I have now seen a WCAC game for each team, and I have to tell you, I am impressed with the balance in the league this year. I still think PVI, St. John's, DeMatha, and GC are at the top and, because of depth, are a cut above. But you have to give credit to O'Connell for shellacking GC, and to BI for playing DeMatha and PVI essentially even, and to Gonzaga, SMR, and McNamara for being so vastly improved. These latter three teams can, and probably will, beat a top team at least once this year. And O'Connell and Gonzaga and maybe Ireton will get a couple of wins off the top of the league somewhere along the way (season or tournament). The coaches are very good across the board, getting the most out of the players, and the players are tenacious in battling. When McNamara, SMR, and BI are losing to top teams by 1 run, it is a good sign for competitiveness.
Okay, PVI is getting into a groove. Three straight--or is it four? I cannot figure out how O'Connell took down GC, but O'Connell must either be very good or had a really exceptional night. DeMatha obviously can beat anyone. That remains the top. I would encourge you to get out matchups when any of these top four teams square off.
One game of note from last night. It is good to see that BI is getting better after its rough start. They have battled the league's best the last three years and challenged the conventional wisdom. It looked like BI was never going to be able to carry that into this year. When they started out with four losses, three by mercy rule, it appeared they were going to be doormats. Instead, Coach Gallagher has found some great pitching, good defense, and timely, gritty hitting. They lost 4-3 to DeMatha at DeMatha. They lost last night to PVI, at PVI, 5-4, in a game that could easily have gone the other way. PVI eaked out a win as a result of a single BI error (with two outs, that ended up costing them 3 runs). BI got 1 in the 5th and 3 in the 7th. That game could easily have been 4-2, BI. Take away a single E and that is, indeed, how it ends. Yes, PVI won it, but the good news for the competitiveness of the league is that BI is capable of battling. If they get the pitching, they can compete. This is so much better for everyone, PVI, St. John's, DeMatha. . . included, since it forces those teams to compete every night. The same is true with SMR and McNamara. While someone will finish last in the WCAC, there is no doormat this year. That is a good thing.