Eagles Get the WCAC “Ship”

Ron Bailey, Publisher

February 26, 2008 – Monday night the 30-1 Gonzaga Eagles (DC) fulfilled a year long mission by defeating Bishop O’Connell (VA) 71-63 for the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference crown. Leading the way was senior swingman Max Kenyi, who saved his best for last.

“I didn’t play well the past two games” said Kenyi of his WCAC tourney play, “so I though I needed a great performance this game, and I came through with it”.

Though he scored 13 points in the first half – good numbers indeed – Kenyi stepped up his play in the second stanza on both sides of court, including checking the previously hot Jason Clark (24 points), who scored 19 in the first stanza, aggressively.

Max Kenyi (left) and Cam Johnson celebrate with the championship trophy.

Clark was virtually unstoppable in the first period, cutting and driving to the basket out of his team’s ‘five-out’ scheme in which four or five guards used quickness and spacing to isolate defenders an attack.

“I think Gonzaga’s strength is inside” said O’Connell’s coach, Joe Wootten of his tactic/personnel change. “I wanted to try something a little bit different. Our strength is in our guards…I thought it worked. Max hit some very difficult shots in the second half”.

Jumpstarting the Eagles (30-1), who led only 35-31 at intermission, was Kenyi’s open court steal and dunk, giving his team a 39-33 advantage.

“Oh it did, it did”, said Max, when asked if the play was energizing. “Me just taking the ball that easy and getting a dunk, that just got me going”.

“That dunk got us going” shared his teammate Tyler Thornton (13 points). “Max played a hecukva game”.

Gonzaga, 2008 WCAC Champs!

Kenyi, who will attend Harvard University next year, continued his onslaught, completing contested shots, including three pointers, layups, and baseline shots.

O’Connell (25-6) would get as close as 55-51 in the fourth quarter through plucky defense and six consecutive points from sophomore Kendall Marshall (17 points), but Gonzaga soon iced the game via their trademark unselfish play.

Senior forward Cameron Johnson (10 points) and sophomore Ced Lindsey (11 points) scored in double figures for Gonzaga, along with Thornton, who made nine of 10 shots from the charity stripe.

Both team’s seasons continue, as each will participate in the Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament, and individually Gonzaga will via for City Title honors March 4th against Theodore Roosevelt, while O’Connell searches for yet another Virginia Independent School crown.

Nevertheless, the importance of this game was articulated by all.

Clark replied “It does a little bit” when asked if his team’s pending games diminish this losses sting ever so slightly. “But this is something we really, really wanted”.

“It’s a dream come true” emotionally shared Steve Turner, Gonzaga’s coach who previously had been maligned but with this win silenced the critics. “Our kids brought it home and I’m proud of them, that’s the biggest thing. They wanted it, dedicated themselves to the time we lost here in the semifinals last year, and now they’ve earned their right to be one of the top teams”.

“This is wonderful, this is a storybook ending for us” exclaimed Max, rightfully enjoying the glory earned. “We worked hard for four years and now it’s paid off. We got the ‘ship”.

Notes:

1) The crowd was in overflow mode, with over 5,000 fans crowding the gym.
2) Over the course of the WCAC tournament quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, coaches from Georgetown, Binghamton, West Virginia, Marymount, Hood, Citadel, St. Vincennes, Widner, North Carolina State were seen by this writer. Others surely were present.

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