“The Sweet Assassin” #2 in New England, Pirates rule Central Mass, and “The Spoonman”

By Steev Riccardo

What a week for the Oxford High School sports program!

First of all, what else can you say about track star Emily “The Sweet Assassin” Dawidczyk! She dominated the Central Mass championships in three different events and then she went to the state tournament and came in second in the in 200 meters and sixth in the 100-meter hurdles and qualified for the New England tournament.

At the New England Tournament in Saco, Maine, on Saturday, June 9, she came in second in the 200 meters and third in the 100-meter hurdles. The icing on the cake was that not only were both her times personal bests, but she also qualified for the Nationals.  This is truly an incredible feat!

“It was an awesome experience! Just being here with all the top athletes in New England was really cool,” said Dawidczyk. “I ran my best time in both events so it was a great way to end the season. I’m so happy I got this far after all my setbacks last year, I had to prove to myself that I could do it and I did.” She sure did.

We ran into recently graduated Bartlett track and football star Rocco DiStefano this past weekend and he had this to say about “The Sweet Assassin.”

“Emily is one of the fastest runners around.  She is very gifted and just from gift alone you can’t be that fast, she has to work hard and I feel that she works hard at it the same way in soccer and indoor and outdoor track. I am happy for her. I have seen her run the last three years and she keeps getting better. Next year she is going to be blowing everyone out of the water.”

Oxford Pirates: As if “The Sweet Assassin” story wasn’t  enough for Oxford to get excited about, they also have the Central Massachusetts Division 3 baseball championship on their mantle, with an impending trip to Western Mass to compete for the state championship.  Who said the size of the school matters?  Folks, it’s all about heart and desire and the Oxford boys are right up there with the best of them.

What I really love about the Pirates and their coaches is how loose they always are.  They have fun and they play hard and they win and that is why they are in the state tournament.

More Rocco: Rocco DiStefano also competed at the state track tournament this past week and has this say about how his experience went. “It was really nice to get there because you work hard all year.  When you finally get there you are amazed by how many other people are ridiculously fast and gifted and have raw talent.  Once you get out of your foxhole of Webster and SWCL and your district, you are just amazed at what the other districts have in store for you, so just being there is very eye opening. You see that you are not the only fast kid on the block. You are one of many.”

Ricky Spooner: Seeing Bartlett High School quarterback Ricky Spooner throwing passes at the Nichols College football camp last week reiterated what we know already. The soon-to-be junior could be destined for a breakout season next year for the green.

Although Nichols College football coach Kevin Loney kept referring to two local quarterbacks who really impressed him without mentioning any names, it was obvious he was talking about Spooner and Shepherd Hill quarterback Drew Ravenelle.

We are certainly on board with Loney on these two.  Spooner is getting additional praise from yours truly this week as well, not only has he earned his new nickname “The Spoonman” but here’s a first, we have a theme song for the QB as well, none other than Soundgarden’s “Spoonman.” Give me some time and I will either convince Bartlett bandleader Jeffrey Flynn to get the band to learn the tune or we will figure a way to get it on the PA next football season!

Shepherd Hill Tennis Girls: Kudos to the Shepherd Hill girl’s tennis team, which finished their season 14-6 following a loss to Shrewsbury. The team had an excellent season before falling in the districts and look solid for the future with stars like freshman Abbey Packard and junior Callie Mulcahy, the number two and three singles players, returning.

Anthony Wilga: Lastly we have more quotes from the very quotable Mr. DiStefano. This is what Rocco had to say about fellow View Super Teamer Anthony Wilga of Shepherd Hill, who appears to be headed to Nichols in the fall. “Wilga is a mule, he’s hard to take down he’s one of the hardest hitters I ever went against. He has worked throughout his career at football.  The four years that I have played against him there has not been one easy moment between fullback and linebacker. He is going to do well at Nichols. I am happy for him and I wish him the best of luck. I played with him in Pop Warner and he was a beast back then and still is.” Wilga scored 13 touchdowns last season, his last, for the Rams.

Photo From The Vault: This week our photo from the vault features three new grads and one up and coming “bull.”  Recent Bartlett grads Arthur Hackenson, who is off to play football at Springfield College, track star Amy Pancyzk, who is headed to Adelphi University on Long Island, track co-captain Alicia Garamy, who will be attending Assumption College in Worcester, and freshman Anthony “The Bull” Cafferelli, who will be doing great things on the football field for the Indians for the next few years.

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