ESPN

In its 27th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Hayley Dowd of Peabody High School as its 2011-12 Gatorade Massachusetts Girls Soccer Player of the Year. Dowd is the first Gatorade Massachusetts Girls Soccer Player of the Year to be chosen from Peabody High School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Dowd as Massachusetts’s best high school girls soccer player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year award to be announced in May, Dowd joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Alexi Lalas (1987-88, Cranbrook HS, Mich.), Heather O’Reilly (2001-02, East Brunswick HS, N.J.) and Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.).

The 5-foot-5 junior forward led the Tanners to a 22-0-2 record and the Division 1 state championship this past season. Dowd scored 41 goals and passed for 19 assists, recording seven goals and three assists in six postseason matches. An All-American selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, Dowd is a two-time Northeastern Conference MVP. She has 121 goals and 43 assists through three varsity seasons.

Dowd has maintained an A average in the classroom. A member of the Peabody High Captain’s Council, she has volunteered locally as a youth soccer coach.

“Hayley Dowd can score working with her team, she can go 1-on-1 and if she is double-teamed she finds her teammates with passes for easy goals” said Fred Day, Salem High's head coach. “She never stops working off the ball. I would pay to watch her play.”

Dowd has verbally committed to play soccer on an athletic scholarship at Boston College beginning in the fall of 2013.

Dowd joins recent Gatorade Massachusetts Girls Soccer Players of the Year Sam Mewis (2010–11, 2009-10, Whitman-Hanson), Danielle Dakin (2008–09, Minnechaug), Hayley Brock (2007-08, Acton-Boxborough), and Amy Caldwell (2006-07, Braintree) among the state’s list of former award winners.

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

CONNECTICUT: PAULA HAGOPIAN, KINGSWOOD-OXFORD

The 5-foot-4 senior forward scored 13 goals and passed for 10 assists this past season, leading the Wyverns to a 5-7-2 record. Also the 2011 Connecticut Soccer Coaches Association Player of the Year and a two-time All-American selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, Hagopian led Kingswood Oxford to the 2010 New England Prep School Athletic Council Class B championship. She concluded her prep soccer career with 56 goals and 35 assists.

Hagopian has maintained a 3.73 GPA in the classroom. The first chair clarinet player in the Kingswood Oxford school band, she has volunteered locally as a peer tutor and at an area homeless shelter and food bank.

“Paula is so strong that defenders bounce off her,” said Matt Micros, a club coach with Connecticut FC. “She can hold the ball up well and also spin defenders with ease. What she lacks in technique she more than make up for with power and pace.”

Hagopian will attend Yale University where she will play soccer beginning this fall.

Hagopian joins recent Gatorade Connecticut Girls Soccer Players of the Year Riley Houle (2010–11, Windham), Kate McCarthy, (2009-10, Loomis Chaffee), Jessica Schloth (2008–09, St. Joseph), Alex Uscilla (2007-08, St. Joseph), and Bianca D’Agostino (2006-07, Loomis Chaffee) among the state’s list of former award winners.

RHODE ISLAND: McKENZIE MEEHAN, LA SALLE

The 5-foot-5 senior forward led the Rams to a 20-0-2 record and the Division 1 state championship this past season. Meehan scored 80 goals and passed for 14 assists, including two goals and two assists in a 6-2 win over Smithfield High in the state final. The returning Gatorade Rhode Island Girls Soccer Player of the Year, Meehan is a two-time All-American selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. She recorded 16 hat tricks in 22 games with six four-goal games, four five-goal games and three six-goal games, concluding her prep soccer career with 181 goals and 41 assists.

Meehan has maintained an A average in the classroom. A member of La Salle’s Pegasus Gifted Student Program, she has volunteered locally as a peer Spanish tutor and a youth soccer coach.

“McKenzie Meehan should be on the national team,” said Keith Caldwell, Meehan’s coach with the Scorpions SC club team. “She’s the best goal-scorer I’ve ever seen. She is strong, athletic, tough and she holds the ball well. She’s not flashy. She just scores goals.”

Meehan has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer on an athletic scholarship at Boston College beginning this fall.

Meehan joins recent Gatorade Rhode Island Girls Soccer Players of the Year Allison Kelley, (2009-10, 2008-09, La Salle), Katie Reilly (2007-08, St. Mary Academy-Bay View), and Erica Florenz (2006-2007, Scituate) among the state’s list of former award winners.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: MORGAN ANDREWS, MILFORD

The 5-foot-9 junior forward scored 31 goals and passed for six assists this past season, leading the Spartans (11-6-1) to the Division II state quarterfinals. The returning Gatorade New Hampshire Girls Soccer Player of the Year, Andrews is captain of the U.S. Soccer Under-17 Women’s National Team and is a member of the Under-23 National Team. The 2011 National Soccer Coaches Association of America National Girls Youth Player of the Year for club play and a two-time NSCAA All-American selection, she has 83 goals and 35 assists in three varsity campaigns.

Andrews has maintained a 3.03 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally as a youth soccer coach and mentor, and she founded a local “Kicks for Cans” charity program that involves coaches and players donating their time in exchange for canned goods that are brought to area food banks.

“Morgan Andrews, the kid’s a phenom,” said Jason Dewhurst, the director of coaching for the Stars of Massachusetts club team. “She plays way above her years. She always shows up to play, whether it’s training or games, it doesn’t matter. She’s a fierce competitor and wants to win. She deserves all the accolades she gets.”

Andrews has verbally committed to play soccer on an athletic scholarship at Boston College beginning in the fall of 2013.

Andrews joins recent Gatorade New Hampshire Girls Soccer Players of the Year Kailey Blain (2009-10, 2008-09, Merrimack), Kristy Zurmuhlen (2007-08, Fall Mountain Regional, and Lindsey Miller (2006-07, Bishop Guertin) among the state’s list of former award winners.

MAINE: CAITLIN BUCKSBAUM, FALMOUTH

The 5-foot-5 junior midfielder led the Yachtsmen to a 13-4-1 record and the Class B state championship this past season. Bucksbaum scored 10 goals and passed for 11 assists. In her first year at Falmouth High, Bucksbaum was a Maine Sunday Telegram First Team All-State selection and earned First Team All-Western Maine Conference recognition. As a sophomore in 2010, she started for Ardrey Kell High in Charlotte, N.C., which reached the Class 4A state final.

Bucksbaum has maintained an A average in the classroom. A member of Falmouth High’s Environmental Action Committee, she has volunteered locally as a peer math tutor, a youth soccer coach and with the Ronald McDonald House.

“Caitlin Bucksbaum is a good player. Her appetite to get better is amazing,” said Jason Dewhurst, the director of coaching for the Stars of Massachusetts club team. “She’s quick, athletic, has good feet and can strike a ball from distance.”

Bucksbaum joins recent Gatorade Maine Girls Soccer Players of the Year Allison Walton (2010–11, 2009-10, Brunswick, Elise Amioka (2008–09, Marshwood), Rachele Burns (2007-08, Gorham), and Kelsey Wilson (2006-07, Gorham) among the state’s list of former award winners.

VERMONT: LAUREN BERNARD, COLCHESTER

The 5-foot-3 senior forward/midfielder scored 24 goals and passed for five assists this past season, leading the Lakers (7-6-2) to the Div. I state quarterfinals. The state’s returning Gatorade Girls Soccer Player of the Year, Bernard is a two-time All-American selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and was chosen as Burlington Free Press Player of the Year. She is a former member of the U.S. Soccer Federation Under-15 Women’s National Team, and a current member of the Under-18 National Team player pool.

Bernard has maintained a 3.93 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally with youth soccer programs and camps.

“She’s very strong technically and her left foot is deadly,” said Dwight Irish, head coach of rival Vergennes High. “If she has a little bit of room and she’s anywhere near the goal, she’s going to change the game.”

Bernard has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer on scholarship at Boston College this fall.

Bernard joins recent Gatorade Vermont Girls Soccer Players of the Year Brittany Pfaff, (2009-10, Rice Memorial), Natalie LeClair (2008–09, 2007-08, Essex), and Emily Milbank (2006-07, Champlain Valley Union) among the state’s list of former award winners.

Holiday time is always an important time of year on the recruiting front, and for a couple of different reasons. First, there are numerous holiday tournaments and events going on right now that provide college coaches with the opportunity to see numerous teams in one day under the same roof. Second, with the first semester of the college calendar coming to a close there is a slight lull in the college basketball schedule because of final exams, meaning that coaches have a little more flexibility in their schedule.

Here is a look back at some of the more notable events that have taken place in the last two weeks:

Scholar Roundball Classic -– This first time event run by Hoop Mountain and the New England Recruiting Report kicked off the holiday schedule last weekend at Babson College. Not so much a tournament as it was a showcase, the event featured many of the top academic schools in the northeast including Phillips Academy of Andover, Phillips Exeter Academy, Choate Rosemary Hall, Milton Academy, St. Mark’s, Northfield Mount Hermon, Hill School, and many others. Over 50 college coaches were in the stands throughout the weekend including 30 on Sunday. Some of the players to help their stock the most included: Demitry Coronell, Evan Cummins, Rene Castro, and Stefon Williams.

Bob Southall Tournament -– Held every year at Loomis Chaffee School in Connecticut, the Southall tournament annually attracts a wide range of on-looking college basketball coaches. The Salisbury School ultimately prevailed, defeating a tough Wilbraham & Monson team in the final. Salisbury features Quinnipiac signee Zaid Hearst in the backcourt along with junior point guard Ryan Frazier, who already owns an offer from Bucknell (head coach Dave Paulsen was in the house to watch Frazier on Wednesday night). Post-graduate swingman Jon Seltzer drew a large following from the Northeast-10 throughout the weekend, while Salisbury’s underclassmen tandem of big men has coaches from the highest levels intrigued. Six-foot-eight freshman Chris McCullough has the length, athleticism, and mobility to be a prospect for the highest level while six-foot-six sophomore Samuel Dingba only recently arrived from Cameroon and has a tremendous upside of his own.

Mercer Invitational -– The New Hampton School made the trip to Pennsylvania for the annual Mercer Invitational held by the Hill School and came away with their second consecutive championship as close to 30 college coaches from the greater Philadelphia area looked on. New Hampton defeated the Berkshire School in the open round, blew out the host Hill in the semis, and then knocked off the Landon School to take home the championships. UMass signee Jordan Laguerre continued to show why he could be an impact recruit in the Atlantic 10, earning MVP honors after averaging just under 20 points per game throughout the field. Also standing out was unsigned post-graduate Travis Souza, who is a six-foot-five swingman with a terrific skill set, high basketball I.Q., and the academic resume for the highest levels of admission standards.

Paul “Frosty” Francis Invitational -– Trinity-Pawling came from New York to defeat the host school, Kingswood-Oxford (Conn.), in a dramatic final. T-P’s Morgan Lee hit a driving lay-up with four seconds left to give his team a 64-63 win in the tournament final. Lee scored 23 points in the game and came away with MVP honors while teammates Blair Roberts and Pape Konteye were named to the All-Tournament Team. K-O was led by their backcourt tandem of Tylon Smith Jr. and Mike Deffley who both averaged well over 20 points per game. The third place game was no less dramatic as six-foot-seven big man Daryl Best Jr. scored with 12 seconds left to give Hamden Hall an 80-79 win over St. Luke’s, while Darren Payen finished with 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 blocked shots to earn All-Tournament Team recognition.

St. Andrew’s Holiday Classic -– St. Andrew’s School hosted some of the top AA prep schools in all of New England for their recent holiday showcase. Joining the Saints were powerhouse programs like Tilton, St. Mark’s, Brimmer & May, Cushing Academy, Winchendon, Marianapolis, Lawrence Academy, Vermont Academy, Boston Trinity, and others. With all participating teams playing one game on Friday and another on Saturday no official champion was crowned, but a steady stream of college coaches came out to see the action. Among the players that impressed the most were: Martin Dixon-Green, Marco Banegas, Zach Chionuma, Alex Murphy, Kaleb Tarczewski, Nerlens Noel, Wayne Selden, James Kennedy, Michael Carter-Williams, and Xavier Pollard.

St. Sebastian’s Holiday Basketball Tournament -– St. Sebastian’s put together one of their strongest fields in recent years for their 20th annual holiday basketball tournament. Milton Academy came away with the title after knocking off the Kent School in the final, 71-49, behind Boston College-bound big man Dennis Clifford, who came away with MVP honors. But it was far from a one-man show as Travis Sheldon scored a career high 23 points while Jesse Pagliuca added 21.

Huckins Rouse Invitational -– Brooks came away with the championship at this eight school tournament hosted by the Middlesex School, defeating Thayer Academy 53-45 in the championship game. Anthony Barry took home MVP honors after scoring 22 points in the final. Barry began the tournament with 17 points in an opening round victory over Nobles 57-30 and then followed that up with 16 points in a 58-37 win over King.

Adam Finkelstein is the founder and editor of the New England Recruiting Report and also covers recruiting in the northeast for ESPN's Scouts Inc. Adam has the rare distinction of having coached or scouted at the high school, NCAA, and NBA levels, having worked as a Division I assistant at the University of Hartford and spent three years under the NBA's director of scouting Marty Blake.