Rockets, Mikes rekindle rivalry on tip-off weekend
The fall sports season ended for Carmichaels and Jefferson-Morgan with a 12-0 Week Nine victory on the football field for the Rockets.
The two close rivals will once again battle against one another tonight in non-section boys’ basketball action to kick off the winter sports season around the area.
Despite the two foes being in different sections the last two seasons, the rivalry still exists between the two on the basketball floor.
“It really doesn’t matter the sport, there’s always going to be that rivalry,” J-M boys’ basketball coach Dennis Garrett said. “It’s Carmichaels and Jefferson, it’s that simple. With these games there’s always that extra level of intensity and emotions.”
In 2014-15, J-M drops down to Class A and competes in Section 3, while Carmichaels will make the jump to Class AA and play in Section 4.
“It really doesn’t matter if its section or non-section, these games are always fun to play in,” Mikes’ boys basketball coach Don Williams said. “It’s a big time game for both schools and the kids. It doesn’t matter how many times we play them, this game always means something.”
Tipoff for the contest at Jefferson tonight will be at 7:30 p.m.
Williams is entering his 40th year for the Mikes, while Garrett is in year two of his second stint with the Rockets.
The one big difference between the squads this year is experience.
The Rockets have four starters and a plethora of experienced varsity players coming back from last year. The Mikes, on the other hand, lost their top six players from a year ago, have no seniors on the squad and only have a handful of players that saw varsity minutes in 2013-14.
“It’s almost like a brand new team and a brand new atmosphere for us this season,” Williams said. “These kids have been working hard and they have been trying to soak in everything we have taught them. We are ready for the challenge this year.”
The Mikes have gone 10-2 versus its close adversary the last four seasons, including winning all three games a year ago. The last win for the Rockets in the series was on Dec. 19, 2012.
“We have that year of experience under our belts and I think we are determined to get back on track,” Garrett said. “We have 20 kids on the roster this year and a good mix of older and younger players. Expectations are high for us and we are ready for the season.”
The opening weekend for winter sports is full of tip-off tournaments around the area.
In other boys’ basketball action, Southmoreland and Brownsville will play against each other at 9 p.m. in the Falcons Tip-off Tournament.
The Fayette County Coaches Association Tournament at Penn State Fayette features Albert Gallatin versus Uniontown at 5:45 p.m. followed by Connellsville against Laurel Highlands at 7:30 p.m.
California, Beth-Center, Mapletown and Geibel Catholic will all compete in the Gators Tip-off Tournament. Friday games include Mapletown vs. Geibel at 6 p.m. and California vs. B-C at 7:30 p.m.
Waynesburg Central will begin its season at the McGuffey Tournament against Chartiers-Houston at 6 p.m.
In the other non-section contest for a local team, West Greene will travel to Bentworth for a 7:30 p.m. tip. Both Belle Vernon and Frazier will be idle over the weekend.
On the girls’ side, Mapletown will battle Avella at the Lady Eagles Tip-off Tournament at 6 p.m., while Carmichaels will play Monessen at 5 p.m. at the Charleroi Tip-off Tournament.
Belle Vernon will be at home hosting a round-robin tournament and will battle Peters Township at 8 p.m., as Brownsville welcomes Chartiers-Houston at 7 p.m. in the Falcons Tip-off Tournament.
In the Fayette County Coaches Association Tournament at Laurel Highlands, the schedule for today runs as Woodland Hills vs. Laurel Highlands at 5 p.m., University (WVa.) vs. Connellsville at 6:30 p.m. and Uniontown vs. Albert Gallatin at 8 p.m.
California will faceoff with Mars at 6 p.m. in the Slippery Rock Tip-off Tournament, while Southmoreland hosts its tournament and will play Yough at 7:30 p.m.
Jefferson-Morgan, Waynesburg Central and West Greene will participate in the Lady Raiders Tip-off tournament over the weekend. West Greene will play Clay-Battelle (WVa.) at 6 p.m. followed by J-M and Waynesburg at 8 p.m. tonight.
Beth-Center, Frazier and Geibel Catholic are off during the first weekend of the season.
Along with basketball season, other winter sports wrestling, swimming and rifle will kick off in the upcoming days for local teams.