March Madness arrived on Searing Road in Mineola when the Corpus Christi Seventh Grade Basketball Team entered the CYO "C" Round of 24 for the second time in three years. A regular season record of 10-2 was good enough for second in divisional placement and an opening round tournament bye. The "Firemen" ended the season on a eight game winning streak including a win at previously undefeated first place finisher, St. Vincent de Paul of Elmont. After falling in the opening round in 2002, the troop was destined to avenge bad memories. Just how far the Road to Smithtown (St. Anthony's High School) would take them was hard to fathom.

The Christi renaissance began with the next to last regular season game on February 22 against St. Vincent. After a hard fought 43-36 loss on January 10, the only opportunity for top honors meant defeating the Vincentians on their home floor. The first half was tightly contested with the Mineola Maroon Marauders holding a four point lead behind the hot hands of TJ Winters (8 points) and Endre Cooper (6 points). Halftime histrionics by Head Coach Mike "Fiery" Falotico resulted in a critical defensive stand that preserved an 11 point fourth quarter cushion with Alex Ward (7 points) and Camby Cooper (6 points) imposing the impetus. Playing even for the final period gave the Christy Minstrels a decisive 50-38 victory over their unblemished rivals. Cambrique would finish with 15 points, 18 rebounds, two assists and one block while the wily Ward contributed 10 points, 6 snatches, 4 swipes and a pair of dishes behind steady floor leadership. Winters knocked home 13 points, Endre the Giant had 9 and 10 boards (his finest performance of the season) and Rocco Redmond closed the scoring with 3 points. John Vaccarino and Danny Gouveia had three off the glass and two off the floor when the outcome was still in doubt.

The playoffs opened following a two week layoff with a home game at Christi Gardens against St. Joseph's of Hewlett. The Red Streak jetted to a blistering pace in their hottest quarter of the year posting an 18-6 lead. The game was never closer and provided valuable playing time for the entire group. Nick Conte, John Vaccarino and Dan Gouveia nabbed two rebounds each while eating up significant minutes. The three guard offense of Winters (14 points and three assists), Ward (8 points and a season high seven assists) and Joe Purcell (6 points, 7 boards and three shares) controlled the flow of the game. During the first half, 10 of 12 baskets were assisted on - a tremendous feat. Leonard Dul spelled Camby Cooper (6 points, 18 off the window, two thefts and a rejection) for much of the second half and Endre Cooper was a windex wizard with eight in hand. It would be the last home sellout of the season and would set the precedent for the remainder of the playoffs.

The quarterfinal game at the Diocesan home court of St. Agnes will simply be known as "The Game" in the legacy of Corpus Christi CYO basketball. The Red Flash played even to St. Raymond's of East Rockaway for the first quarter before squandering three point advantages to their opponents in each of the next two periods. With three minutes to go and the team down by an insurmountable seven, Falotico leaned on 30 years of playground lore with the early engagement of the dreaded "trap and hack" defense. St. Raymond's missed seven of the next nine free throws while Camby Cooper canned three put backs. The effort to shrink the gap caused two Christi starters, Purcell (eight points and ten rebounds) and Endre Cooper, to foul out in the waning minutes. The depth of the bench over the past weeks proved masterful as Falotico inserted Conte and Vaccarino as subs. The two executed what will forever be called "The Passion of the Parquet." Vaccarino hit the glass with authority gaining a rebound with time ticking away and - with playmakers Ward and Winters blanketed - found Conte on the right wing with a brilliant half court pass. Conte dribbled twice before launching a line drive off the backboard as the buzzer sounded. TIE GAME!

The Fireplugs controlled the first overtime in a see-saw battle with Cambrique and Winters nailing four charity tosses to retain a lead. St. Raymond's last gasp led to a foul as the horn blared. The prehistoric St. Agnes scoreboard, operated by never flustered timer extraordinaire Andy Ward, forced the officials to confer. Since the clock did not register tenths of a second, St. Ray's was awarded two foul shots with both teams retired to their benches. The arena drew eerily silent awaiting the game's fate. St. Ray's "Iceman" drained the deuce - all net - and the teams played on. The trademark Red Stand defense finally appeared shutting out St. Raymond's en route to a classic 47-41 victory. In a game defined by heart, St. Raymond's light bench would leave them playing shorthanded, 3 on 5, due to disqualifications in the final minute with the outcome decided. The game showed the best in CYO sportsmanship from the stands, the benches and the court. The game was excellently officiated, the devotees of each team cheered loud, long and loyal for both teams and the players left it all on the hardwood.

The win placed the Red Raiders into the Final Four and the first chance ever for a Corpus Christi team to play for the championship. First up was St. Joseph's of Garden City in a return to the Cathedral of St. Agnes, the scene of the previous week's epiphany. St. Joe's (in a remarkable coincidence to their Philadelphia brethren) came into the game undefeated - the second such obstacle of the year for Mineola's Miracle Workers. The two teams met last year in a spirited match at the Garden City gymnasium with St. Joe's winning close. The stage was set for another outstanding result.

The hometown five sprinted to a 7-0 lead in the opening minutes only to have St. Joe's rally to tie before quarter's end. Christi's shooting went cold in the second period giving their neighbors to the east a six point spread. Camby Cooper came alive in the third period but could not match the balanced scoring of the Garden quintet including seven points from former Mineolean Reid Rosello. The cardiac nature of the Blood Red Five would be tested once more.

Adversity struck in the form of foul trouble. Cambrique fouled out midway through the fourth against the only team this season that could harness his production (ONLY 10 points and 10 boards). Purcell rose to the occasion (nine points in the final period) when the deficit reached 12 with five minutes to play. The locals trimmed the tally to six with 15 seconds left but a dynamic defensive display by the opponents prevented shots. Purcell's bucket at the buzzer ended the Christi season on a sour 41-37 note.

Overall, the team finished the year with a 12-3 record and the pride of being the initial Corpus Christi entrant into the Diocesan Final Four. As evidence of its strength of competition, division rival St. Vincent, also advanced to the semifinal round before losing to eventual champion St. Boniface by 23. (Note: The championship game was a one point affair leading the Christi braintrust convinced they could have cut down the nets.) It was no secret Corpus Christi played the toughest schedule in "C" and will be pressed to advance one division higher.

The team has a strong conviction for next season. The nucleus of this group, the Cooper cousins, Ward, Purcell and Gouveia, has now been together under Falotico's tutelage for four years. Winters started for his third consecutive year after transferring. Conte and Redmond have provided valuable minutes off the bench (and shots off the floor) while Vaccarino has developed into a "true big man," offensively and defensively, in his second year on the squad. Newcomer Leonard Dul, in his first year, filled in admirably down the stretch as a defensive stopper. Falotico will spend the summer recruiting in an attempt to climb the "B" ladder.

The success of this team would not be complete without the support and acknowledgement of the Corpus Christi Faithful. This team has no louder cheerleaders, no lack of love and no less knowledge of the game compared to its competition when it comes to the trials and tribulations of this bunch. Without being said, each opponent is keenly aware when "Christi is in the House!" The Road to 2005 begins in earnest. Next year's eighth-graders will be ready. Will you?