Page 20 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, DECEmbER 15, 2023 Red hot Tide boys’ basketball team upends Malden on ‘White Out Night’ First-year Everett head coach Gerard boyce guides his players to victory in the home opener By Joe McConnell T he Coach Gerard Boyce Era got off to a smashing start on Tuesday night in the home opener at the Everett High School fieldhouse, where his boys basketball team upended rival Malden, 59-52. It was indeed a festive occasion from the fans who showed up for ‘White Out Night’ all dressed in white – including the coach who was decked out in his dashing white suit – to the play on the court, which was extraordinary at times thanks to the play of junior captain Jaysaun Coggins, who had two thunderous dunks, while leading his teammates in points with 21. Senior Allsin Desruisseaux was a force on the boards, grabbing 14 rebounds, while also accounting for eight points. “(Desruisseaux) was simply a menace on the boards, who also played overall great defense coming off the bench to do his part to help us win the home opener,” said Boyce after the game. “We were stagnant throughout the first quarter, but we eventually shook off the jitters to play sound basketball,” added the first-year Everett coach. “The team was aggressive on defense, and started playing in unison at both ends of the court during the late stages of the first half, which carried over into the third and fourth quarters.” The Golden Tornadoes fought hard to keep the game close, according to Boyce, who said that effort was a credit to their veteran coach Don Nally. Like many early season games, coaches can recognize areas that need attention in practice. “We made some costly turnovers down the stretch. We must be better in that aspect of the game, and also learn how to close out games,” said Boyce. “But we’ll regroup in the lab, and watch film in order to get better each day.” Tyson Chhun contributed eight points to the winning cause, while Lian Dorosario chipped in with seven. Besides the thrilling win, Everett fans will never forget the pomp and circumstance of ‘White Out Night’ that surrounded the opener. “’White Out Night’ was epic,” said Boyce. “The coaching staff and the student body wore white T-shirts with a red “E” on them that stands for Everett and Excellence. The band was phenomenal as always, led by Jean O’Brien.” All three Everett boys’ basketball teams from freshman to varsity won their respective games. “I was extremely pleased with the support of the staff and the school spirit that was on display at the game. The cheerleaders also did their job quite well, once again,” said Boyce. “My coaches throughout the program donned all white outfits, and I loved it. The atmosphere in the gym was certainly turned up, which was great to see.” The Everett boys have since taken on host Chelsea after press deadline on Dec. 14, before returning home to go up against Lynn Classical on Tuesday, Dec. 19, starting at 7 p.m. They will then face Lynn English at its place two nights later, also beginning at 7 p.m. First-year Everett boys basketball head coach Gerard Boyce is shown in his dashing white suit during the home opener against rival Malden at the EHS Gym on ‘White Out Night,’ Dec. 12. His team went on to win the game, 59-52. (Courtesy photo) MIAA votes to keep status quo in power rankings system for State Football Tournament seedings Everett football’s fate this year – 7-1, GbL Champ and no playoffs– city as key case in call for win-loss element in seedings By Steve Freker T he pleas from schools like Everett High, Springfield Central and others around the state for the consideration and hopeful addition of a winloss element to the MIAA State Football Tournament seeding considerations did not draw enough support for change Wednesday. At a meeting of the Tournament Management Committee (TMC) of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) at MIAA headquarters in Franklin, the members voted, 115, to keep the current state rankings policy – with no new changes. Since its implementation in the Fall 2021 season, some coaches, athletic directors, and administrators have been uncomfortable with margin of victory being a key component in the state’s Power Ranking formula for tournament seeding. Suggestions were brought to the TMC by some athletic directors that in addition to strength of schedule (SOS) and margin of victory (MOV) considerations, that a school team’s win-loss percentage/number of wins play a role in determining power rankings. By an 11-5 vote, the TMC voted to retain and maintain the existing format– without adding any win-loss/win total consideration – moving forward. What this means straight up locally for Everett High football is that if the same scenario took place next year, a 7-1 finish and perhaps even an 8-0 undefeated record, would not guarantee a postseason berth once again. The primary mitigating factor is the existing Greater Boston League strength of members in the grand scheme, with no other Division 1 teams except Everett and subpar performances and win-loss records for the GBL. “The arguments against [the existing power seedings format] working are becoming more and more difficult to come up with,” TMC Chair Shaun Hart, who is Athletic Director for Burlington Public Schools, said at Wednesday’s meeting in Franklin, of the current format. “The margin of victory piece, philosophically, I understand there’s a difference to it. I don’t subscribe to it, but I don’t dismiss it either,” the Burlington AD added. Behind the proposal voted down was the intention to lessen the importance of MOV and SOS in the equation; adding a win-loss component to the formula was put in front of the MIAA’s Tournament Management Committee with an eye to preventing “running up the score” as one unwelcomed derivative. Lending collected data to the debate, MIAA Deputy Director Sherry Bryant said the percentage of regular-season games exceeding the current cap on margin of victory (three goals in soccer, 10 points in basketball, 14 points in football) has not changed since the change to the statewide tournament in 2021. Before the current postseason, Bryant said, 40 percent of basketball games were 10 points or less, and that number has held steady the past couple of seasons. Results from the fall State Tournament bore notice that the existing power seedings were accurate, Bryant continued, noting the higher-seeded team won 78 percent of MIAA | SEE PAGE 21 Everett High football was #1 in the Greater Boston League this past season, as top prospect Christian Zamor points out, but the Crimson Tide still could not break into the MIAA Division 1 Power Rankings Top 16. The biggest reason was the weakness of the GBL – six GBL teams of eight Everett nonleague opponents. (Advocate Photo/Henry Huang)
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