At a little past the halfway point in the 2013-2014 CYO basketball season, aside from the top two squads the rankings look much different. The contenders and pretenders have made themselves known, and a few squads are stuck in the middle at .500. Here is how the power rankings are looking at this point in the season:
1) St. Albert the Great (5-0) (Previous ranking: 1)
-With just one win by less than double digits, the Mustangs are cruising through their division schedule right now. However, a rematch against the squad they beat by single digits (Assumption) awaits, as well as a matchup with 4-1 St. Mary of the Falls. The nation is secretly rooting for them to fall.
2) Our Lady of the Lake/Holy Cross (4-0) (Previous ranking: 4)
-The defending state runner-up Falcons have likewise sailed pretty smoothly to a undefeated first half of the season, including a 40-point blowout over the mighty Sabres of St. Ann. We’ll see how Holy Cross finishes the season with games against two tough St. Paschal Baylon ballclubs and a season finale showdown with St. Ignatius (“The Greater”). Among many other things, Cole Larson’s integrity and reputation are on the line.
3) St. Jude Senior Team (5-0) (Previous ranking: 11)
-This squad appears to actually be “sick” and “actually good”, as Matt Ivancic was quoted as saying before the season started. With an undefeated record, the St. Jude senior squad finds themselves in both prime position for the playoffs and a high spot in the prestigious power rankings. This ballclub is one to look out for.
4) Sts. Joseph and John (4-1) (Previous ranking: 9)
-SJJ has looked very solid thus far in the 2013-2014 season, losing just one ballgame by a mere point to a tough Our Lady of Angels team. Their four wins include a tough, physical victory against St. Ignatius (“The Lesser”) by a final of 49-37. With just two games remaining in the division schedule, the Vikings look to end the season on a strong note.
5) St. Ignatius “The Greater” (3-2) (Previous ranking: 2)
-The Wildcats have battled their way through their division schedule to where they stand now, at 3-2. Luckily, the combined record of their next two opponents is 1-8 (including the St. Ann Sabres). However, they will conclude their season with a huge matchup against #2 Holy Cross. Blood will be shed.
6) St. Bernadette (4-1) (Previous ranking: 13)
-The Bulldogs, despite being a junior squad, have put together a quality 4-1 record through their first five games this season. With three games remaining, this squad seems to be a sure bet for a high seed in the playoffs.
7) St. Bartholomew (4-1) (Previous ranking: 14)
-Colin Soeder and the Pirates have used an initial low ranking from The Eye as a chip on their shoulders and have compiled a very good 4-1 record through five games. However, it remains to be seen how they will stand up against the infamous perennial powerhouse and 4-1 St. Columbkille, led by Brian Callahan.
8) St. Christopher (3-3) (Previous ranking: 12)
-This junior squad has struggled a bit to adjust to playing ball with “the big boys” this year, as they stand at a .500 record. However, the Knights have won two of their last three in division play, including a whopper of a ballgame over St. Ignatius (“The Lesser”) by a final of 29-20.
9) Assumption (2-3) (NR)
-This new addition to the rankings has had a slightly disappointing season so far, as they appear to be on the outside looking in right now in terms of the playoff race (even without Vetri Ravichandran’s flow). And, as mentioned before, a contest vs. #1 St. Albert awaits this squad next week. Luckily, though, their final two matchups will be against the ever-impressive 1-4 Holy Family, led by none other than senior Tim Riley, and 0-5 Sts. Joseph and John (a much different beast than #3 SJJ).
10) St. Brendan-St. Richard (2-4) (Previous ranking: 10)
-This squad hasn’t had the kind of season that it would’ve liked to have had thus far. Allegedly, Phil Criswell takes the blame upon himself for averaging just 20 a game instead of 30. Nonetheless, St. Brendan-St. Richard could still potentially sneak into the playoffs, although the road will be tough with two one-loss clubs awaiting them in their last two games.
11) St. Luke (2-3) (Previous ranking: 15)
-St. Luke hasn’t quite played like the dark horse contender they hoped to be this season, as they stand under the .500 mark. Furthermore, their next two opponents feature a combined record of 8-1, so the road to playoff contention looks very bleak. We’ll see how the Crusaders respond to this classic odds-stacked-against-them situation.
12) St. Ignatius “The Lesser” (1-5) (Previous ranking: 7)
-To say the least, these are dark times for the Wildcats. For a variety of reasons (namely Tom “Feathery Touch” McCartney’s shooting struggles), this St. Ignatius ballclub has not lived up to their state title expectations, and their struggles have been well-documented around campus. Nonetheless, according to team leadership the Cats are prepared to take on an “us vs. the world” mentality. “Haters are our motivators,” says an unnamed ballplayer. The playoffs are still a (very, very remote) possibility.
13) St. Angela Merici (1-3) (Previous ranking: 8)
-The mighty Bruins have no doubt fallen short of their preseason expectations as well. At two games below .500, St. Angela has some work to do if they are to salvage their season. Luckily, four winnable games await this scrappy ballclub. It’s a safe bet that these seasoned vets will play their hearts out.
14) St. Raphael (Either 0-4 or 1-3) (Previous ranking: 5)
-The Raiders, led by Mike “El Presidente” Zupan, have not had the kind of season they have been looking for. It remains to be seen what this club can do with its last four games, but they need a big turnaround. Gavin Whitford will have to do even better than his current 15 and 10 average in the points and rebounds categories.
(*Note- I’m not sure whether this team is St. Raphael (Gluck) or St. Raphael (Bellack). Mr. Karnatz is not listed as the head coach for either of the St. Raphael varsity teams.)
15) St. Ann (0-5) (Previous ranking: 6)
-The Sabres just haven’t been able to put it together this season, as they are still looking for their first win. There’s no doubt that de facto team captain Dominic Gideon will have to shoulder a large part of the blame for this season’s disappointments, but there is also no doubt that he will likely put the blame on Jacob Rossi for abandoning the squad. Luckily, St. Ann’s first win may be in sight as this weekend the Sabres will face also winless St. Rita, who has been completely hopeless without a certain school legend at the helm.
16) St. Francis Xavier in Medina (0-5) (Previous ranking: 3)
-There’s no other way to put it- this squad has fallen short of its lofty #3 ranking. It remains to be seen what St. Francis can do with the last three ballgames of the season, but right now things look grim. Cole Brownsberger’s #3 ranking for his team now looks quite shady.
17) St. Jude Sophomore Team (0-5) (Previous ranking: 16)
-These youngbloods who said they hoped “to impress the upperclassmen this year by going undefeated” may in fact impress us by accomplishing the exact opposite. With no wins to date thus far in the 2013-2014 season, St. Jude may in fact put up the rare goose egg in the win column. We can only hope that this plucky squad picks up at least one W and, in doing so, preserves its dignity.
So, with most ballclubs having 4 or fewer games remaining, the stretch run of another thrilling season lies ahead. The results of the next few weeks depend upon how much time each ballplayer has spent lifting, avidly watching film, and working on his touch beyond the arc. Good luck to all CYO ballers in their upcoming endeavors.
