The Darien YMCA seventh-grade boys basketball team completed a magical season Saturday with a victory in the championship game in the "A" Division of the Fairfield County Basketball League playoffs. Darien, which competed in the "B" Division during the season, stepped up in class for the tournament and won the title with a 56-53 victory over Danbury in the title game at Greens Farms Academy in Westport.
Darien (21-1) defeated a sixth-grade team from New Haven, 67-61, in its quarterfinal game before getting past the Greenwich Flame, 48-44, in the semifinals.
Drew Rolapp scored 16 points to pace Darien in the championship game, and Geoffrey Parnon scored five straight Darien points after Danbury built a lead. Hudson Hamill made clutch foul shots with five seconds left to ice it for Darien.
The earlier games were also tight, as Darien needed overtime to turn back New Haven. Hamill and Parnon made late three-pointers in regulation for Darien to help pull out the victory.
In the semifinal win over Greenwich, Darien trailed until a three-pointer by Rolapp in the final minute. Timmy Graham made several heads-up plays, Mark Evanchick grabbed rebounds and Hamill led a tenacious defense.
Darien's title run was a team effort as coach Kevin George received contributions from a roster that included Aidan Coyle, Brendan Hoffman, Jack Murray, Jamie Schofield, Baylor Stewart, Evanchick, Graham, Hamill, Parnon and Rolapp.
Darien's only loss came Dec. 18 when it dropped a 41-36 decision to Carver Center of Norwalk. It went 12-0 in the league's regular season and ended the season on a 14-game winning streak.
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