By Marc Raimondi
“I always feel nervous before we play any game,” the St. John's-bound junior said. “I don't care if we're playing Jerry's Kids.”But there will be a little more anxiety for Burakoski when her Hilltoppers play Christ the King Monday afternoon in Middle Village. The Royals, winners of 24 straight Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan championships, are supposed to be down this year, but chances are no one will be holding a telethon in their name.Pundits said before the season began that Mary Louis could be the team that finally knocks off CK. The Hilltoppers narrowly lost to the Royals last year at home and have a 3-0 league record (Christ the King is 4-0) so far this season. They also boast Burakoski, a 6-foot guard, who could be the best player on the court.Christ the King coach Bob Mackey has heard it all before.”Every year is somebody's year,” he said. “Nobody ever comes out and plays a bad game against Christ the King.”It's Mary Louis coach Joe Lewinger's job to ensure that remains the case. His team is coming off a victory against Archbishop Williams (Mass.) this weekend at Emmanuel College in Boston. Christ the King fell twice over the weekend on the road to two top-notch squads in New Jersey and Massachusetts without Tahira Johnson, who has a bone bruise on her right knee. Mackey says she is day-to-day, but he would “love to have her back” for the Mary Louis game.This weekend's outcomes don't figure to matter Monday. Mackey says he never talks to his players about preserving CK's legacy and that holds true especially this year when has two freshman (Bria Smith and Nia Oden) in the rotation. He doesn't feel like his team has any added pressure on it coming into the game.”I think everyone is looking at it as Christ the King is down and Mary Louis is having a good year,” Mackey said. “You ignore it. All you're doing is teaching.”Lewinger disagrees, but he understands Mackey's point of view.”I feel like I'm having deja vu,” the Mary Louis coach said. “Every year they try to pull the underdog card. None of use are buying the underdog card…I think it would be pressure on any of their kids not to be the first team (to lose a league game). I think there is pressure and I think they are using that to get motivated for the game.”Both teams should be just that – motivated. Mary Louis will be trying to break a long streak, trying to dethrone a champion. Christ the King will be trying to prove that its still Christ the King.”I think,” Burakoski said, “this is gonna make a statement to everybody.”Reach Associate Sports Editor Marc Raimondi by e-mail at mraimondi@timesledger.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 130.
