad…especially when the picks were made two months prior to the post-season even starting. Next year we think we’ll do it again, only we’re going to make it into a regional contest.
You fill out your NCAA tournament picks…now you can pick your New England champs too and we’ll see who knows New England basketball the best. Here’s a sneak preview of who we like: Hillhouse in the CIAC; Central Catholic in the MIAA; Cheverus in the MPA; Trinity in the NHIAA (assuming Laguerre is still there); Bishop Hendricken (again) in the RIIL; and Burlington with vengeance in Vermont.