2004 Detroit Catholic Central

Season

As usual all three divisions of the academic team were active and extremely productive in the 2003-2004 season. The frosh team won both the fall and spring Michigan Knowledge Master Open competitions. The junior varsity team compiled an overall record of 35-2 while posting three championships and a second place finish in four tournaments played in four different states. Finally, the varsity team, in spite of relative inexperience, achieved honors at both the state and national levels.

With only one player returning from the 2002-2003 season, the 2003-2004 varsity team faced the daunting challenge of a schedule of competitions in nine states and the District of Columbia. The squad responded by posting 112 victories and winning the regular season tournament championships at Carnegie-Mellon University, the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, and Case Western Reserve University. In March, the team swept to victory in the NAQT Michigan Championship Tournament at the University of Michigan.

In June, the team capped an excellent season with an appearance in the NAQT National Championship Tournament at the Astrodome Convention Center in Houston. In the two days of national competition, the team posted twelve victories before being edged 210-220 in the semi finals. The tournament marked the thirteenth time that a CC squad had reached the semi final level or higher in a national competition.

The 2003-2004 season also marked the end of an era. At the conclusion of the national competition in June, Coach Weinberg relinquished the top job to Coach Jones. Under Coach Weinberg’s leadership, the CC team has been dominant in the state of Michigan and has long been one of the elite powers on the national scene. The Weinberg era ends with victory in 1,904 games and 113 varsity tournaments. Included in the latter figure are victories in nine Michigan Class A State Championship Tournaments and two NAQT National Championship Tournaments. With several returning varsity players and an excellent junior-varsity team, there is every reason to expect that CC’s competitive success will continue under Coach Jones.

Nationals

The 2004 team from DCC finished fourth at the 2004 NAQT HSNCT. The team consisted of Jason Winegarden, Joel Knight, John Zick, David Budde, and Carl Thompson

Knight was the fifth leading scorer for the tournament, and was named to the All-Star team. He was also the second leading scorer among non-seniors.

In the preliminary matches, DCC went 7-3, taking losses to Cutter Morning Star (130-290), Clover Hill (140-230), and State College (190-280). Among the wins for the team were Rufus King (315-110), and Central Macon (340-85).

In the playoffs, DCC was stopped by Solon in the second round (losing 280-290) after having defeated the "B" team from St. John's (225-205).

Once in the consolation bracket, DCC ran off three impressive wins; defeating Milburn (365-230), Rufus King (310-250), and Dorman (320-295). In the sixth consolation round, DCC narrowly lost to St. John's "A" (210-220), but ended the tournament on a high note, avenging an earlier loss to State College with a 315-215 win to claim fourth place.