ESPN

A source told ESPNBoston.com this afternoon that two more Class of 2013 recruits will be joining the UMass football program as walk-ons: Running back Shadrach Abrokwah of St. John's of Shrewsbury, and athlete Mike Rapoza of New Bedford High.

The 5-foot-8, 205-pound Abrokwah was one of the state's most productive backs last fall for the Pioneers, as they advanced to the MIAA Division 1 Central Super Bowl. In 2012, his first season as the Pioneers' full-time starter, he carried the ball 213 times for 1,540 yards and 22 touchdowns, with just one fumble; he also caught 21 passes for 437 yards and two more scores. Abrokwah has reportedly run a hand-timed 40-yard dash in the 4.5 range.

Rapoza was one of the more decorated quarterbacks from the South Coast region in 2012, most notably winning the Otto Graham Award as the best overall player in Southeastern Massachusetts. He threw for 15 touchdown passes, ran for two more, kicked 20 extra points, and was among the Whalers' leading tacklers at linebacker.

STARTING ROTATION
Megan Colleran, Jr., North Attleborough
Anna O'Neill, Sr., King Philip
Lauren Ramirez, Sr., Dracut
Kendal Roy, Jr., Grafton
Shannon Smith, Sr., Milford

STARTING NINE
Tori Constantin, Sr. 2B, King Philip
Stephanie Cornish, Sr. 3B, Abington
Alexis DeBrosse, Sr. SS, New Bedford
Caroline Fairbanks, Sr. 3B, Milford
Nicole Lundstrom, Sr. C, Dighton-Rehoboth
Bella Picard, Sr. SS, Blackstone Valley Tech
Madi Shaw, Jr. SS, Bridgewater-Raynham
Dakota Smith-Porter, Sr., P/SS, Turners Falls
Reilly Weiners, Sr. C, Agawam

WATCH LIST
Olivia Antczak, Soph. P, Central Catholic
Allie Colleran, Jr. SS/OF, Concord-Carlisle
Megan Cook, Jr. P, Bellingham
Haley Currie, Sr. 3B, Burlington
Sara Dawson, Soph. P, Bridgewater-Raynham
Kaleigh Finigan, Sr. 3B, St. Mary's (Lynn)
Bridget Furlong, Sr. 2B, Malden
Courtney Girouard, Jr. P, Fairhaven
Galen Kerr, Sr. P, Concord-Carlisle
Taylor LeBrun, Soph. C, Milford
Rachel Levine, Sr. CF, Milford
Michaela Mazure, Soph. INF, Burlington
Shannon McLaughlin, Jr. P, Tewksbury
Paige Mulry, Jr. C, Boston Latin
MacKenzie Navarro, Jr. 1B, Taunton
Alicia Reid, Sr. CF, Abington
Kelsey Saucier, Jr. P, Holy Name
Rachael Smith, Jr. P, Winchester
Lauren Tuiskula, Sr. P, Leicester
Jurnee Ware, Sr. P, Hudson

In the biggest game of the year in MIAA hoops, the Division 1 state title game, it seemed as if the sophomores were hitting all the big shots. With hundreds of Mansfield fans directly behind the basket screaming and waving, Putnam sophomore Ty Nichols nailed two free throws with eight seconds left in overtime to seal the Beavers’ first state title in school history.

But let’s not forget how the game got to that point. Rewind to the end of regulation.

Mansfield sophomore Ryan Boulter put on one of the gutsiest performances that we saw all season. After he was fouled on a three-point attempt with five seconds to go in the fourth quarter, Boulter went to the line with an opportunity to tie the game and send it into overtime. Miss one, and his team, in all likelihood, would lose the game.

Not only did Boulter hit all three free throws, he did so without ever taking his eyes off the rim -— not even to catch the bounce passes that came from the referee following each of the first two free throws. He sent the game into overtime, then hit a three-pointer from the wing to give Mansfield the lead.

Following a four point swing by Putnam, Boulter put the team on his back one last time -— draining a three-pointer to tie the game with just seconds to go in overtime. Enter Nichols, and game over.

While Putnam’s entire team circled around their trophy in the pressroom after the game, a few of Mansfield’s players sat across the room waiting to be interviewed. Boulter fought back tears. Brendan Hill -- a sophomore who was Hockomock League MVP and considered to be a Division 1 prospect in both football and basketball -- stared at the floor, head in hands.

While listening for Putnam senior KayJuan Bynum talk about the pride that Springfield has in basketball, I couldn’t help but glance over at Hill and Boulter across the room. Both fierce competitors with unbelievable poise, they sat in the shadows of the pressroom while Putnam’s players hugged each other in celebration.

That was the ringing overtone talked about for days following the state title game: Mansfield will be back.

It was the same reaction seen on the floor of the Tsongas Center only a week earlier. After a crushing defeat to a more experienced Central Catholic team, Lynn English sophomore guard Stevie Collins pulled his jersey over his face as the final buzzer sounded, hiding tears from watching Central Catholic celebrate the Division 1 North championship.

The playoff run was an unexpected one for the Bulldogs, and English can be expected to be back next year. With Collins’ classmates Johnny Hilaire (6-foot-6 forward) and Erick Rosario (6-foot guard) both returning, as well as juniors Freddy Hogan and Danny Lukanda, expect a big run from English once again. The Bulldogs' run to the North final almost wasn’t possible, mainly because of 20 points from Everett sophomore Gary Clark in the quarterfinal match -- a high-scoring, back-and-forth match that left English the 94-87 victors.

English, Putnam, and Mansfield, and Everett are not alone in boasting talented young players, though. Statewide, the MIAA’s depth in the 2015 and 2016 classes is one of the best we have seen in recent memory.

***

DAVIS, COLLINS LEAD LONG LIST OF POINT GUARDS

Collins leads a long list of talented floor generals in the 2015 and 2016 classes. Those included (and very close behind him) are Lowell sophomore Kareem Davis, who ignited one of the state’s most exciting offenses this year; New Mission's Randy Glenn, a left-handed playmaker who was pivotal in helping the short-handed Titans make a run to the Boston City League championship; St. Peter-Marian freshman Makai Ashton, a fearless point guard who is considered to be the best long-term guard prospect in the Worcester area; and Melrose frosh Sherron Harris, whose "on-court killer" style of play is scarily similar to his cousin, Cushing Academy star Jalen Adams.

-- St. John's (Shrewsbury) sophomore Davon Jones has more big-game experience than any of the point guards listed above, as he has helped lead Bob Foley’s Pioneer squad to WPI each of the last two years. As mentioned with Hill, Jones is considered to be a Division 1 football prospect.

-- Boston English freshman Ernie Chatman will win a lot of games for Boston English over the next three years, Chatman is a great ballhandler who is also lightning quick and a great floor leader.

-- Along with Glenn and Chatman, Brighton freshman Javaughn Edmonds will make a major impact in the Boston City League in the coming years. Edmonds will be looked to to step in and help fill in some of the production missing from departing ESPN Boston Mr. Basketball Malik James.

***

MIAA’S TOP PROSPECT HEADS FORWARDS

There is no question who has the highest ceiling of any player in the MIAA. It is Springfield Central’s 6-foot-8 sophomore Chris Baldwin. A sureshot Division 1 prospect who can block shots, rebound at a high rate, and score in a variety of ways, Baldwin will make sure Central remains one of the state’s best hoops programs after making the Western Mass. Division 1 championship game once again this year.

St. Peter-Marian freshman Greg Kuakumensah will have big shoes to fill next year for the Guardians, especially as they soon graduate forward Tim Berry, the heart and soul of their offense. Kuakumensah, the younger brother of Brown University forward Cedric Kuakumensah, will join Ashton in what should be a very bright future for St. Peter-Marian. At 6-foot-4, he is a great shot blocker like his older brother, but is also tremendous athlete and competitor.

-- SPM isn’t the only squad returning a talented young duo though. Brighton, the Division 2 state champion, will, alongside Edmonds, return 6-foot-5 sophomore forward Jason Jones, who played a lead role in helping the Bengals to their first Boston City League championship.

-- Andover's 6-foot-5 sophomore forward Connor Merinder was limited in minutes this year as he recovered from a severe wrist injury. However, he was able to recover by playoff time and led the Warriors to the Division 1 North semifinals, knocking off Medford and St. John’s Prep in order to do so.

-- For all the attention to the prospects at larger Division 1 and 2 schools, keep an eye on 6-foot-5 sophomore forward Jake Wisniewski out of Quaboag. After averaging over 20 points per game for Quaboag this past year, the already-experienced post scorer is one of the state’s top prospects in Division 3. A talented forward at Division 3 New Leadership, 6-foot-6 freshman Davidson Pacheco, will take his talents elsewhere after averaging 10 points per game this year, what with the expected closing of the Springfield-based charter school.

***

MOBLEY, JUDSON CAN MAKE IT RAIN

Newton North sophomore Tommy Mobley was one of the state’s most feared scorers this year, leading the Tigers to a 20-4 record and picking up Bay State Carey MVP. Mobley and St. John’s Prep sophomore guard Ben Judson showed that they can be two of the MIAA’s best scorers again next year. Like Mobley, Judson’s three-point range extends all the way out to 25 feet—as both were known to drop a barrage of three-pointers on opponents this year, heavily guarded or not.

New Mission's Juwan Gooding, New Bedford's Tyree Weston, and Catholic Memorial's Guilien Smith, were all early exits from the state tournament this year. But as three of the MIAA’s most talented pure scorers in the 2015 class, they’ll be back for big runs next year. Smith and Gooding are finesse guys who use their quick first step to get to the rim, while Weston uses his sculpted frame to overpower opponents and score inside-out.

-- One other Springfield product to keep an eye on is Cathedral sophomore Darrick Boyd. The young, talented sharpshooter scored 19 points per game this year, leading Cathedral to a 13-9 record. Danvers sophomore Vinny Clifford, also a dead-eye shooter, will be looked at to be a leader for the two-time defending Division 3 state champion. Clifford, the younger brother of Merrimack College forward Mike Clifford, was an integral piece this year for a team led by Eric Martin, Nick Bates, and Nick McKenna.

-- Yet another two-sport star, Wakefield sophomore Bruce Brown, helped the Warriors make a deep run in the Division 2 North tournament this year, eventually falling to a deeper, more experienced North Andover team. Brown is an elite athlete who, at his best, is nearly unstoppable because of his upper body strength. On the football field, Brown caught seven touchdown passes as a wide receiver last fall.

-- Two 14-seed over 3-seed upsets in the first round of the Division 1 North tournament should be remembered going forward. Freshman Saul Phiri’s heroics in a first-round upset win helped lead Haverhill past Westford Academy, while frosh Keyshaad Dixon’s three-pointers sparked perhaps the most surprising win of the first round, as Braintree knocked off heavily-favored BC High.

-- St. John's (Shrewsbury) freshman Adham Floyd, was a very important piece for the Pioneers’ run to the Central Mass. Division 1 title game, starting several games during the season. Bishop Feehan freshman Mike Nelson, a teammate of Floyd's with the Shooting Stars AAU program, showed great poise in leading his team to an impressive run in the Division 3 South tournament, falling narrowly in the quarterfinals to eventual D3 South champion Martha’s Vineyard.

***

Picking the Super Team for this year's ESPN Boston MIAA All-State Team sparked as much debate as any Super Team selection in recent years. The statewide parity, talented young players bolting to prep school, and lack of scholarship-level talent in the upper classes forced careful consideration and a never-ending debate about picking out the MIAA’s elite upperclassmen.

However, with the amount of freshmen and sophomores who made a name for themselves on a big stage this year -- the instant-classic Division 1 state final between Mansfield and Putnam being the prime example -- it's likely we won’t spend too much time worrying about the pipelines of scholarship-level talent coming up the ranks in MIAA basketball.

TAUNTON, Mass.- – One pre-season scouting report described New Bedford senior guard Rylin Collazo as “The team’s floor general who can do it all.”

To say that report was accurate would be like saying Larry Bird knew something about playing basketball.

The 5-foot-5 Collazo played like he was 6-foot-5 on Sunday as he scored 31 points (including a trio of three-pointers) which helped the Whalers upset No. 10 Taunton, 77-76 in a non-league game on Tyree Weston’s tip-in with 2.0 seconds remaining.

Not only did the victory break Taunton’s five-game winning streak but it also put the Whalers (10-4) in better position to qualify for the MIAA playoffs.

“He does everything for us,” Whalers coach Tom Tarpey said. “He gets us in our offense. He hits big shots. When we spread the floor, there aren’t many people who can stay with him. He’s extremely fast with the basketball. And he was finishing today.

“And the foul line...He struggled early in the year from the foul line. But in the last couple of games, he’s been lights out. He’s really worked on it hard. After the first eight games, he was shooting something like 46 percent.”

Against Taunton (11-2), Collazo shot a scalding 91 percent (10-for-11) at the stripe.

Weston added 18 points while Quincy Pope chipped in with 11.

Shaquille Davis paced Taunton with 22 while Anthony Parker added 18 and Gerald Cortijo 13.

Crunch time: Davis scored on a driving layup and was fouled with 49.6 seconds left. But he missed the free throw which left Taunton’s lead at 76-73.

Weston then was fouled on a three-point shot and sank two of his three free throws to slice the Whalers’ deficit to one point. But after a Taunton miss, Weston snared a missed shot and tipped it in.

A last-second heave by Parker fell way short which enabled New Bedford to bus home with a prime victory –- one which underscored the Whalers’ resilience because they trailed by as many as 11 points (48-37) early in the second half. And except for two small leads early in the game, New Bedford never led again until Weston came through in the end.

“We were down at the end of the first half (43-35),” Tarpey said. “They went on a little run. We’re a young team and could have folded. We played at their place against one of the best teams in the state and we didn’t.

“We kept plugging. We gutted it out. We had a couple of guys hurt and we had guys playing different positions. But we dug down and got stops when we needed to get stops.”

The Whalers without question got stops in the fourth quarter due in large part to their tenacious defense.

The Tigers, who shot 49.2 percent (32-for-65) for the game, connected on a mere 35.7 percent (5-for-14) of their shots in the fourth quarter.

Putting the “D” in defense: “This week in practice we practiced really hard,” Collazo said. “Today, we were a little sloppy at times on ‘D’ but we picked it up at the end when it counted.

“When we put our minds on defense, we play very well. That’s what picks up our offense for us.”

Collazo’s point was verified by the fact New Bedford outscored Taunton, 19-13, in the final period and held the Tigers to one lone basket in the first 3:41 of that seession.

Davis went “off” in the first half as he scored 12 of his points - including a jumper that sparked a 13-3 run which gave Taunton a 36-26 lead.

Davis and Parker then combined for five points early in the third quarter which gave Taunton its largest lead of the game (48-37).

But Collazo torched Taunton for 13 points in that quarter, which helped New Bedford pull within 63-58 at the break.

“I definitely was in a zone today,” Collazo said in a massive understatement. “But we never give up. We just played hard until the end of the game.”

Collazo figured in that “end-of-the-game” mix because he sank both ends of a two-shot foul and drained his last trey, with 2:07 left, which sliced his team’s deficit to 72-71.

“We played a little matchup zone but we mostly played man,” Tarpey said. “Actually we went with a 2-3 zone on their last possession just to confuse them and we got the ball back. But we’re mostly a man team.

“We play summer league against these guys all the time. We know them and they know us. We know Shaquille’s a great player. Cortijo’s a great player. Parker had a great game. But we hung in there.

“My sophomores, Quincy Pope and Tyree Weston, really picked us up,” Tarpey added. “And Rylin Collazo was just phenomenal again tonight."

At the midpoint of the MIAA basketball season, we've asked our panel of experts to submit their picks for ESPN Boston All-State, as well as Mr. and Miss Basketball along with a number of superlatives:

***

Brendan Hall
ESPN Boston High Schools Editor

All-State Super Team
G – Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
G – Darien Fernandez, Sr., Wareham
G – Jameilen Jones, Sr., BC High
G/F – Kamari Robinson, Sr., Springfield Central
F/C – Tyler Gibson, Sr., Rockland

Second Team
G – Jaylen Blakely, Sr., Brockton
G – Nick McKenna, Sr., Danvers
F – Nick Cambio, Jr., Central Catholic
F – Brendan Hill, Soph., Mansfield
F – Isaiah Nelsen, Sr., North Andover

Third Team
G – Riyadh Asad, Sr., West Springfield
G – Juwan Gooding, Soph., New Mission
F - Sam Dowden, Sr., Andover
C - Dakari Wornum, Sr., Dorchester
C – Chris Baldwin, Soph., Springfield Central

Girls Super Team
G - Infiniti Thomas-Waheed, Jr., Newton North
G - Donnaizha Fountain, Sr., Cambridge
F - Olivia Healy, Sr., Reading
F - Caitlyn Abela, Sr., Oliver Ames
C - Molly Reagan, Soph., Braintree

Mr. Basketball Finalists
Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic – WINNER
Darien Fernandez, Sr., Wareham
Jameilen Jones, Sr., BC High
Tyler Gibson, Sr., Rockland
Kamari Robinson, Sr., Springfield Central

Defensive Player of the Year – Drew Healy, Lowell
Coach of the Year – John Walsh, Danvers
Best Shooter – Tyler Nelson, Central Catholic
Biggest surprise (player) – Dakari Wornum, Dorchester
Biggest surprise (team) – St. Peter-Marian
Most underrated (player) – David Stewart, Madison Park
Most underrated (team) – Melrose

All-Defensive
G – Tyree Weston, Soph., New Bedford
G – Marcus Middleton, Sr., Stoughton
F – Isshiah Coleman, Sr., New Mission
F – Prince Unaegbu, Sr., Brighton
C – Drew Healy, Sr., Lowell

All-Shooters
Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
Tommy Mobley, Soph., Newton North
Daivon Edwards, Sr., Brighton
Giulien Smith, Soph., Catholic Memorial
Ben Judson, Soph., St. John's Prep

Second half sleepers to watch

Dorchester
The Bears are a streaky team, but also a gritty one, as shown in their 58-57 loss to East Boston on Wednesday. Dakari Wornum has been one of the breakout stars of the first half of the season, but a number of athletic shooters -- including Jeduan Langston, Khalil Newson, Ceejae Agnew-Carter and Dean Lee -- can make this team explode at any moment. The expected return of 6-foot-7 junior D'Bryant Coraprez should bolser the frontcourt too.

Sharon
We knew junior point guard Brian Mukasa (18.8 points per game) was good, and we though he had potential to be this good, but we had questions about the Eagles' supporting cast. Jimmy Fritzon (14.2 points per game) has some answers.

Waltham
Hawks are my favorite to win the Dual County League's Large division, in a year of parity across the board. Keep an eye on Mike Gelineau, one of the area's more underrated shooters.

Case
Most expected Wareham to run away with the South Coast Conference (again), but guess who's sitting at 11-2 and 8-1 in the league? The Cardinals are allowing a league-best 46 points per game, and face Wareham on Wednesday for a first-place battle in the SCC. Keep an eye on 6-foot-8 senior center Matt Plante.

***

Chris Bradley
ESPN Boston correspondent

All-State Super Team
G - Darien Fernandez, Sr., Wareham
G - Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
F - Jameilen Jones, Sr., BC High
F - Kamari Robinson, Sr., Springfield Central
C - Tyler Gibson, Sr., Rockland

Second Team
G - Jaylen Blakely, Sr., Brockton
G - Riyadh Asad, Sr., West Springfield
F - Nick Simpson, Sr., Brighton
F - Nick Cambio, Sr., Central Catholic
F - Brendan Hill, Soph., Mansfield

Third Team
G - Nick McKenna, Sr., Danvers
G - Rod Milton, Sr., Worcester South
F - Sam Dowden, Sr., Andover
F - Isaiah Nelsen, Sr., North Andover
C - Chris Baldwin, Soph., Springfield Central

Girls Super Team
G - Kayla Burton, Sr., Newton South
G/F - Donnaizha Fountain, Sr., Cambridge
G/F - Olivia Healy, Sr., Reading
F - Morgan Lumb, Sr., North Andover
C - Molly Reagan, Soph., Braintree

Mr. Basketball Finalists
Tyler Nelson, Central Catholic - WINNER
Darien Fernandez, Wareham
Jameilen Jones, BC High
Tyler Gibson, Rockland
Kamari Robinson, Springfield Central

Defensive Player of the Year - Isshiah Coleman, New Mission
Coach of the Year - Sean Connolly, St. John’s Prep
Best Shooter - Tyler Nelson, Central Catholic
Biggest Surprise (Team) – Wachusett
Biggest Surprise (Player) – KayJuan Bynum, Springfield Putnam
Most Underrated (Player) – Sam Dowden, Andover
Most Underrated (Team) – Dorchester

All-Defensive
G - Marcus Middleton, Sr., Stoughton
G/F - Nate Anderson, Sr., New Mission
F - Isshiah Coleman, Sr., New Mission
C - Alex Cooper, Sr., Wachusett
C - Drew Healy, Sr., Lowell

All-Shooters
Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
Tim Dufficy, Sr., Whitinsville Christian
Tommy Mobley, Soph., Newton North
Zack Berman, Sr., Wachusett
Jaylen Blakely, Sr., Brockton

Second-half sleepers:

Andover
If Connor Merinder is back in time for the tournament, then consider Andover a favorite in Division 1 North. Central Catholic has clearly separated themselves from BC High, St. John’s Prep, Lowell, and Andover so far, but if Andover gets a healthy, productive Merinder back, they will make a run to the Division 1 North final. The Golden Warriors have gone 10-2 thus far without the 6-foot-5 forward, who is considered one of the MIAA’s best in a loaded 2015 class. Sam Dowden has done a great job of leading Andover so far, but getting a healthy Merinder makes them a legitimate contender to be at the DCU Center come March.

Worcester South
South became the first team to finally knock off previously undefeated Wachusett in Central Mass. The Cononels, who with the win moved to 8-2, did so without junior point guard Kasheen Cunningham, one of the area’s best outside shooters. South has the best scorer in Central Mass. in Rod Milton, a strong young big man in Khalil Bryan-Robinson, and a constant threat from outside in Cunningham—with Central Mass. Division 1 as up in the air as it has been in years, look for South to make a run to the Division 1 finals at WPI.

***

Ryan Kilian
Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Mass. Prep Stars (www.massprepstars.com)

Boys Super Team
G - Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
G - Jameilen Jones, Sr., BC High
G - Malik James, Jr., Brighton
F - Brendan Hill, Soph., Mansfield
C - Chris Baldwin, Soph., Springfield Central

Girls Super Team
G - Morgan Lumb, Sr., North Andover
G/F - Alana Gilmer, Soph., Archbishop Williams
G/F - Donnaizha Fountain, Sr., Cambridge
F - Olivia Healy, Sr., Reading
C - Molly Reagan, Soph., Braintree

Mr. Basketball
Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic

Miss Basketball
Olivia Healy, Sr., Reading

Defensive Player of the Year
Boys: Kendall Hamilton, Sr., Wakefield
Girls: Infiniti Thomas-Waheed, Jr., Newton North

Coach of the Year
Boys: Mike Kasprzak, Melrose
Girls: John McNamara, Pentucket

Best Shooter
Boys: Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
Girls: Morgan Lumb, Sr., North Andover

Biggest Surprise
Boys: Frantzdy Pierrot, Jr., Melrose
Girls: Molly Bent, Soph., Barnstable

Most Underrated Player
Boys: Doug Gemmell, Sr., Central Catholic
Girls: Tess Noguiera, Sr., Pentucket

Most Underrated Team
Boys: Melrose
Girls: Ipswich

Second Half Sleepers

Boys: Wakefield – They have been hanging in the wings with a few losses and have battled some injuries but with a healthy Bruce Brown and continued improved play of Kendall Hamilton, Mikol Blake-Green and others they should be back in the title hunt by the end of the regular season.

Girls: Westford Academy – Westford Academy has played a very difficult schedule, losing to Bishop Feehan, Wachusett and Billerica by a combined five points. They have wins over Lincoln-Sudbury and Arlington Catholic as resume boosters and can play with any team in the state. Juniors Sam Hyslip and Hannah Hackley lead the Grey Ghosts in most statistical categories.

***

Rob Sarmiento
Founder and Editor, Beantown Hoops (www.beantownhoops.com)

First Team
G - Jameilen Jones, Sr., BC High
G - Darien Fernandez, Sr., Wareham
F - Sam Dowden, Sr., Andover
F - Tyler Gibson, Sr., Rockland
F - Doug Gemmell, Sr., Central Catholic

Second Team
G - Jaleel Bell, Sr., Wayland
G - Jaylen Blakely, Sr., Brockton
G - Malik James, Jr., Brighton
G - Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
F - Isaiah Nelsen, Sr., North Andover

Third Team
G - Giulien Smith, Soph., Catholic Memorial
G - Juwan Gooding, Soph., New Mission
G/F - Bruce Brown, Soph., Wakefield
F - Brendan Hill, Soph., Mansfield
F - Nate Anderson, Sr., New Mission

Girls Super Team
G/F - Donnaizha Fountain, Sr., Cambridge
G/F - Olivia Healy, Sr., Reading
G/F - Molly Bent, Soph., Barnstable
G/F - Morgan Lumb, Sr., North Andover
F - Sarah Hope, Sr., Medway

Mr. Basketball - Jameilen Jones, BC High
Miss Basketball - Olivia Healy, Reading
Coach of the Year - Mark Antonelli, Somerville
Best Shooter - Tyler Nelson, Central Catholic
Biggest Surprise (player) - Molly Bent, Barnstable (Girls)
Biggest Surprise (team) - North Reading
Most Underrated (player) - Jaleel Bell, Wayland
Most Underrated (team) - Melrose

All-Shooters
Tyler Nelson, Jr., Central Catholic
Sam Dowden, Sr., Andover
Sam Bohmiller, Sr., Franklin
Tommy Mobely, Soph., Newton North
Mike Gelineau, Sr., Waltham

Second Half Sleepers

Boys: Franklin - Well-coached and playing in a tough conference will make them battle ready come playoff time. Plus, they have a player who can make threes in bunches with Bohmiller.

Girls: Arlington Catholic - Seem to always make a run and their style of play is tough to prepare for. They are young in some key positions, but first half of the season experience will show during the playoffs.

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. –- The opening minutes of the first installment of this home-and-home series two weeks ago played out similar to the way things did today. In that Dec. 21 meeting, Lowell center Drew Healy picked up two quick first-quarter fouls, then the Red Raiders exploded in the second quarter en route to a 93-39 blowout of New Bedford that one had to see to honestly believe.

Less than three minutes into this afternoon’s tussle at Ed Rodrigues Court, and the 6-foot-7 big man found himself in foul trouble again.

But if Lowell’s ensuing offense was a symphony in that first meeting, then today’s version was a dirge.

The No. 2 Red Raiders etched out a sloppy 57-51 win over the host Whalers thanks to some clutch free throws in the final minute, but nobody from Lowell left the Whaling City today happy with the way things played out.

Following the game, Lowell head coach Scott Boyle had some strong words for the team, and echoed similar sentiments to reporters.

“I’ll give [New Bedford coach Tom Tarpey] credit, his guys came out ready to play,” Boyle said. “It’s just our maturity of a team, we’re not gifted [enough] to come out and...Our guys might be reading the local newspapers, local media, thinking we’re good. We’re not good unless we really get after it.

“We’ve got a shot to be good, but if we come out with efforts like that? I mean, they outplayed us for stretches, and we won the last minute or two, but that’s not the way we want to do it. I give them credit, but I’m just disappointed with the focus we had.”

While limited by foul trouble, Healy (nine points, nine rebounds) came up clutch in the fourth quarter, going a perfect 4-for-4 from the field in the stanza and giving the Raiders (8-0) the final go-ahead points. He first cleaned up on an errant three from Jonathan Perez (18 points) for a 48-47 lead; then after Kevin Nunes sunk two free throws, Healy took a feed from Zaryn Green (11 points) in transition and finished with a powerful two-handed overhand slam, and 50-49 lead.

At the other end, Healy cleared out his defender to scoop up an errant Quincy Pope three-point attempt, and the Whalers (5-2) sent Perez to the line for free throws.

Perez, Kevin Brito and Kareem Davis combined for five free throws in the final 28 seconds to seal it.

At the other end of the court, Tarpey was pleased with the effort of his squad. Devoid of size outside 6-foot-3 center Josh Pontes, the Whalers make no qualms about their affinity for the press; in the first meeting, the Raiders easily slipped through the press for fast break after fast break. And above all else, the Raiders seemingly did what they pleased in the first meeting, as evidenced by the final score, but today’s contest was made gritty by the Whalers’ relentlessness in man-to-man sets.

“We got more and more confidence in the second half, and then we couldn’t get over the hump for whatever reason,” Tarpey said. “Defensive pressure kind of hurt us at the end, but they [Lowell] are a good team for a reason. I give my kids credit. After what happened last time, I just think it’s going to do wonders for our team.”

That opportunity to seize momentum was brought on late in the third quarter by sophomore Tyree Weston (16 points). With senior captain and point guard Rylin Collazo (12 points) on the bench with four fouls, the 5-foot-10 Weston took over ballhandling duties, and finished with three assists for the quarters. That included the crucial dish with 16 seconds left that gave them a 36-35 lead, finding Pope in right corner for an open trey that made it 36-35 Whalers.

“He’s tough,” Tarpey said of Weston. “He had to play the one because of foul trouble, and he’s just gonna be tough. He plays a lot older than a sophomore in big situations like that. We don’t like moral victories here, but you know what? Hopefully we can build on this and get better.”

Shoring up the D: When Healy encountered foul trouble in the first game of this series, the Raiders pushed up the tempo, inserted a smaller but quicker lineup, and torched the Whalers with slick ball movement around the perimeter in a five-out offensive look.

The difference this time around? The Whalers were much more aggressive in defending Brito (who had five 3-pointers in the first meeting), face-guarding him and generally making him uncomfortable. They also clamped down on Healy, double-teaming him and trying to limit his touches around the basket.

It took some bonus ball to get it done (Collazo, Weston and Pontes all picked three fouls each in the first half), but the Whalers did a good job of cutting off passing lanes as well.

“We didn’t want to let them get in the middle,” Tarpey said. “Mostly Davis, because we know when he’s in the middle he’s kicking out and these guys are hitting open three’s, so we didn’t want to let him get in the middle. We just wanted to play solid defense.

“Down there, we were gambling a lot, fouling a lot, we just said ‘Play solid defense’. And if they hit a three with a hand in their face, God bless them.”

LOWELL, Mass. -– In a highly-anticipated matchup between two of the state’s best sophomores, Lowell’s Kareem Davis and New Bedford’s Tyree Weston, the host Red Raiders won in grand fashion, blowing out visiting New Bedford by the surreal margin of 93-39.

The Whalers (3-1) were able to keep the game within relative striking distance early on while Lowell 6-foot-8 center Drew Healy was on the bench with foul trouble, but Lowell started to develop some momentum and pull away in the second quarter thanks to three first-half treys from senior guard Kevin Brito, a skying dunk by DeWayne Thomas, and exceptional point guard play by Davis. Following the first half, Lowell (3-0) led 49-31.

As Healy got more involved with the offense in the third quarter, the Red Raiders started to blow New Bedford out of the gym in the second half, with Lowell’s subs playing the large majority of the fourth quarter. Thomas took on an important scoring role in the second half for Lowell, scoring 11 of his 13 points in the second half; all of his points came by way of lay-ups, runners, or dunks.

Life without Healy: Healy got in foul trouble early on in the first half, so as a result Lowell had to play the majority of the half without their senior big man on the floor. Lowell changed up their offensive game a little bit with Healy, and went with a dribble-drive five out offense.

Brito finished with five treys in all -- three of which were assisted by Davis -- but Lowell’s unselfish willingness to make the extra pass and get teammates open looks was the most striking part of their offensive performance. Five Red Raiders finished the game in double figures.

Head coach Scott Boyle couldn’t help but praise his team’s play with the ball.

“That’s what you’re hoping for," he said. "And it isn’t always like that...But when it happens it’s nice to see, and that’s what we’re trying to coach. That’s what the kids did tonight, they executed and it was really nice to see,” he said.

Davis’ development: When considering the depth of the MIAA’s sophomore class, the fact that Davis may be the best point guard in the group is a true testament to his on-court maturity. The 5-foot-9 Davis was the catalyst of the Red Raiders’ offense in the first half, dropping 6 assists over that span and scoring 9 points. Finishing with 12 points and 8 dimes in all, Boyle said it was the type of breakout performance that he had been looking for in his point guard:

“I really thought tonight was the first time where [Kareem] came out and played the way he’s capable of playing,” he said, “The first couple games he struggled a little but, but [tonight] I thought he really made a commitment on defense. He did a good job distributing and shooting the ball when he was open. I like the way he played.”

Lockdown defense: Lowell gave up just eight points in the second half, as New Bedford was only able to score three field goals in the final 16 minutes of the game. The long, athletic Raiders put constant pressure on New Bedford’s guards, setting up in a 2-1-2 stretch zone that trapped the Whalers on the free throw line extended.

“That three or four-minute span in the second half really got us going," Boyle said. "Tonight, a lot of things went right for us, and we work hard, so you deserve it every once in awhile."

Boyle said he hopes that his team can continue their strong defense and unselfish play that they displayed tonight, and they’ll certainly need it playing in the buzzsaw that is the Merrimack Valley Conference; Andover narrowly took down North Andover last night, Central Catholic is position to take over the No. 1 spot in week’s top 25, and Lawrence returns a talented, experienced group.

“When our kids get in the game they want to play as hard as they can, and that creates problems for some teams,” Boyle said, “tonight I thought they gelled and played well together and made that extra pass.”

For the first time in site history, we're pleased to announce that ESPN Boston will honor the top boys' and girls' MIAA soccer player with its first-ever Mr. and Miss Soccer Awards this year.

The winners will be announced on Monday, Dec. 3, but we've whittled down our lists to a final five candidates today.

Without further ado:

MR. SOCCER FINALISTS:
Felix DeBona, Sr. F, Somerville - The D1 North champions were led by DeBona's 29 goals, including the lone goal against St. John's Prep that clinched the sectional title. DeBona's scoring propelled the Highlanders to 15th in the NSCAA national rankings, a Greater Boston League title, and an undefeated regular season.

Dave MacKinnon, Sr. GK, Oliver Ames - MacKinnon was named an All-American for his commanding play in net for the Davenport division champions. He gave up only four goals during the regular season with 13 shutouts and was named the Hockomock League MVP. In the playoffs, MacKinnon's save during the shootout helped the Tigers beat league rival Franklin in the opening round.

Nate Pomeroy, Sr. F, Groton-Dunstable - Pomeroy, who is bound for Brown University next season, notched two goals in the D2 state finals to clinch back-to-back titles for the Crusaders. Pomeroy was named to the All-New England team and named Mid-Wach B MVP this season. He had eight goals in the 2012 postseason run.

Cody Savonen, Sr. F, Nauset - Savonen led Nauset to the D1 South sectional quarterfinals and eclipsed the 20-goal mark for the season. He had a hat trick in a 3-0 win over Plymouth South that wrapped up the third Atlantic Coast League title of his career and scored the winner in the opening playoff game against Wellesley.

Mac Steeves, Sr. F, Needham - The Rockets all-time leading scorer was named an All-American this season and led Needham to the Division 1 state title. Steeves also showed his ability to step up in big games. He scored both goals (and drew the penalty for the second) against Somerville in the state semifinals and scored the winning goal in the state finals against Amherst.

Honorable Mentions: Osla DeBrito (New Bedford), Mike Lynch (Weymouth), Thayrone Miranda (Somerville), Brandon Miskin (Needham), Ryan Rose (Acton-Boxborough), Justin Rothemich (Sutton), Zach Scafati (Franklin), Stowe Simonton (Concord-Carlisle), Dave Stapleton (Oliver Ames), Brandon Vazquez (Amherst).

MISS SOCCER FINALISTS:
Lauren Berman, Sr. F, Canton - With over 40 goals this season, Berman was the standout player for the Davenport division champions and a Hockomock League All-Star. Berman's accomplishments earned her All-American status and she will be playing in the ACC for the University of Maryland next season. She finished her career with over 130 goals.

Kristi Kirshe Sr. F, Franklin - Kirshe eclipsed the 100-goal plateau for her career during the D1 playoffs. She scored in the state semifinal and scored both goals to lead the Panthers to the program's first-ever state title.She is an All-American as well as the state MVP. Compiling more than 30 goals this season, Kirshe helped a young Franklin team to an undefeated season.

Jen Narlee, Sr. M, Medfield - Narlee is the leader of a very strong defensive unit for the D2 state champions. A physical presence in the center of the field, Narlee does many of the little things that do not get on the scoresheet. Many of the Warriors' opponents saw their attacks snuffed out by Narlee's positional play. That strong defense has helped Medfield win two of the past three state titles.

Andrea O'Brien, Sr. F, Concord-Carlisle - O'Brien finished her career with over 100 goals and will take her talents to Boston College next year. An All-New England selection and submitted for All-American consideration, O'Brien helped lead the Patriots to a Dual County League title and to the second round of the tournament.

Kimberly Slade, Sr. F, Nashoba - Slade is one of the brightest stars in the Central region. The senior forward was an All-New England selection and her playmaking ability helped lead the Chieftains to a sectional title and trip to the state championship game, where she scored the team's only goal.

Honorable Mentions: Kendall Andrew (Oliver Ames), Mimi Borkan (Medfield), Jillian Cavanaugh (Belchertown), Taylor Cogliano (Franklin), Laura Courtney (Nashoba), Hayley Dowd (Peabody), Caitlin Harty (Beverly), Maddie Jolin (Bishop Feehan), Alexa Poulin (Central Catholic), Kayla Steeves (Needham).

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- After losing the third game and coming up just short while winning the last four service points out of five, Kayla Crook thought the chance to defend the state championship for Barnstable was slipping away.

The senior setter’s effort on the service line in Game Three may not have been enough, but the senior showcased her experience in an epic five-game comeback for the ages as the Red Raiders shocked Lincoln-Sudbury, 3-2 (27-29; 25-14; 21-25; 25-18; 15-12) in the Division 1 State semifinals on the campus of Bridgewater-Raynham.

Crook was candid as the senior leader admitted a possible loss to end her career was on the horizon, and it crept into the back of her mind as the match was the Warriors’ to lose.

“Undoubtedly, it did but what popped into everyone’s head was the same thing was happening that happened with Newton North and we didn’t want it to recur again and we just wanted it so badly,” Crook said.

Crook was referring to the Lady Tigers ending the staggering 41-match win streak for head coach Tom Turco and his Red Raiders squad back in October. The loss had Barnstable on shaky ground coming into the state tournament but the senior-laden team didn’t miss a beat sweeping past Stoughton, Notre Dame of Hingham and their South Coast rival, New Bedford (2009 state champs), for Turco’s 18th South Sectional championship and their third consecutive trip to the state finals.

“It was time for the seniors to step up and not they reacted to losing the third game, but you had Kayla Crook come in there and serve bullets,” Turco said. “This wasn’t serve and hope – this was serve to win.”

After trailing 2-1, fellow senior Regan Bristol, who had a game-high 30 kills, finished off the equalizer game to knot up the score at two games apiece. But the momentum shift didn’t last long as the Warriors rushed out to a 4-0 lead in the pivotal fifth game. In fact, Lincoln-Sudbury (18-2) was up 9-3 in a game to 15 so Barnstable was six points from being eliminated but the rotation was coming together at the perfect time for Crook.

“I think the pressure is good for us and it is only going to help us improve and we just need to come out and start the games a little faster,” said the senior defensive specialist. “My first concern is getting (the serve) in and my second concern is picking a spot where I know that I could possibly get them out of system. We take instruction from Coach [Turco] and we just apply it.”

The two-time defending Division 1 state champions ripped off seven of the next eight points with Crook being an integral part of the shocking comeback. With the score tied at 10, Lincoln-Sudbury was understandably on their heels as they went from celebrating every point to realizing the shadow of Barnstable’s volleyball empire was staring back at them.

The Warriors were in a fifth and final rubber game for the first time this season and it was evident in the final seven points as the slide continued for the five-time Central-West sectional champs. They dropped five of the last unlucky seven points with uncharacteristic sloppy net play throughout. With seven of the nine players in the rotation being seniors, even head coach Judy Katalina was surprised.

“We have seven seniors here that just love volleyball and they were crying after the match but I don’t think it is because we lost, they were crying because they won’t be in the gym together tomorrow as this is a special cohesive unit,” Katalina said. “We had a six-point lead and we just made some unforced errors, nothing against Barnstable, because they made us make those unforced errors and we played tentative and played not to lose at the end and you aren’t going to win a match that way.”

The first game was the best of the bunch with Lincoln-Sudbury pulling out the rabbit at the end with a 29-27 victory, after stellar outside hitting play from Jessica Bursma (7 kills) and Amanda Sifferlen (15). But it was Barnstable junior Colleen Kenney who stepped up in game two and was the spark the Red Raiders needed to tie things up in the see-saw match.

The outside hitting of the Warriors was stifled for much of the match after Game One and the credit goes to the inside play -- the style Turco has lived with his entire career, of Barnstable’s middle hitters. But trailing 9-3 in the final game even had the tough-minded Turco on the ropes.

“We’ve been doing this for 25 years and we’ve been coming out of the middle, everyone knows it, and that’s just the way it is,” Turco said. “Sometimes you try not to have those thoughts but sometimes you sit there and say, [the seniors] have to get it done and I was a lot louder in Game One but I got to sit back and let them play.”

Sifferlen finished her fantastic senior season as one of the best outside hitters in the state for the Warriors but was stunned at the outcome of the match and lamented that the Warriors just didn’t finish the Red Raiders off.

“I don’t even know what happened. I know that we wanted it but I think they have a lot more experience being in a game like this and we were in foreign territory,” Sifferlen said. “When they started creeping up we got a little unnerved I guess but we needed to keep our positive energy and I think the situation came down us. We know we need to get up early, which we did, but this time we needed to keep going.”

Barnstable’s win sets up the rematch with Newton North, who actually split their season series with Lincoln-Sudbury for their only loss on the season. So Barnstable and the Tigers know each other well, but now the state title is on the line and Crook is excited for the opportunity to go out as a three-time state champion -- even if the loss wasn’t the first thing on her mind.

"I wasn’t even keeping count [of the winning streak], but I’m pumped, I’m so excited. It’s going to be a great game, I’m so excited. [Newton North] are a great team."

EASTON, Mass. -- Sunday night’s Division 1 South boys' soccer tournament first-round game between Hockomock League rivals Oliver Ames and Franklin was tight, defensive, and physical. Exactly what was expected when the match-up was first announced.

The Tigers eventually prevailed, but not until the game was sent into a shootout. Dave Stapleton fired home the final penalty to give Oliver Ames a 5-3 victory after a scoreless 100 minutes that featured non-stop action, no-holds-barred tackling, and very few scoring chances.

Hockomock League MVP Dave MacKinnon, Oliver Ames’ imposing senior goalkeeper, was the hero for the Tigers after saving Tim Larowe’s penalty kick. MacKinnon also made four saves including a brilliant diving effort to rob Panthers midfielder Joe Kalil moments before halftime.

Tigers head coach John Barata noted that his team struggled with penalty kicks after the season-ending draw with Brockton -- in which the teams held a shootout, which had no bearing on the result).

“We worked on them quite a bit the last couple of days and it paid off," Barata said. "It was a great game. I hate to see someone lose, but I’m glad it wasn’t us.”

There is plenty of respect between the Hockomock’s two division winners and Franklin coach Fran Bositis spoke after the game about how his team should be proud of the way it competed against a talented opponent.

“It was a great game and that’s the way they have been for the past few years. It’s a tough way to lose, but someone had to, unfortunately it was us. I’m proud of the kids, they played great soccer.”

It was the visiting Panthers, a team known more for its defensive strength, that created the best scoring opportunities during regulation. In fact, Franklin keeper Jesse D’Entermont was not forced into making a save until the first overtime period.

The best chance for Oliver Ames in the first half was a cross from Zachary Wyman that surprised D’Entermont and curled off the crossbar. Franklin created a great chance for star defender Zach Scafati off a corner kick minutes after halftime, but his stinging volley was saved by MacKinnon.

Oliver Ames adjusted its formation in the second half to try and get more possession. Forward Chris Goncalves was pulled back into midfield and central midfielder Lucas Araujo was pushed out wide on the left.

This change allowed Stapleton, the Tigers star midfielder, to play more advanced as the focal point of the attack and see more of the ball. Stapleton, who did not start because of a thigh injury, had a free kick two minutes from full time that slipped just wide of the post.

It was not until overtime that Oliver Ames finally put a shot on net as a Goncalves header had to be tipped over the bar. Stapleton also had a shot saved at the near post.

It was inevitable that these two teams would be forced into the coin flip of a penalty shootout. The last three meetings prior to Sunday night had all ended in a draw, including a 1-1 game earlier this season.

The Tigers practice paid off as they hit all of five of their penalties, including two off of D’Entermont’s fingertips, and MacKinnon, the league MVP, made the one save needed to allow OA to advance to the sectional quarterfinals.

After hearing some of the other results from the day’s action, Barata could only shake his head in awe of the depth contained in the Division 1 South sectional.

“The Division 1 South tournament is just unreal this year. I think anyone can win on any given day. If we come in on Tuesday and don’t play our best game then we’ll be saying we were knocked out too.”

Oliver Ames will host Walpole, which stunned No. 3 seed New Bedford, on Tuesday night.

State tournament notes:

• There were plenty of upsets among ranked teams on Sunday. Among the surprise results were: Walpole shocking No. 7 New Bedford, 1-0; Braintree defeating No. 13 BC High, 2-1; and Wachusett ending the season of No. 18 Marlborough by a score of 3-2. In a game that featured two ranked teams, No. 16 Nauset beat No. 19 Wellesley 2-1 to move into the quarterfinals.
• One team that was able to survive despite a scare was No. 2 Needham, the top seed in Division 1 South, which scored twice in the second half to claim a 3-1 win over Brockton. The game was tight from start to finish, but the Rockets size was too much for the Boxers to handle and Nolan Brady scored the winner 11 minutes into the second half. It was a solid performance from the Boxers who made a late season surge and head coach Rick Robens felt his team was unlucky to end up against such a tough opponent, “We didn’t match up that well on set plays and that was the difference in the game. We came together a little bit late, but we ran into the Needham buzzsaw.”
• On Monday, the West sectional will get underway with No. 3 Ludlow the main attraction as they take on Northampton, but also deserving mention is Division 2 Belchertown, which finished the regular season a perfect 18-0 and will take on Palmer in the first round.
• Tuesday will feature several marquee matchups. No. 12 Dartmouth will play host to No. 16 Nauset, No. 4 Acton-Boxborough will travel to No. 6 St. John’s Prep, and No. 2 Needham will host Marshfield.

The MIAA released the brackets for boys’ and girls’ soccer on Wednesday afternoon and there was instant reaction from fans, players, and coaches as everyone scrambled to see who stood in the way for a possible state title run.

The competition in each bracket is incredibly deep. Teams that are ranked in the ESPN Boston Top 20 polls are seeded as low as the teens because records are so close. There are teams that have been forced into play-in games that will pose serious threats to the sectional favorites.

There is little doubt that the girls’ Division 1 North and the boys’ D1 South brackets are the hardest and deepest sectionals in the tournament this season. Each game will be a battle and top-to-bottom there are no easy games in either sectional.

That contrasts the sectionals in the Central and West, which are also competitive, but feature far fewer teams and thus far fewer games to reach the state semifinals.

The first round of the girls’ D1 North sectional could feature a rematch of No. 2 Peabody against the only team to get the better of it this season, Acton-Boxborough. Meanwhile, Central Catholic could also face a very tough Andover team, which has sat just outside the rankings for much of the year.

The boys’ D1 South bracket has the potential for a number of exciting early-round matches that feature ranked teams such as New Bedford against Oliver Ames, Weymouth against BC High, and Dartmouth versus Nauset.

The D1 state semifinals and finals could be especially interesting this year with possible battles between nationally ranked girls’ teams in Franklin and Peabody and a potential rematch of last year’s state semifinal that ended with Ludlow and Worcester North players and fans fighting on the pitch.

Each bracket also has its fill of dark horses.

Watch out for the unranked Franklin boys, who play a solid defensive game and can surprise a higher ranked team. On the girls’ side, Bishop Feehan and Concord-Carlisle, a pair of No. 5 seeds, will be worth watching to see if they can shock the top seeds in the sectional semifinals.

Of course, it is star players that draw all the headlines and, especially in the girls’ brackets, there are plenty of big names.

Peabody’s Hayley Dowd, Franklin’s Kristi Kirshe and Canton’s Lauren Berman are the key cogs for potential state championship squads. Needham’s Mac Steeves set a new career scoring record for the Rockets and, of his coach’s opinion, could be an All-American this year.

My (sure to be wrong) predictions are:

• Franklin and Peabody will make it to face each other in a titanic girls’ Division 1 state semifinal.
• Ludlow falls short of a third straight state title in another contentious battle with Worcester North.
• Canton girls knock off Medfield again this year and go on to win the state title.
• Somewhere along the way a team no one had ranked catches fire and makes a run to the finals (like the Masconomet boys did last year).

Judging by the excitement on Twitter and the nervous energy that everyone had while waiting for the brackets, this could be one of the best tournaments in years.

Buckle up, it's going to be fun.

NO. 9 SPRINGFIELD CENTRAL (4-1) AT NO. 16 LONGMEADOW (4-1)

The Skinny: This battle between the two top teams in Western Mass. should be must-see material. Central snapped Longmeadow's 52-game league win streak last October in thrilling fashion, 21-20, but took one on the chin to the Lancers in the rematch, the Division 1 West Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium. Central will be without quarterback Cody Williams in this one, while 'Meadow has looked sharp with Frankie Elder moving back to his natural position of tailback.

Scott Barboza: Picking with tradition here. Longmeadow, 26-21.

Brendan Hall: Speed is the name of the game in this one, and the Eagles tout too much for Longmeadow to harness. But expect the Lancers to play ball control in this one. Central, 28-25.

NO. 1 BARNSTABLE (5-0) AT DARTMOUTH (2-3)

The Skinny: After an emotionally-charged upset of Everett on September 28, Barnstable suffered a hiccup last weekend, nearly falling upset to New Bedford before Tedaro France pulled them through. In a three-team Old Colony League, there can be no hiccups, and if the Red Raiders come out sloppy again, something tells us Dartmouth could throw a haymaker.

Barboza: I look for the Red Raider to get the vertical passing game going early and often. Barnstable, 31-17.

Hall: I'll never count out Dartmouth as long as Rick White is running the show over there. How does that sound? Barnstable, 21-14.

PINKERTON ACADEMY (N.H.) (5-1) AT NO. 8 BROCKTON (3-2)

The Skinny: We don't know what to think going into this one. Last season, the Boxers traveled north of the border and delivered a 21-14 win over heavily-favored Pinkerton, en route to a 5-6 season. This year, though, the Astros have a breakout campaign on their hands with junior running back Manny Latimore. It will also be interesting to see how the Boxers respond without Augie Roberts under center in this one, but Micah Morel has done an adequate job so far. Brockton has won seven of the last eight meetings headed into this one.

Barboza: Astros get thrown for a loop like George Jetson on the space treadmill. Brockton, 28-17.

Hall: I just can't get 2011's result out of my head, and that's not to be taken as a shot against the Astros' 2012 squad. It's just Brockton has had their number for some time, and always finds a way to win. Brockton, 17-10.

NO. 2 EVERETT (4-1) AT XAVERIAN (1-4)

The Skinny: One team (Everett) looked sloppy in a 51-30 win. The other (Xaverian) showed encouraging signs in a 20-16 loss. Something's got to give, and while picking Everett in this one sounds like a sure thing, one has to wonder if the Hawks are starting to turn the corner and figure this out at just the right time.

Barboza: BHall, duck and hide time? Xaverian, 34-31.

Hall: No, you may not have my mailing address. Xaverian, 13-10.

NO. 15 ST. JOHN'S OF SHREWSBURY (4-1) AT NO. 3 ST. JOHN'S PREP (4-1)

The Skinny: Few teams have been as strong on the ground so far as St. John's Prep, with its dynamic duo of senior Alex Moore and junior Jonathan Thomas, and the Eagles have begun to open the playbook the last few weeks. St. John's of Shrewsbury, on the other hand, is coming off a disappointing loss to its rival just a half-mile down Route 140, Shrewsbury High. But not just any loss -- a 51-45 shootout loss. Can the Pioneers rebound for an upset of Prep, or will they fall victim to a strong run game again?

Barboza: There will be running holes to be had. Prep, 45-41.

Hall: If you can run on this Shrewsbury squad, you can do a lot of things, and Prep can certainly move the ball on the ground. But the Pioneers will make this interesting with its hyper uptempo pace. Prep, 38-35.

SHARON (5-0) AT NO. 11 KING PHILIP (5-0)

The Skinny: What’s more surprising: the fact that the Eagles are off to their first 5-0 start since 1998 or that they’re 9-4 in their last 13 games dating back to last season? Either way you slice it, Sharon isn’t to be trifled with anymore. On the other hand, KP’s fast start isn’t a surprise, but we haven’t really seen what the Warriors are capable of as they’re just getting started against their Hockomock League schedule. This should be a good measuring stick for both squads.

Barboza: Either way, somebody loses. How about that for a hot sports take? KP, 20-7.

Hall: Warriors will win out in this one, but how does the old Pink Floyd axiom go? Can't have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat. KP, 28-10.

NO. 17 BRIDGEWATER-RAYNHAM (3-2) AT LA SALLE ACADEMY, R.I. (4-1)

The Skinny: The Rams’ lone loss of the season came against an MIAA foe (North Attleborough) in Week 1 and have been terrorizing the Ocean State ever since. An underrated Trojans’ secondary will have to endure against the big arm of La Salle quarterback Anthony Francis. After getting run over to the tune of 228 yards by St. John’s Prep’s Alex Moore, B-R’s defense will look to bounce back against another of New England’s top backs (Josh Morris) with a big day up front from defensive ends Kevin Johnston and Dan Noviello.

Barboza: I look for a closer game in this year’s meeting between the club, but the same result. B-R, 28-20.

Hall: After seeing the way North dominated La Salle, I'm confident in saying the Trojans can win the battle at the line of scrimmage. That will be the difference here. B-R, 20-7.

NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH (3-2) AT NO. 23 STOUGHTON (5-0)

The Skinny: The Red Rocketeers enter this week desperate to avoid falling to .500 and in need of some offensive spark. North has scrounged up just 13 points in back-to-back losses to Foxborough and Franklin and were shut out against the Warriors. Meanwhile, the Black Knights received a highlight offensive performance from Marcus Middleton in last week’s emotional 20-0 blanking of Foxborough, a game dedicated to fallen teammate David Wade.

Barboza: I truly think there’s something special brewing in Stoughton this year. Stoughton, 13-7.

Hall: Red Rocketeers really need a healthy Alex Jette, more than ever, to right this ship. Stoughton, 25-13.

NO. 12 NATICK (5-0) AT NO. 10 WEYMOUTH (5-0)

The Skinny: Our Game of the Week for Week 6 features two unbeaten squads vying for playoff spots in their respective divisions in the Bay State Conference. Weymouth’s offense has evolved through the weeks, with multi-dimensional athlete David Harrison getting snaps under center. The Red Hawks enter Friday’s action allowing an average of six points per game on defense, led by Mike Abbruzzese and Mike Dunlap. The Wildcat defense, led by senior captain Sean Murphy will hope to slow down a potent Natick passing attack, but running back Nick Lee is also a force.

Barboza: I think this game will mirror Weymouth’s earlier battle with Needham, in terms of complexion. It’ll be a different result. Natick, 34-28.

Hall: Wondering if we'll see a combined 700 yards of offense or more in this one. Weymouth, 40-34.

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. - With two talented playmakers such as Johnathan Thomas and Alex Moore in the backfield, why wouldn't St. John's Prep have its own version of the 'Wildcat' formation ready to go?

It's not a set the Eagles rely on often, but when they spring the trap, it has the tendency to yield major dividends. In the case of Saturday afternoon's nonleague clash with No. 12 Bridgewater-Raynham, Moore turned the Prep's 'Wildcat' into a momentum changer.

On the first play from scrimmage of the second half, Moore and Thomas lined up side by side in the backfield with Moore taking the snap. Tight end Anthony Bongiorno sealed off the defensive end and Thomas cleared a hole with a nice block of his own. Moore followed right through and outran everyone down the left sideline for an 89-yard touchdown.

That was the second of three scores on the day for Moore, who totaled 159 yards on the ground with two scores and another 73 yards and a touchdown on three receptions as No. 3 St. John's Prep took down the Trojans, 20-7, at Bridgewater-Raynham High School.

"I never had any original thought in my life and that's what Everett did to us so I said, 'If Everett can do that to us, we can use that ourselves,' so that's what we did," Prep coach Jim O'Leary said with a laugh. "We've been running it but we've been running it a little differently the last couple weeks. We just put him outside and pitch and get to the edge and see what we can get."

Moore turned in terrific all-around effort, adding a fourth-quarter interception from his safety position to his stat sheet. He scored the game's first touchdown via the air, lining up as the inside receiver in a trips-right set. Moore ran a post pattern through the middle and Eagles quarterback Jack Sharrio lofted a perfect pass to him in stride for a 35-yard score.

Then in the fourth, just after Brandon Gallagher had scored to help B-R (3-2) cut the deficit to 14-7, Moore produced another big play. Lined up as the tailback behind Thomas in the I-formation, Moore took a straight handoff and followed Thomas off left tackle. Thomas created room by blocking the defensive end, allowing Moore to bounce outside and race 62 yards to paydirt.

"I was able to hit the outside and use my speed to my advantage and make it a track meet out there," Moore explained. "It was just off to the races from there."

SPREAD THE FIELD
The Prep's offense has been producing extremely well this season, and a lot of that has been due to the willingness to allow Sharrio to throw more often. The senior quarterback completed 7-of-11 passes for 103 yards and the TD pass to Moore.

Battling a very difficult wind, Sharrio's effort loosened up the Trojans defense enough to allow Thomas to join Moore in the Century Club with 110 yards on 13 carries.

"We have to be able to spread the field to get people out of the box," O'Leary said. "We have to do that and so I think that's what we try to do and what we need to do. We're not as comfortable doing that when we don't have the wind. They threw the ball better with the wind also."

'PREP'PING FOR LEAGUE PLAY
B-R coach Dan Buron has never been afraid to schedule some of the state's top teams in an effort to get his Trojans ready for their Old Colony League slate, and hopefully, a postseason berth.

B-R opened with Duxbury, currently riding a 31-game winning streak, bested perennially tough programs in Marshfield and New Bedford, and still have a date with Xaverian before playing its OCL counterparts Dartmouth and Barnstable.

Brandon Gallagher finished with 92 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, while quarterback Jordan Cohen finished 12-of-26 for 176 yards.

"I was pleased with our effort, I think our kids played hard," Buron said. "That's a really good football team and I think we're just not quite there. Duxbury and this team, we're battling them for three quarters and we're just a step away. I think we're getting better every week and I think we can take this as a learning experience. I love playing teams like this. It gets us ready for our league games at the end of October and early November."

ST. JOHN'S PREP (4-1) 7 7 0 6 - 20
BRIDGE. RAYNHAM (3-2) 0 0 7 0 - 7

SJ - Alex Moore 35 pass from Jack Sharrio (Stephen Cammaro kick)
SJ - Moore 89 run (Cammaro kick)
BR - Brandon Gallagher 3 run (Kevin Wadsworth kick)
SJ - Moore 62 run (kick failed)

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. – 2:41

Those were the figures emblazoned on the scoreboard Saturday afternoon at New Bedford’s Walsh Field. The numbers surrounding it didn’t matter much.

What began as a competitive football game devolved into a showing of ill-will and hostility as the Duxbury and New Bedford coaching staffs convened near midfield to point fingers and hurl accusations at each other. There were two minutes, forty-one seconds remaining in the fourth quarter when the matchup between the No. 5 Dragons and Whalers was called.

Lost in the fray was another All-State worthy performance by Duxbury senior running back Jon Hurvitz. The shifty back tallied five touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving) while racking up 185 all-purpose yards. Hurvitz gained 140 of those yards on the ground on 28 carries.

Duxbury ran to a 28-7 lead at halftime, with Hurvitz scoring all four Dragons touchdowns. But the most telling aspect of the first half came in the teams’ interactions. Hits came fast and furious and, at times, in illegal forms. Play teetered on the envelope of acceptable football etiquette.

In total, six personal foul penalties were called against the Whalers, two against the Dragons.

“It was really chippy from the get-go,” Duxbury head coach Dave Maimaron said. “We kept telling our kids, ‘Nothing after the whistle.’”

To begin the second half, there was the unusual sight of both Maimaron and New Bedford head coach Dennis Golden present at the captains’ referee meeting.

But the mood only soured as Duxbury (3-0) added insurance points into the fourth quarter.

The hostilities came to a head with less than three minutes remaining in the game.

On a second-and-11 play, Dragons running back Colin Johnson ripped off a 30-plus yard run into the red zone. He was wrestled down inside by the 20-yard line on the backside pursuit of Whalers defensive back Jeffrey Fernandez. That’s where a personal foul penalty set in motion a series of events that resulted in the officials declaring the game final.

Fernandez was assessed a 15-yard personal foul penalty and ejected from the game, which drew the immediate ire of the Whalers’ sideline. An additional bench penalty was given as a New Bedford assistant coach accosted the referee after being asked to leave the playing field.

One play later, Duxbury increased its lead to 28 points. On the ensuing kickoff, the game spiraled into disorder.

While flying downfield on Duxbury’s kickoff coverage unit, junior Wes Quinzani was shaken up when he became entangled with a New Bedford blocker. Teammates and training staff attended to the injured player on New Bedford’s side of the field. Meanwhile, near midfield, the coaching staffs of both sides closed in on each other to within a few paces with expletives exchanged in both directions.

The game was then declared final.

When asked postgame about the tenor of the game and the officials’ ability to maintain competitive spirit of the game, Golden answered, “I have no comment on the officiating at all. Both teams were playing hard, both teams were playing with emotion and I’ll leave it at that.”

No handshakes were exchanged postgame. Duxbury’s players and staff returned to their buses behind the visitors’ side bleachers. New Bedford’s players huddled in an end zone.

On the scoreboard, the visitors’ column had 42, the Whalers had 14.

The Dragons had more points, but nobody won.

NO. 3 XAVERIAN (1-1) AT NO. 15 BROCKTON (1-1)
The Skinny: Both teams are going to be seeing red after their respective performances last week with the Hawks taking an ole fashioned whooping at St. Joseph's Regional in New Jersey and the Boxers being shut out by the likes of Reading. This matchup will see some of the state's premiere lineman matching up with Michigan-bound Mo Hurst lining up across from preseason All-State Watch Lister Joe Previte of Brockton.

Barboza: The question might be is if the Boxers get back on the board again this week. I think they do, but it's still no enough. Xaverian, 27-14.

Hall: I want to know what St. Joseph's Regional alum Devin McCourty thinks of the New Jersey school's 62-0 beatdown of Xaverian last weekend. Xaverian, 24-17.

NO. 22 BC HIGH (0-2) AT DARTMOUTH (1-1)
The Skinny: The beleaguered Eagles might enjoy of bit of a reprieve if rumors are true that quarterback Brendan Craven will return for the tilt against the Indians. These will be two hungry squads as BC High looks for its first win on the season and Dartmouth hopes to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Attleboro last week. This could be a coming-out party for Dartmouth RB/LB Mitch Loranger, one of the more underrated talents in the state, while Tim Smith provides a nice change of pace running.

Barboza: Coach Rick White puts these games on the schedule when he feels like he has something in the bag, so you can't look past that. I think the Eagles escape the South Coast with their first win of the season, however. BC High, 16-14.

Hall: I'm in need of a bailout from North Attleborough Credit Union after picking the Eagles last week. Sorry, in this dire times of financial brevity, I can't take on too much more water. Dartmouth, 17-10.

WHITMAN-HANSON (2-0) AT FOXBOROUGH (2-0)
The Skinny: These are two traditional powers who have had some leaner years in recent memory, but seem again to be headed back in the right direction. The Panthers opened up their season with wins over ACL powers Plymouth North and Marshfield, with QB Tom Sapienza tallying over 400 yards on the air and ground in the victory over the Rams. The Warriors steamrolled their first two opponents (East Longmeadow and East Providnce, R.I.) by a combined 74-16 with running back Kiivone Howard putting his name into early Hockomock Player of the Year talk.

Barboza: The offensive weapons are there, but I wouldn't be surprised with a defensive struggle here. Foxborough makes the stops when it needs to behind linebacker Luc Valenza. Foxborough, 21-14.

Hall: Kiivone Howard has been one of the nicest surprises of the early season. Of course, folks in Foxborough will tell you that's no surprise. Foxborough, 30-25.

NO. 5 DUXBURY (2-0) AT NEW BEDFORD (2-0)
The Skinny: The Dragons put their state-best winning streak on the line against the Whalers after rolling through Plymouth North last week. Marshall McCarthy has been as good as he's ever been for Duxbury's defense, registering 26 tackles through two games. New Bedford will look for a big game from quarterback Mike Rapoza, who's a multi-dimensional threat having played running back and wide receiver as well.

Barboza: Jon Hurvitz and the Duxbury line could be primed for a big day. Duxbury, 28-10.

Hall: I fully expect the Dragons to head into October 5's showdown with Xaverian on a 30-game win streak. Duxbury, 21-0.

NO. 2 ST. JOHN'S PREP (2-0) AT NO. 1 EVERETT (2-0)
The Skinny: For the first time since 2010, we have the top two teams in ESPNBoston.com's statewide poll squaring off. Everett is 7-0 against the Catholic Conference since the 2009 MIAA Division 1 Super Bowl loss to Xaverian; that streak features three wins over the visiting Eagles, including the 2010 D1 Super Bowl. To snap the streak, Prep will have to play lockdown defense and get big production from its star running back Jonathan Thomas. For Everett, it's anyone's guess who will be lining up at quarterback this week, but Gilly De Souza has been very serviceable.

Barboza: I think both offenses are going to get theirs, but it's going to be decided by the defenses and who's able to force a fumble, come up with a pick, something to steal the game. Everett, 30-23.

Hall: No truth to the rumor Everett Superintendent of Schools Fred Foresteire was taking snaps under center this week. Everett, 23-21.

NO. 9 ST. JOHN'S OF SHREWSBURY (2-0) AT CATHOLIC MEMORIAL (1-1)
The Skinny: St. John's can lay claim to one of the state's most prolific offenses after an impressive showing the first two weeks, outlasting No. 24 Holy Name (47-40) and cruising past No. 16 Longmeadow (35-14). However, neither team has an individual as talented on the defensive side of the ball as CM's UMass-bound linebacker/defensive end Peter Ngobidi, one of the state's best off the edge. Conversely, the Knights struggled against Westford last weekend, and may have their hands full against a Pioneers squad with similar spread principles but at a breakneck tempo.

Barboza: I like the Knights' defense with Ngobidi and Kevin Bletzer, but too many options for them to stop. St. John's, 31-17.

Hall: Going forward, I'm suddenly very intrigued at how St. John's will be calling in its plays. St. John's, 30-14.

BB&N AT BELMONT HILL
The Skinny: Belmont Hill is entering its first season in decades without Kevin Fleming on the sidelines, and it comes out of the gate going right into the fire. BB&N took a 17-14 humbling at the Hillers' hands in the opening week of ISL play last year, and they have one of the best individual athletes this season in Wake Forest-bound tight end Brendan O'Neil.

Barboza: I'm still syphoning water from my boots after last year's "Car Wash" game. The memory will be fresh in the minds of the Knights as well. BB&N, 20-14.

Hall: Plain and simple, John Papas gets his revenge here. BB&N, 21-7.

THAYER ACADEMY AT GOVERNOR'S ACADEMY
The Skinny: ISL season opens up with plenty of hype behind Thayer and its numerous athletes, including Bryan Vieira, Aaron Gilmer and Ikenna Nwokeji. The Governors had runaway success last season under first-year head coach Jim O'Leary, and return arguably the most valuable player in the league in quarterback Tate Jozokos, a UNC lacrosse commit who was a dual-threat nightmare for many opponents.

Barboza: Simply stated, Gov's are running the table again this year. Governor's, 23-17.

Hall: Tate Jozokos can play on my Tuesday night Charlestown flag football team any day. Governor's, 28-13.