Basketball team ends impressive season
The Pioneers made it to the state finals after an incredible 23-win season.
Coach Bob Foley led a talented team of Pioneers to the Division 1 boys’ basketball state final in Springfield on Saturday, March 19th. The team came off a 65-48 victory over Putnam on March 17th to become the D1 Central Mass. champions, and though the Pioneers fell to Cambridge Rindge & Latin the players and Superfans alike came away proud of their year.
During the final, the Saint John's players all wore T-shirts with the words “Massachusetts State Police” across the front. As reported in the Telegram & Gazette following the game, "the change in uniform came for a good reason."
"The Pioneers wanted to support senior Tyler Clardy, whose father, Massachusetts State Trooper Thomas Clardy, was struck and killed during a traffic stop on the Mass Pike in Charlton.
"'My dad is a 28-year veteran of the state police,' 'said St. John’s senior Joe Murphy, who scored eight points in the Pioneers’ state final defeat. 'He knew Trooper Clardy personally, I’ve met him a few times. St. John’s is more than a high school it’s a brotherhood. Tyler Clardy being a senior, he’s a brother.'
“'Everybody talks about sports and winning, but it kind of shows you that for the kids who play, it’s about more than winning games,' St. John’s coach Bob Foley said. 'It’s also about life and trying whatever way you can to help out a family that I’m sure is struggling right now. That’s why they wanted to support them.'
As Coach Foley reflected, “if you told me back at the beginning of the year this group was going to win 23 basketball games. I’m just so pleased with these kids, and that’s what we want to remember.”
The Pioneers finished 23-2 after ending their 17-game winning streak in their eighth trip to the state final, including the fifth in the past nine seasons.
Find more: Boys' basketball Division 1 state final: St. John's will remember 23 wins, not loss to Falcons. (Telegram.com)
The Pioneers finished 23-2 after ending their 17-game winning streak in their eighth trip to the state final, including the fifth in the past nine seasons.
Find more: Boys' basketball Division 1 state final: St. John's will remember 23 wins, not loss to Falcons. (Telegram.com)
Boys' basketball Division 1 state final: Pioneers wear blue for Trooper Clardy
