The main showdown of Catholic Schools Week took place on Jan. 31 as the Green Underclassmen team defeated the Gold Upperclassmen team in the Faculty Game. Let’s take a closer look at one of the most highly anticipated events of the school year.
The Underclassmen demolished the Upperclassmen 41-18 in a game that was seemingly over early. Mr. Estephan and Mr. Yarborough were the two biggest surprises of the game.
Mr. Estephan, the first overall pick, left some blank space on the score card, only cashing in three points. He shot 1/7 from the field, so he must live by the saying: ‘You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.’ Estephan looks to shake off this performance and return better than ever next year.
Mr. Yarborough, the second overall pick, scored zero (yes, zero) points. The Music Man from Charlotte couldn’t get his shots to fall, not even his signature fadeaway. The man who is usually unstoppable was contained this year, but expect this to be a rare occurrence.
The Upperclassmen were led by Mr. Faust and Mr. Durbin. Despite the underwhelming game, these two were bright spots for the Gold team.
Coach Faust recorded eight points, four of which were from the charity stripe. He lived in the paint and made a positive presence in his first Faculty Game. Faust has great potential in the future.
Mr. Durbin was the most efficient player on the court, scoring eight points and managing five steals. Durbin proved to be a big-time baller and was not only the best player for the Upperclassmen, but perhaps in the entire game.
The Underclassmen were headed by Mr. Stewart, Mr. Kraeszig, Mr. Gottbrath, Mr. Caudill, and Mr. Doherty.
Herr Stewart increased his future draft stock and was likely the most-improved player. While only totaling four points, Stewart played physical, commanding defense and was a massive part of holding the Upperclassmen short of twenty points. Stewart’s solid handles and vision allowed himself to be a great offensive facilitator.
Coach Kraeszig also had four points and sank two free-throws, but scoring isn’t what he is know for. Kraeszig showed his heart on the court; he recorded three steals and a pair of assists. Coach K’s hustle and fight throughout the entirety of the game show he is a team-player and great teammate. He also won the Health and Technology department the Around the World Halftime Tournament with two huge three-pointers.
Mr. Gottbrath, a 2007-2008 city champ with St. Nicholas Academy, made an impressive first appearance in the Faculty Game. Tayshaun Prince’s biggest fan went 3/5 from the field including 2/3 from three while showing off his beautiful lefty shooting form. Gottbrath did what was asked of him and some more, but he didn’t get the double-double he aimed for. He’ll be a factor moving forward in this yearly event.
“I heard the noise; I heard some of the hate, the doubt,” Gottbrath said. “You know I feel good about the team effort here, good all-around team win.”
Coming off of restricted minutes, Mr. Caudill was still Mr. Caudill; he tallied three threes and looked just fine coming off of the bench wearing the classic, Celtics Larry Bird jersey. Caudill dropped 15 points and shot 67% while only playing for half of the game. Chants of “We want Caudill” broke out before he checked into the game for the first time. In the end, he remains the GOAT.
However, newcomer Mr. Doherty, head coach of the lacrosse team, took home the Xavier News MVP. Despite Caudill’s points scored, Doherty made the biggest impact for the victorious Green team. The MVP played across all ends of the court in a valiant debut. He scored eight points, grabbed five rebounds, had two assists, and a steal, absolutely owning the box score in the deciding minutes of the game. The former D1 Lacrosse player credits his success to time in the film and weight room.
“Simple, getting after it, not flashy at all, neither was our team,” Coach Doherty said. “We just worked hard today; it was fun getting out here.”
Doherty exceeded the expectations. Since he was vital for his team, the lacrosse coach takes home the inaugural MVP trophy.
