Athletics: Winter 2000-2001 Wrap-up
By Golden Falcon Editor, Brent Conway
Men’s Basketball
Led by senior guard Joe Mele (Somerville) and junior forward Hakim
Johnson (Roxbury), the Men’s Basketball team worked their
way to a final record of 9-16 and 3-9 in the MASCAC conference.
Johnson was named to the MASCAC All-Conference 2nd Team for averaging
13.8 ppg and shooting over 41% from three point range. Mele finished
a brilliant four year career with 967 points. Also finishing off
a fantastic career for Fitchburg was 6’8” senior center
Jason Anderson (Sutton). Anderson averaged 3.1 blocks per game which
led the MASCAC and was among the nation’s best. Anderson also
finished with 922 career points.
Guard Issac Lane (So, Boston) also had a solid season averaging
12.7 ppg and was among the conference leaders in many categories.
After bowing out in the first round of the conference post-season
tournament to Mass College of Liberal Arts 71-69, Head Coach, Nick
Pappas is hitting the recruiting trail in hopes of bringing even
more talent and more wins for next season.
Women’s Basketball
Freshman center, Merideth Cipriani (Wilmington) made a huge impact
in her first season. Leading the Falcons on the boards she earned
MASCAC Rookie of the year honors and Second Team All-Conference.
Cipriani’s play combined with the efforts of guards Elena
Pandiscio (Jr, Fitchburg) and Jamie Morgan (Fr, Danvers) helped
the women’s basketball team to a 8-16 mark, which continued
the teams constant improvement from the three previous seasons.
Cipriani averaged 13 ppg and 10 rebounds per game and a conference
best 2.6 blocks per game. Morgan helped the cause by averaging 11.5
ppg. Sr. guard Elena Pandiscio (Fitchburg) should be commended for
her stellar play and hard work. She averaged 2.7 assists per game
while playing a strong point.
Two conference overtime losses and one other buzzer beater loss
to a conference opponent put a sour spin on some outstanding play
by the Falcons. This season’s strong performances by young
players have Head Coach, Walter Paschal, looking forward to next
season.
Ice Hockey
In a season that has seen Head Coach Dean Fuller win his 300th
game, it has not been all good. A young Falcon hockey team struggled
at times and appeared like a veteran team on other occasions.
The Falcons still qualified for the post season but suffered their
first losing season since Fuller has guided the program for the
past 17 seasons. The 11-13-2 record was finalized with a 7-2 loss
at the hands of Wentworth in the first round of the ECAC Northeast
playoffs. Wentworth defeated the Falcons last year in the finals
to earn a birth into the NCAA tournament.
Other than Fuller’s 300th coaching victory, there were two
other milestones achieved this season. Senior forward Tony Cinquegrano
(Weymouth/Catholic Memorial) and Junior forward Jeff Brodeur (Townsend)
both scored their 100th career point in the same game in a 3-2 loss
to Salve Regina.
Strong play from freshman Shane Coleman (Charlestown/Malden Catholic)
7-15-22, and sophomore Greg Horan (Hyde Park/Catholic Memorial)
12-11-23, gives hope for a better season next winter. Also the play
of sophomore goalie Jason Holt (Fitchburg/St. Bernard’s) improved
as the season went on and he finished with a 3.84 GAA. Holt showed
signs of greatness when he turned away 47 shots in a 1-1 tie of
nationally ranked Salem State.
The Falcons will graduate 4 seniors from a very young team with
8 freshman and 8 sophomores. Coach Fuller has his eyes on some of
the top talent in the Bay State for next year’s team as they
hope to draw from adversity and return to the top of the ECAC Northeast.
|
