'THOSE BOYS GOT SWAGGER'

Worcester Prep senior co-captain Justin Butler (22) dribbles the ball Tuesday during practice at the Berlin high school. Butler was second on the team in scoring last season with 179 points. OCEAN CITY TODAY/LISA CAPITELLI (Nov. 20, 2009) The Worcester Prep boys' basketball team is shooting high this year. The target for the Mallards is the Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference championship title.

"We told the kids at tryouts, 'The start of the championship run begins right now,'" said sixthyear head Coach Mike Grosso.

The Mallards won the championship in the 2006-07 season. They lost in the semifinals the last two years.

Six of the 10 players on the squad are returners from the 2008-09 team, which finished 8-10.

The group, which Grosso said "is a nice mix of underclassmen and older guys," will be led by senior captains Justin Butler, Alex Maccari and Jason Pappas.

Butler (Second Team All-Conference) was second in scoring last season with 179 points.

"I played pretty much every position last year so wherever I need to be that's where I'll play this year," he said. "I feel OCEAN CITY TODAY/LISA CAPITELLI like the younger kids will listen to me and they respect what I have to say. I feel like I can get them ready to play. I see us being really good by the end of the season."

Mallard Coach Mike Grosso "Justin is vocal and leads by example and the other guys complement him well," Grosso said. "They're here for business. They're very serious right now."

Junior Ben Mumford and sophomores Alex Ternahan and Colin Maccari are also returning. Ternahan (All-Conference Honorable Mention) was third on the team in scoring last season (86 points) and second in rebounding (107).

Grosso said freshmen newcomers Andrew Ternahan and Harrison Brennan will play key roles.

"They have the rhythm and court presence needed to make the team at a young age," he said. "It was a big surprise. I didn't realize how good they were. They came in with a lot of confidence, they didn't back down against the older guys and they're doing a great job handling the ball."

"We're pretty quick this year so I think that I'll help out with the speed and just keeping everything going smooth," said Ternahan, who played for Worcester in seventh and eighth grade. "My role will be distributing the ball at point guard and getting back on defense and getting steals."

Junior Tommy Edmunds and sophomore Jonathan Powell also join the varsity team. They played on the junior varsity team last year.

Grosso said the team's strength is the players' ability to handle the ball. In years past, ball control was something the squad needed to work on. The Mallards have confidence this season and a little bit of swagger, he added.

"I'm excited about this team," Grosso said. "They're very smart and very coachable. It's going to be a lot of fun this year."