A five-game losing streak was not the way the Hull eighth-grade boys’ basketball team wanted to enter the playoffs. The post-season, however, provided the wind of change to steer the Pirates in the right direction.
Hull ran off three straight playoff wins, including a 51-50 thriller over Duxbury in the finals on Sunday to take the Summer Travel League title at the Starland Sports Complex in Hanover.
Chris Resnick sank a foul shot with less than a second to play to provide the winning margin as Hull capped a 12-point second half comeback. Max MacEachern led the offense with 24 points while Isaiah Green added 14 for Hull. Key defensive performances came from Resnick and Jeffrey Reede.
Hull entered the playoffs as the fourth seed and dispatched fifth-seeded Middleborough 55-43 on Saturday in the quarterfinals. MacEachern was Hull’s top gun with 27 points (seven three-pointers) and Green added 18 to the cause. Henry Buchleitner had five points. Hull then had to take the court just one hour later to face top-seeded and well-rested Marshfield, which earned a first round bye. Marshfield held a two-point lead late in the second half, but Hull ran off eight straight points to pull off the 46-39 upset. Green led Hull with 19 points while MacEachern had 16 (including four three-pointers), and Resnick added six in a strong defensive effort.
This is the second championship for this group, having won the championship as fifth-graders. The coaches were Greg Griffin and Brian MacEachern.
The ironman cometh
Hull native Tom Fleck recently completed the Ironman Triathlon in Lake Placid, N.Y. The course canvases 140.6 miles and is a combination of a 1.2-mile swim, followed by a 112-mile bike rid, and finishing with a 26.2-mile run. Although it was one of his slowest times, Fleck is always grateful to get to the finish line.
“I did not do as well as I thought I could,” he said. “This was my sixth full Ironman, and it was my slowest to date. It was also the one that has had the most elevation gain on both the bike and the run portion.
“It is impossible to finish a full Ironman and be disappointed or negative. Just getting to the finish line is always an accomplishment. Progress is never linear, and this has motivated me to be even better.”
Fleck, a class of 2000 Hull High School graduate, recently qualified for the Half-Distance world championship next month in Saint George, Utah, with a 10th-place finish in Lubbock, Texas, in June. His ultimate goal is to qualify for the Ironman Championship, which is held every October in Kona, Hawaii. He plans to compete in the Ironman Texas event in April.
Fleck is a local triathlon coach who works with 20 athletes of varying abilities and fitness levels.
Changing of the shin-guard
Hull United Youth Soccer (HUYS) will be changing leadership this fall as current president Greg Whelan is stepping down after eight years at the helm.
During Greg’s tenure the HUYS thrived in this community with a limited number of kids. He always held most board meetings at his house, welcoming new board members.
“The past couple of years have been difficult as COVID hit and the decision to cancel seasons were made, which wasn’t an easy decision for the board, but Greg kept the positive momentum going,” said Courtney Littlefield, who will be taking over as president. “The amount of time and effort that Greg contributed to the kids and this organization was instrumental.”
The HUYS board is typically made up of parents with children in the program (not mandatory) who volunteer their time in helping run the program by finding sponsors, coaching, assigning officials, coordinating field times with other sports, making financial decisions, attending Coastal Youth Soccer League meetings, and more. As the children of the volunteers enter high school, it’s common the board members will step down to transition on to other roles in supporting their children, family, and town.
“The HUYS board would like to thank Greg for the years he contributed as a coach, parent, and board member holding multiple roles. Alongside Greg, Kerrie Ryan and Nicole Thomas are also retiring from the HUYS board as their kids age out of the program. We are truly grateful for all of their efforts as they will be missed,” said Littlefield.
Littlefield is a class of 2000 Hull High School graduate, with two daughters currently in the program, and has been a HUYS board member for three years.
Hull of Fame
The fourth Hull High School Athletic Hall of Fame inductees will be honored on Saturday, Nov. 27, at the South Shore Country Club and will also be recognized during the Thanksgiving football game on Nov. 25. Nominations for this year’s class are due by Sept. 1. The Hull Boosters will also have a meat raffle fundraiser at the Cathay Center on Oct. 16 from 4:30-7 p.m.
Please send sports information to alanmccall461@hotmail.com. Weekly deadline is Tuesday at 6 p.m.
