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The United States Hockey League held its entry draft tonight and there was plenty of New England flavor to the proceedings.

Here's the rundown of those selected by overall selection:

2. Muskegon - Adam Gilmour, RW, Hanover, Mass., Noble and Greenough.

7. Sioux City - Cam Brown, C, Natick, Mass., New Hampshire Junior Monarchs.

10. Waterloo - Chris Calnan, RW, Norwell, Mass., Noble and Greenough.

23. Omaha - Alex Rauter, RW, Morristown, NJ, Choate Rosemary Hall.

29. Indiana - Brian Morgan, C, Windham, N.H., New Hampshire Junior Monarchs.

32. Muskegon - Ben Foster, LW, Darien, Conn., Choate Rosemary Hall.

37. Cedar Rapids - Gavin Bayreuther, D, Canaan, Mass., Holderness.

41. Dubuque - Trevor Fidler, C, Watertown, Mass., Dexter.

73. Lincoln - Ross Olsson, RW, Billerica, Mass., Williston-Northampton.

77. Muskegon - Doyle Somerby, D, Marblehead, Mass., Kimball Union.

89. Indiana - Cam Askew, C, South Boston, Mass., St. Sebastian's.

123. Des Moines - Josh Couturier, D, Newbury, Mass., Boston Junior Bruins.

131. Dubuque - Noah Hanifin, D, Norwood, Mass., St. Sebastian's.

134. Indiana - Sam Kurker, RW, Reading, Mass., St. John's Prep.

222. Cedar Rapids - Jason Kalinowski, RW, Stamford, Conn., Salisbury.

225. Green Bay - Joe Young, G, Hanson, Mass., Boston Advantage Major Midget.

231. Sioux City - Nick Roberto, F, Wakefield, Mass., Kimball Union.

242. Muskegon, Corey Ronan, F, Franklin, Mass., St. Sebastian's.

245. Tri-City - Devin Tringale, LW, Medford, Mass., Lawrence Academy.

250. Waterloo - Ryan Cloonan, LW, East Longmeadow, Mass., Boston Advantage Major Midget.

254. Muskegon - William Messa, C, Lawrence Academy.

314. Indiana - Laythe Jadallah, RW, The Gunnery.

GROTON, Mass. -- It was the baseball equivalent of two heavyweight boxers squaring off, with the winner being decided after the bout was over.

Lawrence Academy’s Max Tishman and St. Sebastian’s John Nicklas each took the hill for their teams Wednesday, with Nicklas and the Arrows coming away with the 3-0 victory.

Each pitcher made quick work of his opponent’s lineup through the first three innings. It was not until the fourth until St. Sebastian’s manufactured it’s first run of the game.

After Tishman struck out Andrew Vandini to begin the inning, he walked Peter Cimini after an seven-pitch at-bat. The next batter up, Justin Bellinger, hit a rocket to left that was hit so hard it rolled underneath the wall for a ground rule double, which put runners on second and third with one out.

Tishman kept battling however, and got Alex Venditti to ground out to him for the second out of the inning and keep the runners from scoring.

Ryan Wolfsberg singled home Cimini on the first pitch of his at-bat, which proved to be all his team needed.

Nicklas was dominant on the other side for St. Sebastian’s. He went seven innings, threw 121 pitches, had 13 strikeouts, while allowing only three hits and five walks.

“There were two great pitchers and competitive hitters on both sides,” said St. Sebastian’s coach Mike Schell. “I knew it was going to be a situation where we’d just need to win every pitch and make the pitchers work. John’s stuff is great, but his competitiveness is even better. We were expecting this kind of a game to come down to the last swing.”

Nicklas’ biggest scare came in the fifth inning. After walking Sean Mullaney with one out in the inning, Brady Burns came up and hit a rocket that barely stayed inside the left field foul line. The ball rolled past the foul pole and was initially called a triple on the field. However, the ground rules called for any ball that rolls past the wall to be considered a ground rule double.

Therefore, instead of the tying run crossing the plate for Lawrence Academy, Mullaney had to return to third. This put runners on second and third with one out.

The next batter up, Nick Day, struck out swinging. Marcus Backlin grounded out to third, ending any hope Lawrence Academy had of scoring that inning.

Nicklas came back out for the last two innings and appeared to only get stronger. He struck out four of the last six batters he faced, giving him and his team the complete game shutout.

Tishman was replaced on the mound by Kevin Wnukowski for the final inning. St. Sebastian’s tacked on two more runs in the final frame, and came away with the 3-0 victory.

Friendly Foes: This game carried a friendly rivalry, beyond any animosity the teams had for each other. Away from the field, Nicklas and Tishman have known each other and played against each other for years.

The scouts came out to watch Tishman, even going so far as to gather on the small hill overlooking the throwing area where Tishman threw his pregame bullpen session.

When Tishman was done throwing, the scouts left to take their place behind the backstop, leaving Nicklas to throw his bullpen in peace.

Did Nicklas feel any extra emotion leading up to this game, or feel the need to match Tishman in any way because of the attention his starts bring?

“Honestly, no, because I’ve always been better than Tish,” he began. “I’ve played four or five years with him now, we’ve played summer ball. We’re literally brothers. It’s just recently that he’s got to be a little better than me, as a lefty.”

Just kidding.

“No, we’ve always considered ourselves equal, in my opinion. I kind of figured it was just another day. It was a little nerve-wracking going against one of my best friends, but it was definitely fun.”

Did he feel slighted at all by the scouts, seeing as they payed much less attention to his work on the bullpen than his friend’s?

“Absolutely. I did notice that, actually made a mental note of that,” he said. “I just kind of shook it off and knew I was going to try my best to go out and be the competitive guy that I am and just go for the win.”

Battling a Complete Game: Nicklas went into the final inning having thrown 109 pitches, and ended the game having thrown a total of 121, an almost unheard of amount of pitches this early in the spring season. He didn’t want to come out of the game however, and even assured his coach keeping him in was a good idea.

“I just told him, I said, ‘This is my game, I really want to finish this,” he said. “He said, ‘Alright, but I’m giving you a maximum of 15-20 pitches. I got right about there.”

The NHL Central Scouting service released its final rankings of North American skaters and goaltenders ahead of the NHL Draft on Monday.

Here's the list of skaters with local ties who made the cut:

(The full list can be found here)

27 Cristoval "Boo" Nieves, Kent School, 6' 2.75" 184, C
36 Sam Kurker, St. John's Prep, 6' 1.5" 198, RW
54 Brian Hart, Phillips Exeter, 6' 2.0" 216, RW
69 Chris Calnan, Noble & Greenough, 6' 1.75" 188, RW
76 Danny O'Regan, St. Sebastian's, 5' 8.75" 162, C
77 Jimmy Vesey, South Shore Kings (North Reading, Mass.), EJHL, 6' 1.0" 200, LW
79 Devin Tringale, Lawrence Academy, 5'11.5" 186, LW
88 Frank Vatrano, USA U-18 (E. Longmeadow, Mass.) 5' 10.0" 218 ,C
99 Doyle Somerby, Kimball Union, 6' 4.5" 232, D
101 Adam Gilmour, Noble & Greenough, 6' 2.25" 193, RW
103 Alexander Gonye, Deerfield Academy, 6'0.5" 166, LW
108 Matthew Beattie, Phillips Exeter, 6' 3.0" 173, LW
127 Nicholas Bligh, South Shore Kings (Milton, Mass.), EJHL, 5' 11.5" 175, C
132 John Stevens, Salisbury, 6' 1.25" 175, C
134 Cam Darcy, USA U-18 (South Boston), 6' 189, C/RW
143 Brendan Collier, Malden Catholic, 5' 9.0" 168, LW
145 Kevin Duane, Brunswick, 6' 4.0" 219, RW
166 Alex Rauter, Choate-Rosemary Hall, 6' 0.0" 174, LW
177 Matthew Grzelcyk, USA U-18 (Charlestown, Mass.), 5' 9.0" 171, D
208 Tim Boyle, Noble & Greenough, 6' 1.75" 185, D
210 Zachary Pryzbek, Salisbury, 6' 2.75" 199, LW

Goaltenders:

31 Joseph Young, Boston Advantage AAA (Hanover, Mass.), 6' 1.5" 162
33 Dawson Sprigings, The Gunnery, 5' 11.25" 206

Rick Foresteire listened to the question, paused and then admitted defeat.

Name the last New England high school position player who was selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft?

Foresteire, now in his 13th season as the baseball coach at Buckingham, Browne & Nichols, had no answer. What he does know is that the next New England position player taken in the first round could be his current center fielder, senior Rhett Wiseman.

“I've heard everything from the end of the first round to not getting drafted at all because of his signability,” said a scout from an American League organization. “He's not for everybody, but a certain type of organization might pay that kind of money.

“The question is: Is he a center fielder or a left fielder? I don't know if he has the arm to play right field.”

Wiseman committed to Vanderbilt following his sophomore season at BB&N. Former Salisbury Prep (Conn.) shortstop Anthony Hewitt –- the last New England position player taken in the first round -– also committed to Vanderbilt before the Philadelphia Phillies took him with the No. 24 pick in the 2008 draft. Hewitt elected to sign with Philadelphia.

“If the situation is right I think [Wiseman] would entertain signing,” Foresteire said. “He's a very good student too [Wiseman is BB&N's student body president]. He's not a kid who would be ducking college because of academic deficiencies.

“I think he could be ready to start a pro career. It'll depend on money –- where he's taken in the draft.”

Wiseman's close friend Tyler Beede faced a similar situation last year, following his senior season at Lawrence Academy. Toronto selected Beede, a pitcher, with the 21st pick in last summer's draft, but he elected to attend Vanderbilt instead.

Wiseman's strength? Has to be his speed. He has run the 60-yard dash in 6.47 seconds. Anything 6.5 or better is considered above average.

“My speed is one of my top weapons, whether it's stealing a base or tracking down a fly ball,” he said. “Just getting on the basepaths I can change a game.

“There's another weapon that I consider to be my best –- my ability to hit for power. I'm a left-handed swinger [he throws right-handed] and my bat speed is a God-given gift. It's something I've had since I was young.”

Wiseman, a Mansfield resident, has been a starter for BB&N since his freshman season. He hit .447 with 11 home runs and stole 29 bases for the Knights last year. The BB&N program is seeking its 16th consecutive winning season and 12th ISL championship this spring.

“We knew he was going to be a high-level college player after his freshman year,” Foresteire said. “A potential first-round draft pick? That we didn't know. His bat speed and raw speed -– those are things you can't teach. You can improve on it, but it's either there or it isn't.

“He's a tremendous hard-worker. Loves the game. Dedicated in the weight room. In terms of attitude, you're not gonna find a better kid.”

Wiseman blazed through the recruiting process. He took unofficial visits to Boston College and Clemson before he visited Vanderbilt. He committed to the Commodores before he left campus, and then canceled planned visits to Georgia Tech and North Carolina.

Wiseman was 15 when he made his college decision.

“It was the third stop on my recruiting trip and I knew nothing could top it,” Wiseman explained. “I was walking on the field with my dad at night and I said, 'This is where I want to play college baseball.' When you know, you know.”

Wiseman became a household name among professional scouts after his performance at the Perfect Game National Showcase in Fort Myers, Fla., last year. The event featured some of the best high school players in the country.

Wiseman said his performance at that showcase earned him invitations to other national events last summer. Since then, representatives from 26 major league teams have visited the Wiseman home.

“I was fortunate to play well,” he said. “I wasn't a big name going in. I was low profile. It really put me on the map.”

As for this summer's draft, Wiseman may find himself in a position similar to the one Beede was in last year.

“As far as the draft goes, I cannot make a wrong decision,” Wiseman said. “It's, What step do I want to take in my life? Vanderbilt is incredible. I couldn't make a better school for myself. Being a pro baseball player is also very seductive. It won't be an easy decision.”

Last season at this time, we identified eight players from Massachusetts that would go on to get selected in June's Major League Baseball Entry Draft. Of the eight listed, six were taken, including Lawrence Academy's Tyler Beede 21st overall to the Blue Jays. Winnisquam (N.H.) righthander Jordan Cotealso went in the third round to the Yankees.

By all measures, it was one of the most loaded draft classes for pitching prospects in years. This season the Bay State comes back to Earth a little bit, but it is once again a unique class. BB&N outfielder Rhett Wiseman and Lexington first baseman Chris Shaw are considered the most draft-ready prospects, something you don't see often around these parts. Typically, pitching dominates the draft classes in New England, due to their projectability from a lack of live action in the offseason.

Further complicating things this year will be the new regulations on signing draft picks under the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement, which includes a tax penalty on teams exceeding the designated salary slot recommendations for the sum of their picks in the first 10 rounds. Last year, that would have made teams more reluctant to draft prospects such as Lincoln-Sudbury's Adam Ravenelle (Vanderbilt) and St. John's Prep's Pat Connaughton (Notre Dame) -- two pitchers with first five-round potential who made their intentions to pursue college baseball well-known, and subsequently dropped all the way to day three.

With that in mind, I went over the prospects with an American League scout earlier this week, and he identified five players in Massachusetts who could possibly see their named called in June.

Rhett Wiseman, OF, BB&N
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 195 lbs.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Hometown: Mansfield, Mass.
College: Vanderbilt
2011 Stats: .447, 12 doubles, 5 triples, 11 home runs, 29/29 stolen bases.
Scout’s Take: “Rhett is one of those outfielders who you look at and try to figure out if he can continue to progress as a Centerfielder, or if eventually you have to move him to Left because of his arm strength. The way his speed plays, you could probably keep him in center until he proves he can't handle it. Then the bat comes into play – is he a power guy or is he more of a speed guy who can make his power play? His power was on display in the bigger events last summer, but he’s also shown a propensity to strike out quite a bit against top-tier pitching. Obviously the power is going to be there as he gets older, but putting the ball in play and allowing his speed to show itself more consistently will be a big piece for him. Ultimately, I think he's a gap to gap guy who will be able to hit HR's as he learns to stay within himself and take what he is given. He’s shown the ability to play at a really high level, but it’s going to be a matter of whether people are willing to buy into his swing. He tends to get a little stiff on his front side; if he can smooth that out and show development and the ability to go the other way a little bit, he's going to put himself into the mix. It's a tough sign because of his commitment to Vanderbilt and the new CBA rules, but I can see someone taking a chance on that.”
Projection: First five rounds.

Chris Shaw, 1B, Lexington
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 230 lbs.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Hometown: Lexington, Mass.
College: Boston College
2011 Stats: .484, 10 doubles, 8 home runs, 27 runs; 25 IP, 49 K, 7 BB, 8 hits, 5-0, 0.00 ERA
Scout’s Take: “He’s an interesting one. You go and look at him, and he’s got that typical look of a power guy, goes about 6-3, 6-4 ,225, 235ish. Supposedly he’s put more weight on over the winter and got stronger. Obviously, he can hit for power, the question is whether he can hit consistently for contact against upper-echelon pitchers. His swing is really smooth from the left-side and he generates some nice loft and backspin. The only issue is he tends to lose his rhythm in the box a little bit when the velocity picks up and the swings and misses can add up. That’s definitely correctable as he sees more of it at the next level and learns to make adjustments on a consistent basis. He’s really intent on going to BC, so you have to really believe in his bat if someone's going to make a run at signing him, but he has a chance to go pretty high if he shows a willingness to sign.”
Projection: First 15 rounds.

Max Tishman, LHP, Lawrence Academy
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 200 lbs.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Hometown: Wellesley, Mass.
College: Wake Forest
2011 Stats: 32.2 IP, 45 K, 8 BB, 8 runs, 5-0, 1.70 ERA
Scout’s Take: “He’s a loose-arm lefty with a chance to throw three pitches for strikes, and he’s still very projectable. He put on 25 or 30 pounds over the winter, we’ll see how that plays in his development. He’s got a little bit of an unorthodox delivery with a quick-tempo delivery and a high leg kick, but that creates some deception for him and he’s shown the ability to repeat it, so I think you leave that alone. He flew under the radar last year, pitching at 165 pounds, but his velocity climbed from 86-87 to the 88-90 range by the end of summer. He put on that weight over the winter, and supposedly his velocity has climbed into the 88-91 range coming into this season, so who knows as weather warms up where he’ll go. He’s in the same boat as Jordan Cote was last year [Yankees third-round pick from Sanbornton, N.H.], where people might be climbing onto the bandwagon as the season goes on. Nice three-pitch mix there with a fastball to both sides of the plate and a slider and changeup to complement that. He works really fast out there and has shown a propensity to pitch down in the zone. He could be really interesting if his velocity holds in that 88-92 range, because there aren't many high school lefties, who can mix three pitches of that quality.”
Projection: First 15 rounds.

Matt Tulley, RHP, Lowell
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 200 lbs.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Hometown: Lowell, Mass.
College: Virginia Tech
2011 stats: 42 IP, 68 K, 7-0, 0.82 ERA; .280, 17 RBI
Scout’s Take: “He came onto the scene a little bit at some of the high profile events last summer like Area Code Games. He’s similar to Barrett O’Neill [Ashland resident and Virginia freshman], where there’s not a ton of projectability but his velocity is in the 88-91 range with some downward angle on his fastball and he's shown the ability to compete in the strike zone. He surprised a lot of guys at the Area Code tournament, putting his fastball by people, and complementing that by getting swings and misses with his cutter. Most people view him as a college guy right now, but that could change. His velocity climbed over the winter, and he’s got a chance at the 91-92 range as well. You never know with a player like that, if someone views him as being signable, a team might make a run at him in the middle rounds
Projection: Fringe/late rounds.

John Nicklas, RHP, St. Sebastian’s
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 180 lbs.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Hometown: Foxborough, Mass.
College: Boston College
Scout’s Take: “Another competitor out of the ISL who’s a pretty polished three-pitch, four-pitch guy. His fastball is consistently in the 87-89 range, with a cutter, curve, and changeup; he attacks with all four of those pitches. He doesn’t necessarily have the projectable body you're looking for out of the high school ranks, but he’s got a quick arm and really competes well. He’s similar to John Gorman [former Catholic Memorial ace and BC freshman] or John Leonard from BC last year, just kind of a bulldog out there. His curve is a little bit more of a tighter two-plane breaking ball without a ton of depth and he throws it pretty firm. A lot of his pitches come in hard, and there’s not a ton of separation. That’s something he’ll want to improve upon. Very good high school pitcher, who I expect to have a lot of success in college as well.”
Projection: Fringe/late rounds.

SALEM, N.H. -- If coach Kevin Potter was nervous before his Lawrence Academy boys' hockey team took the ice Sunday, he didn't show it while chatting in the media room before the puck dropped.

Potter's players didn't skate like the moment was too much for them to handle, either.

Harvard-bound forward Devin Tringale buried the eventual game-winning goal 18 seconds before the second intermission, classmate Nate Heilbron protected the lead to perfection in a pulsating third period, and the fourth-seeded Spartans knocked off No. 2 seed Noble & Greenough, 3-2, to capture the New England Prep School Ice Hockey Association tournament championship.

“We're a veteran team. I said, 'Let's not worry about Nobles. Let's worry about how we play,” said Potter, whose program, like Nobles, sought its first title in the high-stakes Stuart/Corkery tourney at the Icenter. “Except for the second period against Belmont Hill, out of the nine periods, we played our game. We dictated.”

LA also capitalized on Nobles' costly defensive breakdowns.

Perfect example: a span of 2 minutes, 25 seconds late in the second period. That's when LA struck twice to turn a one-goal deficit into the lead Heilbron was charged with protecting.

“That was huge. We always talk about the last 2 minutes of every period being important,” Potter said. “To get those two big goals there … that was big time.”

First-line wingers Tyler Whitney and Tringale fueled the surge watched by a full house, including more than 50 coaches from the college and professional ranks.

Whitney's one-timer from the back side was set up by Tringale's decision to hold the puck low in the left-wing circle. Conor Maher (30 saves) was forced to hold his position near the right post.

Tringale slipped the pass to his linemate for the open look. Tie game with 2:43 until the break.

Courtesy of the to-be Crimson skater, the contest didn't stay tied for long. Tringale teamed with Whitney and William Messa to generate the go-ahead goal with 18 seconds on the clock.

“Messa kept the puck in on the forecheck,” LA's 6-foot 1-inch, 195-pound winger said. “He made a nice pass to Ty Whitney, who made a really nice dish to me. It was just me and the goalie, and I went 5-hole.”

Tringale's tally capped a tremendous swing in momentum. Nobles answered the game's first goal, a first-period marker by Matthew Baldino, with two scores.

Cal Burke capitalized on LA's lone mistake of the opening stanza: a defensive zone turnover.

Will Sleeper gave Nobles its only lead barely 3 minutes after the first break. Heilbron's kick-save generated a rebound that Sleeper stuffed home.

Midway through the period, Colin White had a quality chance to dig LA a deeper hole. He used his body and a burst of speed to gain a step on Robert Klein. But Heilbron's left leg denied a low shot from the right-wing circle.

The save sparked LA, which increased its intensity in the offensive zone. It led to the two-goal flurry that altered momentum.

“We didn't have a very good last three-and-a-half minutes in the second period, obviously,” Nobles coach Brian Day said. “That was the difference in the game.”

Heilbron (28 saves) was a difference-maker, too.

Outshot through two periods, 26-14, the Bulldogs fired 16 of the third period's 23 total shots. Several attempts were within feet of LA's stopper, who wasn't fooled once.

“They put a lot of pressure on us. They threw a lot of pucks to the net. They gave us everything they had,” Heilbron said. “But my team and I, we stuck in there. We played our hearts out.”

Of the many near-markers Nobles launched, none came closer to lighting the lamp than PJ Falvey's blast from the left point. Falvey fired into heavy traffic, and a tremendous screen from teammate Max Franklin.

Heilbron, somehow, never lost sight of the puck. He gloved it, with Franklin towering over him.

In the end, though, no team this season is towering over Lawrence Academy.

“It's crazy,” Tringale said of the post-game scene inside and outside LA's locker room. “We got the coach with the bucket of water.

“We're all on top of the world right now. On top of New England.”

BERKSHIRE 4, ST. SEBASTIAN'S 3 (OT)
Brendan McGovern made the most of his open-net opportunity in the second sudden-death minute of the Martin/Earl tournament. It netted top-seeded Berkshire the large-school championship.

McGovern made St. Sebastian's goaltender Gordon Donnelly pay for an aggressive decision. Donnelly left the crease with an all-out dive to poke-check a rebound toward the right boards. But the puck stayed in the slot, and the forward from Centerport, N.Y., fired a strike.

Fifty-one seconds earlier, Donnelly (38 saves) made a dazzling glove save to keep second-seeded St. Sebastian's in the fight. Charlie Corcoran split two defenders and, with an open look at the net, snapped off a wrister from the low left-wing circle.

Berkshire built a 2-0 lead, courtesy of first- and second-period goals by Gus Harms and Greg Smart. But St. Sebastian's closed the second period sandwiching markers around a tally by Berkshire's Corey Wisnowski.

Those bookend goals, from Tommy Kelley and Danny O'Regan, pulled St. Sebastian's within 3-2.

David Loughborough delivered the equalizer at the 6:59 mark of the third period. He beat Patrick Feeley (27 saves) with a power-play goal.

KIMBALL UNION 3, HOLDERNESS 2 (OT)
Nick Roberto ended the Piatelli/Simmons tournament, lifting top-seeded KUA to the small school championship with 1:27 left in overtime.

Casey Miller forced a critical turnover along the boards and sent Roberto up ice, who beat Holderness goaltender Andy Monroe (40 saves) for the championship-clincher.

Both Monroe and KUA netminder Ryan Lund (28 saves) made several timely stops after third-seeded Holderness tied the final at 2-apiece. Gavin Bayreuther recorded the equalizer with a power-play blast from the blue line at the 9:43 mark of the third period.

Early in the third frame, KUA's Niko Rufo charged in from the right-wing side to snap a 1-1 deadlock.

Nick Renzi staked Holderness to its only lead, burying a second-period rebound at the 9:01 mark. The lead lasted less than 4 minutes as Jonathan Charbonneau connected on a breakout chance to knot the score.

Stuart/Corkery tournament championship
Lawrence Academy 3, Noble & Greenough 2

Lawrence 1-2-0 – 3

Nobles 1-1-0 – 2

First: L – Matthew Baldino (William Messa) 13:45; N – Cal Burke (Andrew Doane) 16:10

Second: N – Will Sleeper (Max Franklin, Doane) 3:08; L – Tyler Whitney (Devin Tringale, George Hunkele) 15:17; L – Tringale (Whitney, Messa) 17:42

Saves: L – Nate Heilbron 28; N – Conor Maher 30

Martin/Earl tournament championship
Berkshire 4, St. Sebastian's 3 (OT)

St. Sebastian's 0-2-1-0 – 3

Berkshire 1-2-0-1 – 4

First: B – Gus Harms (Kevin Rooney, Brian Brown) 15:28

Second: B – Greg Smart (Charlie Corcoran, Brown) 5:24; S – Tommy Kelley (Corey Ronan, Danny O'Regan) 5:52; B – Corey Wisnowski (Brown, Smart) 8:42; S – O'Regan (David Loughborough) 11:47

Third: S – David Loughborough (Stephen Brown, Cam Askew) 6:59 ppg

Overtime: B – Brendan McGovern (Rooney) 1:25

Saves: S – Gordon Donnelly 38; B – Patrick Feeley 27

Piatelli/Simmons tournament championship
Kimball Union Academy 3, Holderness 2 (OT)

Holderness 0-1-1-0 – 2

KUA 0-1-1-1 – 3

Second: H – Nick Renzi (Bailey Walsh, Gordon Borek) 9:01; K – Jonathan Charbonneau (John Macleod) 12:28

Third: K – Niko Rufo (Macleod, Charbonneau) 1:44; H – Gavin Bayreuther (William Kendrick, Matthew Thomas) 9:43 ppg

Overtime: K – Nick Roberto (Casey Miller, Rufo) 16:33

Saves: H – Andy Monroe 40; K – Ryan Lund 28

ESPNHS kicks off its baseball season coverage by unveiling its preseason All-State Teams for all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. A number of stars litter its Massachusetts squad, including BB&N's Rhett Wiseman, Lowell's Matt Tulley, Lexington's Chris Shaw and Braintree's Pat Delano.

You can find the entire list, which includes "Other Top Players" by clicking here. Below is ESPNHS' All-State Team for Massachusetts:

POSITION PLAYERS

Anthony Capuano, St. John's Prep, OF, Senior
Led SJP in hits, runs and stolen bases last year.

Jarrod Casey, Milford, OF/LHP, Senior
Batted .530 and posted an 8-1 record on the mound.

Dan Cellucci, Lincoln-Sudbury, SS, Senior
Posted a .536 BA and scored 44 runs for Division 1 state champs.

Chris McCarthy, Everett, C, Senior
Hit .585 and drove in 28 runs as a junior.

Bob Melley, BC High, C, Senior
Productive backstop has signed with UConn.

Matt O'Neil, East Longmeadow, SS/RHP, Senior
Batted .447 with 15 stolen bases last year, committed to UConn.

Christopher Shaw, Lexington, 1B/RHP, Senior
Boston College recruit hit eight home runs last year.

Ryan Summers, Westfield, C, Junior
Hit six home runs and drove in 27 last year; headed to Louisville.

Matt Tulley, Lowell, SS/RHP, Senior
Has signed to play at Virginia Tech.

Rhett Wiseman, BB&N, OF, Senior
Vanderbilt recruit hit .447 with 11 HRs and 29 SBs last year.


PITCHERS

Austin DeCarr, Xaverian, RHP/SS, Junior
Strong-armed athlete also took snaps as a quarterback in the fall.

Patrick Delano, Braintree, RHP, Senior
Big power pitcher is headed to Vanderbilt.

Tyler Dowd, Springfield Central, RHP/OF, Senior
Should be among state leaders in K's this spring.

Mike Krupczak, Springfield Cathedral, RHP, Senior
Went 7-0 with a 1.85 ERA last year.

Ryan McDonald, Acton-Boxboro, LHP, Junior
Posted a 0.90 ERA last year, striking out 71 batters over 55 innings.

Steve Moyers, East Longmeadow, LHP/OF, senior
Went 8-1 last year while posting a 0.44 ERA; career record of 23-2.

John Nicklas, St. Sebastian's, RHP, Senior
Has signed to play at Boston College.

Pat Ruotolo, Peabody, RHP, Junior
Struck out 102 batters last year, including three games of 15-plus K's.

Max Tishman, Lawrence Academy, LHP, Senior
Polished left-hander has signed with Wake Forest.

Troy Whitty, Dexter, RHP, Senior
Transferred from Oliver Ames, where he posted a 0.90 ERA last year.

Media Director Pat Stevens forwards along a press release on what to expect from the annual National Prep School Invitational, February 2 through 5 at Rhode Island College.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. --- Thirty of the country’s top prep school basketball teams, up to 100 college coaches on hand to evaluate prospects, and several NBA scouts will gather for the 14th annual National Prep School Invitational.

Held at Rhode Island College from Thursday, February 2 through Sunday, February 5, the nation’s elite exposure event during the school year will once again have its top games broadcasted on COX Sports.

With an upwards of 50 players impressively already committed to colleges, the event’s main goal is to provide a springboard for many more to join that group.

The featured young talent competing ranges all the way from the traditional powers of the New England Prep School Athletic Conference to as far as the Canarias Basketball Academy of the Canary Islands.

Highlighting the field is last year’s National Prep Championship Tournament winner St. Thomas More (CT) and NEPSAC champion Maine Central Institute (ME). Previous titleholders Brewster Academy (NH), Bridgton Academy (ME), Notre Dame Prep (MA) and Tilton School (NH) return as well.

Considered the strongest All-American candidates for their success throughout their high school and prep school careers are South Kent’s Ricardo Ledo (Providence) and Tilton’s Nerlens Noel (Undecided) along with Brewster Academy duo Mitch McGary (Michigan) and TJ Warren (North Carolina State). Notre Dame Prep recently welcomed Steven Adams (Pittsburgh) for the second semester, a talented center from New Zealand who made waves this past summer with his play at the Adidas Nations global event. Some of college basketball's top contenders are also showing high interest in a number of underclassmen on the rise - Tilton's Wayne Selden and Goodluck Okonoboh, New Hampton's Noah Vonleh and Jared Terrell, and Vermont Academy's DaQuan McNeil, Dominic Woodson and Jamel Artis.

St. Andrew’s (RI) star All-American guard Michael Carter-Williams (now at Syracuse) took home back-to-back NPSI MVP awards in 2011 and 2010. The 2009 MVP went to Lawrence Academy’s Shabazz Napier, who has since gone on to win a NCAA National Championship at the University of Connecticut.

Currently, 28 active NBA Players have participated in the NPSI. Those once awarded the NPSI MVP for their performances in the event include Michael Beasley (Notre Dame Prep ‘07/Kansas State/Minnesota Timberwolves), Lazar Hayward (Notre Dame Prep ’06/Marquette/Oklahoma City Thunder), Shawne Williams (Laurinburg Institute ‘05/Memphis/New Jersey Nets) and Dorell Wright (South Kent ‘04/1st Round Draft Choice out of prep school).

For more information, visit NPSIhoops.com and NationalPrepInvitational.com.

Tickets are $10 per day or passes for the entire event can also be purchased at the door.

MEDIA REQUESTS please contact Pat Stevens at pat@npsihoops.com


2012 NPSI SCHEDULE

Thursday, February 2
10 - Lee Academy (ME) vs. Robinson (NJ)
11:30 - St. Thomas More (CT) vs. CJEOTO Academy (NJ)
1:15 - Brewster Academy (NH) vs. St. John’s Northwest Military Academy (WI)
2:45 – NIA Prep (NJ) vs. Canarias Basketball Academy (Spain)
4:15 - Notre Dame Prep (MA) vs. Wilbraham & Monson (MA)
5:45 - La Jolla Prep (CA) vs. South Kent (CT)
7:15 - Phelps (PA) vs. Cushing Academy (MA)
9 – Mont Clare (PA) vs. New Hope Academy (MD)

Friday, February 3
9 –CJEOTO Academy (NJ) vs. Lee Academy (ME)
10:30 - Robinson (NJ) vs. La Jolla Prep (CA)
12 - SJNWMA (WI) vs. New Hampton (NH)
1:30 – Canarias Basketball Academy (Spain) vs. Notre Dame Prep (MA)
3 - South Kent (CT) vs. NIA Prep (NJ)
4:30 - Mont Clare (PA) vs. St. Thomas More (CT)
6 - Worcester Academy (MA) vs. Phelps (PA)
7:30 - Vermont Academy (VT) vs. Winchendon (MA)
9 - New Hope Academy (MD) vs. Bridgton Academy (ME)

Saturday, February 4
9 – Marianapolis (CT) vs. SJNWMA (WI)
10:30 – Winchendon (MA) vs. Mont Clare (PA)
12 – Cushing Academy (MA) vs. New Hope Academy (MD)
1:30 – REDA (Canada) vs. Vermont Academy (VT)
3 – Bridgton Academy (ME) vs. Northfield Mount Hermon (MA)
4:30 - La Jolla Prep (CA) vs. Notre Dame Prep (MA)
6 – New Hampton (NH) vs. Canarias Basketball Academy (Spain)
7:30 - Maine Central Institute (ME) vs. Next Level Prep (Canada)

Sunday, February 5
9 - Canarias Basketball Academy (Spain) vs. Bridgton Academy (ME)
10:30 - Wilbraham & Monson (MA) vs. Winchendon (MA)
12 – Next Level Prep (Canada) vs. St. Thomas More (CT)
1:30 - Tilton (NH) vs. REDA (Canada)
3 - Northfield Mount Hermon (MA) vs. Lawrence Academy (MA)
4:30 - St. Andrew's (RI) vs. Maine Central Institute (ME)
6 - New Hope Academy (MD) vs. Worcester Academy (MA)

2012 NPSI COLLEGE COMMITTED PLAYERS
Semaj Christon (G - Brewster Academy - Xavier)
Mitch McGary (F - Brewster Academy - Michigan)
Jalen Reynolds (F - Brewster Academy - Xavier)
Aaron Thomas (G - Brewster Academy - Florida State)
TJ Warren (F - Brewster Academy - NC State)
Jarryn Skeete (G - Bridgton Academy - Buffalo)
Alex Furness (G - Cushing - Bentley)
Tyler McFarland (G - Cushing - Bentley)
Darrell Bowie (F - La Jolla Prep - Northern Illinois)
Strahinja Gavrilovic (G - La Jolla Prep - Southern California)
Darnell Harris (F - La Jolla Prep - Cleveland State)
Jarion Henry (G - La Jolla Prep - Oklahoma)
Travion Leonard (C - Lee Academy - Fordham)
Jean Yves Toupane (F - Lee Academy - Saint Bonaventure)
Barry Webster (F - Lee Academy - Maine)
Jared Brandon (F - Maine Central Institute - Cal State Fullerton)
James Farr (F - Maine Central Institute - Xavier)
Tobe Okafor (C - Maine Central Institute - Loyola Marymount)
Barrington Alston (F - New Hampton - Towson)
Zach Auguste (F - New Hampton - Notre Dame)
Olivier Hanlan (G - New Hampton - Boston College)
Ramon Johnson (F - NIA Prep - Coastal Carolina)
Tommy Carpenter (F - Northfield Mount Hermon - Dartmouth)
Evan Cummins (F - Northfield Mount Hermon - Harvard)
Ethan O'Day (F - Northfield Mount Hermon - Vermont)
Steven Adams (C - Notre Dame Prep - Pittsburgh)
Myles Davis (G - Notre Dame Prep - Xavier)
Adonis Filer (G - Notre Dame Prep - Clemson)
Shawn Valentine (G - Phelps - Rider)
Richard Audu (G - REDA - Siena)
Naz Long (G - REDA - Iowa State)
Jarrod Davis (F - Robinson School - Maryland Eastern Shore)
Laimonas Chatkevicius (C - South Kent - Kansas State)
Ricardo Ledo (G - South Kent - Providence)
Chris Ortiz (F - South Kent - Kent State)
Cedric Kukamensah (F - St. Andrew's - Brown)
Josh Hall (F - St. John's Northwest Military Academy - Cal Poly)
Andy Martin (C - St. John's Northwest Military Academy - Montana)
Curtis Jones (G - St. Thomas More - Manhattan)
Barrington Stevens (G - St. Thomas More - South Alabama)
Dominique Bull (G - Tilton - Missouri)
Kevin Crescenzi (G - Tilton - Dartmouth)
Georges Niang (F - Tilton - Iowa State)
Tevin Falzon (F - Winchendon - Sacred Heart)
Akosa Maduegbunam (G - Winchendon - Penn State)
Nick Victor (G - Winchendon - Yale)

St. John's Prep senior forward Sam Kurker leads the list of locals on the NHL Central Scouting's Midterm Rankings of North American skaters.

Kurker, who has 10 goals for 14 points through seven games with the Eagles, was ranked 41st on the list released Wednesday morning.

Kent School center Cristoval Nieves was the highest ranked player with New England roots, ranked 31st.

Here's the complete list of New England skaters making the grade:

31 Cristoval Nieves, Kent School, 6' 2.75" 184, C
41 Sam Kurker, St. John's Prep, 6' 1.5" 198, RW
60 Brian Hart, Philips Exeter, 6' 2.0" 216, RW
94 Chris Calnan, Noble & Greenough, 6' 1.75" 188, RW
98 Devin Tringale, Lawrence Academy, 5' 11.75" 195, LW
103 Cam Darcy, U.S. U-18, 6' 0.0" 189, C/RW
112 Danny O'Regan, St. Sebastian's, 5' 8.75" 162, C
118 Frank Vatrano, U.S. U-18 (Longmeadow, Mass.), 5' 10.0" 218, C
127 Doyle Somerby, Kimball Union, 6' 5.0" 220, D
131 Brendan Collier, Malden Catholic, 5' 9.0" 168, LW
145 Adam Gilmour, Noble & Greenough 6' 2.5" 194, RW
170 John Stevens, Salisbury, 6' 1.25" 175, C
172 Alex Rauter, Choate-Rosemary Hall, 6' 0.25" 175, LW
180 Zachary Pryzbek, Salisbury, 6' 3.0" 196. LW
194 Alexander Gonye, Deerfield Academy, 6' 0.25" 162, LW
201 Bron Loiselle, Northfield-Mt. Hermon, 6' 0.25" 173, C
202 Tyler Wood, Noble & Greenough, 6' 2.5" 189 D
206 Brendan Silk, U.S. U-18 (Wakefield, Mass.), 6' 2.75" 191, RW

Goaltenders:

24 Joe Young, Boston Advantage AAA (Hanover, Mass.), 6' 1.5" 160
31 Dawson Sprigings, The Gunnery,, 5' 11.0" 190

BOSTON -- Lawrence Academy took a 6-0 victory over Thayer Academy during Wednesday's ISL hockey action at Frozen Fenway.

Correspondent James Walsh captured the best and brightest from the game in these video highlights:

BOSTON -- Things were going by swimmingly, almost sleepy, through the first 18 minutes of play between Lawrence Academy and Thayer Academy, on the ice at Fenway Park.

Then things went untracked -- and in hurry.

The Spartans (10-1-1) opened up the second period with three goals in a span of 1:24 to blow the game wide open, making life difficult for Thayer goaltenders Robert McGovern and Pat Finn with rush after rush, en route to a 6-0 win in the third game of the day at today's "Frozen Fenway" series.

"That's probably one of the shortest in a while," said senior forward Devin Tringale (two goals, assist) when asked about the last time he'd been a part of such a quick scoring flurry. "I can't remember last time."

Lawrence's "Red Line" of Tringale, George Hunkele and Tyler Whitney combined for seven points to carry much of the scoring, and the chemistry between the three was evident in the second period scoring spree.

"They played great," head coach Kevin Potter said of the line. "They've been playing together all year long, and really it's been a three-line effort, but they got some good goals tonight."

Tringale found the back of the net just 24 seconds in, when he took a beautiful Whitney feed on an odd-man rush, set up right outside McGovern's crease. Bill Messa was next, scoring a minute later at 1:25, and Conor Helfrich made it 3-0 just 25 seconds later with some tic-tac-toe action. Defenseman Jacob Schefter brought the puck through the neutral zone down the left boards before skipping it up to Tom Newton, who tipped it across the slot for an easy glove-side goal.

Lawrence scored twice more in the period, with another Tringale finish in front and a shorthanded goal from Matt Baldino, for the 5-0 advantage.

Thayer fell to 2-8.

Lockdown D triggers breakout
Sparking the Spartans' exceptional play through the neutral zone was some crisp passing from the back end by defensemen like Connor McGuirk and Matt Doherty, triggering breakouts with long darts up the flanks. The defensive pairings won many 50-50 battles along the boards, and gave the Tigers little breathing room between the circles, denying entry passes. Goaltender Nathaniel Heilbron picked up the shutout with 17 saves, but admitted it was made an easy night.

That carried up the ice, where transition play was a key point in scouting heading into this game.

"We've been working on that in practice, getting our feet moving," Tringale said. "So I think that was key going into it, a lot of transition play that we've been working on. It just clicked today, and that's what helped us be effective."

Said Potter, "We knew they were young, we've got a much older team than they are, so we knew they were gonna try to bottle us up. So we just tried to support the puck, and we've got a lot of seniors out there that knew what they were doing, and with a lot of skill. We just practiced breaking the trap, and stuff like that."

PK efficient
The Spartans were also efficient with a man down, killing off all three of the Tigers' power play opportunities with good economy of motion.

"We really worked on that this week, a lot of starting and stopping, all the little things," Potter said. "Again, we have a lot of experience there."

First time for Vancouverite
A repeated theme throughout the "Frozen Fenway" series will be the awed experience of playing an outdoor hockey game at one of the nation's oldest and most beloved ballparks. Players like Tringale soaked in the allure -- "It's a blast," he smiled to reporters -- though the Medford native admits it's not his first experience with outdoor hockey. He first learned the sport as a youth learning to skate on a pond near his house, and noted similarities between the ice texture with that pond's and Fenway's.

But for Heilbron, a native of West Vancouver, tonight's game was his first such endeavor.

"It doesn't get cold enough out there, too close to the ocean," he said. "[This] is surreal, incredible. It's so much fun, just...you can't really say anything about it until you get on the ice -- I've seen the Winter Classic games on TV -- but just being out there is unbelievable."

Former Lawrence Academy football star Marcus Grant, a Carver native and freshman wide receiver at Iowa, has decided to transfer out of the Iowa City campus closer to home, he announced on his Twitter account tonight.

Grant appeared in five games this season for the Hawkeyes, making one catch for 12 yards.

"I have decided to transfer from Iowa due to Family issues, it was a personal decision for me and had nothing to do with any coach or PT [playing time]," he wrote.

In subsequent tweets, Grant explained his decision:

"This by no means was an easy decision and I wish things would have happend different but life doesn't always go as planned I wish nothing

"Coach Ferentz is truly a great coach but an even better man and I can't thank him enough for the opportunity to be apart of this I've learned ... A lot in my short time in Iowa and want to Thank every1 for being so supportive, I will look to transfer somewhere closer to home to be with my ... Family, thanks to all the fans and university for everything as well my family and I are so grateful."

The hours leading up to tonight's midnight deadline for Major League Baseball teams to sign draft picks wasn't as nerve-wracking for Auburn's Tyler Beede as one might think. If anything, the Blue Jays first round pick described today as "kinda boring".

After not hearing from the Jays organization all day, Beede got up off his couch at 10 p.m. and took a walk to St. Joseph's Church in downtown Auburn, where he said a prayer for the families of fellow draft picks Daniel Norris and Kevin Comer, as well as his own (both Norris and Comer ended up signing).

Then at 11:15, he got his first call from the Blue Jays with an offer of $2 million. Beede didn't budge from the $3.5 million asking price he said he'd decided on early in the process. Five minutes before midnight, the Jays called back with their final bullet, a take-it-or-leave-it $2.5 million bonus.

And in what was "one of the hardest decisions I'll ever have to make", Beede stood pat. But there are no regrets.

"I can't lie, obviously money was a factor, and whoever says it isn’t is lying," he said. "I obviously value my Vanderbilt education very highly, and I stuck to my guns. I stuck to my number, and it just didn’t get to that point. I'm tremendously excited about the opportunity at Vanderbilt. I couldn’t be happier, and that's the most important thing in my decision. My family was going to be happy for me if I was happy, and I've got great friends around me to get me through this.

"Some people are not happy; 2.5 million dollars, that's a lot of money for a lot of people, but my situation is different from most 18-year-olds. I've got Vanderbilt to fall back on, it's one of the best baseball schools in the country and one of best schools for academics in the country. I believe going down there will be the best thing for me and my future. I've got three years there, I'll be playing in the SEC and against some of the best players in the country, weekend in and weekend out."

Beede leaves for Nashville on Friday, and moves into his dormitory on Saturday. He confirmed that he hasn't been in any summer classes, instead opting to work out with his long-time strength trainer Eric Cressey at his Hudson-based Cressey Performance facility.

Prior to the draft, Beede sent out a letter to every Major League scout in New England saying he is committed to the Commodores, and asked teams not to contact him. At the time, the move was viewed by some as a ploy to get him to fall to a particular team, though in hindsight that doesn't look to be the case. As for the high figure -- a figure he says he calculated with the aide of his grandfather, a retired insurance adjuster -- Beede says that was made clear early-on as well.

"I thought we made teams well aware, well before the draft," Beede said. "The letter I signed was serious. We really honored that commitment, Vanderbilt is opportunity that's very important to me, and something I'm taking seriously. It was going to take a lot to get me away from that education."

After leading his hometown Auburn High to a state title in 2009, Beede transferred to Lawrence Academy for his final two years of high school, where he drew up to 40 scouts at each of his starts this spring. On a historical perspective, he was often mentioned in the same breath as some of the Bay State's all-time greats, such as Tom Glavine, Jeff Allison and Jeff Reardon. Scouts raved about his three plus-pitches, including a fastball that touches 95 miles per hour, and labeled him as having big league potential in a few short years.

When he is eligible for the draft again in 2014, it's possible he could play himself into a top-ten selection. That, of course, is assuming he stays healthy.

"I know I'm going to get the questions, 'Do you think you're gonna get injured?', or 'Do you wanna be a first-rounder again?', I can tell you that's not in my head at all," Beede said. "I'm just trying to go down and win a World Series for coach [Tim] Corbin, those guys deserve it this year, that's what I'm thinking."

The Toronto Blue Jays and their first-round draft pick, Lawrence Academy righthander Tyler Beede, let Monday night's deadline for signing picks pass, and the high school phenom will be honoring his commitment to Vanderbilt University.

Talks broke down over the asking price on Beede's signing bonus, which was considerably higher than the suggested $1.3 million for his slot. Beede said the club's final offer was $2.5 million, and that he didn't budge from the $3.5 million figure he was looking for.

Beede was the lone first-rounder not to sign.

The 6-foot-4 hard-throwing Auburn resident was taken 21st overall by the Jays last June, after a phenomenal senior season with the Spartans, posting an 8-0 record, 102 strikeouts in 51 innings and a 0.69 ERA, to earn ESPNBoston's inaugural "Mr. Baseball" award. He was the first high schooler from Massachusetts to go in the first round since Peabody High's Jeff Allison was taken 16th overall by the Marlins in 2003.

The rosters for next month's Area Code Baseball Games have been finalized, and there are a handful of locals who will be participating with the New York Yankees squad.

Now in its 25th year of operation, the wood-bat tournament annually pits high school players from different geographical areas against one another, each team corresponding to a particular Major League Baseball team. Eight Major League teams will compete in this year's field, which will be held from August 5 to 10 at Blair Field in Long Beach, Calif.

Since its inception in 1987, nine Area Code Games alumni have gone on to become No. 1 overall draft picks, including this year's top pick, Gerritt Cole out of UCLA. In last month's draft, 34 of the top 100 picks had Area Code Games experience. Locally, that included Lawrence Academy's Tyler Beede, who went 21st overall to the Blue Jays.

The Northeast squad, which falls under the Yankees, features seven Bay Staters:

Pat Delano, RHP, Braintree
Riley MacEachern, RHP, Austin Prep
Buck McCarthy, C, Everett
Chris Shaw, 1B, Lexington
Max Tishman, LHP, Lawrence Academy
Matt Tulley, RHP, Lowell
Rhett Wiseman, OF, BB&N

The full roster can be found here.

More information, including the seven other Major League rosters and a schedule of events, can be found here. All four of the games on August 9 will be broadcast on ESPN3.