By Chris Wraight, Contributing Writer
Worcester – The second seed St. John's High School Pioneers boys’ basketball team hosted the Franklin High School Panthers for the Central Massachusetts Division 1 title game March 7 in Harrington Auditorium on the campus of Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
The Pioneers started with a 7-0 run ?and had an 18-11 lead after the first period but the fifth-seed Panthers battled back and took a brief lead in the second period, and narrowed St John's lead to 26-25 at the half.
In the third period, both teams played sluggishly, with numerous fouls committed on both sides. ?At the end, St. John's had a 41-37 lead. ?In the fourth period, the two teams battled more evenly; the game was tied 48-48 with just under three minutes remaining. The Pioneers then went on an 8-0 run; St. John's Stefan Masciarelli sank four key free throws (including a technical foul on the Panthers’ bench) to seal the 55-48 win.
This is St. John's 20th ?Central Mass. title. The team will next meet Western Massachusetts Division 1 winner Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy in Springfield on March. 11 for the state semi-final.