Tag Archives: Knights

Sports

NECC Knights Start Spring Season

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The Knights’ baseball team went down to Florida for spring break to get an early start to their season, and they made the most of it. NECC went 9-2 during the trip behind some great pitching and some even better hitting. The Knights played five doubleheaders, with one scrimmage against a junior varsity squad early in the year.
In their first 11 games of 2015, the Knights are hitting .353 and have scored an impressive 89 runs. On the defensive side, pitchers Ryan McAuliffe and Zarif Pajazetovic each notched two wins.

The Knights opened the season with a solid 5-3 win over Itasca Community College of Grand Rapids, Minn. in the first game of a doubleheader. NECC knocked eight base hits and mustered a four-run fifth inning to seal the win. Several players recorded multiple hits, including shortstop Ryley Warnock, designated hitter Ellido Reyes and first baseman Jacob Rayner. Second baseman McDaniel Singleton knocked a huge two-run double in the win.

Ryan McAuliffe notched his first win of the season with a three-run complete game. He gave up three hits, two walks and struck out five batters in his seven innings of work.

The Knights came right back and swept the doubleheader with a convincing 11-4 win. Singleton had two hits, stole two bases and scored three runs. Designated hitter Michael Crisostomo knocked in three runs and scored two more. Third baseman Cole Josselyn also stole two bases and recorded two RBI. NECC hit .400 as a team in the second game.

Pajazetovic recorded the win for the Knights. He pitched four and two-thirds innings, gave up four hits, four runs (only one of them earned) and struck out three.

The Knights’ next game was against the JV squad of Utica (N.Y.). As expected, NECC ran right through them, winning 14-7. Outfielder Harrison Smoske led the way with a three for five performance that included a triple, a stolen base and three RBIs. Crisostomo stole two more bases and knocked in two more runs. Singleton also had two RBIs and went three for four.

Jerry Hernandez went just three innings and gave up four runs on four hits. He also walked four and struck out four. Tyler Favaloro came in and got the win after going two and two-thirds innings of one-hit, shutout baseball.

The Knights’ next opponent was Vermilion Community College of Ely, Minn. NECC made easy work of them, outscoring them 20-3 over the two games. Smoske and Colby Maiola each drove in three runs over the two games. Maiola also stole three bases, while Smoske stole four.

Robert Barry got the win in the first game. He went six innings and gave up only one run on three hits while striking out seven. Gianni Esposito took the second game and gave up one run on seven hits with seven strikeouts in four innings of work.

The only two losses of the season came in the next doubleheader. The Knights faced off with Sussex County Community College of Newton, N.J., and it wasn’t pretty. The Knights lost the first game 17-5, then came back with a slightly more acceptable (but still unfortunate) 13-11 loss. Warnock and Reyes each recorded four RBIs over the two games.

Hernandez and Ryan Decker were the two pitchers who got beat up in the first game. Hernandez gave up seven runs in just over two innings, while Decker gave up eight runs in just over one. It was Favaloro who got roughed up in the second game, giving up 10 runs in two and one-third innings.

The Knights bounced back in their next series against Muscatine Community College of Muscatine, Iowa. NECC took both games, winning 5-4 in the first game and 3-2 in the second. Smoske, Singleton and Colby Ingraham each recorded two hits in the first win. Rayner had an RBI in each of the games, while Maiola stole a base in each game.

Pajazetovic threw a complete game in the first matchup, giving up four runs on eight hits in seven innings. McAuliffe came out and threw another complete game in the second outing, giving up two runs on three hits while striking out eight in seven innings.

The final doubleheader of the Florida trip came on Friday, March 20. In the first game, the Knights beat Burlington County College of Pemberton, N.J. 3-2. In the second game, NECC defeated Schenectady County Community College of Schenectady, N.Y. by a score of 15-4. Ingraham and Josselyn were the two run-producers in the first game, each driving in one run. Meanwhile, it was Reyes, Singleton and Rayner who led the way in the second game. Reyes went four for five with four RBIs and three runs scored. Singleton went three for five with three RBIs and two runs scored. Rayner went three for three with two RBIs and one run scored.

Esposito got the win in the first game after coming in in relief of Anthony Dally and giving up no runs on no hits over three innings. In the second game, Barry pitched three innings and gave up three runs on six hits to earn the victory.

The Knights’ first game back up north is a road game against Community College of Rhode Island today at 3:30 p.m. The Knights will then continue their way up the coast and play their first home game on Saturday, March 28 at 11 a.m. The game will be played at the Haverhill Stadium.

Sports

Knights drop three of four coming out of winter break

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The Knights have struggled coming out of the winter break this year, going 1-3 over the first four games of the new year. The Knights opened with double-digit losses at Southern Maine
Community College and at home against Lincoln College of New England before netting a tight
57-53 win over Vermont
Technical College last Sunday. Hoping to get a winning streak started, the Knights suffered a tough overtime loss on the road at
Bristol Community College Tuesday night.
The loss at Southern Maine was mainly caused by poor ball handling. The Knights committed 14 turnovers in the game
compared to only ten assists. Any game where the turnovers
outnumber the assists is more than likely going to end up in a loss, and a team like NECC just isn’t talented enough to make up for mistakes like that.
Matthew Jameson and Elijah Mukiibi struggled offensively, combining to shoot 4-25 from the field (16 percent) and only
netting 11 points. The backcourt duo of Edwin Gonzalez and Bryan Morales did most of the scoring for the Knights. Morales finished with ten points and only one turnover while Gonzalez scored 24. Gonzalez added five rebounds and five steals to round out his numbers.
It was much of the same when the Knights returned home to face off with
Lincoln College of New
England. NECC was outrebounded by 28 (65-37) and committed 15 turnovers. Despite another poor team shooting performance (33 percent from the field, 29
percent from three), the scoring was a little more evenly distributed.
Jameson and Mukiibi got back on track, scoring 17 and 13 points, respectively. Mukiibi also had eight rebounds. Forward Jonathan Paulino had a big day in the paint with a double-double (11 points, 16 rebounds) and Gonzalez came through with 13 points and a few assists. Kevin Brito contributed 12 points and two rebounds off the bench, while Chris Corey scored seven.
The win over Vermont Technical College exemplifies just what has to happen for the Knights to be successful. While they still committed 12 turnovers, the Knights shot the ball extremely well from three-point range (53.3 percent) and from the field in general (39.2 percent). With an undersized roster that has some trouble with rebounding, the number one remedy is to put the ball in the hoop.
Morales had another good game with 13 points including four three-pointers. Jameson was right behind with ten points, and Gonzalez added seven. Mukiibi and Paulino did their job down low, coming down with nine and eight rebounds, respectively. Each added a handful of points as well.
The Knights came out in the next game against Bristol with a bit of momentum from the previous win. They played well during much of the game, even out-rebounding Bristol 49-35. But they struggled to shoot the ball again, only hitting 31.7 percent of their shots and 19.2 percent from the field. Although they forced 14 turnovers, NECC committed 12 on their end, continuing the trend of bad ball handling. The defense faltered in the overtime period and Bristol was able to take a commanding lead.
The big men in the middle were the stars of this one. Mukiibi and Paulino both recorded double-doubles, with Mukiibi scoring 18 points and pulling down 14 rebounds and Paulino netting 14 points and 18 rebounds. The two of them combined for more rebounds than the entire starting five for Bristol. Gonzalez and Jameson also came to play, with Gonzalez scoring 14 points and Jameson scoring 11.
The Knights now stand at 6-11 on the season. With only ten games left to go, it’s going to be a fairly tough road to register even a .500 record. NECC still faces tough tests against teams like Roxbury Community College, Holyoke Community College and the University of Connecticut at Avery Point.
The one thing going for the Knights is that most of the remaining games are at home, but that is of little comfort to a team that is still struggling to put the ball in the net.

Sports

Women’s basketball gearing up for season

 

NECC women’s basketball coach Brent Bass has been working since last winter to bring a competitive women’s basketball team to the floor for the 2014-2015 season.  Coach Bass, in his first year as the head coach, has been recruiting at high schools all over the area over the past year in hopes of bringing in new talent.

Bass spent a lot of time speaking with local high school coaches and asking about players they have who are interested in attending NECC.  High schools in Lawrence, Lowell, Methuen, Haverhill and southern New Hampshire were all contacted.  Bass also attended various summer leagues and camps for high school players, hoping to scout recruits for this year and possibly the 2015-2016 season.  Over this past summer, Bass has spent time following up with many of these recruits and gauging their interest in the program.

In addition, Bass has taken advantage of the many open houses that NECC offers, and he has gotten plenty of exposure for the program, which has been an issue in the past.  Coach Bass’s goal is to make the program more visible not only around campus but also in the community.  He understands that there are other programs for these players to choose.  Bass even admits that he has lost a few recruits to nearby Middlesex Community College and other Division III basketball programs, which he says is “just a part of the game.”

“There’s a lot of options out there, so you really have to sell the NECC product to these girls.  That means education and basketball,” said Bass.

Coach Bass has plenty of work still to do with his team.  Once he has a satisfactory amount of players to commit, which he hopes will be 10-12, he has to make sure that those commitments are kept.  Bass knows that, as community college students, there are many other commitments, such as a job or a family, that can take priority over basketball.

In response to this, Bass is making an effort to make the team much more accessible for the players.  One way he is doing this is with the flexibility of practice times.  On Mondays and Wednesdays, which are known to be heavier schoolwork days, Bass runs practice later in the day at 7 p.m.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the lighter workload days, practice begins at 3 p.m.  In addition, the will be practice on Saturday mornings.

Bass hopes that this staggered practice schedule will help those players who may have work after class some days during the week, or have one day where classes run until the evening.  This way, all of the players will be able to make it to some practice over the course of the week, even if they can’t make it to every single one.

As far as the way practices are run, coach Bass has a system that he’s been using in his years as an AAU coach in the area.  He has a simple playing philosophy that he is always repeating: “defense, rebound, and run.”  In order to play this style well, Bass focuses on many different skill work drills, such as dribbling and passing, in order to help ensure ball control.  Ball control is a large part of Bass’s game plan, as well as a tight, clamp-down defense.

Bass is a big proponent of playing smart basketball.  His practices are very regimented, focused on building up players’ fundamentals and learning to execute plays.  He also knows that basketball is a game of running and jumping, so conditioning is a big part of his preparation.

“I think it’s one of the more physically taxing sports out there, and you need to be able to run,” said Bass.

Practices are fast-paced, changing between drills with little rest, and consist of various cardio-workouts and team drills.

Practice begins on Monday, Oct. 6 in the Sport and Fitness Center.  This gives the Knights just over a month to prepare for their first game against Lincoln Technical Institute on November 8.  This season, the schedule is heaviest in the months of November and January.  The Knights kick off the season with six games before Thanksgiving break, and there are 10 games in January once winter break is over.

Coach Bass uses his past experiences as a coach and instructor to help him lead the Knights this year.  Bass has been an AAU instructor and coach since 1999.  In those 15 years of experience, he has been a coach for the Bay State Blizzards programs and has also coached various ages from both genders.  Bass came to NECC in 2012 as an assistant coach, and took over the head coaching position in the summer of 2013.  He knows that the key to getting good players is selling the school as well as the program, and he’s already been doing so.

“I would love to build a program here.  It’s going to be a quality program that will represent the school well,” Bass said.

The test begins on October 6, when Bass and his new recruits begin their preparations for a great 2014-2015 season.  With a tough schedule on the horizon, the hard work is going to have to begin right away.

Sports

NECC Sport’s Preview Fall 2014

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NECC baseball players pose with trophy
NECC’s baseball team did incredibly well last season. Courtesy of NECC Newsroom

The 2014-2015 sports year is ready to get underway in a couple of weeks at Northern Essex, and there is a lot of excitement surrounding the Knights this year.  

After great years by all of the Knights’ teams, including the men’s basketball (runner-up in the state tournament) and men’s baseball (6th place finish at the NJCAA World Series and two All-American honorees), the excitement around campus is greater than ever.  

This fall, baseball and softball will have a small season of practices and scrimmages to get prepared for the spring season.  In addition, women’s volleyball begins their season September 17 at Bunker Hill Community College, with the men’s and women’s basketball seasons following at the beginning of November.  

On August 19, 49 potential student athletes met with coaches and athletic director Sue MacAvoy for an orientation to the sports year.  

According to MacAvoy, topics covered in the meeting included eligibility, commitment, time management, and resources at NECC.  

To celebrate the opening of the sports year, the Observer is bringing readers a preview of each team, as well as information on the coaches and results from last season.  

Women’s Volleyball

There is plenty of excitement surrounding the volleyball team this year with many students interested in becoming Knights.  

The season is coming up quickly, with practice starting on Wednesday, September 3 and the first game two weeks later, a September 17 conference battle at Bunker Hill Community College.  

The Knights’ first home game comes September 24, another conference matchup against Holyoke Community College.  

The Knights will take part in several tournaments this season, including the NHTI tournament at New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord, N.H. the weekend of September 26 through September 28, the Dig Pink tournament at Community College of Rhode Island in Providence, R.I. on Saturday, October 11, hosting the MCCAC tournament at Northern Essex on Saturday, October 18, and the NJCAA Regional tournament at Northern Essex on Saturday, October 25.

Players interested in joining the volleyball team should report to practice Friday, September 5 or see Sue MacAvoy in room D123 of the Sports and Fitness Center.

Women’s Basketball

After not being able to field a team last season due to lack of players, excitement is once again swirling around the Knights basketball team.  

Over the past year, head coach Brent Bass has been recruiting players from around the region, pushing the Knights’ philosophy of good basketball and a quality education.  His main goal is to see that his recruiting is taking effect.  

When asked about his recruiting efforts and the possibility of getting a full squad, coach Bass said, 

“There’s a ton of bodies out there, it’s just a matter of connecting with them and getting them to come out and play here.”

Bass went on to state that the message that he’s been giving to all his potential players is, 

“We’re not here just to play, this is a viable collegiate option for these players.”

This season looks to be a challenging one as the Knights look to get back into the competitive swing of things, with six of their first ten divisional games on the road, including one at perennial powerhouse Roxbury Community College.  

While a full season would have to be considered a successful one, the goal is still to put a competitive team out on the floor.  Once that is established, coach Bass is confident that he can build on that.

All players who are interested in joining the women’s basketball team should attend the meeting with coach Bass on Monday, September 15 at noon in room D129 of the Sports and Fitness Center. 

Softball

Entering their second season since reforming in early 2014, the Knights’ softball team is looking to make big improvements.  

Last season, the Knights fielded their first team in decades, and the results weren’t ideal.  

Despite their 0-8 record, however, the buzz has been getting louder around the building of the team.  

Every player on the 16-person roster in the spring was a freshman, meaning that there is an abundance of returning players to the team, as well as the new recruits from coach Robert Gillespie.  

This is the foundation coach Gillespie is building on, and the Knights look to make a real competitive leap this season.

The team will have a fall practice and scrimmage season to prepare for the upcoming spring season.  

Players who are interested in playing are urged to contact coach Robert Gillespie.

Coach Gillespie is very excited about the new year and is constantly looking for new players to join the team and help make a difference.  He is constantly networking, saying, “We can use as much publicity as we can get this year.”

Baseball

For the third time in three years, and the fourth time in the last eight, the Knights’ baseball team went to the NJCAA Division III World Series in Tyler, Texas.  

 After winning their first game in the tournament, they lost their next two, getting eliminated and finishing with a 21-14 record, good enough for sixth in the nation. 

 The buzz surrounding the team is as loud as ever, as the Knights look to make yet another trip to Texas next spring.  

In addition to their championship-level play, the Knights also had two All-Americans on their roster.  

Zack Beckwith received 2nd team All-American honors before graduating and transferring to UMass Boston, while Dan Peters received Academic All-American honors before graduating and transferring to Rivier College.

 The Knights will also be having a fall practice and scrimmage season to get ready for the upcoming season.  Information on scheduled games will be printed as it becomes available.

This season should prove to be an exciting one for all the Knights’ teams, with plenty of wins and celebrations in the near future. 

 Be sure to come out and support the Knights whenever possible and show your true team spirit.  Information on teams and schedules can be found at the athletic department’s new website,
athletics.necc.mass.edu.

Important correction: In the print version, the term “lady Knights” is used. The Observer has been informed that the women’s teams should be referred to has just, “the Knights,” and we have made the correction online accordingly. Edited Sept. 4.