Date: Fri 08-Mar-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Mike-Czaplicke-Feature

Full Text:

Mike Czaplicke Feature

B Y T.W YATT

During a quiet back to Newtown, after his team's 85-79 SWC Championship loss

to Kolbe Cathedral, Mike Czaplicke had a song stuck in his head as he pressed

it against the cold glass window. The lyrics " I don't want to come back down

from this cloud, " by the rock group, Bush, replayed itself over and over in

his mind, echoing, almost to the point of haunting the NHS senior.

The song was reminding Czaplicke of his team's soon-to-end season. But it was

more reflective of his own personal story.

On a team that was as top-to-bottom balanced as any in NHS basketball history,

co-captains Brian Wassman and Mike Storms had been expected to excel in the

low post. Another expected success, first-year sophomore, Andrew Gellert, was

as highly-touted as any newcomer before him. Junior Sean Pond was being

counted on to bang some-20 three-point field goals, and juniors Colin Sheehan

and Josh Catagano were expected to provide strong minutes off the bench.

And then there was senior guard, Mike Czaplicke.

No expectations at all.

" We didn't know where Michael was going to fit in this year, " said NHS coach

Kevin O'Sullivan. " He's not a great shooter, and I didn't think he'd be able

to be a point guard. He had a lot of quickness last year but just didn't have

his head together. "

If somebody had told you, back in December, that Czaplicke would go on to lead

the NHS boys' basketball team in scoring and that all of the other players

would live up to their " expected " billings, then you would " expect " this

year's team to be one of the most successful in school history.

Both happened.

" Michael has been the catalyst for what we've accomplished this year, "

O'Sullivan said. " He, by far, is the biggest plus on our team. By far. He's

had an unbelievable season. "

One of only three players to start all 24 games, this winter, Czaplicke was

instrumental in helping lead the Indians to their winningest season in school

history. The senior currently leads the team in scoring with 268 points, and,

along with Gellert, has secured one of the best defensive backcourts in the

conference. " Going into the season I was confused about what kind of a role I

was going to have, " Czaplicke said. " I knew I had to produce more,

offensively, if I was going to see any time. So I decided to start slashing to

the basket more and it all started coming together. At the beginning of the

season I didn't have much confidence. But, during practice, it started to

increase. "

Mike scored in double figures for the first time in his career in Newtown's

second game this season when he netted 13 in a 58-57 overtime win over Wilton.

He couldn't have known that he would go on to score in double figs 13 more

times during the year and average double figures throughout the season.

On Friday night, January 19, Czaplicke lit up the nets at Immaculate High for

24 points.

His performance that night, which would hold up as the team's top-scoring

effort of the season, opened a lot of eyes.

" He had an unbelievable game that night, " coach O'Sullivan remembers. " We

weren't sure, at the time, if it was going to be a one-time thing, but he

remained consistent. That night we realized that Slick was going to give us an

added dimension. And it made a huge difference for us this year. "

In addition to his 11.2 points per game, this season, being a team high, they

have left Czaplicke only 11 points shy of cracking 50th on the school's

all-time scoring list. If he does he would become only the second player to

make that list with no freshman or sophomore year points, and fewer than 50 as

a junior.

" I have to admit, it has all been a little bit surprising to me, " Czaplicke

said of his newfound offensive prowess. " I was never a scorer. My job in

middle school was to bring the ball up, pass it to Wassman, and get back on

defense. This is, by far, the biggest offensive year I've ever had. "

Triplets

On August 19, 1977, Sandy Czaplicke went to the hospital to deliver her second

child. Fifteen minutes after Michael was born, his brother Patrick came into

the world. Five minutes after that, Megan was born.

The Czaplicke triplets grew up in town playing whatever sport was in season.

They first played soccer, then baseball, basketball, and then football. Soccer

and football were short lived but baseball became a Czaplicke mainstay, and

basketball was always the favorite.

As the triplets got older, Megan gravitated more towards her older sister

Courtney, but Michael and Patrick remained inseparable. The two were teammates

on nearly every team they ever played on, right up through middle school.

" Pat and I grew up doing everything together, " Mike said. " Wherever I went

and whatever I did, I always had somebody to do it with. It's like living with

your best friend. "

The two were separated for the first time in their lives when Mike was one of

three sixth-grade players chosen to play for the Newtown Middle School

basketball team. Megan, that year, was one of two chosen for the girls' team.

Patrick rejoined his brother when he made the team in seventh grade, but was

cut in grade eight

The were teammates one more time with the Newtown High freshman team, but

Patrick was cut from the team every year thereafter.

" When I was picked for the team in sixth grade, people just started

automatically thinking I was better than Pat, " said Mike, who grew to be

three inches taller than his brother. " In truth, he's just as good as I am.

When we play one-on-one, it's usually even. As great as this season has been

it would have been a lot more special having Pat out there on the court with

me. "

As it is, Patrick is in the stands at every NHS basketball game, giving NHS

opponents a Czaplicke to deal with on both sides of the baseline.

Last fall, Pat earned athletic prominence in his own rite when he placed

seventh overall in the SWC Cross Country Championships, earning him All-SWC

status. Mike, who was also a member of that team, ran with the back of the

pack. During their four years at Newtown High, the Czaplicke triplets dotted

the sports spectrum. With Mike and Pat playing basketball and running track

and cross country, Megan played two years of softball and basketball and four

years of soccer.

Mike's basketball fortunes, meanwhile, consisted of a full season with the

freshman team, one season of jayvee as a sophomore, and two varsity stints.

With last year's NHS varsity team, Mike saw limited playing time behind the

starting senior backcourt of Greg Gallagher, Jeff Christner, and Joe Youngs.

The 1995-96 season became Mike's final chance to shine. He spent the preceding

fall playing in an AAU league, along with running cross country, to prepare

himself for the final dance.

" I don't want to come back down from this cloud, " the song echoed in his

head. " It's taken me all this time to find out what I need. "

Well, it's not over yet.