Brunswick Wins the FAA

 

Barely scratching the surface of how crowded it was

It was going to be a great game.

Brunswick and Greenwich Country Day School have built up a nice rivalry and it was bound to be fierce today in basketball.

The last time these two teams met, the Bruins won 77-72.

This time it was for the FAA Championship. 

The scoreboard shows it was definitive.

Brunswick 62, GCDS 41.

The Bruins win the title. 

Head coach Steve Juricek showed me what a tremendous basketball mind he has the day I met him. I take no credit but I could tell Wick was on the right path. They were a playoff team that year.

Now they're champions.

It got me thinking about the teams that I've covered. I don't think I've ever called a basketball championship for the team for which I was their broadcaster. Of course, I could be wrong but I don't think I am.

Greenwich High went to a couple of FCIAC basketball championships with me on the mic and lost. Brunswick lost the FAA last year.

I've called Brunswick and Greenwich in multiple championship-winning football games.

I've called Wick and GHS tiles in baseball as well (Bruins: FAA, Cardinals: FCIAC).

I've called a couple of FCIAC titles for Greenwich hockey.

Even lacrosse, when I was on the call of Brunswick's Prep Nationals crown in 2022.

But nothing in basketball until today.

I mean, there is no benefit for me, other than feeling happy for the people that I'm around all season. I just enjoyed being witness to their smiles and sheer excitement.

Occasionally there's a postgame gathering that I might wind up at, depending on the team and how close I am. But don't be fooled. There's no ring or jacket or anything like that. It's my job to describe the details and hopefully engage you. Beyond that, I'm a reporter.

Even when the technical gods tested me today, the day would not fall apart. I was told that my audio couldn't be heard at one point on LocalLive. I don't know how it got fixed but eventually, it was resolved.

Oh, let me be clear: as I was being told about it, my blood pressure was skyrocketing. Yet I had the wherewithal to simply shrug my shoulders and keep going. I still had a (microscopic) audio audience.

I can only deal with what I can control and, after checking the connections on-site, realized the audio situation was out of my hands.

Today of course belonged to Brunswick. It belonged to coach Juricek and his assistants, Zach Dobbs and Kevin Royal. It belonged to the captains: Wyatt Triestman, Jon Sigurdsson, and Malik Samms. It belongs to each member of the roster.

But it also belongs to the parents and families. The supporters. 

Screenshot from LocalLive broadcast after Brunswick won

And the Brunswick Swamp, which is the Bruins' raucous student cheering section. They and fans from Greenwich Country Day created an overflowing atmosphere unlike any other I've seen at that level. There was nearly no room to move in the Dann Gymnasium.

My call was impacted by the crowd because I couldn't see parts of the floor at times. 

But, to everyone's credit, a great time was had and there were no problems. It's sad when you almost anticipate issues. It's glorious when everyone just has fun.

It created an absolutely wonderful, memorable noise in the gym. I wonder if that gym has ever had that kind of sound in it.

Brunswick avenged that loss to St. Luke's in last year's championship game. When they return to the floor next December they'll be the defending champs.

I'll probably be there with them.

For now, winter sports are over, barring a request to call something else.

For now, we're done until one month from today: March 25, when Brunswick lacrosse hosts St. Sebastian's. Baseball follows three days later with a doubleheader against Winchendon.

Though I will say I suspect Boomslang Basketball will be reaching out for a playoff game perhaps next weekend.

As always, I hope something else comes up (except for when I'm away).

But, as we always do, we turn out the lights on one season and one facility, and one team.

Some of the players will change but I suspect much will be the same when the team reassembles in roughly nine months.

The broadcaster might be the same also.

We'll see.

But, for tonight, hail to the Bruins.

The FAA Champions.