Walk into the athletic office at Archbishop Molloy H.S., Briarwood, and straight ahead you’ll find the desk of the school’s athletic director Mike McCleary.
To the left however sits an unoccupied desk – complete with all sorts of memorabilia and awards.
That desk belongs to the late Jack Curran, who passed away last March at the age of 82. Curran coached varsity baseball and boys’ basketball at the high school for 55 years and is the winningest coach in N.Y.S. history.
Curran had missed a few basketball games late in the season last year before he passed away, but now is the first extended action in which the Stanners are playing without their long-time coach.
But you’d never know that this team is going through a transition.
Through eight games, the Molloy hoops team has raced out to a 7-1 record under the team’s new head coach, McCleary. McCleary had been an assistant under Curran for the past 15 seasons, so the transition has been smooth for the players.
“The kids have responded very well to me so far,” McCleary said. “We’ve had some success, and hopefully we can continue that.”
Senior point guard C.J. Davis has led the way early this season. He’s had multiple double-digit assist games and has been a consistent scorer. He’s on his way to play basketball at Columbia University, Manhattan, but his focus right now is on Molloy’s current campaign.
Seniors Gabe Kilpatrick and Jason Cetheute have also been consistent offensive forces for the Stanners.
While the team is off to a fast start, the impact left by Curran is still being felt. To honor their old coach, the team is wearing a patch with the initials “J.C.” on their uniforms.
“I think there’s always going to be a different feel,” McCleary said. “He (Curran) was a tremendous influence on not only me but also the entire program.”
The Stanners’ schedule is packed with competitive games over the next month. Though Coach Curran may not physically be with the team on the court, he’s certainly there in spirit.
[hr]Contact Jim Mancari via e-mail at jmancari@desalesmedia.org.[hr]