Big Tournament Win a Preview of Season to Come?

written by J.L. • October 26, 2008 Leave a Comment 

Hayward, CA– The 5th grade boys basketball team took first place this afternoon, winning the CYO Pre-Season Tournament four games straight. A team that may quite possibly be a force to be reckoned with during this 2008-09 season!

The boys began this tournament last weekend, up against two Parish CYO teams. Friday night versus Immaculate Heart of Mary of Brentwood, score 41-15, and a Saturday afternoon game against St. Joseph of Fremont, score 43-17.

With two games under their belt, and two left to go, the ball was in their court.

The day before the final championship game, the boys found themselves up against St. Anne of Union City, another Parish CYO team. (They also found themselves up early in the morning for that game). The Lions won, with their opponent trailing by almost half their score, 35-17.

Finally came Game 4, the big one. There was a slight possibility St. Leo’s would be playing a cross-town rival, with Corpus Christi in the bracket the day before. But the team they faced was a surprise, an “unknown” CYO team called the Catholic Community of Pleasanton (CCOP).

Sometimes Parish CYO teams bring fear to their opponent because of the unpredictable team roster. While the first and second teams St. Leo’s went up against weren’t that difficult to tackle–maybe the third team did give them a run for their money–CCOP proved themselves to be a worthy team.

Speaking of tackles, there were a few times in the game where the competition heated up to the point where it seemed the boys were playing football– “tackling” each other for possession of the ball on the field… oops, court!

After the second half, the paws were flying on both sides, and the coaches could see that their teams just needed some pause… a time out to re-think their strategies, and to calm down.

Thankfully, the Lions showed CCOP just who was king in this court! St. Leo’s Lions won the tournament, 46-35, the final score’s not so wide margin in comparison to the first three games, proof that they fought even harder to win this game in order to earn their title.

(Read more about Game 4 in the Sports section).

by Joe Leo, Advisor
Publisher / THE LION LEDGER