March On

 

Coach Buddy Bray is surrounded by his team as he holds the 
FCIAC Championship plaque last night in Wilton.
Ryan Johnston (2) was named MVP
(Photo from Trumbull Diamond Club Facebook Page)

Hello, March.

We have a complicated relationship. I appreciate your annual visit providing glimpses of the promise of spring with warmer temperatures and the departure of winter.

But I hate the reminders that you carry, led by my tolerate/hate relationship with March 17.

Last year, March also included a trip to Florida that reignited the desire to do so again. That will also happen this month. That's a good thing.

But there's so much sadness and, frankly, without being dramatic I'm about at the end of my theoretical rope with that.

Instead, I'll start the month by talking about how blessed I felt watching the FCIAC basketball championship last night.

First, from the technical side. Could I work with anyone better than Ben Talbott, whose steady hand on the camera and producer's intuition made the last three broadcasts happen? His style meshes with mine very well and I think -- hope! -- it made for a good experience for the audience.

Then, while Chris Kaelin couldn't make it to call last night with me, Mike Buswell did. I know he's a Trumbull guy but he has experience with Staples as well. Thus I thought he'd do a good job helping to break it all down and be fair. He'll be the first to tell you what an explosive personality he has and that can lead to flying past the philosophy of "brevity is the soul of broadcasting."

Still, it worked. We tweaked something at halftime and got even better. I told him I'd be happy to work with him again.

And then Trumbull head coach Buddy Bray. In full disclosure, I've covered his teams going back to 1999 but he doesn't know me that well. But I know enough people who know him and who have had him as a teacher and coach. He's been the Trumbull head coach for 34 years and the conference title has always eluded him.

There were years when his team was the number one seed and even got to a championship game in 2018 but just couldn't get to the top.

Yet, on the other side was Staples head coach Dave Goldshore. I do know Dave, having met him while covering Little League Baseball in 2019. He eventually asked me if he could do a broadcast with me and my sense told me he'd be good.

He was.

But he knows basketball, having worked around -- wait for it -- Trumbull and Staples. He learned from former Wreckers head coach Colin Devine, and got the job when Devine stepped away after 15 seasons.

Dave walked into the Wilton High School fieldhouse yesterday, put his stuff down, and worked his way across the floor to where I had set up. What I thought was going to be talk about a game and good luck instead turned into the sadness of talking about his father's passing.

Dave had just found out. Now he had to coach a huge game with that on his mind.

For the record, I'm only writing this after seeing it has been printed in the game stories from last night. I made the decision to not discuss it on the air. I didn't want to take the risk of family members and loved ones hearing it from me or Mike. My only reference to anything was to say that Dave's heart was in a million places. It was news I didn't need to break though it did add to the drama of the night.

I've been in that spot and I was protective of it for him.

Believe me, I watched both coaches' body language all night. Given what was at stake, how could I not?

In the end, ah, sports. A game in which Staples opened up a double-digit lead. Staples grabbed every rebound, especially at the offensive end. They had kids playing out of their minds.

Trumbull wouldn't go away, led by Ryan Johnston.

The lead dwindled.

Then it was tied.

The see-saw teetered over the final few minutes until Staples Sam Clatchko -- he of the 40-point effort on Tuesday night -- found an opening on the right wing.

He sidestepped a defender deftly and then, suddenly, had a clean look at the basket. There was one second remaining.

"For the championship," I said, anticipating a moment where you simply do not want to blow the call.

The shot missed, hitting off the back iron.

Overtime.

In the extra session, the tension and noise reached a crescendo. The teams continued to battle but now it felt like Trumbull had an edge. Thirty-four years of a cauldron bubbling were about to end. Staples lost players as they fouled out.

Still, nothing is ever easy. The Eagles went to the line to shoot free throws. Two would have effectively iced the game. 

They made one. It was still a three point game but there were only four seconds left.

As Staples worked the ball toward midcourt, it was punched away and turned over.

The stands to our left emptied in jubilation.

Pandemonium began.

And the cauldron exploded.

Buddy Bray, beloved in Trumbull and around the FCIAC, finally had a conference championship. I actually said his name as I announced the final seconds, which isn't something I'd normally do.

Yet this wasn't normal. I knew Coach Bray was a big part of the story.

Yes, I felt gratitude for watching all of this happen and for being allowed to relay it. Describe it. Present it.

It had twists and turns and drama. Honestly, nobody knew who was going to win. Everyone was split.

That's beautiful.

In the aftermath, I talked with Dave Goldshore. That's a good man. He's hurting. For his players and his family. For himself. He runs on emotion. He was devoid of it when we spoke. His day is coming for a championship. He's been to two title games now in his first two seasons. It will happen.

I also saw Coach Bray later on, just long enough to congratulate and say the same things that everyone else is saying. 

It's long overdue.

You can't take this away, March. You can't dampen it.

Yes, it happened on Feb 29 but it will be celebrated for years to come around Trumbull. 

Being a leap year day doesn't erase it. It happened. 

We're all witnesses.

In fact, it will likely be celebrated every March 1 in non-leap years.

Take that.

Let's have a good day.

And a good month.