ESPN

Haverhill High Athletic Director Tom O'Brien announced this afternoon the hiring of former great Melissa Tarpy as its new head girls basketball coach. Tarpy, the school's first female 1,000-point scorer, was part of two Division 1 state champion squads during the Hillies' dynasty years, when they won four D1 state titles in five seasons from 1991 to 1996.

Here is the official release from O'Brien:

Melissa Tarpy has been named Girls’ Basketball Head Coach at Haverhill High School, it was announced today by Athletic Director Tom O’Brien.

A 1994 graduate, Tarpy was a three-sport athlete at Haverhill High School and was a key member of the 1992 and 1994 girls’ basketball state championship teams. She went on to have an outstanding career at Endicott College where she was a two-time All-Conference selection. She was the first woman in school history to break the 1,000-point mark and left as both the men’s and women’s all-time leading scorer. She was inducted into the Endicott Hall of Fame in 2003.

Tarpy most recently served as the assistant coach at Greater Lawrence Technical High School. She has also coached with the New England Warrior AAU Program had a brief stint as the JV basketball coach at Haverhill in 1998-99.

In one of the more dramatic, or miraculous endings to a MIAA football game in recent memory, St. John's of Shrewsbury's Mike McGillicuddy delivered his team from a potential upset at the hands of Fitchburg on Saturday.

After a last-minute touchdown gave the Red Raiders a 15-14 at Pioneer Field, McGillicuddy fielded Fitchburg's squib kick and promptly raced 65 yards for the touchdown with no time remaining on the clock in a 20-15 victory.

For his heroics, McGillicuddy was named our ESPN Boston Player of the Week for Week 4.

Editor Brendan Hall caught up with McGillicuddy during Monday's workout:



Along with McGillicuddy, here are our top performers for Week 4, all game-winners:

• Mike McGillicuddy, St. John's (Shrewsbury): Ran for "walk-off" win with 65-yard kickoff return for touchdown with no time remaining vs. Fitchburg.
• Dereck Pacheco, Barnstable: Connected on a 32-yard field goal to lift the Red Raiders to a 15-14 upset win over then No. 1 Xaverian.
• Sal LoBrutto, Wakefield: Kept the Warriors unbeaten with a 22-yard field goal in an overtime victory over Melrose.

Courtesy of Eric Rueb, here is the Rhode Island High School Football Media Poll for Week 3 of the RIIL season:

Rank | Team | Points | Previous Rank
1. Hendricken (10) 219 1
t-2. Portsmouth 202.5 3
t-2. Barrington (1) 202.5 4
4. Cranston East 186 2
5. La Salle 178 5
6. Woonsocket 153 6
7. Cumberland 136 10
8. South Kingstown 134 7
9. North Kingstown 130 11
10. Mount Pleasant 107 12
11. Cranston West 100 8
12. Shea 97 15
13. Moses Brown 71 17
14. Johnston 67 20
15. Rogers 61 13
16. East Greenwich 58 18
17. Coventry 47 19
18. Mount Hope 44 9
19. Tolman 33 16
20. St. Raphael 23 NR

Dropped from poll: West Warwick (14).
Also receiving votes: West Warwick 15, Westerly 14, Exeter-West Greenwich 12, Warwick Veterans 6, Middletown 4, North Providence 3, Burrillville 1, East Providence 1.

Springfield Central principal Tad Tokarz officially announced that the school has hired legendary former Charlestown and Salem coach Jack O'Brien as its new head boys basketball coach.

O'Brien, who has won six MIAA state championships over a career spanning three decades, takes over for Mike Labrie, who stepped down last spring after seven years and one Division 1 state title.

"We're excited, the school is excited, the kids should be excited," Tokarz said. "We got a guy with a tremendous reputation and a proven track record. We're very excited to give him everything he needs to be successful here. He's done it before, he's got a tremendous track record. He changes kids' lives, and that’s the biggest thing with us. It's not about wins and losses, it's how to get kids into college and give them opportunities outside of basketball. He convinced all of us that he's the best person to make that happen.

"For us it gives the kids the ability to learn from somebody that has all the experience, the knowledge, to get our kids not only to teach them about basketball, but to teach them about life. We're very excited about the opportunity to build on what Coach Labrie has built here."

O'Brien, a Medford native, won his MIAA state championship in 1990 at Salem High behind McDonald's All-American guard and 10-year NBA vet Rick Brunson, before taking over at Charlestown in 1993. From 1999 to 2005, O'Brien's Townies squads won five state titles in a span of six seasons; the 2002 squad finished the season ranked No. 16 in USA Today's national Super 25 poll.

He took over at Lynn English in 2006, but abruptly resigned hours before the first practice of the season. Since that sudden departure, he had remained out of coaching until now, though his name had been linked to a handful of jobs over the years -- most notably Somerville, in 2008, where he was a finalist.

Asked if there was any concerns regarding that departure, Tokarz said there weren't any.

"Not necessarily," he said. "Things happen and to be quite honest, we didn't really talk much about it. We talked about our program and what he could do for our students, that's what we were concerned about. What happened in the past [is in the past]."

O'Brien currently works in the physical education department at West Roxbury High, and plans to maintain that job while coaching the Golden Eagles. He understands what a difficult commute this will be -- the schools are nearly 85 miles apart -- but says that this was too good of an opportunity to turn down.

"It's not gonna be easy -- I'm on my way back right now -- but you know what? There's too many good things about this job to say I'm gonna let that get in the way," he said. "It's something I've gotta deal with, it's something I thought out. I saw a report somewhere that the average drive to work is 65 minutes. This is a bit further obviously, but I'm OK with that."

The Golden Eagles won the Division 1 state title in 2012 under Labrie -- their first since 1991 -- and reached the Division 1 West Final last season, where they lost to eventual state champion Putnam. Central graduated two-time ESPN Boston All-State selection Kamari Robinson, but expected to return a very competitive nucleus between guards Cody and Ju'an Williams, and promising 6-foot-8 power forward Chris Baldwin.

And while there is talent returning, that wasn't the primary factor in why he took the job.

"It's a large urban school, there's great support from the administration, and from the standpoint of helping them off the court, it's something I enjoy doing and want to do again," he said. "I don’t know much about the kids, in terms of any individuals, I've never seen any of them play, but that didn’t move me either way to tell you the truth. The kids we had at Charlestown were kids that developed as we went on.

"[Brighton coach] Hugh Coleman was my last kid to make JV as a frehsman, and by senior year he was one of the best players in the state. You don't know kids' heart until you get to know them as a person."

O'Brien is known for his unique brand of uptempo, running style of basketball, and plans to implement that same frenetic pace at Central.

"I wanna play fast, play a lot of kids and go up and down," he said. "I think it's fun, we've had great success with it. I think kids like playing that style. It's conducive to playing a lot of kids, and when more people contribute...When you have good athletes and you can play them, press them up and down, they're gonna contribute well."

St. John's Prep announced this evening that senior running back Johnathan Thomas is out for the remainder of the season, after injuring his knee in the second half of the No. 4 Eagles' 35-14 loss to No. 2 Everett.

The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Thomas is a four-star running back prospect and the No. 1 Class of 2014 prospect in Massachusetts according to ESPNU. He committed to Maryland last May. Currently, Thomas leads the state in rushing yards with 748 yards and eight total touchdowns.

Thomas was an ESPN Boston All-State selection in 2012 after helping lead the Eagles to their first MIAA Division 1 Super Bowl title in 15 years, carrying 220 times for 1,794 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also added nine catches for 153 yards and three touchdowns, and defensively added 20.5 tackles and two interceptions. He was also one of five finalists for ESPN Boston's annual "Mr. Football" Award, given to the best player in Massachusetts, and the only junior named to the list.

Prep's communications director, Beth Forbes, released the following statement to the local media:

DANVERS, MASS. -- Johnny Thomas's father, Nate Thomas, spoke with St. John's Prep Athletic Director Jim O'Leary this afternoon, and Mr. Thomas has asked the school to share this information with you. After an MRI, and following a consultation with Johnny's doctor today, the family has decided that he will undergo knee surgery at the end of this week. Although Johnny is disappointed that this means he will not play for the rest of the season, he is looking forward to a full recovery and getting started with the rehabilitation process.

Currently sitting at 2-2, Prep begins Catholic Conference this week, hosting Malden Catholic on Saturday afternoon.

Some leftover quick-hit thoughts from last weekend's action of football:

1a. If St. John's Prep running back Johnathan Thomas -- who left the second half of Saturday's game against Everett with a knee injury -- is out for any extended period of time, the Eagles might be in trouble. Much of the offense funnels through Thomas, and with plays like this it's easy to see why. In my 10 years covering high school football in Massachusetts, I have no problem saying he is the best I've ever seen.

If there's a silver lining, it's that this could open things up for two promising juniors on the perimeter, receiver Owen Rocket and tight end Jake Burt. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Burt has a high ceiling of potential, even drawing comparisons to Prep legend Jon Loyte, and has been a matchup problem in the short to intermediate passing game thus far. Rocket is a smooth route-runner, able to weave in and out of traffic and exploit coverage holes.

You obviously cannot replace a special kid like Thomas, but perhaps this could make the Eagles more unpredictable.

1b. It now bears asking. If Thomas -- who seemed to be running away with the ESPN Boston Mr. Football award at his current clip -- is out for the considerable future, is the race for title of the state's best player wide open again? Lots of names to consider here, most notably Springfield Central quarterback Cody Williams, Natick quarterback Troy Flutie, Leominster quarterback Neil O'Connor, Plymouth South running back Dylan Oxsen, and Millis/Hopedale two-way lineman Jon Baker.

2. An historic year for Mansfield continues to get better, as they ascend to the No. 1 spot in our statewide poll for the first time in our four seasons of coverage. As impressive as the North Attleborough win was, the upset of Baltimore-area powerhouse Dunbar continues to strengthen with the passing weeks. As Dave Redding points out on Mansfield football's website, (www.mansfieldfootball.org) since losing to Mansfield on Sept. 6, the Poets have won three straight outscored their opposition 136-18.

3a. If you missed the thrilling conclusion to the Fitchburg-St. John's of Shrewsbury battle on Saturday afternoon, you missed one of the best endings to a high school football game in years. Fitchburg quarterback Darius Flowers hit Manny Payton for a 16-yard touchdown strike with 13 seconds to go, then tailback Julio Gonzalez ran in the two-point try to give the Red Raiders a 15-14 lead. The ensuing kickoff, a high-hopping squib, was then returned 65 yards to the house by Mike McGillicuddy for walk-off 20-15 Pioneers win.

I'm not sure Fitchburg has endured a special teams heartbreak like that since the 1994 Division 1 Super Bowl, when North Middlesex pulled off a Boise State-esque fake punt for the 50-yard game-winning touchdown run, a play forever known in Central Mass. folklore as simply the "Norman Special".

3b. If there's anything to take away from that game, besides the incredible gumption of McGillicuddy, it's that much like Barnstable in Division 2 South, Fitchburg is not a team you want to draw in the first round of Division 2 Central action. Their defensive front four is impressive, and they controlled the line of scrimmage against St. John's for much of the afternoon.

4. There's a lot of talk early in the ISL season about running backs and linebackers, but keep an eye on Belmont Hill junior quarterback Harry Kraft. He had a field day on Saturday in a 38-11 win over Groton, completing 17 of 27 passes for 250 yards and four touchdowns, and running in a fifth score.

5. A year ago, I mentioned the Cape & Islands area as an area of particular interest for under-the-radar talent, with a number of prospects earning Division 1 roster spots: Nantucket's Terrel Correia (UMass), Nauset's Derrick and Nathan Holmes (Rhode Island) and Dakota Girard (Brown), Mashpee's Jordan Keli'inui and Zak Orcutt (UMass), Dennis-Yarmouth's Joe Tyo (UMass) and Barnstable's Nick Peabody (Princeton), Andrew Ellis (UMass) and D.J. Crook (Penn State).

The Cape appears to be brewing again. Barnstable receiver/cornerback Derek Estes is one of the state's breakout stars of the first half of the season, making back-breaking plays on both sides of the ball in upsets of BC High and Xaverian. Two of his teammates, running back/safety Hayden Murphy and quarterback Kristian Lucashensky, deserve some praise for the way they've improved since the season-opening rout by D-Y.

Further down Route 6, keep an eye on two prospects from the lowest classification of MIAA football, Division 6. Defending D5 Super Bowl champ Upper Cape Tech is looking good with its flex offense, and at the forefront is Jon Dumont, who had 26 carries for 216 yards and four touchdowns in Saturday's win over Nantucket. At Pope John Paul II, they might have one of the most unheralded 2015 prospects in quarterback Ryan Barabe. Through four games the 6-foot-4, 175-pound Yarmouth resident is among the state's most efficient passers, completing 68 percent of his throws for 776 yards and eight touchdowns to just one interception. A good chunk of the Lions' plays involve option routes for their receivers, which to me demonstrates a lot of maturity when you consider Barabe's completion percentage.

The Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association released the second Top 20 polls of the regular season earlier this morning.

Here's a look at the statewide rankings, courtesy of MileSplit:

BOYS LARGE SCHOOL DIV. 1
1 Cambridge
2 Newton North
3 Mansfield
4 Peabody
5 Lowell
6 St. John's (Shewsbury)
7 Lexington
8 St. John's Prep
9 Shewsbury
10 Lincoln Sudbury
11 Chelmsford
12 Methuen
13 Amherst
14 Marshfield
15 Wellesley
16 Needham
17 Reading
18 Masconomet
19 Minnechaug
20 Nashoba

BOYS SMALL SCHOOL DIV. 2
1 Pembroke
2 Tewksbury
3 Newburyport
4 Hopedale
5 Hamilton-Wenham
6 Seekonk
7 Bedford
8 Wakefield
9 Marblehead
10 Weston
11 Pentucket
12 Coyle-Cassidy
13 Manchester-Essex
14 Swampscott
15 Burlington
16 Sandwich
17 Mt. Greylock
18 Lenox Memorial
19 Martha's Vineyard
20 Hoosac Valley

GIRLS LARGE SCHOOL DIV. 1
1 Bishop Feehan
2 Lowell
3 Weymouth
4 Needham
5 Newton South
6 Lincoln-Sudbury
7 Notre Dame (Hingham)
8 Peabody
9 Beverly
10 Lexington
11 Wellesley
12 Newton North
13 Shepherd Hill
14 Dracut
15 Wachusett
16 Whitman-Hanson
17 Amherst
18 Nashoba
19 Walpole
20 Hopkinton

GIRLS SMALL SCHOOL DIV. 2
1 Tyngsborough
2 Hamilton-Wenham
3 Marblehead
4 Dover-Sherbon
5 Bedford
6 Weston
7 Ursuline
8 Notre Dame (Worcester)
9 Wakefield
10 Holliston
11 Lenox
12 Mt. Greylock
13 Arlington Catholic
14 Newburyport
15 Sutton
16 West Bridgewater
17 Westwood
18 Lynfield
19 Parker
20 Douglas

No. 4 Everett got back on track following their bye week with a dominant 35-14 win at No. 3 St. John's Prep.

Editor Scott Barboza breaks down the highlights from Saturday's game:

(Video produced by Greg Story)

Week 4 of the high school football season is in the books, which means it's time for our Top 25 Sunday night football chat, which kicks off at 7 p.m.

Join ESPNBoston.com high schools co-editors Scott Barboza and Brendan Hall for a look back at the games, the formulation this week’s statewide poll and talk about this week’s upcoming games.

If you’re unable to join us, you can always Tweet your questions to @espnbostonhs and we’ll get you in the queue.

ROXBURY, Mass. -– No shortage of mutual respect between the two of them, Cathedral coach Duane Sigsbury and Pope John Paul II coach John Muldoon held a long embrace at midfield moments after their thrilling battle concluded. Both sensed that there would be a second meeting in the playoffs between these two Catholic Central rivals, considered two of the finest squads across Division 6.

If there is to be a second meeting this fall, these teams will have their work cut out for them trying to match the late dramatics that unfolded in this one. Cathedral (4-0) escaped Jack Crump Field with a 26-22 win over the Lions (3-1) only after the latter’s last-second rally fell short as time expired.

“This was like another Super Bowl game,” said quarterback Jermal Brevard Jackson (28 carries, 150 yards, 40 passing yards, 2 TD), who has filled in terrifically for the hero of that D4A Super Bowl last fall –- junior Kejonte Hickman (knee) –- this first half of the season.

PJP quarterback Ryan Barabe (18-of-25, 279 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT) hit receiver Billy Satkevich across the middle for a 26-yard completion, setting up first and 10 for the Lions at the Panthers 15 with seven seconds to go. PJP got its next snap off before the chain crew could officially get set, resulting in a delay of game penalty.

Officials initially signaled the game had ended, due to a 10-second run-off that accompanies a delay of game call in the college and professional ranks. However, the head official immediately reneged on the call, which caused confusion for a few moments as Cathedral players celebrated on the field. Barabe’s final attempt at a game-winner fell incomplete, and the Panthers were able to breathe easy.

That concluded what was a dramatic final 15 minutes of football. Like his star quarterback, Sigsbury compared this drama to last year’s Super Bowl title game, a double-overtime thriller over Madison Park, and it’s easy to see why.

PJP re-gained the lead with 1:23 to go in the third quarter, when immediately following a Thomas Cooper fumble recovery deep in the Panthers’ end, Barabe hit Brady Jones (seven catches, 137 yards, 3 TD) down the left seam on a post route for a 14-yard completion. On the two-point conversion, Cooper released to the near pylon as the front inside receiver in a bunch formation, and went uncovered for the east catch and 22-20 lead.

Justice Turner returned the ensuing kickoff 58 yards down to the Lions’ 23, and four plays later he connected with Jackson for the score that gave Cathedral the lead for good. Facing fourth and 12 from the 25, Jackson hucked up a high floater as a linebacker pressure knocked him on his back; down at the far pylon, Turner was well-covered by cornerback Matt Soucie, but was able to wrestle the jump ball away from him as he fell out of bounds.

“I just knew it,” Jackson said of the pass. “You throw it out in front of him, he’s gonna go and get it. I just knew to throw it from out of the back, because I saw the corner off him, and I said ‘Who cares if he’s off him? Justice is fast’, and he caught it.”

Lions linebacker Sean Reardon stoned Bryan Cedeno cold just before the pylon, attempting a sweep around the left, on the two-point conversion. The final eight minutes went back and forth, first with the Panthers dropping a potential game-ending fourth-down interception after it had been bobbled by two different Lions players, then the Lions dropping Cedeno for a seven-yard loss on fourth down from the Lions’ 12.

“I’m very proud of my boys,” Muldoon said. “A little adversity came our way, but in Division 6 you’ve two of the best teams right here. Hopefully we can see each other again in the playoffs.”

Hickman cleared: As good as this win was, the best news of the night for the Panthers came in the post-game, when Sigsbury confirmed Hickman has finally been cleared to suit up again.

Hickman, a junior, has become one of the city’s most heralded bright young stars after rushing for 246 yards on an injured ankle in last December’s double-overtime thriller over Madison Park in the D4A Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium. He tore his ACL in the final JV basketball game of the regular season last winter, against Charlestown, and the rehabilitation process has been a slow, cautious one.

Even better, the Panthers are headed into a bye week, so they’ll have two weeks to get him acclimated.

“We found out tonight the MRI came back good,” Sigsbury said. “He’s gonna be back practicing with us next week.”

Elaborating more on the injury, he continued, “He recovered and repaired his knee, but he couldn’t get ready until now. We’ve been cautious with him, but he finally got the go tonight from our team doctor. So that’s good news.”

Hickman’s teammates are excited to get him back. For Jackson, it means a move back to his natural tailback spot, which should give them even better depth in the backfield.

“Man, thank God, thank God,” Jackson smiled. “I like playing quarterback, but it’s not for me. I like running back, I like to run power inside, but if coach needs me to step in at quarterback, I can step up. Whatever the man [Sigsbury] needs, I’ll do it for him, no questions asked.”

Pick and Stick: The Lions encountered some struggles in the running game, as shifty junior running back Diego Meritus was held to less than 50 yards rushing, but Barabe more than held his own in the passing game.

“I’m disappointed in our run game, but obviously I didn’t coach it up right,” Muldoon said. “We were able to rely on him, it was pretty good that Ryan was able to keep us in the game. The line did a great job giving him time, but even when he didn’t have time, he has the kind of instincts to move around. He’s not fast, but he’s smart. He knows what he’s got to do.”

Listed at a long and slender 6-foot-4 and 175 pounds, Barabe might be one of the more underrated Class of 2015 quarterback prospects in Massachusetts.

His arm strength is above-average, able to launch a ball 50 yards downfield with a flick of the wrist. His soft touch leading crossing receivers over the middle is as good as his ability to bullet balls into tight windows, hitting receivers sharply on comeback and out routes from 10 to 15 yards depth along the sidelines.

His timing with his receivers, especially Jones, appears pretty mature. Part of that obviously goes the other way, too. There is more organized freelancing built into this year’s version of the offense as opposed to a year ago; Barabe estimated that 60 percent of the plays tonight involved option routes.

“Last year, our bands told us what we were going to do on every assignment," he said. "This year, our coaching staff decided we really wanted to give the receiver the option to run a route to read the defense, to get them ready for college-level [football]. We put that in, we started that in the summer, and they’ve done a really great job picking that up.”

Widening out: Early on, the Panthers found a lot of success dialing up “speed sweep” plays for freshman scatback Byron Martin, motioning him from the slot out of four and five-receiver sets. By far the fastest player on the field tonight, for either team, the 5-foot-3 Martin has a bright future ahead of him, with a makeup similar to former Holy Name standout Quron Wright, an ESPN Boston Mr. Football finalist last year.

But after the first few drives, the Lions were able to bottle up running backs on the perimeter pretty well. They widened out ends Steve Grogan and Matt Thacher, with responsibilities not to shoot too far upfield. When play leaked out of the pocket, the Lions did a good job keeping things contained.

“I just don’t think you can see on film just how fast Cathedral really is. We have some quick guys, but to simulate that speed, you’re not able to do that in practice. But once we settled down, I thought we did alright.

“Matty Thacher and Stevie Grogan did a great job, I can’t complain. I know they’re as disappointed as anyone, but I really think you have two of the best teams in Division 6 right here. We hope to see them again.”

All that considered, the Panthers’ success early with the speed sweep allowed them to use it to set up inside runs for Jackson, pulling the ball for an iso or power play.

“We gave them that tight bunch formation just to get some guys over there, and it worked, but then they widened the end, and it was tougher for our tackle to reach the end,” Sigsbury said. “So we started running the iso up inside, and that was successful with our quarterback.”

BOSTON CATHEDRAL 26, POPE JOHN PAUL II 22

PJP 8 0 14 0 --- 22
CTH 6 0 12 6 --- 26

First Quarter
C – Bryan Cedeno 1 run (rush failed) 6:39
P – Brady Jones 40 pass from Ryan Barabe (Billy Satkevich pass from Barabe) 3:37

Third Quarter
C – Jermal Brevard Jackson 9 run (Justice Turner pass from Jackson) 8:47
C – Cedeno 45 run (rush failed) 8:27
P – Jones 51 pass from Barabe (rush failed) 1:34
P – Jones 14 pass from Barabe (Thomas Cooper pass from Barabe) 1:20

Fourth Quarter
C – Turner 25 pass from Jackson (rush failed) 8:47

CONCORD, Mass. – Seven years ago, the Concord-Carlisle soccer team staged a single game to help raise money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in honor of assistant coach Steve Wells’ mother Lois. The annual Kicks for Cancer was so well received that in 2011 it had grown to six games and twelve teams. In the past seven years, the event has raised more than $100,000 for cancer research.

On Saturday afternoon, the event reached another milestone, as the Lady Patriots donned blue t-shirts for the first time and took the field against league rival Lincoln-Sudbury. It was the first time that the girls’ programs had taken part in the event and it was announced that all the proceeds for this year would support women’s cancer research.

“It’s nice to get them involved, particularly since all the money being raised is earmarked for women’s cancers,” said Concord-Carlisle boys’ head coach Ray Pavlik after his team’s game in the nightcap. “It was something that they’ve wanted to do and we just finally said it’s time to go.”

According to Lincoln-Sudbury head coach Kate Berry, the process started before last year’s event when former Patriots coach Nancy Slocum started lobbying Pavlik to have the girls join in the event. Although there was no room in 2012, and Slocum stepped down as coach following the season, she continued to push for the girls to be included.

“[Nancy Slocum] and I talked about doing it last year and Ray just didn’t have a spot for us…kudos to her for getting us the opportunity,” said Berry. “I’m so thankful that we got the chance to do that. It’s so great for the girls and I think it’s a really wonderful opportunity.”

When asked if L-S would like to be part of next year’s event, she responded, “I guess it’s up to C-C, but we’d love to take part if we can.”

First-year head coach Peter Fischelis was thrilled for his team to be able to experience Kicks for Cancer. He remarked, “It’s great for the kids, it’s great for the families, it’s great for the crowds and it’s just great to have such a nice day. They loved it; they really had a ball. It’s just a superb event all-around.”

Senior captain and goalkeeper Angela DeBruzzi admitted that the girls had heard the boys talking about the event for years and had always wanted to be part of the day. She said, “It was our first time getting to play in this, which is awesome and to come out here and to support breast cancer awareness.”

She added, “It’s really nice to finally be part of it.”

During Kicks for Cancer, teams do not wear their traditional school colors and uniforms. The players don t-shirts that are adorned with the name of someone that they know (i.e., family member, friend, or coach) that has battled cancer. Lincoln-Sudbury boys’ coach David Hosford talked about how the experience teaches the players to understand the importance of things beyond the field of play.

He also added, “One of the things that is really cool is that we had 15 or 20 of our former players back. They all want to come back and see the moment. It’s not a home game, but in a lot of ways it’s their homecoming.”

DeBruzzi was playing for her grandmother and it was her name that was on the back of her black goalie shirt. She may have been the star of the game and earned her a team a draw (more below), but it was the mention of her grandmother that finally brought a smile to her face.

She said, “I took a picture of the shirt and sent it to her just to make sure that she knew I was thinking of her.”

29th minute honored in boys’ game: As the clock ticked past 29:00 in the first half of the game between the Concord-Carlisle and Lincoln-Sudbury boys, the officials blew their whistle to stop play. Both teams went to the sideline and joined the large crowd lining Doug White Memorial Field for a minute of applause.

The planned stoppage paid tribute to Bridget Spence, the wife of Concord-Carlisle High English teacher Alex Spence, who passed away this year at the age of 29. The 2013 event was dedicated to her memory. Spence was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 22, according to Pavlik, and she battled cancer for seven years, while also working diligently to raise money for Dana Farber.

Pavlik, wearing a t-shirt that said Spence on the back with the number 29, explained, “If there is anyone that is a testament to what Dana-Farber can do…she worked up to the last few weeks of her life raising money for Dana-Farber. She was a pretty special woman.”

The idea for the minute of applause came from one of the players and both coaches agreed to the plan.

Pavlik reflected, “That was cool. It was a nice moment to stop…it was a nice touch to do a moment applause.”

No. 4 Lincoln-Sudbury girls 0, No. 16 Concord-Carlisle 0

Maybe it was wearing her grandmother’s name on the back of her jersey, but Angela DeBruzzi was in inspired form for Concord-Carlisle (5-0-2) when they took on Lincoln-Sudbury (4-0-2) in the 3:30 kickoff. Thanks to DeBruzzi’s heroics, which included five incredible saves in the second half alone, the No. 16 Patriots held the No. 4 Warriors to a 0-0 draw.

“Their goalie was lights out; I think that’s the whole story,” raved Berry. “She played a phenomenal game. I don’t even think we were kicking it right at her; I think she played a really good game in goal. She was awesome.”

Three times in the second half DeBruzzi made a spectacular stop to rob junior forward Hannah Rosenblatt of a goal. She also made a diving save on freshman Jenna Barnes and another on a cross by Caroline Kessler. It was a great performance and helped C-C keep its sixth clean sheet in seven games.

“Having a goalie like that gives you a lot of confidence in the back. She was incredible,” said Fischelis. He added, “She’s an incredible athlete. She has an unbelievable sense about where to be and when to go out and when not to. Some of those things you just can’t teach someone; it’s instinct.”

DeBruzzi deflected the praise on her teammates. She said, “I think we’ve exceeded everybody’s expectations and that comes from playing as a team and everybody working their hardest every game. It’s not me that’s having the shutouts; it’s the whole team.”

Lincoln-Sudbury dominated possession and created the lion’s share of the chances, although the best scoring opportunity of the first half fell to the Patriots. Senior captain Allie Barrett had a low shot just tipped wide of the post.

No. 8 Concord-Carlisle boys 1, Lincoln-Sudbury 1

Sophomore goalie Bobby Hurstak saved the game for the Warriors after the teams traded first half goals. Lincoln-Sudbury (3-0-3) held on to salvage a 1-1 draw with No. 8 Concord-Carlisle, who rued missed opportunities throughout the game.

“We had plenty of chances in the first half, plenty of chances in the second half, but their goalie was awesome. He was a huge equalizer tonight,” said Pavlik.

The visitors took the lead in the 25th minute on a short free kick on the edge of the box. Nathan Cohen caught the Patriots unaware by playing a pass on the ground to captain William Hutchinson, who coolly slotted it home.

The hosts kept up high tempo and pressure throughout the first half and hit the crossbar with a header before junior Mitchell Palmer rose highest to nod home a cross by Leo Fondreist with just more than a minute left in the first half.

Concord-Carlisle (6-1-1) would dominate the opening stages of the second half and Hurstak was forced into a brilliant diving save to rob Fondresit from inside the 6-yard box. The home fans were on their feet cheering again with 13 minutes left, but Garrett Leahy’s shot was inches over the bar.

“It was really won or lost in the midfield and I think we dodged some bullets with some of the chances they had,” said Hosford. “They’re a very good team.”

In other action:

Reading 1, Woburn 0 – Dave Sullivan scored the lone goal for the Rockets. Woburn also had a late penalty saved.

Lexington 3, Wakefield 1 – Lewis Mustoe, the son of NBC soccer broadcaster Robbie Mustoe, scored a brace and Caleb Stipple added the third for Lexington. Antonio Parrinello had the Wakefield goal.

Brookline 2, Newton North 0 – Ari Karchmer and Toma Beit-Arie scored the goals for Brookline in a battle of Bay State Conference teams.

Acton-Boxborough 1, Wayland 0 – The Colonials earned their first win at Kicks for Cancer on a goal from Julian Stewart.

DANVERS, Mass. – They say if you give a man an inch, he’ll take a mile.

If you give John DiBiaso a bye week, well, that doesn’t bode well for the opposing football team.

Following a lackluster 20-8 loss to Xaverian at home two weekends ago, No. 4 Everett got back to basics in its one-week reprieve. The Crimson Tide’s week spent tidying up their messy performance in the former week showed in Saturday’s matinee duel against another Catholic Conference power in No. 3 St. John’s Prep.

First order of business? Shutting down, or at least, slowing down, the state’s most feared rusher in Johnny Thomas.

Second? Getting in a time machine and going back to the future with a refigured offense, shunning the spread, which found success in recent years, in favor of a vintage Everett staple — the flexbone.

It all was there in the Crimson Tide’s emphatic 35-14 win.

So did their head coach spend the week off pouring over old game plans and film, trying to unearth old gems?

“It wouldn’t say it was homework so much as it was a lot of practice,” DiBiaso said. “We practiced very hard.”

DiBiaso was less than amused with his team’s level of execution following the loss to Xaverian, so one can imagine the vigorous tenor of the Crimson Tide’s practices in the week since we saw them last.

Also, Everett (2-1) received an addition shot in the arm in the form of a new addition – senior running back/linebacker Isaiah Davis.

Davis, who previously suited up for Lynn English, was granted a waiver last week allowing the 5-foot-9, 180-pounder to see his first game action of the season with the Crimson Tide. He had an immediate impact, first scoring on a 15-yard run for a 7-0 first-quarter lead. Then, after Everett recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, Davis ran for his second score from 2 yards out.

“I can’t be more happy for him, he’s been waiting patiently for his opportunity,” DiBiaso said. “He got it and he came up very big. He played fantastic and I think he put himself on the map among the elite players in the state.”

The Crimson Tide amassed a three-score lead by early in the second quarter, after Joe D’Onofrio’s 2-yard touchdown run.

But Prep (2-2) countered, making it a two-possession again before the half was out.

Running their two-minute drill, the Eagles drove 74 yards in two minutes even to set up Mike Geaslen’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Owen Rockett on the final play of the half. The game clock had nearly expired before Prep got the snap off, with Geaslen lofting a fade over the head of the defense on a schoolyard-ball type play.

The Eagles whittled the lead down to a touchdown in the fourth, with backup running back Cody Harwood running for a 4-yard touchdown with 9:32 to play.

Harwood entered the game after Thomas, a preseason All-Stater and early season Mr. Football favorite, left the game to a right knee injury.

But Everett would not be denied. Following Harwood’s score, the Crimson Tide chewed up 64 yards on three plays with quarterback Raheem Wingard selling the option and zooming up the left sideline 25 yards for a 28-14 lead with less than eight minutes remaining.

The Eagles’ final two drives ended in a Crimson Tide fumble recovery and turnover downs, respectively, before D’Onofrio iced it with his second rushing touchdown of the game.

“We just can’t spot them points, I don’t care how good you are – not against them,” Prep head coach Jim O’Leary said. “It was very similar to the [Bridgewater-Raynham] game. The second half, we made mistakes and the ball didn’t bounce our way.

“There was no magic involved. They played well, they had a bye week and they coached them up.”

Greater cause for concern: Thomas, a Maryland commit, left the game after a late third-quarter carry.

While attempting to cut to the sideline, the senior was met by duo of Everett tacklers and driven to the turf. After being attended to by trainers, Thomas walked off the field under his own power, but with staff members flanking him under each arm. He did not return.

Postgame, O’Leary said Thomas was examined by the doctor on hand, but didn’t want to speculate to the injury’s long-term severity, pending an MRI.

“We’re not going to play with 10 guys,” O’Leary added. “We’re going to play with 11 next week and, hopefully, we get him back.”

The concern over Thomas’ injury wasn’t exclusive to Prep’s sideline.

“He’s a great back,” DiBiaso said. “He got a lot of good yards and our prayers are with him. We hope it’s nothing serious.”

Grounding the Eagles: As was after Thomas’ injury, great attention was paid to the Prep back, who accounted for 86 yards on 17 carries in the first half alone, in the lead up to Saturday’s game.

With two weeks to game plan against the Eagles’ ground game, DiBiaso again mixed things up.

Josh Palmer, a 5-foot-9, 205-pound defensive tackle, was moved back to linebacker, joining an already stout corps. The move allowed the Crimson Tide to play a 3-5 base, at times stacking all 11 players in the box, in hopes of neutralizing the state’s top running talent.

“We recognize [Thomas is] the best player in the state and we were going to try to mold our defense to try to force them into doing other things to beat us,” DiBiaso said. “We put Josh [Palmer] back at linebacker with Angel [Duarte], C.J. [Parvelus] and Lubern [Figaro] and Isaiah [Davis] shadowing [Thomas] the whole game.

Of course, a plan is just that. Without players versatile enough to plug into the system, it falls flat.

“He’s just an athlete, he can play anywhere,” Duarte said of Palmer joining the ranks of the LBs. “He’s got the speed, he’s big. We put him out there anywhere and he did a great job for us.”

The Times They Are A-Changin’: After watching his son, Jonathan, break multiple state passing records during his career with the Crimson Tide, Everett’s offensive groupings have steadily morphed in the last two years.

It’s not anything new, but Saturday might have marked an unofficial return to the good ole days. DiBiaso reflected on his new-look, old-feel offense.

“You’re a stupid coach if you do something that your personnel isn’t equipped to execute. We’ve run the spread successfully for about four years, but our personnel is more fit for this.

“We have three good running backs and an option-style quarterback, so shame on me for not doing it earlier.”

With Davis, D’Onofrio and fullback Marquis Holman holding it down in the backfield, the Crimson Tide has tried to strike balance on offense.

Wingard made two big connections to Lukas Denis (2 passes defended on defense, as well), helping to set up two touchdown drives.

“He made two good catches on play-action passes, and if you’re going to run that offense, you have to hit on play-actions,” DiBiaso said of Denis.

Of course, there’s still room for improvement though: “I think we did a decent job. We’ve only been running it for two weeks, so hopefully we’ll get even better as weeks go on.”

WEST ROXBURY, Mass. -- Following last week's season-opening loss to Milton Academy, St. Sebastian's knew one slipped through its fingers — due, in part, to some costly turnovers which led to their demise.

On Saturday, the Arrows saw things from a different perspective — bearing witness to advantages one can have when they are on the receiving end of turnovers. Roxbury Latin was the gracious gift giver, coughing up the ball on its first three possessions. That led to three touchdowns for the Arrows as they went on to roll, 37-7, in an ISL contest held at Schoolhouse Field.

Still stinging from Milton Academy defeat, St. Sebastian's, who finished 9-0 a year ago and took home the Arthur Valicenti Bowl trophy, set a precedent all week that its season begins now.

Such attitude appeared to work. The Arrows (1-1) proved highly-effective on both sides of the ball against the Foxes. They limited Roxbury Latin's offense to 153 yards, just 49 in the opening half. Offensively, they finished with 290 yards — much of that coming from its strong ground attack consisting of Connor Strachan, Blake Gallagher and Edosa Onaiwu.

"Last week, we made three big mistakes and it costs us," Arrows longtime coach Bob Souza said. "This time, Roxbury Latin made the mistakes. We did a lot of good things against Milton and our kids knew it. I told the kids this league is still up for grabs and we still have our destiny under our control. I think we'll be in the hunt for a title throughout the year."

After shutting out St. Paul's last week, the Foxes (1-1) were feeling good about their chances entering this one. But confidence suddenly turned to panic after a pair of miscues in the opening minutes gave the Arrows a short field to work with.

The first mistake came after punter John Baron couldn't handle the snap, losing control of the ball that was recovered by Miles Hunter, allowing St. Sebastian's to set up shop on the Roxbury Latin 20. Four plays later, Strachan (52 yards on 8 carries) scored from a yard out giving the Arrows a 7-0 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Foxes returner Parker Kent failed to field the ball cleanly, allowing an alert John McNamara to pounce on it.

Standing the at the Foxes' 15-yard line, St. Sebastian's needed only one play to go up by two scores as Strachan busted through for the score with 4:11 still left in the initial quarter.

"We knew coming off our loss last week that we needed to be firing for this game," said Strachan, a Boston College commit. "We have a bunch of kids on this team playing both ways so we need to go heavy in the first half like we did today and set the pace for ourselves."

The two turnovers left Roxbury Latin deflated, as it could never get anything going thereafter. The Foxes’ run game was held in check throughout and quarterback Peter Cahill (8-of-16, 91 yards, 1 TD) was under constant pressure throughout by the Arrows' massive front line.

Things didn't get much better for Roxbury Latin to start the second quarter. Cahill was picked off by Strachan, which led to a 74-yard, 11-play drive culminated in Matt Daniel hauling in a 27-yard scoring pass from quarterback Geoff Wade and go up by 20.

"We told the kids all week leading up to this game that we needed to start fast," said Souza, who was inducted into the Massachusetts High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 2010. "We can't let up and not give Roxbury Latin any kind of an opportunity to gain momentum. Now we just need to build on this win and continue to get better."

With under two minutes remaining before the half, St. Sebastian's offense was back at it. Following a Foxes punt, the Arrows drove 65 yards behind Gallagher (9 carries, 86 yards) and Onaiwu (64 yards on 10 rushes) before Strachan was given the ball from the 1-yard line and dove across for his third touchdown to send St. Sebastian's into the break well in-command at 27-0.

"Anytime the defense can come out and do what they did and put the offense in good positions to score that's huge," said Wade. "We aren't looking to gain 500 yards a game, we just want to put the ball into the end zone."

With this contest in his control, Souza began substituting other players in. But the Arrows never lost a beat. Running back James Fiore scored on a 3-yard run to begin St. Sebastian's first drive of the second half, pushing the margin to 34 points.

The Arrows added three more early in the fourth on Kevin Ginns' 27 yard field goal.

Roxbury Latin avoided the shutout in the closing minutes as Cahill connected with receiver Sean Lowrie in the back corner of the end zone.

"That's a tough team to come back against," Foxes coach Pat Ross said. "I dreaded all week in hoping we wouldn't give up something quick to them but after our first one things began to snowball. But our guys never quit and fought the entire game. We know we aren't as big as St. Sebastian's and we knew we needed to play near-perfect football against them and unfortunately it didn't work out."

TOP 25
No. 4 Everett 35, No. 3 St. John's Prep 14 | Highlights
No. 9 Bridgewater-Raynham 32, New Bedford 0
No. 11 St. John's (Shrewsbury) 20, Fitchburg 15
No. 12 Duxbury 29, Silver Lake 0

Belmont Hill 38, Groton 11
Blue Hills 36, Bishop Connolly 22
Boston Cathedral 26, Pope John Paul II 22
BB&N 35, Thayer Academy 6
Chicopee 20, Chicopee Comp 14 (OT)
Dexter 36, Kents Hill (Maine) 14
Drury 52, St. Joseph Central 22
Governor's Academy 31, Rivers 0
Hamilton-Wenham 28, Ipswich 14
Hanover 8, Middleborough 7
Marblehead 35, Swampscott 7
Matignon 32, St. Joseph Prep 28
Methuen 35, Dracut 20
Milton 28, Norwood 14
Milton Academy 48, St. George's 8
Minuteman 24, Mystic Valley 0
Lawrence Academy 49, St. Mark's 6
Noble & Greenough 32, Brooks 14
Old Colony 30, West Bridgewater 22 (OT)
Oliver Ames 37, Foxborough 6
Pentucket 19, Triton 13
Pingree 52, Tilton (N.H.) 14
Rockland 35, East Bridgewater 34
St. Peter-Marian 34, Shrewsbury 32
St. Sebastian's 37, Roxbury Latin 7
Sharon 32, Canton 12
Somerset-Berkley 38, Coyle-Cassidy 0
Upper Cape 34, Nantucket 28 (OT)
Uxbridge 34, Worcester North 0

Editor Scott Barboza checks in with highlights from No. 2 Mansfield's 35-14 win over Hockomock rival North Attleborough on Friday night in our Game of the Week:

(Highlights produced by Greg Story)