ESPN

The final MIAA girls' hockey Top 25 poll of the 2011-12 season in now posted here.

The Division 2 state champions, not that of Division 1, finished the season at No. 1, as Duxbury claimed back-to-back championships and held on to the top spot through the final month of the season.

Div. 1 champion Arlington Catholic checked in at No. 2 after knocking off St. Mary's of Lynn during their third meeting of the season at the TD Garden.

As we wrap up the season that was in MIAA hockey, we take look ahead to next season with 10 (or so) players to watch in the 2012-13 season.

This list is comprised of underclassmen players we saw this season who we thought warranted a little extra attention and who might not be known to all, but who all could steal the stage in the coming years.

1. Tom Besinger, Soph. F, BC High – For what the winger might lack in stature, he makes up for in speed and grit. Although he often gives up size to defensemen, Besinger is fearless in the corners. With a 14-goal, 18-assist output on the season, he could be in for bigger numbers in his junior year with the Eagles.

2. Ara Nazarian, Frosh. F, Malden Catholic – You could make that case that the Lancers’ first-year center was the most consistent player in the Super 8 tournament with five points and more than a couple timely goals. Nazarian figures to be the next in a line of Division 1 prospects to come through the Lancers’ pipeline with a blend of speed and crafty stickwork.

3. Casey Fitzgerald, Frosh. F, Malden Catholic – Speaking of the Lancers’ front-line talent, the first-year blue-liner might have been the best in the state as a freshman. Where his talent can carry him during the next three years is stunning to think. Already a terrific skater, the younger Fitzgerald only scratched the surface with his 2-15-17 totals in 2011-12.

4. Matt Brazel, Soph. F, Hingham – The Harbormen defied a lot of folks’ expectations this season, including us, making yet another Super 8 appearance as a top-six seed. This talented sophomore, along with Sam D’Antuono (9-19-28), will pack a punch for Hingham as long as they don the sweater. Plus, Brazel’s quickly turned himself into one of the top draw-men in the state, as evidenced during the Super 8 tournament.

5. John Carlson, Soph. D, Hingham – The Harbormen blue-liner plays a bit like his Washington Capitals’ namesake, as a rugged physical presence who’s also able to make tape-to-tape breakout passes consistently. Carlson put up 2-10-12 totals last season and was named to the MSHCA Sophomore/Junior all-star team.

6. Dan Eruzione, Soph. F, Winthrop – Eruzione was a driving force behind the Vikings’ Div. 2 North finals appearance and was part of one of the state’s most feared scoring duos along with Chris LeBlanc. He scored 15 goals with 24 assists for 39 points on the season.

7. Mike Donadio, Soph. G, Franklin – A big reason why the Panthers made a repeat appearance at the Garden in the Div. 2 state championship game. The netminder posted a 1.64 goals against average and an 89.9 save percentage in his first year as starter.

8. Adrieana Rossini, Frosh. F, Arlington Catholic – The freshman provided a nice scoring complement to senior Natalie Flynn, scoring eight goals along with 14 assists. Rossini loomed large in the Cougars’ Division 1 state championship run, with a goal in the final versus St. Mary’s of Lynn and potting the game-winner in overtime during the Cougars’ semi-final win over Braintree.

9. Marissa Fichter, Frosh. F, Duxbury – Fichter’s play throughout the Division 2 tournament might have been one of the biggest surprises of the postseason. She posted 13-13-26 totals on the season while skating along with fellow first-year players Jane Dudley and Meredith Wright, meaning the Dragons will be set offensively for years to come — not to mention that netminder Rachel Myette is just a sophomore as well.

10. The Falmouth Youth Movement – We couldn’t really pick just one over the others, but the point remains that the Lady Clippers, like the aforementioned Dragons who they met at the Garden, will stay strong. With first-year head coach Erin Blood leading the way, it starts in nets with freshman Maddie Scavotto (1.35 GAA). Freshmen Madison Haberl (12-12-24), Kelly Ferreira (14-10-24) and Rachel Moore (11-5-16), along with sophomore Alexa Scribner (8-4-12) will hold down the scoring while Hannah Ghelfi (1-6-7), Callan Small (0-4-4) and Kendall Stouffer (0-9-9) provide as good a young blue-line you will find in the state.

First Team:
F- Alison Butler, Jr., St. Mary’s (Lynn)
Perhaps no player in the state made bigger strides this season than the Spartans junior. The Danvers resident finished with 17 goals and 44 assists for 61 points, good for third in the state.

F – Kati Goguen, Sr., Acton-Boxborough
One of the state’s top perennial scorers, the Holy Cross commit and captain was again among the MIAA’s leading scorers, tallying 17 goals along with 26 assists. Goguen also plays with the prestigious Assabet Valley travel league squad.

F – Kayla Smith, Jr., Woburn
A pure sniper in the truest sense, Smith finished fourth in the state in scoring, with 57 points, and finished tied for fourth in goals with 31. This year marks Smith’s second straight ESPN Boston All-State First Team appearance, improving upon her 53-point performance from a year ago.

D – Martha Findley, Sr., Duxbury
This year’s ESPN Boston Miss Hockey Award winner, Findley is a two-time All-Stater to go along with the Dragons’ second straight Div. 2 state championship. The Duxbury captain had five goals and 21 assists for 26 points this season. Findley plans on attending Cushing Academy for a postgraduate year next year.

D – Rachel Donahoe, Sr., St. Mary’s (Lynn)
The Spartans captain was among the top-scoring blue-liners in the state with 22 points (two goals, 20 assists). The Wakefield resident highlighted a deep defensive corps that boosted St. Mary’s to another Division 1 state final appearance.

G – Courtney Davis, Soph., Woburn
The second-year starter tied for second in the state with seven shutouts this season while posting a measly 1.25 goals against average and a 94.3 save percentage.

Second Team:
F – Natalie Flynn, Sr., Arlington Catholic
The Cougars captain lifted her squad to a victory over a heavily favored St. Mary’s squad and a Division 1 state championship. Flynn tallied 19 goals and 15 assists for 34 points.

F – Jane Freda, Jr., Hingham
It wasn’t too long ago that the Harbormen junior captain was moved up from the blue to add a scoring punch. This season, Freda went crazy, finishing second in the state in scoring with 31 goals and 32 assists for 63 points.

F – Erika Kelly, Sr., Watertown/Melrose
The pride of Watertown led the state in scoring this season with a state-best 49 goals for 70 points. Not only a dynamic scorer on the ice, Kelly is a highly decorated field hockey talent, in addition to playing softball in the spring.

D – Cassandra Connolly, Jr., Woburn
A true two-way defenseman, Connolly was among the state’s scoring leaders among blue-liners with six goals and 20 assists for 26 points, while helping a Tanners unit that allowed just 28 goals in 22 games.

D – Emily Loebs, Sr., Acton-Boxborough
The senior captain has been a rock on defense on some deep, defensive Colonials teams. Loebs finished second on A-B in goal scoring — her 14 goals fells just off the pace of fellow All-Stater Kati Goguen—and her 26 points ranked among the state’s top defensemen.

G – Rachel Myette, Soph., Duxbury
After turning in a dominant freshman year, Myette returned with an outstanding second-year effort, including another Div. 2 title. Her 0.90 goals against average was the best in the state, as were her eight shutouts. Myette’s 93.2 save percentage also ranked among the best in the MIAA.

“Best of the Rest”
Molly Connolly, F, Wellesley
Mackenzie Clark, F, Winthrop/Lynn
Lily Connolly, F, Duxbury
Colleen Doucette, F, Wakefield
Kaleigh Finigan, F, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
Samantha Girard, F, Dedham
Bryana Harron, F, Woburn
Brittani Lanzilli, F, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
Sara Lehman, F, Lexington
Kim Lizotte, F, Westford Academy
Caroline McCarthy, F, Belmont
Hannah Murphy, F, Duxbury
Danielle Phalon, F, Stoneham
Adrieana Rossini, F, Arlington Catholic
Sarah Schwenzfeier, F, Hingham
Brenna Callahan, D, Falmouth
Jackie Denning, D, Lexington
Alexandria Gong, D, Hingham
Britta Marden, D, Belmont
Brooke Matherson, D, Walpole
Caroline Shaunessy, D, Duxbury
Kaitlin Spillane, D, Franklin
Rebecca Zappalla, D, Arlington Catholic
Cali Loblundo, G, Acton-Boxborough
Megan Messuri, G, Arlington Catholic
Shannon O’Neil, G, Austin Prep
Maddie Scavotto, G, Falmouth
Casey Schaejbe, G, Arlington
Lauren Skinnion, G, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
Bethany Welch, G, Walpole

Coach of the Year
Maggie Taverna, Arlington Catholic
Third time's a charm, right? In just her second year behind the Cougars' bench, Taverna lifted AC back to the top of the MIAA hockey world with a Division 1 state title, beating Catholic Central Conference rival St. Mary's of Lynn after suffering two regular-season losses to the Spartans.

Finalists:
Erin Blood, Falmouth
Mark Haley, Belmont
Frank Pagliuca, St. Mary's (Lynn)

BOSTON -- Correspondent and girls' hockey guru Bruce Lerch joined Scott Barboza in breaking down Arlington Catholic and Duxbury's MIAA girls' hockey champions Sunday at the TD Garden:

BOSTON -- For four long years, the Arlington Catholic seniors have sat back and watched as St. Mary's consistently held over them. On the last day of their high school careers, those seniors and their teammates finally got one back.

Natalie Flynn, Adrieana Rossini and Allyson Cunningham each scored goals and Megan Messuri came up with 25 saves as the Cougars finally got their victory over the Spartans, winning 3-1 at TD Garden to capture the Div. 1 girls hockey state championship.

"The previous times we've played them, there was that stigma that we've never beaten them and in a state championship game, there's a little bit more on the line and that stigma kind of leaves them," AC head coach Maggie Taverna said. "I think we just came out played our game and played how we've played all year and it ended up working this time."

The Cougars (21-3-1) took the ice with a ferocity and determination that belied the early morning faceoff, while their opponents were surprisingly sluggish. Flynn, the Cougars senior captain and one of the state's premier players, got things started with just under four minutes left in the first, walking down the left wing side and switching to her backhand while cutting across for the game's first goal.

"It's a team effort the whole time but I thought if we scored first we were going to win the game," said Flynn afterward. "That's all I was trying to do, just get the puck in the net first. That's what we did and we went out and won."

AC maintained its high energy start by tacking on a pair right out of the gates in the second. Freshman Rossini, who has been a breakout star of this postseason, pounced on a loose puck during a shorthanded situation and flipped a similar backhander past Spartans goalie Lauren Skinnion at 1:49.

The Cougars won the ensuing faceoff, and Cunningham appeared to be trying to set up a play by dumping the puck in. It went on net, and Skinnion made the initial stop but the trickled through the back of her pads and in just 16 seconds later.

That goal finally seemed to wake up St. Mary's, and Brittani Lanzilli showed off her amazing skating skills on a terrific end to end rush that the sophomore finished with a high, hard wrist shot at 5:39. Lanzilli tried to break loose several more times as her teammates rallied for a few minutes, but ultimately, the Spartans were unable to sustain anything long enough to make something happen.

"I just felt like we were in quicksand for most of the game to be honest with you," St. Mary's head coach Frank Pagliuca said. "We had a little spurt in the second period but I think all credit goes to AC. They were all over us, they were all over the puck. We just didn't get it going tonight."

The other big piece in preventing a Spartan comeback was the play of netminder Messuri. A sophomore transfer from Southfield School, Messuri made several more big stops the rest of the way. The best of those came with under five minutes left to play, as Lanzilli broke in and fed Gina Beth Manganiello for a wide open look from the slot, but Messuri's glove simply flashed up out of nowhere and snagged the puck from the air.



"What I love about Megan is her confidence," Taverna said. "She's a sophomore, so she's young, but at the same time she has that mentality that she doesn't want to be scored on. When she gets scored on she gets angry and it makes her shut the door even more in a sense. Where some kids are the opposite, when they scored on they just melt, and she almost gets more fired up. Today she was unbelievable. She's been unbelievable for us all season and that one glove save she made was so good. She works hard and she hates to lose, it what it comes down to. She hates to lose."

The Cougars still had to kill two penalties over the final 3:16, but they did so without allowing a shot on either, and ultimately wrapped the program's first state championship since 2007.

"It's been unreal," Messuri said. "Its surreal right now, I don't even know how to handle it. We just used our momentum really well. Getting that goal in the first period really set us off."

Added Flynn, "It's just amazing. When I was a freshman there was ten freshmen and we said we wanted to win a state championship. That was our goal. It just happens in our last game as high school players we won it. Its just amazing."

All eyes will be on the TD Garden Sunday as championships will be decided in six divisions of MIAA hockey title games.

We'll have you covered all day long, but until then, we provide to you a breakdown of each of the game and our prediction:

GIRLS’ FINALS Division 2
No. 1 Duxbury (21-0-1) vs. No. 7 Falmouth (16-4-1), 11 a.m., TD Garden
The Breakdown: If the Dragons win this game, they make a strong argument that they were the strongest girls’ hockey team in the state, regardless of division, with the potential for an undefeated season. As any strong hockey squad goes, the Dragons are built from goal out with sophomore goaltender Rachel Myette (0.91 GAA) looks for her second state title in as many seasons as starter. Duxbury’s blue line corps is regarded as the deepest in the state, led by ESPN Boston Ms. Hockey contender Martha Findley (4-19-23). Of course, Duxbury has plenty of offensive firepower to go along with their strong defensive play with junior forwards Hannah Murphy (18-27-45) and Lily Connolly (18-20-38) as leading scorers. Falmouth has been one of the stories of the tournament, making a run behind first-year head coach Erin Blood. The Clippers have also received strong play from a young goaltender in freshman Maddie Scavotto (1.26 GAA). Falmouth is also deep and experienced on the blue line with senior captain Brenna Callahan and junior Alexx Good. The Clippers have received scoring punch from a pair of freshman forwards in Kelly Ferreira (13-9-22) and Madison Haberl (11-12-23).

The Pick: The defending Division 2 champion Dragons spent half the season as the No. 1 team in our poll. We’re not about to go against them now. Duxbury, 4-1.

Division 1 No. 3 St. Mary’s (Lynn) (21-3-1) vs. No. 4 Arlington Catholic (20-3-1), 9 a.m.
The Breakdown: If two regular season meetings between these Central Catholic powers weren’t enough, we get a rubber match for all the marbles on Sunday. The Lady Spartans came away with two wins in the teams’ regular season series, including a defining 5-2 decision by St. Mary’s on Feb. 1 after they’d been upset by crosstown rival Winthrop/Lynn. Can’t underscore the coaching in this game enough, as Frank Pagliuca has turned in perhaps his finest performance behind the bench and Maggie Taverna has vaulted the Cougars back onto the state’s biggest stage in Year One. Taverna has been helped by one of the state’s most dynamic scorers in senior Natalie Flynn (19-15-34). Adrieana Rossini (8-14-22) has also come up with some huge postseason goals. On the blue line, AC has one of the state’s best in senior Rebecca Zappala. First-year transfers Kaleigh Finigan (30-goal season) and Brittani Lanzilli (25-28-53) have not disappointed while Alison Butler (team-leading 61 points) has taken a huge step forward. The Spartans blue line is airtight with preseason All-Stater Rachel Donahoe leading the group. Lauren Skinnion (7 SO) has been strong as a first-year starter in nets.

The Pick: Third time’s a charm? Not so. Spartans are too strong. St. Mary’s, 4-2.

BOYS’ FINALS Division 3
Medway (19-6-1) vs. Hudson (21-1-1), 1:30 p.m.
The Breakdown: This marks the return of one of the state’s great public hockey programs to its biggest stage in Hudson (seriously, look it up), with the Hawks making their first state finals appearance since 1978, when they took the Div. 1 title from Burlington. The Central sectional champions are strong up front with a trio of 30-point scorers in seniors Tyler Kirby, Tim Murphy and Blake Seymour. The Mustangs are paced by one of the state’s top snipers in Jake O’Rourke (43-13-56). This matchup will also feature two of most dominant D3 goalies in the state with Hudson junior Shane Barry and Medway junior Mike Narducci facing off with sub-2.00 goals against averages.

The Pick: We’re going with the storyline and perhaps the most consistent D3 team throughout the season. Hudson, 3-2.

Division 2 Wilmington (15-4-5) vs. No. 1 Franklin (19-2-3), 3:30 p.m.
The Breakdown: This might be the most intriguing matchup of the day. Both of these teams were among four Division 2 teams on the Mass. Hockey Coaches Association’s initial Super 8 Watch list a month ago and haven’t disappointed in the tournament. Franklin was here a year ago, when they had their hearts broken by Tewksbury in an overtime stunner. Many observers, including us, had last season pegged as the Panthers’ opportunity to break a nearly three-decade long drought, but Chris Spillane has showed why he’s one of the state’s premier coaches. It also hasn’t hurt that Franklin has received tremendous senior seasons from Adam Hall (17-25-42) and Nick Bertoni (25-15-40). Sophomore netminder Mike Donadio (1.64 GAA) has been a revelation. The Wildcats offense has taken off since Cam Owens’ (14-19-33) return to the lineup, while senior captain Dalton Rolli (9-16-25) is an underrated two-way presence. Junior forward Jake Rogers (12-6-20) has come up with some timely goals in the postseason. Sophomore netminder Drew Foley (1.69 GAA) has played his best when it’s counted most, carrying a three-plus game shutout streak into the Wildcats’ North sectional final with Winthrop.

The Pick: The last time the Panthers hoisted the trophy Coach Spillane skated. Unfortunately for the hockey hotbed, this isn’t the year either. Wilmington, 2-1 (OT).



Division 1 Burlington (17-2-6) vs. Milton (19-3-3), 8:15 p.m.
The Breakdown: The Red Devils pulled off a tough feat, bouncing back from a Super 8 play-in game loss (and a very competitive one at that) to pull themselves into the D1 championship. The Middlesex League champions have plenty of speed to burn, and senior assistant captain Trevor Cimino (17-22-39) is about as good a two-way forward as you’ll find. Along with Joe Berardi (22-13-35), Brett Romkey (17-3-20) and C.J. Grinnell (6-14-20), Burlington can score in piles. We’ve also come away impressed by their defensive corps led by Steve Mattos, in addition to Cody Crocker, Adam Crowley and Brien Diffley. The Wildcats ran the Bay State League gauntlet in the South sectional tournament to get to the Garden. Paul Curran (26-33-59) is one of the best pure scorers in the state, and along with top-liners Brian Higgins (23-29-52) and Terrance Walsh (16-33-49), Milton provides matchup problems. Blue-liner John Murtagh is a rock, logging boatloads of ice time, and senior netminder Jay Hankard is peaking at the right time

The Pick: Red Devils are simply too potent, but they’re the pick mostly because of the way they’re playing defensively right now in front of Derek DeCastro. Burlington, 6-3.

Division 1A No. 5 BC High (13-6-5) vs. No. 1 Malden Catholic (19-1-4), 6 p.m.
The Breakdown: After beating another Catholic Conference rival, St. John’s Prep, to advance to the final, Eagles head coach John Flaherty said he’s had a special feeling about this group. That feeling might have developed after BC High skated to a 2-2 tie with MC on Jan. 25, a game in which the Eagles in some regards out-played the Lancers. This will be the fourth meeting between these teams, with MC taking two wins, including a 3-1 win in the Super 8’s round robin last week. The crucible for BC High is which of their defensive units shows up: The out-of-sorts group that surrendered a 7-spot earlier this season to MC, or the cohesive group that bounced Prep and its top line? Of course, that all starts with junior goaltender Peter Cronin (2.00 GAA), who has turned in another solid tournament. Brian Furey leads a much improved blue-line group. The Eagles are also disciplined in their own zone, with Matt Sullivan (12-16-28) providing as much defensively as he does offensively. Everyone knows of the Lancers top line of Brendan Collier, Ryan Fitzgerald and Mike Iovanna, but freshman center Ara Nazarian has been the breakout star of the tournament, filling the scoresheet in every game and tallying five goals. It’s not just offense with MC, however, as you’d be hard pressed to find a deeper, more dynamic top three than Casey Fitzgerald, Colin MacGillivray and Brendan White. If netminder Connor Maloney plays as he did against Central Catholic in the crossover round, that’s game, set, and match.

The Pick: Doin’ it for CS5. MC, 5-3.

STONEHAM, Mass. -- Between the end of the third period and the first five minutes of overtime, Arlington Catholic freshman Adrieana Rossini had four breakaways without a goal.

The fifth, however, did the trick to send the Cougars to the TD Garden next Sunday.

Rossini took a pass from senior Allie Stone, stormed into Braintree’s zone and put a backhanded shot past Wamp freshman goalie Rachael Brazil to give AC a 3-2 win in Saturday night’s MIAA Division 1 girls' hockey state semifinal at Stoneham Arena.

After so many opportunities to put the game away earlier, the game-winner -- which came with 4:37 left in the 12-minute overtime -- clearly came as a relief to Rossini.

“It was a long wait to get it. It took way too long,” she said. “I went on four breakaways with teammates and none of them would go through, and finally one just went in.”

Brazil (33 saves) was brilliant throughout the night, and saved some of her best for last. Rossini dangled past two Wamps with just over a minute to go in regulation, only to be denied at the doorstep by Brazil. Braintree’s net-minder stoned Rossini again at 4:06 of the overtime on almost the exact same play. Two minutes later, Rossini tried to find sophomore Duggan Delano on another break, but Braintree senior Tori Machado did just enough to put Delano off and the shot went wide.

Brazil stopped Rossini on yet another breakaway with 7:18 to play, but was finally beaten a few minutes later. AC head coach Maggie Taverna she had to keep Rossini’s spirits up after those missed chances, and it certainly paid off.

“She would come back after every shift to the bench so angry at herself, and I’m like, ‘Kid, you just gotta keep going. It’s going to come,’” Taverna said. “Eventually, one went in for her, so that was a good thing.”

Braintree (16-6-2) was out-shot 36-17 for the game, but played hard and fought off AC for the most of the contest. The Wamps took a 2-1 lead 1:03 into the third period when junior Brittany Yaxter finished a rebound off a shot from senior teammate Ally Perdios.

Taverna came away impressed with the Wamps, who had just knocked off top-seed Acton-Boxborough in the quarterfinals.

“They’re a very interesting team, because if you just look at them at a practice, maybe they’re not the best skaters,” Taverna said. “But they work hard, they’re gritty, they’re aggressive, and I think any team is gonna have a problem with them. I think that’s why the’ve been so successful in this tournament.”

The Cougars immediately went back on the offensive after Yaxter’s goal, and tied it back up just 3:14 later. Senior Natalie Flynn found freshman Jessica Piracini on a well-executed 2-on-1, and Piracini finished it off to make it 2-2.

Perdios had a great chance to put the Wamps back ahead with 2:23 to play in regulation after skating past two Cougars on a break, but AC sophomore goaltender Megan Messuri came up with her biggest stop of the evening.

Stone opened the scoring at 4:48 of the second period on a shorthanded breakaway, collecting the puck on the right wing and speeding in on goal before backhanding a shot through the 5-hole.

Braintree freshman Haley Payne nearly tied it just over two minutes later on a nice tip from junior Lauren Connelly’s shot from the point, but Messuri made an even better kick save to keep the puck out of the cage.

Braintree eventually did tie it up with just 50.2 seconds left in the frame. Senior Jessica Hasson fired in a wrister from the right point that Messuri had a beat on, but the puck took a wicked deflection off an AC player and looped over Messuri’s shoulder into the net.

The Cougars (19-3-1) out-shot Braintree 10-2 in a scoreless first period, as a penalty on Hasson just 24 seconds into the game gave AC early momentum. One of AC’s best chances came 6:14 into the period, when senior defenseman Rebecca Zappala fired a great pass from her own blue line to Flynn, who was in alone on Brazil but put her backhand shot just over the crossbar.

Brazil was up to the task on all 10 shots on goal, including shots from in front by sophomore Duggan Delano and Rossini.

In the end, though, it was the Cougars’ night. And now, they head to the Garden March 18 to take on St. Mary’s (penalty shootout winners over Hingham in Saturday’s other semifinal) for a state title. The Spartans beat AC twice during the regular season (by 4-2 and 5-2 scores), and the Cougars’ current senior class has never defeated their Catholic Central League rivals.

Stone, the Cougars’ assistant captain, is confident that will change.

“What it’s going to come down to is out-working them,” Stone said. “We’re not gonna lose to them again. We’re not ready to do that. This is the one team that I’ve always wanted to beat in my four years here, and I know that the other 10 seniors on the team feel the same.

“We’re ready to go. We’re gonna come at them with everything we have.”

LOWELL, Mass. -- Olivia Healy remembers the Tsongas Center floors all too well.

Once a junior high student cheering from the stands in 2008, she notes watching her Lady Rockets drop a 52-40 semifinals loss to Lincoln-Sudbury and the lingering feeling of unfinished business she left with.

A 49-46 win over second-seeded Arlington Catholic (21-4) in the Division 2 North finals on Saturday and a first ever team trip to the TD Garden on Tuesday to face South champions Scituate (24-0) have sent her out of arena with a much happier disposition this time around.

“There is a picture of us with our faces painted sitting at the Tsongas,” said Healy of 2008. “We were like 'We are going to get there some day' and now we are here.”

Leading for three quarters the top-seeded Rockets (23-0) dominated the boards to out-rebound AC 37-22.

Despite consistently playing from behind, a quick 3-pointer by senior Emma Roberson at 11.8 seconds was a late sign of hope for the Cougars as it cut the score to 49-46. Despite setting up an open 3-point effort for AC'S Melissa Rogers along the sidelines, the freshman caught the back corner off the rim to close the final seconds.

The defending state champions struggled to control Healy and teammate senior Melissa DalPozzo below the rim, with Dalpozzo grabbing 13 rebounds and Healy 12. Healy led her squad in scoring with 12 points.

“We have been focus on (rebounding) all season,” said Reading coach Kim Penney. “The team that out rebounds the other has a better chance. Even if you miss your own shot, you can get a second or third look at it.”

Technical Fall: A final quarter technical by the Cougars lead way to an important nine points run for Reading.

Up 30-29 late in the third, junior Morgan O'Brien and Healy caught open lanes for four points before getting the call. After hitting both field goals, the Middlesex Large champs rotated senior Katie Clements up the perimeter for an open planted trey and a 39-29 lead at 6:50 in the final quarter.

“Yesterday we really worked on our role,” said Healey. “Kat(ie) had those sideline jumpers and she (practiced) it for 30 minutes. She did exactly what she was supposed to tonight.”

The Roberson Factor: Roberson poured in 19 points and 25 total to help keep the Cougars within range throughout the second half. Using speed to counter the Rockets size, AC's quick guard moved easily through the defense for quick lay-ins following Reading baskets.

A full-court layup to even the score at 43-40 with two and a half minute left epitomized the seniors night.

“Players who have done it in the past just step up,” said AC coach Dave Brady. “We needed to look up and get down the court quicker. I was impressed with how she did.”

A Slight Flight Delay: Both teams struggled to open the match and took most of the first quarter to get rolling. The teams combined for 15 turnovers in the first quarter and could only score two a piece for the first five and a half minutes.

A clean 3-pointer at the top of the arc by Healy at 1:10 helped both teams start rolling as they went into the break tied at 7-7.

The win was the second against AC for Reading, who beat them 58-32 in February.

“To beat them in this big climate,” said Penney. “They are so together and locked in on what we are doing. (Our girls) really earned their right to be here.”

Last month, prior to the MIAA Basketball Tournament seedings, I listed a number of teams in each division to be considered true contenders for the state championship. One week later, on the first day of the MIAA tournament, I went a little deeper and made my predictions for each of the 14 boys basketball brackets.

Conveniently, this has been one of the wildest MIAA tournaments in recent years. Last night, No. 1 seeds Central Catholic and North Andover went down in their respective brackets; that adds to a number of other contenders getting knocked out, including King Philip, Cardinal Spellman, Falmouth, Catholic Memorial, BC High, Holy Name and Manchester-Essex.

The next 48 hours figure to be just as crazy. We'll be covering all 12 of Saturday's North and South sectional finals, as well as Sunday's Division 1 Central final between St. John's (Shrewsbury) and St. Peter-Marian, so be sure to stick with us throughout the weekend.

For now, I've gone back and hit the reset button on my pre-tournament picks. Here's how I think Saturday and Sunday's slate will turn out.

(NOTE: Division 4 Finals are being played tonight)

BOYS PICKS

Division 1 North
Charlestown (19-4) vs. Lexington (17-7)
Nobody could have predicted this for a final -- and if you did, I have a time warp I'd like to sell you. After some early struggles, the Minutemen have picked up the slack under second-year coach Reggie Hobbs, beating Boston Latin, Westford and Acton-Boxborough in succession to get here. But with Central Catholic and A-B out of the way, the Townies have a clearer path. Expect another big game from Tyrese Hoxter and Co. Pick: Charlestown

Division 2 North
Wakefield (17-6) vs. Brighton (19-4)
Reports of Brighton's demise have been greatly exaggerated. Once thought to be stumbling following the loss of star forward Nick Simpson and subsequent early exit from City Championships, the Bengals have roared to life behind Daivon Edwards and Malik James. Ditto for Wakefield, which came into this tournament a mystery, but has suddenly put the state on notice after knocking off No. 1 overall seed North Andover last night. Pick: Brighton

Division 3 North
Danvers (18-4) vs. Saugus (14-9)
I said this was Danvers' bracket to lose at the beginning of this tournament, and the Falcons have done nothing to prove me otherwise. Saugus beat red-hot Arlington Catholic by 16 last night to advance to the finals, but I still think George Merry will provide too much of a matchup problem. Pick: Danvers

Division 1 South
Brockton (21-2) vs. Madison Park (19-2)
True, the MP Machine is the No. 2 seed in this bracket, but how many predicted the Cardinals would make it this far? Brockton has had some close calls, such as Wednesday's semifinal win over Newton North. But as they showed in their quarterfinal against Catholic Memorial, they can turn it on in a snap. The key here might come down to depth, where I think the Boxers hold an advantage. Excited to see the big-man matchup between Brockton's Sayvonn Houston and MP's Dakim Murray -- two true post players who are among the region's most physical. Pick: Brockton

Division 2 South
Stoughton (19-4) vs. Hopkinton (17-6)
Beware Hopkinton's dribble-drive motion. Just ask King Philip, which succumbed to the Hillers in last year's D2 South Final and again in this year's quarterfinals. We all know about Stoughton's athletic prowess, spearheaded by one of the state's best backcourts in juniors Aaron Calixte and Marcus Middleton. But do not sleep on the Hillers' point guard Barrett Hanlon, a two-time Tri-Valley League MVP who has been terrific this postseason. Pick: Stoughton

Division 3 South
Wareham (23-0) vs. Martha's Vineyard (21-2)
Between Wareham's dogged waterbug point guard Darien Fernandez and Vineyard's electric junior Jack Roberts, this could be one of the day's fastest games. The Vikings are constantly uptempo -- and have one of the state's best lead guards in Fernandez, to do the damage -- while the Vineyarders can run off points in bunches pretty quickly. The key might come down to foul trouble -- Tyler Gomes was the star for Wareham in the semifinals, but they can't afford to have Fernandez on the bench for long stretches again. Pick: Wareham

Division 1 Central
St. John's of Shrewsbury (18-5) vs. St. Peter-Marian (19-5)
If St. John's wins again, for an unprecedented fifth straight Central Mass. title, they may have to rename this tournament the Bob Foley Memorial Bracket. Again and again, Foley's troops have proven that no matter the personnel, bodies graduated, or overall record, they can win out as long as they get in. SPM's Matt Mobley will likely command a sophisticated defensive look, which is why the Guardians' bigs like Steve Flynn and Brian Foley are going to need to be in peak form. Pick: St. John's

Division 2 Central
Quabbin (20-3) vs. St. Bernard's (14-10)
Once one of the state's few remaining unbeatens, Quabbin lost three games but won the Clark Tournament to give themselves some momentum headed into this bracket. It's paid off, as the Panthers have beaten opponents by an average of 24 points in the tournament. Either way, this should be a terrific coaching matchup, between Quabbin's Dennis Dextradeur and St. Bernard's Mark Pierce. Pick: Quabbin

Division 3 Central
Whitinsville Christian (16-5) vs. Littleton (18-6)
Another bracket where I initially pegged a top seed as an overwhelming favorite, and nothing has convinced me to think otherwise. Sorry Littleton, but WC has been playing some of its best basketball, beating each of its opponents by 17 points or more in this tournament. Pick: Whitinsville Christian

Division 1 West
Springfield Central (21-1) vs. Springfield Commerce (16-6)
In these two teams' first matchup, Central survived a tough one, 52-43. When they met three weeks ago, Tyrell Springer nailed four 3-pointers in the second quarter and Central blew out the Red Raiders by nearly 40. I don't think that will happen again, but like Brockton, Central can turn it up in a hurry -- just ask West Springfield, which led Central by three after the first quarter of Wednesday's semifinal, only to lose by 27. Pick: Springfield Central

Division 2 West
South Hadley (13-9) vs. Mahar (19-3)
South Hadley's nine losses are misleading. They earned the No. 2 overall seed in this field, and beat their first two opponents by an average of 17 points. Can Mahar, which survived an overtime thriller to get here, buck the Tigers' trend? Pick: South Hadley

Division 3 West
St. Joseph Central (18-5) vs. Lee (18-5)
This is a St. Joe's team that nearly beat Holy Name back in December, and while I admit I haven't seen too much of this field, I like their chances. An average margin of victory of 26 points so far in this tournament backs this assertion up. Pick: St. Joseph Central

GIRLS PICKS

Division 1 North
Andover (24-0) vs. Masconomet (20-3)
Again, as good as Masco has been in this tournament -- getting Super Team production out of William & Mary signee Brooke Stewart, and great complimentary play from junior Claudia Marsh -- the freight train that is Andover and All-Everything guard Nicole Boudreau will continue to roll its way through. But unlike some of the Golden Warriors' earlier tournament results, I expect the Chieftains to throw haymakers and take the Warriors to the ropes. Pick: Andover

Division 2 North
Reading (22-0) vs. Arlington Catholic (21-3)
Another juggernaut matchup in the fold here. Both teams have gone through some dominant stretches, and AC is the defending state champion here. But the Rockets are a year wiser after last season's disappointing end, and behind Olivia Healy and Morgan O'Brien this team rattles off points in bunches. Pick: Reading

Division 3 North
Pentucket (20-4) vs. Ipswich (18-4)
Win or lose, this is a major step forward for the Ipswich program under head coach Mandy Zegarowski. Unfortunately, their reward is running into the Pentucket machine. Sachems are rolling on defense, allowing just 28 points per game in the playoffs with an average margin of victory of 27 points. So tell me...what's new? Pick: Pentucket

Division 1 South
Franklin (21-2) vs. Braintree (21-2)
Led by senior Paige Marshall, Braintree is playing arguably the state's most inspired defense. Consider the Wamps allowed just eight points -- that's eight points total -- in their first-round win, and are allowing just 22.6 points per game and the playoffs. Will that be enough for Catie Phelan to overcome, or are the defensive stats misleading? Pick: Braintree

Division 2 South
Scituate (23-0) vs. Natick (18-5)
Will Lady Luck run out on Natick, or are the Red and Blue better than we projected? Either way, this is one tough Scituate squad they're about to encounter. The Lady Sailors haven't allowed an opponent to get out of the 30's in nearly a month, and routinely pick up 40 or more rebounds a game. Pick: Scituate

Division 3 South
Archbishop Williams (20-5) vs. Fairhaven (21-2)
Kara Charette will get her points for Fairhaven, but we have to wonder if it it will be enough to overcome Archies' size, which is among the state's biggest. The Bishops are green, but talented, and are playing some terrific defense right now. Pick: Archbishop Williams

Division 1 Central
Holy Name (22-0) vs. Wachusett (17-5)
After some close calls, Holy Name's magical season lives on. The Mountaineers might be Holy Name's toughest opponent to date, and are one of the region's longest. Look for the Naps to key on Bri Schnare and Shannon Holt. Pick: Wachusett

Division 2 Central
Tyngsborough (21-1) vs. Nashoba (20-2)
The top two seeds of this bracket go head-to-head, and it's hard to tell which team has been more dominant so far. The Tigers, who have allowed just 30 points a game in this bracket; or Nashoba, which has had an easier path but has won each game by double-digits. Probably can't go wrong with this one. Pick: Tyngsborough

Division 3 Central
Sutton (19-4) vs. Hopedale (18-4)
Another matchup that is even on paper. But when you knock off Quaboag, that's big points in my book. Pick: Sutton

Division 1 West
Holyoke (20-2) vs. Longmeadow (15-7)
5-foot-2 point guard Monique Heard is the most exciting player nobody in Eastern Mass. is talking about, and a potential Super Team candidate for Holyoke. I like a good story as much as the next scribe. Let's keep this one rolling. Pick: Holyoke

Division 2 West
Mahar (21-1) vs. Palmer (18-4)
Another matchup pitting the bracket's top two seeds against one another. Mahar has survived some gutsy close calls to get here, but beware of Palmer's stingy defense, which is allowing 32 points per game. Pick: Mahar

Division 3 West
Lenox (18-4) vs. Sabis (19-5)
Sabis no doubt has revenge on its mind -- and some unfinished business -- after coming up short in this bracket last year following a dominant regular season. But any time you knock off Lee -- the region's top seed, and the golden standard for Western Mass. small-school basketball since the 1980's -- that's big points in my book. Pick: Lenox

The MIAA boys' and girls' tournaments have kicked off across the state, and with snow pushing back some of the competition today, we’re taking the time to dissect the brackets and weigh in with our predictions for the postseason.

BOYS' TOURNAMENTS:
SUPER 8 - DIVISION 1A:
Favorite: Malden Catholic (15-1-4).

Dark horses: St. Mary’s of Lynn (18-1-3), St. John’s Prep (13-5-2), Hingham (16-4-2), BC High (10-5-5).

Overview: Once again, this is MC’s tournament to lose. The Lancers have been No. 1 in our poll from box to wire and they’ll be playing with ailing coach Chris Serino in mind. However, St. Mary’s, Prep and BC High will be tough outs, particularly if any of the respective teams goaltenders (Bailey MacBurnie, David Letarte and Peter Cronin catch fire. The Harbormen might be our darkhorse, however. That team has been sneaking up on the competition since Day One.

The pick: Crossovers: MC, St. Mary’s, Prep, Hingham; Championship: MC over Prep.

DIVISION 1:
Favorites: North – Burlington (14-1-6), Westford Academy (13-4-4); South – Needham (14-6-1), Marshfield (18-2-2).

Dark horses: North – Woburn (12-5-4), Reading (10-4-6); South – Norwood (14-3-4).

Overview: Otherwise known as the Super 8 consolation brackets, play-in game losers Burlington and Needham return to their respective brackets with chips on their shoulders. However, the teams with most to prove might be a pair of squads who were left off the Super 8 table in both Westford Academy and defending D1 champions Marshfield. The highlight to the tournament could a potential North semifinal between the aforementioned Red Devils and Woburn, who’ve had the Tanners’ number twice this season. Also look out for another potential semifinal with a league rivalry to it with Norwood on Needham’s side of the bracket.

The pick: North final – Burlington over Andover, South final – Marshfield over Needham; Final – Burlington over Marshfield.

DIVISION 2:
Favorites: North – Lynnfield (17-3-1), Boston Latin (14-2-4); South – Franklin (16-2-3), Canton (15-2-3).

Dark horses: North – Wilmington (11-4-5), Winthrop (12-6-2), Saugus (11-6-3); South – Coyle-Cassidy (8-11-1).

Overview: We feel that the Div. 2 North boys’ hockey bracket might be the most competitive in the state, regardless of sport. Again, the Northeast Conference is well represented with both Saugus and Winthrop scoring first-round “upset” wins. The tournament will still run though No. 1 and 2 seeds Lynnfield and Boston Latin, however. The South is dominated by three Hockomock League squads (Canton, Franklin and Mansfield) who’ve seen plenty of each other throughout the season. But always look out for the battle-tested squad from Coyle, which sports a sub-.500 record, but has done so against a host of Super 8 teams.

The pick: North final – Boston Latin over Danvers; South final – Canton over Franklin; Final – Boston Latin over Canton.

DIVISION 3:
Favorites: North – Bedford (16-4-0), Lowell Catholic (13-5-2); South – Medfield (16-3-1), Pembroke (15-4-3); Central – Hudson (18-1-1); West – Longmeadow (10-6-4).

Dark horses: Marlborough (13-5-2), Shawsheen (12-5-3), Swampscott (8-8-4), Westfield (14-4-2).

Overview: The state’s biggest field of teams lies in Division 3, where some of the perennial favorites are back at it and among the top-seeded teams. Perhaps the story of the year has been Bedford, which earns the No. 1 seed in the North. The South bracket is likely to be decided in the fourth matchup of the season between South Shore rivals Pembroke and Scituate. Hudson claimed top-billing in Central, while in the West, the road still runs through power Longmeadow, but Westfield eyes a return trip to the Garden ice.

The pick: EMass final: Pembroke over Lowell Catholic; Central/WMass final – Hudson over Westfield; Final – Pembroke over Hudson.

GIRLS’ TOURNAMENTS
DIVISION 1:
Favorites: Acton-Boxborough (17-1-2), Westford Academy (16-2-2), St. Mary’s of Lynn (18-3-1), Woburn (15-3-2).

Dark horses: Arlington Catholic (16-3-1), Braintree (13-5-2), Hingham (14-6-1).

Overview: Last year’s Division 1 runners-up Acton-Boxborough emerge at the No. 1 seed in this year’s tournament, riding 8th-grade goaltender Cali Loblundo and top-scorer Kati Goguen once again. Westford Academy pulled the No. 2 seed, but could have its hands full with defending champion Hingham lying in the reeds at No. 10. Of course, this was also supposed to be the year that St. Mary’s of Lynn was written off as a legitimate contender, but Frank Pagliuca has pulled off perhaps his best-ever coaching job (according to those who know) and has the Spartans primed for another run into late March.

The pick: Semifinals – Acton-Boxborough over Woburn and St. Mary’s over Hingham; Final – St. Mary’s over A-B.

DIVISION 2:
Favorites: Duxbury (18-0-1), Walpole (15-2-3), Belmont (14-4-2).

Dark horses: Canton (13-7-0), Fontbonne Academy (11-8-1), Westwood (14-5-1).

Overview: The best in the state thus far may have resided in Division 2, as defending champion Duxbury ran the table and was the state’s only unbeaten squad. Walpole has also been among the most consistent teams in the state, running over Bay State opponents with a mix of high-octane offense and steady defensive play. The story of the year — ever since their stunning December upset of Woburn — has been Belmont. The MIAA’s oldest girls’ hockey program has returned to prominence after the squad went winless just three years ago.

The pick: Semifinals – Duxbury over Belmont, Walpole over Westwood; Final – Duxbury over Walpole.

READING, Mass. -- One team was playing for the third time in three days, but it certainly didn't look like it.

That team, No. 2 Reading, outplayed No. 4 Arlington Catholic Sunday in the finals of the Comcast IAABO Board 27 Basketball Classic and came away with a 58-32 victory. It marks the first time in school history that the Rockets ended the regular season undefeated at 20-0.

“These kids were really tired,” said Reading coach Kim Penney. “For them to come out and play this hard is really a testament to their guts and desire to want to win.”

In yesterday's semifinals, Reading played so sluggish in the first half that it trailed Bishop Feehan by 11 points at halftime. This time around, it took only three minutes for it to get a lead it would never relinquish.

“We knew we didn’t play well against them when we played them in the preseason,” said Reading junior guard Olivia Healy (20 points, eight rebounds), who was also named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. “We really wanted to attack them and show them what we’re made of. We wanted to show them how strong we still were. We know we’re going to see them again. They’re a good team.”

Reading found ease in spreading the AC (19-2) defense, utilizing backdoor cuts to get players behind the defense and get easy looks at the basket. When those lanes were not available, the Rockets were particularly effective in following their shots and getting second-chance opportunities.

Reading controlled the boards the whole game, outrebounding AC 37-19.

During four minutes of play spanning the end of the first quarter and opening minutes of the second, it went on a 12-2 run to stretch its lead to 14 points.

It certainly made it more difficult to keep up when Reading had difficulty missing most of its shots. Morgan O’Brien and Katie Clements combined to make seven 3-pointers in the game, and ended with 17 and 13 points respectively.

“Katie has been hitting a few three’s for us every night,” said Penney. “She’s not hesitating at all, she’s very confident. She’s a senior and she’s playing very well right now. I’m happy for her.”

“I think with these girls, when you take the element of winning and losing out of it, we just want to play hard every night,” she added. “If we win, great. If we lose, well we tried our best and that’s all I can ask. Today, they did their best and wound up on the winning end of it.

Healy hounds Roberson: The matchup of the game was Healy on Arlington Catholic’s Emma Roberson. She is the catalyst to most of what AC does: she’s a high-energy guard that can shoot well and is not afraid to play physical under the basket and fight for rebounds. For most of the game, Healy shadowed Roberson around the paint, while the rest of the Reading defense set up in a zone.

Overall, Healy was successful in her efforts, holding Roberson to 9 points in the game.

“Emma is an excellent player, so we just wanted to contain her,” said Penney. “I’m sure they’re tired too, since they played yesterday too.”

Healy said guarding Roberson was more of "a mental game", and hustle.

“I wanted it a lot today, and I knew that she was a great competitor," Healy said of Roberson. "I’ve seen her play during the summer across the country. It was just a matter of playing as hard as you possibly could after three days. I thought I was going to get boxed out really hard and I got some splits (in the defense) in the first half. Emma did a great job on me in the second half, so it was a battle of that matchup there.”

No pain, no drain: After playing three games in a row, no one would blame Reading if it needed a well-deserved few days off to rest for the upcoming MIAA tournament. Penney is giving her team that, with three days off before it comes back for a scrimmage on Thursday against Pentucket. It remains to be seen how beneficial or detrimental the time off will be, since Reading is expected to receive the week off at the beginning of the tournament that is granted to the No. 1 seed.

It would be no surprise to see the two teams play each other again in the tournament. In fact, some even welcome the challenge.

“Oh, I hope we see them again,” said Penney.

FALMOUTH, Mass. -- One week from Saturday, the Super 8 hockey committee will convene and assemble the field of the state’s premier tournament. Both No. 4 Hingham and No. 7 BC High almost assuredly will be among the teams making the cut.

But if Saturday’s matchup between the two clubs to open the Cape Cod Classic tournament was any indication of what is to come, Bay State hockey fans in for one might fine tournament.

The Eagles and Harbormen skated to a 1-1 tie, as it will be entered in the MIAA’s scorebook. Hingham’s Ryan Linehan scored with 25 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime.

After a five-minute overtime period, BC High netminder Peter Cronin and Hingham counterpart John Grenier continued trading saves. Finally, Eagles senior captain and defenseman Brian Furey sent BC High along to the winner’s bracket with the first and only goal of the shootout in its seventh round.

“[Grenier] was playing aggressive, so I figured I’d fake the shot and have some room stuff it in, and I did,” Furey said.

BC High (9-5-4) claimed the lead at 12:54 of the second period with defenseman Sam Topham rifling a slapshot past Grenier, glove side.

The Eagles appeared to be well on their way to two points in the third period, controlling play in Hingham’s end for the bulk of the stanza. BC High continued to hem the Harbormen, even in the minute. Hingham (14-4-2) had been unable to pull Grenier for an extra attacker when senior captain winger Matt Hughes made his way through the neutral zone with about 30 seconds remaining.

After the puck was chipped up the boards, Hughes gained the blue line and played a perfect cross-ice pass onto Linehan’s stick. Linehan’s one-timer slid past Cronin for the tying goal.

“We had an injury on that play, the guy jumped over the boards, he kind of got caught in no-man’s land,” BC High head coach John Flaherty said. “If he’d gotten a piece of him, maybe it doesn’t happen. It was just a good hockey play by Hingham. [Hughes] made a great pass, [Linehan] one-timed it and it ended up in the back of the net.”

HE’S A GAMER
Hughes missed part of the second period with a shoulder injury, after he was ridden into the boards awkwardly on a check. He returned later in the game, playing in pain. Although his status going forward is day-to-day, Hughes’ returned paid dividends.

“It was a nice pass, and it was a lot of guts coming back," Harbormen head coach Tony Messina said. "I don’t know what the extent of his should injury is going to be, but he said he could play with the pain. And he did a great job.”

FINISH WITH A FUREY
With most of BC High’s forward options exhausted in the shootout, and with no end in sight, John Flaherty glanced down his bench at his available shooters. Furey nodded back toward the Eagles bench boss. Flaherty signaled back toward center ice.

After watching six of this teammates fail to convert against Grenier, Furey knew exactly what to do with the puck.

Although the thought of letting a Chara-like slapshot from the between the circles did cross his mind.

“I don’t quite have a 108-mile-per-hour slap shot though,” Furey added.

ARCHIES 4, NO. 20 FALMOUTH 1
In the Classic's nightcap, Archbishop Williams (8-8-1) completed half of the work they needed to accomplish on Cape Cod with a 4-1 win over the host Falmouth Clippers (12-4-5).

Archies head coach Derackk Curtis was not very pleased with his team’s overall effort, but the Bishops did enough to pull to within one win of qualifying for the MIAA state tournament.

“That wasn’t our best game…I thought that we’d come out with a little more urgency,” Curtis said.

AW was outshot by the Clippers 26-12 for the game, but did the most of with the pucks they did put on Falmouth’s Petey Negri as the scored goals on 3 of their first 5 shots on net in the contest.

With a pair of goals just 32 seconds apart in the first period AW took a 1-0 lead into the locker room after one. Mike Sorenti sniped one inside the near side post at the 6:42 mark of the first. Then, before the dust settled on that one, Sean Leblanc chopped one in from the doorstep to give the visitors at 2-0 lead.

Falmouth came out like gangbusters to start the second period and picked up the tempo, but AW held the fort as goalie Joe Vinay (25 saves) made a handful of big stops, the best of which was on a doorstep bid by Cyrus Wickersham at the five minute mark.

With a goal on their first shot of the second period, at 5:24 by Falmouth resident Mike Jessman, AW was in the driver’s seat.

FHS broke through at 13:36 of the second to cut the deficit to 3-1 when Nick Lineaweaver netted a power play goal off a nice feed across the crease from Ben Taylor. The air quickly left the Clippers’ balloon, though, as AW got a power play goal just 15 seconds later, off the stick of Bill Sweezey, that made it 4-1. AW scored its four goals all on their first eight shots on net.

AW will meet surprise winner Waltham, Monday at 7 p.m.. Falmouth squares off with Arlington Catholic at 3 p.m.

NO. 18 AUSTIN PREP 4, DUXBURY 1
BC High will face Austin Prep on Monday after the Cougars qualified for the Division 1 North tournament in a 4-1 win over Duxbury.

Cam Russo, Nolan Vesey and Scott Corcoran all scored in the first period, putting AP (9-6-3) in the driver's seat.

WALTHAM 3, NO. 17 ARLINGTON CATHOLIC 2
Although the Hawks are out of postseason contention, they put on an impressive display early on against the Cougars.

Waltham (4-11-3) ran out to a 3-0 lead by the second intermission, before the Cougars (9-6-4) scored twice in the third to make a game of it.

(Reporting from Rich Maclone was included in this story.)

READING, Mass. -- No. 2 Reading outscored Bishop Feehan 46-18 in the second half of its Comcast/IAABO Board 27 Basketball Classic semifinal matchup Saturday on its way to a 63-46 victory at the Hawkes Field House at Reading High.

The Rockets (18-0) move on to face No. 4 Arlington Catholic (19-1), which beat No. 10 Masconomet 45-37 in the other semifinal matchup.

The first half was a strange one for Reading. After beating five of its last six opponents by over 20 points, making baskets became a tough task. Did it have something to do with having to play its second game in as many days? Who knows?

“I think we were getting good looks (in the first half),” said Reading coach Kim Penney. “That’s a very good team that we beat, and the kids knew that. I think the kids were surprised they were getting the looks that they got.”

“We were also a step ahead of ourselves, as far as the next thing that we wanted to do. We were moving to the basket before we caught the ball. I’ve never seen anything like that. At halftime I was like, ‘Where is my team?”

Feehan (12-5) spend much of the first half in transition, taking advantage of the Rockets' missed opportunities. The Shamrocks went into the half ahead 28-17.

But Reading came out and asserted itself from the start of the third quarter, outscoring Feehan 29-8 in the third and at one point going on a 20-0 run.

“They came out and blew right by us, said Feehan coach Mike Deady. “I came and watched them play the other night and came away feeling, ‘Hey, we can play with them,’ but everything they’ve gotten in terms of publicity and notoriety is well-deserved. That’s a fine basketball team. That’s one of the best shooting teams I’ve ever seen.”

“They didn’t shoot well in the first half, and we didn’t give up any second chances, but we gave up a lot in the second half,” he added. “It really hurt us. When they missed shots in the first half, we got out in transition. Then they didn’t miss any. It was just enough to slow us down. They did a nice job.”

Leading the charge for Reading was junior Olivia Healy, who had 29 points (including five 3-pointers) and five rebounds. Marissa Cicchetti was the top scorer for Feehan with 16 points and 3 steals.


Physical battles: Points were also hard to come by in the Arlington Catholic-Masconoment game. With AC playing a full-court press and Masco (16-3) using a half-court trap for much of the game, it was the definition of having to work for every basket you could get.

“It was really well-defended on both sides,” said Arlington Catholic coach Dave Brady. “It’s tournament basketball, so everyone’s playing hard. When two teams go at it, sometimes it’s pretty and sometimes it’s just tough. Tonight, I guess, was a combination of both.”

The teams barely scored 20 points each by the time the half came around. With 10 seconds left in the half and 3 seconds on the shot clock, AC’s Nicole Catizone (10 points, three rebounds) heaved a shot up, hoping to avoid a shot clock violation. Not only did the shot bank high off the backboard and go in, but a defender fouled her as she was landing on her feet, making it a 4-point opportunity.

She made the free throw, and AC went into hafltime up 25-20.

The teams stayed close with each other. AC’s lead was never more than 6 points until the final minute of the game, when Masco was forced to foul and send AC to the free throw line to stop the clock.

Pressing matters: Arlington Catholic’s goal all game was to limit Masco’s possessions as much as possible. By playing the full-court press, Brady thought that would be his team’s best chance of doing that.

“I wanted to limit their possessions, but I knew it would limit ours too,” he said. “I thought we were strong defensively and they could wear us down with the offenses they run. Putting somebody on a great player is going to wear them down a little bit.

"Basically I was trying to pressure the players other than Brooke Stewart that had the ball and hopefully get a couple turnovers here and there. We wanted to make them take some time off the clock. They run wonderful offenses, so maybe now they’re running it with 18 seconds on the clock instead of 25.”

Stewart, a William & Mary commit, had 15 points and seven rebounds. She was a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line.

Roberson shines: As the game was winding down, it looked like AC’s senior guard Emma Roberson was playing at a different speed than everyone else on the floor. While others were struggling to maintain a sufficient pace and putting up shots, Roberson was driving strong to the basket helping AC keeping its lead. She finished with 18 points (7-of-10 on free throws), 5 rebounds, and 3 steals.

“Those are basically below Emma’s usual stats,” said Brady with a laugh. “She’s been a big rebound player for us, someone who can do everything. I think at at the end of the game we were trying to get the ball into her hands, but with her rebounding she seems to get the ball into her hands one way or another.

"She’s an energy player. She’s kind of like a John Havlicek-type person who can play a lot and stay strong.”

Finals matchup: Reading and Arlington Catholic will meet in the finals of the Comcast Basketball Classic Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Hawkes Field House. It will be the third game in three days for the Rockets.

“It should be another good game for us,” said Penney. “We’re tired, but I don’t want to use that as an excuse. I think we just need to get back on our feet again. Tomorrow will be a good game.”

We updated our statewide MIAA Top 25 Girls Basketball poll this afternoon, and this week's edition has very minimal movement.

There is no movement in the first nine spots for the first time this season, with Masconomet jumping into the No. 10 spot following Westford's loss to Acton-Boxborough last Friday. Andover retains the top spot, as they have since March 2011, while Reading, Holyoke, Arlington Catholic and Archbishop Williams round out the top five. Amherst, Holy Name, Lynn English and Braintree retain spots six through nine, respectively.

The only new face this week is Falmouth, which enters at No. 24 this week after wrapping up the Atlantic Coast League title with a win over Marshfield last Friday. Previously-unbeaten Nashoba fell from the No. 25 spot after consecutive losses.

As always, let us know how we're doing in the comments section below, or by emailing Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com.

NOTE: Poll does not reflect Tuesday night's scores.

We updated our statewide Top 25 MIAA Girls Basketball poll before Tuesday night's slate of games.

Andover (17-0) and Reading (14-0) maintain the top two spots respectively, while Holyoke (15-0) slides into the No. 3 spot following Archbishop Williams' loss to No. 4 Arlington Catholic on Friday. For their loss, the Bishops fall two spots to No. 5.

Pentucket jumps back into the poll at No. 17, following its win over Masconomet last weekend. The Sachems are one of the state's hottest teams at the moment, winning 10 of their last 11 after starting 3-3. Oliver Ames also makes its return to the poll this week at No. 24.

Just hours after the poll was updated, new entrant No. 15 Nashoba suffered its first loss of the season, to Groton-Dunstable.

As always, let us know how we're doing in the comments section below, or by emailing Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com