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NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. -- Still sleeping on the Knights?

Time to wake up. Thought by several media outlets -- including us -- to be a dark horse in a competitive MIAA Division 2 field this season, North Andover is quickly eroding that perception as the wins continue to pile up. Contender might be the more appropriate term after the Knights knocked off East Boston tonight after trailing by double-digits in the first half.

At the heart of it all is senior captain Zach Karalis, an even-keeled scorer with a sweet stroke from deep, who is currently averaging 17 points, six rebounds and four assists. The WPI commit gave the Knights the lead for good with a three-pointer that made it 45-41 with three minutes to go in the game. After the exciting win, Karalis talked to ESPNBoston.com about some of his favorite plays to run, his improving big men, and what it's like facing arguably the best shot-blocker in the country.

Q: In the preseason, some of us were calling you guys sleepers in Division 2. What kind of goals did you guys set for yourselves?
A: "We came out and wanted to win the [Greater Lawrence] Christmas Tournament. We didn't do that, we had a tough loss to Lawrence, but we thought that made us stronger as a team. And then we definitely wanted to go undefeated, but didn't keep that. But we wanted to beat East Boston tonight, and prove to everyone that we can play."

Q: You've got a nice stroke from long range. How many shots do you put up in a typical day?
A: "Usually before practice, I'll do some form shooting. Then after practice, I'll take like 100-200 shots from the three-point line."

Q: Do you practice outside of your scheduled time?
A: "Yeah, I play basketball year-round, so basically every day."

Q: By that I mean, do you go back home and hit the driveway?
A: "Oh yeah, I've got myself a nice driveway, so I do it like every day."

Q: What's the sense of school pride with you guys this year?
A: "Yeah, our school has a good history, a lot of great teams. We've been in the [MIAA] tournament like 46, 47 years in a row, so we just want to keep it going as long as we can."

Q: Not a lot of teams in the MIAA have size this year, but you've got several nice post players to work with, that seem to move well around the floor.
A: "Mike Moroney and Isaiah Nelsen have been playing great for us. John [Miller] coming off the bench, has played great minutes for us, too. They're just getting stronger physically, and better. They've played really well so far."

Q: What's your favorite play to run?
A: "I like 'Gonzaga'. It's like, a double-screen for a three. I like it because I get to shoot at three, so..[laughter]."

Q: Who are some of the best players you've faced in your high school career?
A: "In AAU [with the New England Storm] I faced Nerlens Noel, I faced all those guys. Basically, anyone on BABC that I faced, Nerlens Noel especially."

Q: Since you mentioned Nerlens, I don't know if you caught some of the news over the weekend, but people are starting to compare him to NBA-caliber shot blockers -- Ewing, Mourning, etc. Where does he rank as far as players you've faced?
A: "He's definitely No. 1. I remember he blocked my shot pretty badly one time [laughter]."

Q: Do you think the comparisons are fair?
A: "Definitely. He's a great player."

Q: Take me through your pre-game routine on game day.
A: "Usually, I go home, I get a bite to eat, usually pasta and noodles. Then I come real early to the gym, usually get shots up on this hoop right here (points to opposite end of court). That's at probably 4, and the game's at 7, so usually I go upstairs and jump rope. Then I relax with the team, and go over the game plan with coach."

Q: Your team in one word.
A: "I don't want to say underrated anymore. I just want to say very good. Talented."

DANVERS, Mass. -- With the graduation of one of the MIAA's all-time greats in Pat Connaughton, the St. John's Prep boys' basketball team is adopting a new identity in its Division 1 state title defense. Leading the charges has been senior Steve Haladyna, who last year toiled as the second banana to Connaughton (now a freshman at Notre Dame), there to pick up the scoring slack when things got stagnant, and good enough to earn a place on ESPNBoston's inaugural MIAA All-State Team.

And with all that said, teams have wasted no time going for the Eagles' jugular in the 2011-12 season. The Eagles opened the season Tuesday night avoiding a scare from the most unexpected of places, eking out a 78-76 overtime win over Division 4 St. Mary's of Lynn, thanks to Haladyna's 38 points and 20 rebounds. Thursday night against Lynn Classical, a 61-42 win, the South Hamilton resident scored 17 points and five rebounds, putting him 24 points away from 1,000 for his career.

The road doesn't get easier. Prep has a week off before starting a tough four-game stretch in Everett, defending D2 state champ New Mission, and two games in the BABC Holiday Classic, at Chelsea High School. With a fundamentally sound group of seniors guiding a talented underclass that is expected to play big minutes, can they keep last year's momentum going? Haladyna spoke with ESPNBoston.com following last night's win to talk about his elevated role, the art of the Euro step, and how he gets prepared on game day.

Q: How have the expectations changed this year? Maybe you're not as dynamic as you were last year with Pat Connaughton, obviously, but what kind of expectations have you put on yourself?
A: "I've put a lot of expectations on myself to score more. Teams are going to be scouting my tendencies more, as well as the rest of the team's key tendencies, so we have to work on our weaknesses, and we have to execute our offense. It's going to be more about our team, and picking up the scoring slack for Pat."

Q: How does the motivation change as a defending state champion?
A: "Every night, we know the other team is going to come out and give it their all. St. Mary's the other day, they came out like it was their Super Bowl game. Tonight, Classical played hard. Every team, we're going to get their best effort, so we have to be ready for every game."

Q: How do you prepare for a game? Some guys like to get loose, others more intense. Take me through game day.
A: "I'm calm, I'm rather loose about it. Me and a couple friends on the team, we go out to eat before every game. We just relax, get a bite to eat, come into the gym early and listen to some music and focus...We go to the Ninety-Nine sometimes, it varies, sometimes we go to T.G.I. Friday's, it depends. Music, right now, I'm always on Eminem, Lil Wayne, Drake."

Q: One thing that sticks out about the team is how even you guys are all-around in your game. How much focus goes to fundamentals in practice?
A: "A lot. I think we work harder than any other team in practice. We watch so much film -- after every game, we watch film and look at the fundamentals we need to work on, and then in practice we work on it. The game against St. Mary's, we needed to work on our defense, our close-outs, stuff like that. So we emphasized that in practice the last couple of days."

Q: We keep alluding to the St. Mary's game. I think everyone south of here looked at that score and gasped. What happened?
A: "They came out fired up. They hit a lot of shots, they scouted us well, we had a lot of young guys playing their first varsity game, and at that 25 minutes. It was a tough task for them, but we gutted it out and won in overtime."

Q: We talked a little bit last year about the Euro-step. You seem to have an affinity for it, based on tonight. How much do you practice it?
A: "We actually practice it in practice, coach has us doing it in drills. It's been my move for a while, since days of elementary school I've always done it. I modeled it after Manu Ginobili."

Q: How much do you have to work on that move? You got called for a traveling violation tonight. It's a tough move for a high school kid to pull off.
A: "It is, it's tough because it looks like a travel to some refs. My legs are long, and I take long strides, so I gotta make sure I do quick steps rather than slow steps so it doesn't look like a travel."

Q: What about body control? How much goes into that?
A: "Yeah, it takes a lot of body control. You have to be strong. If the defender steps in and bumps, you have to stay strong on your feet, because you're only going off of one foot. You have to be pretty strong."

Q: What is your favorite play to run on the court?
A: "Individually, it's definitely the Euro-step, on the fast break. I like to get out on the break and run. Team, I like this play 'Blue', which is an isolation play for me. You get the ball at the top of the key, and if there is a mismatch you go one-on-one with him, try to take him."

Q: Who's the best high school player you've had to defend?
A: "Probably Anthony Davis, for a little bit, in the game in Springfield last year [at the Hoophall Classic, against the Kentucky freshman's Perspectives Charter (Ill.) School]. I remember my sophomore year, I had to defend Allen Harris from Catholic Memorial, who's now at St. Anselm. He was great."

Q: Between the other seniors -- Freddy Shove, Mike Carbone, Owen Marchetti -- what makes you guys click so well?
A: "Our chemistry. I mean, we've only been playing together for two or three years now, but we work so hard in practice on our offensive chemistry, so I think we get along well. We're all kind of long slashers, so I think we work well together."

Q: What do you think will be the biggest keys for you guys throughout the season?
A: "We're going to need our younger guys to step up, all year. So far, they've done that. We're mainly going to have to play good team defense, every game. Just rotating, playing good team defense."

SOUTH BOSTON, Mass. -- Former Boston College star and NFL veteran Sean Guthrie has slowly turned the South Boston Knights into one of the Boston City League's most formidable opponents. Now in his fifth year at the helm, he has his kids staring down a potential playoff berth in tomorrow's Thanksgiving showdown with archrival East Boston. Both teams sit at 4-0 in the Boston North.

If they are to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since 1998, it will be by way of senior running back James Toles, a bruising runner at 5-foot-10 and 193 pounds who has learned to harness his speed under Guthrie's Wing-T scheme. Considered by some to be one of the city's best backs, he has thrived for the Knights since transferring from Newton North and leaving the METCO program following his sophomore year. He has 14 rushing touchdowns in 10 games, averaging over 100 yards per game.

Toles spoke with ESPNBoston.com following a Wednesday afternoon walkthrough at Southie's gymnasium, to talk about his running style, Guthrie's life lessons, and the importance of the Eastie-Southie rivalry.

Q: Traditionally, the football culture at city schools hasn't been as strong as it has in the past.
A: "No, not at all. It's a big change. Newton North wasn't as big either, but I played at a top level with all these Division 1 athletes in Pop Warner, and going to a Boston public school I just want to make it as best as I could."

Q: What has coach Sean Guthrie built here?
A: "I'd say that, every year he tries to build for the next year going on. It's not always about that year right there. He loves the kids, so it's not like he's just gonna pick favorites, make a team that's gonna win a championship. He always wants to build. He works with the freshmen all the time, the sophomores all the time, he's just an amazing guy. He's one of my big role models."

Q: What are some of the biggest lessons you've learned from him?
A: "I have a lot of energy. Like when I'm in practice...when I make a big play, you'll see me screaming. The one big lesson he told me was to use my excitement in a positive way. Sometimes I'm kind of a dirty player with my talking, not physically, but he's like 'You know what, don't boost up the other team with that excitement and energy you have; use that to push up your team, keep your team up'. I think that's the biggest lesson I've gotten from Guthrie."

Q: You guys have found a lot of success with the Wing-T. How much fun is it?
A: "I believe at my position, it has to be the best formation ever that you can run. Every running back doesn't want to be touched. If they can go clean into the end zone, they want to go clean into the end zone. The Wing-T gives you a head start with the motion. That motion, I believe that's cheating (laughs). I've played football for a long time, and motion just seems like the most cheap way to get around that corner. It's like, once you're out there, you're free, do whatever you want. It's not up the middle -- I'm usually a smash mouth football kind of guy -- but I easily adjusted to the Wing-T."

Q: How many times do you guys call 'Jet Sweep' in a game?
A: "Alright, each week we try to do something new, use a new package that we learned in practice. If it comes down to lack of discipline with our team, not remembering our assignments, anything like that, we just always go back to the jet. We're a running team, so we just go back to what we know, and do what Southie does with their Wing-T."

Q: When the call comes in to the huddle, what is your reaction? Based on your film, that play is obviously in your wheelhouse.
A: "Actually, I'm a quiet guy in the huddle. The funny thing is, it's actually my linemen [that get fired up]. Something doesn't go right, they're always like '27 Jet, next play we're gonna get back into this game'. That's how we get our motivation, we get a 27 Jet and we're gonna get some yardage, and then that's how we get the ball rolling. Twenty-seven Jet, 28 Jet, that Wing-T, I love that play. That's one of my favorites."

Q: For those that haven't seen you play, describe your running style.
A: "When I came to South Boston, I changed up my running style. I've always been a power back, I love contact, I play for guys helmets. Just, the whole running people over. But the Wing-T, it took me out of that, the smash mouth football ethic I've used. I believe that with the speed I also have, it helps me out with the Wing-T. But Guthrie has seen that, if we run up the ball, it is a dangerous sight. So we have gone to the I-formation, a little power back, 70 up the middle, or hit me with a lead around the end and cutting in. We've been going back to my ethic, and that's smash mouth football. That's what I've grown up on. That's what I love to play."

Q: So your favorite move?
A: "I love the shoulder. There's a thing that's going around Southie, everybody yells it, it's called "Everybody gets the shoulder". Say, a big play, if we have a one-on-one, we're abusing that one-on-one, and we're gonna expose the kid in front of us. That's how we play."

Q: The talent overall in the city, do you think it's underrated?
A: "I believe it is. A lot of the kids don't get to showcase their skills as much, because the lack of dedication that the other kids have in this league. It's about discipline, and a lot of kids aren't disciplined in the city. You come to one practice and there's 27 kids there, next practice there might be 15. So it's like, some people are here to wear the jersey. It's a big thing, because all of the Boston Public Schools are such small schools, that it's very hard to pick out athletes. A lot of the top-ranked schools, they have kids to pick out of that are big, or they have tryouts, stuff like that. It's really hard in the city to get these kids in practice, and to keep their grades up.

"Playing football with these kids...I adjusted to it, I used some of the Newton North, Division 1A ethic. Everybody's coming to practice, everyone's a big football fan in the city, I mean I try to get our school to do the best we can with the kids we have."

Q: Southie-Eastie -- I don't think we need to explain too much. What's the climate been like this week?
A: "All week, I've been out and about, shopping, on the train going home, and everybody is just, they see you and they're like 'Southie? You guys gonna beat Eastie, right?' I've heard it about 100 times in the past week. I've talked to the alumni, and they're so psyched about the players that we have this year, and the chance we have to go really far. I'm gonna take this seriously, because nobody's promised to the next level. I'm not a cocky player, I'm not gonna say I'm going on to the next level, I'm not one of those kids that are like 'I'm going D1'. I'm playing every game like it's my last, and I definitely don't want this to be my last one."

Q: You look at the banners here, and you see all the Division 1 state championship basketball banners. When you think South Boston athletics, the first two names that come to mind are Monty Mack and Jonathan Depina. What would it mean to put a football banner up there?
A: "(exhaling deep) That would mean everything to me. I swear, ever since I came to South Boston, I've always wanted to be about this school. Since I didn't really get to build a connection with the kids at Newton North, and I ended up leaving, it's like, alright two years left, I've got to make the best of this. I came to South Boston, one of the things I used to do is sit in those bleachers (points to benches behind the baseline) to do my homework, and I'd look up at those banners, like 'Wow, there's no football banners up there'. (He's reminded there's just one) Alright, there's one, but you know what I mean? Just to graduate with a jacket, or a banner, do something for my school. I've got to do something for my school, because this wall needs some life."

Q: How much sleep do you think you'll get tonight, thinking about this game?
A: "I don't know. I'm gonna try my hardest to sleep, I promised my coach I'd get some sleep tonight with the game ball, and hope that this weather is not going to do anything to this ball. That's what we're gonna work on tomorrow, and that's why I'm going to sleep with it tonight. It's going to be slippery out there. We want to play hard, smash mouth football, with no fumbles. A lot of people joke about one of the wet games I had, where I racked up a lot of yards but also had four fumbles. That's something I don't want to do again, so I'm going to sleep tonight, sleep with my game ball, play some ball, beat Eastie."

His name is Casey Cochran, and he's the most prolific quarterback who's ever played high school football in Connecticut.

Cochran, who's in his senior season at Masuk High School in Monroe, owns the state record for career passing yards (9,797), career completions (573) and career touchdowns (104). He passed the century mark in touchdown passes when he threw for five touchdowns in a 55-6 victory over New Milford on Oct. 28.

Cochran guided New London High School to Connecticut's Class SS title in 2008 before he transferred to Masuk. His father, Jack, coached that New London team. It's one of eight teams Jack has guided to a CIAC state title (he's tied with New Canaan's Lou Marinelli for most state titles by a Connecticut head coach).

Cochran helped Masuk win the Class L title last season, when he passed for 3,345 yards and 40 touchdowns (seven interceptions). Following his junior season he was named Connectcut's Gatorade Player of the Year. Cochran has completed 88 of 111 passes for 2,097 yards and 29 touchdowns in eight games (all victories) this season. Masuk extended the program's winning streak to 21 games by beating Pomperaug 49-3 on Saturday night.

Cochran recently spoke with ESPNBoston.com and was asked him about his passing records, his decision to attend the University of Connecticut and the possibility of winning another state championship this season:

Q: You've set quite a few records this season. Are you proudest of one more than the others?

A: "Not necessarily. Coming into the year I had heard that there were a couple records coming up, but I tried to keep my mind away from them. I've found that not looking at the stats and just going out and playing, going out and winning games, you'll eventually get there. So my mindset has kind of shifted. Early in my career it was all about getting the best stats, the awards and everything. Quarterbacks are measured too much about their stats. I feel like wins are a lot more important than how many yards you threw for … how many touchdowns you threw. Completion percentage is also very important. There are a lot of guys who go out and throw 50 touchdowns, but they might have only completed 50 percent of their balls. I think a high completion percentage and winning percentage are the true stats people should look at."

Q: What do you consider your strength to be as a quarterback?

A: "I believe accuracy, and I believe reading coverages. That's what it's come down to the past two years – reading coverages and putting the ball where it needs to be. Getting my offense out of plays that can't work versus a defense pre-snap, and getting it to the right receiver post-snap."

Q: What was it like to play for your father and how much has he contributed to your success growing up as a football player and as a quarterback?

A: "It was a great experience playing for my father. Not many kids get to play for their father at a high level in high school. He instilled a great work ethic in me and that really carried through into my years in high school. He's taught me to have a great work ethic in everything I do -- not just in sports. If you're gonna do something, do it right. That's really rubbed off on me. I've taken that stuff to heart, and I really think that all my accomplishments have come down to hard work. He's really helped me a lot in both aspects – work ethic as well as learning the game."

Q: Are you still on pace to graduate from high school in December?

A: "Yes, and I'm supposed to start up in Storrs in January as well."

Q: What were some of the things that sold you on Connecticut as a college and a football program?

A: "First of all, it's the home-state team. It's really an honor to play for your home state. The coaching change (Connecticut hired Paul Pasqualoni to replace Randy Edsall when Edsall became Maryland's head coach). I believe Coach Pasqualoni is a very good coach. I really like the coaching staff and everyone on it. I got closer with them during the offseason, so it was a very easy choice once the [scholarship] offer came."

Q: Are you concerned at all with all of the conference reshuffling? Is that troublesome to you at all?

A: "No. I've been trying not to worry about it too much during the season. I made a commitment to Coach Pasqualoni and the UConn football team. I trust that the athletic director, the UConn president as well as the Big East commissioner will put UConn and entire Big East in a great position."

Q: Is this year's team the best team you've played on.

A: "I think every year has been a little different. I think this year we're very tight-knit as an offense. We have a lot of timing. We've done a lot of work together. Being able to do passing leagues in the winters and the summers and just the work we've put in in the offseason has contributed to us being a great offense this year. Our running back, Colin Markus, is a great runner, and he sets up a lot of our passes. The play action is when he's running so hard and the defense tends to come up a little bit. That's when we can get over the top. Our O line, coming into the year they were a pretty young O line, but they've stepped it up. As an offense together we really work together well and a lot of hard work is paying off for all of us."

CANTON, Mass. -- After rushing for a school-record 30 touchdowns a season ago as a sophomore, Blue Hills running back Vincent Burton has become a name to behold among the lower divisions in Eastern Massachusetts. In spite of his lean frame, he packs a powerful punch, and it shows on the stat sheet with a total of 48 touchdowns to his name since the start of the 2010 season.

He was a catalyst behind the Warriors' 10-2 campaign a year ago, which ended in a loss to Shawsheen Tech in the Division 4 Super Bowl, and is the driving force behind the explosive offense this season for Blue Hills, which sits at 8-0 and atop the Mayflower Large headed into Saturday's pivotal showdown with league rival Tri-County. The Warriors are averaging nearly 35 points per game, have pitched shutouts in all but three contests, and have yet to lose a regular-season game since dropping a season-opening decision to West Bridgewater in 2010.

Still only 16 years old, the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Randolph native still has his best days ahead of him. Tuesday afternoon, after head coach Ed Catabia was awarded as the Patriots Coach of the Week, Burton sat down with ESPNBoston.com to discuss his success on the gridiron so far.

Q: You've had 48 touchdowns since the start of your sophomore year (2010), and you've yet to lose a regular-season game in two years. What do you credit for your success?
A: "I credit the offensive line for my success. They do a great job blocking for me, giving me great holes, and I've just got to use them."

Q: Describe your running style for us.
A: "Basically, I try to get as low as possible, and use my power. It's probably my best asset, that's basically it. I use my power to run through the holes. I hit it hard every time."

Q: How hard do you go in workouts?
A: "I go pretty hard, the whole team does. We do the basics, sprint exercises, stuff like that. The coach really tries to push us past the comfort zone, he always says. We do a lot of up-downs, like when we do cadence if we go offsides."

Q: In general, the Mayflower League is pretty run-heavy. How important is line play?
A: "It's very important. It's definitely a very run-based league, so without a line, the team's not very successful. Last year, we had a great line, and the same thing again this year, it's why we have so much success."

Q: Do you see a lot of teams loading up the box on you?
A: "Yeah, especially the last couple games. It's kind of slowing me down. I know sometimes they're putting all 11 in the box now, so it's hard. I've only scored two touchdowns in the last two games, and usually I'm getting like three [per game]. It's something I'm not used to, but as long as we're winning, you know? If that's what happens, then it's alright."

Q: Who's the best player you've faced so far?
A: "Probably James Toles from South Boston. He's a very electrifying player. Power, speed, everything. He has the whole package."

Q: What about best team you've faced?
A: "Probably Shawsheen, from last year in the Super Bowl. They were a defensive powerhouse. I mean, that was something else playing them. It definitely taught us that we had a good team going in, but we just have to work that much harder, and go the extra mile, to win the whole thing."

Q: You've got three games left in the regular season. What's the most important thing you've got to take care of down the stretch here?
A: "We've got to win the league first. We've got Tri-County coming up this week, and Bristol-Plymouth on Thanksgiving. If we don't win those league games, then we're not going to the playoffs, so we have to take care of that. Then Greater Lawrence (Nov. 10), I think it's going to be a testing game, we'll be pushed to our limits. If we can win that game, that would be great for us and our mentality going into the playoffs, considering they're in a higher division."

Q: Where do you see yourself needing improvement most?
A: "Definitely my speed. I know I might not look that big, but I've got the power down. I don't know how, I just do. I think it's basic mechanics from Pop Warner that I learned in the past years. But definitely my speed, I plan on working out a lot and doing a lot of speed exercises in the offseason to get faster."

Q: You mention about your power as a function of your mechanics from Pop Warner. Can you specify?
A: "Basically, running speed, determination, all things I picked up. I played with Albert Louis-Jean from BC (former Brockton star and ESPN Boston All-Stater) during Pop Warner, he played for Randolph. I've played with kids all in higher divisions, Josh Brewster from Brockton, lots of kids like that. Playing with them makes me more successful here, I think."

NORTH EASTHAM, Mass. -- You wouldn't be quick to confuse Nauset Regional High with the term "powerhouse" any time soon. But the Warriors, off to a 4-3 start, boast arguably one of New England's most unheralded prospects in fullback/linebacker Brendan Battles.

A series of leg injuries kept the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Eastham native from getting noticed too much on the gridiron. But luckily, he had his decorated wrestling career to fall back on. He picked up the sport as a freshman, and last winter won Division 1 and All-State in the 215-pound divsion, and fell in the New England finals to Virginia-bound Patrick Gillen of Shelton, Conn.

We've heard about the overlap between wrestling and football before (Stephen Neal anyone?), and that paid off when he arrived at football camps at Boston College, UConn and South Florida. Without seeing film, both the Huskies and Bulls offered scholarships, and Battles committed to UConn last June, joining Grafton's Obi Melifonwu and Tabor Academy's Jason Sylva (whom he almost teamed with this fall) on the list of in-state commitments.

We caught up with Battles before practice Tuesday afternoon at Nauset, and as you'll see, he had a lot to say.

Q: I asked this to Mike DeVito a year ago. Do you guys hate the tourists?
A: "Being with the workforce and working my entire life, I appreciate it to a degree with the tourists – but I can’t wait ‘til they leave (laughs)."

Q: What do you mean by workforce?
A: "I’m a landscaper, and I also did shucking oysters and clams over at a raw bar in P-Town (Provincetown). You make good money while they’re here. It’s fun, I guess you could say, but it’s also crazy. I mean, traffic-wise, just the amount of people goes from, like…you’re here in the winter time, and there’s maybe a car or two on the road, and then if you come here in the summertime, Jesus, the road’s packed."

Q: How long have you been doing that kind of work, and how much does that go into building your strength?
A: "My father owns his company, so I’ve been landscaping probably since I was like between 6 and 8. I’ve been doing that throughout my whole life. Shucking oysters was actually this one summer type thing. I had to find a different job because we had morning workouts here (at the school) at 6 in the morning, whereas before I was used to doing workouts on my own with my dad at 5:30 and then being at work at 7:30. But we didn’t get out of here until 8:30, so I had to find a different job, one of my friends’ dad’s up in P-Town was a seafood restaurant, so I just learned how to shuck."

Q: Sometimes you hear about, say, folks in places Gloucester training on the beach in the summer time. How much do you guys use the natural resources in your training?
A: "For football, we just use the field most of the time. I know I’ve gone down to the beach and used the sand for different types of workouts between my wrestling and whatnot. But we never really did it for football. I don’t know if it was just more convenient to go out here (to the school) because we had all the stuff we needed.":

Q: What would you use the sand for in your wrestling training?
A: "Sprints, lotta sprints, building up the ankles. We did a little bit of footwork. And then, of course, at some beaches you’ve got – for instance, down here [the high school is a mile from the Cape Cod National Seashore and the Nauset Light], or this beach where I used to live, you’d have an incline up until the stairway, and then you’d have a stairway that’s a good 25 yards, so you could sprint the whole thing."

Q: That must get tiring.
A: Hell yeah, Hell yeah. It sucks (laughs).

Q: When you committed to UConn, I think the question some people had was ‘Who is this kid?’ How did it end up coming about?
A: "Funny story, actually. Long story short, I’ve played football my entire life, but the past four years I’ve had some type of injury. Sophomore year, I broke my left fibula. Junior year, I broke my right fibula. The year before that [sophomore year], I had a hematoma on my arm. Et cetera, et cetera. So that was my high school football experience, to really put it in a sum. So I didn’t really get my name out there in the football aspect, loved the game though.

"I really made my name in wrestling. I started freshman year. Most kids who are in nationals start in wrestling when they’re six or eight years old, and in the state they’ll probably start around sixth grade. So I was behind, but even then my freshman year I still went 23-7. My sophomore year, I ended up taking state finalist [in the 215-pound division], fifth in All-State, fifth in New England, and then that summer I won nationals for the first time. Last year, I won state, won All-State, took second in New England, took third in the country.

"I got a lot of offers. But I knew going into wrestling, the more I grew into my friends I trained with, who were in college. That’s how I got so good, wrestling with college wrestlers. And every time I talked to them they’d be like ‘Dude, this isn’t the sport for you, you’re an amazing athlete and you need to focus on football, because you could end up having your whole college education paid for.’ And also, the door’s there, go to it. That stuck in the back of mind, and you get to a certain point in wrestling where after two seasons of cutting 25 pounds a week, it gets to you, it really does. I’d be about 240, 245 and I’d have to cut to 215 once or twice a week. I mean, if I did it twice a week, it’d be Wednesday and Saturday, I’d be back to 240 by the end of the night that I weighed in. That sucks, like Hell – you’re talking to a big boy, I like to eat, I’ll eat all day. Telling me I can only eat one meal a day to get to a certain weight? (laughs)

"There was talk of me going to a prep school, I was supposed to go to Tabor (Academy, in Marion). Then there was talk of me possibly, if I got an offer – I went to BC camp, UConn camp and USF (South Florida) camp – if I got an offer, I would stay here, no prep school. But if I didn’t, I’d go to prep school, because I was really looking more into the football side of things.

"I went to BC, got a little discouraged because I thought they were going to offer. I talked to the coaches there, and they said, ‘We’ve got nothing for you’. At the same time, I was also playing middle linebacker and fullback, which I’m more of a tight end/defensive end type of guy, as UConn and USF said. That sat in my system for a while, and I think it gave me more motivation. I’m a very negative-driven person, I guess you could say, so that pissed me off for the next two weeks of training. Then I went to UConn, and I want to say the first day [defensive coordinator] Don Brown noticed me. From then on, it was like ‘Oh, we want to try you over here’, or ‘We want to try you over there’. I started off with the middle linebackers, then fullbacks, then next thing you know they’re like ‘Screw it, let’s try you at end’."

Q: Don tends to do that.
A: "Yeah (laughs). He put me over at end, and of course I’m like, hey, if he wants to see me , I don’t care, I’ll go wherever you want me to go. If you want me at wideout or kicker, I’ll try that as well. I mean, man, I’m just that type of kid, I want to get looked at, you know? Who doesn’t? So, he put me with [defensive line coach Hank] Hughes, I think I did the same drill over and over and over. Literally, there was five drills, but I had to stay with him, and he stayed at that one drill. So I only did the one drill for the day, then pretty much at the end of camp coach P [head coach Paul Pasqualoni], I got off-campus and he gave me the offer and I committed. It was a no-brainer for me. Good program, beautiful facilities, good school."

Q: But Nauset isn’t exactly a traditional power. How did you get exposed?
A: "(Pauses) I don’t know how to answer that one (laughs). I think it was just going to the camps, really. I got my name out in the wrestling, like I said. Because I went down to USF, Skip Holtz, I mean that’s all he was looking at me for. None of these guys looked at my tape – UConn, they never asked me for tape before I committed, they were just like ‘Aw, he’s a great wrestler and a great athlete’ when they looked at the drills I did, and that’s what they took me off of. They didn’t ask for tape. I think that’s what got my name out and more exposed, me selling myself on my wrestling and my athletic ability by going to these camps. Other than that, I have no idea. Guess I just got lucky (laughs)."

Q: You hear every now and then about the overlap between wrestling and being a lineman. How much did wrestling help you with your technique as a defensive lineman?
A: "It helped a lot. You wouldn’t notice it, but when I wrestle and play football in the same season…the beginning of the season, I stopped, it must have been for the first week or second week, and I was like, ‘I’m just going to focus on football’. And then you notice you’re out of breath faster, you don’t open your hips up as much as you could on some moves, your hands aren’t as aggressive as they should be. So, wrestling to me, I play a lot of sports and it’s the hardest one I play. Endurance-wise, when I’m wrestling, a two-hour practice at least once a week, the football game is a joke to me. It’s all about hands, wrestling is all about your hand control, the way you open your hips up, so if I’m trying to pass an elbow by you have to open up your hips – same with football, if someone’s trying to reach block me, you can open your hips up and do the same thing as wrestling. You can apply a lot of wrestling moves, and the aggression I guess you could say, the same way you would apply defensive line."

Q: You mentioned at the beginning about injuries. Are you OK this season?
A: "Yeah, nothing big, just minor problems, but for the most part pretty healthy."

Q: You guys had a couple lean years earlier this century (from 2005 to 2009, the Warriors went 4-46), and you’re off to a pretty nice start this season (4-3, 1-1 ACL). What’s been the key?
A: "A lot of things. One, coach [Keith] Kenyon, one of the best coaches, he’s like a God-given gift to us. We had coaches before who’d say you should lift, or you should do this, but it wasn’t really, you know, ‘You have to do this or else’. It was a should of. You’re talking about a bunch of kids on Cape Cod in the summertime. I mean, let’s face it, there’s much more to do than ‘shoulda lifting’, you know? (laughs) For me, I’ve been lifting since I was 11 years old with my father – my father is a marine – I’d lift with him every morning at 4:30. To me, I was like, if my team doesn’t want to lift, I’m here but if they don’t want to lift then whatever. But when coach Kenyon came here, we had lifts at 6, we’d do an hour of lift and an hour of conditioning. That helped out huge.

"Then it’s also what we run as well. We used to run a spread, but we never really had a quarterback for it. It’s kinda like your backyard quarterback who can throw, but doesn’t know when to throw it, one of those type deals. Blocking was a big part, there was a lot of parts we didn’t have. But then when he brought in the Single Wing, I thought it was the best thing in high school football. I was like, ‘This is sick’, I’m not even getting the ball and this is fun, you know? And as we lift, the linemen get stronger, whether it’s Eric Marston at 150 pounds at center, or Ben Ering and Jordan Fowler who are 300 pounds. So I mean, everyone’s getting stronger, our running backs are great. As much as we depend on the blocking, the running backs can make do if something does break down. So I think basically what it comes down to is the coaching and all the players putting in the work. Those 6 o’clock workouts pay off.

Q: I understand the weight room is pretty remarkable here.
A: "I love the place, it’s really nice. If you’re in a gym class here, you’re more apt to watch TV on the plasma screens, ESPN, it’s nice. It’s funny, I’d go to my gym with my dad, I pay 30 bucks a month for that. You come here, it’s free and they got three plasmas bigger than any TV you’ve got paying 30 bucks a month over there. Like, you gotta be kidding me, I’m coming over here! (laughs) I might watch Sunday Night Football on the plasma at the school, come on now (laughs). As much as we trash it by the end of the lift, we definitely take care of it. I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s like having a nice car, you want to go back in it. We’re definitely blessed to have that, that’s for sure."

Q: You seem like you’re in pretty good shape. How intense do you go in workouts? What’s a typical workout?
A: "It changes, it all depends on what season it is…I’m actually kinda out of shape right now. I had to take a week off for high blood pressure, that was basically related to all my stress that’s going on. I’m currently not staying at home, I’ve been out of the house for like three months now. I’ve been staying with one of my friends. So basically, stress-related. Soon as I learned how to calm down by myself…it’s funny, I went from 110 to 130 to 160 to 190, then I was like, alright, I need to calm down. I shut everything off, my phone, my computer, just played ball and came home to do studies, next day I was 110. It was nothing big, but I had to take the week off. But the week off – whew, I ate the wrong things (laughs).

"[As for most intense workout], it’d have to be my functional workouts. Those things suck, oh my God. Functional workout would basically be, you’ve got your tire, then you have a sled that you pull, sledgehammer that you use against the tire, ladders, you’d always have a hill. And then, either you get the choice of pushing the lawnmower on a nice day – and this is a commercial mower, so that’s about 1500 [pounds] – or I’d push my mom’s SUV. Those days definitely sucked. And it was always a Sunday, because that’s the only day I got to really use everything, because it’s ‘Family Day’, which is really like ‘Hell Day’ because everyone’s at the house.

"It’s just one of those days you wake up and you’re like [expletive], today’s Sunday. My dad’s got all the tools ready, because you’ve got to take the hydraulics off the mower and whatnot. It’s fun. It sucked though, it definitely sucked."

Q: You seem like the type of guy who gets amped before games. Am I guessing right?
A: "Oh yeah."

Q: Take me through your pregame routine.
A: "It’s changed a little bit, but not too much. I stay really calm for the most part. People sometimes go nuts and want to be intensely focused, going through their packets and whatnot. Me, you know, I’ll read my packet on, say, Thursday. Friday, I won’t think anything about it. Nothing about the game, I stay calm, put my mind in other places, don’t want to stress out about it. And then come probably after lunch, that’s when I start almost visualizing, you might say. I’ve always been big on visualizing, I completely believe in it. We do our run through, I try to stay calm, 50 percent, just run through it. Nothing hard. I’m always the last person to put my equipment on, I don’t know why. It’s just something that’s been in high school. I just sit there, I’m relaxed and then it’s like, oh, people are lining up? I’ve got to put my stuff on (laughs). Between the adrenaline getting my stuff on and not wanting to be the last in line, by the time we’re lined up I’m ready to go off.

"It’s just one of those things where you flip the switch, really. As soon as I put the helmet on and walk up the stairs, or if it’s an away game, soon as we get out on in line to take the field, I’m just amped. I go nuts. I’m just waiting for someone to say something so I can go off."

Q: So what’s that first hit of the game like for you? Some people say they get butterflies, and then that first hit unwinds them.
A: Yeah, I definitely get nervous, it doesn’t matter how big or small they are. I’m just like, you get that nervous feeling, your heart is almost in your throat. It’s a little anxious, but soon as that first hit happens, doesn’t matter if you lay them on their ass, or they lay you on your ass, you’re like ‘Let’s just do this now’. It’s fun after that, but that first hit is always very key. I’m too anxious, oh man.

Q: Some have wondered if the Atlantic Coast League could come down to the Thanksgiving matchup with Dennis-Yarmouth. What do you guys need to take care of the rest of the way?
A: "We just need to take it one game at a time. I think we get too ahead of ourselves as any team would, as soon as you have a little bit of success. Take it one game at a time, and keep improving. Do what you can to make yourself better, your team better. Focus on the game, win the next game, then it’s on to the next one.

"Then when the Thanksgiving game comes…I mean, may the best man win. I think they’re very good, obviously. Not much for trash-talking, but I’m ready to hit someone (laughs). There’s something about D-Y, I don’t know if it’s losing to them the last three years, or haven’t been able to get revenge because any other school in the ACL has a wrestling team, I don’t have that with D-Y. They had me on that big kid (6-foot-4, 300-pound tackle Nate Crary) the last two years, and I hate that he’s gone (Crary graduated) because I’d love to see him again this year. I’m excited for the game. It’s hard, like I said, to stay focused on the game, and very hard when the season’s halfway done and you’ve got D-Y done. And it’s at their house, so you know it’s gonna be packed."

It didn’t take all that long for Peabody girls’ soccer forward Hayley Dowd to capture the Tanners’ record as all-time leading goal scorer. The junior notched her 92nd career goal earlier this month in a 6-0 win over Salem, breaking Justine Hartigan’s career record in a little more than two seasons’ time.

The BC commit still has plenty of games ahead of her and the dynamic striker doesn’t plan on slowing down as the No. 6 Tanners look ahead to a deep postseason run.

We caught up with Dowd after a recent match in Swampscott to talk about her record, a recent trip to England and what the deal with this “Biddy” pride is all about.

Q: Did you know that you were closing on the school record?

A: “I knew I was close, but a couple people called from the local newspapers and they told me when it happened. They called me before I got to record asking about it. It’s great. It’s a great record to have.”

Q: Was it a goal to set the record this year?

A: “It’s a different year. We lost two of our best midfielders from last year and we have a couple of forwards who have taken on a different role. As long as the win the game, I don’t really think about scoring. I’m just happy that we’re coming out on top in a lot of these games.”

Q: How have your teammates helped you along in setting that record?

A: “They’ve been great. Especially in the last couple of years, I haven’t had to run after the ball, they’re able to win the ball and get it to me, which is great. I credit a lot of it to them because I wouldn’t have those goals without them. I think it starts with the defense. A person that’s stuck out in my mind has been Bianca Muscato. She stops everything that comes to her. One girl who used to play on the outside, Katie Brunelle, has stepped in great in the middle. She wins everything that comes her way and she works hard. Also, my other forward, Victoria Digiacomo, working with her has been great this year. We set up each other a lot, it’s been fun.”

Q: With those changes to the lineup, how do you feel the team is coming along?

A: “We had a little bit of rough start earlier in the season and we weren’t playing that well. But we’ve come together as a team more. We’re playing great as a team defensively and then the transition game to the forwards has been really good.”

Q: You played in England with your club team against some of the UK’s best club teams. What was that experience like?

A: “I play for Stars Mass and the league that I play in invited me and [Corey Persson] from Danvers to go and play. I’ve always wanted to go to a foreign country and England was a place that I really wanted to visit, so I really wanted to go there. We got to see a game over there, so that was cool. It’s just great that they’re men’s teams have women’s teams now. We went to Chelsea and they have like 30-plus fields at their facility, it was wicked nice -- unbelievable.”

Q: You made your commitment to BC last year. What went into making that decision?

A: “I thought at first that I wanted to go far away, California or someplace like that, but I started thinking about it and realized I wanted to be closer to home. My family comes to a lot of my games, my mom, my dad, my grandparents, so I thought it would be nice so that they can come and watch me. That made it pretty easy. It’s a half hour away from our house, so it’s far enough to stay away, but it’s close enough to come home. The success they’ve had definitely helps, too. There are three girls now from Massachusetts who play for Stars that are older than me that are there and two girls on my club team who are also going there, so it’s great.”

Q: What are the team goals for the rest of the season?

A: “Well, we wanted to make the tournament and we already qualified, so that’s good. We want to win the league and do well in the tournament. We had a bit of rough tournament last year, so hopefully we’ll get past the second round this year.”

Q: What’s the story behind these “Biddy” t-shirts everybody’s wearing? (Dowd was wearing a “Biddy Soccer” t-shirt at the time)

A: “We’re kind of crazy. That’s what we call ourselves. I don’t know when it started, but a couple years ago, it just kind of stuck. It comes from when people say Peabody, it’s the ‘Biddy’ at the end. So we just kind of cut it down and it becomes ‘Biddy.’ I know it’s crazy.”

Q: That makes sense.

A: “Yeah, kinda.”

CONCORD, Mass. -- Concord-Carlisle senior running back George Craan has been on a mission ever since losing in the Division 2A Super Bowl last season to Duxbury at Gillette Stadium.

Craan has put on 20 pounds since last season (up to 210) to go along with his 4.5 speed in the 40-yard dash. He is also determined as ever to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory, albeit taking each week “one game at a time”.

The returning Dual County League Small Offensive Player of the Year has run for nearly 700 yards and 11 touchdowns this season through the first six games of the season for the No. 8 Patriots (6-0). Craan, who ran for 1,914 yards and 24 touchdowns last season, has shared carries in a talented and balanced backfield along with senior Tyquan Culbreath and junior Tim Badgley.

Craan and the Patriots have outscored their opponents by a score of 239-56 to date, with the majority of the scoring coming before the halftime whistle has blown.

The Patriots face their biggest test to date this Friday when they host Acton-Boxborough. The Colonials (4-2) have had the better of Concord-Carlisle for past 30-plus year,s as C-C has not defeated A-B since 1987. Both teams played to a tie in 1992, and despite many close games over the recent years, A-B has maintained their dominance. In last year’s game, A-B defeated C-C, 14-7, at Leary Field in Acton.

We caught up with Craan this week to discuss the season and the big game Friday night in Concord.

Q: Can you talk a little about the 6-0 start of the season?
A: “It has been a total team effort as we have taken each game week to week. Our running backs, offensive line, and defense have all prepared hard each week. The coaching staff has prepared us well and pushed us each week and that has been a big factor. Practices have been competitive and the completion at each practice has made us all better.”

Q: With the balanced attack you guys have this year and the big scores that you have put up it has resulted in less carries than last season. Can you talk about how you feel physically at the mid-point in the season?
A: “I am feeling fresh. I have been working hard when I get the ball and working hard when I don’t have the ball. Whether I am called on to block or carry out a fake I make sure to go 110 percent. The other backs have been ready and the line has been ready and it has made teams have to focus on all of us.”

Q: Your offensive line has played great this year. What are your thoughts on the unsung group in front of you?
A: “Our line is tremendous. They are big, athletic and they go out to get people. Center Andrew VanderWilden is the anchor. He is a senior and has put in a lot of work in the offseason to get better. Tom Gregory, Thomas Kleyn, Trevor Castrichini, and Owen Guattaduaro have all stepped up as seniors. They have executed, focused and not quit on any play. They make us running backs look good when they do their job.”

Q: You put on some good weight heading into your senior season bulking up to 210 lbs. What was your off-season conditioning like?
A: “During the winter season I trained indoors at Katz Training at Acton indoor. I trained intensely for about four hours a day after school. Along with Katz this summer, I also did a lot of track work every day and a lot of football specific workouts. The training has a done a great job preparing me as I feel a lot stronger more mature and have gained a lot from the work.”

Q: You guys have done a great job coming out early in games and getting up early. On teams Can you talk about your execution early in some of your wins?
A: “Before the game Coach Robichaud gives us a pre-game talk that gets us fired up and we get ourselves fired up. We want to come out on the field, make that first hit or make that first play from the opening kickoff. We want to set the tone.”

Q: Acton-Boxborough is coming up this Friday. They have had a lot of success against Concord-Carlisle over the years. Can you talk about A-B and the games you have been in over the last few years with them?
A: “This has been a game I have wanted to win since freshman year. They beat us as freshman on freshman football by one point, my sophomore year we lost by a point and last year we lost by a touchdown. It has been frustrating and we will be prepared for Friday night. They will be ready and we will be ready.”

Q: What has the preparation been like for this week’s game with A-B?
A: “We have treated it like every other game where we have been going hard all week. Nothing has really been different but we know that this game will be intense and we will be prepared.”

Q: What are your thoughts on schools for next year?
A: “I am focusing on high school right now. I want to make sure my grades keep improving and that I continue to do well. Coach has been talking to a bunch of coaches but I am not sure yet on plans. I want to keep focusing on my school work and doors will open up.”

Q: What are your favorite subjects in school?
A: “I enjoy English and Math. I like the challenge in Math of problem solving. It is sort of like the football field where you have to do a lot of repetitions to get it right.”

Q: What do you like to do off the field and outside of school?
A: “I like to eat and I like to hang out with my friends.”

Q: What does the typical pre-game meal consist of?
A: “We always get together as a team. We go to VanderWilden’s house and usually get a pasta and meatballs going with a Gatorade.”

EAST BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- A year ago, East Bridgewater's Casey DeAndrade burst onto the scene by scoring in a variety of ways. His 23 touchdowns for the 9-2 Vikings broke down like this: 10 rushing, four receiving, one passing and eight returns (four interceptions, one fumble, one kickoff, two punts). And from that, seven of those scores were for 70 yards or more.

So with versatility and home-run ability like that, how does one follow up in his swan song campaign? So far, the UNH commit has done his damage mostly on the ground, with 11 of his Division 4-best 12 touchdowns coming by way of the run (he also had an 85-yard kickoff return for a score).

Through five games this season for the No. 23 Vikings, he has 578 rushing yards. Something tells us it's only a matter of time before he really, truly explodes (even though he's already on track to match last year's season total). Moments before East Bridgewater head coach Shawn Tarpey was honored as the New England Patriots Coach of the Week, DeAndrade talked with ESPNBoston.com about his running style, how he stays loose, and community pride in the South Shore League.

Q: Notice you've grown your hair out a little bit. What's the story with that?
A: "Me and my brother [Justin DeAndrade] both decided to do it. He plays football for Worcester State. We both decided to let it grow out, we have a bet going to see who can grow it the longest. Just a little thing in the family."

Q: So who's winning the bet, and what does the winner get?
A: "Mostly bragging rights. I think I'm winning right now, mine's a little bit longer, but we'll see. We'll keep it going, I dunno (laughs)."

Q: Last season, you were taking the ball in so many ways, and you scored in a variety of methods. It looks like you're more in the backfield so far this season.
A: "Yeah, well just at the beginning of the year, we're trying to get more people around. But I still have one pick I brought back, and then a couple of punts, and I'm mostly in the backfield, yeah, but last week we started to venture out with it. We'll see how it goes from here on."

Q: You've obviously got some elite speed. Talk about your running style, and how you've developed that.
A: "It's a lot of cuts. It's all, like, shifty stuff. I don't really know, you can't really describe how you do it. You just have to be doing it, know what I mean? I just do it. Just gotta do it, run away from the person that's trying to tackle you."

Q: It's not often that a kid playing in the South Shore League gets Division 1 interest. How did you go about getting exposed?
A: "I don't know, I just worked hard. Everyone says, 'Oh, you should go to B-R [Bridgewater-Raynham]', or 'You should go to these schools because you'll get looked at more', but I don't believe that. I believe that if you have talent, they're going to find you. I just worked hard. I worked hard in the offseason, worked hard everywhere else, and it just paid off."

Q: So how did they find you?
A: "I went to BC camp a couple times, then I went to other camps like the UNH camp and the UConn camp. I don't know, coach Tarp [Shawn Tarpey] does a real good job exposing me and Tim [O'Brien] to everyone. He does a real good job with that."

Q: Looking back on your career so far, what's the best touchdown you've scored so far?
A: "I'd probably say last year against Abington (a 22-12 win on November 5). It was just a regular play, and I just broke it out and we sealed the deal on that touchdown. It was just a zone left, I think, and I took it on the outside. I beat one kid through a stiffarm, and just beat him all the way out. I'd say it was about 60 yards. It was against one of our biggest rivals, too, a big league game, so it was huge."

Q: What is your favorite play to run?
A: "I'd probably say our zone. It's our bread and butter, it's easy."

Q: You mention the importance of playing Abington, and most of these South Shore League teams seem to have a good rivalry with one another. What do you think makes this league so special?
A: "Everyone's always competitive. You can't overlook someone, because, I mean, last week Hull beat Rockland and no one could ever see that coming. We only beat Hull 28-7, and then we came and beat Cohasset, but you can't overlook anybody. They'll come out and just beat you. I can't really explain it. Everyone's just so competitive."

Q: Who is the best player you've faced so far in high school?
A: "I'd say Christian Lapointe from Abington, my sophomore year. He was probably the best. He was just so quick, and he was a good leader, too. You could tell he was the big dog on their team and everything. He was just so quick, a lot of shifty moves and everything. He was really good."

Q: As a defensive back, some guys like to bump and some like to play off. Obviously that's dictated by the coverage, but what is your mentality out there?
A: "When I play corner, I like to play bump and run, because I think my speed will be able to catch up with people. But I play safety now, and it's a lot of reading people and I have to read the tight end, whether he blocks down or whatever. I just kinda use my speed and go out and run people down. I don't try to make a bad angle, I just try to run people down with my speed, really."

Q: How do you get prepared for the game?
A: "In the morning, me and a couple friends go to a breakfast place up the street, Johnny D's. It's really good. Then after school, we go to Subway, we do the same thing every week. Then we come to the locker room and hang out with the guys, just get ready."

Q: Are you a guy that likes to get loose before games?
A: "Yeah, I don't get pumped up or anything. I just always laugh and giggle. I just do my own thing, I don't like to get pumped up."

Q: How do you go about relaxing?
A: "I just kinda listen to music, hang out with the guys. People are dancing in the locker room, doing whatever they gotta do, I just kinda hang out."

Q: What are the five bands playing most on your iPod right now?
A: "I'm on Pandora a lot, so I'd probably say Tyler the Creator -- he's pretty good -- Lil Wayne, Drake, all those guys, just playing on repeat. A lot of people on the team like him [Tyler], so I got kinda introduced to him. It's weird, I dunno, he's kinda funny to listen to (laughs)."

Q: What do you guys need to work on the rest of the season?
A: Just taking one game at a time, not overlooking anybody really. Just doing our own thing. Not trying to get too pumped up or anything, just play every week like it's our last and keep going."

HAVERHILL, Mass. -- When last checked in with Haverhill's Noah Vonleh, he was just a shy, unassuming kid with Bird-like intrinsic motivation, practicing his dribble on the living room floorboards in the middle of the night.

That was before the 6-foot-7 swingman blew up this summer running with the Mass. Rivals AAU club. In a profile on Vonleh last December, his AAU coach Vin Pastore said "He's got a God-given talent". Last March, Vonleh was named to ESPNBoston's inaugural MIAA All-State Team. Earlier this week, ESPN's Joel Francisco said Vonleh "belongs in the discussion for being among the top players in the Class of 2014".

In other words, there's no looking back now, even as he transfers to New Hampton (N.H.) Prep, where he will repeat his sophomore season. This week, Vonleh and Georges Niang were back in the Merrimack Valley, helping run an annual youth basketball clinic put on by Utah Jazz scout Jeff Nelson at the Cedardale Athletic Club. Following this afternoon's session of week-long camp, which ends Friday, Vonleh talked to ESPNBoston.com about his explosive summer, and the future.

Q: What goals did you make for yourself going into the summer?
A: "Trying to prove I was one of the top players in the country for the Class of 2014, and I think I proved it. I wanted to develop a pull-up game, mid-range game, and make my handle a lot better."

Q: What do you think was your breakout performance this summer?
A: "My second game in Cali [the Double Pump Best of Summer Showcase, in Anaheim], I think we were playing D-One Sports [N.C.], and I went off on them for something like 27 points I think. A lot of the ESPN writers, the Rivals writers, were there, and a lot of college coaches came out to see me."

Q: Who was the best player you faced this summer?
A: "Probably Andre Drummond. He's a beast. He's so big, and there's no one to cover him. He can handle the ball, he can do everything, step out and shoot, all that."

Q: You've been under a microscope for a little bit now, going back to Haverhill. How has it been handling all the attention?
A: "It's pretty hard to handle. You've got a lot of people calling you, coming at you, saying all this stuff, what they can do for you. You've just got to listen to it, but don't pay much attention to it. Just get better each and every day, stay in the gym every day."

Q: What are you looking forward to most this year at New Hampton?
A: "To get my shot better, and to be a leader on the team. Zach Auguste is up there already, I know him. Jared Terrell's going to be up there, as well as Mike Auger, and the point guard Olivier Hanlon from Canada. We should have a pretty good team."

Q: What's your favorite move on the court?
A: "Probably isolate on one side, go between the legs twice and then come back at the defender with an in-and-out and go by, and try to dunk it."

Q: Who are the players you try to model your game after?
A: "Kevin Durant. He's my favorite player. I like Harrison Barnes from UNC, too. One of the assistants at UNC told me he's going to send me some tape of Harrison Barnes for me to watch, so I can try to add some of his stuff into my game."

Q: What's your daily routine right now?
A: "I start out with ballhandling, then I work my way to some shooting stuff, and then do some movement, working on my pull-up. I take a lot of free throws -- my free throws were not good in the high school season. I missed a lot. I practice at the Rockingham Athletic Club [in Salem, N.H.] with Scott Hazelton and Vinny Pastore. I'm in the gym probably 20 hours a week."

Q: What's the biggest motivating factor for you going forward?
A: "I want to be the best player in my class."

Q: What do you think you need to do to get there?
A: "Develop a pull-up, like I said. Make everything in my game better -- my handle, get better defensively, get quicker to be able to cover quicker guards. Stuff like that."

Q: From what I understand, you're a fan of old-school rap. What are your favorite artists and songs?
A: "I like 2Pac, Biggie, I kinda like Wiz Khalifa and Rick Ross right now too. My favorite song right now would probably be "By Any Means", by Rick Ross."

Q: What's the top five in your iPod right now?
A: "Rick Ross, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne, 2Pac and Biggie. And of course Nas is in there a little bit, too."

Q: Where do you go hang out back in Haverhill?
A: "Nothing really, I'm just always at the gym. If I'm not doing that, I'll just chill with friends, play video games or something, or go to the mall. That's about it."

Q: One word to describe this upcoming season at New Hampton.
A: "Experience. It will be an experience. I'll be going against kids bigger than me, stronger than me, so experience is probably the right word."

HAVERHILL, Mass. -- When Methuen native and Tilton (N.H.) forward Georges Niang committed to Iowa State last May, it turned a few heads -- some of them with an air of suspicion. Was he ready for the Big 12?

Then Niang hit the road with the Boston Amateur Basketball Club, and whatever dissidence was out there evaporated. Lauded for his throwback, physical style around the rim, the Methuen native isn't afraid to throw his elbows around, and takes pride in wearing down the opposition's top scoring threat. Together with fellow teammate and highly-suited center Nerlens Noel, the BABC were a dominant inside force during the Nike EYBL season, culminating with BABC director Leo Papile's first Peach Jam title in his eighth finals appearance, last month in North Augusta, S.C.

This week, Niang and New Hampton's Noah Vonleh were back home in the Merrimack Valley helping run the Elite Youth Players Camp, an annual youth basketball clinic put on by Utah Jazz scout Jeff Nelson at the Cedardale Athletic Club. Following this afternoon's session of the week-long camp, which ends Friday, Niang talked to ESPNBoston.com about his explosive summer, and the future.

Q: Going into the summer, what were some of your goals? What were you looking to accomplish?
A: "Going into the summer, my goals were definitely to win the Peach Jam, bring one home for Boston and definitely for Leo, giving him his first one at the Peach Jam. And to repeat for the Nationals with the 16's, since we didn't have enough guys to play for the 17's. But just, to win as many games as we could, and enjoy my last summer of AAU. I mean, I really did that with the guys. It was great spending time with them, and down at the houses in Florida. But winning the Peach Jam was definitely the highlight."

Q: What about personally, was there anything motivating you this summer?
A: "Definitely. There was a lot of stuff being thrown around, like, 'Oh, now that Georges committed, is he still going to put up the same kinda numbers that he did?' And I definitely wanted to show that I belonged in the Big 12, and that I belonged to Iowa State. Just by going out there and proving it every night against ranked guys, that was something that motivated me deep down."

Q: What do you think you've improved upon the most this summer?
A: "I think just my body, and always consistently playing well. That's definitely something I wanted going into the summer, just getting my body into the best shape I could, and consistently playing well at the top level."

Q: People sometimes talk about your game as unorthodox, because you don't fit a natural position, be it a three, four or five. But the one thing that does stick out is the way you take command on the boards. Is that something you take pride in? Is it a mentality?
A: "Oh yeah, definitely. Being the best you can be is something I strive for. Grabbing rebounds, looking for the ball down low, just doing what I got to do to stay on the floor. I feel like if you can be more versatile, you can stay on the floor as long as you want."

Q: As far as technique with boxing out, what is your strategy?
A: "I mean, I do have a big body, so you're putting your body on someone and just banging down low. That helps a lot. But strictly, I'm just finding the man -- usually, I try to find the more athletic kids, because beating down athletic guys, they really don't want to jump around the rim anymore, and that just makes rebounding that much easier."

Q: Who is the best player you faced this summer?
A: "In general, I have to give it to the Harrison twins [Aaron and Andrew, of Houston's Travis High]. They were tough, and they beat us [on national television, in the Super Showcase Final with Houston Defenders AAU]. But at my position, I'd definitely have to give it to Mitch McGary [of Brewster Academy]. Mitch McGary is tough to play against. He's strong, and he gets to the rim, and he's athletic."

Q: Should be a good matchup with Brewster this year, then?
A: "Yeah, we're going to beat them (laughs). We'll get them this year."

Q: You've won four straight NEPSAC titles at Tilton. What's motivating you to a fifth?
A: "To go out a winner, definitely. I don't want to go out a loser, I definitely want to end my high school career on a win. And not only that, we're looking for five in a row, but we're definitely going for a national championship. I definitely want to end my career on a national championship."

Q: You play year-round with Nerlens, Goodluck, and Wayne Selden. How is the chemistry?
A: "The chemistry is great. Sometimes, like anything else, we're like brothers, so we'll argue every now and then. But all of us love each other, we're never selfish or anything like that. It's just great, because you have someone to relate to who's at your level. These guys are in your classes, they live with you, so just being around them year round, getting to know them, they're friends for a lifetime, definitely."

Q: What are the places to be seen around Methuen? Any restaurants, hangouts?
A: "The Loop is the hangout. But...damn, I'll have to say Romano's Pizza. That's the spot. Sometimes I might get a calzone, but you know I like to mix it up with a chicken caesar salad -- make sure you tell Fred that one, too. No, but Romano's is a cool spot. And then sometimes the barber shop down in Methuen, Five Star Barber Shop, me and my boy Michael Gorman go there to get haircuts and just chill over there."

Q: You mentioned Fred Hoiberg. When did it hit you that Iowa State was the right place for you, and how did it feel when you made the call to Fred with your commitment?
A: "I knew after my visit, it felt right. I just wanted take my time and be sure. After my visit, he came up to visit three weeks in a row, as much as he could -- as in, him, himself, not his assistants. Coach came up and told me that he wanted me, always told me that he wanted me. I felt like it was the right spot. I think it was a Sunday, maybe May 15, I came home from Mike Gorman's house, and I was talking in the car. I was trying to get Fred on the phone with my mom, because I told my mom I think I'm ready to commit. So we talked to Rick Gorman, my old AAU coach, about it. I called Leo, called my high school coach, told all of them I was ready. And then I got Fred and my dad on the phone -- my dad was overseas, because he works in the Navy. After that, I called Fred back and told him I wanted to commit and come to Iowa State.

"And I mean, it's been the best ever since. Cyclone Nation has supported me to the fullest, and I can only love that, because that's where I'm going to be playing, and these are the people that are gonna be supporting me. I can't wait to get out to Ames."

Q: Your father is in the Navy. Is that where you get your discipline from?
A: "Yeah, definitely, definitely (laughs). He's hard on me, but he loves me, so you know, I love him to the fullest, too. My dad [Sidi Niang] moved here from Senegal when he was 18, he lived down at New Bedford and then my parents met at UMass Amherst."

PEABODY, Mass. -- Like most football players in the dog days of summer, Chelmsford's Tim Joy is ready to go.

In nearly 100-degree heat Saturday afternoon at the Northeast 7v7 tournament at Bishop Fenwick High, the Boston College-bound incoming senior linebacker controlled the defense, and played an integral role in the Lions' second championship at the tournament in three years.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Joy is coming off a stellar junior season, in which he earned a spot on ESPNBoston's inaugural MIAA All-State Team after racking up 131 tackles (13 for loss) two sacks and three interceptions while calling shots at middle linebacker. It's unclear whether he'll play inside our outside at the next level, but earlier in the day he told ESPNBoston's Roger Brown, "I'll play wherever I can to get on the field and help the team."

Following the championship victory over Oliver Ames, Joy spoke to ESPNBoston.com about the upcoming season, and how he's been preparing.

Q: Let's go back a month when you committed to BC. It was pretty soon after they offered you.
A: "Coach [Sean] Devine offered at camp. I pulled my hamstring earlier in the day, so I was pretty disappointed, didn't think anything was going to happen to be honest, because I didn't really get to show them what I have. But then coach Devine talked to me after, told me everything was going to be OK, and then later that night once I got home, I got a phone call and he told me the news. It was awesome."

Q: Describe your emotions when you got the call.
A: "I mean, all my life I've been dreaming about being an Eagle. When he called me, I mean, it was satisfaction, my dream came true. But satisfaction's failure. Once I found out, that night I was pretty happy, but the day after I was back to work. That's in the future, but this season's right now."

Q: Who were the BC players you followed growing up?
A: "Mike McLaughlin, [Mark] Herzlich, Matt Ryan, all the big guys then. Mike McLaughlin, I've been with him a lot lately. We work out down at Athletic Evolution together, and I see him all the time. He's been my hero since I was a little kid. Being with him is awesome."

Q: You obviously had a tremendous season last year, so maybe to nitpick here, but looking back at last season, what weaknesses did you see in yourself that you've applied this offseason?
A: "Looking back, one of the big things is leadership. I was a captain last year, but this year I've really taken over that role. Another thing, part of being a leader is just keeping everyone up all the time. Even when times are hard, that's when the tough get staying in there, and the other teams quit. But our team won't quit when that happens."

Q: How do you develop leadership? It's obviously not an exact science.
A: "Yeah, I mean, you just need to work hard. I believe you lead by example before you can tell people what they have to do. So since I've been in eighth grade, every morning, every night I've been working out, running something, and I think I've gained the respect of all my teammates.

"Also, what I've been working on this offseason is my size. I took lacrosse off this year just to put some weight on. It paid off, I've probably put on 20 pounds since last year, so it's awesome. I'm at 215. Last year, I was like 195 playing weight. And then, I've gotten faster this year."

Q: How much do you study as a middle linebacker?
A: "A lot. When I was younger, like freshman and sophomore year, I just played. I went out there, just natural instincts are what got me through it. That's another thing I've been working on, just why we do things when we do them, you know? A lot of players see, say, cover two in this situation, but I've been meeting with the coaches a lot trying to find out why we do it, so I'm almost like a coach on the field. That's the point I'm trying to get to."

Q: What's the best high school game you've played so far?
A: "Definitely the Billerica game last year. It was awesome. That's our Thanksgiving game, big rivalry, and Nick LaSpada [Billerica quarterback]...great QB, awesome rivalry. But when we're out there on the field, it's a war out there. Winning that was just awesome."

Q: Is he the best player you've faced in the MVC so far?
A: "Brian Miller [Andover tight end and BC freshman] is up there, and a few years ago Zach Littrell from Central Catholic, went to Harvard, he was probably the hardest hitter I've ever faced. But Nick, there's something about him. He's pretty fast, pretty strong, but really just trying to tackle that kid is almost impossible."

Q: You seem like a kid that gets pretty fired up pregame. How do you prepare mentally?
A: "Well, before games, I don't really talk too much. I stay to myself, usually I go into my own little zone, go off by myself, tape my cleats up, put the arm bands on, tape the wrist up and everything. First thing we do is position meetings, and I'm quiet during the whole thing. But then when the coaches leave the room and tell me to just talk to the players, that's when I let everything out that I feel. Then when I'm out there on the field, you need to keep everyone up at all times, you know? Give everyone confidence, because confidence kills, and that's what we're going for."

Q: There's no easy week off in the MVC. What's the most important thing you guys are going to have to take care of to survive this year?
A: "Really, it's week by week. If it's a few weeks before Thanksgiving, you can't look ahead and say, 'I can't wait until Billerica'. Every game is a new season, you know? Every week, every practice, every play in practice, it's a new start. You can't take what happened last week with you. It's just like, every season, you're 0-0 every week, and it's that game, the only game that matters."

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- From Long Island to Milton and now the Boston Bruins, it's been a dizzying year for Milton Academy defenseman Rob O'Gara. In his first year with the Mustangs, O'Gara had nine points in 30 games as they took home a NEPSAC championship.

After getting selected in the fourth round (151st overall) by the Bruins last month, O'Gara is in the team's development camp this week at Ristuccia Arena. Following the first training session yesterday, Bruins assistant general manager Don Sweeney called him "a piece of clay right now, albeit it’s a big piece." And at 6-foot-4 and 197 pounds, having just turned 18 two days ago, and getting set for his final year of eligibility with the Mustangs before heading off to Yale in the fall of 2012, there's seemingly nowhere to go but up for the wide-eyed prospect.

O'Gara sat down with ESPNBoston.com following day two of camp to talk about his development, being part of the Stanley Cup champs' organization, and life back home on Long Island.

Q: You're from Nesconset, New York. How did you end up at Milton?
A: "Last summer, probably this time last summer, my coach [Paul] Cannata called me and asked if I was interested in the school. We weren't really sure, you know, financially, stuff like that. We looked into it, I applied, and it's just been a whirlwind since. It's been great."

Q: Tell us about your development over the last year at school.
A: "I think starting, I remember my numbers in the fall when we do training with our school. My numbers were crap to be honest. Just to see them go up, just the hard work, and then all that happened at school with the team and everything, it's just been incredible. I've learned so much as a player. Being able to go and skate against these guys now, it's a big stepping stone."

Q: More specifically, what kind of training were you doing that last fall?
A: "A lot of mobility. My hips were really tight coming in, and just stretching, cleans, all the power stuff, we really focused on that. That's where we tested."

Q: How would you say you progressed during the season as a player?
A: "I think being able to adapt to the role I had on the team, I'd say we had four very offensive defensemen besides me, and I think I was able to fit the role being more of a defensive style of player. I think I really progressed that side of my game a lot. I tried to get better each and every game."

Q: Getting ready for the game, some guys like to relax, others get focused. Take us through your pregame routine.
A: "I like to get to the rink at least two hours before the game. I put on my iPod, and for the first hour we'll kick around the soccer ball and stuff. We usually have a team meeting an hour before the game, then after that I just stretch, I focus, I kind of keep to myself, really think about what I have to do for the team to win."

Q: What kind of music is on that iPod?
A: "I'm all over the place, to be honest. I like the classic rock, from my dad, but I'm into the hip-hop, rap stuff too. I like Drake, to be honest, I don't know why...Actually, I'll tell you, my roommate at school is a huge Drake guy. So whenever I'd come into the room he'd be listening to that. So, I guess I got accustomed to that and started to like it."

Q: What kind of goals have you set for yourself for the rest of the summer and the fall?
A: "This summer I'm going to be skating with Aleksey [Nikiforov], he's a skating coach on Long Island [in Hauppauge]. He's got a couple professionals with him. Just keep progressing, skating with high competition, getting to the gym as much as I can, get bigger. I want to be at least 205 by the time I get back to school, and hopefully by next September I'll be 220, I'll fill out but keep my mobility and stuff like that."

Q: You're an Islanders fan. But what's it like being in this locker room?
A: "Actually, being near Boston, there's a ton of Bruins fans at school. So through the playoff run, it was hard not to root for the Bruins, it was the buzz around campus. It was an amazing run they had, just great to watch and really get behind. And then to get picked by them is such an honor, so incredible."

Q: There's not exactly star power here, but when you first got on the ice yesterday, did you find yourself star struck at all?
A: "Sure, I mean just stepping out and taking a few laps, and telling yourself, 'I'm here'. But I've just got to focus, and I think I did a pretty good job of that yesterday."

Q: Have you had a chance to speak with Vice President Cam Neely yet?
A: "No, not yet, but that would be incredible (laughs)."

Q: Big Neely fan growing up?
A: "Oh yeah. My dad showed me all the videos he had, just watching Neely and all that old-time hockey. It was great stuff."

Q: Back on Long Island, what's the best beach?
A: "Back on Long Island, I go to Robert Moses. There's a Par-3 there, and I love golfing. Just going with friends, it's a good time."

Q: What's the best place to eat in Suffolk County?
A: "I'm a big bagel guy. The best bagel store on Long Island is this place 'Hot Bagels' in Hauppauge, by my grandpa's house. It's about 20 minutes from my house. My dad refuses to go anywhere else, so he drives 20 minutes Saturday mornings to go grab some bagels."

What stands out more about Plymouth North senior catcher Matt Walsh: that he's throwing guys out at second at an 80 percent clip this season, or that he's 4 for 5?

That's right, the Franklin Pierce-bound catcher, an ESPNBoston Preseason All-State selection, has allowed just one stolen base all season -- and at that, runners have tested his live arm just five times through 14 games for the 13-1 Eagles. The 6-foot, 215-pounder can also rake; headed into this week, he was leading the Atlantic Coast League in batting average (.595) and RBI (24), and had pelted two home runs. In today's 4-3 win over Dennis-Yarmouth, he hit a deep bomb to left field for a stand-up double in his only hit of the day.

Behind Walsh and a steady stable of pitchers, the Eagles came into the season as a favorite to make their third appearance in the Division 2 state championship game in four seasons. And so far, they've lived up to the hype. Walsh sat down with ESPNBoston.com following the win in South Yarmouth -- which clinched a share of the ACL for the Eagles -- to discuss his play so far this season.

Q: Where do you credit your arm strength?
A: "I've worked a lot in the offseason on my arm strength, but a lot of that goes to my pitchers. They work really hard at keeping the runners close to the bag, and that helps me out a ton. They do a good job."

Q: What kind of goals did you set for the team and yourself this season?
A: "Our team goals, we have three: beat [Plymouth] South, which we did twice; win the ACL, we just did that, we win Monday it'll be outright; and win the state championship, definitely...Individually? None really. I just want to win. That's all I really care about."

Q: You're swinging the bat pretty well at that plate. How much attention have you put into that?
A: "In the offseason, I work out putting in swings every day at my dad's place. My dad [Tim Walsh] owns a hitting facility [Gorilla Baseball, at the JunglePlex in Plymouth] with Scott Savastano. He's helped me out a lot this offseason, and he plays for the Seattle Mariners [NOTE: Savastano is currently with the Double-A Jackson Generals]. He taught me a lot about swings and stances, and everything like that."

Q: One of your old teammates, Joey Flynn, is already at Franklin Pierce and plays not too far from here during the summer for the Wareham Gatemen, in the Cape Cod League. Is that a goal of yours to play with him on the Cape?
A: "Oh yeah, absolutely. I've set my limits as high as they can go, so absolutely. I plan on watching a lot of his games this summer."

Q: Take Me through your pregame routine. What are you doing to get ready?
A: "We'll get off the bus, and I'll usually go to the field and stretch. We'll take BP as a team, then I'll come over and get all my stuff ready, then stretch again, run a little bit, then throw with the team in the outfield. I'll go catch some out of the bullpen, then I'm ready to play."

Q: When you throw a guy out at second, how does it feel?
A: "Obviously happy, pumped up I guess (laughs). But it's my job, and it has to be done, so I don't really stay on it too long. It's over with right after, you've got to look beyond that."

Q: Best moment of your career so far?
A: "Winning the state championship my freshman year (2008), definitely. Hopefully, we'll get another one (smiles)."

GROTON, Mass. -- To watch a Tyler Beede start is to watch an event.

Not just for what's on the hill for Lawrence Academy, where the 6-foot-4, 200-pound, Vanderbilt-bound righthander is off to a dominant start for the Spartans (23 IP, 44 K, 3 BB, 2 hits allowed, 1 ER) after a stellar 2010 season (6-1, 87 K, 45.1 IP, 1.08 ERA); but for what's behind the backstop. Since transferring into the Groton campus after leading Auburn High to the 2009 Division 2 MIAA state championship, throngs of major league scouts flock to every one of his starts, often in the dozens (a rumored 40 were on hand for his 16-strikeout performance against St. Sebastian's last week). And not to be forgotten is his added bat this year, with five homers and 10 RBI so far as a leadoff hitter.

Earlier this month, an American League scout told me Beede projects as "a potential first-rounder, but top three rounds in particular" for June's amateur draft. That can be a lot of pressure for an impressionable high schooler, but the senior handles it like he's been there for years -- and truthfully, he has.

Beede spoke with ESPNBoston.com following a dominant performance in a 10-1 win over St. Mark's (13 K, 0 BB, 0 ER, one hit allowed, no balls out of infield) to discuss the scouting herd, his workout regimen, and his future in baseball.

Q: Just seeing what we saw before the game, all the scouts standing at the top of the hill overlooking the bullpen and watching you warm up, you're probably used to it by now. But what's it like pitching in front of so many scouts every time out?
A: "Oh man, I really don't know. I guess it's just an honor to have this opportunity. I'm a 17-year-old kid who's just trying to get to that next level, college, and having the pro guys here is just an honor. I just try to go out there and have fun, play like it's a high school game, no added pressure or anything like that. They're there, but I really don't try to pay attention to them. I just try to pitch my game for sure."

Q: The first time you threw in front of that many scouts, were you nervous?
A: "Oh yeah, definitely nervous (laughs). I would peek over the catcher, see some guys and be like 'Wow, this is a little too much'. There were a lot of scouts back there. But you just settle into your game, you kinda block them out, like I was saying, and it's just like pitching a regular game."

Q: When was that first time?
A: "Jeez, probably 14 [years old]...actually 15. I was with a travel team playing down in Arizona."

Q: You've had some great performances so far. People point to the St. Sebastian's game as one of your better performances (Beede struck out 16, allowed two hits and a walk, and homered, in a 5-1 win). What have you found to be working for you so far?
A: "I definitely worked on a lot of stuff during the off-season. I threw in a new mechanic, going over my head a little bit like Curt Schilling. It's helped me balance, and stay over my leg a little longer. Having a new catcher, (sophomore) Kevin Wnukowski, he's been a great help. He's really given me confidence throwing my off-speed, he's great at blocking pitches, and he calls a great game. The team's playing great, and it relieves pressure off me when they're scoring five, six runs, (or) 10 runs like we did today. It's just a great all-around team, and teamwork, throughout this whole season so far."

Q: Obviously, the fastball has gotten you a lot of attention. But how satisfied are you with your curve and change?
A: "Yeah, the curveball's been a great pitch for me this year. That's what I over the offseason a lot. I'm glad it's feeling good coming out of my hand, and I'm getting a lot more comfortable throwing it in 2-1 counts, 3-2 counts, so that's been a great pitch for me for sure."

Q: Who are the best hitters you've faced so far in your high school career?
A: "High school career man, ooh, that's tough. Here in my league, Rhett Weisman for sure, lefty hitter from BB&N. And then guys throughout the country, Blake Swihart from New Mexico (Cleveland High, Rio Rancho, N.M.), Dante Bichette Jr. (Orangewood Christian, Maitland, Fla.), Shawon Dunston (Valley Christian, Fremont, Calif.), future Vandy commit. There's just so many great hitters, and it's a privilege playing against those guys over the summer for sure."

Q: The Vanderbilt head coach, Tim Corbin, is a local guy, and he's in on a lot of the talent around here. What's his program like?
A: "They just produce first rounders after first rounders, and they really develop their pitchers, hitters, all positions. The coaching staff is tremendous, they really make you comfy right when you get down there. They really make you feel a part of the team. There's no spots guaranteed. The freshmen that come in next year have an equal opportunity for starting positions in the field and in the pitching rotation. I've been talking to the other guys [coming in], and we're all excited for sure."

Q: You talk to Adam Ravenelle (a Vandy commit from Lincoln-Sudbury) a lot. Are you surprised that he's hitting so well this year?
A: "Kids that come from Cressey [Performance], they have some power. Me, I've hit three, four home runs this year. But yeah, Rav's a great kid, and I'm excited to play with him next year."

Q: Take me through your pregame routine. What's going through you head?
A: "I watch a lot of video before games, with my mechanics. I'm just trying to get it in my head, because I'm a mental pitcher. I kind of just adjust as the game goes on. With whatever's working after I come from the pen, if the curveball's not working I'll try and throw a little more in the game, first few innings, just to get a feel for what I'm going to do today. It's just an inning by inning thing, I'll take my adjustments when I get them."

Q: In regards to what people are saying about your draft status, are there any thoughts right now on where you'd be leaning, whether it's college or going into the minors?
A: "I'm not sure. Right now, college is the only guarantee, so that's what I'm going for. But you know, when the draft comes I'm going to talk to my parents and go from there."