December 8-10

Monday evening: Don and I met at a local sports/entertainment complex. It's always been a goal of his to move our street hockey league indoors, this meeting was to discuss that possibility with a representative of the complex's management. Nothing is decided but the meeting went well so there is reason to be encouraged, we'll learn more over the winter months. On Tuesday we boarded the bus for the first game of my 27th year as scorekeeper/PA announcer for McCaskey basketball, the annual non-league game with Chester (Coach Powell's alma mater) started the season. Every time we visit Chester Coach Powell is warmly welcomed, this time was somewhat more poignant given his health situation. Over the years we have struggled against Chester which is no embarrassment since they are one of the top programs in the state. The Red Tornado roster features five returnees, six players promoted from the '13-14 junior varsity and one player back from a season's absence (every year we always seem have at least one player who didn't play the year before). On this night in Chester JPM trailed by six at the half, in the second half Chester pulled away for the 74-48 verdict. Kobe Gantz led JPM with 25 but he was the only man in double figures, Randolph Speller had eight, Tyler Owens had seven and La'Detrius Sibley and Kyaire Bynum had four points each (interesting to note that seven of the twelve players on the roster were also members of the football team). The boys play on Friday and Saturday but I will miss both because of the Royals, my next game is at home on the 15th. On Wednesday evening the JPM girls played at home, I took advantage of a rare opportunity to see them play. The girls had started their season with a road win on Tuesday, on this night they lost to Exeter (from suburban Reading) 54-50. One of the middle school coaches does the PA at their games, in addition the faculty member who will substitute for me when I'm absent from home games was there. He had contacted me for advice and told me he never did PA work before, we spoke before the game about what he can expect. Take care, thanks for reading