Text and photos by Steev Riccardo

WEBSTER – Never could I have imagined that moving back to my hometown and writing for The Patriot could have been as rewarding as it has been the last couple years, and it has been this column that has been the best part of this journey.

Covering high school sports and getting to know the kids and their parents and the coaches has been an amazing experience for me, one I will never forget.  That is why I will continue to write this column as a blog on line and continue to show my support to high school sports. 

Before I thank some people that have helped me immensely with my job, there is one more bit of business to take care and that is paying tribute to the View from the Sidelines 2012-13 Athlete of the Year, Oxford High School senior Emily “The Sweet Assassin” Dawidczyk.

Text and photos by Steev Riccardo

WEBSTER – Greetings sports fans! This week we round off the 2012-13 View From The Sidelines Super Team. 

If you missed that last few columns, the following local athletes are already on board; Shepherd Hill soccer star and D1- bound Lauren Barton, Bartlett two-sport captain Akeem Belnavis, Oxford soccer and basketball star Donny Freeland, Shepherd Hill hard-nose soccer and basketball star Taylor Daniels, and Shepherd Hill football and track star Matt Petrelli.

The 2012-13 team was not easy to choose and there are many other athletes who have made their schools proud. Here are some of the other great athletes from our local schools that make my particular job so much fun, and are members of the Second Annual View Super Team.
 

Drew Ravenelle (shown above): senior, Shepherd Hill football, baseball.  If Drew Ravenelle never stepped one foot on a baseball field, he would still have made this team. He showed tremendous leadership as a member of the Rams’ outstanding 9-2 football team this year.

This is what his teammate Matt Petrelli had to say about Ravenelle. “Drew was a great quarterback and a great leader. He worked and got better every year; this past season he had a great season because he worked very hard. Having him running the offense and the way we worked together, I thought we did a really good job.”

Ravenelle is also an excellent pitcher for the Rams, which is simply the icing on the cake.
 

Tyler Barrie, senior, Oxford three-sport captain: There are so many good things you could say about Tyler Barrie’s accomplishments at Oxford this year that it could take up a whole column to write them all, and if you have been following us, we did just that a few weeks back.

If you are selected a captain in any sport, you are at the top of your class, if you are selected a captain in three sports, you probably have a lot of class.  Barrie was the real deal for the Pirates in all three seasons and when he leaves the school, there will be a huge void.

Alex Givins-Perry, junior, Bartlett football, basketball: If you know AGP, you love AGP, it’s that simple.  Only a junior, Givins-Perry has an opportunity to add to his resume and play college football and maybe even college basketball in years to come.  We are betting that it will be football.

Last season as the Indians’ number one option, AGP delivered the goods and rushed for over 1300 yards while scoring 16 touchdowns in his first season, which was pretty remarkable. If he even matches these numbers, which he should, there will be a lot of interest in him from a lot of scouts.

As far as hoop goes, AGP has an outside chance to become a member of the 1000-1000 club. I’ts going to be hard, but he could do it if he tops his numbers from this season, which is a reachable goal.
 

Stella Worters, junior, Shepherd Hill cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track:  Its hard to believe that Stella is only a junior but she is and her leadership is what gives the Rams such an edge against their opposition. She is constantly praised by her coaches and is the consummate team player.

With a year left, there is little question that she will go down as one of the greatest long distance runners in the school’s history based on what she has already accomplished.

Worters is also repeat offender on the View Super Team as she was selected to the 2011-2012 squad.

Evan Anderson, junior, Bartlett soccer, basketball, baseball: Evan Anderson is always going to be the guy that does the dirty work in soccer and basketball.  He plays great defense in both sports and more than often comes up with a key play that does not always involve scoring but does involve winning. 

As the ace pitcher for the Indians baseball team, he continues to get better and better and next season he could be setting himself up for a college career.

He will also dominate next season on both the soccer field and the basketball court, and last but certainly not least, he is a great kid.
 

Chris Dutting, senior, Shepherd Hill football:Chris Dutting, like Lauren Barton, is the only other athlete on the super team, who plays one sport and there is a very good reason why they both are on our team. 

The same way that Barton excelled in soccer, Dutting did in football. Simply put, Dutting was a great, not just good, but a great high school football player this season, one of the best in Central Mass. There were several occasions this past season when Dutting simply took games over and completely dominated and his role was one of the primary reasons the Rams were in the super bowl.

Huberdault the sharp shooter: Bartlett seniorMatt Huberdault was a finalist at the Boston Celtics free throw championship for the second time in three years. Check out the photo of Matt hanging out with a couple of Boston Celtics cheerleaders on this page.

The Sweet Assassin: Next week we feature in our final View From The Sidelines column in The Patriot, our 2012-13 super team captain and repeat Athlete of the Year, Oxford’s Emily Dawidczyk.  You didn’t think we forgot about “The Sweet Assassin” did you? Not a chance.

Until next week, see you on the sidelines! Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with any sports news and check out the new View From The Sidelines Facebook page with exclusive photos and news at https://www.facebook.com/ViewFromTheSidelines

Text and photos by Steev Riccardo

WEBSTER – Greeting sports fans! Now that the spring baseball season is a couple of weeks deep, we are getting a pretty good picture at who the contenders are.

The Shepherd Hill Rams are making a pretty good statement early in the baseball season.  Off to a 5-2 record with a plethora of good starting pitching, they could be a playoff-bound team.

Text and photos by Steev Riccardo

WEBSTER – Greetings, sports fans! If you have been following this column the last few weeks, you know that we have been paying tribute to this year’s View From The Sidelines Super Team inductees.

This week our newest member is Shepherd Hill senior soccer and basketball star Taylor Daniels, who is featured in a separate piece in the Patriot this week. 

Text and photos by Steev Riccardo

Greetings sports fans! Even though the weather is barely cooperating, high school spring sports are underway.  In fact, when the Oxford boys’ baseball team and the Shepherd Hill girls’ tennis teams finally had a chance to get their seasons underway this week, it meant that everyone was finally out there doing their thing.

It was an unusual day at Oxford High School on Friday as both the boys’ baseball team and the girls’ softball team went into extra innings almost simultaneously against Northbridge High School.  The girls ended up squeaking out a 4-3 win, but the boys’ game was suspended after 10 innings with the teams still tied at seven and the Pirates had two incredible comebacks in the game.

Donny Freeland: Speaking of Oxford, this week we are very pleased and honored to add senior Donny Freeland’s name to the 2012-13 View From The Sidelines super team.

Text and photos by Steev Riccardo

WEBSTER – Greetings from the sidelines, sports fans!

It was great to see some high school baseball and softball on Friday. There is nothing like being outside and catching some action on the diamond.

This week we welcome our second member of the 2012-13 View From The Sidelines super team, senior Akeem Belnavis from Bartlett high school.

Belnavis was born in Worcester and moved to Queens, New York, when he was five years old before relocating once again to Webster during his freshman year of high school.

“Initially we moved here because my aunt was here and due to some trouble she ended up leaving and we ended up staying,” said Belnavis. “The only reason I stayed at Bartlett was because basketball season was starting, and I played on the jayvee team.”

“The transition from New York to here was hard. It was different when I was first arrived. I felt like everyone was looking at me on my first day, it was like nothing I was used to. Eventually as time passed I adjusted. Kids are friendlier here, kids in the city don’t care, they just go about their day.”

Ironically the first person that Belnavis met and talked to was Dane Laboissonniere, who was at the time a first year history teacher at Bartlett, and also worked as an assistant football coach at David Prouty High School in Spencer

The two would go on a journey together as Laboissonniere became the head football coach at Bartlett the following year and watched as Belnavis was having problems in school.

“I was a class clown in the beginning, I got in a lot of trouble and I was kept back my freshman year. Then Coach L. sat me down when I was going to quit the football team after being suspended for seven games my sophomore year. I was walking off the field and I was ready to quit and he stopped me and gave me a great pep talk and it all worked out in the end.”

“He really made a big transformation in his life three years ago as a sophomore,” said Laboissonniere. “We are really proud of the way he grew as an individual in his time here at Bartlett.”

Belnavis grew up, although it hasn’t been easy. His family life has been a bit of a struggle and he currently has three siblings living with him and his mother and he has a lot of responsibility around the household, but that hasn’t stopped him from going to school and being active.

“Honestly I am not going to lie, my motivation for coming to school was sports, and if there were no sports I don’t know what I would be doing.”

He excelled in both football and basketball and became a co-captain in both sports. “My passion for football and basketball was so high, that is my life and I knew it. I want a future in basketball. That is my goal in life.”

What he didn’t pick up along the way from Laboissonniere, he picked up from his basketball coach Tony Paranto.

“My junior year I had more of a role on the team. I was taught when I was young to score, put the ball in the basket, but when I started playing under Coach Paranto he started teaching me more about the game. He taught me how to move without the basketball. My game got a lot better.”

Belnavis also credits one of his teammates for helping become more or a team player and a leader. “Nick Kobel helped me out, he strives for success; seeing him be that way kicked in for me. His winning mentality is so strong it rolled over to everyone else. I took it to heart, watching him made me play harder. He doesn’t know it but he was a role model for me.”

Now that his great high school career is over, the 6’2” athlete is ready to move on, but it won’t be easy.  “Words can’t describe how I feel, I am happy to finish school but to leave the sports is very hard for me. There was nothing like it for me. This was the best thing ever, just sitting here in this gym right now gives me goose bumps.” 

Laboissonniere has been pushing him to pursue football in college and the interest is definitely there.

“Being a two-sport athlete, I think he is feeling torn on what he wants to do at the next level. I can’t speak much on the interest on the basketball end but I know that Dean College in Franklin is very interested in having him play football,” said Laboissonniere. “It’s a junior college program and it would be a great opportunity for him to develop and show if he wants to play at the next level. There is also a mutual interest with Curry College.”

Belnavis has applied to both schools, where he wants to major in sociology or sports management and knows the value of having a degree to fall back on.  Still, you can tell by his words that he needs to be playing sports to make it all it work. “Regardless of what I go to college for, I am trying out for both sports. It doesn’t matter. The Dean coach said that they can turn me into a D1 player at split end, Coach L. feels the same way and he has never lied to me.”

It wasn’t easy for Akeem Belnavis to move to a town like Webster, but he made it work after a shaky start and he has left his mark at Bartlett.

“He was always a good leader in his life off the field,” said Laboissonniere. “On the field he was tremendous: he got better every year and he got better every day.  He was coachable, which is the number one thing we look for in a player. He would listen to what the coaches had to say and use what he learned on the field.”

“He is going to be a tremendous asset down the road at whatever school he goes to. We will truly miss him for his leadership qualities here at Bartlett,” said Laboissonniere.

Akeem Belnavis was an easy choice for the 2012-13 View From The Sidelines super team. He joins Lauren Barton of Shepherd Hill as part of our exclusive club.

More Anna Maria softball talk:  JoAnne Bond, mother and “agent” of 2012 Bartlett graduate Lindsay bond was nice enough to let us know that we didn’t mention a third local who is playing with Lindsay and Shepherd Hill’s Sam Miler on the Anna Maria softball team. 

Former Shepherd Hill player Liz Haggerty is playing second base and was hitting close to .300 last time we checked.

By the way, Lindsay was hitting .250 with a homerun and four RBI’s, not too shabby for our favorite freshman.

Upcoming big games: On Monday, April 8, Bartlett and Oxford will meet in both baseball and softball in Webster. 

Until next week, see you on the sidelines! Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with any sports news and check out the new View From The Sidelines Facebook page with exclusive photos and news at https://www.facebook.com/ViewFromTheSidelines

by Steev Riccardo

WEBSTER – The Holy Name Naps girls basketball team state championship bid fell short this past weekend, but it was still an incredible run--especially for a team that is still very young.

The Naps lost to a very good Central Catholic team 53-48 in a hard fought battle.  Webster’s Gigi Guenther finished with 11 points and Oxford’s Malissa Saad had eight points in the loss.

With four of its five starters returning, we certainly could have a repeat performance next season.  The lone starter who will not be returning is Saad, who was a heavy contributor all season.

Gigi had a breakout year for the Naps as a sophomore and there is little doubt she is going to get even better. Second on her team with a 10.1 average, she is the full package.

Lindsay Bond: It’s pretty incredible what Bartlett 2012 graduate Lindsey Bond has already accomplished as a freshman at Anna Maria College.  She has picked up right where she left off in high school and is playing three sports for Anna Maria. After playing significant varsity minutes in both soccer and basketball, Bond is now the starting third baseman on the varsity softball team.

SWCL Boys Hoop All-Stars: Bartlett's Akeem Belnavis and Alex Givins-Perry and Oxford's Donny Freeland and Mike James have all been named first team SWCL boys high school basketball all-stars.

Matt Huberdault (Bartlett), Tyler Barrie (Oxford), Michael "Posey" Rapoza (SH), Tyler Martin (SH), and Justin Terlizzi (SH) were all named to the SWCL boys basketball second team all star squad.

Oxford Booster Club 3 on 3 Tourney: The Oxford Booster club will be holdinga 3 on 3 March Madness Basketball Tournament at Oxford High, March 23rd from 8 am until about 4:00 pm.  This is the tenth year that the Booster club has held this extremely popular event for ages nine years old and up.

Emily Dawidczyk: “The Sweet Assassin” will be about a week behind schedule for outdoor track as she heals from tweaking a hamstring at the New England indoor championships. It’s nothing serious and we doubt it keeps the record-breaking Pirate off the track for very long as she enter the final season of her incredible high school career.

Shepherd Hill girls tennis:The Shepherd Hill girls tennis team opens their season April 8 in Northbridge. With a 14-6 record a year ago, the girls are looking to have another strong season. 

2011-12 View Super team:As we get closer to naming our 2012-13 View From The Sidelines Super team, here is a look back at last year's team!  Emily Dawidczyk (Oxford), Rocco DiStefano (Bartlett), Michelle Williams (Oxford), Meghan Fornaro (Shepherd Hill), Nick Kobel (Bartlett), Kyle McKissick (Shepherd Hill), Stella Worters (Shepherd Hill), Nicole Mangaudis (Oxford), Arthur Hackenson (Bartlett), Lindsay Bond (Bartlett), Nick Lemay (Oxford), and Anthony Wilga (Shepherd Hill).

Oxford/Webster Youth Football and Cheer:
Lastly, we want to pass on this note we received from Krista Lewis, who is The Director Of Fundraising for Oxford/Webster Youth Football and Cheer: “It is almost spring and we are already thinking about football and cheer!  Fundraising has begun, and we are working VERY hard to raise a good amount of money for the league this season! One of the ways we have found to do this is through Liberty Mutual Insurance in Auburn, MA. If you could just take 5 minutes out of your busy lives to help us, it could mean a $2500 grant for our organization!!

Use the link below to become a "fan" of the Liberty Mutual website and page, verify your email address, and then sign up to take the Responsible Sports quiz under the "Parents" link! Every completed quiz earns our organization one point. Each email address may be used only ONCE, and they do audit that, so please only ONE entry per email address.

Once you have completed the quiz, you may enter Oxford Webster as theorganization you wish to credit a point to, choose American Football as the sport of choice, and then you're DONE! It's that simple! I have done it 4 times today already with the emails of all my family members. It's really easy and only takes 5 minutes.”

http://www.responsiblesports.com/parenting/responsible-sport-parenting-guide/quiz

Until next week, see you on the sidelines! Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with any sports news and check out the new View From The Sidelines Facebook page with exclusive photos and news at https://www.facebook.com/ViewFromTheSidelines

Text and photos by Steev Riccardo

WEBSTER – Greetings sports fans!

We wrote right here in this very column a few weeks ago that an Oxford-Bay Path Thanksgiving football game would make perfect sense and it looks like everyone concurs!

The two neighboring schools have agreed to meet on Thanksgiving morning starting this November in what should take their rivalry to the next level. The only thing that still needed to be determined at press time was the location of this year’s inaugural meeting.

by Steev Riccardo

Hello Sports Fans!

Aside from the fact that the local teams didn’t fare all that well at the Clark Tournament, it was still a great experience. Clark University does an excellent job.

The Oxford Pirates actually played pretty well, despite being knocked out in the semi-finals by the Quaboag Cougars.  You have to give them a lot of credit; Quaboag is a great high school basketball team. Some people say they only have two guys, but that is just not the case.  Thomas Jankins and Jake Wisniewski are elite, but the rest of the starting lineup is also very good.