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EVERETT, Mass. -- "Butchie, you know what my father used to say?" yells Freddy Merchant, 63, to Butch Hooley, 72, as he enters the establishment, three blocks up from the breakfast place we met several months ago.

"When you stop getting older, you're dead!"

Merchant, if you can recall, grabbed five of his friends and joined ESPNBoston's high school staff for breakfast in August to discuss what football means to this condensed working-class city, and why he and his friends have missed maybe a handful of games combined over the decades. With the high school football season over and the Tide completing a season for the ages -- winning the Division 1 Super Bowl, finishing No. 1 in ESPNBoston's final poll and becoming the first Massachusetts squad since 1998 to crack the final USA Today Super 25 -- we decided to check in again with the retired General Electric worker and union official, along with his his compatriots.

Donning a green jacket with the GE logo stitched onto its left breast, Merchant leads everyone around the corner, past the grills, down the hall past an empty bar, to the back room, where everybody can spread out and reminisce on the season, and of course the good ole days.

Everett head coach and athletic director John DiBiaso was supposed to join, but is caught up at the moment (it is a school day, after all). The gang's all here -- Jack McGrath, 63, Bill Caramanica, 75, Bob Caramanica, 83, Butch Hooley, 72, and Frank Nuzzo, 76 -- along with some new blood. Sonny Harper, 72, a retired firefighter, has a couple things going against him.

"Worst thing about him, he's originally from Brockton," Merchant cracks.

"And he's got a glass jaw," adds Bob Caramanica.

But as always, the conversation never sways too far from the hottest ticket in the city, the pulse and the bloodflow of scores of residents -- Everett Crimson Tide football. Bob Caramanica is poring over a high school yearbook from 1946, sparking colorful memories of the decorated 1945 squad.

The conversation casually drifts to two of the North Shore's greatest high school pitchers of all time, Salem's Jeff Juden and Peabody's Jeff Allison, and their occasionally hostile mannerisms. So naturally, Bob asks aloud, "You remember that fight in the Malden game in '45?"

Merchant does one better, recalling an upset by Chelsea in 1955 at Everett Memorial Stadium that ignited a brawl when a storm of Chelsea fans tried to tear down the goal posts (the Chelsea fans, with strength in numbers, eventually achieved their goal).

Not to mention, Merchant adds, former Everett great and NFL vet Diamond Ferri -- who briefly dabbled in MMA, before his current employer, the CFL's Montreal Alouettes, told him no more -- used to live above this very restaurant.

I casually bring up that I saw one of the Tide's chief basketball rivals -- Cambridge Rindge & Latin -- last night, and came away impressed with Lance Dottin's squad. So of course, the folks remind me that Isaiah Dottin would never have led the Falcons to an upset of the Tide on Thanksgiving in 2001 (their last Greater Boston League loss) had Gennaro Leo been available in the second half -- "Coach wanted to rest him for the Super Bowl," McGrath says.

Talk strays to Andover's surprise run to the Division 1 playoffs and what an impressive game plan head coach E.J. Perry had for the Tide in the 21-0 playoff win for Everett -- "Hell of a job, damn tough to coach against," McGrath says.

And in spite of the Tide's dominant 31-7 Super Bowl victory over St. John's Prep, some are still bitter about the way Shaquille Taylor, an ESPNBoston All-State defensive tackle, was taken out of the game on the first play with a broken leg.

"What a (expletive) cheap shot. Chop block from behind, I've watched it five or six times", Merchant grumbles. "I heard he had to have a six-hour operation, putting in screws, all kinds of stuff."

"Hey, did you write anything this year about Bill Tighe?" McGrath asks me, inquiring about his fellow octogenarian who just stepped down as Lexington's head coach. (Sure did, and several times).

And that, of course, inevitably leads to talk of Tighe's first season at another Tide archrival, Malden, back in 1964. Merchant says the Malden-Everett game that year was the biggest crowd he'd ever seen for a game at the Tide's stadium, which at the time had additional seats behind the end zone facing Revere Beach Parkway.

"People were in the aisles, up on the hill on Chelsea Street, on back porches, on rooftops, nowhere to sit," Merchant recalls. "Must have been 20,000 there, and the place only seated what, 13,000?"

"Ten-five," Bob is quick to correct.

Tighe, known for his trickeration, struck first on the second play of the game, when a tackle-eligible took off, Dan Connolly-style, for a 75-yard touchdown run. Everett responded with 38 unanswered points to take the game handily.

But after more than an hour and half of reminiscing over eggs and hash browns, it's time to look to the future. The MIAA football re-alignment for the 2011 season has the Greater Boston League dropping from Division 1 to Division 1A, to the disgust of all parties involved with or following Everett football. The league voted 3-2 in favor of upholding the re-alignment, and so there is nothing left to do but frown and gripe.

Some even called it a conspiracy.

"It's a joke," Merchant says boldly. "It's a joke, that's what it is. And it's a joke that they're moving Gloucester down to Division 2A, too."

He adds, "They think by moving Everett down to 1A, that Everett's either gonna leave the Greater Boston League, or DiBiaso's going to quit coaching. And neither one of those two things are gonna happen."

Not that expectations have lessened, though. No, if anything, fans will accept nothing less than a Super Bowl victory next season, what with the amount of talent returning -- seven starters on both sides of the ball, including quarterback Jonathan DiBiaso and linebackers Vondell Langston and Buck McCarthy -- and the lack of quality competitors. Bridgewater-Raynham will challenge for sure, but gone are the foes from the Big 3, Catholic Conference or Merrimack Valley.

Jonathan, with 59 career touchdown passes (including a record 43 this season), has a chance at breaking the state record of 85 set by Brockton's Tom Colombo, provided he stays injury-free in 2011. The Tide lose two of the state's top receivers in Matt Costello and Manny Asprilla, but the gang expects sophomores Kenny Calaj and Jakarrie Washington to fill those roles adequately. Plus with four starters returning on the offensive line, and the bruising Langston expected to have a breakout senior year on the offensive side of the ball, it's a lock the Tide will return next August ranked in the top five of many state-wide polls.

"Super Bowl, nothing less," Bob says.

"The only team that can beat Everett is themselves," Merchant adds.

At 12:07 p.m., some two hours after we initially sat down, McGrath grabs his coat. He's got to be at City Hall for 2 p.m., and that's everyone's convenient cue to grab their stuff and take off. But not before the gang offers predictions on next month's BCS title game between Oregon and Auburn.

Naturally, of course, the conversation devolves into where Chip Kelly's from, and some heated debate about whether Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly is an Everett guy or a Chelsea guy (Brian, a St. John's Prep grad, was born in Everett and raised in Chelsea).

It's always football season around here. And any excuse to talk Everett is a good excuse.

We've updated the boys' hockey MIAA Top 25 poll with most of the state's teams having a couple of games under their belts.

There wasn't any movement to our Top 5, however the Top 10 saw some shifts preseason No. 6 Springfield Cathedral falling in poll after a loss to BC High. The Eagles jumped to No. 13 in our latest rankings.

And, as always, remember to let us know how we're doing in the "Comments" section.

The Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association announced its All-State team on Tuesday.

Eastern Mass Division 1 Super Bowl champion Everett led the way with three selections, with quarterback Jonathan DiBiaso, wide receiver Matt Costello and defensive back Manny Asprilla taking honors.

Here's the list of honorees:

OFFENSE
Quarterback
Jonathan DiBiaso, Jr., Everett
Nick LaSpada, Jr., Billerica
Tom Murphy, Sr., Northbridge

Running back
Isaiah Jones, Sr., Mahar
Jamel Marshall, Sr., Mansfield
Jordan Shairs, Sr., Gloucester

Receiver
Matt Costello, Sr., Everett
Richard Rodgers, Sr., St. John's (Shrewsbury)

Offensive line
Lance Burlingame, Sr., New Bedford
Jeff Covitz, Sr., Reading
George Kallas, Sr., Beverly
Obum Obukwelu, Sr., BC High
Liam Porter, Sr., Natick

DEFENSE
Defensive line
Brian Miller, Sr., Andover
Zach Smerlas, Sr., Lincoln-Sudbury
Chris Unis, Sr., Gloucester

Linebacker
Seth DeMello, Sr., Somerset
Dan Giovacchini, Sr., Lawrence Academy
Matthew LeBlanc, Sr., Wachusett
Mike Mercadante, Sr., Minnechaug
Conor Wyand, Sr., Nashoba

Defensive back
Manny Asprilla, Sr., Everett
Dan Johnson, Sr., North Attleborough
Joe Colton, Sr., Xaverian
Albert Louis-Jean, Sr., Brockton
Brian Strachan, Sr., St. Sebastian's

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Lance Dottin can try, and try he will.

He can blame plain ol' ignorance.

He can blame print's ever-shrinking news hole.

But at some point, the Cambridge boys basketball coach is going to have to come around to the fact that soon there will be nothing mystifying about his 6-foot-8 sophomore big man, center Jacquil Taylor, of whom he can't help but grin when he says the 15-year-old "must be the state's best-kept secret". Talent like this -- someone for his size so adept at getting liftoff around the rim, and getting up and down the court -- can only fly under the radar for so long.

UMass has already offered the sophomore, and Boston College assistant Akbar Waheed was in attendance last night at War Memorial Recreation Center to watch as the Falcons crushed Dorchester, 78-21, in their season-opener. With exception of studs like Haverhill's Noah Vonleh, New Mission's Kachi Nzerem and St. John's Prep's Pat Connaughton, few players among the MIAA talent have risen on the radar over the last six months as rapidly as Taylor, and that was on display in a variety of ways in the win.

On the opening tip, Taylor merely slapped the ball down court to Deondre Starling, who laid it in. On Dorchester's first two possessions of the game, 6-foot-7 center Debrien Cora-Perez took it into the post only to find himself on the receiving end of a swat, the first two of five on the night for Taylor, the crowd ovations louder with each one.

Then, in the second quarter, Taylor shrugged off an 0-for-4 start from the field with two great displays of athleticism. First, he started the quarter tip-slamming home his brother Maurice's errant three-point play attempt, getting half of his forearm above the rim ("That was amazing," laughed Maurice). Then, with three minutes left, he took a quick outlet pass on the fast break and landed a two-handed dunk to make it 41-13 and force a timeout.

"Last year, my first few games, I was shaky, I didn't know if I wanted the ball in my hands," Jacquil said. "Now, I want the ball, and when I'm double and triple-teamed I want to pass the ball out."

When all was said and done, Jacquil finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and five blocks in three quarters, and didn't get his first foul until 3:35 left in the third (by then with the game well in hand).

"Jacquil is just scratching the surface right now," Dottin said. "Last year he came to us as a freshman, didn't start the first few games, but then when he came back and got in the starting lineup, I mean there was no turning back. Just fabulous all year, and he was the difference maker. I tell everyone he's the different maker at both ends.

"You'll feel his impact alot, especially on the defensive end, but now on the offensive end he's a guy that's capable of putting up double digits. He's got a nice stroke, he makes his free throws, great down in the post, and he's a guy who has a great motor. He's always looking to get better, a desire and determination to get better every day."

If last night's win was a small sample, and not an anomaly, then offensive skill is still an area of improvement. Jacquil missed a handful of shots facing the basket from close and mid-range, and for that he says he stays after practice every day -- often up to an hour, usually with Maurice and an assistant -- working on his game around the rim.

Still, this is a disciplined team with plenty of length in the frontcourt, reinforced by the 6-foot-5 Maurice's abilty to create his own shot off the dribble and through traffic, and perhaps further emboldened later this week when 6-foot-4 junior center Kevin Lovaincy returns to the lineup. The Falcons suffocated in the press last night, and with their length are able to disrupt passing lanes and force offenses back out to the perimeter.

So don't expect Cambridge -- or Jacquil -- to be able to lay low for too much longer.

"Again, he can't be the best-kept secret, but if he is...hey, we'll take it, man," Dottin laughed. "We'll keep flying under the radar."

The 12-0 Everett Crimson Tide, on the heels of a 31-7 defeat of St. John's Prep for the Division 1 EMass Super Bowl championship, have landed themselves in the final USA Today Super 25 of the 2010 season.

Everett finishes the season at No. 22 in the nation after a decorated season, which saw junior quarterback Jonathan DiBiaso set the state single-season record for touchdown passes (43) and Matt Costello take both Gatorade Player of the Year and ESPNBoston Mr. Football honors for his tremendous season (76 catches, 1,301 yards, 23 touchdowns). Four Tide players -- DiBiaso, Costello, senior defensive tackle Shaquille Taylor and Boston College-bound senior athlete Manny Asprilla -- made ESPNBoston's MIAA All-State Team.

We've updated the Boys' MIAA Top 25 poll, and you can check it out here.

Outside of Brockton moving down to No. 11, there aren't too many surprises in the top 10. But there is quite some movement in the bottom 10, where seven new teams enter the poll after being previously unranked: Franklin (15), Lowell (16), Lynn English (19), BC High (20), Sabis (23), Lawrence (24) and North Andover (25).

As always, hit up the comments section and let us know how we're doing.

ARLINGTON, Mass. -- For a while, it looked as though No. 10 Archbishop Williams would have the last laugh over No. 4 Arlington Catholic, holding the Cougars scoreless over two-plus periods. Before Saturday night's game at Veterans Memorial Skating Rink, Arlington Catholic hoisted to the rafters a banner commemorating last year's Division 1 state title win, which also came over the Bishops.

So was a little revenge in the cards? Not so.

The Cougars had to battle back from two one-goal deficits and didn't hold the lead until the final two minutes of play, with Dan Graham's marker making the difference in a 3-2 win over their Catholic Central rival.

The Bishops (0-1-0, 0-1-0) took an early lead on Ryan Dunn's power-play goal assisted by Mike Thiesing in the first period. Sophomore Brian Nazzaro made Dunn's goal stand up, keeping the Cougars (1-0-0, 1-0-0) off the board through the first 30 minutes of play.

Arlington Catholic finally got on the board 2:38 into the third on Christopher Sadler's strike set up by Brendon O'Connell and William Cooke. The Bishops quickly regained the lead on Mike Sorenti's tally with their second goal of the evening on the power play.

However, some undisciplined play would have the Bishops shorthanded less than a minute later and the Cougars broke through on the man-advantage. Jon Byrne redirected Brian McCoff's blast from the point to tie the score, 2-2. Cooke also added his second assist on the play.

Arlington Catholic seized the momentum, with Graham tallying the game-winner on a pretty set up from Shaun Teeven. Graham buried the one-timer top shelf on the play that was set in motion by a good outlet pass by defenseman Matthew Dee.

Here's a couple of passing thoughts from the rematch between old rivals:

• It's no secret that the team Arlington Catholic returns this season is much different from last year's squad. But Cougars head coach Dan Shine was encouraged by his young team's resiliency exhibited during their season opener. Although they might not have played their best game, it's very early in the season and the Cougars showed mettle when it mattered most. "Replacing 17 players is an enormous task," Shine said. "In a game like this, coming back to from a goal down, coming back and scoring late goals in the game to win is a huge confidence booster. And that's what we were hoping to get out of tonight."
• The area where Arlington Catholic's roster has seen the greatest turnover is on the blue line. All six of the Cougars' D-men graduated last year. That has provided an opportunity for Cooke and McGoff, two transfer students, to seize the job comprising the Cougars' top pairing. Through the first game, both showed good discipline on the power play, maintaining space and creating shooting lanes. That paid off handsomely with Byrne's power-play goal that tied the game, 2-2. "I think our defense played well," Shine said. "They played a lot in the end, they were real steady. And again, they're learning every day."
• Archies finds itself in much the same situation as Arlington Catholic this season. Bishops head coach Derackk Curtis estimated that 90 percent of his roster was playing in their first varsity game Saturday. "Overall, I'm pretty happy with the way we played," Curtis said. "We didn't finish, we have to finish. I thought overall our compete level was there."

Fox 25 has named ten nominees for the “High School Friday Player of the Year” award. The list of ten nominees is comprised of the best high school football players featured on “High School Friday,” a weekly FOX25 News and myfoxboston.com feature highlighting sports and student life.

Voting began last night after the nominees were announced during “FOX25 News at 6:00”, and the poll closes on Sunday, January 16th at 6 p.m.

The voting results will be announced on Friday, January 21st during “FOX25 News at 6:00.”

Here are the ten nominees:

Brian Bourque, Sr. QB, Reading
Blaise Branch, Sr. RB, Cardinal Spellman
Andrew Coke, Jr. RB/QB, Andover
Dylan Colarusso, Sr. RB, Weymouth
Matt Costello, Sr. WR, Everett
Eric Darko, Sr. RB, Wachusett
Jonathan DiBiaso, Jr. QB, Everett
Jordan Shairs, Sr. RB, Gloucester
Matt Silva, Sr. QB, Dracut
Brandon Walsh, Jr. QB, North Andover

BOSTON, Mass. -- It was an early season rematch for two of last year's Super 8 entrants when No. 3 Catholic Memorial and No. 12 Needham faced off at Walter Brown Arena on Saturday.

The Knights took a 4-1 victory on the strength of a hat trick from sophomore Liam Coughlin. The center, who played for the Walpole Express last season, scored the final three goals of the game, including a game-clinching empty-netter in the waning seconds of the third.

Knights senior assistant captain Dan O'Hear also logged a mutli-point game, scoring CM's first goal of the game and setting up Coughlin's first tally -- what would prove to be the game-winner -- in the second period for a 2-1 CM lead. O'Hear feathered a tape-to-tape pass across the goal mouth to Coughlin, who banked the pass home behind Needham goaltender Connor Murray (24 saves).

Coughlin struck again 8:39 into the second period before capping the hat trick with an empty-netter that came as CM (1-1-0) was shorthanded. The rangy forward also set up O'Hear's goal for a four-point game.

Tommy Knox stopped 28 shots to earn in the win in goal.

Needham (1-1-0) got its lone goal in the first period when D.J. Walsh tipped in defenseman Corey Hood's shot from the point to tie the game, 1-1.

Here's a couple of passing thoughts from the non-league battle:

• After CM's season-opening loss to LaSalle Academy in Providence, Hanson ran his team hard through practice this week, stressing a full 45-minute effort. "We went for 45 minutes today, that's for sure. That's what we have to do to win. We have to be hard to play against and our go-to guys have go to get it done."
• With only one defenseman returning from last year's squad -- senior captain Marc Hetnik -- CM was left a little green on the blue line. In an effort to get a little experience on the back line, Hanson moved forward Chris Stathopoulous to defense and is playing beside Hetnik on the Knights' top pairing. The inspiration to move the smooth-skater back to the blue line came from Stathopoulous' experience on CM's lacrosse team. He's a longstick defender in lax, so Hanson thought, why not in hockey, too? "The way his physical skills are, he can skate, shoot, why not move him back to defense? He's got that acumen." The transition has been hasty, however. "He only really has two weeks of coaching back there," Hanson said, "but he gets better every day." Yet, if Saturday's sampling is any indication, the Knights may have found a dependable component to their D. It's not the first time Hanson's tried it either. Hetnik also first played as a forward at CM before making the switch.
• Needham head coach Bill Guisti has the benefit of having seven seniors on this year's roster and he's been encouraged by their play early on. Guisti said forward Sam Nickles and Scott Atkinson, both seniors, have been among his most consistent players through preseason and the Rockets' early games. Nickles seemed to have the puck firmly attached to his stick throughout and had several quality chances. Atkinson exhibited good vision and the ability to transition the puck out of his defensive end. "He rarely makes a mistake," Guisti said of Atkinson. In addition to senior captains Chris Joyce -- whom Guisti believes should be the best D-man in the Bay State Conference this year -- and Tom Coleman, Needham has an experienced nucleus. "We've got to take it one game at a time and we've got Wellesley next," Guisti said. "So that will be a good challenge, but it would've been nice to get out of here with a win."

Lincoln-Sudbury head boys' soccer coach Dave Hosford has confirmed that senior forward Cole DeNormandie has verbally committed to the University of Cincinnati.

DeNormandie, a two-time NSCAA All-American for the Warriors, was also considering North Carolina and George Mason at the time of his commitment. He scored 20 goals this season for L-S, which lost in the Division 1 North quarterfinals to Brookline on penalty kicks. He finishes his career at L-S with 64 goals, 20 assists and three All-New England selections.

The 6-foot forward also played for the New England Revolution Academy.

DORCHESTER, Mass. -- Consider Khadijah Ellison a decidedly visual learner.

Jeremiah Burke High's Mississippi State-bound, 5-foot-8 senior guard is the latest in a storied tradition of Bulldog players with both gritty toughness and street-like handle. But Ellison -- an ESPN100 guard for the Class of 2011 -- is a special breed, with the ability to broad jump over waist-high boxes and hit rim when driving to the basket.

She can also create her own shot with a dazzling variety of moves off the dribble, a variety of spins, crossovers and jab-steps that will leave some dizzied, others confused.

Her favorites? It's tough for her to explain -- "They just come to me," she shrugs -- and when asked by an ESPNBoston reporter about her handle she merely grabbed a basketball and demonstrated. First, she took her right heel and tapped the ball behind her back (illegal, she knows), and with her left hand guided it in between her legs out front. From there, she bounced it back underneath her legs, tapped the floor with her right hand and bounced it behind her back with her left. And then, for kicks, she shoots the ball into a trash can across the room.

Hard to explain, but there's the scholarship right there, huh?

"Yeah, a little bit," she laughed.

Ellison sat down with ESPNBoston for a few minutes before a Thursday afternoon practice at school to discuss her scoring ability, staying grounded and why "smooth" music is the way to go.

Q: What's playing on your iPod right now?
A: "'No air' (by Chris Brown). I just like the smooth type of music. It can be old school, but not too, too, old school, like Earth, Wind and Fire or something. I listen to all the smooth stuff, not that crazy Lil Wayne, Waka Flocka junk. I hate that, that's just madness. So Chris Brown, what else do we have in here...(browses her iPod Nano)...Usher, on a good day Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber -- that's that dude right there -- it depends what kind of day it is. Sometimes a little bit of Drake, little 2Pac, little T.I....

Q: The smooth 2Pac, right?
A: "Yeah, the smooth dude, like 'Changes'. Yeah, not all that other junk. Probably a little Eminem, it depends where I'm at. In school I like to get that school flow, that smooth flow, 'No Air', stuff like that. My favorite one would have to be that Rugrats one, 'Take Me There', by Mya, that Jackson Five remix. Blackstreet, too, 'No Diggity'."

Q: You say you're always listening to music. Why is that?
A: "It's just better that way. It's just what I like to do."

Q: Let's go back one month to the early signing period, and you signed your National Letter of Intent for Mississippi State. How did it feel to put your signature down and make it official?
A: "After a while, it kind of hit me, like 'damn'...it's like, you know a glass of water filled to the top, and you keep putting more water in it? Like that."

Q: You are often described as a scorer. Are you comfortable with that?
A: "Whatever needs to be done, I try to do."

Q: Who's the funniest player on the team?
A: "Everybody's really funny on this team, but the funniest girl I'd have to say is this girl Yissa (Whanellely Guerrero)."

Q: Who's the most underrated?
A: "I'd have to say Cassie (Cassandra Tinius). Everybody contributes something to the team, though. You're not going to hear about everybody, but people on the team can be like 'Oh yeah, I was in that game'."

Q: Do you feel any added pressure with yourself, seeing all the ink about you and how highly you're ranked?
A: "I don't know, I like to think I'm like everyone else. Like, there isn't no superstar. People will be like 'Oh, there she goes, superstar' -- nope, no such thing, no superstars on this team. Everybody's on the same level. I don't think there's any superstars, because everybody contributes something, you know? If that's the case, then everybody on the team's a superstar, even the water girl. Portia (Wilkins), that's her name, she's the water girl, she's so cool. Everybody's cool, you know?"

Q: There have been a number of athletes to come through this program and go on to big things, from your coach Elaine McCants to even thinking back a few years ago to Laniece Langford. What makes the girls basketball tradition at this school so unique?
A: I've just heard alot of the girls that come out of here at pretty top notch. Some of them do stop by sometimes, and they still got it, I didn't even know...coach (McCants), yeah, she's the toughest one (laughs)."

Q: What do you think needs most improvement in your game?
A: "I don't know, if somebody tells me I need to work on something, I'm just going to take it in and try to improve on it, you know. They'll be like 'Oh, you can't shoot', so I'll go in the gym, put up the shots. Just the basic stuff. I don't know why people say I can't shoot, that's mad weird to me...Like, I've heard it, but then I'll go out there and make it happen -- like, 'Here you go'."

Q: Everyone says you're a pretty good ballhandler. What's your favorite move to pull out of the dribble?
A: "I just like to do whatever's necessary. I've got a couple moves in the bag, deep down, way down in the bottom. I'll keep it a secret, through, I like to show and not tell them. It's easier for me to show you than tell you."

FITCHBURG, Mass. -- Tyler Strange first started dribbling and shooting with his father when he was three years old. Not too long after, he was running alongside the old man during weekend pickup games at Leominster's Assembly of God church, begging to jump in with guys in their late 20's, some early 30's.

"I wouldn't be able to hit the rim obviously, but I'd be out there trying to shoot, trying to dribble," he recalled, smiling. "Guys would be mad, but hey, I was just trying to get a run with them."

By 12, he was a regular on the court in those games, able to hold his own -- "they started picking me for teams," he laughed -- and so a sensation was born along Route 13.

Or so it seemed. Strange transferred to Ashburnham's Cushing Academy after a promising sophomore season at Leominster High, only to transfer again to the Notre Dame Prep campus in Fitchburg last fall and land himself square off the bench. Year one proved to be some growing pains for the 5-foot-10 point guard, coming in as a sub on a roster that lacked in big men.

Year two, though, has bode well for the senior. That was on display Wednesday night in the Crusaders' 99-62 win over CJEOTO Academy of Somerset, N.J., at St. Bernard's Activity Center, which improved them to 13-3. The flashy guard connected for eight assists in the win highlighted by dominating performances from Khem Birch (22 points, 12 rebounds, five blocks) and Myles Davis (7 of 10 three-pointers).

Over one particular five-minute stretch in the second half, Strange racked up four such dimes in dazzling fashion, and added a nifty teardrop to finish it off. First, he drove to his left and skipped a no-look bounce pass to Jamir Hanner, who missed the one-handed slam but picked up a shooting foul. Then, following an air-balled Kadeem Jack hook shot from the baseline, Strange connected with Davis on back-to-back three's on the drive and kick.

His next two assists-- both in transition -- were to Birch, an old summer league teammate of his, first on an alley-oop in transition that the 6-foot-9 slasher slammed home; Strange followed that up on the next fast break down with a behind-the-back dish off the dribble that Birch laid in.

Strange capped it off with one of his more beautiful plays of the night. Starting from near the scorer's table at midcourt, Strange took a step right and crossed to his left, charging hard from the left wing and lifting the ball underhand over two defenders for his final basket of the night.

"It's hard to be outta control with my foot back there," laughed head coach Ryan Hurd. "And that's really it. We focused on it, and he finally understood that it's more fun to play our way."

He then continued, "The key for him -- for us -- is that he's never looking to get his. He takes such pride in running the team, and making sure that everybody's getting the ball distributed to them. And at this level, that's so rare it's ridiculous. We benefit from it in ways I don't even think he knows. But if you have a basketball mind, you see it right away."

Strange thinks the improvement comes as "just a matter of playing the game", but also credits his familiarity with Birch, whom he first befriended two summers ago when the two both played for the eXpressions summer traveling team. In fact, when he first heard Birch was transferring into Notre Dame from up the road at Winchendon School, Strange wasted no time reaching out to him.

"Knowing your teammates gives you an extra edge, where they're going to be, how they move, how they shoot," Strange said. "And that's the thing, we've been setting up at practice every day at Notre Dame -- open gym, everything, just to get a feel for the guys. We play 35 games, and you really close to each other, and know where everyone is on the court."

Yes, at Notre Dame, players have access to the gym all the time, and are encouraged to take advantage. In Hurd's first season back in 2007-08, he recalled Terrence Jennings and Kim English coming in as late as 1 a.m. on Saturday night for a game of one-on-one, up to 100 points -- "Those are nights I'll never forget, and they'll both be rewarded with NBA contracts at some point," Hurd said.

As for this group?

"These kids, they're following in that mold," Hurd said. "They love to play, and when you have a team that loves to push each other, good things are going to happen."

WEST ROXBURY, Mass. – Senior defenseman Marc Hetnik may have said it best, stating the first thing a Catholic Memorial hockey player inherits when donning their sweater is a big ole bull’s-eye.

“Because you’re always touted among the top teams in the state,” Hetnik said after Thursday’s practice at the Jim Roche Community Ice Center, “you have the expectations to live up to the history of this program. And you have a coach like Coach [Bill] Hanson that expects a lot out of you.”

When playing in perhaps the state’s toughest conference (the Catholic) and consistently playing perhaps the state’s toughest schedule (which includes top flight out-of-state competition as well), there’s no time for the No. 3 Knights to rebuild.

They simply reload, year after year.

“We’ve had some great success in the past,” goaltender Tommy Knox said, “but we have to be leaders out there and follow the footsteps of the great players who have been through here to continue that CM legacy.”

For CM’s handful of senior players, including Hetnik and Knox, all they’ve known are trips to the Super 8. The Knights were within an eyelash of repeating as Super 8 champions last year until Tim Driscoll and Hingham derailed their bid in a dramatic finals match.

The team CM returns is much different from the one that skated off the Garden ice in March, painfully shy of achieving their goal. For instance, Hetnik is the lone blue-liner who is back.

However, the returning Knights have taken lessons from last year’s bitter experience.

“We know that every goal matters,” said Knox, an Acushnet resident. “One goal and you can be out of a game. It’s important to play every shot as if it’s the shot that will make the difference in the game.’

With all-everything sniper Derek Collucci gone along with stalwarts T.J. O’Brien and Troy Starrett, leadership on the front lines will fall largely to assistant captain Dan O’Hear. Hanson is also counting sophomore Liam Coughlin to have a breakout season. The rangy forward -- who is the son of Southie’s finest, Kevin Coughlin -- skated last season with the Walpole Express junior team and should add punch up front.

But Hanson knows all too well that the Knights will have to light the lamp consistently to make it out of the ever-competitive Catholic Conference this year.

“Anybody can beat anybody,” Hanson said. “Malden Catholic is definitely at the top, there’s no two ways about it, and I think they have been for the last couple of years. I think we just got lucky to beat them.

“It’ll be a dog fight, as it always is.”

Hanson also wants to ensure that his skaters are the best conditioned athletes.

During speed trials at the end of Thursday’s practice, a couple of Knights were bent over, tossing their cookies (and whatever other contents they happened to have in their stomachs) onto the ice.

The extensive skating period isn’t just to prove a point, it has a greater purpose.

“If they can get through that,” Hanson said, “it makes the game seem easy.”

CATHOLIC MEMORIAL AT A GLANCE
2009-10: 17-7-1 (Super 8 finalists)
Head Coach: Bill Hanson, 35th season
Players to watch: G Tommy Knox, D Marc Hetnik, F Liam Coughlin.
The skinny: Unlike last year’s squad which was long in the tooth, this year’s model is largely coming fresh off the production line. “We have talented players,” Hanson said, “but they’re just going to have to learn how to play against the highest level of hockey they’ve ever played against.” The blue line corps is also inexperienced with Hetnik as the lone carryover from last year, but it helps having a top flight netminder like Knox, who had a save percentage over .90 last season and has Boston University and Providence College among his college suitors, to cover up any early season mistakes. “We need to play with a lot of energy and use our team speed, play through checks and playing physical,” Hetnik said. “That’s how we’ll be successful.”

Courtesy of the New England Patriots:

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Less than two weeks after winning the MIAA Division I Super Bowl championship at Gillette Stadium, Everett High School’s Head Coach John DiBiaso has been named the New England Patriots High School Coach of the Year in recognition of his team’s undefeated season and their Super Bowl victory. The New England Patriots Charitable Foundation will donate $2,000 to Everett High School’s football program in DiBiaso’s name in recognition of his Coach of the Year selection.

DiBiaso and some of his players – Manny Asprilla, Nick Chiarello, Matt Costello, Jonathan DiBiaso, Vondell Langston and Shaquille Taylor – along with Assistant Coaches Mike Milo and John Cappra were guests at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday to receive the award. They will be featured on the team’s weekly television magazine show, Patriots All Access, which airs at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 17 on WBZ-TV in Boston and later on Patriots.com.

Each week this season, one Massachusetts high school coach has been awarded the New England Patriots Coach of the Week honor, culminating with this week’s Coach of the Year award to DiBiaso. This season marks the 15th year in which the Patriots have joined the National Football League in conducting the High School Coach of the Week program, which recognizes outstanding high school coaches and promotes youth football throughout New England. Patriots and NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett, the team’s executive director of community affairs, oversees the program as part of the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation’s commitment to youth football initiatives.

“This was the perfect season for the Everett High School football team,” said Tippett. “They finished 12-0, winning the Massachusetts High School Division I Super Bowl championship. They took last year’s Super Bowl loss versus Xaverian High School and used it as a teaching experience and inspiration for the following year. To go 12-0 takes a strong commitment by a dedicated group of players and coaching staff who never took their eyes off the bullseye. We congratulate the Everett High School Football team and coaches on a job well done from start to finish this year, and are happy to honor Coach DiBiaso with our Coach of the Year award.”

Thirteen semifinalists have been selected for the James J. Fitzpatrick Trophy, symbolic of the state’s top high school senior football player.

Ballots were mailed to media and members of the football community and will narrowed to three finalists which will be announced Dec. 19. In addition to football accomplishments, grades, character and extracurricular activities are also factors in the award.

The winner will be announced at the Fiztpatrick Trophy Banquet on Jan. 16 in Portland.

The finalists are:

• Kyle Bishop, Waterville — The QB.safety averaged 6.8 yards per carry and passed for 902 yards. He also kicked 19 of 21 PATs and was in on 73 tackles. He carries a GPA of 3.47.
• Max Cloutier, Leavitt — The center/defensive tackle made 95 tackles and was credited with 12 1/2 sacks. He added 49 PATs and kicked a field goal. He carries an 85 grade average.
• Michael Cyr, Scarborough — The two way end caught 17 passes for 336 yards and eight TDs. On defense, he made 73 tackles and recovered three fumbles. He carries an 89.9 GPA.
• Ethan Drigotas, Kennebunk — The receiver/defensive back caught 36 passes for 659 yards and averaged 5.5 yards a carry as a halfback and scored seven TDs. He carries a 92 GPA.
• Luke Duncklee, Cony — The quarterback passed for 1,442 yards and rushed for another 1,147, accounting for 25 touchdowns in all. He is a top 10 member of his class.
• Nicholas Gagne, Biddeford – The fullback/linebacker rushed for 973 yards and scored 15 TDs. On defense he made 40 tackles, 13 for sacks. He carries a 3.5 GPA.
• Peter Gwilym, Cheverus — The QB/safety led the Stags to their first Class A title since 1986. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry and scored 13 TDs. He also passed for seven TDs. On defense he made 64 tackles and made four interceptions. H carries a 3.89 GPA.
• Jonathan Haws, Hampden — The QB/safety is one of the most prolific players in school history. He carries a GPA of 94.
• Cam Kaurbis, Mountain Valley — The QB/defensive back led the Falcons to the Class B state title, passing for 873 yards and seven touchdowns. On defense, he had 21 tackles and eight interceptions. He carries a 98.8 GPA.
• Caleb Kenney, Portland — The FB/TE/LB made 44 tackles. He rushed for 328 yards and four TDs and caught 10 passes for 165 yards. He carries a 95 GPA.
• Nicholas Proscia, Yarmouth — The FB.LB totaled 707 yards and nine touchdowns and played on all the special teams. He carries an 89.5 GPA and helped the Clippers to the Class B state title.
• Jamie Ross, Deering — The quarterback threw for 1,511 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushed for an additional 912 yards and 19 TDs. He also punted and kicked 36 PATs and a field goal. He carries a 90 GPA.
• Josh Woodward, Thornton — The WB/DB averaged 8.6 yards per carry and scored nine touchdowns. He also completed 52 percent of his passes for nine TDs. He carries a 3.3 GPA.

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