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Franklin coach CJ Neely has coached his program to the state title game twice in his career. He is hoping the third time’s the charm.
Led by Hockomock League MVP Sean O’Leary, No. 3 Franklin enters its Div. 1 state title showdown with top-seeded Worcester North looking to capture its first state championship in program history.
Under Neely, Franklin has twice reached the final, falling to Cambridge in 2017 and Mansfield in 2018. This time around, however, the Panthers are deeper. Beyond O’Leary, the Panthers have sharpshooters Henry DiGiorgio and Andrew O’Neill, tough-nosed guard Bradley Herndon, and premier athlete Caden Sullivan. On the bench, the Panthers have Hansy Jacques and Justice Samuels providing key minutes.
Franklin is unbeaten in state with its only loss coming to West Orange (Fla.). The Panthers have defeated all four of their postseason opponents by double figures.
“It’s not the Super Bowl, but there are a lot more distractions in that you have a lot more fans than you had a couple weeks ago trying to get in and watch the games,” Neely said. “We’ve treated this final four as one of those holiday tournaments you play over the break. You just have to try and deal with what is directly in front of you.”
On the other side is Worcester North, the defending Div. 1 state champion and winners of 44 consecutive games. Amir Jenkins is one of the top guards in the state, with the dynamic duo of Joe Okla and Teshaun Steele inside. North blew through the competition for most of the season but proved it can handle adversity when it overcame a late deficit to beat Xaverian in the Div. 1 state semifinals.
Malden Catholic is hoping to finish off its three-peat on Friday night at 6 when it takes on Sharon in the Div. 2 state title.
The Lancers again are led by Boston Herald all-scholastic Matt Gaffney and Bo Moody. Ben Howard has become a reliable force inside while Messiah Johnson helps stretch the floor. If MC is to bring home head coach John Walsh’s sixth state title, they will have to take down a Sharon team that has weapons of its own.
Guard Jacob McLaughlin has played like one of the state’s best this postseason while forward Nate Katznelson is a 1,000-point scorer. Sharon has shown a flair for the dramatic as evidenced by Jackson Rava’s triple with two seconds left to lead the Eagles past Bedford in the semifinal game.
All season, Charlestown has played like the top Div. 3 team in Massachusetts and will look to finish it off when they play Old Rochester on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Townies have arguably the best duo around in Jaylen Hunter-Coleman and Jaylin Williams-Crawford. Old Rochester, however, has its fair share of marquee wins, knocking off Scituate, Div. 2 state semifinalist Somerset Berkley, and handling Div. 4 state finalist Bourne its only loss.
Speaking of Bourne, they are hoping to complete a season sweep of Wareham when it faces its longtime rival in the Div. 4 state title on Sunday afternoon. The Canalmen won the regular season matchup, defeating the Vikings, 71-61. Bourne is led by Leo Andrade, Mike Dankert, and South Coast Conference MVP Nate Reynolds.
Wareham, meanwhile, is the defending champion and has four starters back from last year. Ajay Lopes is a superstar as evidenced by his late pass in the lane to Antoine Crosser for the game-winning layup in overtime versus Millbury in the Div. 4 state semifinals.
It’s a battle of the top two seeds in Div. 5 as No. 1 Hoosac Valley takes on second-seeded New Mission on Saturday at 2 p.m. Hoosac’s Joey McGovern put on a show in the state semifinals, scoring 29 points in a win over Mahar. The Titans have won eight straight going back to the regular season and went on a 13-2 run against Pioneer Valley to clinch their spot in the final.
Worcester North deserves the label of ‘favorite’ but this Franklin team has shown so far that it can handle anything thrown its way. Offensive rebounding will be the key to the game.
Pick: 57-52, Worcester North
Based on how Sharon has played much of this postseason, this game is more of a ‘toss-up’ than meets the eye. It’s hard to go against John Walsh’s Lancers, however, who have yet to lose a postseason game with him at the helm.
Pick: 61-57, Malden Catholic
Charlestown has been a top five team in Eastern Mass. for well over a month now. Jaylen Hunter-Coleman, Jaylin Williams-Crawford, and company put the capper on a terrific season.
Pick: 67-54, Charlestown
We picked Bourne over Wareham in the state final going into the postseason and we are sticking by that. This has been Bourne’s season to remember since the get-go.
Pick: 70-63, Bourne
It is hard to pick against New Mission, but Hoosac Valley’s only two losses all year are to a strong Monument Mountain team.
Pick: 68-61, Hoosac Valley
Local News
While Logan Airport has so far avoided the delays plaguing other major hubs, Boston’s airport may see federal immigration agents step into a security role at the order of President Donald Trump.
As the partial government shutdown continues into its second month, more than 400 Transportation Security Administration workers have quit after working without pay since mid-February, the Department of Homeland Security said. Funding for DHS, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is at the center of the shutdown.
Starting Monday, Trump said he’s planning to order ICE agents to airports, where they would arrest “all Illegal Immigrants,” unless Democrats fund DHS.
Mike Gayzagian, the president of AFGE Local 2617, the New England branch of the TSA officers’ union, said it’s currently unclear if ICE will be headed to Logan or any other airport in New England.
“We have not heard anything official from TSA leadership that ICE would be coming to any airport in New England. However, we are making inquiries,” Gayzagian said in a statement. “The New England region has not experienced the same problems as other parts of the country and so we do not see such a move as something that’s necessary at this time. However, if the staffing situation deteriorates, the need for such a move may have to be reevaluated.”
At Logan Airport, the majority of TSA agents have stayed at work, Boston.com previously reported, and the airport has overall avoided long security lines.
Massport confirmed Sunday that Logan has “not seen any impacts to the checkpoints due to the ongoing shutdown” and said it had no information on ICE agents going to Logan.
When asked if ICE agents will be at Logan Airport, a spokesperson for DHS did not address Boston or New England directly, instead blaming the “Democrat shutdown” and addressing the long lines at airports nationwide.
Trump will “deploy hundreds of ICE officers, that are currently funded by Congress, to airports being adversely impacted,” according to Lauren Bis, DHS’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Department of Homeland.
“Because of the Democrat shutdown, President Trump is using every tool available to help American travelers who are facing hourslong lines at airports across the country — especially during this spring break and holiday season that is very important for many American families,” Bis said. “This will help bolster TSA efforts to keep our skies safe and minimize air travel disruptions.”
AFGE National President Everett Kelley slammed the move in a statement, saying the agents “deserve to be paid, not replaced by untrained, armed agents who have shown how dangerous they can be.”
In New England, Gayzagian said as the union makes inquiries into the move to deploy ICE agents, public safety is important if staffing levels suffer.
“It’s important to keep the public safety situation under control,” Gayzagian said. “Any police presence at the airport acts as a deterrent to those who have bad intentions.”
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It was the second time in six months that Reichel had to pack his bags and join a new team. Was it a surprise?
“A little bit, I would say, because it was kind of like last-minute,” Reichel said. “But I knew Boston was always – even when I was in Chicago – always in the mix. It was good when I heard it.”
He tried to take it in stride. Providence runs a fairly parallel system to that of its NHL affiliate; Mougenel’s goal is for the transition to be as easy as possible, he said, when his guys get called upon. While it was a short stint with the P-Bruins, it seemed to be just what Reichel needed to get his bearings.
“I think Providence helped me a lot,” Reichel said. “It was just three games, but it was fun to play with them down there. They’re really good at helping me out, and I felt comfortable right away. They are a really good team.”
Reichel made his Boston debut in Thursday’s 6-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets at TD Garden, and had two points (one goal, one assist) while skating on the third line with Elias Lindholm and Morgan Geekie. He also slotted onto the second power-play unit.
Reichel displayed the speed head coach Marco Sturm has been so fond of during Saturday’s 4-2 victory in Detroit. He bolted past a group of Red Wings and charged the net, drawing a penalty shot in the latter minutes of the third period. While he did not convert, it was a prime example of the motor Reichel brings.
“I think as a player, I happened to be here, too, as soon as you go into a new team – I think it just helps overall your confidence when you score and have success on the first night. It helps you tomorrow, helps you the next day, helps you the next game,” Sturm said.
Lindholm and Geekie have a combined 21 years of NHL experience, and they’re offering it up as a resource for Reichel, who has injected his youthful energy onto the line.
“Just having fun,” Reichel said of his linemates’ advice. “And they try to talk to me a lot between periods or on the bench. Just play my game and have fun with it.”
Sturm had familiarity with Reichel – the Nuremberg, Germany, native – before he joined the Black & Gold. Reichel’s father, Martin, and Sturm were teammates on the German national team.
“I asked him about his dad today. He said he stepped away from youth hockey, and it’s a good thing. He’s focused on drinking wine, I guess. So good for him,” Sturm said with a smile. “He’s a good man, it’s a good family.”
Boston Legacy FC lost their first away game 0-3 to the Houston Dash on Saturday.
The game began with some action: a penalty in the 13th minute for the Houston Dash after a tackle by Jorelyn Carabali in the box. The Dash was unable to secure a goal after a diving block from Casey Murphy.
However, 30 minutes later, the Dash managed to get one through, resulting in a 0-1 score at the half.
In the second half, the Legacy was unable to stop the Dash, with a goal at the 60′ and 65 minute mark. The game ended 3-0. Boston Legacy secured 2 shots on goal, compared to 7 for Houston Dash. The first away game for the Legacy also marked several player debuts, including Amanda Gutierres, Laurel Ansbrow, and Massachusetts own Sammy Smith.
Boston Legacy head coach Filipa Patão said it wasn’t the result they were expecting.
“A lot of bad executions and decisions in the game,” Patão said. “We need to grow a little bit more.”
Midfielder Josefine Hasbo said that the players needed to take responsibility for their performance out on the pitch.
“These are the moments that you learn from even more,” said Hasbo.
Forward Nichelle Prince, who was drafted by the Dash in 2018, told reporters that the Legacy needed to work on keeping the ball on the other side of the pitch, especially on hot days, which may be more transitional for them.
“Pick our moments where we need to beat the press a little bit better and overall just the mentality to win the ball back quicker,” Prince said at a press conference.
Patão said that the team will focus on “getting better” and “improving our process” moving forward.
This loss comes a week after the Legacy’s 0-1 finish against the New York Sirens in their inaugural home game at Gillette Stadium. Boston Legacy will play the Utah Royals on March 28 at 12 p.m. at Gillette Stadium.
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