LAWRENCE, Mass. — Central Catholic’s early-season loss to Andover on Dec. 19 didn’t worry coach Mark Dunham. The film confirmed his suspicions. The three-point defeat was defined by sloppy play, missed layups and too many bricks to count. The Raiders certainly didn’t like losing on their home floor, but there was no reason to panic.
“I wasn’t mad,” Dunham said. “I knew what we had.”
Central hasn’t lost to an in-state opponent since. And Friday’s rematch with Andover in the MVC Cup championship followed a similar script to the first meeting. A rock fight between familiar foes turned into an offensive struggle. The Raiders scored three points in the third quarter and trailed for most of the fourth, but this time they found a way. They took advantage of two Andover starters fouling out late – including star sophomore Charlie Tutwiler – and made enough plays to survive a 55-50 victory.
The game’s final minutes were eventful, as Central reclaimed the lead with less than three minutes to go and held off Andover as Josh Roux’s would-be game-tying 3 in the final seconds missed. The Raiders’ student section stormed the floor after the win, celebrating the first MVC Cup title as the Raiders avenged their early-season loss to the Golden Warriors, the league’s regular season champs.
