Published in the March 25, 2016 edition

THE MELROSE YMCA 8th grade boy's basketball team became champions in the Eastern Travel Basketball League. Pictured is the team: top left Coach Carl Pappo, Charlie Borstel, Cole Lepler, Dan Camelio, Luka Vlajkovic, Jesse Gardner, Brandon McSorley, Coach Chuck Byrne; Bottom left: Robert Wiesen, Jake Pappo, Matt Morrissey, Chris Cusolito, Liam Byrne, Nate Dowell and Brendan Maher.

THE MELROSE YMCA 8th grade boy’s basketball team became champions in the Eastern Travel Basketball League. Pictured is the team: top left Coach Carl Pappo, Charlie Borstel, Cole Lepler, Dan Camelio, Luka Vlajkovic, Jesse Gardner, Brandon McSorley, Coach Chuck Byrne; Bottom left: Robert Wiesen, Jake Pappo, Matt Morrissey, Chris Cusolito, Liam Byrne, Nate Dowell and Brendan Maher.

MELROSE — The Melrose boys’ 8th grade YMCA hoop team finished another successful season by winning the Eastern Travel Basketball League Championship. The talented unit, playing together for 5 seasons, is coached by Carl Pappo and Chuck Byrne.

The team went undefeated during the season in league play and earned the #1 seed for the playoff bracket. The championship round was held at the Governor’s Academy in Byfield where they prevailed over a gritty, well coached Revere team. This tough group of hoopsters battled back from a double-digit deficit in an exciting fourth quarter to force an overtime period where they took the lead and eventually captured the title. Congrats to this team on a successful season