BLACKSTONE VALLEY MEMORIES

December 4

1959

Coach Roland (Mac) Masterson has a veteran-studded Sacred Heart Academy quintet returning with four regulars back from last year’s Class B runner-ups led by sharp-shooting forward and All-Valley selection Leo Heroux who finished with a 15.5 ppg average, good for fifth in the Valley. Rounding out the starting five are ball handlers Ed Heroux and Vic Fontaine, standout freshmen last campaign, and 6-foot-5 John Kurbiec, while 6-1 forward Paul Whitaker is being pressed by 5-11 Jimmy Healey. Other top candidates are juniors 6-1 Bob Viau, 5-10 Ron Heroux and 5-10 Don Farley along with 6-0 senior John Bedard.

1969

In what will be Sacred Heart Academy’s swan song as the school will shut its doors in June, hoop coach Phil Landry welcomes back four returning starters. The returnees are 5-foot-11 forward George Coderre, the Beavers’ top player, forward Ernie Crowell, the tallest starter at 6-2, 5-11 Mike Masterson and 5-8 Bob Patenaude. Also back from last year’s squad are 6-3 Cazzie Malec, 6-2 Rick Croteau, 6-1 Dave Tessier and 5-10 John Such.

1979

Former assistant John Lynch has succeeded personable Vern Gaskin as the Davies Vocational hoop coach and the cupboard is quite bare, losing all five starters to graduation including the Patriots’ all-time scoring king Tom Beaucage (1,510 points). The starting five has Greg Howarth running the offense, guard Bob Kelley, who is out for his initial basketball season, a pair of 6-foot-1 forwards in Paul Henderson and Alan Aldridge and 6-2 center Barry Mnayarji. For help on the bench, Lynch will look towards guards Al Walsh, Jim Sullivan and Bill Sincavage and forwards Bruce Choiniere and Mark Kay.