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ACTON, Mass. — At first glance, Acton-Boxborough may look like a lumbering, big team that will only play in the half court and lull you to sleep in the post with size at seemingly every position.

But once the Colonials get into the flow of a game and move the ball inside and out, you start to realize that the size also has a little hop to its step. The Colonials put that gitty-up on display last night in the Div. 1 North quarterfinals in a 63-58 win over lightning quick No. 7 Lawrence at Regan Gymnasium.

The Colonials had three players in double figures, as Kevin LaFrancis — who added 12 rebounds — and Jake Pilecki each scored 20 points. Joey Flannery contributed with 12 points, nine rebounds and four assists, as the No. 2 seed will now face Lexington in the semifinals.

“We are versatile,” said Flannery. “It was pretty much a contrast in style, so we had to pick our spots when we were running and everything. We had to try and take advantage inside against them and try to deal with their quick guards.”

Flannery himself is the ultimate measure of versatility for A-B. At 6-foot-4, Flannery is the de facto point guard and he had to deal with the quick hands of Yadoris Arias, Franklin Martinez and Leonny Burgos buzzing around trying to swipe the ball out of his mitts all night.

“When I was playing up top with the ball they were pressuring me hard,” said Flannery. “They took the ball from a couple times, but I just had to use my size to my advantage.”

There was a stretch in the third quarter when Flannery went out with foul trouble that really could have turned the tide in the Lancers (15-6) direction. Flannery went to the bench with his third personal at the 3:39 mark, and the Colonials had trouble breaking the extended pressure in the backcourt.

The Colonials played survival for that time period without much flow to the offense and held a 51-46 lead at the end of the quarter and averted a bit of disaster.

“That was a time, late in that third quarter, we give up a basket and suddenly the momentum could change,” said Colonials head coach Rick Kilpatrick. “I thought that was big.”

Pilecki Comes Up Big Again: Kilpatrick has talked over and over again about the spark that his senior captain brings to the team in the most dire of situations, and Pilecki came up big again.

With the shot clock dwindling down to two, Pilecki fired away a deep, straightaway 3-pointer and drained it to push the lead back up to 8 with a little over four minutes left to go in the game.

“I’m just going to pull it,” Pilecki said of his mindset. “It feels good. I practice shooting it deep and I’m always screwing around from deep before practice. I throw it up there and it goes in, so I guess it works.”

Lancers Cold From Outside: Lawrence relies heavily on its speed to create a nightmare matchup for anyone trying to guard it for 32 minutes. But the Lancers also use the deep ball to open up the lanes for Burgos, Martinez and Arias to play around and use their ballhandling skills to get to the rim.

The shots just weren’t falling like they were in the first round victory against St. John's Prep. The Lancers finished 1-of-17 from behind the 3-point line, eliminating a major weapon in Paul Neal’s arsenal.

“They took that away from us,” said Lawrence head coach Paul Neal. “They really took away what we were good at. We couldn’t get anything going.”

Kilpatrick switched to a zone defense in the first half and stuck with it most of the night after starting out in a man-to-man look.

“I didn’t think we were going to play a whole lot of 2-3 (zone),” said Kilpatrick. “I thought we were going to play more man. We threw it at them in the first quarter, late first quarter, and it seemed to work. We still played some man, but obviously we played a lot of 2-3 the rest of the way. I thought we did a great job in the zone of recognizing where the shooters (were).”

LAWRENCE, Mass. -- Paul Neal slouched on a bench outside the Lawrence High gymnasium, the Lancers head coach exhaling deeply after a hard-fought Division 1 North First Round battle with St. John's Prep that took on a frenetic pace. Then his wide-eyed, unsung sophomore walked by, and Neal extended his left hand for a low-five.

"Great charge, brother," Neal said softly, but with authority. "That sealed the game."

Anyone who's watched Lawrence this year is familiar with the Lancers' affinity for the run-and-gun, and against set plays. So it shouldn't come as a whole heck of a surprise that the kid driving the stake into this 80-69 win over Prep was 6-foot-4 sophomore forward Roberto Speing's crunch-time work on the glass.

Speing had four defensive boards in the fourth quarter, all of them coming in the final two minutes as the Eagles (13-8) tried to rally with a number of attempts from deep. The icing on the cake, though, was taking his third charge of the game with 1:01 left and the Lancers (15-5) leading 75-65, sliding in front of Prep's Tyler Dooley as he crashed into the lane from his right.

"I had to take it," Speing laughed. "Coach Raymond [assistant Raymond Nunez] told me I had to take three charges today, and that's what I did. That was my third one."

Neal recalled a late-night conversation with Speing earlier this season, urging him to continue working hard on the glass -- continue to "dominate the last four or five minutes with rebounding," as he put it -- in spite of the lack of attention from the public. Eventually, Neal told him, people will take notice.

Tonight might have been an eye-opener for some. On the big stage, in front of an enthusiastic capacity home crowd, Speing finished with 10 rebounds -- six in the final frame.

"I think he's finally starting to understand that," Neal said. "He's starting to get recognized. I said, 'Listen, you're the Dennis Rodman of this team. You're the guy that can put a stop on people, and seal the defense'. Tonight, I think he was the man. He rebounded when we needed rebounds."

On the offensive end, meanwhile, it was senior guard Yadoris Arias (31 points, seven rebounds) leading the way with an explosive outburst, which included a 4-of-7 effort from three-point range.

But his most crucial possession was a heady one late in the game. Charging upcourt on a fast break off a long rebound, Arias drifted to the left corner, took a kick-out pass, hesitated for a moment and then pump-faked his defender. Arias drove baseline, took a foul on his way up to a reverse layup, and hit the free throw to complete a three-point play and go up 75-65 with 1:25 left.

"It gave us a lot of momentum, it felt great," Arias said. "Bunch of young guys on the court, they're hyped, they're bringing me up. So it's just a good play."

Stumbling, he continued, "I dunno, it just feels good right now, man. I'm speechless right now. It feels good."

Seniors Franklin Martinez (nine rebounds) and Leonny Burgos both added 14 points, and senior Tre'Von Farley 11, in the winning effort for Lawrence. Prep senior Steve Haladyna finished his stellar career on a good note, finishing with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

Need for Speed: Lawrence pushed up the tempo significantly in the second quarter, leading to an 11-2 run to open, and overall it yielded some pretty favorable results. Defenders up top began strafing upcourt as soon as Prep shot went up, leading to long outlet passes. After baskets, the ballcarrier either took a long outlet on the run or brought the ball over halfcourt quickly.

That led to a number of good looks from the perimeter. Lawrence was 5-for-5 from three-point range for the quarter, three of them coming from Arias. But when Neal motioned for the troops to slow it down a bit with under three to go in the first half, the Eagles quickly mounted themselves right back into the game. Haladyna took an entry pass from freshman Marcos Echevarria and kissed a hook shot off the glass; that was followed by a tip-in and backdoor layup from Owen Marchetti.

Prep cut the lead to 41-37 at the half, but Lawrence turned up the speed again in the second half, leading 61-54 after three and never relinquishing control.

"We're not an offensive set team," Neal said. "We've got athletes, and we want to make guys keep up with us. I think execution-wise, [in the] halfcourt St. John's Prep is a much better team -- and most teams we're going to play, you know what I mean? But if we can get guys that we know can run and jump and get the game up and down, I think it favors us."

Playin' Like Jaylen: Folks around Lawrence are still talking about the Lancers' run to last year's Division 1 North final at TD Garden, after entering the tournament a No. 15 seed. Fueling that run was Jaylen Alicea, who played his way into an ESPN Boston All-State nod after averaging 30 points in five tournament games.

Arias considers Alicea a close friend, and displays many of the same characteristics -- same haircut, same chin-strap beard that's long in the chin area, similar-looking tattoos. Arias wore No. 12 last season, but has switched to Alicea's number.

"He was like a brother to me," Arias said. "When we were younger, he always had 12 and I always had 15. He left last year...so I just wanted to keep the number going and represent it well."

With 31 points tonight, Arias is off to a good start in following the momentum Alicea built in last year's tournament.

"He's playing on a mission, because I think he was in the shadows of Jaylen for years," Neal said. "They're different kinds of players, but some things are similar and they're good buddies. So I think it's his time to show he can play without those guys and still accomplish stuff as a team. There's some drive in him from that era, too."

Up Next: The No. 7 seed Lancers await the winner of Thursday night's contest between No. 2 Acton-Boxborough and No. 15 Methuen, with the game likely to be played over the weekend. A-B is the heavy favorite, but Neal said for preparation purposes "I spend a lot of time focusing on us, and then do a few simple changes."

"We want to run, and everybody knows that," Neal said. "And if you can stop that, well, good luck. We're going to try to come at you, no matter who we're playing."

LAWRENCE, Mass. — Central Catholic has won games in every kind of fashion this season. The Raiders have won on the road, at home, in different states and in holiday tournaments.

The only kind of win they haven’t had yet is a victory after a loss.

Mark that one off the list.

The Raiders followed up their first loss of the season with a 57-53 victory over host Lawrence — a team they have defeated three times this season — on Tuesday night, in a Merrimack Valley Conference matchup.

Raiders coach Rick Nault saw his team go through a couple of good practices leading up to Tuesday’s matchup, and was happy with the way his team responded from the first hiccup on the schedule.

“I think sitting in that locker room after that Lowell game, which Lowell really took it to us, each kid to a man said let’s not have this happen again,” said Nault, whose team moved to 16-1 on the season. “It’s a very determined group I’ve got. I’ve had a lot of good teams in the past, but I don’t think I’ve ever had as a hard working team as this group right here. They truly believe in each other.”

Cambio steps up: One thing that sets the Raiders apart from other teams in Eastern Mass. is the fact that they can roll out a handful of players and not miss a beat.

The latest player to step up was the 6-foot-5-inch, sophomore Nick Cambio. Cambio scored six points and finished with six rebounds (five in the second half and four of those on the offensive glass). It wasn’t all about the stats for Cambio, as he helped spark a 7-0 run to help the Raiders take a 40-30 lead in the third quarter.

Cambio fumbled a pass on the break, but hustled back on defense and blocked a Lancers’ lay-up attempt hard off the glass. He quickly got in on the play on the other end and dished off to Luis Puello for an easy bucket. Cambio also showed off his range with a corner 3-pointer, which was originally posted as two points, to cap off the run.

It’s becoming normal for Nault to see his young big man be a part of so many important victories this season.

“It seems like every big game he’s the difference,” said Nault. “Every time we beat a real, real strong team he’s the guy who kinds of shifts things for us. I thought he was the key.”

Offensive drought for Lancers: The Raiders switched to a press — something that Nault doesn’t usually deploy — in the second half for stretches and also took the Lancers top scorer in the first half, Franklin Martinez, out of his comfort zone in the first half.

Martinez, who scored two points after scoring a game-high nine in the first half, saw Puello and Lucas Hammel on him for most of the fourth quarter and the Lancers offense didn’t score a field goal for the first half of the period.

“We are going through stretches where we just aren’t getting any flow to the game,” said Lancers head coach Paul Neal, whose team is now 11-4. “They did a nice job of taking us out of the stuff we wanted to do. We are a team that has to play with rhythm, and we just couldn’t get it together.”

LAWRENCE, Mass. -- With just under six minutes to go and his team up by 8 points Friday against Andover, Lawrence’s Tre’von Farley stole the ball around the Andover three-point line and sent a long pass ahead to a sprinting Franklin Martinez.

Seeing no one in front of him, he already knew what he was going to do. He skied to the rim and threw down a one-handed drunk, bringing the home crowd to it’s feet. That put a charge into his team, which stretched its lead to double-digits in the remaining minutes, eventually leaving the gym with a 54-38 victory.

“Once I saw Tre’ get the ball, I ran,” said Martinez, who finished with 11 points, seven rebounds, and three steals. “I wanted it. It was there. I didn’t see anybody on me but I did see someone out of the corner of my eye, but then I was like, ‘Who cares?’ and threw it down.”

With the crowd behind it and a new-found energy, the Lancers (10-3) went into attack mode. On the very next Andover (8-5) possession, Yadoris Arias took the ball away from an Andover player and passed it ahead to Roberto Speing in transition. As he brought the ball into his offensive zone, he passed it to a cutting Farley, who got fouled going up for a layup.

Martinez even kicked up his aggressiveness. For a player perhaps more known for his jump shooting, he started taking the ball strong to the hoop, sometimes taking on as many as three Andover defenders to do it.

“I started taking it to the basket to be aggressive, because I knew that they are too slow, so I started attacking more,” he said. “I was getting hit, and wasn’t always getting calls (from the referees) but it’s okay because at the end of the day, we won.”

It was a productive game for the senior, who is making the most of his playing time this year after failing to see the floor much last season.

“You know what he does well? Not only is he a good shooter, but he gets to the hole and he finishes,” said Lawrence coach Paul Neal. “He has a nice little mid-range game so it’s really hard to cover him. He’s smart enough to know when he’s not hitting those shots, that he can find other ways to score.”

Complete game effort still needed: Although they ended up winning by 16, there’s a feeling within the Lawrence team that it hasn’t put a full game together yet. It puts quarters of good play together, but there hasn’t been a full 32 minutes of quality basketball played yet this season.

For example, Friday it held Andover to 13 points in the entire first half. That was with one player, Sam Dowden, scoring 10 of those 13. He finished with 16 points and 6 rebounds. Then late in the third, its lead was cut to 6 points, only to have it go back over double-digits in the fourth.

As the season rolls along, there are positive signs, but still a lot of team growth necessary, especially as the season begins to wind down.

“We always have one good half, but we haven’t put together a full game yet,” said Martinez. “From the first quarter to the fourth quarter, we haven’t done it yet. But in the fourth quarter, we always seem to come together and we seem to end up good. In the third quarter every team comes back so in the fourth quarter we just push and play more defense. Tonight in the third quarter we didn’t really play defense. It’s like we get the lead so we just slack off. In the fourth quarter, we always end up picking it up.”

Even sheet: One of the encouraging signs for Lawrence is there was no one standout scorer. Multiple players contributed to what Neal felt was a team effort. Farley lead the way with 13 points, but Martinez was right behind him with 11, while Arias had 10, and Argenis Reinoso had 6.

“It was a balanced night offensively,” said Neal. “When you have a balanced team, people can’t scout and prepare for you. Who are you going to prepare for? Who’s the big scorer? Who are you going to stop? If they all have around the same amount of points, you can’t. I like that better. I like when we score with balance and no one guy dominates. We certainly have the potential for some guys to take over on any night, but I think tonight if we did that, we might not have won the game.”

Fueled by loss: Rarely ever will a coach admit that a loss is a good thing, but in Lawrence’s case, it might have just been one. Coming into it’s Sunday matchup against Boston Cathedral, Lawrence was 8-2 and riding high in the Merrimack Valley Conference Large behind only Central Catholic. The Lancers lost 73-69 that day, showing the team that their record may not have been indicative of where they were as a team.

“A loss is never good, but I think it really shifted their mindset,” said Neal. “I think they were starting to believe that we were really good, and we’re not good. We’re a team that has to work hard to be good. For us to win, we need hard work, and I couldn’t get them to practice hard. Even going into the Lowell game (a 62-57 win on Jan. 20) we went in really frustrated.”

“The practice after that Cathedral game was terrific. We played defense. In the game after that we held Tewksbury to 24 points (in a 63-24 victory). I don’t care who you’re playing against, if you can hold them to 24 points, you must have played well defensively.”

LOWELL, Mass. -- After Lowell pulled within 3 points of Lawrence after a Corey Brown steal and layup, the Lancers were set to inbound the ball with under half a minute to go Friday.

Coming out of a timeout, Lowell coach Scott Boyle wanted his team to disguise their press as man-to-man when it really was more of a trap zone.

As the ball was inbounded to Yadoris Arias, two Lowell defenders converged on him, trapping him in the corner. He made what some would call a risky decision and sent a cross-court pass to a teammate. The pass was successful, and it was quickly pushed ahead to Tre’von Farley, who was fouled under the basket.

With the entire gym anxiously watching, knowing the outcome of the game could potentially hinge on his ability to hit one of the two free throws, Farley converted them both. Lawrence left the gym with a 62-57 victory in a crucial Merrimack Valley Conference tilt.

“I’ve been in the gym shooting free throws since our last game (a 69-67 loss against Central Catholic),” said Farley. “I was just thinking about the free throw. I was thinking, ‘Nothing’s gonna stop me from hitting these free throws,’ so I was really confident and just focused on hitting those free throws.”

Farley had 28 points and eight rebounds to lead the Lancers. He was 8-of-10 on free throws. His presence underneath was important for Lawrence (8-2) since his frontcourt mate, Roberto Speing, picked up his 4th foul early in the third quarter, forcing him to the bench.

“He played well, he was one of the only guys that played well offensively,” said Lawrence coach Paul Neal. “He was also big rebounding. He was a guy that just did a lot. He scored when we needed a big score and he got his hands on the ball.”

Lowell had no answer down low for the 6-foot-3 senior, who played with a tenacity and aggressiveness of someone bigger than his size.

“For me, I look to score and be aggressive, if not I look to pass,” Farley said. “Being aggressive tonight was successful, so every chance I got I went to the hoop and looked to score. It ended up being a good game.”

Jonathan Perez was the leading scorer for Lowell (8-3) with 23 points, including 8-of-10 from the free throw line, and 5 rebounds.

“We didn’t play well, but I think it’s also a good sign for a team,” said Neal. “It’s a road game against a very scrappy team, so to be able to get a league win, you’ve got to feel good about it.”

Going Green: Earlier in the season, Neal referenced his team’s lack of game experience as a potential pitfall for his team as the season wore on. While there are eight seniors on the team, some of them are players that did not see the floor much last season, if at all.

Although they hung on for the victory, their youthful aggression was evident early in the contest. In the first quarter, his team was called for at least four charging fouls as they were driving to the basket. It became a point of emphasis for Lowell, believing it could get an offensive foul called on most Lawrence offensive possessions if players were in position.

For every mental lapse and youthful mistake his team can make at times, Neal still likes the direction his team is headed as the focus starts to shift towards the postseason.

“I like where the team is at because I think we can improve,” he said. “Even in this game, I don’t see anything that I can look at and say we did that well. We found a way to win, which is good, but as far as execution, even defensively, we had a lot of mistakes. This team has a lot of potential to get better, so hopefully we can get it out of them.”

Streak snapped: The win snapped a five-game winning streak for Lowell and put Lawrence in second place in the MVC Large, behind cross-town rival Central Catholic. The Lancers’ only two losses on the season have come at the hands of Central. There will be another meeting on February 7. That is not lost on Lawrence, who came into the game stinging from the 2-point loss from last weekend.

“I don’t think this was a statement win,” said Farley. “I think we just came in and did what we had to do. There’s bigger teams than them. We know they’re a good team, but we’re still looking to make our statement.”

When asked if he was referencing a particular team, he simply replied, “Central Catholic.”

With many teams across the state reaching the midway point of their schedule this week, here are my mid-season picks for our annual MIAA All-State, All-Defensive, and Coach of the Year awards.

THE SUPER TEAM
G – Aaron Calixte, Jr., Stoughton
G – Steve Haladyna, Sr., St. John’s Prep
G – Tyrese Hoxter, Jr., Charlestown
F – Jake Layman, Sr., King Philip
F – Isshiah Coleman, Jr., New Mission

BEST OF THE REST
Yadoris Arias, Sr. G, Lawrence
Tyler Delorey, Sr. G, Holy Name
Matt Droney, Sr. G/F, Catholic Memorial
Joey Glynn, Sr. F, Cardinal Spellman
Leroy Hamilton, Sr. F, New Mission
Jameilen Jones, Jr. G, BC High
Kevin LaFrancis, Sr. C, Acton-Boxborough
Alex Lopez, Sr. G, Springfield Commerce
Damian Lugay, Sr. G, Weymouth
George Merry, Sr. C, Danvers
Marcus Middleton, Jr. G, Stoughton
Matt Mobley, Sr. G/F, St. Peter-Marian
Brian Mukasa, Soph. G, Sharon
Tyler Nelson, Soph. G, Central Catholic
Quinton Perkins, Sr. G, Fitchburg
Luis Puello, Sr. G, Central Catholic
Colin Richey, Jr. G, Whitinsville Christian
Kamari Robinson, Jr. F, Springfield Central
Tyrell Springer, Sr. G, Springfield Central
Michael Thorpe, Sr. G, Newton North

ALL-DEFENSIVE
G – Luis Puello, Sr., Central Catholic
G – Anthony Hodges, Sr., Holy Name
F – Jake Layman, Sr., King Philip
F – Antonio Ferreira, Sr., Stoughton
C – George Merry, Sr., Danvers

COACH OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Scott Boyle, Lowell
Hugh Coleman, Brighton
Paul Connolly, Newton North
Paul DiGeronimo, Fitchburg
John Gallivan, Stoughton
Paul Neal, Lawrence
Brendan Smith, Boston Latin
Malcolm Smith, East Boston
Mike Vaughan, Mansfield
John Walsh, Danvers

We've updated our statewide MIAA Top 25 boys basketball poll today, following an exciting week of holiday tournament basketball.

Exciting enough was the week, in fact, that we've flip-flopped the Nos. 1 and 2 spots, putting St. John's Prep atop our poll for the first time since the final poll of the 2010-2011 season. The move comes after an especially impressive week for the Eagles, who pounded defending Division 2 champ New Mission and defending New Hampshire champ Bishop Guertin in succession, at the BABC Holiday Classic at Chelsea High School.

Previous No. 1 Central Catholic falls back a spot after escaping the grasps of once-again-upstart Lawrence in the Greater Lawrence Holiday Tournament final before a raucous Lawrence High crowd on Friday night. And while the Raiders have done fine in their own right, we're giving the Eagles the edge on strength of schedule.

Making its season debut this week at No. 25 is Lawrence, which took Central Catholic to the wire three nights ago. The Lancers were last season's feel-good story, backing into Division 1 North tournament, then riding an emotional wave all the way to the TD Garden floor, where they became the first No. 15 seed since 1993 to make the Division 1 North final.

Could Paul Neal's troops be up to some more magic in 2012? Only time will tell.

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

LAWRENCE, Mass. --- It was only fitting that the championship game of the Greater Lawrence Boys Christmas Tournament involved Merrimack Valley Conference cross city rival high schools Central Catholic and Lawrence.

In a back and forth, defensively charged game it was Central Catholic guard Tyler Nelson who settled the contest for the Raiders and took charge in the fourth quarter. The poised sophomore stepped up when it mattered most to lead Central Catholic (5-0) to the 75-65 victory over Lawrence (4-1).

Nelson took home tournament MVP honors as he scored 24 points and dished out five assists, with none prettier than two precise backdoor conversions in the fourth quarter to help seal the win for Central.

“He is the smartest player I have ever had with the ball in hands,” said Central Catholic Head Coach Rick Nault of Nelson. “He makes such good decisions.”

Central Catholic was playing without senior starting point guard Luis Puello, who suffered a sprained left ankle in Wednesday's semifinal victory over Pinkerton Academy (N.H.). Despite the loss of one of the state’s premier perimeter defenders Central matched Lawrence’s defensive intensity in the first half as both teams applied perimeter pressure that forced numerous rushed shots, turnovers and a myriad of free throw attempts.

With Central Catholic leading 30-26 at the half Lawrence came out of the break and applied intense full court pressure that resulted in a momentum shift that saw the Lancers go on a 9-0 run to earn a four point lead with 2:39 remaining in the quarter.

Each time Lawrence gained momentum, however, it was the steadying play of Nelson that squelched any run. The sophomore hit two big 3-pointers in the third quarter and also had a key steal on the defensive end to give the Raiders a 47-45 lead heading into the final quarter.

In the fourth quarter it was the heady play and perfect free throw shooting of Nelson, the post offense from Doug Gemmell and the three critical steals by Mike Barry that keyed Central Catholic’s 10-point victory.

“This was our first goal of the season to win this tournament and that is what we did,” said Nelson. “It was a team effort and everyone stepped up without our best player.”

Second Half Surge: Nelson scored 20 of his game-high 24 points in the second half and went 14-for- 14 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter alone.

Nelson was perfect on the night from the free throw stripe shooting 16-for-16.

Gemmell also had a large presence in the second half as he established the post for the first time in the game and scored 14 of his 16 points after the break.

Lawrence senior guard Yadoris Arias scored all 15 of his points in the second half and provided lock down defensive pressure throughout the game.

X-Factors: Lawrence seniors Tre’von Farley and Franklin Martinez were all over the court for the Lancers on the night. The seniors impressed with their numerous hustle plays, aggressive defense and timely rebounding.

The 6-foot-3 Farley scored 15 points on the evening to go along with seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks. The 5-foot-11 Martinez chipped in with 12 points including two third quarter 3-pointers that helped propel Lawrence’s run.

All-Tournament: Nelson was named tournament MVP with Gemmell, Farley, Martinez and North Andover’s Zach Karalis rounding out the starting five. Arias was named the tournament’s 6th man award winner and Lawrence’s Roberto Speing and Central Catholic’s Shawn McCoy were named the Coaches Award’s recipients.

LAWRENCE, Mass. -- It was an ending eerily similar to a quality sports movie.

Down 11 points going into the fourth quarter Wednesday night against North Andover, in a semifinal of the Greater Lawrence Holiday tournament, any hope of a Lawrence victory was gone. They appeared defeated before actually being defeated.

One couldn’t blame the Lancers though. They had been playing from behind the whole game.

Then suddenly, a minute into the quarter, it was a 10-point game. A minute after that, it was an 8-point game. With three minutes to go, it was a 6-point game. Then, with under two minutes to go, the Lancers seized the lead to escape with a 52-47 win that puts them in Friday's final against familiar rival Central Catholic.

With each bucket, the home crowd got a bit louder. In a matter of minutes, everyone in the building, including North Andover, felt like it might not be over after all.

As the score got tighter and the all-powerful momentum was securely in the Lancers’ corner, their defensive intensity started to pick up.

Earlier in the game, Lawrence was having trouble letting North Andover players get behind them when they were pressing. After giving up transition baskets and outlet passes, the Lancers were starting to create their own points from turnovers and driving to the basket.

Leading that charge was Franklin Martinez, the 5-foot-11 senior guard, who just last year wasn’t seeing the floor for the Lancers. There he was, in arguably the biggest quarter of his high school career, and he had the ball in his hands.

When all was said and done, he had 21 points, including a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line, which all came in the final quarter.

“We wish he would do that consistently throughout the game,” said Lawrence coach Paul Neal. “We’re trying to get him to have the ball in his hands. He’s one of our better scorers. He can make things happen. He gets to the basket, he an shoot it, but sometimes I think he’s almost too unselfish. We want him to be more aggressive.”

With under a minute to go and his team down 47-46, Lawrence inbounded the ball looking to get the ball to the basket, but again, Martinez found himself with the ball in his hands. Instead of opting for the safe shot close to the basket, he popped a 3-pointer. In a fitting end to the fourth quarter, it went in, putting the Lancers up by 2 with seconds to go.

“The defender was backing off, so I just thought about shooting it,” said Martinez. “Coach is always telling me to shoot, so I just took the opportunity there.”

After a back-and-forth exchange, North Andover’s Zach Karalis stole the ball and headed back the other way. However, after he walked the ball over halfcourt, Yadoris Arias picked his pocket and found himself all alone in transition. Instead of taking it himself, he selflessly gave it up to teammate Luis Torres, who put a cap on the game with a basket, giving Lawrence the 52-47 victory.

Martinez breaks out: The game was a sort of coming out party for Martinez. One year ago, he wasn’t the team’s 6th man, 7th man, or even 12th man. In his words, he was “No man.”

“I didn’t see the court (last year), I just learned,” he said. “The coaches helped me, and the team from last year helped me a lot.”

There he was, ending the game as the leading scorer to send his team to the finals of the Greater Lawrence Christmas Tournament.

“In the first half I was nervous,” he said. “I wasn’t used to the big game feeling. In the second half, I was just zoned out. After the first couple of free throws, I was just zoned out. I didn’t hear any of the noise or anybody. I was just in the game and worked hard.”

Fervent crowd: One of the obvious advantages of hosting a holiday tournament like the Greater Lawrence Christmas Tournament is the ability to play on one's home court. If you are lucky enough to play in all three rounds of the tournament, the sixth man is on your side. The overwhelming crowd was very much a contributing factor in Lawrence’s (4-0) comeback victory, and will be again when it plays Friday.

“Just having a lot of support like that helps out,” said Ramirez. “It gets us amped. Things like hearing your name gives you pride. It makes you want to push until the end.”

Neal deferential: In the moments after the game, Neal was deflecting any of the credit from himself to his team. He credited players like Roberto Speing, who tallied 16 rebounds in the game, for doing the things a team needs to do to stay in a game.

“I told the guys I don’t think it has anything to do with coaching,” he said. “I think it had to do with a group of guys who decided they weren’t going to lose. With some of the plays they made and the things they did, they just started creating opportunities for themselves.

"They started making shots, but I think more importantly, in the second half they didn’t get much easy. They played hard. With the stuff they were giving away early in the game, they just decided to step up and started to play and with how young this team is, to have them step up and play like that, it’s a good win.”

Easing off: Early in the game, specifically in the first quarter, Lawrence was full-court pressing North Andover (3-1) and the Scarlet Knights were breaking it with ease. They were consistently getting players behind the defense and when that wasn’t working, they were passing the ball well enough to get points underneath the basket.

That forced Neal to push back the press in order to save the game from getting too out of hand. Karalis was the biggest benefactor, finishing with 13 points, while teammate Mike Moroney tallied 16 rebounds.

“I think inexperience was the biggest thing with the press,” said Neal. “We’ve had to slow down a little bit because most of the guys haven’t learned the press before and the press takes a lot of time, so we’ve scaled back on it. Last year, with the team we had, we would have been fully into the press because the guys knew it.

"We have no one on this team that knows it so we have to slowly build it. It took a little bit in the first half and kids got down about it so we had to get out of it. If you give up a layup, it kinds of break their spirit. It’s kind of like if something good happens you can stay in it, but if it doesn’t, you have to back off based on the inexperience of the team we’ve got.”

LAWRENCE, Mass. -- Sorry, no bulletin board material this time around.

A week after boldly guaranteeing a victory over BC High in an interview with ESPN Boston (his No. 8 Chelmsford Lions lost by three scores), quarterback Colby Emanouil bounced back efficiently in tonight's 42-16 win over Lawrence at Veterans Memorial Stadium. He ran, threw and caught his way to the tune of 162 total yards and two touchdowns, as the Lions won their Merrimack Valley Conference opener.

The Lions dictated the tempo right from the get go, marching 51 yards in seven plays on their first drive to score easily. Setting up the run was a 29-yard scamper by Eddie Sheridan (128 total yards, 3 total TD) off a sweep down the left sideline, breaking loose for 29 yards and running it down to the two thanks in no small part to split end Vinny Maniscalco.

Split wide to the near sideline out of a twins left I-formation, Maniscalco sustained his block 15 yards downfield and kept the Lawrence defensive back pinned towards the sideline, to open up the perimeter for Sheridan and make it a footrace. Sheridan plunged in from two yards out on the next play (with Boston College-bound linebacker Tim Joy as the lead blocker), and tapped on a two-point rush for the game's opening score with two minutes left in the first quarter.

Chelmsford scored three more times in the second quarter on a Sheridan plunge, a 30-yard Connor Brimley interception return, and a back-breaking 44-yard throwback pass from Eric Van Gelder to Emanouil, making it 29-0 headed into the half.

Spoken like a kid on double secret probation, Emanouil was all smiles yet all vanilla following the win.

"We were just looking to get our confidence back after that loss," Emanouil said. "It felt great to get our confidence back again. That's all we wanted."

The momentum swing following last week's loss to No. 3 BC High was evident tonight.

"Sometimes a loss can help you," Lions head coach Bruce Rich said. "Last week we were able to take a good look at ourselves, and we improved. We watched film from that BC game, and I thought our kids showed up with the right attitude tonight. I thought they had a good attitude last week, but we were just able to fix more things with that loss under our belt."

Said Lawrence head coach Mike Yameen, "They just played faster than us. We knew we were facing a good team, they just played faster and were a better team. We're not playing as well as I know we can, but we just lost to a better team today. That's just the bottom line."

Play of the game: Undoubtedly, Emanouil's impromptu flea-flicker (more on that in a second) shifted whatever momentum left on the fence all the way in favor of Chelmsford. The Lions came out in a four-receiver shotgun set, with three receivers in trips to the far right sideline and fullback Matt Rabbito in a three-point stance in the slot one yard off the ball.

Emanouil planted and immediately fired to Van Gelder, who started towards the left sideline like it was an end-around. The play was designed as a change-of-pace play to catch the Lancers off guard, with Van Gelder pushing north around the left side; but with the receiver in trouble, Emanouil broke off his blocking defender and hauled in a short bloop of a pass. Emanouil then reversed direction and raced to the near right pylon some 40 yards downfield, untouched, for the score.

"It wasn't designed for me at all, actually," Emanouil said. "I was supposed to be blocking over there, and I saw him struggling, so I called for the ball. Then I did my thing. It was improvised -- well-improvised."

Said Rich, "I can't tell you if it was exactly by design, with Colby finally catching the ball and running it in, but it's going to make more people work in practice. So, it worked."

Pound and stretch: Rich is known across the state for using the I Formation to pound it hard between the tackles, and tonight wasn't too much of a deviation. The Lions used primarily double-tight and twins packages; in goal line and short-yardage situations, they deployed two fullbacks and a tailback stacked linearly (known more popularly as the "Stack I" or "Maryland I"), with Joy as the lead blocker.

"That's the best play, my favorite play of the game," Joy laughed. "It just comes down to whoever's tougher, and you're not going to be tougher than me."

But in the final four minutes of the first half, the Lions abandoned that altogether and stretched the field, deploying double-slot and trips sets out of the shotgun, or in one instance putting Emanouil under center with four receivers in a diamond formation to the right.

The change of pace was efficient in the Lions' final drive of the first half, as they marched 75 yards in 41 seconds and four plays, capped with Emanouil's 44-yard touchdown reception.

"We're capable of opening up, we've always been," Rich said. "I know it's generally out of the I, running power, but we're able to open it up. Our quarterback is dangerous, he's got good wheels. We're able to run with him, and we've got some pretty good receivers as well. We got protection tonight [too], which I thought was good."

Happy feet, red zone miscues: To accomodate for its lack of size, Lawrence deploys a run-and-shoot scheme, with undersized quarterback Nathan Baez (5-foot-3, 145 pounds) executing bubble screens to the flats, and running backs like Kelvin Severino motioning from either slot and taking a jet sweep handoff.

Coupled with constant pre-snap movement, it's a scheme that keeps you on your toes. But the Lions countered with plenty of movement of their own, with linebackers Joy, Joey Christopher and Corey Everleigh hopping back and forth, and the secondary disguising Cover-2 at times to look like a Cover 0.

"I think when you face the spread offense, you really have to disguise, mix things up up front," Rich said. "They're trying to read from upstairs and tell the people down below what to call, so with all the movement in the secondary and up front, that causes confusion, and I thought it worked tonight.

One of the more commonly-voiced flaws about spread attacks is that they break down in the red zone. The Lancers were certainly able to move the ball, putting up 110 yards at the half to Chelmsford's 176; but twice they had the ball inside the Lions' 20 yard line, and both times they turned the ball over.

Harrington's mix and match: Senior defensive end Brett Harrington is one of the most versatile players on the defensive side of Chelmsford's squad, with his agility as a basketball center allowing him to shade outside in a two-point stance; play a five technique outside the tackles; or kick down to the nose, and shoot the A-gap. And at 6-foot-3 and a lean 220 pounds, he can overpower with force and speed.

It's a welcome change for a guy who before last year's switch to a 3-4 had spent his whole career in a two-point stance.

"Last year, we put him down in that d-tackle spot, and he took to it," Rich said of Harrington. "It was fantastic. He only played three football games for us last year (due to injury), but I think he's as good as they come. He's got great size, great agility. He plays basketball, he's a center on the basketball team, he's a main factor for us on that defensive line. He wreaks havoc, gets his hands up and can change directions and track quarterbacks."

Promise in secondary: Yameen had to be encouraged by the play of senior Demitiro Leonardo at safety. The 5-foot-9 senior was efficient in the second half, coming up with a few jarring stops in run support and keeping a few passes from turning into big gains with a few big hits.

"We had specific keys on them, tendencies we saw on film, which we didn't cover in the first half," Yameen said. "But he did a nice job tonight."

Fire it up: Just before kickoff, Lawrence emerges from the locker room with a lance, a spear and a sledgehammer. The players carrying those items are awarded them as "hit sticks" and "battle sticks" for delivering the game's best hit. The sticks were made a few years ago by an alum, according to Yameen.

"We got fired up tonight," Yameen said. "But after tonight, we've got to go back to the drawing board, see what we can do."

CHELMSFORD 42, LAWRENCE 16

CHM (3-1, 1-0 MVC) 8 21 0 13 --- 42
LAW (2-2, 1-1 MVC) 0 0 0 16 --- 16

First Quarter
C - Eddie Sheridan 2 run (Tim Joy rush) 2:02

Second Quarter
C - Sheridan 5 run (Charlie Calenda kick) 8:08
C - Connor Brimley 30 interception return (Calenda kick) 7:09
C - Colby Emanouil 44 pass from Eric Van Gelder (Calenda kick) 0:00

Fourth Quarter
C - Sheridan 22 pass from Emanouil (Calenda kick) 9:33
L - Joel Rodriguez 32 pass from Nathan Baez (Brian Montero-Ford rush) 5:41
C - Jeff D'Auria 2 run (kick failed) 2:22
L - Tim Lemasurier 85 kickoff return (Bobby Sullivan pass from Baez) 2:04

Friday
NO. 9 CHELMSFORD (2-1) AT LAWRENCE (2-1)
The Skinny: Is Chelmsford reeling after last week’s 35-14 loss to BC High? Hardly. Eddie Sheridan was impressive out of the backfield, and if not for a few special teams breakdowns the game would have been closer. The Tim Joy-led defense finds itself in another challenge this week, as the Lancers were one of the MVC’s higher-scoring teams before a 21-0 shutout by Lowell last Friday. They boast a promising back in Kelvin Severino.
Scott Barboza: With the new-look Lions' offense, this could turn into a track meet. I'm going to go a little more conservative though. Chelmsford, 31-24.
Brendan Hall: Neither of these teams is afraid to spread the ball around, which means we could have a high-scoring affair. Chelmsford, 38-35.

No. 13 CATHOLIC MEMORIAL (1-1) AT BISHOP GUERTIN (N.H.) (3-1)
The Skinny: The last time the Knights made the drive up to Nashua to face this Granite State power was a forgettable trip – a dominating 52-13 Guertin win. This time? Once again, we’re not sure. The Gaels have outscored the opposition 91-20 in the three games since getting shut out opening weekend to juggernaut Pinkerton. Meanwhile, the Knights finally scored themselves some badly-needed momentum in Shrewsbury after holding off St. John’s for their first win of the year.
Barboza: I think this game has fourth-quarter field goal written all over it. Guertin 23-20.
Hall: Since the Pats are traveling to Oakland on Sunday, I have some fitting advice for the Knights: Just Win, Baby. CM, 28-20.

BILLERICA (2-1) AT NO. 22 DRACUT (2-1)
The Skinny: Nick LaSpada and the Indians have struggled to score points of late. On the other hand, Peter Salem has recovered from his early season injury and leads a physical offensive line that is able to control a game in the trenches. And, of course, the MIddie can spread 'em out, too.
Barboza: Same old story for the Indians, unfortuately. Dracut, 12-7.
Hall: If we ever venture into doing an ESPNBoston Lunch Pail Award, I think Zach Bassett would have a stranglehold on the Watch List. Dracut, 13-7.

ST. SEBASTIAN’S (1-0) AT BB&N (0-1)
The Skinny: The Arrows were off to an impressive start with a 34-0 blanking of Nobles & Greenough on Saturday to get their ISL season started with Sam Hodgson and Brendan Daly each scoring two touchdowns. On the other hand, BB&N found itself in unfamiliar territory with the Knights' first loss to Belmont HIll in four years after a second-half comeback by the Hillies.
Barboza: Chris Coady gets the Knights headed in the right direction by using what else? His feet.BB&N, 16-10.
Hall: When was the last time the Knights lost two in a row under John Papas? BB&N, 20-12.

Saturday
ST. PETER’S PREP (N.J.) (1-2) AT NO. 3 BC HIGH (2-1)
The Skinny: The Eagles hope to play better than the last time they played a New Jersey foe - a loss to DePaul Catholic - and welcome St. Peter's Prep, the last time to defeat vaunted Don Bosco Prep in the Garden State. BC High bounced back with a huge win over Top 10 opponent Chelmsford last week.
Barboza: Homefield advantage plays dividends in this one. The Eagles will be rested and ready. BC High, 20-17.
Hall: Another game the Eagles circled on their calendar long ago. You best believe they’re circling the wagons for this one. BC High, 31-28.

NO. 1 EVERETT (3-0) AT BARNSTABLE (2-1)
The Skinny: The top-ranked Crimson Tide currently hold the state’s third-longest active winning streak (15 games) and have outscored the opposition 124-25 in the first three games of the season. But the Red Raiders might be their best test through the air yet. Quarterback D.J. Crook is inching closer to the state’s all-time passing touchdown record, and has been distributing the ball evenly to a number of athletic targets. Defensively, the Raiders have been living on the edge the last few weeks, beating Sandwich by two last week after losing by one to Dennis-Yarmouth, but are active in the secondary.
Barboza: Let's make sure we have an extra set of light bulbs for the scoreboard just in case. Everett, 30-21.
Hall: …And they’ll still talk about being rusty. Everett, 40-20.

NO. 6 WEYMOUTH (3-0) AT NEEDHAM (2-1)
The Skinny: This might be the game of the season on Saturday at Memorial Park. The Wildcats come into town having not lost a Bay State Conference contest since Thanksgiving 2009, and boast a very talented backfield led by Ozzy Colarusso, Khary Bailey-Smith, Cam McLevedge and sophomore Derrell Fernandez. But Needham is talented in its own right between quarterback Drew Burnett, tight end Mark Riley, and a well-stocked receiving corps. The Rockets are OK with flying under the radar, but it's hard to ignore their talents.
Barboza: The difference could come on defense for the Wildcats with inside linebacker Jon Hachey averaging over 16 tackles per game. Weymouth, 27-26.
Hall: All week long, coach David Duffy has been hammering home to his kids to play mistake-free. I’ve got to keep rolling the dice here, but these are cerebral kids, and always well-coached on defense. Needham, 21-13.

No. 19 NASHOBA (3-0) at NO. 24 HOLY NAME (2-1)
The Skinny: The No. 19 Chieftains have been rolling to start the season, but hit the injury bug last week with Trevor Wyand leaving during a 33-0 win over Algonquin. Still, between the rushing attack led by Carroll Bailey and Jon Ojukwu, and one of the state’s fastest-rising prospects in junior linebacker Zach Hume, this is a Nashoba squad not to be taken lightly. Meanwhile the Naps are no pushover themselves, with an led by Quron Wright and Anthony Hodges.
Barboza: Wright is one of the most explosive players I've seen this year. Holy Name, 22-20.
Hall: Are we allowed to make references to “The Bodybag Game” on a high school page? Because I think Herschel Walker might be taking snaps by the third quarter. Holy Name, 22-21.

LYNN ENGLISH (2-1) AT SWAMPSCOTT (3-0)
The Skinny: The Bulldogs endured a crushing comeback bid by Beverly last week and things don't get any easier with a trip over to Swampscott. Lynn English quarterback Jermaine Kelley has shown flashes of brilliance, but turnovers were a problem last week. But be rest assured that the former Big Blue gridder would like nothing better than to hold bragging rights over his old mates. Big Blue quarterback Mike Walsh also leads an opportunistic, ball-hawking secondary from the strong safety position.
Barboza: Walsh is the difference. It'll be his usual 100-yard passing, 100-yard rushing and one pick performance. Can we call it a Mike Walsh hat trick? Swampscott, 33-20.
Hall: I wouldn’t be surprised if these two squads combined for over 1,000 yards of offense. Both these quarterbacks sling it out there. But after last weekend, I like Swampscott’s defense better in the crunch time. Swampscott, 41-38.

NEW BEDFORD (2-1) AT NO. 8 BRIDGEWATER-RAYNHAM (2-1)
The Skinny: B-R turned in what head coach Dan Buron called the most complete performance of the season thus far for the Trojans during last week's win over Marshfield, while the Whalers had a long day against No. 2 Duxbury. However, New Bedford can present some matchup problems for B-R, especially with scat back Marcel DePina operating in the open field; he's tough to catch. Look for this to be an intense battle between two young, but physical offensive lines.
Hall: Did I hear that right, Buron ran a trips formation on Saturday?!?!? Yeesh. Next you’ll be telling me the Red Sox went 7-20 in September. B-R, 23-10.
Barboza: Yeah, Brendan. That wasn't a dream. (Gulp.) B-R, 27-20.

HOW WE'RE DOING



BARBOZA
Last Week: 8-2
Overall: 29-9

HALL
Last Week: 7-3
Overall: 25-13

The best and brightest from a helter-skelter Week 1 of MIAA football:

A RAM-BUNCTIOUS UPSET
Catholic Memorial plummets 15 spots to No. 19 after getting shut out 24-0 at Marshfield, and today there is undoubtedly some intense conversation going down on Baker Street. But to totally make the story about the heavily-favored Knights failing to get out of first gear is to forget what a well-coached team Marshfield is.

As we predicted last Thursday, this was going to be a bad matchup for the Knights. The talk at CM is often centered around its four BCS commits in Armani Reeves, Cam Williams, A.J. Doyle and Donovan Henry, while the line is considered a weakness in spite of its size.

Let's not forget that Marshfield is one of the South Shore's more historic programs over the last two decades (Sean Morey, Austin Giles, anyone?). For as long as we can remember, Lou Silva has been running an unorthodox Wing-T scheme and has always been strong in the trenches. Think back 10 years ago when Sean Morris was the Rams' feature back, and remember that every starter on that line went on to earn a college scholarship. Like those gritty Acton-Boxborough squads of the early 2000s, year after year the Rams' emphasis has been on beating you at the point of attack not with size, but speed.

For the Knights, who have garnered a lion's share of preseason hype the past few seasons, a hard lesson was learned. Games are still won on grass, not paper.

BE ON GUARD FOR ST. PETE
St. Peter-Marian debuts in the poll this week at No. 23 after scoring one of the more significant victories west of I-495 traveling up to Crocker Field and taking down a Quinton Perkins-less Fitchburg squad, 20-6. Those in the know will tell you it's far from an upset.

Could we be headed for a return to the golden era of Jerry Azumah, Ricky Appiah and the late legendary coach Owen Kilcoyne? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. Still, the Guardians certainly have some talent that is blooming late, but worth your consideration.

Senior defensive end Jordan Knowles is a force coming off the edge at 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, able to overpower with a bull rush but also come across the face with a shifty swim move. He racked up two sacks and nine tackles in the loss, and barring injury could end up with 12 to 15 this season. Meanwhile, the Guardians were stout in the secondary, with Roosevelt Westbrook, Tyler Kmon, and Jonathan Harrigan all coming up with a pick each. Tre Watson, a star during basketball season, is another key cog.

But the sleeper of the bunch might be senior quarterback Steve Flynn, who threw for 240 yards and two scores, and also led the way defensively with 11 tackles from the defensive end spot opposite Knowles. This is Flynn’s first season as the full-time starter under center, and he’s still somewhat new to the sport (he didn’t pick up a football until his sophomore year).

You might remember his older brother Frankie –- a baseball standout at SPM, and one of the stars of the 2002 Jesse Burkett squad that lost to Louisville, Ky. in the Little League World Series final –- and the apple hasn’t fallen too far. At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, Steve is an imposing force on the mound for the Guardians’ baseball squad, with a fastball that has touched 90 miles per hour.

On the gridiron, though, he’s just as intimidating.

“He’s definitely the real deal,” Guardians head coach Tom Henrickson said of Flynn. “He’s thrown the ball 75 yards downfield. It’s insane. You have to see his arm to appreciate it. He’s thrown a 20-yard out from the short side of the field all the way across, and it’s a laser. You just don’t see that in high school football, he’s a real good one.”

Not to mention, Flynn will be a tough one to tackle this season. While he runs a 4.9 40-yard dash, he also reportedly benches upwards of 350 pounds, one of several reasons he’s just starting to get Division 1 looks.

“He’s not fast, but he’s not slow either,” Henrickson said. “People go to sack him, you try and grab him and he just tosses you…[against Fitchburg] our running back didn’t pick up a blitz, so he took a sack once, but it took four guys to take him down. He’s like an unknown commodity.”

ANOTHER NAIL-BITER, ANOTHER CLASSIC
Once again, the Central Mass clash between St. John's of Shrewsbury and Holy Name went down to the wire. And, once again, the Pioneers emerged victorious over the Naps.

What also was displayed in the annual rite of autumn, in rare form, was the gut and determination of Mike Pucko's team to overcome what they might lack in depth. With an unseasonably warm day and playing on artificial turf at Assumption College, the matchup was a battle of attrition. Pucko commented postgame that his team was "gassed" by halftime.

"We knew we were going to be in for a long second half," he told Scott Barboza on Saturday.

With many of his players running on empty by the third quarter, three of the Naps starters would be taken to the hospital by ambulance while fighting dehydration. Lineman Sean Zuromsky was overcome by the heat at the end of the third. After receiving a double-team block from the Pioneers offensive line, Zuromsky doubled over, face first into the turf, unable to breathe.

"He was so dehydrated, his mouth was white," Pucko said.

Outsiders might think it extreme, the savagery of a brutal game, which football can be. But the underlying truth is that pound-for-pound, Holy Name teams remain toughest team in the state. Pucko gets his players to show up and play, no matter who the opponent, no matter what the circumstance.

That doesn't necessarily fit into the "What We Learned" category, but it's worth reaffirming.

CRIMSON CHURNING
The feeling among the Everett contingent following last Friday’s 47-12 win over Leominster was not of satisfaction, to say the least.

“We take good out of it, but we have a long way to go,” quarterback Jonathan DiBiaso said.

“There are a lot of things we need to improve upon,” said his father, long time head coach John DiBiaso.

Fact: right now, there isn’t a player in the No. 1 Crimson Tide’s program at the talent level of either of its graduated wide receivers Matt Costello (Princeton) and Manny Asprilla (Boston College), considered two of the greatest in program history.

But here’s another fact: The Tide could have put up 60 on Friday if not for a few drops in the end zone. Jakarrie Washington and Jaylen McRae are two potential home-run threats with burners (filling Costello’s deep-ball role) while Kenny Calaj and Vondell Langston are tough to bring down, when taking handoffs out of the backfield or coming over the middle (much like Asprilla’s role there).

Consider Everett’s new batch of receivers like a baseball glove. It’s going to take a few games to get broken in.

But when they’re broken in, look out.

DEFENSE IS KING
As much as folks might dwell on the 42 points the Eagles posted on the Boxers at Viola Stadium, equally if not more impressive was the true shutout the BC High defense posted.

The Eagles' defense thrives behind junior middle linebacker Luke Catarius, who again set the tone with 15 tackles, including three for a loss, along with 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries.

"We just really practiced the coverages and where they set up," Catarius told ESPN Boston correspondent Adam Kurkjian on Friday. "I just read my keys well and made the plays."

Easier said than done, but the Eagles were effective in shutting down the Boxers' ground game behind Josh Brewster and quarterback Paul Mroz was held to completing just two passes for 10 yards with an interception.

The Eagles simply never Brockton in the game.

BIG WEEKEND FOR THE SMALL
The Merrimack Valley Small went 4-1 on this opening weekend, including eye-opening upsets by Lawrence (33-14, over then-No. 17 Reading) and Dracut (13-7, over then-No. 12 St. John’s Prep). If you can recall, the Small had another strong start a season ago, but this time around the feeling is that momentum will stick.

By now, Dracut’s read-option attack is a well-oiled machine, and despite some obvious signs of rust – and without returning MVC lineman of the year Peter Salem due to injury – the Middies sold play fakes well and at times took the outside lanes at will. It’s also got a strong junior class led by quarterback Jimmy Ryan and running back/linebacker Zach Bassett.

For anybody that saw Reading this summer or in scrimmages, this Lawrence upset comes as a surprise. The Rockets are stout at the line of scrimmage and feature a core of youngsters that is talented in spite of its inexperience. But what the Lancers lack in size they more than make up for in speed, and that should make waves in this spread-happy conference.

Some predicted a drop-off at Methuen after the graduation of Cal Carroll and Raudy Minaya, and the departure of head coach Pat Graham. But they’ve picked up right where they left off, with quarterback Eric Lacroix racking up nearly 300 yards of total offense and having a hand in every score, as the Rangers exacted revenge on Plymouth North with a 27-13 win.

And last but not least, Haverhill snapped a 32-game losing streak forcefully, with an impressive 39-12 win over a Malden squad that isn’t as thin as some people are saying. The Hillies reportedly took it to Central Catholic in a preseason scrimmage, so don’t be surprised if they make some noise when it comes to the gauntlet that is the MVC slate. It’s too early to predict hypothesize on the chances of their first postseason berth since 2002, but this will be a fun team to watch.

STREAKING NO MORE
While Auburn extended its state best 37-game winning streak on Friday, Eastern Massachusetts' longest football winning streak came to an end for Gloucester. The Fishermen's 26-game winning streak was derailed by a motivated Lynn English team at the Manning Bowl.

Bulldogs quarterback Jermaine Kelley went off for six touchdowns and 279 yards while earning ESPN Boston Player of the Week honors for Week 1. Kelley, a transfer from Swampscott, spread the ball around with Josh Batista accounting for four touchdowns and top target Malcolm Brown-Simpson, a Pope John transfer, providing big-play potential to the aerial attack.

Lynn English head coach Peter Holey wasn't about to get ahead of himself even after the victory, adding that there's a long way to go before deeming the season a success during practice in Lynn on Monday afternoon. However, with a talented offense led by Kelley and a talented running back in senior P.J. Dorsey, the Bulldogs will be worth watching all season long.

BAROMETER OF THE WEST?
Springfield's Putnam High beat previously ranked Central (No. 20 in preseason poll) on Friday, showing that the Beavers are the early favorites to claim the Division 2 crown in Western Mass. While the Division 1 race out West always runs through Longmeadow, the question is who will be the team to stand up to the Lancers this year?

We think Central can still be that team -- this weekend's test against No. 1 Everett will be an every greater indication -- but Putnam could serve as a great measuring stick. With a schedule that includes Westfield, Chicopee and West Springfield, the Beavers should prove a barometer as to who can take the fight to Longmeadow. After all, that is because Putnam might be the best team in Western Mass not named the Lancers.

Courtesy Bay State Games media relations director Peter Cohenno:

BASEBALL
Bentley University – Waltham, MA

Northeast 8, Metro 5

Northeast opened the first inning with four quick runs and hung onto their early lead, going on to defeat Metro by an 8-5 margin.

Metro scored once in the first inning, followed by scoreless second and third innings for both squads. Northeast answered in the fourth inning, with a double by sophomore second baseman Riley Warnock (North Reading, North Reading HS), who stole third base as well. Junior catcher Brendon Canavan (Carlisle, Concord Carlisle) and junior shortstop Jenssy Troncoso (Salem, Salem HS) both crossed the plate, increasing the lead to 6-1.

Metro kept working to battle back in the fourth inning with another sole unearned run scored by junior second baseman Adam Lucey (Malden, Malden HS).

The squads traded two runs each in the fifth inning. Northeast earned its runs on a series of three singles by junior Hector Perez (Lawrence, Lawrence HS), junior first baseman Sean Glabicky (Peabody, Malden Catholic), and junior catcher Brendon Canavan (Carlisle, Concord Carlisle). Metro answered with a single by sophomore catcher Jake Porrazzo (Medford, Malden Catholic) and an unearned run by junior catcher Connor Murray (Lexington, Lexington HS).

Metro held Northeast scoreless through the sixth. Metro’s junior first baseman Robert Wesoloski (Arlington, Arlington Catholic) singled up the middle during the bottom of the sixth, going on to earn Metro’s fourth run of the game. However, it wasn’t enough to overtake Northeast’s commanding lead.

Northeast pitcher, sophomore Scott Tully (Reading, Reading HS), picked up the win, allowing four runs in as many innings, and striking out four batters. He was buoyed by closer junior Ben Panunzio (Middleton, Masconomet Reg. HS), who allowed one run and struck out one in the final two innings.

Southeast 7, Central 6

Junior second baseman Chuckie Connors (Hingham, Boston College HS) went 3-for-3 with a walk, RBI and two runs scored and helped ignite a comeback in the bottom of the sixth inning that lifted Southeast over Central, 7-6.

Southeast scored four runs in the first two innings to take control of the game, 4-0. In the first, batting in the leadoff spot, Connors walked and then came around to score on a double by junior first baseman Phil Sciretta (Duxbury, Nobles and Greenough). With two outs, sophomore leftfielder Cameron Hanley (Walpole, Walpole HS) singled up the middle to drive in Sciretta and junior designated hitter Will Cousins (Medfield, Medfield HS) followed with a base hit to score Hanley. Southeast tacked on an unearned run in the second.

Central took a big bite out of the deficit in the fourth with three runs. After a pair of walks, junior designated hitter Andrew Montiverdi (Worcester, Worcester Tech HS) singled to right center to push home junior catcher Daniel Whigham (Barre, Quabbin Reg HS). With two outs, junior right fielder Thomas Paine (Upton, Nipmuc Reg HS) singled to right to drive in Montiverdi and junior third baseman Sam Ashline (Clinton, Nashoba Reg HS).

Southeast added a buffer with a run in the fifth to make it 5-3. Junior designated hitter Sean Greene (Hingham, Hingham HS) tripled to left center to drive in junior leftfielder Jake Petruzzelli (Abington, South Shore Voc Tech HS).

Despite trailing the entire game, Central battled back to snatch the lead, 6-5, in the sixth inning. After a double by junior designated hitter Matt Leahey (Rutland, Wachusett Reg HS) put runners on second and third, sophomore first baseman Zackary Tower (Auburn, Auburn HS) doubled to right center to knock in both runners. A costly error with two outs allowed Tower to come around to put Central on top.

Southeast recaptured the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. Junior centerfielder Nick Ahearn (Norfolk, Xaverian Bros HS) earned a walk to start the inning and came home on a triple by Connors to tie the game. However, Connors got cut down at home on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Adams later in the frame. After advancing on the play, Adams scored the winning run on a single to right by Sciretta, who was 2-for-4.

Junior pitcher Connor Farrell (Hopkinton, Hopkinton HS) earned the save after he was able to escape the seventh inning unscathed despite surrendering a leadoff walk.

West 10, Coastal 3

Junior centerfielder John Kinne (Great Barrington, Monument Mountain) went 2-for-4 with five RBI and two runs scored to pace the West’s offense on the way to a decisive 10-3 victory.

Coastal’s sophomore centerfielder Dan Doughtery (Pembroke, Boston College HS) tallied the first run off a ground out from sophomore first baseman Zachary Perry (Rochester, Tabor Academy). Junior shortstop Jake Salpietro (Berkley, Somerset HS) scored an unearned run after, which would prove to be Coastal’s last run until the seventh inning.

West took command of the game in the second inning when its offense was ignited by a two-run triple from Kinne. West scored four runs on four hits in the frame.

West maintained control of the game’s momentum into the third and fourth innings, scoring another six runs. Junior centerfielder John Kinne (Great Barrington, Monument Mountain) contributed to the team’s offense once again, with a three-run double to left field. Junior rightfielder Anthony Nomakeo (Westfield, Westfield HS) contributed as well, driving home Kinne.

West stretched their lead by another two runs in the fourth inning after junior first baseman Brenden Geary (South Hadley, Tabor) and junior shortstop Frank Crinella (East Longmeadow, Cathedral HS) both scored on Coastal errors.

Coastal’s offensive was quelled by a stellar performance by West junior pitcher Steve Moyers (East Longmeadow, East Longmeadow HS). He pitched the first five innings, facing 18 batters and allowing only two runs. His reliever, junior Joelfi Arias (Springfield, Central HS), finished off Coastal, allowing only one run in two innings of work.

Southeast 12, Metro 8

Southeast had five batters with multiple-hit efforts led by Walpole High School sophomores Johnny Adams (Walpole, Walpole HS), who went 4-for-5 with four runs scored, and leftfielder Cameron Hanley (Walpole, Walpole HS), who was 2-for-4 with a walk, three RBI and two runs, in a 12-8 victory over Metro.

Junior first baseman Sean Greene (Hingham, Hingham HS), junior catcher Will Cousins (Medfield, Medfield HS) and sophomore designated hitter Mark Poli (Medfield, Nobles and Greenough) each reached base three times with two hits and a walk for Southeast.

Southeast jumped out to an 11-0 advantage before Metro was able to claw back and make it interesting with two runs in the fifth and six in the bottom of the seventh.

Sophomore Andrew Dawson (Medway, Medway HS) earned the win on the hill for Southeast, going three shutout innings while allowing just one hit and fanning three.

THE STARTING ROTATION

Adam Ravenelle, Sr. RHP, Lincoln-Sudbury
The 6-foot-4, 185-pound fireballer was an integral part of the Warriors' run to the Division 1 state championship this season, going 8-0 with 93 strikeouts in 56 innings -- including a career-high 18 in a win over Arlington. He also batted .481 with 44 RBIs. Earlier this month, the Vanderbilt-bound Ravenelle was drafted in the 44th round by the New York Yankees.

Pat Connaughton, Sr. RHP, St. John’s Prep
The 6-foot-4 Connaughton, who was also a starter on ESPNBoston's inaugural All-State basketball squad, strung together some dominant performances this season, including a no-hitter against his hometown Arlington High. On the mound, he went 2-2 with one save, with 86 strikeouts in 50 innings for an ERA of 1.83. At the plate, he also hit .400 with four home runs, a .547 on-base percentage and .750 slugging percentage. Earlier this month, Connaughton was drafted in the 38th round by the San Diego Padres

John Gorman, Sr. RHP, Catholic Memorial
The Boston College-bound Gorman was named the state's Gatorade Player of the Year last month, and was also named the Catholic Conference MVP, after a stellar senior season with the Knights. As the No. 1 ace, Gorman went 6-2 with 80 strikeouts and an ERA of 0.24. At the plate, he also hit .354 with 11 RBI, 14 runs scored an a home run. Earlier this month, the Norwood resident was drafted in the 50th round by the Boston Red Sox.

Steve Moyers, Jr. LHP, East Longmeadow
One of the state's most elusive lefties, Moyers turned in another strong campaign on the mound as the Spartans advanced to the Division 1 West Final. He went 8-1 this season, with 88 strikeouts in 64 innings with an ERA of 0.44. For his career, Moyers is 23-2 and has averaged better than a strikeout per inning. He is receiving various interest from Division 1 schools in the Atlantic-10, Patriot League and Big East conferences.

Garrison Banas, Sr. LHP, Hopkins Academy
Stats-wise, there isn't another pitcher in the state who can lay claim to the numbers Banas put up this season. He went 9-2 this season for the Golden Hawks, with 173 strikeouts in 87.2 innings for an ERA of 0.48, before bowing out in the Division 3 West final. For his career, Banas was 26-6 with five no-hitters and a perfect game, and is in the state's ever-exclusive 400-strikeout club with 415 career K's. He will pursue a post-graduate season next year at Salisbury School, in Connecticut.

STARTING NINE

Matt Walsh, Sr. C, Plymouth North
The Franklin Pierce-bound Walsh was one of the more intimidating hitters in the region this season, as he led the Eagles to their second Division 2 state title in four years by hitting over .530 with 36 RBIs. But the most outstanding stat on Walsh has to be the respect he commands behind the plate. Counting the playoffs, only five runners attempted to steal on Walsh, and four were thrown out.

Chris McCarthy, Jr. C, Everett
Equipped with a live arm, the junior backstop was as efficient at the plate as he was at throwing out runners, batting over .585 with 28 RBIs and an on-base percentage close to .700. McCarthy is receiving varied degrees of interest from Division 1 schools in the Big East, Atlantic Coast and Atlantic 10 conferences.

Mike Barry, Sr. C/OF, Lincoln-Sudbury
The 6-foot-2 Barry was one of the most prolific hitters on arguably the state's most dangerous lineup, as the Warriors captured their third state title in seven seasons. For the season, he hit .437 with 38 RBIs and seven home runs,

Matt O'Neil, Jr. SS, East Longmeadow
As one of the premier position players in Western Mass, O'Neil turned in a solid junior season for the Spartans, batting .447 with six home runs and stealing 15 bases. He was also efficient on the mound, going 6-1 and striking out 69 batters in 43 innings. O'Neil is verbally committed to UConn.

Chris Shaw, Jr. 1B, Lexington
As the Middlesex League co-MVP alongside teammate Will Marcal, Shaw put on a clinic at the plate, with the numbers to show. He batted over .490 with eight home runs, and plated 41 runs. Shaw is verbally committed to Boston College.

Ryan Summers, Jr. C, Westfield
The junior got off to an explosive start to the season for the Bombers, with 21 RBIs and six home runs through the first three weeks of the season. He finished the year with 27 RBIs and six home runs.

Jarrod Casey, Jr. OF/LHP, Milford
The latest in a line of Caseys to succeed on the diamond at Milford, the 5-foot-11 junior was one of the premier hitters in Central Mass, hitting .530 while also going 8-1 on the mound. Casey was also the Mid-Wach A Most Valuable Player.

Lorenzo Papa, Sr. 1B, Arlington Catholic
The Stoneham resident led the state in home runs last season with 10, and followed up with another solid campaign in 2011, finishing with eight homers for the Cougars. Papa will continue his career at the University of Rhode Island next year.

Sean Amaru, Sr. 1B, Westwood
Also a star on the gridiron, Amaru was a standout in the Tri-Valley League in 2011, turning in a monster season. He batted .515 with 34 RBIs, and also led the state in home runs with 10.

BULLPEN
Will Archibald, Sr. RHP, Milton
Freddy Andujar, Sr. LHP, Holyoke
Dan Dymecki, Sr. RHP, Wellesley
Evan Mackintosh, Sr. LHP, Northbridge
Will Marcal, Sr. LHP, Lexington
Ryan McDonald, Jr. LHP, Acton-Boxborough
Victor Mendez, Sr. RHP, Lawrence
Donny Murray, Sr. RHP, BC High
Matt Tulley, Jr. RHP, Lowell
Brandon Walsh, Jr. RHP, North Andover

UTILITY
Charlie Butler, Jr. IF/RHP, Nashoba
Dan Cellucci, Jr. SS, Lincoln-Sudbury
Aaron Fossas, Sr. SS, Holy Name
Matt Goreham, Sr. 1B, Catholic Memorial
Keith Kelley, Sr. SS, St. John's (Shrewsbury)
Dan Light, Sr. 1B, St. John's (Shrewsbury)
Bob Melley, Jr. C, BC High
Rory O'Connor, Jr. OF, Lowell
Tyler Sterner, Sr. SS, Doherty
Ramses Vittini, Sr. OF, Peabody
Alex Witkus, Sr. OF, North Attleborough
Paul Yanakopulos, Sr. SS, Malden Catholic

Following last weekend's MIAA state championships, we have updated the ESPNBoston MIAA Top 25 Poll for the final time in 2011. And perhaps it should come as no shock that Division 1 champion Lincoln-Sudbury (preseason No. 2) and Division 2 champion Plymouth North (preseason No. 15) finished 1-2 in the rankings.

The rest of the poll? A thorough crapshoot.

We decided to be bold with this final poll and put previously unranked Franklin at No. 3. The Panthers, who snuck into the Division 1 South tournament at 12-8 and promptly hammered their way to the Eastern Mass Final, were a terrific feel-good story. Their own head coach, Dave Niro, even went on record saying he wasn't sure the team was capable of winning 10 games, let alone a district.

St. John's Prep and St. John's of Shrewsbury round out the top five, while Northbridge (7) and North Andover (10) join previously-unranked Acton-Boxborough (6), Xaverian (8) and Lawrence (9) in the Top 10. A record 13 teams are in the final poll that were unranked in the final regular season poll last month.

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

We're sure you're going to have lots to say on this one.