ESPN

Catholic Memorial head basketball coach Dennis Tobin forwards along this year's Catholic Conference All-Stars:

LEAGUE MVP: MATT DRONEY, SR., CATHOLIC MEMORIAL
Steve Haladyna, Sr., St. John's Prep
Freddy Shove, Sr., St. John's Prep
Mike Carbone, Sr., St. John's Prep
Bryce Boggs, Jr., Xaverian
Jared Lewis, Sr., Malden Catholic
Kyle Sangster, Jr., Malden Catholic
John Mastascusa, Jr., Malden Catholic
Oderah Obukwelu, Sr., BC High
Charles Collins, Jr., BC High
Jameilen Jones, Jr., BC High
Dan Powers, Sr., Catholic Memroial
Armani Reeves, Sr., Catholic Memorial
Aahmane Santos, Soph., Catholic Memorial

WEST ROXBURY, Mass. -- Just days after pledging a verbal commitment to Ohio State, Catholic Memorial athlete Armani Reeves signed a National Letter of Intent to the Buckeyes this morning in a ceremony on the school's campus. Reeves was joined by the Knights' other signees, linebacker Cam Williams (Ohio State), quarterback A.J. Doyle (UMass) and defensive back Donovan Henry (Northeastern track and field).

Reeves has not spoken publicly about his commitment since announcing his plans to sign with Ohio State on his Twitter account Sunday night. This morning, he broke his silence to several local reporters on hand at the ceremony.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Easton native, is the state's No. 1 overall prospect. He was also named ESPN Boston's Offensive Player of the Year this past season, and is a two-time selection to ESPN Boston's MIAA All-State Team. He initially committed to Penn State last August, but opened things up again following a highly-publicized scandal with the Nittany Lions' coaching staff.

Reeves spoke with ESPNBoston.com one-on-one following his signing.

On the deciding factors in his decision: "Ohio State, you know, they're a great University, and it fit me academically with what I wanted to do with computer science, computer graphics. I know coach [Everett] Withers for about four years, because he coached down at North Carolina with Brennan [former CM lineman and UNC tackle Brennan Williams], so I had a good relationship with him already. That was just...God blessed me with him being my coach, and knowing him already, I was happy about that. And just playing for Urban Meyer, being part of a great university, playing in front of 105,000 people every week, it's just going to be fun. I can't wait."

On choosing the Buckeyes over Michigan and Penn State: "It was really tough, because I did love Penn State, and I really loved Michigan as well. When it came down to Ohio State and Michigan, it was really tough because they're both great schools. There really wasn't much to differentiate, so it was really hard. But I had so many friends, so many guys that I met through the recruiting process that I had a good relationship with at Ohio State, that I think at the end of the day, because everything was so [similar], that just made the difference.

"All the comfort level was there, and getting to compete early, that was there. So, it was just a really good fit for me, and I feel like I'm going to do really well there."

On the difficulty of balancing the recruiting process with basketball season: "Yeah, it was definitely hard because I wasn't expecting to do this. I was expecting to be done with it, and focus on basketball season. But with everything that just happened, it really punched everything up. And in a three-week, four-week span, I had to get in everything.

It was tough, and then I had finals at school, so that just made everything tougher. It was a stressful couple of weeks, but I'm glad it's over. I can't wait to be a Buckeye and win some games."

On the perception from some that he is merely following Williams: "People are going to say things that they feel, but like I said, I made the decision that's best for me, and Cam made the decision that's best for him. It just happened that he committed earlier than I did. I like to take my time and look at everything, see how it goes for each school. It just ended up being that way. There's really nothing else to say. I picked the school for me, just like he picked the school for him."

What the coaching staff anticipates his role being next fall: "I'll definitely be competing for a job either at starter or nickelback, and then on special teams -- kick returner, punt returner -- right off the bat. They're not going to redshirt me. They're going to use me as much as they can, get me involved. Hopefully, you know, mentally I'll be prepared enough to play a lot and do everything I can do help the team win."

What he'll be doing between now and the day he reports to camp (June 17): "They're going to send workouts to our trainer (Brian McDonough), and from there, after basketball season I'll get right to work lifting and running and getting prepared so that when I get there in the summer, I'm in shape already. That will probably help me on the physical standpoint, but on the mental standpoint I just want to make sure I know the playbook and get ready to do everything I can to win."

Has he gotten any of the playbook yet? "Not yet. He threw in a couple stuff this morning...just a couple coverages, stuff I need to work on, and then just little things. But it's going to make a difference, such a great experience with what coach Withers is. He's a great coach."

On playing college football with his best friend Williams: "It's definitely a treat, you know. Not many people can go through this process with someone, let alone the same school. So, it's definitely a blessing to be able to go through this process and fill the same things, go through the same things we both went through, especially at Penn State with everything that happened there -- it's unfortunate, but we had each other, and we could fall back on each other. That was really helpful.

"The fact that we're going to Ohio State and going through this college experience together, it's another blessing that we have. It's really going to help us in the long run to feel comfortable, and do everything the school has to offer for us."

On his "rat tail" hair patch, which he's kept on the back of his head throughout his youth: "My mom gave it to me when I was younger. She always wanted me to be my own self, be an individual, so that's why I have it. Different than everybody else."

DANVERS, Mass. -- It was one of those games where you could tell early on that it was going to come down to the wire.

Both teams made runs at various points in the games, and answered back when their opponent made theirs. Ultimately, it was No. 2 Catholic Memorial that came out on top 56-55 over No. 16 St. John’s Prep Tuesday night.

It was a rematch between between two Catholic Conference foes who met Jan. 13. Catholic Memorial took home the 89-64 victory.

Prep came out strong, determined to show the teams’ first game was a fluke, and was helped by CM’s early shot selection. While CM coach Denis Tobin was clamoring for ball movement and involving players in the post, his team was settling for perimeter shots that were not falling.

After calling a timeout, his team appeared to settle down and closed the gap on Prep. The Knights’ full-court press flummoxed the Prep offense, forcing them into making errant passes and into turnovers. At the end of the first, CM held a 13-12 lead.

“I have super athletes who can really really harass the ball,” said Tobin. “Then I have (Dan) Powers (15 points) and (Matt) Droney (17 points) who have played four years in the system and really know where to rotate to when the ball is in the air.

"So you take Chris Siggers, Aamahne Santos (11 points), and Armani Reeves (4 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals) pressuring the ball and you have two 1,000 scorer veterans who know where the pass is most likely going to go. Then you have big Gerard Adams in the back if they do happen to break it, so it can be pretty effective.”

The two teams battled back and forth for the remainder of the first half, with no team ever taking a lead of more than four points.

Catholic Memorial took a 25-21 lead into the half, but came out in the third and quickly stretched its lead to nine. As was the case all night, Prep answered back and cut the score to 37-33 heading into the fourth.

Again sticking to the theme of the game, CM started the quarter strong and brought the lead back up to 9 points behind two three-pointers by Powers and Droney. This time, it took Prep a few minutes longer to answer back.

With 2:23 left in the game, CM took a 52-41 lead. After only scoring one basket over the next minute and 45 seconds, Owen Marchetti hit two quick three-pointers to make it 53-50. Because it was so late in the game, Prep was forced into foul-mode, which put Droney at the free-throw line.

It was a spot the newest member of CM's 1,000-point club had been in before. He sank both free throws, making it a two-possession game with about 15 seconds to go.

As the final seconds ticked down, Marchetti heaved the ball from just over halfcourt. It banked off the backboard and went in as time expired, allowing CM to come away with the one-point victory.

“Those free throws at the end mattered a lot,” said Tobin. “We didn’t make all of them, but we made the front ends of one-and-ones with a lot of pressure on. The kids stepped up and did a great job at the line and that just goes to show you that the game isn’t over until the horn goes off.”

Kinks in the press break: In an attempt to beat the CM press, Prep employed Isaiah Robinson in the center of the floor, flanked by Steve Haladyna and Freddy Shove. The idea was to facilitate quick side-to-side ball movement with the three veteran players, preventing the defense from collapsing on one player, while Prep moved the ball over halfcourt.

That was not always the case, however. On multiple occasions Tuesday night, Robinson had the ball in his hands with a light defensive presence around him. Because he is not normally relied on to dribble the basketball much on offense, he committed more than one traveling violation.

On other possessions, the ball pressure from Siggers, Santos, and Reeves was so immense that they were either able to steal the ball or jump in front of Prep’s passes, allowing them to take the ball the other way.

“We weren’t really looking to go back to him (Isaiah) and I think guys were a little timid and not attacking and being aggressive, so they went back to him,” said Prep coach Sean Connolly. “They forced us into a lot of turnovers , and that hurt with (Mike) Carbone out too. He’s another guy that could make better decisions with the ball.”

Carbone sidelined: Carbone, a normal Prep starter, was dressed in street clothes for the game as the result of a concussion. He has been out of action for about a week and a half. This put Drex Costello into the starting lineup and rely on his bench to increase its production.

“Mike’s our best shooter so defenses don’t extend out as much,” said Connolly. “When he’s out, we have other guys who aren’t as consistent shooting the ball so the defense can pack it in a little more. That hurts us I think, especially when we have Isaiah and Haladyna trying to post up.”

Battling the boards: Although it did not come away with the victory, Prep flexed its muscles on the boards the whole game. Two of its players had double-doubles (Haladyna -- 22 points, 12 rebounds; Robinson -- 12 points, 15 rebounds) and a third with double-digit rebounds (Shove, with 15). The leading Knights rebounder was Armani Reeves with 6.

“Overall, we defended and we rebounded, that’s what we were looking to do,” said Connolly. “We haven’t been doing those two things, so I was fairly pleased with that.”

Connolly feels that if he can duplicate that production and get his whole team back and healthy, it could make a run as the end of the season approaches.

“Only if we rebound and defense like we did tonight,” he said. “Those are the two things that have been a glaring weakness. We’ve been stressing those, and I think the kids responded. Obviously our offensive execution was not very good, so to beat teams like this we have to get better on the offensi

Catholic Memorial athlete Armani Reeves has switched his verbal commitment to Ohio State University, he announced on his Twitter account tonight.

"I'm going...#BuckeyeNation #SilverBullets #GoBucks! God led me here [and] in God I trust!" he wrote just minutes ago.

Reeves initially committed to Penn State last August.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Easton native is the No. 1 overall prospect in Massachusetts, a two-time member of the ESPN Boston All-State team, and this past season's ESPN Boston Offensive Player of the Year. He joins his close friend and teammate Cam Williams in switching commitments; last week Williams -- who also decommitted from Penn State following the season -- made a pledge to the Buckeyes.

When Catholic Memorial linebacker Camren Williams decommitted from Penn State and committed to Ohio State last week, an obvious question lingered: Would his best friend and teammate Armani Reeves follow him to the Buckeyes?

Like Williams, Reeves -- a four-star athlete, and ESPN Boston's Offensive Player of the Year -- committed to Penn State last summer. Both players began to explore other options when the coaching shuffle began at Penn State. Michigan and Ohio State have led the charge to land Reeves, who is expected to play defensive back in college.

Michigan coach Brady Hoke visited Reeves at his home Saturday, and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer is scheduled to make an in-home visit today.

Reeves took an official visit to Michigan earlier this month, and visited Ohio State with Williams on Wednesday. Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison is scheduled to meet with Reeves on Tuesday night, when Reeves has a varsity basketball game.

Although he met with Penn State coaches last Monday, it's still unclear whether Reeves will take his official visit to Penn State this weekend.

“I have still not talked to him in detail about whether or not he'll take his visit to Penn State,” said Cam's father Brent Williams, who is Reeves' godfather and has served as a spokesperson for both players during much of the recruiting process. “I've read reports that he's down to Michigan and Ohio State, but at this point I don't know that that is accurate. I do know he has had a couple of conversations with [Penn State coach] Bill O'Brien.

“I've told these guys if you want me to answer questions for you, you've got to give me information.”

Reeves got to watch O'Brien at work Sunday, when he attended the AFC Championship Game [O'Brien is still working as New England's offensive coordinator]. NCAA rules prevented O'Brien from meeting with Reeves at Gillette Stadium.

Brent Williams said it would be wrong to assume that his son and Reeves are a package deal.

“I know people think otherwise, but Armani has been advised to do what's best for you,” Brent Williams said. “The need for Armani at Penn State is different than the need for Camren –- it wasn't as great for Cam, just because of the numbers at that position.

“I do believe Cam made the decision that was best for him because how they're gonna do things at Penn State is different [the the prior coaching staff would have done them]. I'm not saying it's better or worse, but it's different. Cam didn't have a relationship with the remaining staff.

“I know that they both envisioned going to college together, but I think that all changed when everything happened at Penn State. I can tell you that we have had the conversation about Cam going to Ohio State and Armani at Michigan.”

Reeves is the top recruit from Massachusetts in the Class of 2012. Williams is the state's No. 2 prospect.

Reeves is expected to make his decision before national signing day (Feb. 1).

“He has [basketball] games Tuesday and Friday this week, so it's probably not going to be before the weekend if it's just the two schools [Michigan and Ohio State],” Brent Williams said. “If Penn State is still in the picture maybe Monday or Tuesday of next week. It'll be before next Wednesday that's for sure.”

BOSTON -- Looking sluggish in a Tuesday night loss to archrival Boston College High and looking sloppy in the ensuing practices, Catholic Memorial head coach Dennis Tobin was looking for a pick-me-up with his talented Knights.

A visit across the city to Boston Latin, on a snowy early Saturday afternoon, might have done the trick.

The Knights got off to a hot start, and never looked back, as they cooled the red-hot Wolfpack, 75-55, to improve to 9-2 on the season. Senior Dan Powers and sophomore point guard Aahmane Santos led the way for the Knights with 14 points apiece, while senior forward Matt Droney chipped in with 13.

"I think this is a huge win for our team," Tobin said. "[I was] very disappointed after the game on Tuesday night, I don't think we played our best game, and we didn't have great practices after that. So I was concerned coming in. But the crowd, and the fact that it's kind of like a neighborhood rivalry, it jacked these guys up. I thought we stepped up and played one of our better games. In terms of talent, this is probably one of the best teams I've ever had at CM."

The Knights opened the game on a 10-2 run, aided by a Gerard Adams putback and a big Droney three-point play in transition, set up by a long pass from Santos. Wolfpack cut into the lead in the second quarter, but strong transition baskets from Santos, Powers and Armani Reeves never allowed for a serious chance at cutting into the lead.

CM led 38-28 at the half, and 56-43 through three quarters. While it wasn't the Knights' best game from long-range, they were efficient on higher-percentage shots, going 17 of 34 from two-point range through the first three quarters.

Powers notches milestone: Just before Tobin emptied his bench in the final minutes, Powers became the seventh player in school history to notch his 1,000th point, taking a long outlet from Droney in transition to complete it. Several moments later, the game was stopped momentarily to honor Powers.

"I didn't want to think about it coming in," Powers said. "Obviously it was a big non-league game for us coming in, so I tried to block that out. It's nice that I got that, but I wasn't really thinking about that coming into this game."

Tobin was happy for the Westwood native, a tri-captain this season who has been one of the Catholic Conference's best scorers the last few years.

"Great accomplishment," Tobin said. "From sophomore year on, he's been a great scorer. Even today, I don't know how many he ended up with, 14 maybe, but he didn't shoot that well tonight. [But] he still manages to find ways to score. We've had quite an illustrious 50 years of basketball, and he's No. 7 on the list. It's a great accomplishment."

To Catch a Wolf: CM plays some tough man-to-man defense, but the Wolfpack found success against it using high screens to both clear direct paths to the basket in the lane, and open up backdoor cuts along the baseline. Junior forward Miles Wright (16 points, 10 rebounds) and senior guard Jack Duggan (16 points) were the biggest beneficiaries of this strategy, but the Knights adjusted well as the game went on.

"Part of that is when we have the big fella [6-foot-8 Adams] in, he doesn't hedge on screens," Tobin said. "So we have to do a better job communicating and letting the person who's being screened know they're doing it. When we go with the smaller lineup, that wasn't as big a problem. That's something we'll see the rest of the year, and we're going to work on it every day to get better at it."

ESPN's Roger Brown checks in today on the East Recruiting Blog with New Hampton (N.H.) quarterback Jake Kiley, who committed to Penn State last July but had yet to take an official visit before scandal rocked the program.

Last weekend, the Nittany Lions officially introduced Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien as their new head coach. Now that it appears stability is coming to the program, Kiley is taking his official visit to Happy Valley.

Brown writes:

The cloud of uncertainty that hovered over the Penn State program following Joe Paterno's dismissal prevented Kiley from taking an official visit to State College, but he's scheduled to take that visit this weekend -- one week after Penn State hired Bill O'Brien as its head coach.

“I was just waiting it out,” Kiley said. “Things are going to be different [at Penn State], it's just a matter of how different. I'm still solid right now. Depending on how it goes this weekend that will determine if I take my other visits.”

New Hampshire, an FCS program, was Kiley's only other scholarship offer when he committed, but Kiley said several schools have contacted his father – who is New Hampton's head coach – to see if Penn State was still the school of choice.

“He didn't even tell me which schools they were,” Kiley said. “I'm trying to keep my focus on one area right now.”

Kiley said he spoke with O'Brien for the first time last Saturday. That's when he learned that neither Tom Bradley or Bill Kenney would be retained as assistant coaches on O'Brien's staff.

“I was close with Coach Bradley and I talked with Coach Kenney three or four times a week,” Kiley said. “Coach Kenney is the guy who recruited all the New England guys.”

Brown also confirms that Catholic Memorial's Armani Reeves, a Lions commit, will take a visit to Michigan this weekend, as first reported on Monday by ESPNBoston.com's Brendan Hall.

ESPN's Roger Brown checks in today on the East Football Recruiting Blog with Catholic Memorial's Armani Reeves and Cam Williams, the state's No. 1 and No. 2 prospects respectively, who are both committed to Penn State.

Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien was officially introduced as the Nittany Lions' new head coach on Saturday. Yesterday, the Andover native and St. John's Prep graduate reached out to both Reeves and Williams; both are trying to schedule an official visit to Happy Valley.

Speaking to CM assistant coach Brent Williams -- the father of Cam and godfather of Reeves -- Brown writes:

Brent Williams, Camren's father and Reeves' godfather, has been the point man during each player's recruitment. He said both players are currently trying to schedule an official visit to Penn State.

“I think he just called to introduce himself,” Brent Williams said. “Now that Coach O'Brien is in place we are trying to learn as much as we can about him and the new staff.”

Camren Williams, the No. 2 prospect from Massachusetts in the Class of 2012, took an official visit to Ohio State last month. He is expected to choose between the two schools.

Reeves, the top prospect from Massachusetts, also heard from Ohio State on Sunday night. Michigan coaches met with Reeves last week, and Notre Dame has asked him to visit as well. He is expected to play defensive back at the college level.

“Camren is pretty easy, as he with either stay with his [Penn State] commitment or switch to OSU,” Brent Williams said. “We are trying to learn as much as we can about OSU.

“Armani is a little more difficult. His basketball schedule makes it tough for him to visit. Right now Michigan is a priority visit. With Ohio State just entering the picture we are trying to schedule a visit.”

Both Reeves and Williams were named to ESPN Boston's MIAA All-State Team last month.

With Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien set to be named the new head coach of Penn State tomorrow, according to multiple reports, a decision for two of Catholic Memorial's football stars on whether to stick with their commitment to the Nittany Lions or not should be forthcoming.

This morning Brent Williams, the father of one Penn State commit (linebacker Cam Williams) and godfather of the other (athlete Armani Reeves), told ESPNBoston.com that a decision should come before February 1, the first day high school seniors can officially sign a National Letter of Intent for football.

"I don’t think we drag this out," said Brent, also an assistant coach at CM as well as a former Patriots defensive lineman. "Now that Penn State has a coach in place and is working on putting a staff together, they should be able to make an educated decision after more information comes out on the staff, system, all of the above."

Cam and Reeves were both named to ESPN Boston's second annual MIAA All-State Team last month, as the Knights went 7-2 and missed out on a Division 1 playoff berth. Reeves was also named ESPN Boston's Offensive Player of the Year after recording 15 touchdowns and 1,302 all-purpose yards on less than 70 total touches.

Just a day after the MIAA Super Bowls concluded, Ohio State coaches Luke Fickell and Mike Vrabel were at the West Roxbury campus to meet with both players. Cam took an official visit to Columbus a week later.

Yesterday morning, Michigan met with Reeves, and then swung by Everett High to meet with junior All-State offensive tackle John Montelus. Reeves will visit Ann Arbor either next weekend or the following weekend, Brent said -- "We haven't finalized that yet," he said.

Brent said neither Cam nor Reeves will be taking any other visits.

The Massachusetts High School Football Coaches' Association unveiled its annual "Super 26" All-State Team today. Those honored will be presented this spring at Lantana's Restaurant, in Randolph.

Below are the selections. Italicized names indicate they were also a selection to ESPN Boston's MIAA All-State Team.

OFFENSE

Quarterback
Jonathan DiBiaso, Everett
Cam McLevedge, Weymouth
Matt Montalto, Dennis-Yarmouth

Receivers
Armani Reeves, Catholic Memorial
Don Webber, Duxbury

Offensive Line
Brendan Melanson, St. John’s (Shrewsbury)
Dan McCourt, Pembroke
Jameson McShea, BC High
Andrew VanderWilden, Concord-Carlisle
Chad Woodfine, Chicopee

Running Back
Sacoy Malone, Springfield Central
Quinton Perkins, Fitchburg
Melquawn Pickney, Springfield Putnam

DEFENSE

Defensive Line/Linebacker
Henry Bumpus, Concord-Carlisle
Nick DiChiara, BB&N
Tim Joy, Chelmsford
Vondell Langston, Everett
Max Randall, Duxbury
Zack Schafer, Mansfield
Nick Schlatz, Bridgewater-Raynham
Will Twyman, Lincoln-Sudbury
Camren Williams, Catholic Memorial

Secondary
Todd Collier, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
Jack Connolly, St. Sebastian’s
Joe Epps, Bourne
Charles Ruffin, King Philip

On ESPN's Wolverine Nation blog, Tom VanHaaren checks in with Catholic Memorial athlete Armani Reeves, who remains committed to Penn State but is exploring his other options.

Reeves, a two-time ESPNBoston All-State selection and this year's ESPN Boston Offensive Player of the Year, told VanHaaren that he wants to give Penn State the opportunity to hire a new coach, and then hear what he has to say, before making any moves. In the meantime, Notre Dame and Michigan have begun recruiting him again. The Irish and Wolverines were two of the four finalist schools for Reeves prior to his Penn State commitment, the other one being Boston College.

VanHaaren writes (Insider Only):

"With everything going on, I really liked those schools before I committed. They're all good football and academic schools, and there wasn't much separating them the first time," he said. "What hurt Michigan the first time was that they came in a little late, and I was ready to make a decision. This time they've expressed a lot more that they want me."

It might take a lot for another school to get him to switch, but Reeves says it's not out of the question. There are so many uncertainties that he just doesn't know what will happen going forward.

He does know that once a new coach is hired, Reeves would like to sit down and go over how he fits into the program and how the new coach will use him.

"I'm assuming that will happen before Christmas is when they'll hire someone," he said. "I'm hoping before Christmas, or at least before the dead period, so he can call everybody, and that way we have something to think about."

While he's waiting, both Michigan and Notre Dame have been courting him. In fact, Reeves got a visit from Michigan defensive backs coach Curt Mallory within the past week.

"Coach Mallory did an in-home visit last Sunday, and he was expressing how much they want me," he said. "He was telling me about the depth chart and the academic side of things. It's definitely a positive that they think of me as an elite corner that could shut down in their system."

Reeves was also excited about the fact Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison believes he's good enough to play at the college level. He sees how much football experience Mattison has and is flattered Mattison would recruit Reeves to Michigan.

VanHaaren also notes that his CM teammate and best friend Cam Williams, another ESPN Boston All-Stater who committed to the Nittany Lions, is also exploring his options. Williams took a visit out to Ohio State last weekend. Early last week, Buckeye assistants Luke Fickell and Mike Vrabel were at his school to visit him.

ESPN's Roger Brown reports today on the East Recruiting Blog that two members of Ohio State's coaching staff, interim head coach Luke Fickell and linebackers coach Mike Vrabel, were at Catholic Memorial School on Monday to visit linebacker Camren Williams.

Brown also adds that Michigan has been at the school recently to visit with athlete Armani Reeves, who yesterday was named ESPN Boston's inaugural Offensive Player of the Year.

Williams and Reeves, who on Tuesday were both named to ESPN Boston's MIAA All-State Team, are both currently committed to Penn State.

"Camren is considering a visit [to Ohio State] next week," Camren's father Brent Williams, also a CM assistant coach, told Brown. "Armani is considering a visit to Michigan. Notre Dame is also trying to get both to visit. They are still committed to PSU, but we feel it is important to do our due diligence on other opportunities."

WEST ROXBURY, Mass. -- ESPNBoston.com and its High School section today announced that Armani Reeves, senior athlete of the Catholic Memorial Knights, is the recipient of its inaugural Offensive Player of the Year award, to be presented annually to the top high school offensive player in Massachusetts.

The Offensive Player of the Year award winner was chosen by a panel of experts made up of ESPNBoston.com staff and correspondents, as well as analysts from Scouts Inc. Reeves was honored this afternoon during a morning announcements at the school, where ESPN Boston co-editors Scott Barboza and Brendan Hall presented Reeves with a custom-made jersey.

"We are excited that Armani Reeves will forever be associated with the inaugural Offensive Player of the Year award," Hall said. "With the wealth of quality quarterbacks and running backs across the Commonwealth, this was probably the toughest decision of our four awards. But time and again, in spite of his limited touches, Armani changed the direction of many a game's outcome with big play after big play. He is honestly one of the best pure athletes I've had the pleasure of covering in my time with ESPN. The sky is his limit."

Reeves was named to ESPN Boston's inaugural MIAA All-State Team in 2010, as a junior, and put up equally impressive numbers for 2011 to earn repeat All-State honors; he was also named one of five finalists for ESPN Boston's second annual Mr. Football award, losing out to Everett's Jonathan DiBiaso.

This season, he ran for 1,001 yards on just 46 carries, caught 16 passes for 205 yards, and returned a punt for a touchdown to total 1,302 all-purpose yards and 15 scores for the 7-2 Knights. Defensively, from the cornerback position, he recorded 57 tackles and batted 12 passes. Over the past two seasons, Reeves has rung up 2,581 all-purpose yards and 31 touchdowns.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Easton native, ESPN's No. 1 overall Class of 2012 prospect in Massachusetts, is currently committed to Penn State for the fall of 2012.

"Armani is one of those rare athletes that you simply cannot take your eyes off of," Barboza said. "On returns, there is always the chance of something spectacular happening when he has the ball in his hands. He is one of the most dynamic talents to come out of Massachusetts in some time, and will be remembered as one of the all-time greats in Catholic Memorial and Catholic Conference history."

OFFENSE
QB – Jonathan DiBiaso, Sr., Everett
Statistically the state’s best all-time quarterback, the ESPN Boston Mr. Football recipient finishes his storied career in Everett as the state’s all-time leader in touchdown passes (103) and passing yards (7,052). This season he broke his own state single-season record for TD passes (44), and threw for over 2,800 yards. In the last two seasons alone, both perfect Super Bowl-winning campaigns, he threw for 87 touchdown passes to better the previous state all-time mark of 85. DiBiaso is undecided on college plans.

QB – Matt O’Keefe, Sr., Duxbury
In his first season as the full-time starter under center, the Johns Hopkins lacrosse commit was a finalist for ESPN Boston’s Mr. Football award. The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder totaled nearly 3,000 yards from scrimmage, throwing for 2,321 yards, rushing for another 670, and totaling 39 scores. O’Keefe, a defender for the defending Division 1 state champion Dragons, is currently ranked as the No. 32 overall lacrosse player in the Class of 2012 by ESPNU.

QB – Matt Montalto, Sr., Dennis-Yarmouth
The 5-foot-10, 170-pounder led the Dolphins to their best season in school history, finishing a perfect 13-0 campaign by winning the Division 2A Super Bowl title – their first championship of any kind in the Super Bowl era. For the season he completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,065 yards and 25 touchdowns to just seven interceptions. He also carried 134 times for 1,219 yards and 16 more scores. Montalto is fielding various college interest, including, New Hampshire, Albany, Colgate, Brown, Sacred Heart and Bentley.

QB – Michael Walsh, Sr., Swampscott
The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder was a force on both sides of the ball for the 9-2 Big Blue, completing nearly 60 percent of his passes for 2,129 yards and 25 touchdowns to go along with 930 rushing yards and 13 more scores. Defensively, he totaled 47 tackles from the free safety position, forcing three fumbles and making two interceptions. Walsh will continue his career next fall at Brown as a safety.

RB – Melquawn Pinkney, Sr., Springfield Putnam
The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Mr. Football finalist ended his career with the Beavers in record-breaking fashion. With 341 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 48-6 win over Commerce for the Division 2 Super Bowl title, Pinkney broek Cedric Washington’s 15-year-old state all-time record for single-season yardage (2,889), and set the new state single-season mark for rushing touchdowns (43). Earlier in the season, Pinkney set a Western Mass single-game record with 421 rushing yards in a win over Agawam. For the season, he averaged 8.4 yards a carry. Pinkney is currently undecided on college plans.

RB – Sacoy Malone, Sr., Springfield Central
Both Malone and his cross-town foil Pinkney eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark on the season, as the Eagles returned to the Western Mass. Division 1 Super Bowl for the second straight year. On the season, Malone had 257 carries for 2,001 yards and 22 touchdowns; since the start of the 2010 season, he’s accumulated over 3,200 yards and 35 touchdowns. The 5-foot-8, 175-pound Malone is currently fielding interest from several Division 1 FCS schools.

RB – George Craan, Sr., Concord-Carlisle
Craan, the reigning Dual County League MVP, was the catalyst for the Patriots’ historic Super Bowl-winning season. He followed up a 1,900-yard junior season with just as explosive numbers in 2011, carrying 220 times for 1,761 yards and 24 touchdowns, as the Patriots went 13-0. The 5-foot-10, 205-pound Craan is currently undecided on college plans.

RB – Charles Ruffin, Sr., King Philip
The 5-foot-10, 180-pounder is the second Warrior in four seasons to capture Hockomock League Offensive Player of the Year honors. On the season he amassed over 1,300 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns, and led the Warriors to their first postseason berth of the Super Bowl era. Ruffin, who also stars in lacrosse and track and field, is currently fielding interest from several Division 1 schools.

TE – Mark Riley, Sr., Needham
One of several All-Staters previously known most for their lacrosse exploits, the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder was a force to be reckoned with for the 9-4 Rockets. Utilized as both a receiver and tight end, Riley caught 72 balls for 1,266 yards and a school record 15 touchdowns. He is currently undecided on college plans, but fielding Division 1 interest in lacrosse.

TE – Jameson McShea, Sr., BC High
The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Temple commit didn’t put up eye-opening numbers in the passing game, but his support in the running game was without peer as he helped paved the way for both Preston Cooper and Deontae Ramey-Doe. As a defensive end, he recorded 68 tackles (12 for loss) and was named the Catholic Conference’s Lineman of the Year.

WR – Khary Bailey-Smith, Sr., Weymouth
One of the state’s best deep-ball threats, the 6-foot-3, 185-pounder tallied 936 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns for the 9-2 Wildcats this fall. Since the start of his junior season, Bailey-Smith has caught over 2,000 yards and 27 touchdowns. He is also a state champion in track and field, having cleared 6-foot-10 in the high jump. Bailey-Smith is fielding interest from Division 1 schools.

WR – Gordon McLeod, Sr., BC High
One of the most versatile threats on the Eagles’ Division 1 Super Bowl champion squad, McLeod was one of the leading receivers in Eastern Mass., with 755 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns as they captured their second title in four seasons.


WR – Don Webber, Sr., Duxbury
Considered one of the state’s best route-runners, the 5-foot-11, 180-pounder was the 13-0 Dragons’ most dangerous weapon in space. Webber led the team with 52 receptions for 776 yards and 11 touchdowns, as the Dragons won a second consecutive Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium and extended the state’s longest winning streak to 26 games. Webber is leaning towards the Ivy League for college plans.

WR – Malcolm Brown, Sr., Pope John XXIII
Statistically, the 6-foot-1 Brown graduates from the Everett campus as one of the state’s most decorated receivers of all-time. This fall he caught 71 passes to set school records of 1,306 yards and 20 touchdowns, both tops in the state. He also racked up 918 return yards and three touchdowns, ran for 328 yards, and threw for another 267. Defensively, he recorded 65 tackles (10 for loss) and three interceptions, including a pick-six. For his career, he has 192 receptions for 3,447 yards and 44 touchdowns, and 56 total scores. Brown currently has interest from schools in the Northeast-10 and MEAC conferences.

OL – Andrew VanderWilden, Sr., Concord-Carlisle
At 6-foot and 245 pounds, VanderWilden was arguably one of the most efficient pound-for-pound centers in the state. He led a Patriots rushing attack that racked up 53 touchdowns and nearly 3,000 yards the ground, part of one of the state’s highest scoring averages (35.4). VanderWilden, a two-time Dual County League Lineman of the Year, will continue his career at Brown next fall.

OL – Keith Sullivan, Sr., Oliver Ames
The 6-foot-9, 300-pounder was arguably the most crucial two-way player for the Tigers’ historic run, winning their first Hockomock title since 1964 and qualifying for their first championship game of the Super Bowl era. Sullivan is currently undecided on college plans, but fielding Division 1 interest.


OL – John Montelus, Jr., Everett
DiBiaso’s blind side is quickly rising as one of New England’s top Class of 2013 prospects. The last two seasons the 6-foot-4, 290-pounder has allowed DiBiaso to throw 87 touchdown passes and keep his jersey clean. Montelus received four offers before his 16th birthday this fall, and counts UConn, Syracuse, NC State, Virginia and Boston College.

OL – Gordon Acha, Sr., Duxbury
Acha, the Dragons’ left tackle, was named ESPN Boston’s inaugural Lineman of the Year this week after helping pave the way to a second straight 13-0 season. The Dragons averaged 302 yards of offense and had 36 touchdown passes. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Acha is currently fielding interest from Division 1 schools, including Boston College and Maryland.

OL – Rob Kosharek, Jr., Duxbury
Together with Acha, the 6-foot-6, 250-pound Kosharek created one of the state’s best tandems on the left side of the 13-0 Dragons’ line. Behind Kosharek at left guard, the Dragons won their second straight Division 2 Super Bowl title and rang their winning streak up to a state-best 26 games.


ATH – Geeavontie Griffith, Sr., Boston Cathedral
The 12-1 Panthers experienced one of the state’s most dramatic turnarounds under first-year head coach Duane Sigsbury, and leading the charges was Griffith. The 5-foot-7, 175-pound Randolph native carried 152 times for 2,244 yards and 29 touchdowns, as the Panthers advanced to the Division 4A Super Bowl. He is currently undecided on college plans.

ATH – Armani Reeves, Sr., Catholic Memorial
Don’t let the Mr. Football finalist’s limited touches fool you. Reeves, a Penn State commit and the state’s No. 1 overall prospect, was electric practically every time he touched the ball. He ran for 1,001 yards on just 46 touches, caught another 205, and returned a punt for a touchdown to total 15 scores for the 7-2 Knights. That averages out to almost a touchdown every three touches.

K – Jules Murphy, Sr., Xaverian
Murphy has been known to regularly hit from 40 yards and further, and while he didn’t have many opportunities this season, he was a near-perfect 27-of-28 on extra points. Murphy is undecided on college plans.


DEFENSE
DL – Ralph Jonathas, Sr., Everett
The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder was a mainstay of the Crimson Tide's back-to-back Super Bowl championship teams and a defense that allowed just over 12 points per game this season. Jonathas has received interest from multiple Division 1 programs, but is undecided on college plans.


DL – Brendan Battles, Sr., Nauset
At 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, the UConn commit was one of the most feared defensive presences in the state. But the bruising lineman also did double time, serving as the play-caller in Nauset's single wing offense, paving the way as the lead blocker out of the backfield. Battles also won the Division 1 and All-State wrestling crowns in the 215-pound divsion, advancing to the New England finals.

DL – Maurice Hurst Jr., Jr., Xaverian
The 6-foot-2, 275-pound defensive tackle was a physical presence in the middle of the Hawks defense. Hurst finished the season with 61 tackles, including 13.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Hurst also showed off his athleticism in one of the more improbable performances of the season, rushing for over 200 yards in the Hawks' win over St. John's of Shrewsbury, including an awe-inspiring 75-yard touchdown run.

DL – Henry Bumpus, Sr., Concord-Carlisle
The 6-foot-6, 218-pound defensive end was one of the more imposing physical presences in the state, as well as an important part of C-C's rushing attack at tight end. The senior captain helped to guide the Patriots to a Division 3 Super Bowl championship. A feared rusher off the edge, Bumpus finished with 9.5 sacks and 66 tackles. He also nabbed four interceptions on the season. Bumpus will attend Brown University next year.

LB – Tim Joy, Sr., Chelmsford
The Boston College-bound 'backer was the heart and soul of the Lions defense, leading the team with 155 tackles, including eight for a loss and three sacks. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder also had an interception in addition to three passes defensed. Joy was also a steady contributor to Chelmsford's offense, as a punishing lead blocker at full back in front of running back Eddie Sheridan.

LB – Luke Catarius, Jr., BC High
The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder lead the Eagles in tackles, despite playing 10 regular season games with 129 tackles, including 24 tackles for loss. Catarius was also a mainstay of BC High's offense, providing lead blocks at fullback in front of Preston Cooper and Deontae Ramey-Doe for the Division 1 Super Bowl champions.

LB – Vondell Langston, Sr., Everett
The Crimson Tide senior captain was an integral part of Everett's offensive and defensive units in each of their back-to-back Super Bowl championship seasons. As a linebacker, Langston was tough against the ran and a threat to drop back in coverage, coming away with three interceptions on the season. Langston tallied 15 touchdowns on the season at running back. He is undecided on his college choice.

LB – Cam Williams, Sr., Catholic Memorial
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker was named one of 50 national finalists for the high school Butkus Award, honoring the nation's top linebacker. The Penn State commit totaled 119 tackles (81 solo), including 18 tackles for loss. Wiliams was also effective in pass defense with an interception and seven passes defensed.

LB – Nick Schlatz, Sr., Bridgewater-Raynham
The Trojans' senior captain was part of a dynamic 1-2 punch at running back along with Brandon Morin, totaling nine touchdowns. Schlatz was the fulcrum of Bridgewater-Raynham's defense, which allowed just under 14 points per game this season.


LB – Dan Flink, Sr., Auburn
Flink was the heart of the Rockets' defense, which surrendered just over 10 points per game this season. He totaled 141 tackles, including 27 tackles for loss, along with seven forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and eight sacks. Flink played running back with the same mentality he brought to his play at linebacker with 1,393 yards and 27 touchdowns in his senior season. The three-year starter was part of four Super Bowl championship teams at Auburn and is looking to study at Mass Maritime Academy next year.

DB – James Burke, Sr., Duxbury
The senior captain was a stalwart in the Dragons' defense in their back-to-back Super Bowl titles. The 6-foot, 165-pounder formed a vicious safety duo along with Reilly Naton and led the secondary with 76 total tackles (50 solo) and had three interceptions with nine passes defensed. Also a standout on Duxbury's state-title winning lacrosse team, Burke has signed a letter of intent to play lacrosse at Penn State.

DB – Quinton Perkins, Sr., Fitchburg
The 6-foot, 170-pound wideout and safety was one of the most dynamic talents in the state, nevermind Central Mass. Perkins, who holds offers from UConn and UMass-Amherst, tallied 35 tackles and two interceptions on defense. He racked up 20 total touchdowns with 10 rushing, nine passing and a kickoff return. Perkins also racked up over 1,300 all-purpose offensive yards. He also racked up 200 all-purpose offensive yards and three touchdowns in the Red Raiders' playoff loss to Leominster.

DB – Casey DeAndrade, Sr., East Bridgewater
The University of New Hampshire commit was one of the most electrifying offensive talents in the state this year, but also played lock-down corner for the Vikings. DeAndrade tallied one interception in his senior season to push his career total to 11, a testament to opponents' weariness in throwing in his direction. The multi-talented athlete tallied 22 touchdowns with nearly 1,400 all-purpose offensive yards.

DB – Obi Melifonwu, Sr., Grafton
The UConn commit was a big-play threat on both sides of the football for Grafton, leading the Indians with three interceptions. The 6-foot-4, 195-pounder also ran for nearly 1,400 yards in a shortened season along with 17 touchdowns.


RET – Chucky Ortiz, Sr. Woburn
Ortiz was a jack of all trades while taking MVP honors of the Middlesex League Large division. In racking up 24 touchdowns, Ortiz tallied two pick-sixes, and a pair punt returns and kick returns for scores. Ortiz had six interceptions on defense while finishing a shade under 1,200 rushing yards. He also handled place kicking duties for the Tanners, connecting on 15 PATs and one field goal.

Best of the Rest
A.J. Baker, Sr. WR, Swampscott
Dan Barone, Sr. QB, Holliston
Vincent Burton, Sr. RB, Blue Hills
Kenny Calaj, Jr. WR, Everett
Andrew Coke, Sr. RB, Andover
Preston Cooper, Sr. RB, BC High
A.J. Doyle, Sr. QB, Catholic Memorial
Brian Dunlap, Fr. WR, Natick
Aaron Dyke, Jr. OL, Auburn
Andrew Ellis, Jr. LB, Barnstable
Joe Epps, Sr. RB, Bourne
Theo France, Sr. RB, Barnstable
Brett Harrington, Sr. DL, Chelmsford
Jack Harris, Sr. TE, Lincoln-Sudbury
Greg Heineman, Sr. QB, Minnechaug
Damion Johnson, Sr. WR, Dennis-Yarmouth
Jordan Keli'inui, Sr. RB, Mashpee
Thomas Kleyn, Sr. LB, Concord-Carlisle
Zack Hume, Jr. LB, Nashoba
Nick LaSpada, Sr. QB, Billerica
Cam McLevedge, Sr. QB, Weymouth
Reilly Naton, Sr. S, Duxbury
T.J. Norris, Sr. RB, Longmeadow
Mike Prendeville, Sr. OG, BC High
Will Quigley, Sr. RB, Marblehead
Deontae Ramey-Doe, Sr. RB, BC High
Max Randall, Sr. LB, Duxbury
Zack Schafer, Sr. LB, Mansfield
Eddie Sheridan, Sr. RB, Chelmsford
Jarod Taylor, Jr. RB, Mashpee
Shawn Whouley, Sr. WR, Weymouth

At halftime of the 50th annual Turkey Bowl between Catholic Memorial and BC High, the Knights will honor longtime football coach and athletic director Jim O'Connor by dedicating the newly resurfaced turf field in his name.

O'Connor was the first football coach in CM history, building the program from the ground up in 1961. Coaching under the mantra of 'Poise and Class,' O'Connor remained at the helm for 19 years, guiding the Knights to three state championships, two of which were Super Bowl titles, before stepping down in 1979 with a career record of 146-44-6.

O'Connor also assumed the position of athletic director at Catholic Memorial from 1972 through 1992, served another ten years in the same capacity at Framingham High School before retiring, then joined the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) as the Tournament Director for football and the Division 1A 'Super 8' hockey postseason where he still works today.

Catholic Memorial will forever be his home, however, as he and his wife Mary live within minutes of the Baker Street campus.

"He and Mary have always been the face of Catholic Memorial," said Knights longtime hockey coach Bill Hanson, who was hired by O'Connor in 1974. "I don't care how many years they weren’t here, they are the face of Catholic Memorial. I've never felt differently about that. They have gone to more hockey games than any other two people I know. When he was at Framingham, I felt like he still was affiliated with CM and I looked at him in that regard the whole time."

It's hard to imagine a world in which O'Connor is not linked to CM, but if it weren't for a risk he took shortly after college, things could have turned out much different.

A LIFE DECISION IN THE MAKING
In 1961, Jim O'Connor was a fresh-faced graduate of Curry College working as a teacher and assistant football coach at Hull High School when a persistent old friend named Packy Hughes started contacting him about a potential job opening at a private school in West Roxbury.

"I had no interest at all," O'Connor recalled with a laugh. "I was in my second year at Hull and the head coach [Jimmy Wheeler] was leaving to take over at Weymouth High. People had told me I was going to move right into his spot so I really had no interest. I said to Packy two or three times that I had a good thing at Hull and if it works out I’d probably stay there for a while and try to do teaching and coaching thing in public schools."

Hughes persisted and ultimately talked O'Connor into meeting with Brother Joseph McKenna, who was desperate to start a football program at CM. While he was somewhat reluctant to leave the relative security of his job at Hull, Brother McKenna ultimately sold O'Connor when he looked him in the eye and said, 'I want a man that won’t apologize for excellence in academics and athletics. I want good students but I want to have good teams.'

That told O'Connor that he would have support from within the administration, and he finally felt comfortable about making the leap. It helped that his wife Mary was also excited excited to move closer to the city, as both grew up in Boston's Mission Hill and were graduates of Mission High School.

"I got right back to him after a day or two and took the job," O'Connor said. "They gave me a used dryer. Upstairs they had a laundry room with a washer and dryer that the Brothers used and they were getting a bigger dryer. They said they could give me a teaching salary but a coaching salary wasn't in the budget. But they had a used dryer they could give me."

"We bought a house about half a mile from (Catholic Memorial) and Brother O’Callahan helped me lug it into the house," O'Connor continued, laughing at the memory. "From that point on, every time Mary did the wash, the diapers came out damp because the dryer only went to a certain heating point."

BUILDING A PROGRAM
The Knights went 4-5-1 in O'Connor's first year, but entered the very first Thanksgiving Day game against BC High with a perfect 8-0 record on the line in year two. The games were held at Boston College in those days and drew tremendous crowds from both sides. CM won that day and went on to win its very first state championship the following week.

O'Connor would guide the Knights to three Super Bowls, including the very first one in 1972, which they lost. The Knights rebounded the following season to win the 1973 Super Bowl, then won it again in 1978, the last year in which the squad reached the postseason.

In his 19 years as head coach, the CM football team won seven league championships. O'Connor was named Division 2 Coach of the Year in 1978, and would be enshrined in the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1983.

Some of O'Connor's fondest memories involve coaching against the late Jim Cotter, who took over at BC High in 1964 and whose grandson, Bartley Regan, will be starting at quarterback for the Eagles on Thursday.

"In 1964, Jimmy Cotter took over as head coach after being an assistant to [former BC High coach] Ted [Gilligan]. Jimmy and I were great rivals and great friends and I think both of us were insistent on the fact that there would never be a problem between the schools, both on or off the field, and there never was."

A MENTOR TO A PAIR OF KNIGHTS COACHING LEGENDS
Since being hired by O'Connor to coach the Knights hockey team in 1974, Bill Hanson has presided over a dynasty that has won 20 Catholic Conference championships, 17 state titles and 13 Super 8 crowns and six national championships.

However, aside from several photographs of players and teams he's coached, the only affectation from all of Hanson's successes that he keeps close by in his office in the guidance wing at CM is a plaque given him after his Knights won back-to-back titles in 1994-95. The inscription reads as follows:

"Having the courage and class to remain on top is the severest test of a true champions character” - Jim O’Connor

Hanson spent two years as an assistant under former coach Paul O'Brien before O'Brien had to step down in lieu of a successful business he was running at the time. Hanson no previous coaching experience, yet O'Connor had no hesitation in tabbing him as O'Brien's replacement. in turn, Hanson admits to having learned a great deal from O'Connor, who became a friend and mentor over the years and remains so to this day.

"His personal skills and how he deals with people and makes everybody feel important," Hanson said of what he took from O'Connor. "You can really screw up and there was never hell to pay for it. He said things in a way that really made you understand what you did and whatever you did, you didn’t make the same mistake twice after talking to Coach."

Hanson went on, "He had that type of almost a mystical influence on people, especially me. I’m a pretty high strung guy and he knew all the right nerves to touch on me. He let me do what I knew best but he could pull the reins on me and say hey, this is the way you might want to do things. He never told you, he never said how you have to do it. He just taught you to think about things and look for a better way, and when you eventually got there, you knew it was Coach’s way."

Current head football coach and athletic director Alex Campea first arrived at Catholic Memorial to work for O'Connor as the junior varsity coach in 1977 at the recommendation of then-assistant coach Steve Fratalia.

"What impressed me when I interviewed for the JV job about Coach O’Connor was that he was so friendly, so open, so interested in me as a person and that I was so interested in coaching in his program," Campea recalled. "I could see that he was one of those guys who wanted people on his coaching staff that had a passion about football."

After several years, Campea left to become the head coach at Christopher Columbus High School and eventually moved on to coach at Bridgewater State before returning to CM in 1990, coaching the Knights baseball team to a pair of South sectional finals and three league titles.

In 2004, Campea returned to the gridiron and has been the Knights coach ever since while also holding the position of A.D. Like Hanson, Campea also proudly calls O'Connor a friend and mentor and never lets a day go by without utilizing some of the knowledge gleaned from his working alongside him.

"From Jim O’Connor, the thing that always stood out was the manner in which he was always prepared, day in and day out," Campea said. "He’s as organized a person as I’ve ever seen. The way he would talk to his team, the way he would prepare his team, the way he prepare practice schedules and making sure everyone knew what they were doing at a certain time."

He continued, "Organizational skills was one of the things that Coach O’Connor was always adamant about and I really feel as that's something I’ve made part of my makeup as far as being a football coach is concerned."

EXCITED TO HAVE THE KNIGHTS BACK IN THE TITLE HUNT
There is a buzz around campus as Catholic Memorial prepares to face BC High in the 50th Annual Turkey Bowl. The Knights and the Eagles are both 3-0 in Catholic Conference play and the winner of Thursday's tilt will go on to the Division playoffs and face Chelmsford.

The excitement of the season has brought many great memories back for the last man to coach CM to the postseason, and O'Connor likens this year's group his 1973 Super Bowl championship squad. That team was built around speed and a dynamic running back in David Singleton, someone whom O'Connor likened to current Knights star Armani Reeves.

But most of all, O'Connor is excited to see Catholic Memorial fighting for a chance to win a championship once again.

"It's a great experience for kids and I'm so thrilled that its happened this way," O'Connor praised. "The years have gone by and the kids in the school here, they don't know what the playoffs and the Super Bowl is all about. It's great to see the excitement amongst the kids in the school and amongst the team.

"Campy’s doing a great of taking one game at a time," O'Connor continued. "We used to call it 'play with poise and class.' I see a lot of it this year in the kids. They seem to be a team that makes the big plays. Teams have to have playmakers and they have four kids that certainly are playmakers. That's something special to, to have that."

JAMES R. O'CONNOR STADIUM
Adding to the excitement of the game will be the halftime ceremony in which the field will be officially renamed for O'Connor.

"It really hasn’t set in yet," he admits. "I've had kind of a very charmed career. Luckily I was scuccessful here and then at Framingham as an administrator for ten years. I look back on it and CM was just a great place for me. When I made that decision to leave Hull and to come here, it was risky. And yet I never had a bad day at CM."

As far as Hanson is concerned, its an honor that has been a long time in coming and is something he hopes will reinvigorate pride amongst students and alumni in the football program.

"I think its fabulous that he’s back and he’s going to visible here now," Hanson stated. "There’s a lot of guys that don’t know Coach. The younger generation, kids who are in their 20s and early 30s that are going to look back and say 'Wow, this is the guy who built the program.' I just hope a lot of his former players, and I'm sure they will, will be here. Thats really going to open up some eyes on Thursday."

And for the man currently charged with upholding his mentor's legacy both on the football field and as the A.D., Campea simply couldn't be prouder to be a part of it.

"I’m honored and privileged to have the opportunity to say that I’m part of the Catholic Memorial community that Jim O’Connor helped establish," says Campea proudly. "It was not just our athletic program. He was a teacher, he was a guidance counselor. Yes, football was where he put us on the map but he did so much to make this school successful both on and off the field. I find myself now sitting in the chair that he once occupied, which I feel very privileged to do."