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Today marks the first day of the National Letter of Intent signing period for high school seniors in football and several other sports. We will have you covered all day today with signings, so be sure to stick with us.

This blog entry will be updated throughout the day as we receive commitments and signings from throughout Massachusetts and the New England area.

Any commitments or signings can be sent to Brendan Hall (bhall@espnboston.com) or Scott Barboza (sbarboza@espnboston.com).

(NOTE: The Ivy League does not recognize National Letters of Intent)

FOOTBALL

DIVISION 1 FBS
Khary Bailey-Smith, Weymouth - UMass
Brendan Battles, Nauset – UConn
Dereck Beck, Bridgton Academy (Maine) - UMass
Rennick Bryan, Hillhouse (Conn.) - UConn
Casey Cochran, Masuk (Conn.) – UConn
Nevin Cyr, Cushing Academy - UMass
Steve Daniels, Worcester Academy – Boston College
Montrel Dobbs, Ansonia (Conn.)/Milford Academy (N.Y.) - Temple
A.J. Doyle, Catholic Memorial – UMass
Jevon Elmore, New London (Conn.) - Army
Colby Energen, Xaverian - Army
Drew Ghio, Bristol Central (Conn.) - UConn
Malik Golden, Cheshire Academy (Conn.) - Penn State
Tim Joy, Chelmsford – Boston College
Jake Kiley, New Hampton (N.H.) - Penn State
Vondell Langston, Everett – UMass
Abner Logan Jr., Dexter – Maryland
Jordan Lucas, Worcester Academy – Penn State
Tyler Matakevich, Trumbull (Conn.)/Milford Academy (N.Y.) - Temple
Obi Melifonwu, Grafton – UConn
Eric Olson, BB&N – Northwestern
Armani Reeves, Catholic Memorial – Ohio State
John Robinson, Worcester Academy – UMass
Jovan Santos-Knox, Xavier (Conn.) - UMass
Canaan Severin, Worcester Academy – Virginia
Jason Sylva, Tabor Academy – UConn
Cam Williams, Catholic Memorial – Ohio State

DIVISION 1 FCS
Gordon Acha, Duxbury – Elon
Max Andrews, John Bapst (Maine) - Maine
Aaron Berardino, Windsor (Conn.) - Central Connecticut State
Shaun Bowman, Cheshire (Conn.) - Sacred Heart
Henry Bumpus, Concord-Carlisle – Brown
Austin Calitro, Danbury (Conn.) - Villanova
Connor Caponegro, Cheshire Academy (Conn.) - Rhode Island
Tyler Cardoze, Cushing Academy - Bryant
Tyler Catalina, Wachusett/Kent (Conn.) - Rhode Island
Don Cherry, Trumbull (Conn.) - Villanova
Andrew Coke, Andover – Brown
Dan Connaughton, BB&N – Penn
Jack Connolly, St. Sebastian's - Dartmouth (also lacrosse)
David Conroy, Walpole/Bridgton Academy (Maine) - Fordham
Brandon Cusmano, Masuk (Conn.) - Central Connecticut State
Patrick D'Amato, Xavier (Conn.) - Stony Brook
Casey DeAndrade, East Bridgewater – New Hampshire
Joe DeMichele, Daniel Hand (Conn.) - Central Connecticut State
Nick Dichiara, BB&N - Colgate
Aaron Dixon, Danbury (Conn.) - Bryant
Ryan Farrell, Xaverian - New Hampshire
Ryan Harrington, Cushing Academy - Sacred Heart
Max Hentzelman, Bishop Hendricken (R.I.) - Bryant
Tyler Hurd, Vermont Academy (Vt.) - Central Connecticut State
Sam Hutchings, Worcester Academy - Albany
Josh Ingalls, Wells (Maine) - Maine
Robbie Jackson, Natick/Dean College - Rhode Island
Brandon Johnson, Wakefield - Sacred Heart
Dom Kozlowski, Cushing Academy - Bryant
Andrew Lauderdale, Trinity (N.H.) - New Hampshire
C.J. Logan, Watertown/Northfield-Mt. Hermon - Villanova
Corey Majors, Worcester Academy – Villanova
Sacoy Malone, Springfield Central – Maine
Kevin McCarthy, Hingham - Columbia
Jameson McShea, BC High - Harvard
Michael Money, Fairfield Warde (Conn.) - Central Connecticut State
William Morlock, Newtown (Conn.) - Bryant
Cre'Shon Morrison, Capital Prep (Conn.) - Central Connecticut State
Marko Piedmont, Wilton (Conn.) - Bryant
Alex Morrill, Lebanon (N.H.) - New Hampshire
Will Quigley, Marblehead – Brown
Patrick Ricard, David Prouty - Maine
Adam Richard, BC High – Lafayette
Cameron Shorey, Philips Exeter – New Hampshire
John Snee, BC High – Sacred Heart
Andrew VanderWilden, Concord-Carlisle – Brown
Karl Sery, Hudson - Bryant
Mike Walsh, Swampscott – Brown
Chuck Watson, Middletown (Conn.)/Dean College - Central Connecticut State
John Warner, Xaverian - Fordham
Don Webber, Duxbury – Holy Cross

DIVISION 2
Jared Anderson, East Longmeadow/Bridgton Academy (Maine) - St. Anselm
Chris Calvanese, Xaverian - Bentley
Wes Crowell, Worcester Acdaemy - Southern Connecticut State
Kendal Dardy-Jones, St. Sebastian's - Assumption
Faisal Kanaan, Natick - Bentley
Matt McDermott, Central Catholic - Bentley
Gordon McLeod, BC High – Stonehill
Bartley Regan, BC High – Stonehill
Richard Sullivan, Swampscott – Merrimack

DIVISION 3
A.J. Baker, Swampscott - Union
Drew Burnett, Needham - Tufts
Corey Burns, Whitman-Hanson - Tufts
Garrett Ewanouski, Catholic Memorial - Tufts
Sam Hodgson, St. Sebastian's - Bowdoin (also lacrosse)
Patrick McLaughlin, St. Sebastian's - Williams
Andrew Murowchick, Needham - Bowdoin
Dan Pierce, Needham - Middlebury
Mark Riley, Needham - Bates (also lacrosse)
Justin Roberts, BC High - Tufts

BASEBALL
Nick Ahearn, Xaverian - Babson
Jared Clement, St. Sebastian's - Wheaton (Mass.)
Peter Cimini, St. Sebastian's - Bowdoin
Thomas Crispi, Roxbury Latin, Columbia
Mark Cunningham, St. Sebastian's - Bates
Tim Duggan, Xaverian - Fairfield
Brooks English, Milton Academy - Vassar
Sean Gustin, Belmont Hill - Holy Cross
Brian Hocking, BC High - Stonehill
Chris Hoyt, Xaverian - Stonehill
Mike LaVita, Xaverian - Skidmore
Chad Martin, Governor's Academy - Bowdoin
Bob Melley, BC High – UConn
Christopher Nadeau, St. Sebastian's - Bowdoin
John Nicklas, St. Sebastian's - Boston College
Conor Reenstierna, St. Sebastian's - Bates
Phil Sciretta, Noble & Greenough - Virginia Tech
Max Tishman, Lawrence Academy, Wake Forest
Rhett Wiseman, BB&N - Vanderbilt

FIELD HOCKEY
Katy Cronin, Franklin – Holy Cross
Maggie Travers, Scituate - Stonehill

BOYS SOCCER
Devin Devoy, Bishop Feehan - Northeastern
Jack Hilger, Hopkinton - Princeton
Nick Hoffman, Quabbin - Bentley
Colin Patch, LaSalle (R.I.) - Connecticut College
Forest Sisk, Lincoln-Sudbury - Amherst
Colin Sweeney, Algonquin - High Point
Mitchell Taintor, E.O. Smith (Conn.) - Rutgers
Tyler Zon, Noble & Greenough - Swarthmore

GIRLS SOCCER
Celia Balf, Waring - Albany
Rachel Blauner, East Bridgewater – Boston University
Jennifer Coppola, Franklin – UMass
Alex Levesque, Methuen - Rhode Island
Nandi Mehta, Lexington - Northwestern
Claire Pleuler, Gloucester - Boston University
Jessie Valenti, North Reading - Rhode Island
Hannah Weagle, Ipswich - Franklin Pierce

GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD
Kendall Knous, Franklin – Wake Forest

WORCESTER, Mass. –- With 14:58 left in regulation, and after 17 shots on the Longmeadow goal defended by Elizabeth Suschana, Andover sophomore forward Julia LeBlanc blazed the 18th ball past Suschana for the only score on the day. That drive the Golden Warriors to their second consecutive Div. 1 state field hockey championship past Longmeadow, 1-0.

“I was really in the moment,” LeBlanc asserted, donning her championship medal after the victory. “Because our defense is so strong, I was able to get it in. I was there at the right time and I just dove in and tipped it in…If we didn’t have our defense, I wouldn’t have been able to get up there.”



“It (the ball) came from Kate [Farnham]and she sent it across the circle to me and I just hit it over as far as I could to the net and Julia just happened to be there,” said junior left forward Meagan Keefe, who owns the game’s sole assist. “She just tipped it in which was amazing.”

The Golden Warriors (21-0-2) had 21 corners during the game but were not able to get a score on one of them. With about 20 minutes to go in the second half, Andover called a timeout and coach Maureen Noone and her staff advised the girls to change the game.

“Stop putting the ball maybe to one side or continuing to do what we’ve gotten away with in the other games that have worked for us,” said Noone recalling the timeout. “I think they were stuffing an extra defender in there and it was getting difficult so we tried to swing the ball as much as possible and just take chances; start swinging, start stepping up to the ball and playing a little bit harder.”

We Do This: Although Andover had sent a number of balls towards the goal and had not scored, they were not discouraged, they just became more determined.

“We’re used to this, this is how it is,” said LeBlanc. “We have low scoring games and we’re just trained to keep going at it and keep shooting and keep working hard. There’s always a way. It’s 0-0, even if we score 1-0, it doesn’t matter, we’re going back and our defense is just as ferocious. We don’t give up because they can score and tie it up.”

“After we knocked that one in I felt pretty confident,” added goalie Shannon Tully, giving a different perspective but with the same knuckle down message.”We brought the sweeper back so we could play more of a defensive game.”

Bring It Back: “Uhhhh! It's Amazing!” exclaimed the 2010 lacrosse All-American Anne Farnham, with much enthusiasm and a mile-wide smile.

“Literally, we never imagined this could happen,” added Farnham, a senior right forward, theoretically forgetting that she was already sporting the official “Andover 2011 State Champs Back to Back” grey t-shirt with navy blue print just moments after the game, directly refuting her claim.

Coach Noone added something that may give a clue as to why the Golden Warriors printed the shirts prior to the start of start of the match.

“This year, we knew what to expect and we had a little bit more confidence coming into the game,” added coach Noone. “Even though we only have five seniors, they’re all quality kids and they understand their leadership role. I think they did an outstanding job of taking the younger kids and telling them step-by-step what they needed to do, and they did it.”

Going Hard in the Cage: Even though she only had three saves on the day, those are three opportunities that were thwarted by senior goalie Shannon Tully. If she doesn’t, the Golden Warriors are singing a different tune.

“We have the most confidence in her,” said LeBlanc. “She’s such an athletic goalie and we really rely on her. She’s made a lot of great saves through the season and we’re happy to have her.”

Team Love: “We don’t look at who scores, it was a team effort,” said Kate Farnham, who along with her twin sister Anne are committed to playing lacrosse for UMass Amherst next year. Despite getting plenty of touches during the game, she said neither she nor her teammates thought about an individual getting a goal.

“The scores don’t matter because we just play as a team so I don’t think they were looking for me to score personally."

I Don’t Want To Go Home: Junior Meagan Keefe, despite winning the state championship, was not ready for the sun to set on the Golden Warriors’ 21-0-2 season after the game.

“I am just as psyched, it’s a great feeling, I just want to keep going," Keefe said. "It’s sad that it’s over.”

WORCESTER, Mass. -- In a rematch of the 2009 Division II state finals, Watertown once again ended Oakmont’s season on a down note, as the Raiders beat the Spartans, 3-1, and earned their third straight championship, and fifth in 10 seasons.

“[It feels] awesome. I don’t even have words right now,” said Watertown senior forward Erika Kelly.

“I’m very proud of all the girls in the whole entire program. They worked really hard, and it’s been a long journey for us this year,” said Watertown head coach Eileen Donahue. “We replaced a lot of people and they fought for it all year, and I’m very proud of them.”

The Raiders controlled the momentum from the opening whistle, as freshman Allie Dogget directed a shot toward Oakmont’s cage, which was redirected by senior Lauren Giordano for the score.

Watertown’s offense then tallied numerous offensive shots, but couldn’t muster their second goal until Erika Kelly dribbled through Oakmont’s defense and flicked the ball past Spartans junior goaltender Kalya Costa, with three minutes remaining in the opening half.

“The forward lineup has [a] really good flow. We’re all really close and we just know where each other is all the time, and it really helped us on [our second] goal,” said Kelly.

In the second half, Kelly recorded her second goal of the contest when senior Meaghan Kelly connected with her in the box to push Watertown’s lead to three goals.

“Just scoring two goals on my last game was just really the best feeling you can ask for [and] just knowing you’re leaving with a good name,” said Erika.

Coach Donahue commended Kelly’s goals, as well as her team mentality too, which was exhibited throughout the entire season.

“She’s more concerned about the team results and it was evident by the third goal, how that ball went from one to another and clearly all three of them could have scored, but they were more about where the better opportunity and that’s what our program is all about,” said Donahue.

Oakmont eventually managed to record a goal during the closing minutes, as junior Kathryn Nutting connected with Devan Wirtanen for the Spartans only point of the match.

“This team didn’t give up, my team today, they never gave up,” said Oakmont head coach Leanne Roy. “They didn’t hang their heads, and kept on pushing and driving forward.”

The Raiders regrouped following the Spartans only strike, as well as dashed any hopes of a comeback for Oakmont, as the defense kept the ball out of their box

“Our team defense and our team defense with our forwards helping us as well pressuring," Donahue said. "I think our pressure on the play helped us tremendously, so that Oakmont couldn’t get off all [their] shots."

With the win, the Raiders have now won 69 games since losing their last match against Hopkinton in the 2008 state semi-finals.

“It feels pretty good right now [to have won three years in a row]," Donahue said. "It’s very, very nice, and it’s not easy and playing all these teams throughout the season, regular season prepared us for this moment. I’m glad they got this great moment.”

FIELD HOCKEY
Division 1
Andover 1, Longmeadow 0

Division 2
Watertown 3, Oakmont 1

SOCCER

Boys Division 2
Groton-Dunstable 2, Concord-Carlisle 0

Girls Division 2
Auburn 1, Canton 0

VOLLEYBALL Division 1
Barnstable 3, Central Catholic 0

Division 2
Marlborough 3, Melrose 1

Division 3
Frontier Regional 3, Case 2

WESTWOOD, Mass. -- As the helm of 11 state championship teams with Watertown field hockey, Eileen Donahue has seen her fair share of talented players. While she couldn't pick one of the others, senior forward Erika Kelly is among the very best.

Kelly again proved why, setting the tone early as she registered three first half goals, which helped the Red Raiders beat Canton, 3-2, in the Division 2 state semifinals.

“We all had great communication, and we just came ready to play, and I think that’s what really helped us,” Kelly said.

“Erika has had a wonderful career at Watertown High [School]. The girls fed her that ball beautifully too,” Watertown head coach Eileen Donahue said.

Kelly posted her first goal literally two minutes after the opening face-off, and completed her hat trick during the final five minutes, as she scored on a breakaway and penalty shot, which gave the Red Raiders (21-0-1) a commanding lead prior to Canton’s first strike, which came off the stick of junior Meaghan McKenna before halftime.



The Bulldogs (20-1-1) then added one more goal in the second half when senior Haley Gaughan scored the team’s final goal with roughly six minutes remaining.

“In the halftime, we talked about that we had gone away from our game, we were sitting back and letting them beat us to [the] ball, we weren’t going to receive some of the nice passes we had, so we really just talked about getting back into our game, and settling things down,” said Canton head coach Fior Griggin, whose team was ousted by Watertown for the third straight season. “In the second half, we did that. We had more passing, we challenged them more, we didn’t allow them to receive without any pressure, and I think that made the difference, but we just ran out of time.”

“When they scored that second goal, the group actually was almost speechless there,” Donahue said. “They were actually angry, and then they composed themselves to we’ve got to play our game, and we can’t give up because Canton clearly had the momentum.”

Watertown’s defense fended off Canton’s remaining scoring chances, earning them a spot in Saturday’s state title match against Oakmont and a chance to earn a third-straight state title.

WESTWOOD, Mass. -- Andover field hockey senior forward Anne Farnham recorded a goal and an assist against Duxbury on Tuesday evening, as the Golden Warriors defeated the Dragons, 2-0, in a Division 1 state semifinal at Westwood High School.

“I think we just played as a team,” Andover head coach Maureen Noone said. “I just thought we controlled play, and we tried to slow the play down a little bit because their fast breaks were outstanding.”

The victory propeled Andover (21-0-2), the defending Division 1 state champions, to their second straight finals appearance.

“We just really worked well as a team, and we just focused on playing together, not getting down on each other, and when it got tough, we [knew we had] each others backs, and I’m really proud of the way our team played together,” Farnham said.

As for Duxbury (22-2-0), the loss marked the end of their historic journey, which saw the Dragons win their first Division 1 South championship since 1976.

“It’s disappointing, but I know this Duxbury team is a history-making team [and] that we got further than any Duxbury field hockey team has and that I think it’s a history making team because of the intensity, and the desire of the team,” Duxbury head coach Pam Manley said.



Andover won the opening face-off, and then registered their first goal at roughly the nine-minute mark, as sophomore Louisa Gross connected with Farnham on a free hit, who batted the ball past Duxbury’s senior goaltender Sophie Fitzpatrick.

The Golden Warriors later extended their lead during the middle of the second half, as Farnham fired a shot, which was redirected by junior Meaghan Keefe and landed in the back of the net.

“[Our second goal] kind of settled everybody a little bit,” said Noone. “It was just an outstanding team effort.”

“Scoring the second goal it was really just a relief to score that, and it kind of just proved that we wanted this game more,” Farnham added.

The Golden Warriors will look to add another trophy to their shelf on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Worcester State to face Longmeadow for the Division 1 state championship.

In his 41st year at the helm of Plymouth Regional's storied football program – a span that's produced a state-record 334 wins and 18 championships – Chuck Lenahan has surely experienced it all.

Yet it was the manner in which the Bobcats won their most recent matchup that had the gruff-voiced grid coach admitting, “I'm kind of numb.”

It's understandable. Lenahan approved the call for a fourth-quarter fake punt that produced the game-winning touchdown. Plymouth celebrated a 21-14 Division IV semifinal win Nov. 5 against longtime rival Laconia High.

The scenario: Plymouth was forced to punt from its 32-yard line in a 14-all game. The game clock showed less than nine minutes remained in regulation.

Special teams coach Chris Sanborn persuaded Lenahan to fake the punt. The Bobcats desperately needed a spark. Their rushing attack, which generated two lengthy first-half scoring drives capped by Cole Brooker touchdown runs, was stifled after halftime.

Standout senior Taylor Newberry (37 carries for 205 yards) was asked to fake the punt for the first time in his career. It worked out better than even Lenahan could have expected.

Newberry gained the three yards necessary to extend the drive. He also picked up 65 more yards, cutting left-to-right across the field, dodging would-be tacklers, and ultimately celebrating a 68-yard TD run.

“We actually just set that up (in the week leading up to the semifinal). We were 50-50 on it,” Newberry said. “I guess it worked.”

Plymouth – a year removed from missing the playoffs on a three-team tiebreaker – actually plays the role of underdog in the Nov. 12 final.

The second-seeded Bobcats (9-1) travel to Manchester's Gill Stadium for a showdown with No. 1 seed Trinity High (10-0). The Bobcats were stunned at home in Week 4 by the Pioneers, allowing a pair of late-game touchdown passes in a 12-7 loss.

It snapped Plymouth's 40-game home win streak.

“Another week,” Lenahan said. “The kids wanted it bad. What the heck. We might as well take a trip to Manchester.”

(Read full post)

One interesting subplot that's developed during the Connecticut high school football season is the competition for the state's Gatorade Player of the Year.

Through eight weeks the prime contenders are a pair of senior quarterbacks: Masuk's Casey Cochran and Cromwell's Anthony Morales.

Cochran, who won the award last year, has directed Masuk to 21 consecutive victories and may play for the best team in the state. He's completed 88 of 111 passes for 2,123 yards this season. Cochran has thrown 27 touchdown passes and has been intercepted three times.

Despite Cochran's gaudy numbers, it's Morales who leads the state in touchdown passes (30) and passing yardage (2,376). Morales, who is playing for his third coach in as many years, has completed 105 of 147 passes and has been intercepted four times. He has thrown for at least four touchdowns in five of Cromwell's eight games.

(Read full post)

FIELD HOCKEY
Division 1 North
Acton-Boxborough 2, Chelmsford 1
Andover 4, Weston 2

Division 2 North
Belmont 2, Newburyport 1
Watertown 2, Winchester 0

BOYS' SOCCER
Division 1 North
Billerica 3, Peabody 1
Chelsea 3, Somerville 2 (OT)
Masconomet 1, Acton-Boxborough 0
Medford 2, Lincoln-Sudbury 1 (OT)

Division 1 South
BC High 1, Catholic Memorial 0
Greater New Bedford Voke 2, Wellesley 1
Nauset 2, Brockton 0
Needham 2, Silver Lake 1 (OT)

Division 2 North
Concord-Carlisle 1, Melrose 0
Danvers 2, Pentucket 1
Wayland 1, North Andover 0 (OT)
Winchester 2, Stoneham 0

Division 2 South
Canton 3, Westwood 2
Hingham 1, Norwell 0
Hopkinton 2, Bishop Feehan 0
Sandwich 4, Duxbury 0

Division 3 South
Bristol-Plymouth 1, Archbishop Williams 0
Cardinal Spellman 4, Seekonk 0
Dover-Sherborn 4, Hanover 0
Nantucket 2, Old Rochester 1 (PKs)

GIRLS' SOCCER
Division 1 North
Acton-Boxborough 2, Lexington 1
Chelmsford 4, Newton North 3 (OT)
North Andover 4, Medford 0
Peabody 3, Concord-Carlisle 0

Division 1 South
Bishop Feehan 1, Franklin 0
Marshfield 3, Notre Dame (Hingham) 1
Oliver Ames 5, Needham 0
Whitman-Hanson 4, Dartmouth 3 (OT)

Division 2 North
Stoneham 1, Arlington 0 (OT)

Division 2 South
Canton 6, Scituate 0
Dedham 1, Cardinal Spellman 0 (PKs)
Duxbury 1, East Bridgewater 0
Medfield 2, Old Rochester 0

Division 3 South
Dover-Sherborn 6, Nantucket 0
Norwell 4, Carver 0
Seekonk 7, Old Colony 1
Ursuline 4, Norfolk Aggie 2

VOLLEYBALL
Division 1 South
Barnstable 3, New Bedford 0

Division 1 Central/West
Franklin 3, Westford Academy 0

Division 2 North
Bishop Fenwick 3, Stoneham 0
Melrose 3, North Reading 0

Division 2 Central
Marlborough 3, Westborough 0

Division 3 North
Lynnfield 3, St. Clement 0

Division 3 South
Case 3, Sacred Heart 0
Holbrook 3, Bristol-Plymouth 0

Division 3 Central
Douglas 3, Hopedale 2
Millis 3, Marian 0

The NCAA's National Letter of Intent early signing period kicks off today, and runs through November 16. Below is a list of area student-athletes who are either committed or are expected to sign LOI's over the next week. Any commitment news can be sent to Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com or Scott Barboza at sbarboza@espnboston.com

BOYS BASKETBALL
Zach Auguste, New Hampton (N.H.) – Notre Dame
Anthony Barry, Brooks – Merrimack
Domonique Bull, Tilton (N.H.) – Missouri
Jesse Chuku, Kimball Union (N.H.) – Lehigh
Dimitry Coronel, Tabor Academy – Maine
Evan Cummins, Northfield-Mt. Hermon - Harvard
Kris Dunn, New London (Conn.) – Providence
Tevin Falzon, Winchendon – Sacred Heart
Eric Green, St. Mark’s – Holy Cross
Olivier Hanlan, New Hampton (N.H.) – Boston College
Ryan Hartung, Philips Andover – St. Anselm
Cedric Kuakumensah, St. Andrew’s (R.I.) – Brown
Jake Layman, King Philip – Maryland
Connor Mahoney, Brooks – Le Moyne
Mitch McGary, Brewster Academy (N.H.) – Michigan
Georges Niang, Tilton (N.H.) – Iowa State
Ethan O’Day, Northfield-Mt. Hermon – Vermont
John Papale, Choate Rosemary Hall (Conn.) – Boston University
Timahj Parker-Rivera, St. Joseph’s (Conn.) – Towson
Nik Stauskas, St. Mark’s – Michigan
Terry Tarpey, Fairfield Prep (Conn.) – William & Mary
Kaleb Tarczewski, St. Mark’s – Arizona
Aaron Thomas, Brewster Academy (N.H.) – Florida State
T.J. Warren, Brewster Academy (N.H.) – NC State

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Elizabeth Belanger, Acton-Boxborough – New Hampshire
Nicole Boudreau, Andover – Boston College
Jen Gonsalves, Harwich – UMass-Lowell
Shannon Holt, Wachusett - Bridgeport
Bri Schnare, Wachusett – Manhattan
Lexi Sells, Bishop Feehan – Providence
Brooke Stewart, Masconomet - Boston University
Dana Theobald, West Springfield – Boston University
Blake Underhill, Ashland - Manhatten
Ariel Ward, East Longmeadow – LaSalle

BASEBALL
Bradley Applin, Malden - Rhode Island
Charlie Butler, Nashoba – Maine
Dan Cellucci, Lincoln-Sudbury – Bryant
Thomas Crispi, Roxbury Latin – Columbia
Pat Delano, Braintree - Vanderbilt
Terry Dugdale, Souhegan (N.H.) – Albany
Tim Duggan, Xaverian – Fairfield
Dan Dymecki, Wellesley – Lafayette
Connor Fuller, Auburn – Fordham
Bobby Indeglia, Bishop Hendricken (R.I.) – Holy Cross
John Jennings, Newton South – UMass
Jake Levine, Belmont Hill – Brown
Mike Marshall, Maynard – Bryant
Buck McCarthy, Everett – Stetson
Graham McIntire, Concord (N.H.) – Marist
Sam McKay, Weymouth – Hartford
Bob Melley, BC High – UConn
Steve Moyers, East Longmeadow – Rhode Island
Willy Nastasi, Barnstable – UConn
John Nicklas, St. Sebastian’s – Boston College
Steve O’Neil, East Longmeadow – UConn
Ryan O’Shea, Oliver Ames – Central Michigan
Tom Pannone, Bishop Hendricken (R.I.) – Miami
Connor Perry, Central Catholic – Holy Cross
Curtis Pomeroy, St. John’s (Shrewsbury) – Georgetown
Derek Reed, Lowell - St. Rose
Vinny Scifo, Wilmington – UMass
Ian Searles, Wareham - Southern New Hampshire
Chris Shaw, Lexington – Boston College
Ryan Summers, Westfield – Louisville
Max Tishman, Lawrence Academy – Wake Forest
Matt Tulley, Lowell – Virginia Tech
Rhett Wiseman, BB&N – Vanderbilt
A.J. Zarozny, St. John’s (Shrewsbury) – Bryant

FIELD HOCKEY
Katherine McManus, Thayer -Notre Dame
Kim Sportack, Thayer - Richmond

BOYS' GOLF
Nick Pandalena, St. John's Prep - Boston College

BOYS' ICE HOCKEY
Desmond Bergin, Tri-City/St. Sebastian’s (Natick, Mass.) - Harvard
Nick Bligh, Dexter School (Milton, Mass.) - Dartmouth
Cam Brown, N.H. Jr. Monarchs (Natick, Mass.) – Maine
Cam Darcy, Dexter School (South Boston, Mass.) – Northeastern
Connor Dempsey, Westside/Rivers School (Winthrop, Mass.) – Dartmouth
Tim Driscoll, Phillips Andover/Hingham H.S. (Hingham, Mass.) – Holy Cross
Chris Eiserman, Nainamo (West Newbury, Mass.) – UMass-Lowell
Alex Gacek, Youngstown (Dracut, Mass.) – Miami
Brian Harris, Junior Bruins (Bridgewater, Mass.) – Maine
Marc Hetnik, Vernon (BCHL) / Catholic Memorial (Brookline, Mass.) - Boston University
Cody Learned, Junior Bruins (Amherst, N.H.) – Yale
Joey McNamara, Belmont Hill (Chestnut Hill, Mass.) – Holy Cross
Rob O’Gara, Milton Academy (Massapequa, N.Y.) – Yale
Joe Prescott, South Shore Kings/St. Sebastian’s (Norwell, Mass.) – Brown
Brendan Silk, U.S. NTDP/ Austin Prep (Wakefield, Mass.) – Boston College
Caston Sommer, Bismarck (Shrewsbury, Mass.) – Holy Cross
Devin Tringale, Lawrence Academy (Medford, Mass.) – Harvard
Frankie Vatrano, U.S. NTDP (East Longmeadow, Mass.) – Boston College
Mike Vecchione, Malden Catholic (Saugus, Mass.) – UNH
Jim Vesey, South Shore Kings/Belmont Hill (North Reading, Mass.) – Harvard
Shane Walsh, Dubuque/South Shore Kings (West Roxbory, Mass.) – UMass-Amherst

GIRLS' ICE HOCKEY
Melissa Piacentini, Thayer - Syracuse

BOYS’ LACROSSE
Luke Aaron, Deerfield Academy – Duke
Ian Andrey, Deerfield Academy - Harvard
Kevin Blair, Hingham, Providence
Henry Buonagurio, Duxbury – Drexel
James Burke, Duxbury – Penn State
Andrew Buron, Duxbury - Stony Brook
Chris Coady, BB&N - Duke
Seamus Connelly, Duxbury - Duke
Jack Connolly, St. Sebastian’s – Dartmouth
Sean Connors, Deerfield Academy - Princeton
Danny Czerkawski, Landmark, High Point
Connor Darcey, Wellesley – Penn State
Sam Davis, Governor’s Academy – Penn State
Bob Fahey, Bishop Guertin (N.H.) - UMass Amherst
Blair Freidensohn, St. John’s Prep - Dartmouth
Doug Gouchoe, Concord-Carlisle – Air Force
Keegan Hayes, BC High, UMass-Amherst
Paul Hellar, Duxbury – Fairfield
Kurt Hunziker, Masconomet – UMass-Amherst
Joe Kruy, Phillips Andover – Duke
Jonathan Lee, Hopkinton – Yale
Jay McDermott, Duxbury – Syracuse
Dan MacDougall, Avon Old Farms - University of Delaware
Reilly Naton, Duxbury – Yale
Cabot Noyce, Xaverian – High Point
Matt O’Keefe, Duxbury – Johns Hopkins
Joey Pasquale, Weston – Hartford
Nick Price, Brewster Academy - Vermont
Max Randall, Duxbury - Dartmouth
Will Ryan Avon Old Farms - Johns Hopkins
Ryan Scheib, Xaverian – Bryant
Dan Shaughnessy, Lincoln-Sudbury, Stony Brook
Dickson Smith, Dover-Sherborn/Holderness – Virginia
Greg Stamatov, Foxborough – Villanova
Finn Sullivan, Roxbury Latin – UMass-Amherst
Paul Tocci, Lincoln-Sudbury – Army
J.C. Vivian, Governor’s Academy – Georgetown
Jake Vogl, Aquinas Institute) - Hartford
Sam Washburne, St. Sebastian's, Hobart
Henry West, Darien (Conn.), Cornell
Chase Williams, Rivers School – Vermont
Chris Williams, Duxbury - Quinnipiac

GIRLS' LACROSSE
Madison Acton, Lincoln-Sudbury – Duke
Shelby Aubin, Needham – Georgetown
Olivia Boudreau, North Andover - George Washington
Shelby Boudreau, North Andover - Oregon
Hadley Brooke, Middlesex School – Northwestern
Julia Burns, Middlesex School – Stanford
Emma Dagres, Weston – Vanderbilt
Louisa del Rio, Pingree (Hamilton, Mass.) – Boston University
Natalie Devine, Fontbonne Academy – High Point
Kelsey Duryea, Governor’s Academy – Duke
Anne Farnham, Andover – UMass-Amherst
Kate Farnham, Andover- UMass-Amherst
Ally Fazio, Andover – UConn
Hope Hanley, Noble & Greenough – Dartmouth
Emmy Horton, Duxbury – Fairfield
Christine Johnson, Reading - Albany
Jenna Liljeberg, King Philip – Sacred Heart
Molly McNamara, Wellesley - Navy
Julia Meehan, Weston - High Point
Kathryn Riley, King Philip – Boston College
Rachel Sexton, Lincoln-Sudbury – Notre Dame
Gabriella Starkey, St. Mark’s – Dartmouth

SOFTBALL
Kiara Amos, Malden - Providence
Taylor Archer, Milford - URI
Patty Borges, Coyle-Cassidy - Stony Brook
Meg Carnase, King Philip – Colgate
Brianna Chiusano, Mansfield - Coastal Carolina
Lexi Gifford, Natick - UConn
Olivia Godin, King Philip – UMass-Amherst
Cayleigh McCarthy, King Philip – Stonehill
Meghan Rico, King Philip – George Washington

GIRLS' SOCCER
Lindsey O’Neil, Thayer -Fairfield
Jessica Valenti, North Reading - URI

BOYS' SWIMMING AND DIVING
Ryan Palmer, King Philip - Gardner Webb

GIRLS' SWIMMING AND DIVING
Juliana Melchionda, Thayer - Clemson
Stephanie Nasson, King Philip - Boston University

GIRLS' TENNIS
Ali Sullivan, Needham - Providence College

FIELD HOCKEY
Division 1 North
Andover 4, Weston 2

Division 1 South
Duxbury 2, Sandwich 1
Walpole 3, Franklin 2 (2 OT)

Division 2 North
Watertown 2, Winchester 0

Division 2 South
Cohasset 1, Harwich 0
Canton 2, Dover-Sherborn 1 (2 OT)

BOYS' SOCCER
Division 2 South
Westwood 4, Scituate 2

Division 3 North
Georgetown 8, Mystic Valley 0
Lynnfield 5, Matignon 1
Rockport 4, Boston International 1
St. Mary’s 3, Hamilton-Wenham 2 (2 OT)

GIRLS' SOCCER
Division 1 North
Acton-Boxborough 2, Lexington 1

Division 2 North
Arlington 2, Bedford 1
Gloucester 2, Dracut 1 (PKs)
Newburyport 2, Belmont 1
Stoneham 4, Danvers 1

Division 2 South
Scituate 2, Somerset 0

Division 3 North
Georgetown 4, Shawsheen 0
St. Mary’s 3, Greater Lowell 1
Watertown 2, Mystic Valley 0

GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL
Division 1 North
Andover 3, Masconomet 0
Central Catholic 3, Peabody 0
North Andover 3, Tewksbury 1
Reading 3, Billerica 1

Division 1 South
Barnstable 3, Walpole 0
Brockton 3, Mansfield 0
New Bedford 3, Dartmouth 0
North Attleborough 3, Notre Dame 1

Division 1 Central/East
Brookline 3, Boston Latin 0
Quincy 3, Latin Academy 0
Newton North 3, Somerville 0
North Quincy 3, Cambridge 0

Division 1 Central/West
Acton-Boxborough 3, Wellesley 0
Algonquin 3, Shepherd Hill 1
Lincoln-Sudbury 3, Natick 1

Division 2 South
Bishop Feehan 3, Cardinal Spellman 2
Dennis-Yarmouth 3, Somerset 1
Fairhaven 3, Bourne 0
Greater New Bedford Voke 3, Silver Lake 1

Division 2 Central
Canton 3, Groton-Dunstable 0
Hopkinton 3, Hudson 0
Marlborough 3, Medway 0
Westborough 3, Medfield 1

Division 3 Central
Douglas 3, Blackstone Valley 2
Hopedale 3, Ayer-Shirley 0
Marian 3, Sutton 0
Millis 3, Millbury 0

The MIAA unveiled its field hockey brackets for the North, South and Central districts this afternoon. You can view all the brackets here on the MIAA's tournament website; the seedings are listed below.

DIVISION 1 NORTH
1. Beverly (17-0-1); 2. Andover (16-0-2); 3. Weston (14-2-2); 4. Chelmsford (15-3-0); 5. North Andover (12-1-5); 6. Natick (14-3-1); 7. Danvers (14-3-1); 8. Acton-Boxboro (11-1-6); 9. Central Catholic (13-5-2); 10. Lincoln-Sudbury (10-5-2); 11. Peabody (10-5-3); 12. Lowell (8-6-4); 13. Newton North (7-6-2); 14. Reading (8-7-2); 15. Westford (7-6-5); 16. Lexington (7-7-2); 17. Framingham (5-8-2)

DIVISION 1 SOUTH
1. Walpole (18-0-0); 2. Duxbury (18-1-0); 3. Sandwich (14-1-3); 4. Franklin (17-3-0); 5. Dennis-Yarmouth (14-2-2); 6. Hingham (12-4-2); 7. Barnstable (12-4-2); 8. Somerset-Berkeley (10-3-5); 9. Mansfield (10-4-4); 10. Bridgewater-Raynham (12-6-0); 11. Falmouth (9-4-5); 12. Wellesley (8-5-2); 13. Carver (9-6-1); 14. New Bedford (9-7-2); 15. Notre Dame (Hingham) (8-7-2); 16. Dighton-Rehoboth (8-7-3); 17. Oliver Ames (7-7-4); 18. Hopkinton (6-6-6); 19. Norwood (7-7-4)

DIVISION 1 CENTRAL
1. Wachusett (15-2-1); 2. Algonquin (14-2-2); 3. Groton-Dunstable (13-3-2); 4. Nashoba (11-3-3); 5. Notre Dame (Worcester) (12-4-2); 6. Burncoat (12-4-2); 7. Worcester South (11-5-2); 8. Shrewsbury (9-3-6); 9. Hudson (11-5-2); 10. Leominster (11-5-2); 11. Quabbin (9-4-5); 12. St. Peter-Marian (8-5-5); 13. Shepherd Hill (9-8-1); 14. Holy Name (6-6-4)

DIVISION 2 NORTH
1. Watertown (17-0-1); 2. Newburyport (15-1-2); 3. Belmont (13-2-1); 4. Winchester (12-3-2); 5. Swampscott (12-3-3); 6. Wilmington (12-4-2); 7. Tewksbury (12-4-2); 8. Georgetown (11-3-4); 9. Lynnfield (12-5-0); 10. Wayland (10-4-2); 11. Marblehead (10-4-4); 12. Manchester-Essex (9-4-5); 13. Pentucket (9-6-3); 14. North Reading (8-6-3)

DIVISION 2 SOUTH
1. Canton (16-0-1); 2. Old Rochester (15-0-1); 3. Bishop Stang (16-0-2); 4. Apponequet (14-1-1); 5. Dover-Sherborn (15-1-2); 6. Cohasset (14-1-3); 7. Harwich (14-2-2); 8. West Bridgwater (12-1-4); 9. Scituate (15-3-2); 10. Medfield (13-4-1); 11. Foxboro (11-5-2); 12. Dedham (10-7-1); 13. Medway (7-6-1); 14. Nantucket (9-8-1); 15. East Bridgewater (7-7-3); 16. Plymouth South (6-9-3)

DIVISION 2 CENTRAL
1. Oxford (18-0-0); 2. Hopedale (17-0-1); 3. Quaboag (16-1-1); 4. Littleton (15-0-3); 5. Narragansett (14-2-1); 6. Bromfield (13-1-4); 7. Oakmont (9-0-7); 8. Auburn (13-4-1); 9. Monty Tech (9-4-1); 10. Sutton (11-6-1); 11. Nipmuc (11-6-1); 12. Uxbridge (11-7-0); 13. Assabet (8-6-2); 14. North Brookfield (7-7-4); 15. St. Bernard's (6-7-5)

Show of hands: Who's surprised by Spaulding High's success this season on the gridiron?

Ask that question in Rochester and, truthfully, throughout New Hampshire. You'll find the team's head football coach is among many with an arm stretched high to the sky.

"Kind of. I didn't think we'd win three in a row," head coach Dennis Fontaine said shortly before his Red Raiders added a fourth straight win to their resume Oct. 21. "For the kids to grasp the new systems on offense and defense, they picked it up quick. They're executing what we showed them."

Those new systems on both sides of scrimmage are the result of Fontaine's appointment to the head coaching post this fall. Spaulding's once-proud program is under new leadership for the second time in as many seasons.

Fontaine is the fifth head coach since 1998, the first season after legendary Hugo Bolin retired with a 198-127-3 career record and five state titles.

The post-Bolin era hasn't been pretty.

Spaulding went 28-107 from 1998-2010, a span that included time in Divisions I and II. The program celebrated just one playoff season in those 13 campaigns. Jim Keays, known for his championship success at Somersworth High years ago, led the '06 Red Raiders to the Division II semifinals.

Considering the coaching turnover and run of football futility, there was nothing in the preseason that indicated Spaulding (4-4 overall, 3-3 Div. II) would compete for the playoffs.

There weren't any signs in September, either.

The Red Raiders went 0-4, including three consecutive setbacks to perennial contenders in league play. They suffered three shutout losses. They were outscored, 125-8.

Then came the turning point. Rather than fight the formula for winning -- from yet another head coach -- the players bought into it.

“They're realizing it's not just a bunch of hot air. They're taking it and applying it on the field,” said Fontaine, previously a longtime assistant for recently retired Rod Wotton, who owns New England's record for career wins (342), and led Maine's Marshwood High and Dover's St. Thomas Aquinas High to a combined 21 state titles.

Spaulding rattled off four straight wins from Sept. 30 to Oct. 21.

The Red Raiders stunned Keene High, 25-17. They whacked Manchester West High, 47-14. They slammed Merrimack High, 39-0, for the program's first shutout win since the '06 season.

Handling Hudson's Alvirne High with ease, 39-13, Spaulding celebrated its first four-game win streak since 1999, when Dave Keller was at the helm.

Fontaine said the turnaround has been a team effort.

There are, however, standouts in the group. The Scott brothers, Tyrone and Trey, are running the football with purpose. Linemen Dillon Couture and Ben Lafond are providing push up front.

Safety Nate Zriny “is playing fantastic defense,” Fontaine said. “He'll play anything for us. He'll play nose tackle if we ask him to.”

Fontaine's gridders have two regular-season games remaining, though they close their league slate Oct. 28 at Hugo Bolin Field against Plaistow's Timberlane Regional.

A win for the Red Raiders earns them the No. 3 playoff seed.

Surely, Fontaine is excited by his squad's stunning second half to the season. Right?

“Yes and no. I've been there before from prior coaching. You can't get too excited in front of the kids,” he said. “We just do our normal practice, work on what we need to do on offense and defense.”

Spoken like one very focused head football coach.

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We're starting off this week with five games to watch during Week 7 of the Connecticut high school football season:

DARIEN (6-0) at STAPLES (5-0), Saturday, 10:30 a.m.
This may be the most important game during the FCIAC regular season, since the winner will have an excellent chance to reach the FCIAC championship game Nov. 18 at Trumbull.

Darien overcame an eight-point deficit in the final minute and remained unbeaten by defeating Wilton 35-34 in double overtime last weekend. The Blue Wave has outscored its opponents 178-94 this season.

Staples has given up more than 16 points once in its five games and has allowed 64 points this season.

HILLOUSE (4-2) at XAVIER (6-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
Xavier quarterback Tim Boyle is expected to return from a shoulder injury suffered in Week 1. Boyle, junior, has scholarship offers from Boston College and Syracuse.

The Xavier defense has allowed 34 points (three shutouts) this season. Cheshire is the only team that has scored more than seven points against Xavier.

Hillhouse has won four in a row and nearly knocked off an unbeaten Xavier team last year (9-6). Hillhouse has scored 182 points during its four-game winning streak.

WEST HAVEN (5-1) at HAND (6-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
Intriguing matchup between a team from Class LL (West Haven) and a team from Class L (Hand). Both teams have scored 214 points through six games.

West Haven has won two in a row since suffering its only loss against Notre Dame-West Haven (28-15). The Blue Devils have scored at least 28 points in each of their five victories, but will be facing a defense that has surrendered 55 points all season.

MASUK (6-0) at NEW MILFORD (3-3), Friday, 7 p.m.
Masuk, the No. 2 team in ESPN Boston's New England Top 10, has been an offensive machine, scoring at least 49 points in each of its six victories, but has done so against opponents that are a combined 6-30. Masuk quarterback Casey Cochran, who has committed to the University of Connecticut, needs three touchdown passes to reach 100 for his career.

Things figure to get a little tougher for Masuk this weekend. New Milford has won three of its last four and has scored 106 points in those three victories.

COGINCHAUG (5-0) at VALLEY REGIONAL/OLD LYME (5-0), Friday, 6:30 p.m.
A matchup between unbeaten Class S teams that have each been playing excellent defense.

Coginchaug has won three games by shutout, and Valley Regional/Old Lyme has outscored four opponents 172-14 since opening the season with a 48-47 triumph over North Branford.

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After a three-year absence, the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl will return to Dartmouth College's Memorial Field next summer.

The all-star football game between high school players from Vermont and New Hampshire has been held at Dartmouth 48 times, but was played at Windsor High School in each of the last three years because of construction to the stadium surrounding Memorial Field. The 2012 game will be played on Aug. 4.

"I'm very excited about the revival of Dartmouth's half-century tradition of hosting the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl Game," Dartmouth president Jim Yong Kim said. "We're proud to make our facilities available to Vermont and New Hampshire high school athletes in recognition of their dedication to such an excellent cause as the Shriners Hospitals for Children."

Of the 30 Shrine football games played across the country every year, the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl ranks third in terms of money raised for the Shriners Hospitals. The event is sponsored by the three Shrine Centers of New Hampshire and Vermont -- Bektash (Concord, N.H.), Cairo (Rutland) and Mt. Sinai (Montpelier) – and has raised more than four million dollars since it was first played in Nashua, N.H., in 1954.

"The Board of Governors of the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl Football Game is sincerely grateful to Dartmouth College for agreeing to host the 2012 game at their beautiful stadium at minimal cost to us," said Jerry Mason, president of the Board of Governors of the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl. "This will certainly help to increase our contribution to Shriners Hospitals for Children."

New Hampshire won last year's game 45-21 and stretched its winning streak to 11 games. New Hampshire leads the all-time series 43-13-2.

Coaches for next year's game will be announced later this year. The teams from each state will be announced in February.

New Hampshire has 57 high schools that play varsity football. Vermont has 34.

The Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl was first played at Dartmouth in 1958. The game has also been held in Burlington, and four other New Hampshire locations: Holman Stadium (Nashua), Athletic Stadium (Manchester), Plymouth State University (Plymouth) and Cowell Stadium (Durham).

"We are pleased and proud to host the Shrine Bowl again, as we understand the importance of the event to the entire Twin States region," Dartmouth athletic director Harry Sheehy said. "We are grateful for President Kim's leadership in making it financially feasible for the game to return to Memorial Field and generate as much support as possible for Shriners Hospitals.”

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