Brackets Busted, Championships Won

A little of this and a little of that on the final full day of winter. Believe it or not spring arrives at 12:15 Tuesday afternoon just in time for another very winter-like storm.

The term “March Madness” is certainly living up to its billing during this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament as we’ve reached the “Sweet 16” without power house teams like Virginia, North Carolina, Cincinnati, Xavier and Michigan State but with the likes of lightly-regarded Loyola-Chicago, Nevada, Texas A&M, Florida State and Syracuse, who was the last team to get in the original field of 68.

Manasquan has captured their third Tournament of Champions title as the best girls basketball team in New Jersey and just like the other two the winning effort was fueled by a Mabrey playing her final high school game.  Virginia Tech-bound Dara Mabrey scored 15 of her game-high 30 points in the 4^th quarter as the Warriors avenged last March’s title game loss by beating Franklin 72-60 in Trenton.

Michaela Mabrey led Squan to the TOC crown in 2012 and it was Marina who did the same three years later.  She by the way is finishing her career at Notre Dame and Sunday scored 15 points as the Fighting Irish beat Villanova to move into the women’s “sweet 16.”

It’s time to start believing that there is a black cloud constantly over the New York Mets.  Newly-acquired starting pitcher Jason Vargas will have surgery tomorrow on his non-throwing right hand after fracturing a bone while trying to field a line drive in a spring training game.

It seems just about everyone who puts on a Mets uniform gets hurt…Todd Frazier better watch every step he takes.

I’ve always said that high school athletes who play spring sports get the short end of the stick and it’s never been truer than this year.  Playing baseball, softball, lacrosse, tennis and golf in the weather conditions we have had this month is pure misery.  For many by the time it finally gets warm the season will be over.