The Rochester Travel Basketball team captured the prestigious 2012 Cape Cod Youth Basketball League 6th Grade Boys Championship on Sunday, February 12 defeating Falmouth 38-37 in the final. The win also gave the Rochester team a perfect season 18-0.
The Championship Game started as a defensive struggle with no team scoring until six minutes had been played. Collin Fitzpatrick from Marion sank two free throws to open the scoring propelling Rochester to jump out to an early 7-0 lead forcing Falmouth to take a timeout to settle the pace. The timeout worked as Falmouth rallied to tie the game at seven apiece only to have the boys from Rochester jump ahead again taking a 14-7 lead thanks to a Jason Gamache (Mattapoisett) three pointer and a James Dwyer (Mattapoisett) layup. Proving no lead was safe, Falmouth again rallied to tie the score at halftime at 16.
As the second half started Rochester jumped ahead again with a six point run led by Noah Fernandes from Mattapoisett to take the lead 22-16 and again forcing a Falmouth timeout. Holding true to form, Falmouth again rallied back to tie the game at 22 leading to a back and forth game until the final buzzer. Falmouth took their only lead of the game with about six minutes to go at 30-29. Rochester rallied back with layups from Bennett Fox from Mattapoisett and Fernandes to take a 37-33 lead with about two minutes to go. A huge three from Falmouth guard Sam Koss (18 points) cut Rochester’s lead to one with a minute and half left. Falmouth pressure led to a foul sending Jacob Yeomans from Marion to the line for two shots. Yeomans made one giving Rochester a 38-36 lead with under a minute to go. Falmouth was fouled on a scramble for a loose ball sending them to the line for a chance to tie the game with 9 seconds remaining. Falmouth made the first but missed the second sending everyone in a frenzy for the loose ball, Michael Kennefick from Rochester secured the ball only to be knocked to the ground and called for a questionable travel giving Falmouth one last chance with five seconds remaining. With all eyes on Falmouth’s Koss Rochester tripled team him forcing a heavily contested final shot and when it missed right the Tri-Town team celebrated their Championship!
Rochester’s full player roster and town affiliation; Bryce Thomson, Bennett Fox, Jason Gamache, Michael Poulin, James Dwyer, Tyler Menard, Sam Pasquill and Noah Fernandes from Mattapoisett, Jacob Yeomans, Collin Fitzpatrick, Kyle Gillis and Corey Lunn from Marion and Michael Kennefick and Joey Mackay from Rochester. Head coach Greg Yeomans and Assistant Coaches Brian Fitzpatrick and Tom Gamache
The game was taped by Robbi Around Town so be on the lookout for viewing times.