Kennedy Catholic Remember the Boys of Yesteryear: 2004 Revisited
They gathered at Kennedy Catholic a couple of weeks ago to celebrate the 10-year reunion of one of the greatest basketball teams this scribe has ever covered in a quarter century on the northern tier of the Section 1 hoops circuit. And while their girths were slightly wider than I remembered, all indications were that the former NYSPHSAA and Federation champions of 2004 were just as successful off the court as they were on it when school the school honored the eight players who joined then-coach Tom Nelligan (now Brewster’s coach) and former assistant and current Kennedy head coach Al Morales for a ceremony during halftime of a recent Gaels’ victory over Xavier.
I remember the two runs to Glens Falls for state and feds like it was yesterday because wherever that loveable unit went, I went with them. Coach Nelligan gave me full access to the locker room before, during and after each and every triumph, and there was plenty celebrate; for this engaging group of youngsters was among my favorite teams to cover, on and off the court.
Former Gaels Devin Brown, Pete Courtney, Mike DeStefano, Dan Gumb, Matt Maher, Rob McLaughlin, Dan O’Connell, Pat O’Gara, Greg Robstad, Tyler Tripodi, Mick Warncke, Joe Weldon, John Zanzarella and the respectful leader that was Tyrell Thompson, who tragically passed away in 2012 while balling at West Point for Army, was quite the collection of student athletes. I know for a fact that we looked forward to being with each other, because we dined together like family at the Falls, and hanging out with their parents into the wee hours of night were some of the best times I’d had while working with the now-defunct North County News.
“It was an amazing feeling to be back on the court with the guys, so many great memories came rushing back,” said former guard Maher, the revved-up motor of the JFK engine. “When we all get back together it’s as if nothing’s changed. There’s still that closeness, that laughter and joy we still share with one another. We may now live in different states, have fiancées, wives, even children, but that magical season that helped shaped who we are as men. That’s something that will always stand the test of time.”
Seriously, Nelligan should have a wing, or at least a plaque, at Kennedy named after him for all he did there to mold these men. His Kennedy teams – which won four sectional titles and featured the likes of Donnie McGrath, James Gray and Brian O’Donnell – exhibited class and sportsmanship while they wiped the floor with you on most nights. The epic battles and dustups with Peekskill and the war, literally, with Burke Catholic come rushing to my mind, as I found myself in the middle of those tussles. What an era it was for Section 1 hoops; I like to think of those days as the glory days for Northern Westchester, which Mookie Jones continued as a three-time NYS champ at Peekskill shortly thereafter.
Kennedy may never have another run like that one, so it was good to see Coach Morales gather the troops for a ceremony befitting the champions they were. Turns out, Morales has assembled another pretty solid crew of ballers for the 2015 season, and he’s hoping that some of that 2004 magic rubs off on the current Class A state-ranked (No.7) Gaels (7-0) as they entertain the notion of competing for the CHSAA title. We don’t get over there to see the Gaels as much as we used to on account of their not competing in Section 1 anymore, but we hear nothing but good things about Morales’ Gaels and wish them as much luck as the old gang once had.
Ray has 33 years experience covering and photographing local sports in Westchester and Putnam counties, including everything from Little League/Travel Baseball to varsity high school prep sports and collegiate coverage. He has been a sports editor at Examiner Media since its inception in 2007.
Visit Ray’s author bio page for more details. Also read Ray’s archived work here and his Direct Rays column here.