Vikings set to take on Middletown on Thursday
It’s unusual for a high school basketball team to have a practice on a Sunday, but that’s where the Central Catholic boys basketball team spent the first full day of spring.
Even with sunny skies and the temperature reaching 60, there was no place they’d rather be than in Rockne Hall preparing for the PIAA 4A semifinals.
The Vikings are hoping they have to practice a few more days indoors to prepare for a state title game, but first up is formidable District 3 champion Middletown. It is the second lengthy road trip in a row for CCHS in this different-looking PIAA tournament where home sites are being used instead of neutral locations.
Central will be looking for another happy bus ride home after staging a remarkable comeback Friday night at Archbishop Carroll.
Down 39-22 in the third quarter, CCHS outscored Carroll 33-12 the rest of the game and tallied the game’s final nine points in a memorable 55-51 win.
As compelling as it was, it’s important for the Vikings to put that game behind them.
“It’s obviously great to still be playing,” CCHS coach Dennis Csensits said. “But it is a quick turnaround. We had an emotional win on Friday night and you’ve got to get yourself grounded pretty quick as coaches and players to get ready to compete at a high level on Monday night. It’s another road trip and it’s not easy to successful on someone else’s home court.”
Central Catholic has had to overcome sluggish moments in both of its state playoff wins.
In the first victory against Pope John Paul II, the Vikings fell behind 13-4 and 16-7 early; they had just two points in the second quarter and trailed 19-13 at halftime.
Nothing has come easy, and yet the District 11 champs have displayed plenty of heart and grit in keeping their season alive.
Middletown is likely to present the biggest challenge yet.
“Like you’d expect in the state semifinals, Middletown is very good. … They’re athletic and in a lot of ways they’re similar to us in that they rebound the ball well and their inside players are definitely their strength,” Csensits said. “They compete very hard. They get a lot of points off the offensive glass and off their pressure.”
Several players have stepped up for Central Catholic. In the first game, it was Liam Joyce who was indispensable, with 20 points and 10 rebounds. At Carroll, it was Tyson Thomas, with 24 points, including 15 in the second half.
Christian Spugnardi, who played in just half of the team’s 24 games after suffering a major ankle injury, especially figures to be critical inside against Middletown’s brawn.
“The key message to our kids on Saturday was that we have to move on,” Csensits said. “We played well on Friday night, but what you did on Friday doesn’t do you any good on Monday night.”
The sounds of 60
CCHS had 30 tickets to distribute, primarily to parents, for its game at Carroll and will have 60 for family members at Middletown because it’s a slightly larger facility.
The support was palpable in Friday’s comeback and Csensits said the encouragement means a lot to him, his staff and the players.
“I’ve been at Central Catholic for 11 years now including my time as an assistant and I tell people all the time that what makes this a special place is the community,” Csensits said. “It truly is a family atmosphere at Fourth and Chew and we always have a lot of people step up to support our program. But especially in the year of a pandemic there’s a lot needed to be done to make this happen.”
Csensits saluted Principal Randy Rice, assistant athletic director Colleen Nosovitch and people behind the scenes such as Melissa Stahley, the athletic department secretary, and equipment manager Donnie Leauber, who has worked overtime to make sure everything is sanitized and prepared in advance.
“It really has been a community effort this year,” Csensits said. “I’ve also been blessed to have great assistant coaches who I delegate a lot to like Steve Neikam, Kevin Keeler and Dave Gehris, who could all be head coaches in this league. And then I have two young guys on the staff who are tremendous with player relationships and player development. Brandon Lister and Mike Kammerer have done excellent jobs. It really is a team effort. We wouldn’t be where we are without those guys.”
“I’ve been at Central Catholic for 11 years now including my time as an assistant and I tell people all the time that what makes this a special place is the community.” – CCHS coach Dennis Csensits
PIAA Class 4A Semifinal
Who: Central Catholic (18-4) at Middletown (16-4)
When: 7 p.m. Monday What’s next: Winner plays either District 7 champ Lincoln Park or District 10 champ Hickory for the PIAA 4A championship at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Hershey’s Giant Center.
Coaches: Central Catholic, Dennis Csensits (ninth season, 179-63); Middletown, Chris Bradford (third season, 26-35; also coached at Annville-Cleona for five seasons).
Central Catholic probable starters: Tyson Thomas (6-1, Jr. G) 16.4 ppg; Andrew Csensits (6-1, Sr. F) 5.1 ppg; Liam Joyce (6-5, Jr. F) 16.2 ppg; Aidan Burmeister (6-2, Sr. G) 5.5 ppg; Christian Spugnardi (6-5, Sr. C) 5.4 ppg.
Middletown probable starters: Tymir Jackson (5-9, Sr. G) 16.5 ppg; Tate Leach (5-8, Jr. G); TJ Daniels (5-10, Sr. G); Tajae Broadie (6-3, Jr. F); Tony Powell (6-3 Jr. F).
What to know: CCHS is 47-33 all-time in PIAA playoff history. The Vikings last reached the state semifinals in 2001. Also reached PIAA’s final four in 2000, 1995, 1989, 1986 and 1984. Beat Middletown 64-54 in the 1986 3A semis. … Vikings have won 9 of last 10 games and Archbishop Carroll was first opponent since Allen on Feb. 19 to score more than 50 points vs. CCHS. … CCHS averages 55.5 ppg, allows 44.9 ppg. … Burmeister leads Vikes in 3s with 32 and Thomas shoots 82.3% from foul line, missing just 23 of 130 attempts. … Middletown is 21-15 all-time in PIAA tournament with last appearance coming in 2018 when the Blue Raiders reached the 4A quarterfinals before losing to Imhotep 79-60. … Program won just three games two years ago and went 7-14 last year. … Middletown’s last appearance in state semis was in 1986. … Blue Raiders won a 2A state title in 1968. … Middletown won its first District 3 title since 1992. … Middletown was hurt by nine turnovers in both the second and third quarters in its 52-49 quarterfinal win over Danville. Blue Raiders rallied to outscore Danville 21-16 in fourth quarter. Jackson finished with 21 points and Broadie added 13. … Broadie, a Division I football recruit as a defensive end, had 10 rebounds and four blocks. … Jackson was a nose tackle and running back on Middletown’s football team and Leach, Daniels and Powell all played football; Powell was the quarterback.
Keith Groller’s pick: It won’t be easy. It never is with these Vikings, but they obviously have shown the mental toughness and heart of a champion to this point and there’s no reason to think those intangibles won’t be on display again. Central Catholic 59-56.