Ralph Cox makes Mass. hockey hall
One of the finest hockey players to come out of the area, Ralph Cox, who grew up in Holbrook and Braintree, will get his due on Tuesday night.
Cox will be inducted into the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame as one of eight new members honored during ceremonies at the Legends dining room at the TD Banknorth Garden.
After a starry career at Archbishop Williams High School, Cox put together an All-America career at the University of New Hampshire, and was the last player cut from the gold-medal 1980 US Olympic hockey team.
Joining Cox on the hall's roster will be Boston Bruin president Harry Sinden, National Hockey League standout Fred Ahearn, legendary college coach Sid Watson, pioneering NHL coach and referee Bill Stewart Sr., Assabet Valley women's hockey builder Carl Gray, Natick's Bill Chase, and Springfield's Al Hirsch.
''It's a great honor and I will cherish every moment," said Cox. ''It's hard to believe that all the great things that happened to me began years ago in the neighborhoods of Holbrook and Braintree playing street hockey."
As for his Olympic experience, ''It was painful when I didn't make the team," said Cox, who was hampered by a balky ankle. ''It was the first time in my life that I didn't make a team I tried out for. For the entire year before the Olympics, it was a wonderful experience barnstorming around the country playing with those guys. They are like family. We still get together every year. Even though I did not get to go to the Olympics, it was something that I wouldn't trade for anything."
These days Cox lives in Newbury and works for New England Development, a real estate company. A limited number of tickets ($45) to the Hall of Fame induction dinner are still available, and may be purchased by contacting Jim Prior at 617-312-0144.
Reunited friends boost Babson squad
Tom Sullivan of Pembroke and Ryan Murphy of Canton are two reasons why Babson College, which opens its season Thursday night against Colby College, is ranked among the best teams in NCAA Division 3 hockey.
Sullivan, a senior captain, took numerous awards last year as the Beavers rocketed through a 20-5-3 campaign.
Murphy, an assistant captain, didn't begin his college career at Babson. He started at Division 1 Fairfield University in Connecticut. However, when the Stags dropped their hockey program, Murphy joined his old friend Sullivan at Babson.
''The two share many common bonds," said Babson's second-year head coach, Jaime Rice. ''They played together at Xaverian high school and later at Thayer Academy before here. Their bond goes beyond friendship and respect. They feed off one another on the ice."
Rice is impressed even more with their character and integrity, on and off the ice. ''Tom won every award imaginable last year and you wouldn't know. He is the same, wonderful person," said Rice. ''He's a three-year captain, and in all my 30 years involved in hockey, there is only one other player that I've played with or coached that deserves that much respect, [Milton's] Jim Fahey, when he played for Northeastern University."
The Babson coach also is impressed with Murphy's gritty play.
''He missed our first eight games last year because of an injury, and we went 4-3-1. I don't think it's a coincidence that we went 16-2-2 once he returned to the lineup," said Rice. ''Ryan might not be flashy, or be an imposing figure, but he is one of the most determined players I have coached."
Gregg packs classroom punch
It might have been a difficult year on the soccer pitch, but it was an outstanding year in the classroom for Julie Gregg of Weymouth.
The junior midfielder for Bentley College might have been frustrated on the soccer field, as the Falcons were winless and punchless. Bentley was 0-12-2 in the Northeast-10 Conference and 0-12-4 overall.
However, Gregg has been scoring points with her professors, racking up a 3.82 grade-point average as a marketing major.
The Falcons' problem was scoring goals. The most goals Bentley scored in a game was two, which happened three times. Six times they had one goal, and the Falcons were shut out seven times.
Gregg has been a starter since she arrived at Bentley after playing a starring role at Weymouth High. In her freshman season, she recorded three goals and three assists in 16 games. The following year she played in 15 games with 11 starts and followed that this year by starting in all 16 of Bentley's games. This fall she finished tied for fourth on the team with a goal and an assist.
Bascon has been a catch for BSC
Ben Bascon is wrapping up his college football career in fine style. The Bridgewater State College wide receiver caught nine passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns while leading the Bears to a 42-6 victory over Massachusetts Maritime Academy in the regular season finale, also known as the Cranberry Bowl, on Nov. 5.
The senior set season records for receptions (52) and receiving yards (984) for Bridgewater State, which finished the regular season with an 8-1 record.
A Bridgewater native, Bascon earned the Lee Harrington Most Valuable Player Award for his performance. It was his second straight week of stellar football.
For his efforts in a 24-20 come-from-behind victory over Worcester State College, Bascon was named the Division 3 offensive player of the week by both the Eastern College Athletic Conference and the New England Football Conference.
Against Worcester State on Oct. 29, Bascon caught six passes for 153 yards and scored a touchdown as BSC came back from a 20-17 late fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Lancers. In the Bears' last-minute scoring drive, he hauled in a 55-yard reception that set up Adam Camobreco's game-winning 13-yard TD run.
It was the second time this season he was named the NEFC player of the week. He also earned the honor with his nine-catch, 162-yard, two-touchdown performance in a 33-24 victory over Maine Maritime on Oct. 8.
