BillyV's Blog

2/24/08

When Fox 29 broadcast the boys and girls Public league Championship games today, we expected double drama; both the boys and girls championship games figured to be close, exciting matches. As it turned out, the girls match was a blowout, but, in a sense, we still got our double drama, as the boys game went to double-overtime.

Communications Tech and Frankford were all knotted up at the end of regulation, and at the end of overtime, as well. Finally, in the second OT, Comm Tech was able to pull away and finish strong, winning the Public League Title.

Comm Tech typifies a great team. They’re star player; “Scootie” Randall (who will announce tomorrow that he is going to attend Temple) did not have a particularly great game, but still ended up with a team-high 18 points. But teammate Manny Jordan used his wide body to create underneath, (he was named MVP of the game) and then Antonio Monroe played great for the Phoenix late in the game, before fouling out in overtime. After that, Chris Jones stepped up big in the second overtime, and Coach Lou Beister and his Comm Tech players finally had themselves a championship, 77-73.

In the girls game, Engineering and Science, which had lost to Central in the title game the last three years straight, finally broke through—and in a big way. Led by Keisha Hampton.

Hampton’s 20 points, the Engineers blew out Central by the incredible score of 63-29. E and S’s team is comprised mostly of seniors who were tired of losing to Central, (as was Coach Joe Ryan) although it was a freshman, Brittany Hrynko, who was named co-MVP with Hampton.

For me, this is always a special day, doing play-by-play on the girls game, and I know Tolly feels the same about announcing the boys match up. I think the folks behind the scenes also do a great job, even though it’s something we only do once a year.

It’s also something the kids will always remember. (Temple senior Mark Tyndale still thanks me every time I see him, because we broadcast the game when his Simon Gratz team won it.) Congrats to the winners and to the two teams that didn’t win, too: Frankford gave it a great effort in the boy’s game and Central, a young team, will probably be back in the girl’s title game again next year.