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Courtesy of Bedford High Athletic Director Keith Mangan, below are the all-stars for the Large and Small divisions of the Dual County League.

Newton South first baseman John Jennings, a UMass commit, took MVP honors in the Large division. Waltham's Notre Dame-bound catcher Jack LeClair, a Notre Dame commit, took MVP honors in the Small division.

The league will be hosting an all-star game on Tuesday at Lowell's Lelaucher Park. The Small All-Stars will play at 4 p.m., followed by the Large All-Stars at 7 p.m.

Athletic directors, coaches and administrators are encouraged to send league All-Star lists to editors Scott Barboza at sbarboza@espnboston.com or Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com.

LARGE DIVISION
MVP - John Jennings, Sr. 1B, Newton South

All-Stars:
Jesse Feldstein, Jr. C, Newton South
Peter Sikalis, Sr. C, Acton-Boxborough
Tom O'Brien, Sr. 2B, Westford
John Troy, Sr. SS, Westford
David McCullough, Sr. 3B, Lincoln-Sudbury
Dan Cellucci, Sr. SS, Lincoln-Sudbury
Malcolm Nachmanoff, Jr. OF, Boston Latin
Mike Lenane, Sr. OF, Boston Latin
Mike Bibinski, Sr. OF, Westford
Brian Carroll, Jr. OF, Lincoln-Sudbury
Sid Warrenbrand, Soph. RHP, Lincoln-Sudbury
Ryan McDonald, Sr. LHP, Acton-Boxborough
Pat Naughton, Soph. LHP, Boston Latin
Will Alden, Sr. RHP, Westford
Thulani Denaro, Sr. LHP, Acton-Boxborough

SMALL DIVISION
MVP - Jack LeClair, Sr. C, Waltham

All-Stars:
Anthony Cacciatore, Sr. OF, Waltham
Joe Dwyer, Soph. 1B/DH, Waltham
Sean Kelly, Sr. OF, Waltham
Nick Neshe, Soph. P/1B, Waltham
Richie Scanlon, Jr. P, Waltham
Curtis Tirone, Soph. IF, Waltham
Kyle Laughlin, Sr. C, Bedford
Devin Liang, Sr. P, Bedford
Derek Amodei, Sr. DH/1B, Concord-Carlisle
Gibson Holland, Sr. OF, Concord-Carlisle
Phillip Mitchell, Jr. OF, Concord-Carlisle
Vincent Wnukowski, Sr. IF, Concord-Carlisle
Chris DiMico, Sr. OF, Wayland
Matt Goddard, Jr. 3B, Wayland
Andrew Herstine, Sr. DH, Wayland
James Goulart, Jr. OF/1B/P, Weston
Gage Hartman, Sr. OF, Weston
Brooks Parker, Soph. P/IF, Weston
Noah Tocci, Jr. C, Weston

NEWTON, Mass. -- More than the moonshots from the plate and nasty breaking stuff from the mound, this is what they love about Newton South's John Jennings: with three outs needed to lock up a very nice 4-0 win over Boston Latin, his 3-2 fastball to Michael McKie came screaming back to the mound. Jennings blocked his face with his glove and fell backwards.

He then quickly scrambled to his feet and tossed it to first base the out, drawing pop from the crowd gathered. The next at bat, after giving Kevin Chen a 2-0 count, Lions head coach Ron Jordan came to the mound and asked if he can get these final two outs, but more importantly, "How's your face?" Jennings flashed a grin, and the two exchanged a chuckle.

Jennings then took a deep breath, and worked the final two Latin batters to 6-3 and 4-3 putouts to wrap up an overall solid day for the UMass-bound senior, and keep the Lions at the top of the competitive Dual County League Large race. At the plate, he was 2 for 4 with an RBI single, adding to his explosive start to the season (.727, 22 RBI, 4 HR). On the mound, he went the distance with two strikeouts and a walk, with just one hit allowed, on 93 pitches, to improve to 4-0 on the season for the Lions (9-0, 2-0).

"Like I've said to people before, you look at him and you don't think he's an athlete, but he's a tremendous athlete," Jordan said. "He's made some great plays all year. Today was obviously his best performance of the year. We're slowly taking our time in moving him up with pitch counts, but he just pounds the strike zone. He's having a great year."

Attacking the low part of the plate with basically two pitches, Jennings allowed just two balls from the Wolfpack (5-3, 1-1) to leave the infield, for one hit.

"I mixed my curveball in pretty well, and I had good command of it," Jennings said. "I was keeping my fastball low most of the time."

Jennings brought home the first run in the bottom of the second, first getting on base pulling a frozen rope down the third base line into shallow left. He then came home three at-bats later on a Pat Mildner line drive to left-center.

In the bottom of the third, Jennings made it 2-0 when he blooped one high to right, scoring leadoff hitter Ben Bavly after the outfielder dropped what should have been a routine fly.

The Lions tacked on two more runs in the fourth and sixth innings, on an RBI single from Mike Kinch and RBI triple from Justin Moy, respectively.

For Latin, senior righthander Brad Petitpas went the distance and picked up the loss in spite of a solid effort. He fanned seven batters while walking two, threw 81 strikes on 117 pitches, and allowed two earned runs on nine hits.

On the Down Low: It was an overall efficient day on the mound for Jennings, who stayed ahead in counts early, and threw 61 of his 93 pitches for strikes. Despite ringing up just two K's, the 5-foot-10, 190-pounder kept a potent Latin hitting lineup settling for infield grounders most of the day.

Jennings is typically a strikeout pitcher -- coming into today, he had 21 strikeouts in 14.2 innings -- but by keeping his fastball low in the zone, and mixing in a breaking ball equal parts slider and curve, he was an effective groundball pitcher today.

"This is a heck of a team, and they're not afraid to swing early in the count," Jordan said of the Latin hitters. "If he's pounding the strike zone, they're going to make contact. But you know, he got a ton of ground balls because he keeps the ball down, he really gets his spots.

"We only went with two pitches today, because his fastball was so good and he was spotting it so well, we went with fastball-curve, didn't even bother with the changeup. He kept pounding that outside corner and getting ground balls."

Promising Frosh: Jordan is an East Boston native, and can't help grin when he uses the term "City Guy" to describe his leadoff hitter and second baseman, freshman Ben Bavly. He was 1-for-4 from the plate, with two runs and two stolen bases.

Bavly was "a pleasant surprise" to Jordan in March tryouts, running a 6.9-second 60-yard dash against the wind, prompting him to remark, "Who is this kid?"

"He's very patient at the plate, he's beyond his years," Jordan said. "He definitely does not play like a freshman, he plays more like a junior or a senior. He's a big reason why we're doing so well. I mean, he gets on the base, and even getting that ground ball, he made the second baseman hesitate. You don't pay attention with him, he's going to beat it out.

"He's a little pesky for us. He's a little something different for us here...I like him, he's more of a city style (player), what I'm used to. But he's out here, and he's working hard here every day."

We updated our statewide MIAA Top 25 Baseball Poll this morning, which you can view here.

Lowell remains the top spot for the second week in a row, but BC High (2) and St. John's Prep (3) have both climbed back after successful weeks. Rounding out the top five -- and moving into the top five for the first time since last May -- are East Longmeadow (4) and Lincoln-Sudbury (5). East Longmeadow was ranked No. 5 in the state last season, before falling in the Western Mass. Final; L-S finished 2011 as the No. 1 team in the land after winning the Div. 1 state championship over Minnechuag.

Elsewhere, Auburn (21) and Boston Latin (23) make returns to the poll, while New Bedford debuts at No. 20 after knocking off St. John's of Shrewsbury last week. East Bridgewater also makes its season debut at No. 24.

The most interesting debut on the poll, however, might be little-known Monument Mountain, out of Great Barrington. The Spartans are 9-0 despite losing their best player, Columbia commit John Kinne, to Tommy John surgery.

It's an especially diverse poll this week. Here is how it breaks down by conference affiliation.

Catholic Conference - 4
Dual County - 3
Valley League - 2
Valley Wheel - 2
Atlantic Coast - 1
Bay State - 1
Berkshire County - 1
Big Three - 1
Central Mass. Conference - 1
Hockomock - 1
Inter-High - 1
Merrimack Valley - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Northeastern - 1
Old Colony - 1
South Coast - 1
South Shore - 1
Southern Worcester County - 1

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

ACTON, Mass. -- Acton-Boxboro girls' softball looks at the game one pitch at a time.

Well prepped for any defensive scenario, the Colonial fielders have shown the ability all season to buckle down and smother runs no matter the situation.

In their Dual County League (Large) opener, host No. 11 A-B (5-3, 5-1) flexed its defensive prowess once again as it ran over No. 12 Boston Latin, 8-2, on Thursday.

“If the ball goes through your legs or you drop a pop up, just think about the next play,” A-B head coach Mary Matthews said. “We do so many different drills. We try to mix it up so they are never surprised.”

The defending Division I North champs allowed an average of only 0.71 runs per game coming into action.

A-B's defense was lead with a complete game performance from pitcher Sarah Ropiak who struck out seven while allowing only seven hits and two runs. The senior went 3-for-4 from the plate, including three RBI, while teammate Maddie Hatch was a perfect 4-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

“You have to get them to put it in play where you want them to put it in play,” Ropiak said of her pitching. “If we are looking for a ground ball it would be a drop. On a windy day like today, we do not want it up in the air.”

A four-run and seven-hit inning helped A-B grab the victory from a 2-0 deficit entering the bottom of the third.

Ropiak opened the scoring with a double down the line for a run, while teammate Hannah Graney lined a two-run frozen rope single with the bases loaded for a 3-2 lead and the winning run. Michelle Surdan then grounded a ball up the middle and the Colonials ended the inning up 4-2.

“Our goal is to get on base and move our runners over,” Matthews said. “We are finally learning about having runners on base and hitting deep to score runs.”

A-B's Kara O’Riley hit a sacrifice fly for a run in the fifth, while the Colonials added three tallies in their final at bat with four hits.

A pair of singles and a steal put teammates Lindsay Chen and Nicole Geoffrion in scoring position with one out in the sixth, before Ropiak brought both home with a double off the center field wall.

A hit by Kirsten Pfister and a single by Hatch each added a run for an 8-2 margin.

“I know I can battle with two strikes, so I do not worry about swinging at each pitch,” Ropiak said of her at-bat. “She had been keeping it low most of the game, so I took advantage of a high throw.”

Despite struggling to score late, the Wolfpack knocked in the first run of the match with two outs in the third off a two-run shot from outfielder Courtney Hoban. With teammate Mary DeMoura on first off an outfield long drive, Hoban rocketed a high pitch a few yards over the center-field wall for a 2-0 lead.

Boston Latin (7-2, 4-1) stranded 10 in total, while A-B left eight on base.

“She just turned on it and got up to get a nice charge on it,” Boston Latin head coach Tim Holland said of Hoban's blast. “We kept getting runners on with two outs. A couple miscues with a top team like this and they will make you pay for it.”

This was the first large conference game for both squads. The pair entered the day with the two best all-around and league records in DCL (Large) division, with A-B grabbing the division advantage after the win.

In this week's edition of "Roundtable", ESPN Boston High Schools Editors Scott Barboza and Brendan Hall are joined by correspondent Bruce Lerch and Brockton Enterprise staff writer John Botelho as we discuss the best hitting lineups, the best faceoff specialist in lacrosse, and whether Milford is now the team to beat in softball.

1. AFTER BEATING KING PHILIP, IS MILFORD THE FAVORITE IN DIVISION 1 FOR SOFTBALL?

ESPN Boston High Schools Editor Scott Barboza: In a word, yes. Shannon Smith is simply pitching out of her mind right now, but it's not as though we haven't seen this before from the University of Kentucky commit. Two years ago, Smith was named Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year after recording a 0.36 ERA. This year, she's been dominant, including a 20-strikeout performance against Shrewsbury and 17 K's against KP. Not to mention, the Scarlet Hawks haven't even been playing with their opening day lineup, after All-State catcher Taylor Archer suffered a leg injury in the first week of the season. Freshman Taylor LeBrun has done a terrific job behind the plate in the interim, but MIlford will only be that much more potent with their top battery in place. I'm certainly not ruling out KP, as anything short of a rematch between the two teams in the state final would be unexpected.

Bruce Lerch, correspondent: While there are several teams with good enough pitching to shut down the Scarlet Hawks bats, how many are strong enough offensively to hit against Milford ace Shannon Smith? The only team that really comes to mind is...King Philip. The Kentucky-bound Smith two-hit the Warriors and struck out 17 Monday afternoon, so you have to think they are the lead horse in the race right now. KP has hit Smith before, however, as a 10-1 result in the state championship game two years ago proves. Of course, Smith was but a freshman then, and having faced King Philip several times since then her knowledge of that dangerous lineup has grown considerably.

Oh yeah...KP also has Meghan Rico. I've heard she's a pretty good pitcher too...something about a reigning player of the year? If both aces are on their game, then the state championship softball game may have to be scheduled for more than one day

John Botelho, Brockton Enterprise: Even with Milford knocking off K-P, it's still hard to call anyone but the Warriors - the two-time defending state champ - the favorite to win it all. This means Milford might have closed the gap, but until someone proves Meghan Rico is possible to beat in the playoffs, the Warriors remain the class of softball in this state. Keep in mind how difficult it is to beat a good team twice, and chances are Milford will have to do just that if they're to bring home the state crown.

2. SEVEN OF THE EIGHT TEAMS PARTICIPATING IN THE COACHES CHALLENGE CUP THIS WEEK ARE RANKED IN OUR TOP 25. WHICH OF THOSE TEAMS HAS THE BEST CHANCE OF WINNING A STATE TITLE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE DIVISION?

Scott Barboza: We might have seen a Division 2 Eastern Mass final matchup preview on Thursday when Concord-Carlisle and Hingham squared off in a Coaches Challenge Cup semifinal. The Patriots beat the Harbormen, 9-4, with Jackson Finigan, Tim Badgley and Kevin Delehey scoring two goals each. If both teams take care of business hereon out, we should expect to see both of them at Harvard Stadium. Of course, none of this makes mention of Dover-Sherborn. The Raiders fell just short of an upset over Lincoln-Sudbury before falling, 12-11, but they've proven their among the elite in Division 3.

Bruce Lerch: That team would Dover-Sherborn. Lincoln-Sudbury will enter the Division 1 tournament as one of the teams best suited to make a run at Duxbury, but betting against the Dragons has been mostly a losing proposition for the past decade. The six Div. 2 teams that participated in the tournament are perennially among the last teams standing in June, so while a state champion could come from this group, picking who it will be requires a crystal ball.

Dover-Sherborn has the talent to compete with the best teams in the state, something the Raiders proved three years running now at the Coaches Challenge Cup, and is likely going to snag one of the top four seeds in the Div. 3 tourney and will be included in the group of favorites that should also include Weston and Norwell.

3. IN BASEBALL, WHAT'S THE BEST HITTING YOU'VE SEEN SO FAR?

ESPN Boston High Schools Editor Brendan Hall: I have seen both BC High and Lowell multiple times, and I don't think you can go wrong either way.

BC High can mash 1 through 9, but at the top is where they're especially dangerous. UConn signee Bob Melley is the Eagles' most powerful bat out of the No. 3 spot, but he's surrounded by plenty of college-ready talent in seniors Chuckie Connors, Justin Silvestro, Brian Hocking, and juniors Ryan Tufts and Dan Dougherty. I will put the Eagles' top six hitters against any team's top six in the state...

...Unless that top six is Lowell. The Red Raiders are only going to get stronger as the season goes on, but they're showing some real nice stuff through the first three weeks of the season. Rory O'Connor, Derek Reed and Andrew Marasa form what is regarded as the state's best outfield, but they can manufacture runs from the plate, too. Matt Tulley is headed to Virginia Tech for his low-90's fastball, but he's got a heavy swing from the cleanup spot too. My favorite hitter to watch in this lineup is senior Chad Gens, who can square up and plant it deep as good as anyone. After Lexington's Chris Shaw, he might be one of the better power hitters in Eastern Mass. I expect him to be near the top in extra base hits this year.

Also of note, take a look at Dighton-Rehoboth, which comes in this week at No. 18 this week. With a top of the order led by Bryan Rocha, Adam Benvie, Evan Mondor and Mike St. John, the Falcons are averaging 11 runs per game, including shellackings over Somerset (22-0) and Case (17-6). When it comes to manufacturing runs, you can't forget Walpole, between leadoff shortstop Johnny Adams, catcher Dan King, and brothers Cam and Craig Hanley.

John Botelho: Despite getting shutout by Marshfield for their first loss of the season on Thursday, the East Bridgewater Vikings offense is certainly among the best in southeastern Mass, and could be the class of the D3 South Sectional later this season. Even with the setback against the Rams, E-B is still averaging just over 10 runs per game.

In the Hockomock League both Oliver Ames has emerged as a team with an electric pitching staff, but the offense is plenty capable of flexing muscle too. With sweet swinging David MacKinnon - whose emerging as one of the best hitters in the Hock - hitting third and powerful Matt Harding hitting fourth, the Tigers have one of the best 3-4 combos going. Matt Mancini, Ryan O'Shea, Mike McMillan and Jim Sullivan help bolster a lineup that features plenty of hitting ability.

4. AN UNDERRATED ASPECT OF LACROSSE IS THE "FOGO" (FACE OFF, GET OFF) POSITION. WHO IS THE BEST FACEOFF SPECIALIST IN THE MIAA?

Scott Barboza: I think there's no doubt that Clay Richard of Medfield is the best true FOGO in the state, but as we saw during Wednesday's matchup against No. 1 Duxbury, Dragons midfielder Henry Narlee might be the best faceoff man in the state. Sqauring off against Richard and the Warriors, Narlee won an amazing 21 of 28 draws.

Bruce Lerch: The two best were on display Wednesday night in Duxbury as Medfield's Clay Richard went to work against the Dragons Henry Narlee. Richard more than held his own against Narlee in their individual battle, but in addition to the Duxbury junior's elite skill, he also has the advantage of having James Burke and Reilly Naton flying off the wings to grab every loose ball in sight. Not only is Narlee at winning the draws to himself, but is deadly accurate when shooting the ball into space for his two LSM's to chase it down.

5. LOOK AT THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OF SPRING. CALL AN UPSET. AND FEEL FREE TO GO BIG.

Scott Barboza: Don't really know if this would count as such, but I'm calling Duxbury's take down of Garden City (N.Y.) this weekend. Looks like the Dragons' regained their top form in the last week. In softball, I have a feeling about Hudson taking down Shrewsbury this weekend.

Brendan Hall: Boston Latin has a two-game swing at the beginning of next month that could have big implications in the Dual County League: May 4 at Lincoln-Sudbury, and May 7 at Acton-Boxborough. The Wolfpack seem to be everyone's favorite little underdog in the league (no pun intended), but I wouldn't be surprised to see them take one of two here. L-S has some talent, but has been searching for that staff ace; meanwhile A-B has had a knack for the dramatic so far, twice winning one-run games, the latest a 1-0 decision over Waltham on Wednesday. Can Latin pull 1 of 2 here? It might depend on who's pitching.

Elsewhere, I've got May 10's matchup between No. 14 Burncoat and No. 3 St. John's of Shrewsbury circled on the calendar. The Patriots just lost their first game to Danvers the other day, while St. John's sits at 7-0 with a nice win over St. John's Prep. This is building into one of the best regular-season matchups in Central Mass., but I'm going to go with Burncoat in the upset.

John Botelho: On April 26, when No. 16 Barnstable comes to town, Bridgewater-Raynham will take a big step toward winning the Old Colony League by knocking them off in a pitcher's duel. The Trojans have to deal with league foe Dartmouth just two days before, and if the rotation stays the path it's on lefty Pat Chalmers will be throwing that game. That means fellow southpaw Shane Holmes, who has been piling up strikeouts and shutting offenses down, will take the mound against the Red Raiders. The lefty is one of the toughest in the area and B-R could come away with this one without needing much in the way of run support.

For the first time in our ESPN Boston MIAA softball Top 25 poll, somebody other than King Philip resides in the No. 1 spot this week.

After ending the Warriors' nearly two-year long winning streak, Milford claims the top billing in our poll.

The biggest mover of the week was Dracut, which bolted up the poll to No. 8 from the 24th spot last week after an 8-1 win over MVC rival Chelmsford at the Hudson Tournament.

Our one new addition to the poll this week is Boston Latin, which checks in at No. 12 coming a big Dual County League win over Concord-Carlisle.

We're back with another installment of "Roundtable", our weekly takes on the hot topics of the spring season. This week, we discuss who is the best boys' lacrosse goalie in the state; which lefthanded pitchers will make the most noise; the state's best slap hitter; and who had the best individual performance of the season's first two weeks.

Joining us this week are correspondent Bruce Lerch, New England Prep Stars founder and editor Ryan Kilian, MassLive.com producer Ben Larsen, and Brockton Enterprise staff writer John Botelho. Without further ado:

1. BETTER GOALIE –- WELLESLEY’S CONNOR DARCEY OR FOXBOROUGH’S GREG STAMATOV?

ESPN Boston High Schools Editor Scott Barboza: That's a tough one. In many regards, they're similar players in that they're both not afraid to step up into the play when its warranted. They're not going to just clear and retreat when the opportunity presents itself. Stamatov had one clearing pass to the midfield during the third quarter against Barnstable that was a thing of beauty. And, of course, we all know that Darcey is capable of scoring when he carries the ball past midfield. This all makes no mention of their ability to stop the ball either. Either way you dice it, they're among the very best in a deep field of MIAA goaltenders along with Duxbury's Henry Buonagurio, Concord-Carlisle's Doug Gouchoe and Billerica's D.J. Smith.

Ryan Kilian, New England Prep Stars: Connor Darcey is the best goalie I have seen in New England Public High School lacrosse over the past two years. Darcey is the real deal. He possesses confidence, quickness, and exceptional hand-eye coordination.

The goalie position in Massachusetts in the Class of 2012 is as strong as it has been in many years. Doug Gouchoe of Concord-Carlisle (Air Force), Greg Stamatov of Foxborogh (Villanova), Jared Fong of Weston (Gettysburg), and Miles McCarthy of Catholic Memorial (Williams) are all exceptional athletes with bright futures at the next level and all have a unique set of skills that they bring to the table.

Darcey is also a born leader and that is an essential trait that all great goalies, like the above mentioned, share.

Bruce Lerch, correspondent: Both players have excelled for their respective teams and made a big splash over the summer participating in the Warrior 40 at Harvard Stadium. Both have also drawn the attention of Division colleges, as Darcey is committed to play for Penn State while Stamatov will take his talents to Villanova. Darcey was a key factor in Wellesey's 16-0 regular season a year ago, while Stamatov helped propel Foxborough to its best season ever by reaching the Division 2 semifinals. Darcey was rated eighth in ESPN High School's national goalie rankings back in February, but even if you have the second pick in this draft, you won't come away disappointed as Stamatov was not too far behind at No. 14.

2. WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE SO FAR?

ESPN Boston High Schools Editor Brendan Hall: I think any time you throw a perfect game at any level, you should be highly commended as such. So here’s my kudos to Lynn English’s Ben Bowden, who had a clean sheet for the Bulldogs in their 5-0 win over Marblehead. Bowden struck out 14 in the full seven innings, and got some assistance from the infield behind him late to seal the deal. He is an imposing player to watch at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, equipped with a high-80’s fastball, so it’s hardly the last time we’ll hear from him.

That said, I’m always impressed when a pitcher goes into the triple-digits in pitch count this early in the season – and even moreso when it’s as efficient as Milford’s Jarrod Casey was on April 3. In the Scarlet Hawks’ season-opening 3-1 win over Westborough, the reigning Mid-Wach A MVP and returning ESPNBoston All-Stater threw 125 pitches and struck out 15 batters; he also belted an inside-the-park, two-run homer to give them all the insurance they needed.

John Botelho, Brockton Enterprise: The Bridgewater-Raynham softball team has shown plenty of early fireworks this season. Senior Audrey Dolloff twirled a four-hitter and struck on eight on opening, all while going 4-for-4 with a pair of homers and four RBI for the Trojans. Freshman Emily Kurkul has homered in all three games so far. Most recently, Dolloff tossed a no-hitter against Durfee, and her performance might not have even been the best one on the field that day for B-R. Sophomore Madison Shaw went 4-for-4 with two homers, a double and seven RBI as the Trojans cruised.

Ryan Kilian: The best individual performance that I have seen on the lacrosse field so far was Westford Academy attack Jay Drapeau scoring six goals and dishing out one assist in a 12-11 opening day win over Billerica. The sophomore scored the game winner in the fourth quarter and was exceptional dodging from X all afternoon. Drapeau also did this against a very formidable defense led by Tommy McLaughlin (UMass) and one of the state’s best goalies in DJ Smith (UMass).

Ben Larsen, MassLive.com: It would be hard to top this one. Noah Parker, a terrific talent hidden at St. Mary’s of Westfield was perfect in a six-inning game against Pioneer Valley Christian. He threw only 57 pitches, striking out 14. At the plate, he narrowly missed hitting for the cycle, going 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBI.

Bruce Lerch: On the lacrosse fields, several players have produced nine-goal games in the early going. Kobie Sullivan had seven, nine and eight goals in Fairhaven's first three games. On the girls side, Wayland's Amy Cunningham, Amy also struck for nine against Bedford. But my top effort goes to Masconomet's Jake Gillespie, who potted nine in the Chieftans' second game of the year against a BC High defense that includes a pair of Division 1 recruits.

3. A LEFTHANDED STARTER CAN BE INVALUABLE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. WHICH LEFTIES WILL YOU BE WATCHING THE MOST?

Brendan Hall: The Class of 2012 is littered with Division 1-bound lefties, between Oliver Ames' Ryan O'Shea (Central Michigan), East Longmeadow's Steve Moyers (Rhode Island), Pentucket's Alex Ministeri (Coastal Carolina), Auburn's Connor Fuller (Fordham), Xaverian's Tim Duggan (Fairfield) and Acton-Boxborough's Ryan McDonald (Bryant). One we might be adding to that list in a year's time is Wellesley senior Tim Superko.

Superko is already off to a great start in 2012, with wins in his first two starts in dominant fashion -- 23 strikeouts in 12 innings, an ERA of 0.75, a strikeout-to-walk ratio of nearly four, and a strike percentage of 67. I'm obviously working with a stat system pretty sophisticated for the high school level, but I can assure you Superko could care less. He's a competitor, unafraid to challenge hitters in the middle of the order, but also very coachable. Raiders coach Rob Kane raves about Superko's curveball, and he sets it up well with his heat. From the plate, he's not that bad either; so far he's hitting .500/.562/.786 with five RBI, two triples, seven runs and three stolen bases.

Superko is heading to Philips Andover for a post-graduate year next season. I expect him to have a Division 1 scholarship offer in his lap by this summer's end.

I'd also keep an eye on the aforementioned Ben Bowden from Lynn English. He's got an ideal power pitcher's frame, and if the reports about him topping out at 89 miles per hour in his perfect game are true, then he has a chance to rise quickly on the radar. But to be a reliable starter at this level, you need a quality changeup, and Bowden's is pretty nice.

Boston Latin sophomore Pat Naughton is certainly another one to look out for over the next two years. He fanned 17 Wayland batters in an outing last year as a freshman, and is already off to a good start this year with 14 K's in the Wolfpack's season-opening win over Latin Academy. Also keep an eye on Reading junior Scott Tully, who committed to Notre Dame last February, as well as Malden Catholic junior Joe Velozo.

John Botelho: One of the best lefties in the state hasn't even thrown a pitch yet. Oliver Ames' Ryan O'Shea, a 6-foot-3 southpaw already signed on to play at Central Michigan next year, will take to the mound for the first time next week. Hall of Fame coach Leo Duggan aired on the side of caution as O'Shea was battling shoulder soreness. He has a chance to come back and be the best pitcher on an O-A team that has still gone 3-0 without him in the lineup.

Brockton's Joe Sever has a live arm and features impressive off-speed stuff. The ace of the Boxers' staff this year, he has a chance to catch a lot of eyes with the schedules Bill Maloney's squad plays.

Bridgewater-Raynham features a pair of hard-throwing lefties who should cause problems for hitters throughout the regular season. Senior captains Pat Chalmers and Shane Holmes have more varsity experience than many of the guys they'll square off against this year - Chalmers was pitching on varsity at B-R as a sophomore and Holmes spent his freshman and sophomore years on the varsity squad at East Bridgewater before transferring to B-R as a junior. Chalmers took a no decision in his first start, but struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings. Holmes picked up the first win for the Trojans, a complete-game two-hit 12-strikeout performance against Milton.

Ben Larsen: Undoubtedly, Steve Moyers is the guy to follow. He has been unbelievable in his first three years as the ace of the East Longmeadow rotation and he’s hoping to reach the 30-win plateau for his career, which is no small feat in the short Massachusetts season. That said, Michael Walkowicz of Amherst has been the Cy Young in the early going. In two starts, he has a 17-strikeout, one-hitter and 12 Ks in a loss to Northampton.

Bruce Lerch: I find myself greatly intrigued by the seemingly rubber of Franklin southpaw Tyler Buck. As a junior, Buck tossed multiple gems during the Panthers run to the Div. 1 state championship game, including a 166-pitch effort to upset BC High in last year's D1 South semifinals. After starring for Franklin's Legion team over the summer, I'm interested to see how far the Panthers ace can take them once again.

4. WHAT WILL BE THE MOST COMPETITIVE LEAGUE IN GIRLS' LACROSSE THIS YEAR?

Brendan Hall: I'm going with the Dual County League. Four members of the 10-team league currently sit in our MIAA Top 25 poll, including No. 1 Lincoln-Sudbury. And we're not even including Acton-Boxborough, which began the season as our preseason No. 10 before dropping to 0-5. Talk about a misnomer -- the Colonials' five losses are to No. 1 L-S, No. 5 Needham, No. 6 Notre Dame (Hingham), No. 17 King Philip, and No. 23 Walpole. Also throw in unranked Wayland, which has one of the state's best goalies in Quinnipiac-bound senior Rachel Massicotte.

Let's now throw in the DCL's other three currently-ranked teams -- Concord-Carlisle, Weston and Westford -- and we're talking six teams that can be troublesome. I expect L-S to rise above it all, but the rest of the way down may or may not be a crap shoot.

Bruce Lerch: While most league's across the state in girls lacrosse are fairly top-heavy, I would say that top to bottom, the Middlesex League's large division may have the largest number of competitive teams as all five made the playoffs in 2011. Winchester is annually among the state's top programs and is among the favorites to challenge for the Div. 2 crown once again. Reading went 15-5 before running into state finalist Lincoln-Sudbury. Lexington is a perennial tourney team who, aside from last season, routinely rolls up 15-plus wins a year. Belmont also won 15 games in 2011, and Woburn qualified for the postseason as well. As of the time I am writing this, the five teams hold a combined record of 8-0-1 through the first two weeks of the season.

Ben Larsen: The Valley Wheel in Western Mass. is off to a strong start with no team worse than 2-0, including Agawam on top with four wins already. Perennial power Longmeadow and last year’s upstart Minnechaug are bound to contend with powerful Agawam in this loaded league but don’t count out East Longmeadow and South Hadley from at least making some noise.

5. YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH SLAP HITTERS. WHO ARE THE ONES TO PAY ATTENTION TO?

Scott Barboza: I'm looking no further than Mansfield's Bri Chiusano. The Coastal Carolina signee is the most dynamic lead-off hitter in the state and, as she showed earlier this week against King Philip, she also has some pop in the bat while taking a full swing. You have to take pause and applaud anybody who can launch a home run off of Meghan Rico after all.

Bruce Lerch: Bri Chiusano of Mansfield, who showed Tuesday that she can do a bit more than slap by cranking a three-run homer off of King Philip ace and reigning Miss Softball Meghan Rico. A four-year player for the Hornets manning centerfield and batting at the top of the lineup, Chiusano makes life miserable for opposing pitchers with her quick hands and tremendous speed and has an uncanny ability to survey how the defense is playing her and place the ball accordingly. The senior was named to ESPN Boston's preseason All-State team and will play for Coastal Carolina next year.

Ben Larsen: Typically a speedy singles hitter who uses his speed to get on and wreak havoc on the basepaths, Westfield’s Billy Smith got into the power game Monday, blasting a three-run homer in the Bombers’ rout of Belchertown. Smith, who also served as the Westfield football team’s quarterback this past season, has started out slow but is undoubtedly a player to watch moving forward.

6. WHAT'S BEEN THE MOST SURPRISING UPSET OF THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE SEASON?

Brendan Hall: My brethren on the Cape will call me Captain Hindsight with this one, but maybe Dennis-Yarmouth baseball is better than we've given them credit for after knocking off Plymouth North 8-2 on Wednesday. I think it was universally agreed that North, routinely one of the best hitting teams in Division 2, would be the favorite again in the South region even after losing key bats like Matt Walsh. But maybe D-Y should get more notice, with talented players like Matt Montalto, Matt Peterson and Miles Tuohy-Bedford. The Dolphins (2-1) got off to a hot start last season, including coach Paul Funk's 100th win, before coming back to Earth. Can they keep the hot start going this year?

Scott Barboza: If I told you I'd called Reading boys' lacrosse's overtime win over Westford Academy, I'd be lying. The Grey Ghosts entered this season with a lot of attention, particularly with the addition of Alex Eaton, in an already loaded Dual County League and the No. 6 ranking in our preseason Top 25 poll. Meanwhile, Reading was tough to read coming in because the Rockets lost some key cogs from last year's squad. What the Rockets did is prove that they should again challenge for the Middlesex League title.

Bruce Lerch: In boys lacrosse, certainly the most eye-opening result of the early season came when Melrose upset Lexington, 11-6. This is just the fourth year of the Red Raiders program, and in their first three years Melrose went a combined 9-44. Meanwhile, Lexington is an annual state championship and Middlesex League contender and reached the postseason in each of the three years since Melrose started its team. It was certainly a program defining victory for the Red Raiders.

Starting each Friday during the season, we will discuss the hot-button issues of the moment from around the state with some of the most knowledgeable local writers. This week, we are joined by correspondent Bruce Lerch, New England Prep Stars founder Ryan Kilian, HockomockSports.com founder Ryan Lanigan, and Brockton Enterprise staff writer John Botelho as we discuss two lacrosse juggernauts, the baseball landscape, and whether or not Hockomock softball is King Philip's to lose.

1. WILL ANYONE BEAT DUXBURY IN BOYS' LACROSSE THIS SEASON?

ESPN Boston High Schools Editor Scott Barboza: Well, maybe the better question here is whether anybody in-state can beat the Dragons. Duxbury’s schedule is stacked with out-of-state challenges, including New York state champion and fellow FAB 50 squad Jamesville-Dewitt.

As for Duxbury’s competition in-state, I think we look no further than No. 2 Lincoln-Sudbury. The Warriors paid their dues with a lot of underclassmen forced into big roles last season; they’ll be that much stronger for it this year and into the postseason. Plus, I feel they’re the one team that can really match fire with the Dragons. With Dan Delaney, Jordan Dow, Matt Hall, Chris Giorgio and Henry Guild, L-S has offensive mettle and depth.

I think beyond that, there are some questions about each of the next group of teams in D1, looking ahead to potential postseason opponents. Can Needham get to that next level and how much can Nico Panepinto fill the shoes of Will Stenberg? How does Billerica move on from Grant Whiteway? There are a lot of holes in the lineup of St. John’s Prep as well, but John Roy always keeps that team in contention. So the greater question remains, who’s going to be the team to step up and challenge Duxbury for the D1 crown? As of right now, that team looks to be L-S.

Ryan Kilian, New England Prep Stars: Duxbury always plays a loaded schedule with talented New York powers in Niskayuna, Garden City, Jamesvill-Dewitt, and Irondequoit highlighting the 2012 schedule. Playing that type of talent is amazing preparation for the MIAA state tournament and another D1 State Title run.

There is no question that this may be Duxbury's most talented team in recent years and it is going to take an A-plus game from any Massachusetts team to come close to knocking them off. That being said Duxbury has a run of three games in one week at the end of April that consists of Lincoln-Sudbury, Needham and Hingham. They should be playing their best ball at that time and will need to be as they also face off against a strong Wellesley team, led by All-American goalie Connor Darcey, and New Hampshire's top team in Bishop Guertin in early May. There is no question that Duxbury will take on anyone and everyone year in and year out.

Duxbury has talent and depth at every position and the hype is warranted as they come off another State Championship in 2011 with a lineup of D1 talent that flows into their bench returning. Senior attack and Fairfield commit Paul Hellar could be the best player in Massachusetts that people do not talk enough about and the same can be said for defenseman Max Randall, who is headed to Dartmouth next year.

Bruce Lerch, correspondent: If so, it will likely be a team from New York as Jamesville-Dewitt and Garden City represent the biggest obstacles to a perfect season for the Dragons. That said, given the schedule the play, don't surprised to see someone like Lincoln-Sudbury or Wellesley give them a hard time. Catholic Conference teams St. John's Prep and BC High always play the Dragons tough as well.

John Botelho, Brockton Enterprise: The Dragons play as tough a schedule as anyone in the state, featuring several other elite Bay State teams as well as Irondequoit (Rochester, NY) who checks in this week at No. 18 on the ESPN FAB 50. Even with one test after another coming and a bull's eye already on their back as the reigning state champ, Duxbury is good enough to run the table this year.

Even the best efforts from other teams might not be enough to knock off Chris Sweet's squad this year, and that's not slight to anyone else. One could reasonably argue this Duxbury team could roll with some pretty good college teams. Anyone doubting that should take a look at where this team's stars will be next year. Eight seniors from this team are taking their talents to division one programs next year.

Not just any division one programs, either. Jay McDermott (Syracuse), Seamus Connelly (Duke), Matt O'Keefe (Johns Hopkins) and James Burke (Penn State) are all committed to schools currently ranked in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse Top 20 poll. Reilly Naton (Yale) and Max Randall (Dartmouth) are headed for the Ivy League. Henry Buonagurio will take his goal-tending ability to Drexel, who was ranked as high as No. 7 in 2010. Andrew Buron (Stony Brook) will play for a team that was in the NCAA tourney two years ago. Six other seniors on this year's team will be playing college lacrosse also, next season.

Before those guys move on to some of college's elite programs, they can put an exclamation point on what has already been an impressive high school career (in addition to their lax success, all eight played on the Dragons' Super Bowl teams the last two years) by going undefeated wire-to-wire and finishing as the best team in the Bay State again.

2. WITH LINCOLN-SUDBURY BEATING WESTWOOD ON MONDAY, HOW DOES THE DIVISION 1 GIRLS' LACROSSE LANDSCAPE SHAPE UP?

ESPN Boston High Schools Editor Brendan Hall: Whatever thoughts people had about some potential goaltending issues at Lincoln-Sudbury might have been convinced otherwise following Monday’s thrilling win over Westwood. Yes, I know it sounds strange saying a team played well defensively when they gave up 12 goals; but there is some very good talent playing in front of sophomore goalie Megan Mullins, led by Notre Dame-bound midfielder Rachel Sexton. And it goes without saying, if Mullins continues to repeat performances like she had against the Wolverines, the Warriors are going to be a tough out for anyone in the state.

Overall, I think the L-S win underscores the parity across the Division 1 landscape this year. It won’t be Westwood and everyone else in 2012, not with two loaded juggernauts (Andover, Lincoln-Sudbury) in the North; and not with Needham and Notre Dame of Hingham (coached by Westwood coach Leslie Frank’s daughter, Meredith) awaiting in the South. All four of those programs return some promising talent that I feel is on par with the Wolverines, moreso in the years past.

Also not to be forgotten is Western Mass power Longmeadow, which comes in at No. 3 in our preseason poll and is expected to take that district again; and Westborough, which thoroughly has a program under way now after some marquee wins over Eastern Mass powers in 2011.

Bruce Lerch: That was a program-defining victory for Lincoln-Sudbury and certainly shakes the foundation of the girls lacrosse season here in the early going. When all is said and done though, I just feel that Westwood is simply too talented and too well-coached to be denied in the end. And it's the end that matters most.

3. THE CATHOLIC CONFERENCE IS THE TOUGHEST BASEBALL LEAGUE IN THE STATE. WHAT'S THE NEXT TOUGHEST?

Brendan Hall: There’s certainly a case to be made this year for the Merrimack Valley Conference, which is loaded at the top between Lowell, Chelmsford and Central Catholic. I think any time you have multiple ACC commits in one conference, such as the Bay State Conference, a case can be made. Same for Middlesex, thought between Lexington and Reading it might be more top-heavy than the rest.

All that said, I think the Dual County League bests them all. Take a look at Acton-Boxborough, which plated 11 runs on BC High in a loss Wednesday and took Lowell into extra innings two days before that. Boston Latin is expected to make a run this year, with a deep stable of quality arms. The sleeper of the bunch might be Newton South, behind UMass-bound first baseman John Jennings.

And then there’s Lincoln-Sudbury, which has won 11 straight league titles and two of the last five Division 1 state titles. Every year the Warriors graduate Division 1 talent – last year, that included Vanderbilt righty and Yankees draft pick Adam Ravenelle – yet they always find a way to win 15 games thanks to a deep core of varsity-ready talent.

When it comes to draft-ready prospects in Massachusetts since the turn of the centuary the prep schools and the Catholic Conference have put out a good amount of picks. But take a look at the talent the DCL has turned out, including Wayland’s Brandon Anderson (2003, Rockies), A-B’s Scott Weismann (2008, Detroit Tigers) and Ravenelle. For purposes of this discussion, we can include Newton South’s Travis Dean, who transferred to Worcester Academy but returned to South in the spring of 2010 and did not play for the Tigers, but was taken by the Yankees in the 30th round.

Bruce Lerch: Look no further than the Dual County League, with reigning state champion and perennial power Lincoln-Sudbury leading the way. Acton-Boxboro reached the Div. 1 North final last year and is expected to be this season's favorite, while Boston Latin seems to be on the rise and Newton South has the talent to sneak up on some teams.

John Botelho: In the South Sectional anyway, the answer to this question -- for any sport -- has seemed to come from one league throughout the school year: The Hockomock League. Franklin's impressive run all the way to D1 South championship last year came on the heels of being tested by one good team after another in the Hock, and this season will be no different.

It's not hard to find high school aces in this league (Oliver Ames’ Ryan O'Shea, Franklin’s Tyler Buck, Mansfield’s Adam Blake, and North Attleborough’s Troy Richardson, to name a few), but the depth of this league goes a lot deeper than that. Half the teams in the league made the postseason a year ago, and two of them advanced to at least the South Sectional semis in either Division 1 or Division 2. In fact, the Hockomock League has had at least one team reach the South Sectional semi-finals every year since 2007.

This year should be no different, as Franklin returns a good core of guys from last year's title run. Even if the Panthers can recreate the magic, no one should be surprised if Oliver Ames is the last team standing at the end of the Div. 2 South Sectional. In addition to O'Shea -- a Central Michigan commit and ESPN Pre-Season All-State selection, the Tigers are swimming in talent. Junior captain and shortstop David MacKinnon might be the best player on the team, and could have more helium toward college interest than any junior in the league this season. Matt Harding is already a two-year starter at catcher, and the team's clean-up hitter. David Holmes gives Leo Duggan another horse on the mound. He'd be the ace of most area teams.

4. WHICH BASEBALL TEAM(S) WILL BE THE BIGGEST SURPRISE?

Brendan Hall: Out in Central Mass, it seems like the Division 1 favorites outside of Milford and St. John’s (Shrewsbury) will rotate quite a bit. Right now the sleeper might be Burncoat, after knocking off No. 19 St. Peter-Marian 7-1 last week and currently sitting at 3-0 following a rout of Worcester Tech today. But to the experts, the Patriots aren’t a surprise, considering the talent in the infield led by Rhode Island signee Regan Aghdam. Same goes for Nashoba, whose ace Charlie Butler has signed with Maine and tossed a no-no in his first start of the year.

I know we have Barnstable currently ranked, but of all the contenders in Division 1 South they are the one nobody’s talking about. My case for the Red Raiders falls unto the right arm of their UConn-bound senior ace Willie Nastasi. He’s got a wiry frame at 6-foot-5, and a pretty loose arm, but you’re looking at a pitcher who’s long and can build some lean, fast-twitch muscles. I know he reached the high-80’s last summer; my prediction is he’ll touch 90 once it gets warm down in Hyannis.

I’m not sure how much of a sleeper this will end up being, but Pentucket is certainly a team to look for in Division 2 North. They’ve got one of the more intriguing pitching prospects in Alex Ministeri, a crafty lefthander who’s signed with Coastal Carolina – as true a power in college baseball as you’ll find. His numbers don’t jump off the page like some other higher-profile players (46 IP, 53 K, 3-4, 2.89 ERA); but with a mid-80’s fastball with plenty of movement and a projectable 6-foot-3 frame, the ceiling is high for him.

Bruce Lerch: I'm going to drop down to Division 4 and give Rockport a little love. Just surviving the Cape Ann League and getting into the tournament guarantees they will be battle-tested. Last year it was Georgetown who made a run to the state final. This year, I'm looking at the Vikings with the talented trio of Conor Douglass, Tucker Meredith and Mike Tupper.

John Botelho: The East Bridgewater Vikings are going to cause fits for opponents all season. After returning all but one starter from last year's team -- which knocked off eventual division 4 state champ Cohasset late in the season, and led late over South Sectional top seed Middleboro – this team is primed to break out.

Having one of the best players anywhere in the state in the form of Casey DeAndrade helps. Teams have to pick their poison with him. Pitch to him, he hurts you with his bat (he hit better than .600 last season, homered on his first swing of this one against Carver last week). Pitch around him, he hurts you with his legs (he swiped 24 bases a season ago). He's also Pat Cronin's staff ace, and has an entire season in that role under his belt already. As good as DeAndrade was on the gridiron -- where he was a standout and ESPN Boston All-State selection, with more than 10 yards per carry and had 24 touchdowns -– Casey’s probably a better baseball player.

What's worse for opponents is DeAndrade and partner in crime Tim O'Brien (they combined one more than 100 TDs during a three year run as the starting EB backfield) are playing with a chip on their shoulder. To cement their place in East Bridgewater history, both have made it clear they need to check winning a South Shore League crown off their bucket list. O'Brien hit nearly .400 last season and swiped 20 bases himself. The ultra-athleticism can be found throughout the rest of the roster, and the team scores runs in bunches because of their ability to put pressure on. Fellow speedster Andrew Benson teams with DeAndrade and O'Brien to form, perhaps, the fastest outfield in the state. Cronin preaches strong defense, and guys like Jimmy Sullivan and Ethan Forrest give him that up the middle, and third year starter, junior Austin Goldberg supplies rock solid defense behind the plate.

A year ago, the Vikings spent the entire season figuring out the identity of their pitching staff. Fast forward one year and they return all of their varsity innings. Sophomore Mike Kelly seems impervious to pressure, and made his varsity debut when he picked up the win in relief against Cohasset last year. Kelly took the ball in game one against Carver and didn't disappoint, going five innings and striking out seven while allowing just one flair single. Forrest, who missed most of his sophomore season with an ankle injury, gives the Vikings a very talented third option, and Brett DeBenedictis flashed an electric arm at times on the mound this year.

If this team has a weakness, it's not an obvious one and they will contend for both the SSL crown, as well as the Division 3 South Sectional title this season.

Ryan Lanigan, HockomockSports.com: The surprise team to watch in baseball is Oliver Ames. They finished 15-5 last season but were bounced in the first round to Milton. The Tigers feature Central Michigan University-commit Ryan O’Shea on the found and fellow captain Jim Sullivan. I expect a much deeper tournament run this year with a chance to be a serious contender for the D2 South Crown. Two other teams to look out for are Franklin, who won the South last year but I expect a better regular season this time around, and Stoughton, who could play spoiler to a lot of teams.

5. WITH NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH BEATING MANSFIELD 6-0 ON TUESDAY IN SOFTBALL, IS THE HOCKOMOCK STILL KING PHILIP'S TO LOSE?

Scott Barboza: Make no bones about it, King Philip is still the favorite in the Hock and to win the D1 state title, but it might be the best softball conference in the state, top to bottom. The Warriors are in the driver’s seat because of Meghan Rico, but she’s not the only true ace the league has to offer. Mansfield’s Trish Hansen was also an ESPN Boston preseason All-State teamer and, evidenced by North Attleborough’s win over the Hornets, the breakout performer of the year could be Red Rocketeers sophomore hurler Meg Colleran who’s coming off an impressive freshman season.

Speaking to the depth of the league, there are plenty of teams across the state who would love to have Oliver Ames ace Elizabeth Batsinelas in the circle and the Tigers might have their most loaded team in recent memory, according to former head coach Bob Huckabee who’s now at Apponequet. Franklin also looks to be much improved after hanging with KP in a scoreless gat me through six innings before falling 4-0 in the season opener for both teams.

That being said, the league still runs through the Warriors.

Just shudder to think how good the league will be next year when the Hockomock welcomes perennial state softball powers Milford and Taunton to its ranks.

Ryan Lanigan: As usual, the Hockomock League is turning out another competitive season, this time in softball. With Mansfield, King Philip, North Attleboro, Oliver Ames, and Franklin all looking to go deep into the post season, there will always be tough games.

Is the league up for grabs, though? Not quite. As long as Meg Rico is still pitching, the Warriors are the favorites. Rico is arguably the best hurler in the state and combined with Olivia Godin, Alyssa Seigman, and a slew of other top players, a chance at another state championship isn’t far-fetched. I still expect Mansfield to be the second best team in the league behind Briana Chiusano but as we’ve already seen this season, North Attleborough is looking to win it all. As it always is in the Hockomock, you can never downplay one game, as seen by Sharon and Stoughton who already have two wins.

Bruce Lerch: With standout ace Meg Rico on the mound and a potent lineup supporting her, the Hockomock League was, is and will be the Warriors to lose. As is the Div. 1 state championship.

John Botelho: Not only is the Hockomock still King Philip's to lose, but so is the division one state title. Led by 2011 ESPNBoston Ms. Softball Megan Rico, this team has won 42 straight and 50 of 51 en route to winning the last two D1 state crowns. In fact, the only player anywhere in the state who has dominated their sport the same way Rico has might be Andover's Nicole Boudreau in basketball. Herb Brooks famously said to his team "Vladisav Tretiak; if you score on him, keep the puck because it does not happen often."

The same could be said of getting a hit of Rico. That's not exaggeration for effect either -- last season she gave up 29 hits in 21 starts. Runs are even harder to come by, and the George Washington signee surrendered just seven last year while posting a 0.15 ERA. Anything short of KP's win streak reaching 68 with a third straight state championship will come as a surprise.

First Team:
F – Brendan Collier, Sr., Malden Catholic
The two-time ESPN Boston All-Stater closed out his senior season with a second straight Super 8 title and claimed our Mr. Hockey Award. The Charlestown native and Boston University commit scored 26 goals with assists for 65 points, a figure which led all Division 1 scorers. Collier, who also plays golf and lacrosse at MC, plans on playing a year of juniors next year before joining the Terriers.

F – Ryan Fitzgerald, Jr., Malden Catholic
The Lancers’ top-line pivot makes his second All-State team appearance, his first on the First Team. The North Reading native and Boston College commit again eclipsed the 50-point plateau (31-21-52), despite missing the first couple weeks of the season with a shoulder injury, and helped the Lancers to their second straight Super 8 title.

F – Sam Kurker, Sr., St. John’s Prep
When looking up the term power forward, the Eagles senior winger and captain fit the mold. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound forward finished with 32 goals and 28 assists for 60 points. The Boston University commit has also seen time with U.S. National Team Development Program and skated with the U-18 select team at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament during the summer.

D – Colin MacGillivray, Jr., Malden Catholic
The Lancers blue-liner is made in the mold of an old school rugged defenseman. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Peabody native played on MC’s top pairing through the season while posting three goals and 10 assists for 10 points for the repeat Super 8 champions.

D – Nikko Markham, Sr., St. Mary’s (Lynn)
The Catholic Central Conference Most Valuable Player and Spartans captain finished a sound career by leading St. Mary’s to a No. 2 seed in the Super 8. The Salem native was among the top point-scoring blue-liners in the state with six goals and 12 assists for 18 points.

G – Peter Cronin, Jr., BC High
For the second straight season, the Eagles went as their netminder went, and Cronin led BC High to its first Super 8 finals appearance since 2007. Playing in each of the Eagles’ 25 games, the Norwell resident posted a 2.00 goals against average and a 91.7 save percentage.

2nd Team:
F – Kevin Emmerling, Sr., St. John’s (Shrewsbury)
Perhaps the most skilled skater in the state, the Pioneers’ center provided a dynamic offensive punch to their Super 8 run. The Whitinsville native finished third in Division 1 scoring with 26 goals and 30 assists for 56 points. Emmerling is exploring his options for next year and hopes to play college hockey.

F – Conal Lynch, Sr., Boston Latin
Lynch also showed that Charlestown is again a hotbed of hockey, carrying the Wolfpack to a DCL/MVC Div. 2 championship. Lynch finished second in Division 2 in scoring with 35 goals and 18 assists for 53 points. The Wolfpack captain is weighing his options in pursuing prep or junior hockey next year.

F – Matt Sullivan, Sr., BC High
The senior captain was a true two-way center with a high hockey IQ. The Duxbury resident anchored the Eagles’ top line, scoring 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points and lifting BC High to its first Super 8 final appearance since 2007. He is pursuing prep and junior hockey opportunities for next season.

D – Casey Fitzgerald, Fr., Malden Catholic
The younger brother of Ryan, Casey catapulted himself onto the scene in his first year, filling the role of a puck-moving defenseman previously held by former All-Stater Conor Evangelista. The North Reading resident and Boston College commit tallied two goals and 15 assists for 17 points in his first year.

D – Peter Sikalis, Sr., Acton-Boxborough
The Colonials’ captain was the impetus behind their run to the D1 North semifinals. Sikalis had eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points while eating up boatloads of ice time for head coach Bob Lavin. The imposing 6-foot-3 defenseman is exploring his hockey options for next year.

G – David Letarte, Sr., St. John’s Prep
The captain has been the Eagles’ backbone during the last three seasons, leading Prep back to the Super 8 once again. Letarte had a 2.08 goals against average and a 91.3 save percentage in 18 games played. He is currently mulling over college and junior hockey offers for next year.

“Best of the Rest”
Nick Bertoni, F, Franklin
Tom Besinger, F, BC High
Tommy Bishop, F, Chelmsford
Matt Brazel, F, Hingham
Trevor Cimino, F, Burlington
Frank Crinella, F, Springfield Cathedral
Paul Curran, F, Milton
Vin D’Amato, F, St. John’s (Shrewsbury)
Jarrod Fitzpatrick, F, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
James Gordon, F, Hingham
Danny Holland, F, Woburn
Mike Iovanna, F, Malden Catholic
Connor Irving, F, Beverly
Mike Kelleher, F, Central Catholic
Chris Leblanc, F, Winthrop
Bobby Mullins, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
Ara Nazarian, F, Malden Catholic
Andrew Newis, F, Natick
Jack O’Hear, F, Catholic Memorial
Cam O’Neill, F, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
Jake O'Rourke, F, Medway
Cam Owens, F, Wilmington
Brian Pinho, F, St. John’s Prep
Dalton Rolli, F, Wilmington
Joe Strangie, F, Danvers
D.J. Walsh, F, Needham
Bryan Carter, D, Hudson
Connor Fenton, D, Braintree
Brian Furey, D, BC High
Pat Houghton, D, Westford Academy
Steve Mattos, D, Burlington
Nick Pandalena, D, St. John’s Prep
Jake Secatore, D, Woburn
Brendan White, D, Malden Catholic
Joe Cerulo, G, Wakefield
Jordan Davis, G, Norwood
Mike Donadio, G, Franklin
Bailey MacBurnie, G, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
Connor Murray, G, Needham
Connor Roddy, G, Medfield
Shane Starrett, G, Catholic Memorial
Steven Waites, G, Winthrop
Kyle Williams, G, Central Catholic

Coach of the Year
Chris Spillane, Franklin
Losing 15 seniors off of 2011's Division 2 state finalist team posed no problem to Spillane in guiding his team back to the Garden again. The 13-year Panthers bench boss is regarded as one of the finest in the state, but no season might have been more impressive for Spillane than getting this team back to the finals.

Finalists:
Karl Infanger, Natick
Mark Lee, St. Mary’s (Lynn)
John McLean, Malden Catholic

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass. -- The fans who head to the Tsongas Center for the Division 2 North finals on Monday night might want to be prepared to be there for a while. And for good reason because the goaltending matchup that is now set to happen has the potential to keep goose eggs on the scoreboard.

Winthrop’s Steven Waites pitched his third shutout in as many games on Tuesday, this one propelling his Vikings to a dominating 6-0 win
over NEC North rival Saugus at the Chelmsford Forum.

The Vikings, the No. 10 seed, will meet Wilmington as the Wildcats rode their own hot goaltender – Drew Foley – to a 2-0 win over North Andover in the first semifinal tilt on Tuesday.

For Winthrop, it was their second win in three tries over the Sachems this season and showed that they are playing perhaps their best hockey of the season.

“The thing is that we’re just now hitting our stride and getting better,” Winthrop head coach Dale Dunbar said. “We were able to get everyone in and to let them feel a part of a win like this is nice.”

The Vikings have now beaten Tewksbury, Boston Latin and the Sachems by a combined 11-0 score as Waites has not allowed a goal in 125 minutes of tournament play.

“When he’s on and focused, Steve is as good as anyone,” Dunbar said. “And to go three games in the tournament without giving up a goal says a lot about our defense. We pride ourself on how we play in our own end of the ice.”

This one really wasn’t as close as the 6-0 score as the Vikings forced Saugus into mistake after mistake with the puck, many of them turning into odd-man rushes and goals on Sachem keeper Nick Hegarty.

“We simply turned the puck over way too much,” Saugus head coach Jeff Natalucci said. “And Winthrop will make you pay for every mistake that you make. And they made us pay every time.”

It took only four and a half minutes for the Vikings to get on the scoreboard as Jake McKinnon followed a Mike Paulson shot and slid the rebound home before he went crashing feet first into the boards.

Moments later, Winthrop was on the power play and looking for more offense. And they got it when Chris LeBlanc fed Mitch Paulson for the senior’s 10th goal of the season and a 2-0 lead after one.

“We wanted to come out fast and when you score that first goal, you get your legs under you and it gets the confidence up,” Dunbar said.

Saugus showed some flashes of its offense early in the second and it resulted in an interference penalty on Adam Lundberg at the 1:22 mark. Instead of it beign a chance for Saugus to make things interesting, the next 62 seconds turned the game into a rout.

Jimmy Barker forced a turnover along the left halfwall, sending LeBlanc and Dan Eruzione on a 2-on-1 against Hegarty. LeBlanc made a perfect pass and Eruzione slid the puck home for a 3-0 lead just 100 seconds into the middle stanza.

Less than a minute later, Matt Todisco picked off a pass and beat HEgarty clean on a break and the Vikings were suddenly up 4-0.

“Those two shorthanded goals were just a killer,” Natalucci said. “We had some chances there at the start of the second and then we made mistakes that cost us.”

Waites then went about snuffing out Saugus’ hopes as he made three stellar saves late in the period to keep it a 4-0 game after two.

The Vikings put the game away at 2:52 of the third when Chris Page snapped a shot over Hegarty’s shoulder. Just 55 seconds later, LeBlanc tipped home Lundberg’s shot on a power play to cap the scoring.

“We have talent and chemistry and that’s something that’s hard to find,” Dunbar said. “We have a lot of unselfish guys.”

WILMINGTON 2, NORTH ANDOVER 0
For the second time in as many games, Drew Foley shut down one of the top offenses in the Cape Ann League as the Wildcats earned a third straight win over former rivals from the CAL.

The game was scoreless until the final minutes of the first period when Cam Owens blew a shot past Joel Daccord on a power play for a 1-0 Wilmington lead.

Foley then zoned in and snuffed out the Scarlet Knights offense. He stopped 25 shots in all, including nine in the third period when North Andover was pressing for the equalizer.

Jake Rogers’ empty net goal with under 20 seconds left put the game away for the Wildcats.

WOBURN, Mass. -- A trip to Woburn's O'Brien Arena for a pair of Div. 2 North quarterfinal round tilts told two very different tales and resulted in a pair of very familiar rivals setting up for a showdown in Tuesday's semifinals:

NO. 10 WINTHROP 1, NO. 2 BOSTON LATIN 0
Enduring heavy pressure from a Boston Latin team well aware that it's season was on the line, Winthrop's senior goalie Steven Waites had to stare down the barrel of dangerous Wolfpack sniper Conal Lynch not once, but twice, with under a minute and a half to play.

Lynch managed to get a pair of great looks from the slot, one off a faceoff and the other at the end of a scramble for possession. Both times, Waites got himself in position to make the stops, letting each shot scream into his chest and securing the win for his Vikings in the process.

"It was nerve-wracking," Waites admitted afterward. "My team definitely played great in front of me and I just had to do the best I could and be solid out there and just try to win the game and we did."

Dan Eruzione staked the Vikings (14-6-2) to an early lead after linemate Chris Leblanc made a great hustle play to keep possession. Leblanc blocked a Boston Latin (15-3-4) clearing attempt just outside the blue line and worked the puck back into the zone along the left wing boards.

While battling with a pair of defenders, Leblanc spied Eruzione flying through the zone and pushed a soft pass forward to the sophomore. Eruzione turned and fired a shot from a tough angle, but the puck snuck through just inside the far post at 2:32 of the first.

"It was communication," Leblanc explained. "I heard Danny call for a chip and we’re good with that. We communicate well. I just tried to throw it in the middle and I got it to him and he did the rest."

Added Eruzione, "Chris did a real nice job down low, forechecked the hell out of their defenseman and found me really nice off the wall and I just found the back of the net. More luck than anything but I found it."

From there, the Vikings settled into their trap and the four-man defensive corps led by Mike Paulson teamed up with Waites to shut down several strong scoring chances for the Wolfpack.

"Defense wins championships. I know its cliche but its true and we pride ourselves on team defense," Winthrop head coach Dale Dunbar said. "I think our goals against is maybe under two and it’s been like that for a long time because we pride ourselves on knowing that, if you want to be a playoff team, you have to play good in your own end. Offense comes from defense and I thought we got away from it in the second period so I wanted to make sure our mindset was five in the house, make sure we’re sacrificing our body, chip pucks out, and just be on the right side of pucks and we did."

NO. 11 SAUGUS 7, NO. 14 LINCOLN-SUDBURY 2
While goals were hard to come by in the early game, the Sachems had little trouble putting the pedal to the metal. Saugus scored five times in the first period, twice shorthanded, and were able to maintain its lead for the win.

"We've got our edge back a little bit," Sachems head coach Jeff Natalucci said. "Last year at this time of the year, we were playing with an edge and I really feel like we've got it back. We could have easily packed it in the other night down 3-1 and quit [an eventual 5-4 overtime win over Beverly]. The other night was a huge win for us to build off. We're playing together. All three lines are going hard, our D are playing hard and we're just playing well as a group."

Given the fact that these two teams met 11 days ago and battled to a 0-0 tie in the Newburyport Bank Classic, with Saugus winning in a shootout, the first-period offensive eruption would seem a bit surprising. Natalucci has been imploring his team to get out of the gates quicker, and was hoping the comeback against Beverly would carry over.

Kurt Rodrigues notched a hat trick and added a pair of assists, Saige Tait score twice and Drew Oxley had a goal and two helpers. Rodrigues and Tait each scored twice in the first period, and both had shorthanded tallies on the same penalty kill. Nick Taylor scored the other Saugus goal.

In particular, it's been the Sachems top line of Rodrigues, Oxley and freshman Anthony Cieri leading the way in a stretch of four wins over the team's last five games.

"I've played with Drew my whole life," Rodrigues said when asked about his line. "He's one of the best passers in the league and we always connect on those two-on-ones. Our freshman Anthony Cieri's playing real well. He's come along good in the playoffs. It's just clicking for us at the right time."

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.

And down the stretch they come. We've updated the MIAA boys' hockey Top 25 poll one last time before playoff seedings are announced on Saturday.

There was quite a bit of movement among our Top 10, as teams looked to improve their Super 8 resumes.

In addition, there were some changes to the backend of the poll with Boston Latin and Canton sneaking back in after wrapping up their respective league titles.

Dropping out from last week's poll were Braintree and Franklin.

The Charlestown hockey tradition is alive and thriving in and around Boston schools these days.

It should come as no surprise that a pair of best friends from the Town are among the scoring leaders in the respective divisions this season. While most are familiar with Malden Catholic and Boston University-commit Brendan Collier, Boston Latin's Conal Lynch is once again among the most feared scorers in Division 2. Lynch has again eclipsed the 40-point plateau with 27 goals and 13 assists in 18 games.

In addition, the Wolfpack, aided by a 12-game unbeaten streak to start the season and following Wednesday's 2-1 win over Lincoln-Sudbury, are atop the DCL/MVC Div. 2 standings and headed to the postseason.

We caught up with the Wolfpack captain earlier this week:

Q: What's your earliest memory of playing hockey?

A: "My earliest memories of playing hockey are in-house league. Basically, it's a division before mites that is made up of all kids from Charlestown playing against each other. I played with and against all of my best friends: (Malden Catholic's) Brendan Collier, Pauly Myers, Paul Wrenn and Nolan Carrier, and Matthew Grzelcyk (Belmont Hill/USNTDP). Those were great times and what really made me fall in love with the game."

Q: A lot of talented high schoolers seek out private or prep schools or junior hockey. What made your decision to stay with Boston Latin?

A: "I get this question a lot and can never really seem to come up with a great answer. But I guess the best way to describe it is just that I was getting a great education there and I met so many great kids. Early on, I didnt really see hockey as something I'd be able to play in college, but I guess as I got older people became more interested in me from a hockey perspective. So staying there really worked out for me educationally and hockey-wise."

Q: Your team was one of three remaining undefeated teams in the state until a few weeks ago. How was the team able to play at such a high level for most of the season?

A: "I think that we just had a high level of focus. We really played well because everyone was so intent on doing their job and getting things done. We did the little things right and put away all our chances. Everyone was working really hard and I'm really proud of my teammates for that accomplishment."

Q: Given the success this year, what is the team's expectation for the upcoming tournament?

A: "We expect nothing less than to win. We have really high expectations for ourselves and each other and if we meet those, you will see us at the Garden."

Q: You're among the leading scorers in the state, along with Brendan Collier, who've you been friends with since childhood. What does it mean to both of you to represent hockey in Charlestown?

A: "It means a lot to us to be able to represent Charlestown. We both played together for a long time in the Charlestown Youth Hockey program and I feel like a lot of people keep tabs on the kids that used to play there. I also feel like a lot of the kids playing youth hockey now look up to the older kids and to be able to set a good example -- I hope -- is a great feeling."

Q: Beside the notoriety and attention from movies like "The Town," C-Town can kind of get a bum rap. What are the things you've taken away from Charlestown that most outsiders don't see?

A: "There's a lot of things that people dont see about Charlestown. Mostly people just think that the community is a "code of silence" type thing, but they don't understand that everyone knows everyone and looks out for one another. I could be walking down the street and someone will stop me and ask about Latin and how the season is going and I'll never even figure out who they are. Also, I think that Charlestown breeds a sort of competitive nature in everyone. Everyone wants to be the best out of their friends and earn sort of bragging rights. Being best friends with Brendan [Collier], we have competed all of our lives and I am nothing but better for it."

Q: Along those lines, when the C-Town hockey crew gets together, where's the place to be seen?

A: "The place to be seen is "The Kitchen", the roller hockey court at Eden Street park. As soon as the season ends, we spend almost every bit of spare time out there playing roller hockey and developing our skills."

Q: What are your current plans for next year?

A: "I'm not completely positive what I'm doing next year. I've applied to a few colleges but that's mostly just to see where I'm at with them. I've talked a bit with some colleges, but I dont want to talk names because you know how people can start rumors. Prep school and juniors are both in the mix heavily as well and I've been in contact with teams, schools a lot recently."

This week's MIAA boys' hockey Top 25 poll has been updated here.

There was plenty of movement through the poll as teams jockey for position with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

The big mover of the week was Needham, which might have rekindled its Super 8 hopes with a key win over Braintree and moved up five spots to No. 11. Another Super 8 Watch list team, Reading was also on the prowl, climbing four spots to No. 13.

We welcomed back Winchester to the poll after a one-week hiatus after dispatching Middlesex League rival Woburn. Wakefield also makes an appearance after spending the last month out of the poll. The Warriors check in at No. 24.

Failing to get in the poll this week were Boston Latin (No. 24 last week) and Danvers (No. 21).