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The following coaches will be honored at the Second Annual Coach of the Year/Student Athlete Banquet on May 30, 2012. Each coach below has been named Coach of the Year by the MIAA for their respective sport:

Robert Mahoney, Notre Dame (Tyngsborough) -- Girls Volleyball
Amelia Davis, Algonquin -- Gymnastics
Kevin Burchill, Braintree -- Girls Ice Hockey
Jack Stoddard, Duxbury -- Boys Golf
Alex Naumann, Everett -- Boys Ice Hockey
Michael Foley, Framingham -- Swim
Fred Jewett, Hingham -- Indoor Track
Jim Leonard, King Philip -- Softball
Phil Maia, Lowell -- Cross Country
David Duffy, Needham -- Football
Frank Carey, North Reading -- Baseball
Rick Kates, Notre Dame (Hingham) -- Outdoor Track
David Gianferante, Notre Dame (Hingham) -- Girls Golf
Kim Penney, Reading -- Girls Basketball
David Curley, Rockport -- Boys Soccer
Ed Scollan, Westford -- Boys Basketball
Leslie Frank, Westwood -- Girls Lacrosse

Cranston West blinked first.

The Division I state baseball champion was clipped, 6-3, by 16-time state champion Hendricken.

That victory enabled the Hawks to remain undefeated and grab sole possession of first place.

Entering the first week in May, Hendricken (10-0) held a three-game lead over the Falcons (7-3).

Tom Pannone was a one-man wrecking crew against the Falcons. Besides striking out 10 he also hit a three-run homer. Pannone picked up where he left off in a 10-5 victory over East Greenwich as he fanned 11in 7 1/3 innings.

Mike King and Reed Gamache personally wrecked Tiverton in 13-0 victory. King tossed a no-hitter replete with six strikeouts while Gamache belted a grand-slam homer.

Pannone again wielded a big bat in an 8-4 win over Mount St. Charles when he smacked a sixth-inning solo homer that snapped a 4-4 tie.

HAWK SKATERS LEAD THE WAY
Not surprisingly Hendricken received the most slots on the All-State boys’ hockey team.

The state-champion Hawks, who ended Mount St. Charles’s run of four consecutive titles, placed goalie Bill Palmer, defenseman Dan Nolte and forward Matt Creamer on the First Team.

Palmer, who was voted MVP honors in the best-of-three finals against Mount, allowed only 13 goals in 15 regular-season games.

Creamer recorded 43 points in 27 overall games. But what was most noteworthy about this honor was that he became one of the very few freshmen ever to be voted First Team accolades.

Defenseman Ben Handanyan and forward Brian Belisle represented Mount on the First Team while forward Bryan Lemos represented La Salle.

TWO LADY RAMS SKATE ON FIRST TEAM
Goalie Holly Scott and freshman forward Meaghan Rickard earned First Team All-State honors for La Salle which captured the Division I state hockey title.

Scott, who was a First Team pick last year, was voted the MVP of the championship series versus Mount St. Charles.

Rickard led the Rams with 17-11-28 totals during the regular season.

Rounding out the First Team are Bay View defender Bethany Fogerty and forward Kiley Colucci plus Mount St. Charles defender Laureen Deguire and forward Brianna Castro.

(Read full post)

Defending Division I state baseball champion Cranston West has picked up where it left off last season.

Through games of April 18, the Falcons (5-0) were tied for first place with Hendricken in Division 1 Central.

And like any good team, the Falcons are doing it with pitching and hitting.

Just check their last three games:

• Rich Reo pitched no-hit ball until the sixth inning – the second time this season he’s lost a no-hitter in the sixth – and Frank Pettinato and Tony Crudale each collected three hits and two RBI in a 7-1 victory over Pilgrim.
• Ryan Long scattered six hits and went the distance as the Falcons edged East Providence, 3-2.
• Rob DeCosta led the last of the seventh with a solo home run which snapped a tie and gave the Falcons a 3-2 triumph over Cranston East.

In other games of note:

• La Salle’s Caleb Gardner went the distance on a three-hitter, striking out 10 in the process, as the Rams beat Lincoln, 3-1. Frank D’Amato’s two-run homer and Jon Lapolla’s solo blast accounted for the Rams’ scoring.
• Kyle Tracey threw only 95 pitches and went nine innings as Cranston East nipped Warwick Vets, 3-2.
• Scituate’s Scott Iacobucci tossed a no-hitter, replete with 11 whiffs and only one walk, as the Spartans blanked Davies, 14-0, in a Division II-North game.

LAWSON TOPS ALL-STATE BASKETBALL TEAM
Senior forward Jarell Lawson led Central to the state basketball championship, the Knights’ first in 20 years.

Therefore, it wasn’t a surprise when he was named First Team All-State.

Lawson averaged 19 points and 10.9 rebounds for the 19-4 Knights.

Joining Lawson on the First Team are North Kingstown senior center Evan Scott (he averaged 16.7 ppg. and tied the school record with 69 blocked shots); West Warwick senior forward Ryan Lawton (20.1 ppg. and 1.35 rpg.); La Salle junior guard Tom Hunt (18.9 ppg.); and, for the second consecutive year, St. Raphael junior guard Charles Correa (20.4 ppg. and 7.5 assists per game).

Second Team honors were accorded to St. Raphael senior forward Cesar Mejia, Hope senior forward Emmanuel Kargbo, Mount Pleasant sophomore guard Kip Stewart, North Providence senior guard Austin Van Bemmelen, Westerly junior guard Austin Cilley and West Warwick senior guard John Morrison.

WAS SILVA PUSHED OUT THE DOOR?
As is the case with many schools, coaches must apply for their positions on an annual basis regardless of their tenure.

That was the case with Mount Hope head football coach Ron Silva. But in what was anything but a “harmonious meeting,” Silva exited his session with school administrators after confirming he would not apply to remain the Huskies’ coach for the 2012 season.

In five seasons at the helm, Silva compiled a 22-19 record in Division II games and guided the Huskies to the playoffs four times.

Mount Hope advanced to the 2009 Super Bowl where it was blanked, 19-0, by Woonsocket.

Silva indicated he would like to continue coaching and noted he’s already received a few offers.

(Read full post)

The North got the best of the South in Saturday's North-South Senior All-Star Classic at Windsor High School.

North teams won three of the four games at the event, which is sponsored by the Vermont Basketball Coaches' Association and featured some the state's top senior boys and girls players. Scores and highlights from each contest:

Division I-II Boys: Mill River's Nate Salgo scored 13 points and Springfield's Kurt Perham added 10 in the South's 80-69 triumph. Mount Mansfield's Tom Lacy led the North with 17.

Division III-IV Boys: Rivendell's Dylan Pelletier, Blue Mountain's Eddie Soucie and Websterville's Andrew Shuman each tossed in a team-high 11 points as the North prevailed 97-77.

Division I-II Girls: Burlington's Kaylah Jones led all scorers with 11 as the North edged the South 61-59.

Division III-IV Girls: Twinfield's Brianna duPont tossed in 10 points in the North's 82-63 triumph.

DISPLAY OF POWER
South Burlington's Chris Weinheimer scored a power-play goal midway through the third period to give the Austin Conference a 2-1 triumph over the Harris Conference in the Rotary All-Star Hockey Classic held Saturday at Essex High School.

Stowe's Hunter Grosvenor gave the Austin Conference a 1-0 lead with 3:20 left in the second period, but Northfield's Billy Whaley tied the game 39 seconds later.

South Burlington's Nate Young (10 saves), Rice's Ian Koupash (12) and Spaulding's Kevin Avery (seven) were the Austin Conference goaltenders. Essex's Pat Campbell (14), U-32's Mike Bresette (six) and St. Johnsbury's Chris O'Donnell (17) played in goal for the Harris Conference.

Montpelier's Mary Cain made 24 saves to highlight the Harris Conference's 4-2 triumph in the girls game, held March 17.

Middlebury's Maria Ploof scored twice for the Harris Conference, which also received goals from Rutland's Erin Kiernan-Reilly and Hartford's Bethany Bouthillier.

The Rotary games are used to select Vermont's teams for the Make-A-Wish Twin State Classic. Vermont will face New Hampshire's all-stars July 14 at the University of Vermont's Gutterson Fieldhouse.

GATORADE HONORS ST. AMOUR
Gatorade selected Missisquoi Valley Union's Matt St. Amour as its boys basketball Player of the Year in Vermont for the 2011-12 season.

St. Amour, a 6-foot-3-inch junior guard, is the first boys basketball player from Missisquoi to receive the award, which is based on athletic excellence, academic achievement and character.

St. Amour averaged 26.6 points. 12.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.7 points per game for the Thunderbirds, who lost in the Division I tournament's opening round. Missisquoi won the Division II title last season.

“He plays under control and can finish on either side of the basket, and he's also got great range,” Vergennes coach Peter Quinn said. “You have to defend him as soon as he gets one or two dribbles over half-court.”

St. Amour holds Missisquoi's record for career point scored (1,388).

GRIBBIN SELECTS DARTMOUTH
South Burlington's Mollie Gribbin has announced that she will continue her track and field career at Dartmouth College.

Gribbin, who holds the state record in the long jump (18 feet, 5.5 inches), the triple jump (40-9.5) and the 100 meters (12.24 seconds), was also considering Virginia, Columbia, Illinois and Oregon. She also played soccer for South Burlington.

Roger Brown is a freelance writer who has been reporting on high school sports in New England since 1992.

From 1968 through 1992, Central High dominated boys’ basketball in Rhode Island.

Under coaching legends Jim Adams and Don Pastine, the Knights captured 11 of 24 state championships including seven in a row from 1968-75.

Players like Rickey Santos, Marvin Barnes, Mike Hazard and current Providence College head coach Ed Cooley became household names.

But when parochial schools like Hendricken, St. Raphael and La Salle began capitalizing on their ability to draw student-athletes from all over the state, the scales titled in their favor to the point where they annexed 16 of the last 17 titles prior to this season.

Fifth-seeded Central turned the clock back earlier this month when it beat intra-city rival/14th-seeded Hope, 66-59 behind the stellar play of Jerelle Washington.

Washington, a sophomore, tossed in 28 points – 16 in the second half which enabled the Knights to overcome an 11-point deficit and clinch their 12th state title – in the first time they’ve played the Blue Wave for the championship since 1971.

The Knights finished the season with a 19-5 overall record and broke Hope’s eight-game winning streak in the process.

Central beat ninth-seeded Rogers, 54-46, in the semifinals as Daniel Mendez scored 16 points.

The Blue Wave (14-12) advanced to the finals for the first time since 2007 by defeating second-seeded La Salle, 69-65, in overtime.

Manny Kargbo scored five of his overall 24 points at the free throw line in OT to help clinch the victory.

THREE FOR THE COURT
La Salle Academy, Narragansett and Juanita Sanchez captured the Division 1, 2 and 3 girls’ state basketball championships, respectively. But while winning titles is old news for the Rams, it made front-page headlines for the Mariners and Cavaliers.

Narragansett beat Classical, 51-40, for the Division II title – the school’s first in 18 years.

Juanita Sanchez, meanwhile, claimed the Division III crown by defeating defending champion Middletown, 49-36 – the first in the eight-year history of the program.

La Salle, not surprisingly, walked off with its ninth Division I title since the 1998-99 season by outlasting Bay View, 53-49.

Narragansett’s Mercedes Harris earned MVP honors after posting a double-double with 10 points and 16 rebounds.

The Cavaliers (23-3 overall) won more than eight games for the first time in program history.

D’Asia Allen paced Juanita Sanchez with 18 points, which helped Tyrone Dale win a state title in his first season as the team’s head coach.

The “hook” in the La Salle-Bay View game was that each team finished 18-0 in its respective division (La Salle in I-South and Bay View in I-North).

Davida Dale paced La Salle with 13 points while Vandell Andrade led Bay View with 16.

RAMS CLIMB OVER MOUNT
Maybe Hendricken won’t win a gazillion state hockey championships like Mount St. Charles has over the decades. But the Hawks will cherish their most recent title moreso than most.

Why? One reason being it snapped Mount’s current run of consecutive State Championship Division crowns at four.

Secondly, the Hawks did something few teams have been able to do when they faced Mount in the third and deciding game of a best-of-three series – win that game, in this case, 5-2.

Invariably, when the Mounties drop Game 1, the running joke is they have their opponent just where they want them – in position to be swept over the final two games.

Junior Paul Filipone etched his name into Hendricken sports lore by not only scoring in overtime to give his team a 4-3 victory in Game 1 but he also scored two of the Hawks’ first four goals in Game 3.

Filipone scored once in each of the first two periods while Justin Finan drove a dagger into the Mounties’ collective hearts with a second-period goal which produced a 4-1 lead.

Mount forced a deciding game when Brian Larence made 32 saves to backstop a 3-2 victory.

ON OTHER ICE
Don’t ask why the smallest state in the country has four state hockey tournaments.

Actually, the reason is there’s such a gap between the various schools that it’s a virtual necessity.

Moses Brown copped the Division I crown by sweeping Barrington 6-4 and 4-2.

The Quakers thus ended their hockey affiliation with the Interscholastic League in style because they’ll be playing an independent schedule commencing next season.

Junior Nathan Farrington came up big in the third period of each game by twice scoring two goals. His short-handed goal in Game 2 gave the Quakers a 3-1 lead – a margin they didn’t relinquish.

Coventry retained its Division II championship by sweeping Prout 2-0 and 6-1.

Junior Mike Presola was voted tourney MVP honors after scoring three goals and assisting on two.

During their two-year championship run, the Oakers have compiled a 33-3-0 regular-season record.

“Townie Pride” has taken a blow over the last year as East Providence has been beset with serious financial problems. But the hockey team put those woes on the back burner for a while by nipping Mount Hope, 2-1, in the Game 3 of their Division III championship series.

As a result, the Townies earned their first state hockey title in seven years.

Ryan Barry was named the tournament’s MVP by scoring one goal and assisting on five others.

CHARIHO TRACKS DOWN NATIONAL RECORD
Another of the state’s smaller schools made major waves on the national track scene at the New Balance Indoor Nationals in The Big Apple.

The quartet of Dan Kilcoyne, Bryce Kelley, Jake Kilcoyne and Mike Marsella captured the 4-x-1-mile relay in a national-record time of 17:20.20 – breaking the previous mark by 1.38 seconds.

The Chargers, who’re coached by Bill Haberek, beat out such long-time powers as Shaker High (Latham, N.Y.) and Christian Brothers (Lincroft, N.J.).

Mike Scandura has been covering high school sports, college basketball, football and hockey plus minor league baseball in Rhode Island since the early 1970s. A native of Oswego, N.Y, he’s a member of the Words Unlimited Hall of Fame which is the statewide organization of sportswriters, sportscasters and sports publicists.

At the risk of using a horse-racing metaphor, Cranston West High recorded a “daily double” when Words Unlimited announced its award winners for the 2011 calendar year.

Jeff Diehl, who starred in basketball and baseball, was voted the Schoolboy Athlete of the Year while Falcons baseball coach Rob Malo was voted the Schoolboy Sports Coach of the Year.

Diehl, a senior, led the Falcons to the first-ever Division I basketball championship in school history.

Then, in the spring, he hit .537 with six home runs and 27 RBI as the Falcons compiled a 13-5 regular-season record. His production was a major reason why Cranston West won the Division I state championship.

When June rolled around, Diehl was selected in the 23rd round by the New York Mets.

Malo replaced veteran and eminently successful coach Chuck Jones in 2007 – two years after the Falcons won their first Division I state baseball title since 1975.

The Falcons finished the 2011 season on top of the Division I pile as they spotted North Kingstown a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three finals and won the next two games to capture the state championship.

On the distaff side, La Salle’s twin sisters Madison and McKenzie Meehan were voted co-Schoolgirl Athletes of the Year while Barrington cross-country coach Annmarie Marino was named the Schoolgirl Sports Coach of the Year.

Last fall, Madison Meehan led the country in assists with 44 while McKenzie led the nation in scoring with 80 goals as the Rams won their fourth consecutive Division I state soccer championship.

Each Meehan also earned All-State honors the previous winter as the Rams annexed their fifth straight state indoor title.

Marino guided the Eagles to both the Class A and State championships. The state title was the first in school history since 1994.

Words Unlimited is the statewide organization of sportswriters, sportscasters and sports publicists.

(Read full post)

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletics Association officially announced this morning that they have tapped Medway High School Principal Richard Pearson as its next Associate Executive Director. He will begin July 1 and replace outgoing Deputy Executive Director Bill Gaine, who is set to retire at the end of June.

Here is the MIAA's official release, courtesy of Media Relations director Nathan Bonneau:

Richard L. Pearson, currently principal of Medway High School, has been named Associate Executive Director of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) and the Massachusetts Secondary Schools Administrators’ Association (MSSAA). He will assume his new position in June.

He will succeed William N. Gaine Jr., the long time Deputy Executive Director, who will retire on June 30, 2012.

In making the announcement, Richard F. Neal, Executive Director, said, “Richard has been an active member of our two associations for many years and is well informed on the mission, responsibilities and operations of both organizations. The fact that his peers elected him to serve as MSSAA President this year is testimony to the respect he has among the educational community as a leader.”

With the MIAA, Mr. Pearson has served on many committees, including the Tournament Management Committee and Lacrosse Committee, and is currently serving as Chair of the District C Athletic Committee.

Mr. Pearson was named principal at Medway H.S. in August, 2004. Among his many accomplishments in that position was supervising the opening of a new school. He was assistant principal at Foxborough H.S. from June, 2000 to August, 2004.

A musician by education, he holds a Bachelor in Music Education degree from The Ohio State University. He began his teaching career as Band Director in Walpole and later in Medfield. He holds a Masters in Education degree from Bridgewater State College and is currently in the process of completing course work in the doctoral program at Northeastern University.

Mr. Gaine joined the Associations as Assistant Executive Director in October, 1979 and has had major responsibility in the areas of student/athlete health and safety initiatives over the years. He also had executive responsibility for all phases of management for most Association-sponsored sports with current oversight for ice hockey, football and baseball. He was promoted to his present position in 1994.

Mr. Gaine has been the architect and catalyst for the development and growth of the MIAA’s Student Services Program which includes Sportsmanship, Wellness, Leadership, Community Service and Coaches’ Education. The MIAA and Mr. Gaine have been recognized statewide and nationally for creating programming focused on student athletes that enrich their interscholastic experience through a curriculum of educational athletics.

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

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

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

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

FOOTBALL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD
Kendall Knous, Franklin – Wake Forest

ROXBURY, Mass. -- “Get that homework out, we ain’t sittin’ on no luxury chairs today!”

It’s 10 a.m. on a Saturday at the Vine Street Community Center in Roxbury, and hulking basketball coach Larry Merritt is taking no excuses.

“Tell them if they’re done with their homework, they can get a book to read. Write down the names of the kids who say they got nothing to do, some of them are repeat offenders.”

Upon hearing Merritt’s booming pronouncement, twenty pairs of eyes shift nervously to the floor as worksheets and textbooks begin to line the table. Careful to avoid the ire of their intimidating coach, the pre-teen boys start working on their assignments, under the watchful eyes of several volunteer tutors.

Merritt’s AAU basketball program, called Meritting Attention, is just one of a host of athletic initiatives complementing ESPN’s recent Rise Up project, helping Boston students succeed both on the field and in the classroom.

This past summer, ESPN identified Dorchester and TechBoston Academies, both of whom used the same dilapidated public field, as candidates for an athletic facility renovation courtesy of the network’s ‘Rise Up’ program. According to ESPN High School editor Margaret Myers, the station “contacted school authorities and the city of Boston, finding community contractors and local businesses who wanted to help with the project.” Volunteers from construction companies around the city re-sodded the baseball fields at Roberts Playground, installed a new walking path, and put in lighting and fencing to increase safety. Workers also built a new cardio room inside the school, and constructed a women’s locker room.

Although the final unveiling of the transformed facilities received great publicity and was the subject of a September 27 special on ESPN, the recent renovation has only served as one small part of renewed academic and athletic progress at Boston’s public high schools. Local initiatives such as Meriting Attention, the Boston Scholar-Athlete Program, and Red Bull’s “Boston’s got Wings” project, have combined with Rise Up to lift achievement among the city’s student-athletes.

Building from the ground up
Merritt described his organization as Boston’s “out of school time student-athlete program,” and sums up the club’s entire philosophy with his slogan, “we study before we play.”

“Students must be doing well in the classroom in order to participate in our program,” Merritt explained. “We hold tutoring and homework sessions before all of our practices, and all participants must have an ‘action plan’ in order to improve academically.”

In addition to coaching AAU teams for children in grades three to 11, Merritt holds Saturday morning basketball camps before the season starts. Since he frequently uses BPS facilities for homework sessions, practices, and games, the coach was quick to emphasize the universal value of Rise Up’s facility restoration in Dorchester.

"The renovations have brought a new life to the world of sports for the entire Dorchester Educational Complex community," Merritt said. "Having quality facilities to play on is huge for inner-city kids. Normally, they would have to travel to the suburbs to experience a game on state of the art facilities.”

Merritt’s program combines basketball instruction with academic tutoring and leadership development, and the coach assures that “each student-athlete will understand the importance of being a student in the classroom first, and then a student of the game.”

Most importantly, however, Merritt believes in the power of athletics as a springboard to achievement.

“Sports are a necessity for youth in general,” he said. “If kids are in good athletic programs, they should be able to encompass all the life-skills that they need to be successful.”

Jamal Allen, a recent graduate of Merritting Attention, exemplifies the coach’s sentiments.

“Larry’s program helped me improve academically,” he said. “It gave me the confidence to ask for help and succeed at school.”

Allen has since enrolled in Lincoln Middle School as part of the METCO Program, and stars on the school’s basketball team. He plans on attending Lincoln-Sudbury High School next fall.

Allen also highlighted Merritt’s role in supporting the community.

"Larry brings them together to do something productive, instead of spending time at home watching TV or wasting time on the streets," he said.

Volunteer mentor and Boston International senior Jesse Barbosa agreed, pointing out that the program "takes kids from [dangerous areas] and helps them do something that they really like and are interested in."

"Larry is helping to build a stronger community," she said.

Academic success through athletics
Elementary and middle-school aged children make up the vast majority of Meritting Attention’s players, and those who don’t later receive scholarships to private secondary schools must navigate the BPS system. However, the Boston-Scholar Athlete program (BSA), implemented in 2009 as a result of a Boston Globe article condemning the state of high school sports in the city, has made an effort to increase athletic participation and eligibility.

Partnering with Boston mayor Thomas Menino and the BPS, Suffolk Construction CEO John Fish pledged an unprecedented $5 million over five years to "support academic achievement through athletics."

As of the 2011-12 school year, the BSA has established academic “Zones” in all 19 Boston public high schools, complete with outside tutors and work stations equipped with computers and graphing calculators. In addition, the BSA sponsors numerous showcasing events to increase exposure for star athletes, and has made several equipment and facility improvements throughout the city.

"We know through research that there exists a direct correlation between participation in athletics and academic achievement," said Evan Davis, the BSA's executive director. "Our goal is to help make athletic programs in BPS schools as attractive as possible, and to get as many kids playing sports as possible."

By all accounts, the BSA program has been successful. Participation in fall athletics has increased by three percent since 2009, and almost 3,200 student-athletes are currently enrolled in Zones across Boston. In addition, graduation rates in the city’s high schools are at an all-time high, with 63.2 percent of students graduating on-time in 2010, up 1.8 percent since the implementation of the BSA program.

Barbosa, an avid softball player, described how the new Zone in her school has helped initiate academic improvement.

“[Before the Zones] Many kids didn’t participate in athletics because they didn’t think it was worth it,” she said. “But as time went by, they decided to give it a chance because there were new programs to help them academically. Participating in athletics became a way for kids to help get their grades up, and they became eligible to do things that they really liked, such as sports.” (Depending on the school, BPS students currently need between a 1.67 and 2.5 GPA to compete in athletics.)

The BSA also gave students at English High School in Jamaica Plain the support system they needed to meet the school’s landmark new GPA requirement of 2.5 to participate in sports. Barry Robinson, the athletic director and boys' basketball coach at English, explained that the school needed to raise the athletic prerequisite from a 1.67 because "when the season was over, the players’ interest level in school went down. Most of the time, they were just getting by and doing the minimum to get a 1.67."

Robinson emphasized that the BSA "really, really helps [the school] out.” The student-athletes benefit from the “laptops and tutors” in English’s Zone, and the BSA has allowed coaches to “look at students’ grades on a daily basis and monitor their progress in class,” he said. The program has even let Robinson establish a four hour Saturday study hall for student-athletes in the school’s Zone.

“The students need the extra support,” he said. “It’s not as if they leave on Friday, and we don’t see them again until Monday morning.”

Additionally, Barbosa explained that at Boston International, “many teachers volunteer to be in the Zone, which gives kids more contact with them and lets them feel more comfortable asking for help.”

“Kids are getting more focused,” she said. “The number of students who did really well on MCAS exams has increased a lot.”

From 2009 to 2010, Boston International High School saw a 47 percent improvement in passing scores for English, and a 10 percent increase in Math.

“With the BSA program, kids have found some kind of spark within themselves and have decided to stay focused on school,” Barbosa said. “Most have graduated and are now in college. Many students are just trying to find a hand to hold onto, so they can succeed.”

She recounted the story of one mentor in particular, Aly Azor, who has risen above and beyond his obligations to make sure students at Boston International feel cared for.

“Mr. Azor is always there for us,” she said. “Even when we are not in the Zone, he shows that he cares and that he is going to be there for us. He always has his hands open to support us.”

Barbosa explained that Azor, who graduated from Boston College in 2009, monitors the progress of student-athletes both inside and outside the Zone, and can frequently be seen smiling from the stands at games. In addition, Boston International headmaster Nicole Bahnam added that Azor’s frequent “homework sessions” and “SAT prep classes” have had “a great impact on the men and women” of her school.

Tutors like Azor are said to exemplify the qualities that the BSA hopes to instill in all BPS’ volunteers and coaches. In order to meet this goal, the program offers a free professional development course for all high school coaches in the city in addition to their student-based projects. The BSA Coaches Academy, as the program is called, “has helped coaches increase their skills in working on and off the court with student-athletes,” Merritt explained.

“Having coaches who are passionate about kids and competent about the sport in which they are coaching will help the kids stay in BPS schools,” he said.

Justin Rice, founder of the website BPSsports.com, shared Merritt’s opinion about the importance of capable coaches.

“Athletics in urban schools sometimes serve as a double-edged sword for disadvantaged youth if schools don't have the proper support systems in place to put sports in context for students,” he said. “Without solid coaches to promote a healthy sports environment, many students start to think that athletics are all about flashy dunks and fancy dribbling, and believe that they are destined to become NBA players.”

Rice made clear that when only 0.15 percent of high school athletes make it to the professional level (according to the NCAA), sports can sometimes give students “a sense of false hope” without qualified coaches to put athletics in perspective.

“The more education coaches receive, the better,” he said.

Boston celebrity gives back

Complementing the BSA’s model of identifying and renovating deteriorating public athletic facilities, Celtics star Rajon Rondo decided to launch his “Boston’s Got Wings” program at the beginning of the last NBA season.

For every steal Rondo logged on the year, his sponsor Red Bull donated $500 to the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, with the purpose of refurbishing public basketball courts around the city. Rondo raised almost $80,000 after recording 153 steals last season, and 13 courts within five city parks received extensive restorations as a result of his efforts. Malcolm X Park in Roxbury -- featured in Chris Ballard’s “Hoop Nation” as one of the top-30 national sites for pick-up basketball -- and the Back Bay Fens -- just steps from the Green Monster and storied Fenway Park -- were some of the more prominent courts to be repaired.

Cesar Adim, a ninth grade Boston resident and basketball standout at Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood, has witnessed firsthand the positive impact that the newly restored courts have had on the city’s young players.

“The renovations have given the kids around Boston a better, safer place to play,” he said. “They aren’t slipping on the court all the time, and the courts are not all messed up like they used to be.”

Last August, at the opening ceremony of the newly revamped courts at Malcolm X Park, Rondo echoed Adim’s reaction to Dime Magazine: “Having a place to play is very big. Anything for kids, I’m all with, and for.”

Rondo also explained to the magazine that the Boston’s Got Wings project “means a lot” to him, as a kid who was raised in inner-city Louisville.

Still a long road ahead

Nearly all the constructive initiatives recently put into operation around the city have been privately financed, and there remain numerous unfunded athletic needs within the BPS. Even with the substantial improvements made possible by Rise Up, the BSA, and Boston’s Got Wings, athletic facilities in many city schools are still decrepit.

Only six of the 19 BPS high schools have their own football fields; the rest are forced to play chronically under-attended “home” games in Jamaica Plain’s White Stadium. Once spring rolls around, nearly all the city’s baseball players will find themselves competing in public parks, with some teams, such as Boston International’s squad, hosting games as far as five miles from where they go to class. Consequently, the public schools appear an unattractive option to Boston’s most gifted athletes, many of whom are offered scholarships to one of the copious New England prep schools with powerhouse sports programs.

"BPS athletics have very talented athletes, but the challenge is that the private schools have better facilities," Merritt said. "It’s like comparing apples to oranges when a family is asked to make a decision between a state of the art facility, and a facility that needs a make over. Prep and private schools use their facilities as the recruiting hook when they invite candidates on their campus."

Antonio Menefve, a member of the New Mission High School basketball team in Roxbury, helped his team bring home the Division 2 State Championship last year. But the team still practices on a rented floor at the Tobin Community Center, because the school lacks its own gymnasium.

Barbosa, however, explained that her school lacks the resources for students to even participate in the city’s most popular sport.

“We are trying to start a basketball team, but the gym is too small,” she said. “It brings down hope for kids that are interested in basketball. Getting every public school the same facilities and equipment would make the community stronger.”

Robinson said that in spite of the BSA implementation, some “parents think the grass is greener on the other side.” They believe that private schools will help their children “focus better, and concentrate on academics,” he said.

Reflecting the feelings of some Boston-area parents, Menefve maintained that the most urgent problem affecting his school is that “kids are not being pushed hard enough to become true student-athletes."

"The BSA motivates some kids, and is giving students a chance to succeed, but I would go one step further and push up the athletic GPA requirement [at New Mission] from a C-minus to a B,” he said.

According to the Boston Globe and the BPS Superintendent’s Office, the city has actually cut the school athletic budget from $3.9 million in 2009 to $2.7 million for the 2012 Fiscal Year. When queried on the issue, Mathew Wilder, the Director of Media Relations for BPS, admitted that Boston schools “have a limited budget and are not able to do this work alone.”

“When you have so much money going into education, and such great emphasis on standardized test scores, you have to look for athletic funding elsewhere,” Merritt said. “Educating kids is so expensive.”

Wilder said the BPS athletic programs have largely been able to survive the budget shortfall because "good partners like Suffolk Construction have stepped up to the plate to help our students." But city schools still have a long way to go in developing new facilities and keeping kids academically motivated. The quality of athletics and academics in BPS schools have so far managed to improve considerably in an era of financial cuts, but it will take years to fully asses the city’s progress.

Most of the progress to date has been made possible because a coalition of large corporations such as Red Bull, ESPN, and Suffolk Construction, have aligned with local volunteers and together built a foundation for achievement in the city’s public schools. By helping to mentor student-athletes and renovate athletic facilities in Boston's inner-city, this partnership has started to "put in time to make the community better,” as Dorchester teenager Earl Stephens explained.

The companies have also helped to inspire a new wave of change -- from students at Dorchester and TechBoston Academies fixing up a neighborhood playground as part of Rise Up’s corporate outreach program, to Zone members in the BSA’s community initiative participating in local service projects. Although conditions in city schools remain nowhere near perfect, each selfless act, whether a complete overhaul of a playing field, or the simple step of showing up to a game, will continue to fortify the Boston community and increase athletic and academic opportunities for local children.

The experience of the Dorchester Bears Varsity football team, a beneficiary of the Rise Up program, epitomizes the continuing efforts of city charities and volunteers to improve athletic conditions for Boston’s youth. Even though the Bears currently reside at the bottom of the Boston City League standings and still play home games at White Stadium, nearly 3 miles away from their newly renovated school facilities, the players feel a new sense of preparedness and drive to succeed as a result of ESPN’s support.

“The Rise Up program has given us more hope," said senior quarterback and captain Michael Belifore. "We were coming off of a 3-7 season from last year, and we have been doing much better (the Bears are 4-3 so far in 2011); we stepped our game up. Everything they have done has benefited our season in a huge way, including the new weight room so we could get stronger, and the new track so we could condition.

“Even though 'Rise Up' is gone, we all still have that sense of pride because out of many schools, they chose ours, so its kind feels as if they never left. Even though they did little with the field, next year [the city] will be inserting turf and making it look more like a stadium. I think that [the project] was successful because it gave me more hope, showing me that anything is possible.”

Jillian Smith, the athletic director at TechBoston Academy, home of Bears athletics, accurately summed up the present state of BPS athletics when describing the atmosphere of her school.

“Programs like Rise Up and the BSA have provided a steppingstone to get athletics at our school where they need to be,” she said. “But we’re not there yet. Despite the renovations, we still lack our own full-length field. Students at TechBoston would like nothing more than to eventually play home football and soccer games under the lights, with teachers and friends cheering them on."

Overall, however, Smith maintained that the projects “have let kids know that we care about what they are doing, and want to help them succeed.”

Buckling down

It’s 11 a.m. at the community center, and the sound of excited giggling engulfs the first floor as twenty kids sprint up the stairs to the basketball court. Study hall is over, and it’s time to play ball.

The boys split up into two lines, each eagerly awaiting his chance to demonstrate a perfectly executed left-handed lay-up for the beaming coach at center court. Balls careen off the backboard as one by one the players twirl and leap, awkwardly attempting to complete the most subtly difficult of basketball plays.

Soon enough, the drills come to an end and the scrimmage finally begins. For these few minutes, there is no violence, no drugs, and each child is free to exalt in the supreme joy of competition.

But noon comes all too quickly. Time for the kids to stop playing.

“Don’t forget your homework next week,” Merritt reminds them.

Madison Memorial High School senior Matt McClintock recently won his third Class C cross country title while posting the fastest time in the state in any class. McClintock also won the mid-season Festival of Champions which featured over 600 runners from 60 schools in and out of state. Last spring, he won the 1,600 and 3,200 meter runs at the state track and field meet. He’s competing this weekend in the New England meet in North Scituate, R.I. He recently answered questions about his season and running career.

Q: How did you get started running?

A: "I started running in 5th grade on the Madison Junior High XC team. I went to Athens Elementary so what would happen is Athens would practice on it's own and then we would just join the Madison team at meets. Fifth grade was the first year that I could compete in any "real" school sports, and I don't really know what drew me to it, but I decided to try it, and I guess my first race went well. I finished 13th. All my coaches were really happy with it and I guess I've been running ever since."

Q: Who have been your greatest influences?

A: "First and foremost would definitely be my coaches. Mrs. Moulton and Mr. Harper in junior high and Bob and Brandon Hagopian in high school. The person that really inspired me and drove me to get better was definitely coach Bob Hagopian. He's been with me since freshman year, through my wins and losses, and has always found a way to make me better."

Q: At what point did you feel you made a breakthrough in your high school career?

A: "Without a doubt it was after I lost the conference championship last year. I got to cocky and that race showed me that I wasn't invincible, that I wasn’t going to win just because my name was Matt McClintock, but because I wanted it more than the guy in front, beside, or behind me. That race made me love running, because I then had something to prove and something to work for. It re-instilled that love for competition in me. I will remember that race for the rest of my life, and I'm definitely a better runner because of it."

Q: What do you consider your greatest achievements in track and cross country?

A: "Wow, I guess in cross country it would be my three state championships. Since fifth grade my dream was to win a state championship in high school. To have three cross country titles and two titles on the track is just unbelievable to me. In track, my greatest achievement was definitely breaking the Madison High School records for 1,600 and 3,200 meters, probably more so the 3,200 because I was the first Madison kid in history to go under 10 minutes in that event."

Q: Which sport do you prefer?

A: "It really depends on the season. During cross country my favorite sport is cross country. During track it's track. I just love to run and race whether it's on the road, a track, or a trail."

Q: What goals did you set this season and did you reach them?

A: "My first goal for the season was to go undefeated in Maine and three-peat the Class C State Championship. I'm proud to say I met this goal. My next goal was to go under 15 minutes for the 5k I haven't met this goal yet as we've never really had a good day for a championship race, but Saturday at the New England Championships looks to be a good day, and it's a very fast course so we'll see what I can do there.

Q: What is your goal for this week’s New England meet?

A: "My goal here is to win the title, and to go under 15 minutes for the 5K. As I said, before, it's a fast course, and there will be some incredibly strong competition to push me there."

Q: You won several races handily this season. Is it tough competing when you’re not pushed?

A: "I guess that would depend on your definition of competing. A lot of people look at competing as winning. I prefer to look at it in the manner of Steve Prefontaine. If I’m going to win, I want to know that I've done my best. So yes, it's difficult to push myself to fast times, but I always just try to stay focused and not worry about the pain or where my competition is and just get to the finish line as fast as possible."

Q: What do you enjoy most about running?

A: "I love the people that we meet. The type of people you meet at cross country or track events is totally different then you will see in any other sport. At the state meet, I was getting encouraged to reach my sub 16 goal by the coaches and family and teammates of people that I was directly competing against. I'm confident to say that you will not find nicer and more supportive fans at any other high school sports competition."

Q: Do you have any running role models?

A: "I have several running idols, the most prominent would be Steve Prefontaine. I try to live up to the guts and determination that he always showed as a runner. His quote “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift" are the words I live by. Another two are Haile Gebrselassie, and Kenenisa Bekele. Both are Ethiopian runners. Gebrselassie is a two-time gold medalist and world record holder. Bekele is the two-time defending Olympic 10,000 meter champion and holds World Records now."

Q: Where will you attend college and why did you choose that particular school?

A: "I will be running for Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania next year. I felt very comfortable around the campus and really connected well with Coach Aaron Russell and the entire team at Lock Haven."

Q: What other sports or activities do you enjoy?

A: "I enjoy all sports, but running is my one and only true passion."

Q: What is your training regimen in and out of the season?

A: "Sorry, but I don't like to discuss what my training is, at least not until after the outdoor track season."

Q: Where do you need to improve?

A: "I definitely need to improve on my kicking speed. In order to really be competitive in college I need to be able to win a race in the last 200 Meters if necessary. I feel that as my speed continues to develop in conjunction with my continued endurance training all of my events will improve drastically."

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BRISTOL, R.I. -- Throughout this summer, Ken Castro has been a regular participant in New England Masters Track and Field meets as he competes in sprints and jumps in the 55-59 age group.

Just over one year ago, he was competing for something entirely different: his life.

Castro, who resides in Bristol, R.I., is the boys’ and girls’ cross-country and track and field coach at his high school alma mater, Bishop Connolly in Fall River, Mass. On May 24, 2010, he underwent a successful kidney transplant operation. And because he was in excellent physical condition he was pronounced “a perfect candidate for a transplant.”

“[Transplant] is a scary word when you hear it,” said Castro, who played Division III baseball for the now-defunct Hawthorne College in New Hampshire, traveled all over the country (and spent one summer in Italy) competing in bicycle racing for nine years (in 1982, he qualified for the U.S. Nationals) and, at age 30, segued into Masters track.

He added, “When I was put on the recipient list, I was told I was a perfect candidate because of my athletic background. My doctors said if I wasn’t involved in athletics for all those years, I probably wouldn’t have made it.”

Because of his physical condition, Castro didn’t need much to tell him something was amiss as 2006 morphed into 2007.

“I was vomiting frequently … I couldn’t hold anything down,” he said. “The whole thing goes with feeling tired … I was sleeping all day. When I had my physical, the blood work showed that at first one kidney wasn’t functioning and then later on the other also wasn’t functioning.

“The lab work showed I had too much protein in my blood. When that happens, the first thing they check is your kidneys. That’s when they found they weren’t functioning well. I know my body well from training all those years so I could tell something wasn’t right.”

Then one night during the summer of 2008, he felt so ill that he went to a walk-in clinic in Barrington, R.I., where he had more blood work.

“They found the creatinine (a waste product of muscle energy metabolism which is filtered by kidneys) in my blood was 10.5 and I basically was a dead man walking.”

Considering the normal range for a male adult is between 0.6 to 1.2 milligrams per decileter, he wasn't that far off.

“I got a call, was told to go to a hospital right now and they performed surgery that night and put a catheter in my chest,” said Castro.

The next step was to go on dialysis -- for three hours a day, three times a week -- for two years. Yet, during that time, he continued to coach the Cougars.

After that, it was a matter of finding a person who was a perfect match so he could undergo a transplant. His wife, JoAnn, was the first to be tested. But because she had skin cancer at one time, she was removed from the list of potential donors.

“When you’re on dialysis, you feel like ‘I’ll take it,’” said Castro.

Castro then became “proactive." He started surfing the internet and talking with people about his condition.

Enter Ann Tessier Lundeen, who used to live in Massachusetts but now resides in Arizona and whose mother lives on Cape Cod. Castro and Lundeen met through a mutual friend during one of Lundeen’s trips to visit her mother.

“She said ‘Let’s see if I match,’” Castro said. “This was in January of 2010 and every step [of the process] showed she was a perfect match.

“I bypassed the (donor) list. The chances of this happening were infinitesimal.”

After the operation, Castro basically was on home confinement for three months.

“If I went out with people, I had to wear a mask because your immune system is off,” he said. “Any germ can ruin the kidney.”

After another three months, Castro was given clearance by his physician, Dr. Paul Morrissey of Barrington, to resume training. As a result, last June he competed in the World Transplant Games in Goteborg, Sweden. There he participated in the javelin, the long jump and the 100-meter dash for his age group. Castro is 55.

“I wasn’t in top form when I went there,” admitted Castro. “But the Games were coming so you take one chance and you go. Once I returned home and began competing in the Masters meets, I wasn’t expecting to do very well because I was competing against able-bodied people. At one time, I was ranked in the top 13 in my age group … maybe over-40.

“Nobody in their right mind expects you to do this. But I hope to do as best as I can and go to more transplant games.”

Castro plans to compete in the Virginia Transplant Games in Richmond come October 1 and, if all goes well, the U.S. Transplant Games in Grand Rapids, Mich.; next year, the Canadian Transplant Games in Calgary, Alberta; and, eventually, the 2013 World Transplant Games in South Africa.

“One thing I learned from many of the others on the [U.S.] team while in Sweden is no story is negative if it inspires someone who is on dialysis go get through their day by fostering a sliver of hope,” Castro said. “I also learned this could lead to someone becoming aware of and actually signing a donor card that leads to a donation.”

Castro also learned something else during the first time he underwent dialysis.

“My doctor said if you have a negative thought, you won’t be around very long,” he said. “You have to be proactive and find any person who can help you to get a kidney.
“What helped me was being positive and not letting any negative thoughts get into my mind, which can be very destructive. Plus, you must have faith and hope.”

At halftime of Saturday’s Governor’s Cup All-Star football game there were those who probably thought Connecticut’s eight-game winning streak against Rhode Island was in jeopardy. If so, those thoughts disappeared early in the second half.

Connecticut, which led by four points at halftime, scored three touchdowns in the first 7:18 of the third quarter and cruised to a 37-6 triumph over Rhode Island at Southington High School.

It was Connecticut’s 10th victory in the 13-year history of the event.

Things began to turn sour for Rhode Island when Montrell Dobbs (Ansonia) scored on a 77-yard run to help Connecticut increase its lead to 17-6.

Dobbs, who was held to two yards on five carries in the first half, finished the game with 96 yards on 10 carries. He was selected as Connecticut’s offensive MVP.

“At halftime we talked about taking care of business in our house, and that’s what we did in the second half,” Dobbs said.

Rhode Island fumbled the ball away on the next play from scrimmage. Two plays later Connecticut’s Max Delorenzo scored on a 15-yard run to help made it a 24-6 contest.

Jack DeBiase intercepted a pass on Rhode Island’s next possession, and Connecticut cashed in when Joe DellaVecchia tossed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Brian Kelly.

Kelly also caught a 13-yard TD pass from Kyle Nolan. He had three receptions for 69 yards in the victory.

“We just had to fix some problems,” Kelly said. “Our coach [Masuk’s John Murphy] told us that if we fix our mistakes we’d win.”

Connecticut’s only TD in the first half came on a 59-yard TD catch by Temple-bound wide receiver Nainy Bah.

Matt Cassidy’s fourth point-after kick followed Kelly’s second TD reception and capped the scoring. Cassidy also made a 33-yard field goal in the first half.

The Connecticut defense set a Governor’s Cup record by holding Rhode Island to six points. It was also the first time a team didn’t score a touchdown in the contest. Rhode Island scored on two Chad Bacon field goals.

Defensive lineman Wille Maxen (Pomperaug) was named Connecticut’s defensive MVP. Maxen, who will play at Central Connecticut State next season, made three tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

Murphy said although his team had a slim lead at halftime, he had plenty of confidence entering the third quarter.

“I watched this defense for two weeks so I knew how good we were,” he said. “I knew they weren’t going to score a lot of points on that defense.”

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The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, today announced Josh Lampron of Mansfield High School as its 2010-11 Gatorade Massachusetts Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Lampron is the first Gatorade Massachusetts Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year to be chosen from Mansfield High School.

The 5-foot-10 junior won the mile run with a time of 4:05.99 at this month’s New Balance Outdoor National, producing the nation’s No. 5 performance among prep competitors in 2011 entering this week’s USA Track & Field Junior Outdoor Championships. Lampron broke the tape in the 800-meter run in 1:54.03 at the All-State Meet, leading the Hornets to the state championship as a team.

Lampron also won the 800-meter race in 1:54.61 at the Eastern Mass. Division 2 championships in addition to anchoring the winning 4x800-meter quartet that broke the tape in 8:03.88. During the indoor season this past winter, he won the mile run at the Eastern Mass. Division 2 and All-State meets, and then placed seventh at the New Balance Indoor Nationals. Lampron has maintained an A-minus average in the classroom. A member of the school’s marching and concert band, he has donated his time raking leaves for the elderly and has volunteered more than 200 hours of community service on behalf the Boy Scouts of America as an Eagle Scout.

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

Lampron joins recent Gatorade Massachusetts Boys Track & Field Athletes of the Year Sam Bombaugh (2010, Falmouth), Mark Vetere (2009, Andover), and Omar Aden (2008, Charlestown) among the state’s list of former award winners.

Below are the winners for the five other New England states:

CONNECTICUT: JOHN WLASUK, NEWTOWN

The 6-foot-2 senior won the shot put and the discus at the New England Interscholastic Track & Field Outdoor Championship Meet this spring. Wlasuk launched the discus 179 feet, 10 inches and hurled the shot 57 feet, 11 inches. A returning Class LL All-State selection as named by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association, Wlasuk also captured the discus and shot put titles at both the State Open and Class LL state meet. He took seventh in the shot put (57-6.5), 14th in the javelin (162-7) and 16th in the discus (149-3) at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals earlier this month. Wlasuk also placed first in the shot put competition at the New England Interscholastic Indoor Track & Field Championships this past winter.

Wlasuk has maintained a 3.19 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered on behalf of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

“John is an extremely dedicated athlete,” said Newtown High head coach Daniel McIlrath. “He watches video clips of professionals as well as himself. He analyzes and picks apart pieces of the form so he can see what works and how it comes together to combine strength with fluidity. John is also an extremely intense athlete. He puts his heart and soul into each throw, and it shows when he screams. That is his release, his energy and his love of what he does. When you combine dedication with a large competitive drive to better yourself, you get strong results.”

Wlasuk has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete in track and field on scholarship at the University of Connecticut this fall.

Wlasuk joins recent Gatorade Connecticut Boys Track & Field Athletes of the Year Chris FitzSimons (2010, Hamden), Cas Loxsom (2009, Wilbur Cross), and Donn Cabral (2008, Glastonbury) among the state’s list of former award winners.

RHODE ISLAND: JARELL FORBES, CLASSICAL

The 6-foot senior won the 110-meter high hurdles and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles at the State Meet this spring, leading the Purple to fourth place as a team. Forbes won the 110 hurdles in 14.83 seconds and the 300 hurdles in 39.52. He also placed fifth in the high jump with a clearance of 6 feet, 2 inches. A 12-time class champion, Forbes shattered his own state record in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles at this month’s New Balance Nationals with a time of 54.05 seconds, which ranked as the nation’s No. 28 time among prep competitors in 2011 at the time of his selection.

Forbes has maintained a B average in the classroom. He has volunteered locally as a youth track coach and mentor.

Forbes will attend Rhode Island College where he will compete in track and field beginning this fall. He is the fourth Gatorade Rhode Island Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year to be chosen from Classical, and joins recent Gatorade Rhode Island Boys Track & Field Athletes of the Year Kadeem Kushimo (2010, La Salle Academy) and Andrew Springer (2008-09, Westerly) among the state’s list of former award winners.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: D'MAHL MCFADDEN, MERRIMACK

The 6-foot-1 senior swept the 110-meter high hurdles and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles at the Division II Meet, the statewide Meet of Champions and the New England Interscholastic Outdoor Track & Field Championships this spring. McFadden set a pair of state records at the Meet of Champions, winning the 110 hurdles in 14.00 seconds, which ranked as the nation’s No. 25 time among prep competitors in 2011, and the 300 hurdles in 37.71, the No. 57 time among prep competitors nationwide this spring at the time of his selection.

McFadden has maintained a B average in the classroom. He has volunteered locally with a day-care agency and as a youth track coach.

McFadden has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete in track and field on scholarship at the University of New Hampshire beginning this fall. He joins recent Gatorade New Hampshire Boys Track & Field Athletes of the Year Dominic Filiano (2010, Lebanon), Mike Marshall (2009, Salem), and Matt Paulson (2008, Manchester Central) among the state’s list of former award winners.

MAINE: JACK TERWILLIGER, CHEVERUS

The 5-foot-11 senior won three individual state championships at the Class A state meet this spring, leading the Stags to fourth place as a team. The Southern Maine Activities Association Boys Track Athlete of the Year, Terwilliger broke the tape in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:59.03, captured the 1600-meter run in 4:17.04 and placed first in the 3200-meter run in 9:39.06. Terwilliger finished eighth in the 1600 with a time of 4:19.18 at the New England Interscholastic Track & Field Outdoor Championship Meet. In addition to running a leg for the winning 4x800-meter relay quartet in each of his first three seasons at the Class A state meet, he also won the 3200 at the 2009 Class A state meet as a sophomore.

Also a cross country standout and an accomplished trombone player, Terwilliger has maintained a 3.87 GPA in the classroom. A member of the National Honor Society and a participant in the Blunt Youth Radio Project, he has also volunteered on behalf of Portland’s Mercy Hospital and the Easter Seals of Maine’s All Aboard! Preschool.

“Jack has distinguished himself as a big meet runner, always seeming to peak and perform under pressure at the largest meets beginning as a freshman,” said Cheverus High head coach Steve Virgilio. “He was undefeated in the 2011 indoor and outdoor track seasons. Jack has faced adversity throughout his career with several injuries and always maintained his composure and dedication to regain his fitness to compete when it mattered most. He is a selfless leader whose stoicism, courage and will to compete are an example to all.”

Terwilliger will attend Dartmouth College this fall, where he will continue his competitive running career.

Terwilliger joins recent Gatorade Maine Boys Track & Field Athletes of the Year Will Geoghegan (2010, Brunswick), Dan Smith (2009, Thornton Academy), and David Slovenski (2008, Brunswick) among the state’s list of former award winners.

VERMONT: MIKE DIMAMBRO, ESSEX

The state’s returning Gatorade Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year, the 5-foot-10 senior won four individual state championships this spring and led the Hornets to the Division I state title as a team. DiMambro won the 100-meter dash in 11.16 seconds, the 200-meter dash in 22.79, the 110-meter high hurdles in 15.42 and the long jump with a leap of 22 feet, 0.25 inches. An eight-time state champion, he placed second in the 100 meters and third in the long jump at the New England Interscholastic Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

DiMambro has maintained a B average in the classroom. He has volunteered locally as a youth football coach and as part of a fundraising campaign to benefit cancer research.

“Mike is humble, gracious, talented and hard-working,” said Essex High girls track coach Joe Gonillo. “He set goals for himself and worked extremely hard to attain them. He is as solid as a rock, and I have counted on him to come through in any tough situation.”

DiMambro has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete in track and field on scholarship at the University of Rhode Island beginning this fall.

DiMambro is the third Gatorade Vermont Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year to be chosen from Essex High School, and joins recent Gatorade Vermont Boys Track & Field Athletes of the Year Adron Pitmon (2009, Mt. Mansfield Union) and Ken Bunnell (2008, St. Johnsbury Academy) among the state’s list of former award winners.

The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, today announced Nadia Eke of Holy Name Central Catholic High School as its 2010-11 Gatorade Massachusetts Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Eke is the first Gatorade Massachusetts Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year to be chosen from Holy Name Central Catholic High School.

The 5-foot-10 senior won the long jump with a leap of 18 feet, 11.25 inches and the triple jump, soaring 41 feet, six inches, at the All-State Meet this spring. At the New England Interscholastic Outdoor Track & Field Championships this spring, Eke finished first in the long jump, with an effort of 18 feet, 1.75 inches, and the triple jump, landing a meet-record distance of 41 feet, 9.5 inches, which ranked as the nation’s No. 2 performance in 2011 at the time of her selection. She won the triple jump at the New England championships in three consecutive years.

Also a basketball standout, Eke has maintained an A average in the classroom. A member of the National Honor Society and her school’s yearbook committee, she has volunteered on behalf of an anti-bullying campaign, the American Red Cross and Students Against Destructive Decisions.

“Nadia is a very hard-worker who does not settle on past performances,” said Holy Name Central Catholic High Head Coach Craig Derrell. “She is always seeking ways to improve herself, setting goals and achieving them. She has done this while being very humble and an honor student.”

Eke will attend Columbia University this fall, where she will compete in track and field.

Eke joins recent Gatorade Massachusetts Girls Track & Field Athletes of the Year Deanna Latham (2010, Triton Regional) and Emily Jones (2008-09, Bromfield) among the state’s list of former award winners.

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

CONNECTICUT: PRECIOUS HOLMES, HILLHOUSE

The 5-foot-4 sophomore captured three individual state championships this spring and led the Academics to the State Open title as a team. A returning Class M All-State selection as named by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association, Holmes won the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.03 seconds and broke the tape in the 200-meter dash in 24.58. She also finished first in the 400-meter dash with a meet-record time of 53.16 seconds, which ranked as the nation’s No. 3 performance among prep competitors in 2011 at the time of her selection.

At the New England Interscholastic Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Holmes placed first in the 100-meter dash in 12.29 and the 400-meter dash in 55.42. She also won both the 200- and 400-meter dash events at the 2010 New England championships as a freshman. At this month’s New Balance Outdoor Nationals she ran the third leg of the second-place sprint medley relay quartet that finished in 3:59.87, and she placed second in the 400-meter dash in 53.26.

Also a cross country standout, Holmes has maintained a 3.14 GPA in the classroom at New Haven Academy, where she attends high school and which does not offer a track program. She has donated her time as a youth track instructor in addition to annually volunteering on behalf of her track club at a road race in New Haven.

“People always talk about once-in-a-lifetime athletes who really aren’t that,” said Hillhouse High Head Coach Gary Moore. “Precious is the first athlete that I’m able to really say I’ll coach once in my lifetime. She’s absolutely incredible. People are shocked and amazed to see a 400-meter runner that’s also so good at cross country. It’s all about attitude. She puts 100 percent into everything she does, and she does the best that she can do with the ability she has. Her work ethic has been absolutely phenomenal. She’s the total package of what a coach looks for.”

Holmes will begin her junior year of high school this fall.

Holmes joins recent Gatorade Connecticut Girls Track & Field Athletes of the Year Lindsay Crevoiserat (2010, Glastonbury), Meg Ryan (09, Fairfield Warde), and Anna Shields (2008, Lewis Mills) among the state’s list of former award winners.

Holmes is the second Gatorade Connecticut Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year to be chosen from Hillhouse High School, joining Shaniqua Burgess (2006-07).

RHODE ISLAND: ALEIDA FERNANDES, CENTRAL FALLS

The 5-foot-9 senior thrower won the shot put and the discus at the All-State Meet this spring for a second consecutive year. The three-time All-American launched the shot put 39 feet and the discus 121 feet, 5 inches. Fernandes also won a silver medal in the hammer throw with a toss of 158-10 which ranked as the No. 7 distance among prep competitors in 2011 at the time of her selection. The two-time Field MVP at the All-State Meet placed fifth in the hammer throw at this month’s New Balance Nationals and concluded her prep career with 10 state titles.

Fernandes has maintained a B average in the classroom. She has volunteered locally with literacy-outreach programs and as a youth track coach.

Fernandes has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete in track and field on scholarship at Southern Connecticut State University beginning this fall.

Fernandes joins recent Gatorade Rhode Island Girls Track & Field Athletes of the Year Molly Reilly (2010, South Kingstown), Eryn Wheeler (2009, Coventry), and Victoria Flowers (2008, Classical) among the state’s list of former award winners.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: KRISTA VINCENT, SOMERSWORTH

The 5-foot-5 senior won the javelin throw at the Division I meet, the all-state Meet of Champions and the New England Interscholastic Outdoor Track & Field Championship Meet this spring. Vincent’s season-best throw of 140 feet, 8 inches ranked as the nation’s No. 39 distance among prep competitors in 2011 at the time of her selection. She won the javelin at the Class I state meet in 2009 and 2010 and placed 11th in the event at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in 2010.

Vincent has maintained a 3.07 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally at the Somersworth Pumpkin Fest and as a middle school track and field coach.

Vincent has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete in track and field on scholarship at East Carolina University beginning this fall.

Vincent joins recent Gatorade New Hampshire Girls Track & Field Athletes of the Year Arianna Vailas (2010, Central), Jocelyn Briggs (2009, Winnacunnet), and Anna Cioffredi (2008, Lebanon) among the state’s list of former award winners.

MAINE: ABBY LEONARDI, KENNEBUNK

The 5-foot-1 junior won the 1600-meter run with a time of 4:55.39 and captured the 3200-meter run in 10:42.63 at the Class A state meet this spring. The state’s two-time returning Gatorade Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year and three-time Gatorade Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, Leonardi finished first in the 3200-meter run for the second consecutive season at the New England Interscholastic Outdoor Track & Field Championships with a meet-record time of 10:19.09, which ranked as the nation’s No. 10 performance among prep competitors in 2011.

Leonardi set the meet records at 1600 and 3200 meters at the 2010 Class A state meet as a sophomore. She also won the 800- and 1600-meter runs at the 2009 Class A state meet as a freshman. Only one other athlete nationwide—Sacred Heart Academy (Kentucky) senior Emma Brink—has won Gatorade State Player of the Year honors six times in the award program’s 26-year history. She placed ninth in the 2-mile run in 10:29.84 at this month’s New Balance Outdoor Nationals.

Leonardi has maintained an A average in the classroom. She has donated her time to fundraising efforts on behalf of displaced civilians in Sudan’s western region of Darfur.

“She’s a unique athlete,” said Kennebunk High Head Coach Geoffrey Drew. “She’s the greatest high school distance runner in Maine’s history. It’s pretty incredible to have someone on your track team like that. She’s very encouraging to other athletes, and she’s willing to run other events that she wouldn’t normally run. It’s a great example. Other kids see how hard she works in practice, and they’re like, ‘Wow.’”

Leonardi, who has now won the award a third straight year, will begin her senior year of high school this fall.

VERMONT: MOLLIE GRIBBIN, SOUTH BURLINGTON

The 5-foot-8 junior won four individual state championships this spring and led the Rebels to the Division I state title as a team. Gribbin won the 100-meter dash in 12.49 seconds, the 200-meter dash in 25.81, the long jump with a leap of 18 feet, 5.5 inches and the triple jump (39-10). A 14-time state champion, she is the state record-holder in the 100, long jump, triple jump and indoor 55-meter dash, in addition to owning a share of state records in the 4x100-meter relay and the indoor 4x200-meter relay. Her season-best, state-record triple jump of 39-11.5 ranked as the nation’s No. 13 distance among prep competitors in 2011 at the time of her selection.

Gribbin has maintained a 3.90 GPA in the classroom. A member of her church youth group, she has volunteered locally as a youth track coach.

“Mollie is by far an elite athlete and beyond any others I have coached,” said South Burlington head coach Nicole Colantoni. “She is an athlete in every sense of the word. She is so humble that she still doesn’t realize how good she is and what she can accomplish.”

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

Gribbin joins recent Gatorade Vermont Girls Track & Field Athletes of the Year Hannah Rowe (2009-10, St. Johnsbury Academy) and Sarah Sherman (2008, Essex) among the state’s list of former award winners.

Wednesday’s Division I baseball championship game was all about finishing strong.

Fourth-seeded Rice held a four-run lead after two innings, but faded after that. Mount Anthony Union, the tournament’s seventh seed, scored the game’s final 10 runs – including eight in the last three innings – to post a an 11-5 victory.

Mount Anthony took control by scoring four runs with two outs in the fifth. Nicholas Lloyd’s three-run home run was the big blow in the inning.

Tony Baldic struck out seven in four innings to earn the win. Mount Anthony received three scoreless innings from Tyler Kinzeman.

Rice, which was trying to win its first state championship since 1964, built a 5-1 lead through two innings. Rice’s biggest hits were Nicky Elderton’s two-run home run in the first, and Joe Boardman’s two-run double in the second.

Rice committed six errors in the loss.

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