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by Stephen Press
Hometown Weekly Staff
The annual Mitchell-Broadmeadow basketball game was held on Friday, May 6, in front of a rapturous audience at the Needham High School gym. The game, which pits parents, staff and teachers from Mitchell School against their Broadmeadow counterparts, is a fundraiser for each school's parent-teacher council - not to mention a yearly highlight.
"It's always a very spirited, fun-filled family event," said Tara Milligan, who handled the "behind the scenes" work for the Broadmeadow team. "The stands are filled with screaming students cheering on their school."
While every year's installment of the Mitchell-Broadmeadow game brings out the best in Needham, this year's edition had its own special wrinkles that made the night unforgettable. Mike Eisenstadt, a Broadmeadow player/"coach" for years, finally hung up is high-tops as his daughter is set to graduate to the middle school next year. Perhaps more significantly, Dr. Schwinden, Mitchell School's retiring principal, was honored for his service to Needham.
Of course, there was also the matter of the game itself.
"This year, we had record numbers on the rosters - over 30 players per team," said Milligan. "We play three-minute periods, and we knock back the score to a tie at the end of every period, so it always ends in a tie. We play zone defense and there are no personal fouls. No flagrant personal fouls allowed. It's all about friendly, spirited competition."
"Some of these guys are really good players. It's not a clown show," she said before adding an additional caveat about her own athletic performance: "I did my two shifts and was the most red-faced in the entire place," she laughed.
The focus wasn't all on the game, though, as the diverse talents of the community came together to create a carnival atmosphere for the evening. Music teacher George Vallatini led the Broadmeadow Pep Band, keeping spirits (and the energy level) high. Broadmeadow and Mitchell members of the Needham Honors Chorus serenaded the crowd with the National Anthem. A halftime foul shot contest saw Nick Petronio and Ellie Layish (both Broadmeadow fifth-graders) win a Celtics jersey.
All in all, it was an evening that reminded Needham exactly why the annual Mitchell-Broadmeadow game is such a cherished community institution. With both the Mitchell and Broadmeadow stands filled with cheering fans bedecked in blue and white, it was difficult not to get caught up in the enthusiasm.
"It's an annual tradition," reflected Milligan, "and it brings out the crowds."
