From The Press Box
The Golden Era
By: Jim Lederman
The 1970’s were ‘Banner Years’ for Winthrop High School basketball. The Vikings under the tutelage of coaches Henry McCarthy, Jim Nimblett, Bill Gorman and Jack MacDonald.
The Vikings captured the Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship in (1972, 1973, 1974, 1976 and 1978).
The legendary Tech Tourney games were played in the old Boston Garden (capacity 13,909) to qualify for the Tourney a team had to win 75% of their games. One of the most memorable games was played in 1973.
The Vikings led by all scholastic center Chris Tsiotos, who won the NEC scoring title with a (28.5)_ average faced Rindge Tech in the final.
Chris had mononucleosis and could not play (28 points sitting on the bench). The Vikings had one of the all-time biggest teams in the history of Vikings basketball. The front court of Tsiotos (6’5), Lou Hinckley (6’5) and Michael Welch (6’2). The back court had a pair of 6 footers, Steve Mahoney and Michael Harrison.
Rindge Tech and Cambridge Latin combined to give Cambridge a Division one-size school. The game ended on a very controversial play. The Vikings had a one point lead with five second remaining on the clock. The Rindge player drove to the hoop and play was stopped when a whistle went off. The Vikings stopped playing and the Rindge Player scored. An inadvertent whistle from the stands cost the Vikings the title.
The 1972 and 1973 Vikings had a combined (35-3) record. Five players on those teams played in the NCAA college playoffs. Chris and Nick Tsiotos and George Kalogeris played for Suffolk University. Kevin Dowd and Mike Harrison played for Boston State. Coach McCarthy was proud of his players when he was at the NCAA Tourney Game.
Legendary NEC coaches form the ‘golden Era’ feared the Winthrop Vikings. The outstanding coaches were Herb Brenner (Lynn Classical), Brad Sheridan (Marblehead), John McGrath (Danvers) and Dick Lynch (Swampscott). Swampscott dedicated their new gym in honor of coach Lynch. Dick is the father of Channel 5 (WCVB) Sports Anchor Michael Lynch.
Lou Hinckley had a Division One Scholarship to the University of Maine, fifteen players from the Golden Era, played college basketball.
The 1976 Vikings were rated not to win another NEC title. The Vikings captured the crown and lost to Rindge Tech in the Division 2 title game at Beverly.
The 1976 Vikings were led by Captain Steve Demetriou, Billy English, Bobby Lundberg, John Kalogeris and center Kevin ‘Spoon’ Corkhum. Kevin tossed in 33-points in a big upset at Lynn Classical.
The 1978 Vikings won the NEC title, led by Peter Lyons, Joe Petersen, Greg and Chris Zikos, Rich Hogan, John Harrison and Thorne Smith. The Vikings lost in the tourney to Dom Savio.
We salute the ‘Golden Era’ in WHS Vikings sports. The James Holland Gym would be packed to watch Vikings hoop.
Congrats to a legend in WHS basketball, Chris Tsiotos. The new gym in the high school will be called the Chris Tsiotos Basketball Court!
Extra Points
I will take an offside penalty for omitting Mark Dambrosio; from the list of inductees tot eh 2016 WHS Hall of Fame.
Mark is a 1997 graduate of Winthrop High School and a highly distinguished student-athlete. The Boston Globe named Mark their Student-Athlete of the Year.
He was a three-sport athlete, won the Bentley Swift Cup, the Irving P. Alexander Trophy and played in the Shriners All-Star Football Classic and the Harry Agganis All-Star Football Game.
Mark was football captain at Colby College and led his team to an outstanding season. We salute Mark and look forward to his induction into the WHS Hall of Fame on October 22nd.
Six Long Months
The New England Patriots open training camp today (Thursday) in Foxborough. It has been six months since the Patriots season dissolved in the AFC title game in Denver.
The Patriots begin their pursuit of another super bowl title. The Patriots hope to silence the ‘Deflate Gate detractors.’
The Patriots drive for five is going to begin with Tom Brady serving a four-game suspension. The Patriots need healthy players like Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Dion Lewis and LeGarrette Blount.
The pressure will be on Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback. The return of legendary line coach Dante Sarnecchia, returning from retirement.
Sundays will be in season in Foxborough, where it’s pre-season, regular season or post season.
Let the Games Begin!
First winthrop hockey golf classic
Saturday’s hot, humid air was the exact opposite of the frigid arenas where their sport is played, but the weather did nothing to wilt the enthusiasm and effort of 54 undaunted golfers who made the First Annual Winthrop Hockey Golf Classic a rollicking success this past weekend at Winthrop Golf Club.
Temperatures were in the 90s with a warm wind under a glaring sun at tee time, but the group was celebrating their success in the Clubhouse by the time the thunder and heavy rains arrived Saturday evening, July 23. In the meantime, the foursome of Rick Boudreau, Rick Boudreau Jr., Jake Rand, and Brendan Fitzpatrick took top honors in the best-ball style tournament.
Event organizer Ryan Murphy was amazed at the response to his shout-out to Winthrop hockey supporters when he first came up with the idea of a golf tournament to raise money for the program.
“My brothers and I are Winthrop High grads who played hockey for the school, and we wanted give back to the program that gave us so much,†he said.
At the outset, he wasn’t sure how the idea would be received.
“We were skeptical about how many players and sponsors we could get, but within just a few days we had dozens of people calling us up to play and donate,†he said.
Besides the overall team champs, prize winners included James Fucillo, who nailed a tee-shot 9-feet 10-inches from the hole to win Closet the Pin. Mitchell Paulson was the heavy hitter in the group, winning the Longest Drive competition.
Hole Sponsors included Senator Joe Boncore, Winthrop Center Cafe, Ferrara Contracting, Speaker of the House of Representatives Robert DeLeo, the Winthrop Pro Shop, RPM Fitness, Corolla Roofing, the Law Offices of Peter Martino and Nicholas Martino, and For Kids Only, sponsor of the Closest to the Pin award.
Individual sponsors included Michael Norris and family, Michael Sullivan and family, Pizza Center, Ryan Murphy and Family, Championship Physical Therapy, Robert Beshere and Family, Swett’s Liquors, August Brothers, and the Boston Sail Loft Restaurant.