St. John’s Middle wins first CYO New England Regional

By Bill Doyle | CFP Correspondent

The St. John’s Middle School basketball team captured its first CYO New England Regional seventh and eighth grade championship Sunday with a 51-43 victory over St. John’s of Attleboro at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Sean Hastings and Peter Smith coached to the championship of the Diocese of Worcester New England Qualifying Tournament, but due to MIAA rules they couldn’t coach the team in this postseason tournament because it was held in what was considered the offseason. So, headmaster Alex Zequeira and Chris White took over in the regional. 

Earlier in the tournament, the Pioneers defeated St. Joseph Regional from the Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire, Christ the King School of the Diocese of Burlington, Vermont, and St. Gabriel School of Windsor, Connecticut. In the semifinals against St. Gabriel, St. John’s trailed 37-10, in the first half, but rallied to win 52-50.

“Unflappable, completely and totally composed,” Mr. Zequeira said. “Always supporting each other. I kept talking to them about love, support and trust and that’s what they built over the year and that’s what they showed. It did not phase them that they were down that much, and they just slowly chipped away.”

St. John’s lost in the New England final last year.