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New Hampton (N.H.) post-graduate lacrosse player Alex Stanko has signed a National Letter of Intent with the University of Vermont, the school announced this afternoon.

Stanko is a Newton resident who entered a PG year at the New Hampton, N.H. campus following a standout career at Dexter School, in Brookline.

New Hampton Director of Communications Will McCulloch passes along the following press release regarding Stanko's signing.

NEW HAMPTON, N.H. -– New Hampton School's Alex Stanko ’13 signed a letter of intent to play lacrosse at the University of Vermont on Friday. Stanko, a native of West Newton, Massachusetts, is a dynamic scorer and leader. Stanko has led the Huskies to a 6-3 start this season with 28 goals, including the game-winner in a 14-13 overtime victory over league foe Proctor on Saturday. It was one of six goals he scored in the back-and-forth contest.

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Courtesy of New Hampton SchoolNewton resident Alex Stanko signed a national letter of intent with University of Vermont lacrosse on Monday afternoon.

"I chose the University of Vermont because of the opportunity I will have on the field and in the classroom," said Stanko, who attended the Dexter School before New Hampton. "Coach Ryan Curtis also had a large impact on my decision because of the vision he has for the lacrosse program. I am looking forward to a successful four years."

Stanko credited his parents and his time at New Hampton for allowing him to develop as a player and a student-athlete.

"Whether it was driving me to practice every weekend since I was six years old or allowing me to explore a postgraduate year, my parents have always been there for me and I know that they believed in my dream of playing lacrosse at the Division I level just as much as I did," Stanko said. "I can't tell you how thankful I am for that. I would also like to thank Coach Simon here an New Hampton for everything he has done. He pushes me to be at my best every time I step on the field and that is a trait I will carry on to the next level. He provided me with a home here at New Hampton."

Simon, on of the top young coaches in New England, believes Stanko will only get better at college level given the amount of time he has put into his game over the winter months at New Hampton.

"Alex is an incredibly dynamic lacrosse player," Simon said. "He is a player that does it all. Off the field he is always in the gym shooting, lifting, and playing wall-ball to work on his craft. He demands the ball on offense, like all good goal scorers do."

Stanko played for the 3-D Club Lacrosse program this past summer before leading the Huskies as an elected captain. He's provided a guiding presence for a New Hampton School team that s packed with talented young players.

"He is a player that understands that if you want to make it to the next level, you need to work for it," Simon said. "I am very proud of him and his work ethic. He set a goal to play Division I lacrosse and he achieved it."

The NHL Central Scouting service released its final rankings of North American skaters and goaltenders ahead of the NHL Draft Wednesday morning.

Former Malden Catholic standout and Valley Junior Warriors (EJHL) product Ryan Fitzgerald leads the New England skaters, checking in at No. 56.

Here's the list of skaters with local ties who made the cut:

(The full list can be found here):

SKATERS:
56. C Ryan Fitzgerald, Valley Junior Warriors (EJHL - Malden Catholic, North Reading), Previous Ranking - 46
60. LW Zach Sanford, Islanders (EJHL - Pinkerton Academy, Auburn, N.H.), Previous Ranking - 83
75. D Anthony Florentino, South Kent School, Previous Ranking - 79
94. C Nick Huthinson, Avon Old Farms, Previous Ranking - 133
97. LW/C Jason Salvaggio, South Kent School, Previous Ranking - 90
104. D Wiley Sherman, Hotchkiss School, Previous Ranking - 125
109. C Brian Pinho, St. John's Prep, Previous Ranking - 117
138. LW Miles Wood, Noble and Greenough, Previous Ranking - 163
169. D Ryan Segalla, Salisbury School, Previous Ranking - 136
182. C John Stevens, Salisbury School, Previous Ranking - 162
185. D Connor Light, Phillips Andover, Previous Ranking - 178
186. RW Ross Olsson, Cedar Rapids (USHL - Billerica Memorial), Previous Ranking - 121
187. LW Tyler Hill, Chicago (USHL - Hotchkiss), Previous Ranking - 85
195. C Daniel LaFontaine, Avon Old Farms, Previous Ranking - 172
198. D Quin Pompi, Berkshire, Previous Ranking - 160
201. RW Thomas Aldworth, Cushing Academy, Previous Ranking - Unranked
206. D Tyler Wood, Noble and Greenough, Previous Ranking - 197

GOALTENDERS:
15. Shane Starrett, South Kent School (Catholic Memorial), Previous Ranking - 35
26. Merrick Madsen, Proctor Academy, Previous Ranking - 34

New Hampton (N.H.) School today announced the hiring of Pinkerton Academy's Casey Kesselring as its new head boys ice hockey coach. Director of Communications Will McCulloch sends along the following release:

NEW HAMPTON, NH. -– A familiar face in the New England hockey world will bring his expertise to Lindsay Arena and the tradition-rich men’s ice hockey program at New Hampton School next season. The School announced on Friday that Casey Kesselring will be the next Head Men’s Ice Hockey Coach for the Huskies. Kesselring will replace four-year head coach Matt Wright, who led the Huskies to a NEPSAC title game in 2011.

A former standout Division-I and professional player, Kesselring has been the Head Coach of the Pinkerton Academy (Derry, New Hampshire) hockey team for the last 10 years. He built Pinkerton’s program into a public school power during his tenure, winning state titles in 2009 and 2012.

“We are extremely lucky to get someone like Casey here at New Hampton School,” Director of Athletics Jamie Arsenault said. “With his knowledge of the game, passion for kids, ties in the hockey community, and enthusiasm for helping young men grow on and off the ice, he’s an ideal fit for New Hampton School. I believe he can help the program achieve great success and create wonderful opportunities for our student-athletes.”

Kesselring has a knack for developing players. As a club director, he has worked with 20 players currently competing in college hockey. At Pinkerton, he has coached standout players including former Hockey East Player of the Year Paul Thompson (UNH), 2013 NHL Draft prospect Zach Sanford (Junior Islanders), and JD Dudek (Boston College commit). Kesselring was named the New Hampshire Coach of the Year in 2005 and the Hockey Night In Boston Coach of the Year in 2009.

“This is a chance to move to a higher level of hockey and put more kids into the college game,” Kesselring said, “I want to build on the tradition here and put my stamp on it. This is a great opportunity for my family to move up here and be a part of community that has great academics and athletics. It made it a good match. I’m looking forward to working with the student-athletes at New Hampton.”

Kesselring is known for producing fundamentally sound players. He thinks players at New Hampton will embrace his coaching style.

“I have certain systems I like to play, but I like to adapt the system to the personnel,” said Kesselring. “I like to have an open door policy with my players. When you get on the ice, we’re very focused. When you’re off the ice, I want to be approachable. I like building relationships with the players.”

Kesselring is a fixture in Southern New Hampshire hockey as the owner and operator the New Hampshire Knights, a program of elite spring tournament teams. He is also the Director of the New Hampshire Avalanche, one of the top youth programs in New England.

A former standout at Merrimack College, Kesselring is fourth on the School’s all-time Division-I scoring list. He was a part of the Hockey East All-Rookie team in 1995, his team’s leading scorer in 1997, an assistant captain in 1998, and a Hockey East All Star as a senior.

A native of Kitchener Ontario, Kesselring played his junior hockey for the Notre Dame Hounds in Wilcox SK before earning a full hockey scholarship to Merrimack. After signing with the Calgary Flames, he spent the next five years playing minor league professional hockey in the ECHL and AHL. In his rookie season, he made the ECHL All-Star Team.

March was a pretty good month for Missisquoi Valley Union's Matt St. Amour.

After being selected as Vermont's Gatorade Player of the Year for boys basketball, St. Amour finalized his college plans by choosing to continue his basketball career at Division III Middlebury College. St. Amour's other options included walking on at the University of Vermont.

"I've always been a Vermont kid and I felt I always wanted to continue to play in front of my Vermont fans," St. Amour told the Burlington Free Press. "UVM would have been a great opportunity, always been one of my dreams to play for them, but I feel Middlebury was a better fit."

St. Amour, a 6-foot-3 guard, was also named the state's Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior. He averaged 30.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 3.4 steals per game as a senior, when he helped the Thunderbirds (13-9) reach the Division I quarterfinals. He completed his high school career as the No. 3 scorer in state history (2,064 points).

Middlebury has qualified for the NCAA Division III tournament in each of the last six years. The Panthers reached the quarterfinals this season, and finished with a 25-4 record.

"Middlebury told me I was their No. 1 option all along,” St. Amour said. “I know I can be an important role on their team. I felt they were interested in wanting me to play there," St. Amour said. "Middlebury doesn't like to lose that much and that's something that I enjoy.

"I plan on having a successful career and win a national championship -- that's definitely a goal."

TWIN-STATE GAMES MAY RETURN
After the Vermont boys and girls played New Hampshire in the 2010 Twin State All-Star Senior Basketball Classic, many thought the event was dead and buried.

The games lacked interest – primarily on the New Hampshire side – and sponsors became hard to find. Vermont recently received a commitment from the New Hampshire Basketball Coaches' Association, however, and the event may return as soon as this summer. Representatives from each state are scheduled to meet in April in an attempt to bring the games back to life.

The Twin State Classic has always been a doubleheader with the top girls basketball players from each state facing one another before the boys game. The games were last held at the University of Vermont's Patrick Gymnasium.

The New Hampshire boys and girls teams each hold an 18-12 edge in the series.

SHRINE ROSTER RELEASED
There are still three spots to fill on the Vermont Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl team, but a preliminary roster was released in mid-March. Vermont will play New Hampshire on Aug. 3 (5:30 p.m.) at Dartmouth College's Memorial Field. It will be the first night game in the event's history.

Jason Thomas of Burr & Burton Academy is Vermont's head coach. Mascoma Regional's Ray Kershaw is coaching New Hampshire's.

New Hampshire won last summer's game 62-24 to extend its winning streak to 12 games. New Hampshire leads the series 44-13-2.

Vermont roster: Zachary Rawling (Bellows Falls), Zachary Tarvit (Bellows Falls), Darren Callan (BFA-St. Albans), Dylan Callan (BFA-St. Albans), Lucas Kelsey (BFA-St. Albans), Doug Saffo (BFA-St. Albans), Ryan Wimble (BFA-Fairfax), Tyler Higley (Brattleboro), Billy Katon (Burlington), Chris Redding (Burr & Burton), Jake Stalcup (Burr & Burton), Alec Distler (Champlain Valley), Harvey Ottinger (Champlain Valley), Bobby Brigante (Colchester), Noah MacGillivary (Essex), James Olsen (Essex), Joey Picard (Essex), Joseph Ramada (Essex), Cody Bradish (Fair Haven), Dakota Euber (Fair Haven), Josh Claflin (Hartford), Nolan Frechette (Hartford), Taylor Potter (Hartford), Walter Odell (Middlebury), Wade Steele (Mount Abraham), Carter Glenn (Mount Mansfield), Dan Warnecke (Poultney), Billy O'Brien (Rice), Matthew Hock (Rutland), Jon Kilian (Spaulding), Ed Doton (Woodstock), Travis Gault (Woodstock), Jalen Peterson (Woodstock).

WINTER RECAP
Scores from the championship games in basketball and hockey:

Boys' basketball
Division I: Rice 48, St. Johnsbury
Division II: Vergennes 62, Burr & Burton 49
Division III: Williamstown 63, Thetford 39
Division IV: Rochester 68, West Rutland 43

Girls' basketball
Division I: Champlain Valley 47, Rice 42
Division II: Mount Abraham 44, BFA-Fairfax 28
Division III: Winooski 52, Williamstown 48
Division IV: Proctor 55, Arlington 38

Boys' hockey
Division I: South Burlington 4, Champlain Valley 2
Division II: U-32 5, Burr & Burton 2

Girls' hockey
Division I: BFA-St. Albans 3, Essex 0
Division II: Harwood 1, North Country 0

Roger Brown is a staff writer for the New Hampshire Union Leader and has been covering high school sports throughout New England since 1992.

Rockland senior Tyler Gibson was named this year's Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Massachusetts. Here are the winners from the five other New England states:

RHODE ISLAND: BONZIE COLSON, ST. ANDREW'S
The 6-foot-6, 225-pound junior forward averaged 16.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and 1.2 assists per game this past season, leading the Saints (24-9) to the New England Prep School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class AA tournament championship game. A First Team All-NEPSAC Class AA selection, Colson averaged 14.7 points and 15.0 rebounds per game in the NEPSAC Class AA tournament as the eighth-seeded Saints reached the final, where they lost to Cushing Academy by one point on a 40-foot buzzer-beater.

Colson has maintained a B average in the classroom. A member of the St. Andrew’s School chorus, he has volunteered locally as a youth basketball coach and referee.

“Selfless, efficient, composed, simple -— that describes Bonzie Colson,” said Jesse Bopp, head coach of Vermont Academy. “He is at the core of their success. He scores around the basket, rebounds, makes free throws and guards. He is as efficient of a player as we played against all year.”

Colson will begin his senior year of high school this fall.

CONNECTICUT: KURT STEIDL, RIDGEFIELD

The 6-foot-6, 185-pound senior shooting guard averaged 24.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, four assists, and four steals while shooting 82 percent from the free throw line this past season, leading the Tigers (18-6) to the Class LL quarterfinals. A 2013 Connecticut High School Coaches Association All-Star selection, Steidl scored 31 points and pulled down 16 rebounds in a 63-57 win over New Britain in the second round of the state tournament.

Steidl has maintained a 3.68 GPA in the classroom. A devoted parishioner in his church community, he has volunteered locally assisting the elderly and on behalf of the Boys and Girls Club of Ridgefield.

“Kurt Steidl was absolutely one of the best kids we faced this year,” said Tom Hunt, head coach at Woodland Regional High. “He averaged a double-double per game while playing in a very tough conference. Every time I saw him, he was terrific.”

Steidl has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on an athletic scholarship at the University of Vermont this fall.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: ERIC GENDRON, MERRIMACK
The 6-foot-3, 170-pound junior guard averaged 19.7 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks this past season, leading the Tomahawks (13-6) to the Division I state tournament. New Hampshire’s Mr. Basketball in 2013, Gendron scored 14 points to help hand eventual Division I state champion Trinity High its only loss of the season in a 60-56 regular-season win.

Gendron has maintained a 3.86 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered locally on behalf of the Leo Club and as a basketball coach with the Merrimack Youth Association.

“Eric Gendron has been such a huge part of all the success we had this season,” said Merrimack High head coach Tim Goodridge. “He has become a true leader on and off the court and he also happens to be one of the nicest kids I have ever coached.”

Gendron will begin his senior year of high school this fall.

MAINE: GARET BEAL, JONESPORT-BEALS
The 6-foot-5, 210-pound senior wing averaged 33.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game this past season, leading the Royals (18-1) to a berth in the Class D state tournament. The state’s returning Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year, Beal shot 60 percent from the field, 48 percent from 3-point range and 79 percent from the free throw line. Also awarded Mr. Basketball as named by the Maine Association of Basketball Coaches, he carried Jonesport-Beals to the 2012 Class D state championship as a junior, averaging 22.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.8 steals, 3.6 assists and 1.6 blocks.

Beal has maintained an A-minus average in the classroom and serves as a member of his school’s student council. In addition to donating his time on behalf of the National Honor Society, he has volunteered as a positive mentor to elementary school students and as part of both community fundraisers and cleanup efforts.

“As an opposing coach, our game plan always focused on how to handle Garet before and after he received the ball,” said Glenn Billings, head coach of rival Deer Isle-Stonington High. “Garet has the ability to pull up and hit the open jumper if you play off him, drive by you if you play up tight and pass to a open player if you double him. He sees the floor and reads the defender as well as any one we have played against, and his willingness to use all of his teammates is what has made him so tough to defend. He is also an excellent defender, taking away the other team’s best offensive threat in many games. I believe he is one of the best high school basketball players we have seen in our state.”

Beal has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on scholarship at the University of Maine this fall.

VERMONT: MATT ST. AMOUR, MISSIQUOI VALLEY UNION
The 6-foot-3, 180-pound senior guard averaged 30.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 3.4 steals per game this past season, leading the Thunderbirds (13-9) to the Division I quarterfinals. The state’s returning Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year, St. Amour was also named the Burlington Free Press and Vermont Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year as a junior. He finished his prep career with 2,064 points, third in state history.

St. Amour has maintained a 4.13 GPA in the classroom. Also a soccer standout, he has volunteered locally on behalf of youth sports programs, blood-donation drives and the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

“St. Amour plays within himself and really understands the game,” said Peter Quinn, head coach at Vergennes High. “He’s a tremendous shooter who knows how to put the ball in the basket.”

St. Amour remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.

Reading's Olivia Healy was named Gatorade Player of the Year in girls basketball this morning for Massachusetts. Here are the winners for the other five New England states:

CONNECTICUT: SARAH VEILLEUX, RHAM

The 6-foot junior guard led the Sachems to a 21-4 record and the Class L semifinals this past season. Veilleux averaged 28.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 3.5 assists per game. A three-time All-Conference selection, she was a Second Team New Haven Register All-State honoree as a sophomore.

Veilleux has maintained a 4.39 GPA in the classroom. Also a volleyball standout, she has served as a tutor in her school and has volunteered locally on behalf of youth sports programs.

“Veilleux is an outstanding player,” said Josh Dinerman, head coach at Rocky Hill High. “She’s a dominant scorer, but she also does all the little things which make her a complete player. She controls the game, offensively and defensively.”

RHODE ISLAND: TAYLOR BUCKLEY, EXETER-WEST GREENWICH

The 5-foot-11 junior center averaged 17.5 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game this past season, leading the Scarlet Knights (21-2) to the Division I state semifinals. Buckley was a Rhode Island Coaches Association First Team All-State selection and a First Team All-Division I honoree. She led all of Division I in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots.

Buckley, who is home-schooled, has maintained a 3.83 GPA. A volunteer with the Prudence Island Volunteer Fire Department, she has also donated her time locally on behalf of the Providence Rescue Mission, as a nursery school volunteer and as part of a fundraising campaign to benefit third-world hunger awareness.

“Taylor Buckley is very strong and tough to defend,” said Gary Martinelli, head coach of Ponaganset High. “She can score out to 15 feet. She has great hands and is a tough defender down low. She’s the best low-post presence in the state.”

NEW HAMPSHIRE: JAMIE SHERBURNE, BISHOP GUERTIN

The 5-foot-7 junior point guard averaged 10.6 points, 3.7 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game this past season, leading the Cardinals (23-3) to the Division I state championship game. A 2012 Nashua Telegraph First Team All-Star, Sherburne helped Bishop Guertin to its first basketball state title as a sophomore. She was named to the Nike 17U National Championship All-Tournament Team in the summer of 2012 as a member of the NH Rivals AAU team.

Sherburne has maintained a 3.13 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally as a youth basketball and soccer coach.

“Jamie is a dynamic player who drives that team,” said Cassie Turcotte, head coach of Winnacunnet High. “She is also just as tough defensively as she is offensively. She bothers players and creates turnovers.”

Sherburne has made a verbal commitment to attend Niagara University on an athletic scholarship beginning in the fall of 2014.

MAINE: ALLIE CLEMENT, CATHERINE MCAULEY

The 5-foot-8 junior point guard led the Lions to a 23-0 record and their third straight Class A state title this past season. Clement averaged 18.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 2.5 assists while shooting at 56 percent from inside the arc. The 2013 Edward “Red” McMann Award winner as the outstanding player of the state tournament, Clement scored 13 points in a 60-45 win over Bangor in the state final.

Clement has maintained a 94.7 average in the classroom. She has volunteered locally as an elementary school library assistant and on behalf of the Falmouth Food Pantry. She has also donated her time helping to collect sneakers for underprivileged children.

“Allie Clement has an extremely high basketball IQ and she always seems to make the right play,” said Laughn Berthiaume, head coach at Gorham High. “Whenever they needed a big basket, she was able to deliver. She is a high energy player who was always able to control the tempo of the game.”

VERMONT: EMILY KINNESTON, CHAMPLAIN VALLEY UNION

The 5-foot-8 junior guard has led the Redhawks to a 21-0 record and a berth in the Division 1 semifinals against Burlington, scheduled for March 14. Kinneston is averaging 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 2.5 assists per game entering the state’s final four. She is a First Team All-Metro selection and a member of the Vermont Basketball Coaches Association Dream Dozen.

Kinneston has maintained a 3.90 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally on behalf of the Special Olympics, youth sports camps and a literacy-outreach program.

“She is the most complete player we have in the state,” said Glenn Johnson, head coach at Bellows Free Academy-St. Albans. “She plays the game the right way and she can take a game over on the defensive end and the offensive end.”

BEVERLY, Mass. -— It was a day firsts, of clutch performances by star players, and of tears induced by heartbreaking losses and emotional victories. NEPSAC championship Sunday at Endicott College was everything to be expected—and much, much more.

Champions were crowned in the AAA, AA and A classes Sunday afternoon at Endicott, with no shortage of action:

Cushing wins on a buzzer-beater: St. Andrew’s seemed to have completed the upset, but Jalen Adams simply couldn’t let that happen.

Heaving up a jumpshot from just over halfcourt with no time left on the regulation clock, Adams banked the shot in from off the glass, giving Cushing the 61-60 victory. It was just another on the list of feats that the sophomore guard has accomplished already over the course of his young career.

“But I’ve never hit a buzzer-beater before,” he said with an ear-to-ear grin. “When I shot it, I honestly didn’t think it was going to go in.”

It wouldn’t be the first time Adams, who was awarded Most Valuable Player, hit a halfcourt shot, though. In practice Cushing practices a drill where they take shots from different spots on the floor—one of those spots, of course, is from the halfcourt line.

“Jalen Adams has hit more halfcourt shots just goofing around in a team game, than anyone I’ve ever seen,” Cushing coach Barry Connors said. “Was it a wing and a prayer? No question. But hey, I’ll tell you what, he made the shot.”

St. Andrew’s trailed 33-28 at halftime, but came out on an absolute tear in the second half—beginning the half on an 8-0 run that gave them their first lead of the game with fourteen minutes to go. Cushing’s forward Andrew Chrabascz, a Butler signee, picked up his fourth foul with still ten minutes to go in the game. Connors put Chrabascz back in a few minutes later, and with his help, Cushing managed to diminish their deficit.

“I can save Andrew, or you go with what you’ve got, you go with who got you there," Connors said. "The interesting thing about Andrew is: yeah he had four fouls. On the fourth one, he made a bonehead play, but Andrew’s very, very smart. If anybody can play with four fouls, it’s Andrew Chrabascz."

Down eleven points with three minutes left in the game, the Penguins rode Adams and Chrabascz to the win. Adams hit a tough jumper to bring the game within six with under two minutes to go. Adams fed Chrabascz with six seconds left in the game, and Chrabascz finished a tough lay-up inside to bring Cushing to within 60-58. Cushing fouled immediately, and following a missed free throw by Bonzie Colson (16 points, 8 rebounds), Adams took the ball to halfcourt and won the game.

“If I was going to lose this game, I was going to lose with my five best guys on the floor,” Connors said.

Historic first for Exeter: For the first time in school history, Phillips Exeter captured the Class A crown, knocking off Choate Rosemary Hall 58-47 in the opening game of the day. Exeter’s remarkable 25-1 season has been a long journey, one that started last June when the players on the predominantly-postgrad squad met for the first time on the front steps of Exeter’s gym. A group of players who, for the most part had never met before, quickly realized that they all had a lot in common.

“We had guys who had just met for the first time -- we talked about our individual goals, and we realized we were all at Exeter for our own personal agendas," Exeter coach Jay Tilton said. "Because why else would you come here as a postgrad if you didn’t have them?”

Thanks in part to strong leadership by captains Harry Rafferty (Wesleyan College) and Chris Braley (Stony Brook), a culture of change was started at Exeter—a culture that quickly became contagious to the rest of the team. Good friends off the court, Rafferty and Braley, who along with Duncan Robinson played AAU together for Middlesex Magic, brought Exeter a mixed blend of leadership by toughness, and leadership by example.

Braley, a soft-spoken workhorse known for his incredible work ethic, set an example for the rest of the team of how to compose themselves, while Rafferty, a scrappy ‘in your face’ type of point guard, was the quarterback.

“Chris demands so much respect because of his work ethic and his integrity, he’s not a real emotional guy or anything like that...He just does it," Tilton said. "With Harry, he’s the guy who’s going to run the show from day one. He’s the most caring kid, and the best communicator I’ve ever coached.

Tilton added, with a laugh, "He’s about the only one out there who’s not afraid of Braley.”

Six-foot-7 forward Robinson, the tournament MVP, put on what may have been the most impressive individual performance of the tournament, finishing with 24 points and 11 rebounds and playing as close to a perfect game as one possibly can -— knocking down five 3-pointers and shooting 9-for-9 from the field. Robinson’s show was the cherry on top of an unprecedented season by Exeter, who earlier in the day met on the front steps of their gym to discuss their goals one last time before departing for the championship game.

“We just kind of knew we had already reached that. That’s why I’m so proud of this group of kids. This group will hold a special place in Exeter history,” Tilton said.

Tilton admitted it is also a team that will hold a special place in his own memory, too. The teary-eyed veteran coach embraced each one of his players after the game, including his star forward.

“He said he loved me, and I said it right back, he’s done so much for all of us, myself included,” Robinson said, “To do that for him -- I know he wanted it very, very badly. He’s the hardest-working coach I’ve ever played for. He loves his players and cares about each and every one of us. It was only right that we did it for him.”

Exeter’s tremendous defensive effort held a very good shooting Choate team to just 4-15 from behind the three-point line. Future Wisconsin guard Jordan Hill was the catalyst; with long arms, a hard-nosed defensive mentality, and quick feet, Hill constantly harassed Choate guards Colin Richey (10 points) and Pete Weston (15 points).

“It starts with Jordan,” Tilton pointed out, “every second of the game he has a high motor, he doesn’t take unnecessary chances. To play that hard on the ball—he starts it, and we have great commitment off the ball helping him. It’s something we’ve been committed to from day one.”

Brewster takes AAA title in a thriller: Martez Harrison was one of the top scorers in the nation last year, averaging 35 points per game at University Academy Charter in Missouri. On Sunday in the Class AAA championship game though, he showed his complete ability to play the point guard position—leading Brewster to a thrilling 77-75 victory.

“Martez is the kid on our team who definitely has the biggest heart, he’s a true leader," Brewster coach Jason Smith said. "The growth and improvement from a point guard’s perspective from September until now has been phenomenal. He’s not really in the limelight, but we don’t win without him controlling the tempo, making good decisions, and making the right plays.”

Harrison, who finished with 14 points, shared the spotlight with future West Virginia forward Elijah Macon -- who was fresh off a heroic performance against Northfield Mount Hermon on Friday night. Finishing with 15 points and 12 rebounds in the finals, Macon, Brewster’s sixth-man, took home tournament MVP.

“[At the] beginning of the year...Elijah knew we were having a difficult time with whether we should play all three of the bigs together," Smith said.n "Or who was going to come off the bench. Elijah was the one who volunteered, he’s very mature for an 18 year old kid.”

Macon and N.C. State-bound forward Kyle Washington each picked up their fourth foul about midway through the second half, but Smith said the foul trouble did little to hinder his team in terms of gameplanning and substitutions.

“We were going to play Elijah his normal rotation of four and a half minutes," Smith said. "It just worked out well, Kyle picked up his fourth foul initially, and the substitution pattern worked out perfectly. Four fouls never really even came into play, it was just subbing in four minute intervals when needed.”

Gabe Levin and Marquise Moore each had 20 points for St. Thomas More, who was the top seed in the tournament thanks to very strong guard play and great preparation from long-time coach Jere Quinn.

“Anytime that you can beat a Jere Quinn coached-teams in the finals, it’s something that you have to work very hard for,” Smith said. “His teams are always very well-prepared, they don’t beat themselves, they don’t make mistakes. We could have caved in when we were down, but we persevered, we got stops when we needed to and we found a way.”

This afternoon on ESPNU's McDonald's All-American Selection Show, senior analyst Paul Biancardi broke down the East roster, making note of the two Massachusetts natives on this year's squad, New Hampton's Noah Vonleh and Tilton's Wayne Selden:

ESPNU has updated its national basketball player rankings today. To see them, click here for 2013, 2014, and 2015.

A number of locals either move up or hold on to their spots in the latest updated rankings, including New Hampton's Noah Vonleh and Tilton's Wayne Selden. Below is the complete list of locals:

2013
8. Noah Vonleh, Haverhill, Mass./New Hampton (N.H.)
12. Wayne Selden, Boston/Tilton (N.H.)
83. Kyle Washington, Champlin, Minn./Brewster Academy (N.H.)

2014
6. Chris McCullough, Bronx, N.Y./Brewster Academy (N.H.)
20. Goodluck Okonoboh, Boston/Wilbraham & Monson
53. Abdul-Malik Abu, Boston/Kimball Union (N.H.)
54. Kaleb Joseph, Nashua, N.H./Cushing Academy

From a New England standpoint, perhaps the most noteworthy item on national signing day was Tim Boyle's decision to remain in his home state and sign with the University of Connecticut.

Boyle, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound quarterback, led Xavier High School (Middletown) to its third consecutive Class LL state championship last fall. He passed for 2,483 yards and 24 touchdowns during his senior season.

Boyle originally committed to Boston College, and remained committed to BC after Connecticut native Steve Addazio replaced Frank Spaziani as BC's head coach. Addazio's offense requires a dual-threat quarterback, however, and although he ran for 295 yards and five touchdowns on 60 carries last season, Boyle is considered to be more of a pro-style passer.

He decommitted from BC and gave a verbal commitment to UConn earlier this month, and made things official on national signing day.

“This is a good day for me,” Boyle said after signing his National Letter of Intent. “It's been a long process because BC was the first school to offer me a scholarship back when I was a sophomore. I'm happy it's over.”

Boyle is one of five Connecticut residents in the Class of 2013 who signed National Letter of Intent to play at UConn. The others are linebacker Cory Jasudowich (Cheshire Academy), tight end Thomas Myers (Coventry), defensive end Cole Ormsby (Windsor) and fullback Matt Walsh (Daniel Hand).

BLOCKS OF GRANITE
The University of New Hampshire brought in a small class – 11 players – but three of them were in-state linemen: Portsmouth defensive tackle Rick Holt, Souhegan offensive tackle Jake Kennedy and Bedford offensive tackle Will McInerney.

Holt and Kennedy have been playing against each other since they were freshmen.

"There was some trash-talking between us when we were freshmen and sophomores, but we developed a level of respect for one another during our junior year," Holt said. "We've played against each other for a long time, but it's pretty cool that we're both going to UNH as friends and teammates."

McInerney, who is 6-foot-7 and weighs 290 pounds, may be the most intriguing prospect of the three. He had surgery on both knees last year, and did not play during his senior season.

"It was unfortunate that he missed his senior year, but he was very impressive in our camps and clinics last spring, so we knew he was the right fit for us," UNH coach Sean McDonnell said.

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
Bangor (Maine) wide receiver Matt Cosgrove is one of three players who signed a National Letter of Intent to play at the University of Maine. Cosgrove's father Jack is Maine's head coach.

“It’s exciting, I think, for both of us,” Jack Cosgrove told the Bangor Daily News. “It’s something we talked about up front. Matt gets it -- he knows what we’re all about. He’s seen it growing up with big eyes as a little boy and with small eyes as a big boy.”

Defensive back Spencer Carey (Lawrence) and tight end Dakota Tarbox (Thornton Academy) were the other Maine players who signed with the Black Bears.

DELAY OF GAME
Running back Jerickson Fedrick, who grew up in Lawrence but played high school football in Salem, N.H., said he has accepted a scholarship from the University of Maine, but will redshirt next season.

Fedrick graduated from Salem in 2012 and played prep school football for Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Conn., last season. He ran for a team-high 1,268 yards and 16 touchdowns last fall.

Fedrick, who was also a track standout in high school, rushed for 4,568 yards and scored 75 touchdowns for Salem.

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR
Five of the top recruits from New England in the Class of 2014:

• Jon Baker, OL, Millis/Hopedale
• Manny Latimore, RB, Pinkerton Academy (N.H.)
• Arkeel Newsome, RB, Ansonia (Conn.)
• Connor Strachan, LB, St. Sebastian's
• Jon Thomas, RB, St. John's Prep

Strachan and Thomas are both on the ESPN Watch List.

Information about high school or prep school recruits in New England can be sent to Roger Brown at rbrown@nhfootballreport.com.

In its 28th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Kristi Kirshe of Franklin High School as its 2012-13 Gatorade Massachusetts Girls Soccer Player of the Year. Kirshe is the first Gatorade Massachusetts Girls Soccer Player of the Year to be chosen from Franklin High School.

The 5-foot-4 senior forward led the Panthers to a 22-0-1 record and the Division 1 state championship this past season. Kirshe scored 40 goals and passed for 13 assists, scoring both goals in a 2-0 win over Nashoba Regional High in the state title game. An All-American selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and the Boston Globe’s Division 1 Player of the Year, Kirshe was also named Miss Soccer by ESPNBoston.com. She concluded her prep soccer career with 102 goals and 44 assists.

Kirshe has maintained a 4.27 weighted GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally as a middle school math tutor and as a youth basketball, soccer and lacrosse coach. She’s also donated her time on behalf of the Relay for Life.

“Kristi Kirshe is the player to build a team around,” said Steve Santos, head coach of Attleboro High. “She works hard and makes others around her better.”

Kirshe has made a verbal commitment to attend Williams College where she will play soccer beginning this fall.

Kirshe joins recent Gatorade Massachusetts Girls Soccer Players of the Year Hayley Dowd, (2011-12, Peabody High School), Sam Mewis (2010 – 11 & 2009-10, Whitman-Hanson Regional High School), Danielle Dakin (2008–09, Minnechaug Regional High School), Hayley Brock (2007-08, Acton-Boxborough Regional High School), and Amy Caldwell (2006-2007, Braintree) among the state’s list of former award winners.

Below are other five winners from New England:

CONNECTICUT: SARAH MCCAULEY, CHASE COLLEGIATE

The 5-foot-7 junior forward scored 79 goals and passed for 25 assists this past season, leading the Highlanders (21-1) to the New England Prep School Athletic Council Class D semifinals. McCauley is a three-time NESPAC Class D All-Star and a two-time All-New England Region selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. She concluded her junior year with 143 goals and 57 assists in her prep soccer career.

McCauley has maintained an A-minus average in the classroom. She has volunteered locally as a youth soccer coach and on behalf of fundraising campaigns to benefit AIDS research as well as the Afghan Youth Sports Exchange, which empowers girls in Afghanistan by teaching them to play soccer.

“What makes Sarah so dangerous is her field awareness and quickness with the ball,” said Kyle Halloran, head coach of the Forman School. “She has the ability to take possession all the way down the field if necessary, but if targeted she was incredibly quick with her feet to set up her teammates. While she is a very good player, she also makes every player around her better.”

McCauley has verbally committed to attend Yale University, where she will play soccer beginning in the fall of 2014.

MAINE: CAITLIN BUCKSBAUM, FALMOUTH

The returning Gatorade Player of the Year, the 5-foot-5 senior midfielder led the Yachtsmen to a 14-2-2 record and a third straight Class B state championship this past season. Bucksbaum scored eight goals and passed for 10 assists, including two assists in Falmouth’s state championship run. She is the Maine Sunday Telegram Player of the Year and the 2012 Class B Player of the Year.

Bucksbaum has maintained an A average in the classroom. The treasurer of the Falmouth High senior class, she has volunteered locally with the school’s Environmental Action Committee, as a peer math tutor and with Ronald McDonald House Charities.

“Caitlin hurt us because her pace and ability to control the ball in the midfield stymied my midfielders, making them ineffective,” said Steve Boyce, head coach of Morse High. “She set up most if not all the goals Falmouth scored against us in each of their one-goal victories.”

Bucksbaum has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer on an athletic scholarship at Villanova University beginning this fall.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: MORGAN ANDREWS, MILFORD

The returning Gatorade National Player of the Year and the two-time returning Gatorade State Player of the Year, the 5-foot-9 senior forward led the Spartans to a 16-3-1 record and the Division II state title this past season. Andrews scored 31 goals and passed for 18 assists, notching both goals in Milford’s 2-1 win over Souhegan High in the state final. Andrews is the captain of the U.S. Soccer Under-17 Women’s National Team and a member of the Under-20 and Under-23 National Team player pools. The 2012 National Soccer Coaches Association of America High School Player of the Year and a three-time NSCAA All-American selection, she concluded her prep soccer career with 114 goals and 53 assists.

Andrews has maintained a 3.13 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally as a youth soccer coach and mentor in addition to founding and actively promoting the “Kicks for Cans” charity program that involved coaches and players donating their time in exchange for canned goods that are brought to area food banks.

“I have been trying to figure out what makes Morgan Andrews so good for the last 4-5 years,” said Dwayne Andreasen, head coach of Souhegan High. “Morgan is a very dedicated and driven young lady on the soccer pitch. When competing against her or just watching her play, you can see her determination in everything she does.”

Andrews has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer on an athletic scholarship at the University of Notre Dame beginning this fall.

RHODE ISLAND: MADISON DAMM, NORTH KINGSTOWN

The 5-foot-4 senior midfielder scored 11 goals and passed for nine assists this past season, leading the Skippers (9-3-4) to the Division I state quarterfinals. Damm was an All-American selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and a two-time First Team All-State honoree. She concluded her prep soccer career with 50 goals and 34 assists.

Damm has maintained a 3.17 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally as a youth soccer coach in addition to donating her time at a homeless shelter and at the Sargent Rehabilitation Center in Warwick.

“Madison Damm was the engine that kept her team running,” said Martin Yarumian, head coach of Bay View Academy. “She possesses the little extra quality to her that others don’t have. It is dangerous to not know where she is at all times.”

Damm has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer on an athletic scholarship at Syracuse University beginning this fall.

VERMONT: KATIE STAMES, PEOPLES ACADEMY

The 5-foot-4 junior forward scored 43 goals and passed for 20 assists this past season, leading the Wolves (18-0) to the Division 3 state championship. An All-American selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, Stames was also named the Times Argus Player of the Year and was a First Team All-State choice by the Burlington Free Press.

Stames has maintained an A average in the classroom. She has volunteered locally on behalf of a food pantry and youth soccer programs.

“Stames is an incredibly gifted attacking player,” said Jeff Burroughs, head coach at St. Johnsbury Academy. “She’s very creative and she’s the quickest offensive player we saw. She’s unpredictable and very good technically.”

Stames will begin her senior year of high school this fall.

The Division I girls basketball season is more than halfway over, and the question many people are asking is this: Just how good is Pinkerton Academy?

Pinkerton wasn't mentioned among the favorites when the season began, but the Astros are the lone unbeaten team in the division. Pinkerton raised its record to 10-0 by beating Manchester Central, 71-43, Friday night.

Pinkerton leads a pack of contenders that includes Bishop Guertin (9-1), Nashua North (9-1), Bedford (10-2) and Londonderry (8-2).

“The reality is we have not played any of the top four teams – BG, Londonderry, North and Bedford,” Pinkerton head coach John Barry said. “So not playing the top four teams makes the (10-0) record a little deceptive. We have some serious weaknesses that may show up when we play those teams.

“I'd be stupid not to like (the 10-0 start). We felt it was attainable, but I'm a realist and I'm practical about things.”

Senior point guard Samantha Breslin is the only senior on the Pinkerton roster. The Astros have been winning with a balanced offense, and a defense that has held seven of its 10 opponents to less than 40 points.

“If any one of my players tries to do too much by themselves we have problems,” Barry said. “When they play together, they're good. We're not a team based on one star.”

Any question about where Pinkerton fits in Division I should be answered in the first half of February. On Feb. 1 the Astros begin a four-game stretch that features games against Londonderry, Nashua North, BG and Bedford.

“They will play the top teams tough,” Manchester Central head coach Mike Wenners said. “They're more than capable of beating anybody.”

GAGNE HEADED TO WESTFORD ACADEMY
Adam Gagne has resigned as Salem High School's football coach to become the head coach at Westford (Mass.) Academy.

Salem was 0-11 last season, Gagne's only season as the program's head coach. Gagne teaches and coaches freshman basketball at Westford Academy.

"While I thoroughly enjoyed my time coaching at Salem, the opportunity to teach and coach at Westford Academy was something I had to take advantage of," Gagne said. "I am very grateful for this great opportunity and I'm excited to get started."

Gagne, who lives in Haverhill, Mass, was an assistant coach at Westford Academy under Rich McKenna for three seasons before he was hired to replace Jack Gati as Salem's head coach. Gagne was also an assistant coach at Merrimack College from 2003 to 2009.

McKenna recently became the head coach at Billerica (Mass.) High.

Gati resigned following the 2011 season, after guiding Salem to a 121-77 record and two state championships during his 18 seasons at the school. Gati has also served as the head coach at Trinity (1978-85) and Concord (1986-93). He has a 221-138 career record with four state championships (1987, 1989, 1995 and 2009).

BERLIN MEETING LITTLE RESISTANCE
No New Hampshire high school hockey team has a stronger pedigree than Berlin, which has made 27 championship game appearances and claimed nine titles since 1947. Lack of participation prompted Berlin to drop from Division I to Division III following the 2011-12 season, however, and the Mountaineers have established themselves as the clear team to beat in their new division.

At 11-0, Berlin is the only unbeaten team in Division III. The Mountaineers have outscored their opponents 79-13, and six of their 11 victories have been shutouts.

Connor Jewett is the team's offensive leader. Through 10 games Jewett led the state in scoring with 30 goals and 19 assists.

JENNESS NOTCHES RARE FEAT
White Mountains Regional girls basketball coach Gary Jenness collected his 600th career victory Friday night when White Mountains defeated Berlin, 47-20. White Mountains improved its Division III record to 12-0 with the win.

Jenness, who is in his 39th season as a head coach, guided White Mountains to a 56-51 triumph over Campbell in last year's Division III championship game. The victory ended Campbell's 39-game winning streak and handed White Mountains its first state title since 1999.

Roger Brown is a staff writer for the New Hampshire Union Leader, and has been covering high school sports throughout New England since 1992.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -– Brewster Academy flexed its muscles on Sunday afternoon at the Hoophall Classic, dominating NEPSAC foe South Kent from start to finish and coming out with an 88-57 victory.

Syracuse commit Chris McCullough was virtually unstoppable on the offensive end for the Bobcats, scoring the vast majority of his points in transition –- including a few high-rising dunks, to the delight of the packed crowd at Springfield College's Blake Arena.

“When I dunked it, I hoped to get my team hyped and have that hype on the bench,” McCullough said.

McCullough transferred to Brewster this season after leading Salisbury (Conn.) to last year’s NEPSAC Class A title. A long 6-foot-10 forward who can handle the ball and get up and down the floor with impressive speed, McCullough committed to the Orange back in November. He then hinted around a month later that he may try to reclassify to the class of 2013 to be able to go to Syracuse this coming fall, but that plan has since fallen through.

In addition to McCullough’s 21 points, Brewster also got 16 points from point guard Kevin Zabo and 12 from West Virginia commit Elijah Macon.

Macon, a strong 6-foot-8 forward who is doing a postgraduate year before joining the Mountaineers next fall, made his presence felt on the offensive end in the halfcourt. Known for his ability to outmuscle opponents and finish loud dunks inside, he gave Brewster exactly the spark they needed off the bench.

Terrell makes a statement: Brewster junior Jared Terrell has had as much of an up-and-down season as any player in the region, and he felt as if he needed to make a statement with his play on the defensive end on Sunday.

Terrell, who suffered an ankle injury late last summer, says he is still recovering from the injury that kept him away from anything but light activity for the entire fall.

Because of the ankle, the top 100 guard struggled with his mobility the last time he played on a big stage at the National Prep Showcase back in mid-November, and because he had been recovering he was in far from top physical shape. He didn’t exactly draw rave reviews following the event, and because of that he said he had been looking forward to the Hoophall for a while, so that he could help ease doubters.

“[The Hoophall] is just a time to show off your talents to a lot of coaches and a lot of people that might have had doubts about you," he said. "It’s a good chance to prove what you can do.”

On his recovering ankle? Terrell said he still isn’t that close to being 100% recovered, but he can see the gradual progress that the healing process is making.

“I feel good, it bothers me at times but I can play through it," he said. "It doesn’t hurt as much as it did in September and October.”

Outside of an explosive one-handed dunk on a breakaway in the second half, his offensive presence wasn’t as needed given the big scoring performances from McCullough, Macon, and Zabo. Instead, he put a lot of his effort into the defensive end of the floor, where he consistently beat his man to the spot and cut off passing lanes.

All in all, his on-ball defense and liveliness on the defensive end helped the Bobcats hold South Kent to just 31% shooting from the field. His help defense was also a big reason why South Kent’s star forward Kamall Richards, a Xavier commit, shot just 6-for-17 from the floor.

“I think I played well defensively actually, I guarded my position and I rebounded well, better than I have earlier in the season. I thought it was good.”

“Playing against these guys every day,” he said, pointing into the locker room to his teammates, “I’m going to improve a lot.”

We're more than a month into the Division 1 boys basketball season, and you'd have to dig deep into the league standings before you found a team not capable of winning this year's state championship.

Entering Friday night's schedule eight teams are above .500, and all of them seem to have legitimate title hopes.

“Obviously some teams are better than others right now, but there are quite a few teams that could put things together by the end of the year and they could be real dangerous,” Salem coach Rob McLaughlin said. “I see a lot of teams that could cause problems.”

Even Manchester Central (7-0) and Trinity (6-0) – the only unbeaten teams in league play – have a non-league loss against a Division I opponent. Trinity lost to Central in the Queen City Invitational, and Central lost to Manchester Memorial in the same tournament.

Memorial (5-1) is one of four teams with one loss. That group includes Bishop Guertin (6-1), Nashua South (6-1) and Spaulding (6-1). Merrimack (4-2) and injury-plagued Winnacunnet (4-3) round out the top eight.

“Right now I'd have to say Trinity and Central are the two best teams,” said McLaughlin, who has faced five of the top eight teams in the standings. “At least they're the best teams we've played. Then there are a bunch of teams that aren't that far behind.”

GIVING DEVILS THEIR DUE
No NHIAA hockey team is playing better than Salem, which is 6-0-1 since opening the season with a 1-0 loss to Bishop Guertin. The Blue Devils stretched their winning streak to five games when they beat Exeter 6-1 Saturday.

Salem has been winning with defense. Goaltender Nick Phair has a 1.16 goals-against average – the lowest among Division I goalies – and a .949 save percentage in 233 minutes. Cody Soucy (nine points) and Jake Pappalardo (seven points) lead the offense.

The Blue Devils have outscored their opponents, 29-11.

STAR GAZING
Rosters for the second CHaD New Hampshire East-West All-Star Football Game were released earlier this month. This year's game will be played June 29 at the University of New Hampshire's Cowell Stadium, and will benefit Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (ChaD).

Former Manchester Central coach Jim Schubert will coach the West, and former Concord coach Bob Camirand will serve as the East's head coach. The East roster includes five players from Division I champion Exeter and five from Division I runner-up Pinkerton Academy of Derry.

“As is the case with any all-star game there are some people who are worthy who won't be selected,” Camirand said. “We looked at people who were familiar with the 4-4 defense and running the football from under center out of the Wing-T or the Double-Wing, which is what I hang my hat on.

“The Pinkerton kids and the Exeter kids are familiar with the offense we'll be running so it makes for an easy transition.”

The West won the inaugural game, 44-12, last summer.

“This is an all-star game,” Schubert said. “These are the best senior players in New Hampshire in the eyes of the coaches.”

EAST-WEST ALL-STAR ROSTERS
West players:
David Cannone (RB/LB) Bedford; James Capparell (QB) Bedford; Brian Collins (WR/OLB) Bedford; Dylan York (RB/DB) Bedford; Blake Boudreau (FB/LB) Bishop Guertin; Nick Marino (RB/DB) Bishop Guertin; Seth Gosse (OL/DL) Concord; Tolbert Nemo (RB) Concord; Kody Benwell (FB/TE/LB) Franklin; Nathan Grevior (OT/DT) Franklin; Connor Benjamin (QB/RB/WR) Goffstown; Cyrus Rothwell-Ferraris (WR/S) Hanover; Mitch Frick (WR/CB) Hollis/Brookline; Lucas Luopa (QB/DB) Keene; Dylan Drew (RB/LB/DE) Lebanon; Zach Hileman (C/DL) Manchester Central; Troy Pelletier (WR/DB) Manchester Central; Pierre Noel (WR/S) Manchester Memorial; Jared Ombati (RB/DB) Manchester Memorial; Zach Ziemba (QB/DB) Manchester West; Chris Sanborn (TE/DE/MLB) Mascoma; Joe Albina (RB/LB) Milford; Nick Patterson (G/LB) Monadnock; Mike Lynch (OT/DT) Nashua North; Deric Wagner (TE/RB/LB/DE) Nashua North; Stephen Choate (WR) Nashua South; Christian Stack (OL) Nashua South; Matt Tremblay (RB/OL/LB) Newport; Brandon Goodale (FB/HB) Plymouth; Chase Wyman (OG/DT) Plymouth; Tyler Ford (QB/WR/DB) Souhegan; Jake Kennedy (OT) Souhegan; CJ Gosselin (OT/LB) Stevens; Colin Bouchard (OL/DL) Trinity; Ryan Carrier (FB/DL/LB) Trinity; Romeo Masuku (RB/WR/LB/DB) Trinity; Russ Pallas (OL/DL) Trinity.

West coaches:
Jim Schubert (head coach), Mike Bombardier, Eric Brown, Dante Laurendi, Jimmy Lauzon, Paul Lavigne, Bob Leclair, Gerry Tautkus.

East players:
Matt Dow (OL/DL) Dover; Kyle Seawards (RB/WR/DB) Dover; Eric Wilson (TE/LB) Dover; Zach Bosen (TE/DT) Exeter; Tyler Grant (HB/TB/SS) Exeter; Logan Laurent (P/K) Exeter; Jamie Vogt (HB/LB) Exeter; Jameson Whiteley (TE/OLB) Exeter; Conor McDonald (LB) Kennett; David Mahoney (RB/LB) Laconia; Graham Nyhan (TE) Laconia; Troy Ward (FB/DE) Londonderry; Chadd Loring (C/DL) Pelham; Chris Ford (OG/DT) Pembroke; Jake Bernaiche (G/DL) Pinkerton; David Hansen (G/LB) Pinkerton; Chris St. Onge (HB/QB/S) Pinkerton; Matt St. Onge (FB/LB) Pinkerton; Brett Stuart (HB/DB) Pinkerton; Dillon Crosby (RB/OLB) Portsmouth; Rick Holt (DT) Portsmouth; Kurtis Leonard (C/DE) Portsmouth; Drew Francoeur (QB/DB) Somersworth; Tyler Kretschmar (OL/DE) Somersworth; Kyle Hall (OL/DL) Spaulding; Ryan Monette (RB/WR/CB/S) St. Thomas; Joe Richard (G/LB) St. Thomas; Joshua David (RB/WR/DB) Timberlane; Ryan McCarthy (WR/DB) Timberlane; Danny Cannone (RB/TE/OLB/DE) Windham; Kevin Cooney (FB/OLB/DE) Windham; Joe Lorenz (QB/S) Windham; Jordan Cutting (G/OT/NG) Winnacunnet; Christian Dyer (OT/DT) Winnacunnet; Ben Franzoso (RB) Winnacunnet; Ben Gareau (WR/DB) Winnacunnet; Mason Taylor (G/OL) Winnisquam.

East coaches:
Bob Camirand (head coach), Peter Bergeron, Dave Bernaiche, Dan Fallon, Dave Malay, Ken Sciacca.

NHL EYES SANFORD
Zach Sanford, who helped Pinkerton Academy win the 2012 Division I ice hockey championship, was among the players listed on the NHL Central Scouting Bureau's mid-term rankings, which were released on Jan. 15.

Sanford, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound forward, was listed at No. 83. He is currently playing for the EJHL's Islanders Hockey Club, and had three goals and 15 assists through 24 games.

Sanford, an Auburn resident, had 69 points in 21 games last season – he collected at least one point in every game -- and collected a goal during Pinkerton's 3-2 triumph over Manchester Memorial in the Division I championship game.

EPPING'S STANLEY JOINS ELITE GROUP
Senior Frank Stanley became the seventh Epping High School boys basketball player to score 1,000 career points when he tossed in 25 during a 66-29 victory over Wilton-Lyndeborough on Jan. 11.

Stanley, an undersized center, finished the game with 1,001 career points.

Roger Brown is a staff writer for the New Hampshire Union Leader and publishes the New Hampshire Football Report. He has been covering high school sports throughout New England since 1992.

In its 28th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Jonathan Green of St. John's High School as its 2012-13 Gatorade Massachusetts Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year. Green is the first Gatorade Massachusetts Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year to be chosen from St. John's High School.

The 5-foot-10, 145-pound senior raced to his second straight Division I individual state championship this past season with a time of 15:29.6. A three-time First Team All-State selection, Green earned second place at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional championships, crossing the line in 15:36.8. He went on to finish 22nd at the national Foot Locker Cross Country Championships in 15:45.

Green has maintained a B average in the classroom. A devoted parishioner in his church community, he has volunteered locally as a youth cross country and track and field coach.

“I am extremely impressed by everything I have seen from Jonathan Green,” said Brian Wallace, head coach at Wachusett Regional High. “We have competed against him quite a bit and he always approaches the sport with class in addition to being an exceptional runner.”

Green has verbally committed to an athletic scholarship at Georgetown University beginning this fall.

Green joins Gatorade Massachusetts Boys Cross Country Runners of the Year Wesley Gallagher (2011-12, Pembroke High School), John Murray (2010-11, Shrewsbury High School), Patrick McGowan (2009-10, Mansfield), Mike Moverman (2008-09, Oliver Ames), and Robert Gibson (2007-08, Brookline) as athletes who have won the cross country award since its inception in 2007.

***

Here are the winners from the five other New England states:

CONNECTICUT: HENRY WYNNE, STAPLES

The 6-foot-3 senior raced to the State Open championship this past season with a time of 15:49. Wynne also captured the Class LL state title, also in 15:49, and finished first at the Wickham Park Invitational, the Windham Invitational and the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference Championships.

Wynne has maintained a 3.20 GPA in the classroom. A student ambassador in his school, he has volunteered locally on behalf of community road races.

“You won’t find anyone who works harder or is more dedicated to reaching his goals,” said Staples head coach Laddie Lawrence. “He’s established several school records and he’s knocking on the door of several more.”

Wynne has verbally committed to an athletic scholarship at the University of Virginia beginning this fall.

RHODE ISLAND: TREVOR CAWLEY, CUMBERLAND

The 5-foot-8 senior raced to the All-State Meet individual state championship this past season with a time of 15:39.47, leading the Clippers to fifth place as a team. A First Team All-State selection as named by the Providence Journal and Rhode Island Track Coaches Association, Crawley also won the Class A individual title in 15:52.20. Crawley captured second place at the New England Championships with a time of 16:14.21, placed sixth at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional Championships in 15:47.3 and finished 38th at the national Foot Locker Cross Country Championships. He concluded his senior season unbeaten against Rhode Island competition.

Also a track standout, Crawley has maintained a B average in the classroom. In addition to participating in the National Guard’s youth leadership program, he has volunteered on behalf of Cumberland’s recreation department, where he has also donated his time as a youth track and soccer instructor.

“Trevor is a very dedicated, internally motivated young man,” said Cumberland head coach Thomas Kenwood. “He wants to win and pushes himself each and every day in practice and races. He is goal-oriented, sets high standards for himself and so far has attained the goals.”

Crawley remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: JEREMY BRASSARD, COE-BROWN NORTHWOOD ACADEMY

The 6-foot junior raced to the Meet of Champions individual title this past season with a time of 15:46.1. Also the Runner of the Year as named by the Union Leader, Concord Monitor, Foster’s Daily Democrat and New Hampshire Cross Country Coaches Association, Brassard also won the Division II individual championship in 16:08. Brassard captured a state-best 19th place at the New England Championships in 16:52.77 and finished 74th at the Nike Cross Nationals Northeast Regional championships in 17:11.7. He concluded the regular season unbeaten against New Hampshire competition.

Also a track standout, Brassard has maintained a B average in the classroom. In addition to donating his time as part of food drives and community cleanup efforts, he has volunteered locally on behalf of the Boy Scouts of America, the Special Olympics, Court Appointed Special Advocates and The Way Home, an affordable-housing non-profit.

“Jeremy has overcome challenges not only to become one of the best athletes in the Northeast, but more importantly, has learned the value of citizenship and has given back tenfold,” said Coe-Brown coach Tim Cox. “Running-wise, while working a full-time camp counselor job away from home this past summer, Jeremy would do most of his training at 5 a.m. This is what separated him athletically from his peers.”

Brassard will begin his senior year of high school this fall.

MAINE: DANIEL CURTIS, ELLSWORTH

The 5-foot-11 junior raced to the Class B individual state championship this past season with a time of 15:47.52, leading the Eagles to fourth place as a team. Also the Runner of the Year as named by the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, Curts placed 17th at the New England Championships in 16:49.88 and finished 25th at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional championships in 16:20.8. He captured third place at the 2010 and 2011 Class B state meets in his freshman and sophomore seasons.

Also a track standout, Curts has maintained an A-minus average in the classroom. In addition to donating hundreds of hours as a summer camp counselor, he has volunteered at the annual Mount Desert Island Marathon and as part of Welcome to My Home, a homelessness outreach and advocacy initiative.

“With his enthusiasm and work ethic, people just follow him,” said Ellsworth athletic director Jay Brown. “He’s a leader on the team. Along with Dan being a great athlete, he’s a great representative of our school. He’s so appreciative of all his accolades and everything he’s achieved. By the same token, he’s an ambassador for our school. The things he’s done are great for us. He gives our school a great name. He doesn’t have a bad quality about him.”

Curts will begin his senior year of high school this fall.

VERMONT: DANIEL GROSVENOR, MONTPELIER

The 5-foot-8 senior raced to the Division 2 individual state championship this past season with a time of 16:39.3, leading the Solons to fifth place as a team. Grosvenor finished 10th at the New England Cross Country Championships and captured 13th at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional championships. He earned victories at the Essex Invitational, the Woods Trail Run and the Northern Vermont Athletic Conference Mountain Division Championships.

Grosvenor has maintained a 4.0 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered locally as an elementary school mentor and a wilderness safety instructor. He has also served on his school’s student council.

“Daniel had an extraordinary 2011, his first year running cross country, and he made significant improvement this year as a senior,” said Montpelier coach Tim Noonan. “He was committed, enthusiastic and a hard worker throughout the season.”

Grosvenor remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.