Prom or playoffs?
Because of a dispute over the starting time for a Region 4-2A semifinal game, the five seniors on St. John Paul II Academy’s baseball team may be forced to make that choice.
The Eagles (24-3), seeded second in the region, have the home-field advantage for a best-of-three series against third-seeded Chaminade-Madonna (17-11) this weekend in Boca Raton. The teams will play Game 1 on Friday, May 1, with Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) on Saturday, May 2.
It’s the opener that has created a dilemma for coach Pete Graffeo and some of his players.
Under FHSAA rules, teams must agree on the starting times. Because St. John Paul’s prom is Friday night — on a cruise ship out of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale — the Eagles wanted to start Game 1 at noon to give their players time to shower, change and make it to the port by the 5 p.m. boarding time.
Chaminade-Madonna rejected that proposal, as well as alternative starting times of 1 p.m. Friday or 4 p.m. Thursday, Graffeo said. (The Eagles’ field has no lights.)
The Florida High School Athletic Association, which oversees the playoffs, offered no help in resolving the impasse, Graffeo said. The FHSAA gave the Eagles two options — 2:30 or 4 p.m. Friday. They chose the earlier time.
“I just find it to be poor sportsmanship,” Graffeo said. “Chaminade could make an accommodation for the student-athletes, but that’s not their priority.”
Three of the Eagles’ starters are seniors — pitcher/first baseman Jack Wilhoit, shortstop Tommy Ciaccio and center fielder Alex Markey. Wilhoit, one of Palm Beach County’s best two-way players, is the likely Game 1 starter.
But those three, plus two reserves, are now thrust into a less-than-ideal situation. Their three choices: Miss the prom, miss the game or leave the game early. Because the prom is on a cruise ship, arriving late is not an option.
“I understand their position,” Graffeo said. “I’m going to support them whatever they do.”
Jerry Albert, Chaminade’s baseball coach and athletic director, did not return a message seeking comment. Albert spent the previous three years serving in both roles at West Boca Raton.
According to Graffeo, the Lions rejected the noon and 1 p.m. starting times because they did not want players missing that much class time, and turned down the Thursday proposal because it would alter their pitching plans.
Chaminade did offer a counterproposal, Graffeo said. If the Eagles wanted to play Game 1 at noon, the Lions would be willing to host it on their Hollywood campus.
That revealed the Lions’ true intentions in the dispute, Graffeo said.
“He’s looking to get an advantage,” he said of Albert. “That’s all it is.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Prom or playoffs? St. John Paul II baseball team faces tough choice
Reporting by Rick Robb, Special to The Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
