Week Nine - Finals are Set…
11/8/24
When I was a college student, there was one song above all others. Back then, we couldn’t just pluck songs out of the internet and listen to them whenever we wanted. It was close to being a reality…but the only way to do so was to hook your computer to Napster and steal the content. At the time, we didn’t know it was stealing…well, that’s a story for another time.
However, during my college years, there was one song above all others, and we only got to hear once per year. Imagine seven, to ten, college boys huddled around a TV and all of them getting chills at the beginning dinging, almost clanging, almost a mini count down heartbeat. Then the piano hits. Then the horns come in. Then the most beautiful voice you could hear starts it off. Even remembering the song from memory bring some moisture to my old eyes. The visuals that followed showcased the entire tournament. All the emotions…from the pain of loss to the almost indescribable joy of winning. It’s what every basketball player in the country dreamed about and wouldn’t miss regardless of anything. The song described it all so well and the best part about it is that it could apply to any sport.
Change comes with life, and like the grown-ups who lose the ability to hear Santa’s sleigh bell in The Polar Express, I lost interest as March Madness became more a semi-pro workout for the NBA…thanks to NIL and the transfer portal…plus they changed song. I couldn’t fathom why you’d change the singer, add or subtract lyrics, speed it up or alter the horns…you had perfection. Let it be the constant tradition the endures for all time… However, in the US, we worry all too often that if we don’t modernize things, perhaps people will lose interest. Well with me, it was because of the change that I lost interest. Anyway, the version of the song I still dream of from time to time is the 1999 version featuring Teddy Pendergrass on lead vocals.
So, as a believer that traditions are made and must be kept sacred, I shall dedicate this song to all the players this season and especially to all of those in the playoffs. Perhaps, one day, I’ll be able to put a bunch of clips together to the music and you too may deem it unmissable and unforgettable. For today, the music and the lyrics are what matter and I can’t think of a better way to kick off the final four…
The ball is tipped,
And there you are
You're running for your life.
You're a shooting star.
And all the years,
No one knows.
Just how hard you worked,
But now it shows.
That one shining moment, you reached deep inside.
In one shining moment, you knew you were alive.
Feel the beat of your heart.
Feel the wind in your face.
It's more than a contest.
It's more than a race.
And when it's done,
Win or lose,
You always did your best
'Cause inside you knew.
That one shining moment, you reached for the sky
One shining moment, you knew
One shining moment, you were willing to try
One shining moment, you knew
One shining moment…
I’ve included the video from the 1996 NCAA men’s Basketball Tournament. Disregard the video, unless you enjoy basketball, but I wanted to get you the exact feel of what my friends and I would wait eleven months plus for…
I found the link on YouTube from a Tim Conroy. I don’t know who that is, nor does anything else he may have on his channel represent anything for ResV. His video that we’re using is, however, exactly what it looked like when I was nineteen, huddled around a small TV with my teammates at Moravian College.
D1 Semifinals:
(1) North Kingstown (18 - 0) vs. (4) LaSalle Academy (12 - 6)
Winner - North Kingstown (19 - 0) - Three Sets to One.
(2) Portsmouth (18 - 1) vs. (3) East Providence (14 - 4)
Winner - Portsmouth (19 - 1) - Three Sets to Two.
D2 Semifinals:
(1) Barrington (17 - 3) vs. (4) North Smithfield (12 - 5)
Winner - Barrington (18 - 3) - Three Sets.
(2) Mt. Hope (15 - 5) vs. (3) Middletown (12 - 6)
Winner - Middletown (13 - 6) - Three Sets to One.
D3 Semifinals:
(1) Ponaganset (15 - 4) vs. (4) Central Falls (16 - 3)
Winner - Ponaganset (16 - 4) - Three Sets to One
(2) Tolman (16 - 4) vs. (3) Scituate (13 - 4)
Winner - Tolman (17 - 4) - Three Sets to Two.
D4 Semifinals:
(1) Central (18 - 2) vs. (4) Toll Gate (10 - 11)
Winner - Central (19 -2) - Three Sets.
(2) Hope (17 - 2) vs. (3) Shea (14 - 4)
Winner - Hope (18 - 2) - Three Sets to One.
Final Predictions (Some from Week Eight ResV Article)…
Currently, I’m 20 - 3 in this year’s playoffs!
Division One - North Kingstown vs. Portsmouth
It’s going to take some incredible play by Portsmouth to stop the NK bulldozer. First and foremost, they have to serve the Skippers as uncomfortable as possible. Nullify the many offensive options to a single threat and you’re in the right ballpark. It will also take some incredible defensive plays to create doubt. Huge dig here, huge dig there, and not erroring in the counterattack more than twice all match… The Skippers will need to make a lot of unforced errors. Hitting balls out of bounds, net violations, serving out, out of rotation, the whole kit and kaboodle. It could all happen, but I’m not betting on it…though what a story it would be.
Skippers in four. Portsmouth will win set one, but from there the Leviathan that is Skippers volleyball will crack to life and snatch three sets straight to earn another title before disappearing back to the gloomy deep of the ocean…not to be seen again until the next challenger knocks.
Division Two - Barrington vs. Middletown
Eagles, Islanders, has a good ring to it. Both sides have strong pins. I think Barrington, however, wins the middle, setter, and Libero battles. It’s been no secret all year that Barrington has been loaded. ResV dubbed them the North Kingstown of D2 and that moniker has proved pretty true. It’s really hard to get them uncomfortable. They do the standards well. No one in D2 serves like them. They have weapons all over the floor and they have a player of the year candidate in McCrann. There isn’t much not to like about this Eagle side to be sure. For the Islanders, to have a shot, it starts with the play of Piker and Reilly. They need to hit .350 a piece to cause enough doubt for the Eagle foundation to start to crack. The Islanders will also need to pass nails, and serve the game of their lives to keep the confusion rolling for the Eagles. Lastly, and most importantly, Middletown must limit errors. You can’t have missed serves after a big kill. You can’t have three hitting errors in a row. You can’t win a long rally only to find that you netted and it goes the other way. No question, it’s a tall order for the Islanders, but they can do it. Just need to execute, have a little faith and some luck, and make the Eagles earn every single point. From there, the chips fall as they may.
I believe Middletown will play admirably, but Barrington will be just too much. Eagles in four.
Division Three - Ponaganset vs. Tolman
I got this one wrong, as I predicted Central Falls to upset Ponaganset. Even the big guy can get it wrong from time to time… truthfully, I get it wrong plenty. However, unlike the movie Fletch where Chevy Chase utters the incredibly funny line…”It takes a big man to admit he’s wrong…I am not a big man.” I take my medicine and admit when I’m wrong…I’d like to also take this moment to apologize to East Providence as I had them getting upset by South Kingstown in the quarters…wrong again Coach Reslow. Anyway, in the week eight article, I had Tolman winning the whole thing over Central Falls…does anything change with Ponaganset as the Tiger’s opponent? Well, perhaps. The Chieftains were able to dispatch Central Falls in four, meanwhile, Scituate threw the kitchen sink at Tolman and the Tigers escaped in five. Moreso, Tolman’s banged up a bit. An early injury in the playoffs to Davina Kodua, has made the playoffs especially icy pondish for this plucky crew from Pawtucket. Ponaganset plays good steady volleyball and will put plenty of pressure…and I wonder if Tolman may be gassed due to their battle with Scituate…
Last time I switched from my original prediction, I was badly wrong. That type of feeling sticks with you. Thus, I’m staying with Tolman. I think it’ll go five and it’ll be a crazy match, but the Tigers will emerge from smoke alone as the queens of division three.
Division Four - Central vs. Hope
Well, I got this one wrong too. I thought Shea would upset Hope. Well, hell, I guess I better not quit my day job…whatever that is. I will say, that when you go out on a limb to predict upsets, you’re often wrong. They’re called upsets for a reason, so regardless of whether you claim to be wise in something, upsets tend to be rare. Granted if you call it, you’re considered a fortune teller. You’re wrong, you’re an idiot. I’d guess I’m more the latter then the former, but when watching teams play, sometimes you can see the cracks that may lead to an upset. Anyway, I was wrong twice on my upset predictions this 2024 playoff and all you can do is face the music. Now, let’s talk Central and Hope. I still like Central here as I think Danna Garcia is the top player in the division. She has a big arm and can score in all sorts of ways. Hope has a dynamic team and has proven worth to oppose, but I don’t think they can handle Central. Garcia will have her normal night, and Hope won’t be able to stop it.
Central in four. Hope will surprise in set two, but in the end Garcia’s 15 kills, 5 aces will seal the deal and take the crown.
Note: Sunday’s Article (11/10) will have the All-ResV Teams!
ResV Top 15…
North Kingstown
Portsmouth
East Providence
LaSalle Academy
Prout —1
Barrington
South Kingstown
Middletown +2
Mt. Hope —1
East Greenwich —1
North Smithfield
Chariho
Cranston West
Lincoln
Tolman
To send updates, stories, and players college decisions…or inquire about coffee beans that Coach roasts himself, to Coach Reslow - Scott.Reslow@protonmail.com
Coaches! Please feel free to reach out if interested in scheduling some time to talk shop! I’d love to help your program out!