EASTCHESTER — So exactly how long has it been?
That question had bounced around Eastchester leading up to last Tuesday’s Class A quarterfinal. The community settled on 1971, so when the drought finally ended with a win over Pelham, the town was ready to celebrate.
Eager students were restrained from storming the court. Parents, teachers and fans waited in the gym lobby for players, who were saluted like heroes upon bursting through the doors.
“We went to Mickey Spillane’s after,” junior Jack Daly said, referencing the local Irish pub. “I think half the town of Eastchester was there. It was a big party.”
In truth, it has been 39 years — not 42 — since the Eagles last made the short drive to the Westchester County Center. A few phone calls confirmed the school’s boys basketball team reached Section 1’s pinnacle in 1974, but the date’s elusiveness only underscored how long Eastchester has sat in the waiting room.
“We didn’t want to do it just for ourselves, but for everybody else in the community,” Daly (pictured above, center) said. “We made history.”
A win over Poughkeepsie in Wednesday night’s semifinals would etch this season even more clearly into program lore. The Pioneers, the No. 3 seed, enter the final four as the favorite after returning all but two players from last year’s runner-up. They have won 17 of 18, including a 70-59 win over the Eagles on Dec. 15.
But, at 19-1, second-seeded Eastchester doesn’t believe in inevitability. If it did, this season would be over by now.
Consider that in his first 13 seasons, coach Fred DiCarlo never advanced past the first round. His Eagles finally reached the quarterfinals the last two, nearly beating Poughkeepsie at home last year before fading in the final two minutes.
“Everything we’ve been doing the whole year was to get to the County Center,” said junior forward Mike Milo (pictured above, right), who transferred home after two years at Fordham Prep. “Now that we’re there, we’re going to try and win the two games and move on from there.”
Eastchester has reason for its optimism. Its only loss was characterized by an atypical lack of aggression. Fearing Poughkeepsie’s athleticism, DiCarlo scrapped the fast-paced, pressing style he adopted in the offseason that deploys an 11- or 12-man rotation and earned him coach-of-the-year honors from his peers.
The Eagles will revert to their usual style in the rematch and hope for a better result.
“I still think we have to be smart with it,” DiCarlo said. “We’ll see how the game goes, but we’re going to start with it.”
Daly, one of the section’s top guards, and freshman guard Benny Dimirco are the only basketball-first athletes in the rotation. The rest — mostly football, baseball and soccer players — shuffle through the lineup to remain fresh.
“At the beginning, it was kind of a weird transition,” said Kevin Teahan (pictured above, left), one of only four seniors in the rotation. “Coach just preached to us that if we’re going to go 10, 11, 12 guys deep and play the style he wanted to play, we’re going to need to move guys in and out to conserve energy.”
Daly’s skill, versatility and leadership seem to glue all those pieces in place. He has been the team’s primary orchestrator since joining the varsity as a freshman.
Daly’s maturity is partly a byproduct of tragedy. His father, John, died suddenly of a heart attack when Jack was in fifth grade.
John had coached all of the juniors in CYO to that point.
“It’s made me stronger,” Daly said. “I’ve realized that that’s the hardest thing you could have to go through in life. If I can get through that, turning the ball over or missing a shot is nothing.”
Inevitably, the Eagles will have to endure those mistakes Wednesday night. Highs or lows — after nearly four decades of early exits — there’s nowhere they’d rather confront them.
194 Comments
HRs,
WOW,WAY TO GO,JULY 16 ALL-STAR GAME AT CITI FIELD
Very active in youth baseball. Actually starting a biz around it. Will show you. Mentioned it to States at one point.
By the way, Northport just beat Deer Park to win Suffolk title.
HRs,
Did Deer Park’s issues do it or does it look like a convincing L?
HRs aka Tommy Emanksi II
Deer Parks issues and their awful coach did them in. Northport is not a good team at all. They just played in control. Uniondale beat Farmingdale(which was the 1) seed tonight on the Nassau side. So its shaping up for them to now win the island.
Amityville beat Babylon as well for the Suffolk chip. They now will play Northport for the overall crown of Suffolk. They will beat Northport.. so two years in a row the A winner will beat the AA winner. Shows you what is going on in Long Island!!
Amityville will win the overall A title on the 9th too. Can’t see them losing.
HRs,
Northport plays who next?
Statesman,
Time to shine
States…LOLOL. Tommy didn’t focus enough on catching. That’s my expertise. I will bring you a copy of the brochure tomorrow for the biz I am working on…
To Hrs,
Did your pop coach chris brooks before he went to Oak Hill and West Virginia? Undersized big man with big time hops?
old school… YES he did. He coached Chris for two years and that was the first two years Chris every played basketball.(His second year they won the State/Feds). My pops actually went up to him in the hallway and asked him to play based on his athleticism.. rest was history. Jumped through the building. Oakhill and beyond he got worse. Needed a role model like my pops to ride him…
HRs,
Playing in control is always key. Makes a world of difference. Looking forward to the brochure and telling you about my 750 season rampage as a 10 yr old. Everything looked like a meatball that yr. All fun until the curveballs came, lol.
A great catcher dictates the game, if the pitcher isn’t getting batted around though haha.
Wood,
Time to radiate! Want this season to last as long as possible. It’s been a treat watching these guys.
Roy is with the Mets now, scouting. I was with him at the MV/Mamk game last week. Great guy and a good friend..
Wood.. Northport will play Amityville next for the overall Suffolk winner, but in terms of the states, they play the winner of Nassau which will most likely be Uniondale.
Old school,
You hit a nerve,here we go
States…750 hahahahaha. You are too much. Catching=best position in baseball
Under appreciated position still in this era of ball. Hard to find a beast back there. That is why I work with kids and coaches in youth. They need to understand the importance of a good catcher. Think about it, all the good kids in little league were told to pitch or play short…never get behind the dish. Why? because no one thinks its important!!!
SPACECADET,
Lonnie doo.McDonald’,Jeff Patterson,richie johns,Paul cozzalino,Ricky fagnanni,Jamie thaw,baseball team at MV had a crew
HRs,
The 750 is real. Got moved to the big league at Marist camp b/c I was Griffeying the kids. That year was too fun. Lost momentum playing AAU Hoops a few years so it was too tough to catch up after. Not like I could play catch with my dad. I explained to him hitting a ball coming at you with an .8 of a second to respond is one lf the hardest things in all sports.
I was stuck behind the dish a lot, could do everything but pitch. Strong but wild arm. On bad days I had to walk the ball back to the pitcher b/c I kept throwing over his head lmbo. The most important position by far. Need a Dominick Hasek back there if you catch my drift lol.
States classic wording … GRIFFEYING!!! I will be using that. You were the POK version of Macky Sasser. I had arm issues myself, but always could rake, so it kept me playing for free through college. My 8 year old is already doing blocking drills. They need to start early!
STATESMAN,
THIS TIME TOMORROW,YOU’LL KNOW WHO’S NEXT,LLLLLLOOOOOLLLLL
Thanks Hrs,
Tough place to coach, tough neighborhood. Must have been excellent coach.
HRs,
Haha, use it all day. Loved roaming center, catching everything. I was always on bad teams so even at 2nd base you’d see me running in the outfield b/c my teammates dropped everything. Being in the field an hour every inning blo.ws. I have to look up Mackey, decent w/ baseball lore but have a lot to learn.
Wish you had some footage. With your genes and that work, your boy is a natural. I heard Hockey goalies can make decent blocking catchers too.
Wood,
Taking all comers. Get through tomorrow first and if they don’t want it, give it to them anyway! The fun and gun, Eastchester-PK game will be great for the big floor.
HRs,
GOOD LUCK,TEACHING IS POWERFUL
old school… sure was tough, but it was some of the best years for our family. We loved being a part of it. He had so much success in a short amount of time. Think his last 5 years there he won 5 straight undefeated league titles, 3 city championships a fed championship. And he prioritized education. Almost all of his players graduated and many went on to play in college. It wasn’t the talent, it was the system he ran. Aside from Chris he only had 2 other kids on a D1 level. Most were D2, D3 kids who went on to play at Farimont State, New Paltz, Buffalo, etc.
States I got footage on my phone! We 15 year gap but very similar and wood got at least 10 on me. Old school in the house!
HRs,
lmbo, forever young boys in the house. I’ll have to comandeer your phone at intermission if I haven’t had a stroke or been jumped by Step Fans at that point.
HRs,
Just because the roof is comming off the house,don’t mean there is not a log on the fire,LLLLLLOOOOOLLLLL
LOLOLOLOLOL.. they better bring some big boys for that to happen.
Gotta go to bed though. 4:45 will be here in a flash whether I like it or not. I’ll catch you and Wood tomorrow, God willing. Safe travels!
Wood… Well said!!!
States see you tomorrow… concession side balcony. Send out attire tomorrow, but unless you are wearing a hat, I got you.
HRs,
They have no idea. Slimmed down but am still 220 with the power I had at 260. Used to get jumped when I was a twig in middle school but always held my own. When the going gets tough, I’ll bite lol.
HRs,
Got it. Pretty much same spot as last yr. The guys can hesr me from up there so I hope to not have to get behind the bench.
Statesman/HRs,
BE PEACEFUL TONIGHT,GREAT GAMES A HEAD,CAN’T WAIT
alright boys, we got a long day tomorrow.. And States I am 250, so we got that size in common too…and wood.. is at least 250!!! old and BIG school in da house…
HRs,
330,6’2 and a half,
Go pok !!..good luck states ..Gonna try and get down tomorrow
Wooooahh wood! You and states are going to cost me a c-note at Nathans.
Wood,
You carry it well. My goodness, would not have known. Now I see how you sling those boats around
HRs,
One row per guy, loool.
Bawler,
Thanks! If you make it, join us. I can’t do Friday, dad won’t be happy about me missing a Weds, Friday and possibly Sunday visit
HRs,
I eat,LLLLLLOOOOOLLLLL
For a big dude, I eat like a rabbit HRs. Thanks for reminder to keep lunch to an apple, lol. OK, I’m seriously out now—gotta beat this insomnia while I have a window.
STATESMAN,
THANKS,I CALL IT THE “HUSKY” LOOK
HRs,
Not greedy,just needy,LLLLLLOOOOOLLLLL
LOLOLOLOLOLOL see you all tomorrow. And I will stop by bank before hand!!
Wood,
Mv won in 79 also. Some of the guys you mentioned were gone in 81 so you must have been a youngster in 79. From what am told, Coz was the best of the bunch. Too bad it never panned out for him, he had the talent to be a pro..
Now I know your size, I’ll have to look for someone taking two seats.
SPACECADET,
LLLLLLOOOOOLLLLL,SMH,LLLOOOLLLSMH