Big Blue back for more

Despite going 17-3 in the regular season and capturing the Tri-Valley League title for the third year in a row, the Medfield High boys basketball team seemed to fly under the radar heading into the 2007 tournament. But the Big Blue rolled all the way to the Division 3 South finals last year, where it knocked off Scituate in what some considered an upset. Medfield would advance all the way to the TD BankNorth Garden before losing to Watertown in a state semifinal.

It’s safe to say that after going 20-0 and capturing the TVL for the fourth year in a row, the Big Blue won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year. It was an impressive season, especially for a team that lost two starters from last year’s squad, including leading scorer Jeff Altimar, now playing at Skidmore College.

Coach Herb Grace returned three starters, and believed his team would be competitive, but finishing the regular season with an unblemished record was not something Medfield had discussed at the beginning of the year.

“We just try to break it down the same every year,” said Grace. “We look to gel as a team first. Then you talk about getting to qualify for the tournament, and finishing strong in our league.”

You can put a check mark next to those first three goals, but there is still unfinished business as the postseason rolls around for Medfield.

“We want to make a deep run in the tourney,” said Grace. “The kids are still pretty focused. We’re heading into the tournament on a high note. We’re playing well, and hopefully our best basketball is ahead of us. We just want to play to the best of our abilities.”

Leading the way for the Big Blue are the three seniors in the starting lineup. Guard Joey Richman was a league all-star last year, and has returned to average 19 points per game, including three games where he scored 30 or more.

“He’s one of the better players in the area,” said Grace.

Forward Andrew Collins gives Medfield an edge defensively.

“He can score some points, but he’s definitely more of a defensive leader for us,” said Grace. “He might be our toughest competitor. He’s a hard-working, blue-collar defender.”

Senior center Matt Connelly, at 6’6, gives the squad some size in the middle, averaging 14 points and 12 rebounds per game.

“He’s been consistent all year for us,” said Grace. “He alters a lot of shots defensively.”

All in all, it’s been an impressive response after last year’s success.

“A lot of the guys on this year’s team were part of that last year,” said Grace. “We had some injuries to two of our starters last year right before the tournament, but we had guys slide right into their roles.”

While that experience can only seem to help the Big Blue as it readies for the postseason, it could all be forgotten quickly once the tournament starts. The Division 3 South field is loaded, as Norwell is also working on a prefect season, while Scituate seems poised to learn from last year as well.

“We’ve taken it in stride,” said Grace of the team’s perfect record. “We’ve hit a couple of tough shots, and we’ve got some rolls. These kids understand that it can end in one game.”

Super leftovers

With everyone still lamenting the Patriots’ loss two weeks ago, I figured I’d focus on the positive and recap the high school championships from two months earlier. Was there a better way to finish the football year than to have Everett and Dartmouth in the Division 1 Super Bowl?

You can forgive Boston.com schools editor Chris Forsberg and Globe schools editor Bob Holmes if they dislocated their shoulders from patting themselves on the back. After all, they came up with the idea to have Everett’s Isaac Johnson and Dartmouth’s Jordan Todman to pose for a picture at Gillette Stadium last summer.

Three long months later, Todman and Johnson met on the field at Gillette Stadium again when Everett and Dartmouth squared off

It’s no surprise that Everett was back to defend the Super Bowl crown, but even some of the players for Dartmouth seemed surprised to be the opposition after the Indians rolled over Brockton, 40-7 in the semifinals.

“It was cool meeting Isaac, and going to Gillette Stadium and being on the field,” said Todman after the Indians defeated Brockton. “I didn’t know if we’d get back there.”

Maybe Dartmouth could compete with the Crimson Tide for a quarter or two, but there was no real reason to believe the Indians could actually stay with Everett for an entire game, was there? The Indians’ answer to that was an emphatic yes, as the two teams went toe-to-toe in what will surely be remembered by all who witnessed it as one of the all-time great showdowns. It ended with Everett showing why they are true champions in a 36-28 win in overtime, and Dartmouth looking like a worthy adversary.

Indeed, last year seemed to be the year Dartmouth would be in the Super Bowl, as the Indians were undefeated before losing to a 6-5 Brockton squad, 15-14, in 2006 in the semifinals. The Indians had another solid season this year, going 10-1, but the Boxers were just as impressive with a 9-1 record, the one setback was a two-point loss on the road to a BC High squad that went 11-0.

That only made Dartmouth’s lopsided win all the more impressive. Everett, meanwhile, started the season No. 1, went largely uncontested to an 11-0 record, then thrashed BC High, 26-6, in a semifinal in which the Crimson Tide did all the scoring in the first half, and the Eagles’ lone score came in the fourth quarter.

That set up the finale at Gillette, with both offenses taking control early. The Crimson Tide scored on their opening possession. It was a nine-play drive that only took up two minutes and was capped by Johnson’s score from one yard out. Everett’s offense is relentless, always keeping the pressure up with a no-huddle attack that keeps the defense on its heels and does not allow it to make substitutions between plays.

Todman answered with the first of his three touchdowns on the next play from scrimmage, going around the right end and up the sideline 71 yards to even the score. The two continued to go back and forth as the game went to overtime. Everett took the ball first and scored, but Dartmouth was unable to answer, as Johnson came up big on defense, deflecting the ball away on the Indians’ fourth down attempt.

When it was over, Todman had rushed 20 times for 199 yards and two touchdowns, while hauling in a 52-yard reception for another score. Johnson was also impressive, scoring a pair of TDs and rushing for 129 yards on 21 carries. But others stepped up as well. Dartmouth quarterback Sean Sylvia passed for 135 yards and a pair of touchdowns. J.W. Forte scored a pair of touchdowns for Everett, including the game-winner, despite a number of tough hits he received all game.

“The people who stayed home missed a hell of a game. I hope they watched it on TV," said Everett coach John DiBiaso. “There are no losers out here tonight.”

While it the showdown was easily the best game of the day, it was not the only excitement going on at Gillette. Marshfield and Chelmsford also staged a classic battle, with Chelmsford again winning on a field goal in the final minute, 23-20 despite the Rams furious rally from a 20-7 deficit to tie it in the fourth quarter.

The nightcap was a classic duel between all-purpose backs Nick Schwieger ofd Bishop Feehan and Ryan Izzo of Walpole. It seemed anything Izzo could do, Schwieger could do better. Feehan eventually prevailed, 26-20.

The only disappointment of the day was, well, the day itself. Freezing temperatures meant only the bravest of souls were in attendance. Hopefully next year will bring warmer weather. I’m already counting down the days.