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NORTH EASTON, Mass. -– Oliver Ames sent 10 hitters to the plate and scored six runs in the second inning against Franklin starter Brendon Kuzio, on the way to a 9-5 victory over the Panthers on Wednesday afternoon at Frothingham Park in Easton.

Andrew Mancini sparked the Tigers offense with three hits and three RBI, while Dave MacKinnon struck out six over five-plus innings in his first start of the season. The win improved the Oliver Ames record to 9-1 this year (all of them league games), a mark that head coach Leo Duggan, in his 27th season at the helm, was not expecting.

“If you had told me at the beginning of the year that we’d be 9-1...I don’t know...It’s great,” said Duggan. “The kids are great and they work hard.”

OA grabbed a lead in the second inning that it would not relinquish. After a leadoff walk, Brandon Gagliardi drove in Greg Cummings with a double to center. Mike Ferreira followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0. After a MacKinnon base hit, Mike McMillan drove in the third run. Andrew Mancini, the senior catcher, broke the game open with a triple to left-centerfield that scored two runs and made it 5-0.

The Tigers added one more on a double steal in the second and then tacked on a seventh run in the third on a MacKinnon sacrifice fly to right. Duggan called it the best offensive inning of the season for the Oliver Ames.

He added, “We’re usually behind people. Today was the first time that we’ve been out in front all year. We usually wait until the bottom of the fifth to start doing well. They had good swing, which we’ve been trying to stress.”

MacKinnon, who had struck out 14 of the 15 hitters he had faced in five previous relief appearances, was dominant early in the game. He struck out the side in the first inning on nine pitches, but as he got into the fifth inning he was clearly tiring and the Panthers (7-3, 6-3) started to take advantage.

Chris Roche led off the inning with a single down the leftfield line, which was followed by a base hit to center by Drew Inglesi. Catcher Stephen Shea stepped up with a run-scoring double to right center to make it 7-1 and Inglesi would come home on a wild pitch. With runners at second and third and no outs, MacKinnon was able to bear down and get the middle of the order on strikeout, a weak grounder to third, and a pop-up to the catcher.

Franklin head coach Dave Niro called that an important turning point in the game.

“We never give up, but the last couple of game we just haven’t gotten the big hit,” he noted. “We had second and third and the two, three, and four hitters coming up and got nothing out of it. We could have been right back in it.”

Despite not getting runs out of the situation, the Panthers were energized by getting on the board and in the top of the sixth went right back to work.

Andrew Dean, who replaced Neal Hart in leftfield in the fourth inning, smashed a leadoff triple to straightaway center that would have been a homerun on just about any field with a fence. Bryan Abbott, who moved from first to the mound, singled Dean home and Roche drew a walk that chased Mackinnon from the game.

“David’s the best player in the Hockomock, I don’t care what anyone says,” said Duggan. “He just got a little tired and they came back. Give Franklin credit. Most teams would have folded, but they came back.”

Brendan Welch came in to pitch and retired the next two hitters, but Santucci doubled over the head of the leftfielder to score both Abott and Roche. Both runs were charged to MacKinnon. Welch struck out pinch hitter Pat O’Reilly, but Franklin were back in the game at 7-5.

That would not last long.

MacKinnon reached on an error to start the bottom of the sixth. Two batters later, Mancini ripped a grounder down the first base line that was ruled to have just gone over the bag and made it 8-5. A wild pitch moved him to third. On a swinging third strike, Franklin’s catcher Shea thought it may have bounced and started up the first base line with the ball. It left home open and Mancini took advantage to score another insurance run.

“Physical mistakes we can handle but mental ones we can’t,” said Niro. “You know, a catcher vacating home plate, a little pop-up that we missed, a double-play ball and no one covers second base, it’s little things like that.”

Duggan was thrilled with the win and gave credit to his opponents for making it a tough game after a tough start.

“That’s still a good team; anytime you beat Franklin it’s great,” he explained. “I think the kids hit the ball pretty well today and we played pretty well. It was great that we got two runs in the bottom of the sixth. We knew we had it after that.”

BOURNE, Mass. – The storylines from Tuesday’s sectional final at the Gallo Ice Arena will sound very familiar to anyone that has followed Division 2 hockey for the past few years.

For the third straight season, the Franklin Panthers took home the sectional title and, for the fourth straight season, Oliver Ames’ season ended against Franklin. The Panthers scored the game’s first three goals and held Oliver Ames to just 17 shots to claim a 3-1 victory and return trip to the TD Garden.

The Panthers started quickly with a goal inside the opening 30 seconds of the first period.

Aiden Isberg flipped the puck in front of the net to fellow senior Cam Curley and Franklin’s leading scorer in the postseason threw the puck on net. Somehow, through traffic, the puck slipped past Oliver Ames star goaltender Jimmy Tierney and stunned the huge OA crowd stationed behind the net.

Curley remarked, while sporting a freshly broken tooth, that getting in front on the scoreboard was a priority for the Panthers. He also commented that he did not even know that the puck had gotten through.

“I got as much on it as I could and I knew that if I put it on net, good things would happen. I had no idea that it went in until Dennis Pisani started yelling,” he noted.

Curley added, “Me and my linemates talked about getting that first one. We got to the net, we put it on net and it went in. And it made it easier for us to play.”

Franklin head coach Chris Spillane also spoke about the importance of getting an early goal past Tierney, who has been one of the stars of the sectional to that point. He credited a change in style for the Panthers’ strong defensive performance.

“We changed up our forecheck and trapped them,”Spillane said. “They struggled to get the puck out of the zone. I think that was a huge part of our success, not letting the big kids stretch their legs through neutral ice.”

Franklin doubled its advantage with just less than three minutes to go in the first period. Eight seconds into the game’s first power play, Tierney robbed Franklin with a great kick save only to have the rebound go directly to senior forward Pat Slason, who buried his shot over the sprawling goalie.

The Panthers made it 3-0 midway through the second period on a well-worked goal from the third line. Nick Downie and Alec Borkowski combined at the blue line before defenseman Kyle Powers drove at the net. Powers sent the puck through the crease where Borkowski was on hand to tap home his second goal in as many games.

“That’s the way we have been the last couple of years; three or four lines,” said Spillane. “You never know when your number is going to get called and you better be ready when we call it.”

Oliver Ames scored a consolation goal in the game’s final minute. Kyle Hayes scored an unassisted goal with a rocket of a shot over the shoulder of Franklin goalie Devon Maloof. Maloof was not tested frequently, but was solid in net for the Panthers.

Oliver Ames head coach Jim Sullivan was proud of his team despite the loss and was proud of the Tigers’ deep run in the tournament.

“We still had the potential to come back,” said Sullivan. “The only way I look at it is someone had to win, someone had to lose. You know, we went all the way and gave it all that we had, can’t be down.”

He added a positive not about the OA program, “We’re moving one step at a time - maybe next year.”

Franklin will now look to a rematch of last year’s D2 final against Wilmington at the TD Garden. Both coach and senior captain are hoping that the third time is the charm.

“We’ve been there three years in a row and been bridesmaids two years in a row,” Spillane reflected. “I just told these kids that I will not be the Marv Levy of high school hockey.”

Curley related, “This is great right here, but I want that big one. Three years in a row I’ve been there and haven’t won one. Especially with them taking it from us last year, we want it bad.”

This has not been the perfect season and Franklin has not been the dominant team of years past, but regardless of how they got there, in their final season before a move to D1, once again the Panthers are the last team standing in D2 South.

BOURNE, Mass. – During two regular season meetings, only a single goal separated Hockomock League rivals Mansfield and Franklin. So, it was no surprise that Sunday’s Division 2 South semifinal would come right down to the wire.

A third-period goal by sophomore Alec Borkowski was the difference for Franklin, as the Panthers pulled out a 4-3 victory at Gallo Ice Arena and the two-time defending D2 South champions clinched a spot in their third straight sectional final.

Borkowski, who also assisted on the Panthers’ first goal, has been one of Franklin’s best forwards in recent weeks and head coach Chris Spillane called him the player of the game.

“He just demands ice time,” said Spillane. “He’s one of those kids that, in practice, he gets it done and you put him out in the game and he gets it done. As a coach, you just say, alright I’ll give you a little more and a little more and he’s delivering.”

The winning goal came with 8:24 remaining in the game. Borkowski combined with fellow sophomore Nick Downie and, after a great save by Mansfield goalie Rich Shipman, he was on hand to flick home the rebound to make it 4-3.

“I was forechecking near the net, got it off the half boards, Nicky Downie took the shot and I got the rebound,” said Borkowski. “It feels really good, especially being an underclassman and first time being in the playoffs.”

It was the Hornets (14-6-3) that scored first. Senior forward Brendan Murphy took a pass from classmate and linemate Kevin Flynn, shifted the puck onto the backhand, and beat Franklin goalie Devon Maloof on the short side. It was a great goal for the forward, who had been struggling to find the net in the playoffs.

The lead did not last long, however. Franklin got back into the game thanks to Borkowski. He shook off two Mansfield defensemen with a great spin move and laid the puck on a platter for junior forward Randy Gilbert to tap home and make it 1-1.

Within a minute, Franklin (16-6-2) was in the lead. Senior Aiden Isberg, the hero of Franklin’s overtime win against Martha’s Vineyard in the quarterfinals, wristed a shot over the shoulder of Shipman and made it 2-1. It was a stunning turnaround for the Panthers.

Despite the goals, Mansfield kept the energy high in the second period and stormed right back.

With 10:35 left in the second and Mansfield on the power play, Murphy laid a pass into the path of sophomore Will Kelleher and the defenseman buried the shot to make it 2-2. Just 35 seconds later, Kyle Hurley’s shot hit the post and caromed to another sophomore, Jared Collins, and the forward finished into the open net to make it 3-2.

As the second period was winding down, the Hornets got another power play opportunity, but it was Franklin that took advantage. A loose pass was broken up at the blue line and Isberg stretched to tip the puck into the path of senior sniper Cam Curley, who raced clear and rifled a shot under the crossbar to make it 3-3 heading to the third.

Spillane credited the shorthanded goal as being a turning point for the Panthers.

“Huge, huge…their power play was setting up and they had a couple of beautiful opportunities,” remarked the Franklin coach about the importance of the goal. “Cam is our speedster, so anytime that you can get him in the open ice… and he’s a finisher.”

The third period was filled with chances for both teams. Shipman robbed Dennis Pisani after a behind the back pass from Curley set the senior forward clear in the slot and Maloof stopped a great chance from Murphy on the doorstep.

In the end, Spillane pointed to his team’s finishing as what separated the two teams.

“I thought we capitalized on our offensive opportunities,” he explained. “We didn’t have many of them, but every time that we had that quality opportunity – we scored.”

Mansfield head coach Rick Anastos was visibly disappointed after the game.

He said, “This is exactly what we expected, but we expected to win. Unfortunately, we didn’t. You couldn’t ask for a better game and I think we were that evenly matched.”

Anastos also commented that this was a great advertisement for the Hockomock League and the depth of talent within the conference. He was most disappointed for the seniors that had led the Hornets to the sectional finals and semifinals in back to back seasons.

“They’ve meant a lot to the program. We’ve got a really great group of kids, a really tight group of kids,” said Anastos.

Franklin will now prepare for its third consecutive sectional final. It will be the team’s last in D2 as next year the Panthers (along with Mansfield and King Philip) are slated to move into Division 1. The Panthers are confident that they have a good chance at a third straight trip to the TD Garden when they take on another league rival, Oliver Ames.

“If we move the puck, then it neutralizes the physical game and it comes down to who can put the puck in the net,” said Spillane. “I think we have the scorers that can get it done.”

The final will be played on Tuesday night at 5:15 p.m. at Gallo.

BOURNE, Mass. -- The last time Canton lost in regulation was back on Jan. 2. That game was a 1-0 shutout against Oliver Ames and sophomore goalie Jimmy Tierney.

History repeated itself on Wednesday night in Bourne.

In the Division 2 South semifinal against the Tigers at Gallo Ice Arena, Canton once again ran into a dominant goaltender and failed to find the back of the net. Despite 37 shots on goal, the top seeded Bulldogs were shutout 2-0, sending Oliver Ames (17-4-2) into the sectional final.

“If I was younger, I would stand on my head too and show you what he did,” said Oliver Ames head coach Jim Sullivan of his star netminder. “He kept us in that game as usual. What a kid!”

Canton head coach Brian Shuman could only shrug and praise Tierney for once again proving to be too tough to beat.

“He’s probably not only one of the best goalies in D2, but in the state,” remarked Shuman. “We had our chances but we just couldn’t bury them. He’s one of those guys that haunts other teams with how well he plays.”

The Oliver Ames defense limited the opportunities for Canton’s top scorers, Brian Brooks and Pat Ward, through physical play and by keeping the Bulldogs (16-4-2) out of the middle of the attacking zone. Andrew Mancini and Andrew Romans continually cleared Canton players from in front of the crease to give Tierney a chance to see the puck.

Tierney credited his defenders for the shutout and noted that he was ready for a barrage of shots from the Hockomock League champions.

“It’s definitely better because you start feeling the shots earlier,” Tierney said. “The defense kept all the shots outside so it was good. I don’t think they had any shots in the slot.”

OA’s goalie may have stolen the show, but it was Romans that gave the Tigers the win. The defenseman pinched in on a power play and flicked an unstoppable wrist shot into the top corner from the edge of the faceoff circle. Tyler Provost picked up the assist.

The goal came with 7:55 left in the second period. The remaining 23 minutes of the game were increasingly desperate for Canton, as the Bulldogs threw everything at the OA net. Unfortunately for Canton, there was no way past Tierney.

Justin Davidner wrapped up the win for the Tigers with an empty net goal with 48 seconds left on the clock.

Sullivan was thrilled that his team was heading to the finals and even happier to do it by going through a league rival, which he believes is proof of the strength of the Hockomock. He was already looking forward to the next game against the winner of Franklin and Mansfield.

“It’s nice to get this far,” Sullivan said. “We haven’t been this far, I think since the 80’s. It’s just one more step, one more goal, and one more game.”

Notes, thoughts and observations from around the MIAA basketball landscape:

TOUCHING TRIBUTE FROM CANTON
None of the Canton boys basketball players directly knew Devin Ness, the Oliver Ames wrestler who died suddenly the morning of Jan. 25 from an aneurysm. But they knew those OA players, who were set to visit the Bulldogs this past Tuesday for a Hockomock League matchup, were playing with heavy -– no, devastated -– hearts, many of them friends with Ness.

The sudden death of Ness, who captained the wrestling team, sent shockwaves across the town of Easton and its surrounding communities. But just knowing what the Oliver Ames athletics program was going through was enough for the Canton players to approach head coach Ryan Gordy about paying tribute during their Jan. 29 meeting, just four days after the death.

It was a simple idea, but it said a lot. Volunteer assistant Pat Frazier went out to the Nike store at Wrenthm Outlets and purchased a load of orange shoelaces, which the players all wore during the game, a 60-49 OA win.

“At the end of the day, high school sports is a great venue, a unique venue to showcase something like that, something so important and so close to home for the Oliver Ames community,” Gordy said. “We got a little too much attention for it, but that’s not why we did it. We’re rivals, Canton and Oliver Ames, but at the end of the day when you talk about someone’s life, basketball is such a small thing. That’s what I wanted to point out. We’re all just student-athletes here.”

The feedback from the OA community was very warm, with OA head coach Don Byron expressing his gratitude for “being class acts”, and OA principal Thomas Flanagan sending over an email to Gordy, the administration and athletic department with thanks.

“It was a teachable moment, to be able to sit down with the kids and talk about the value of sportsmanship,” Gordy said. “You want to go out and beat guys, but anything to do with life or death trumps any athletic venue. That’s something unique bout sports. It’s a unique venue to showcase sportsmanship and respect. It was just a teachable moment.”

KNIGHT RIDERS
North Andover’s thrilling upset over Central Catholic last week was wild for a multitude of reasons. For one, the Scarlet Knights trailed by 18 with four minutes left in the third quarter. For another, Derek Collins sank a half-court buzzer-beater to end the stanza. And perhaps crazier than all, the Knights’ 6-foot-5 senior post, Isaiah Nelsen, threw up a 30-footer as the shot clock buzzed with about a minute left to give NA the lead for good.

This marks the Knights’ first win over Central Catholic since the 1986 Greater Lawrence Christmas Tournament, and it’s the program’s first win over a team ranked No. 1. The Raiders at the time were a unanimous selection at No. 1 in virtually every reputable Eastern Mass. poll, as well as ESPNBoston.com’s statewide poll.

“It was a real good win, and the fact that those sweet words you just said – No. 1, we’ve never won versus No. 1 in the state, so certainly it’s right up there,” head coach Mike McVeigh said on where the win ranks in his long, illustrious career on the NA sideline. “Sometimes there are games that bring you to the next level, and you can never dismiss those. I’ve had some wonderful young men make some big shots, and certainly this is one of the best.”

There were obviously a lot of things that went the Knights’ way, but an emphasis on rebounding paid off immensely over the final 12 minutes. The Knights went a little bit more man-to-man in the last third of the game (some coaches will tell you rebounding is easier in man than zone), with Nelsen drawing Central’s frenetic energy ball Doug Gemmell down low, and were terrific on switches.

“There’s certainly technique in rebounding, but a lot just has to do with attitude, whether offensive or defensive,” McVeigh said. “We understood if we going to get back into the game we couldn’t give them second chance opportunities, and I don’t think we gave them those in the second half.”

NEW MISSION LOSES A VICTORY
At times, New Mission coach Cory McCarthy makes the headlines for his outspokenness as often as his team does for its relentless, physical defensive pressure. This was certainly the case following Thursday’s loss to Brighton, in which the Titans coughed away a 20-point fourth quarter lead in a matter of six minutes.

McCarthy was calm and subdued following the loss, tipping his cap to Hugh Coleman’s squad for a terrific job, but also declaring his squad is still among the best in the state. McCarthy was also disappointed with the recent ruling from the Boston City League that strips the Titans of one of their wins this season. Boston Public Schools Athletic Director Ken Still confirmed to ESPNBoston.com that Madison Park has officially been awarded a forfeit win over New Mission in their Jan. 8 meeting, over the use of an ineligible player.

They ruled that because senior Isshiah Coleman picked up a second foul in the Titans’ win over East Boston two days prior, for hanging on the rim, he should have had to sit the next game.

Speaking to ESPNBoston.com following the Brighton loss, McCarthy was peeved.

“He [Coleman] wasn’t ejected or anything like that, there was nothing done on him or anything like that,” McCarthy said. “I called the athletic department, I said I’ve got a kid with two techs and was told by the assigners that those were administrative techs and he could play the next game.

“I play him, then they send out an email saying [he shouldn’t have played]. So they said, ‘Hey, it’s OK if you can play him’, and then after that they changed their minds. It only happens to New Mission. We’re the only team that doesn’t get supported or defended.”

With the forfeit loss, the Titans currently sit at 10-5, in second place in the Boston City League’s top-tier “A” division. After Madison, Mission’s only other in-state losses are twice to Brighton, who have now swept the heated season series two years in a row.

THE CASE FOR NO. 1
After we unveiled Mansfield as the new No. 1 in our statewide boys’ basketball poll yesterday afternoon, some of my followers from St. John’s Prep presented their case via Twitter for why their deserves the top slot over the Hornets. The crux of their argument was the Eagles’ strength of schedule, which got me thinking -– yes, the Eagles have some very impressive wins, but is it really superior to Mansfield’s resume?

With the help of some mathematics, here’s the head-to-head tale of the tape:

Common opponents: Prep and Mansfield are a combined 3-0 against one common opponent – BC High, with Prep taking two of the wins.

Total opponents: Headed into Tuesday night’s slate of games, Mansfield’s opponents are a combined 103-88; nearly one-third of that loss total comes from two teams, King Philip (3-12) and North Attleborough (2-13). Prep’s opponents are a combined 100-82, with four of those opponents currently boasting 11 wins or more.

Quality wins: This can often be a subjective stat, so first let’s go solely on wins over opponents with a record above .500 (which means we’re leaving out Prep’s win over the walking, talking enigma that is 6-10 Charlestown). By this definition, Prep has seven “quality wins” –- Lynn Classical (twice), BC High (twice), Catholic Memorial (twice) and Central Catholic (13-3). Mansfield also has seven such wins -– Sharon, BC High, Amityville (N.Y.), Oliver Ames, Taunton, Franklin and Foxborough.

Breaking that down further, let’s take a look at how many of those “quality win” opponents were ranked in ESPNBoston.com’s poll, either currently or at previous points in the season. Mansfield has three -– BC High, Taunton and Franklin. Prep also has three – BC High, Catholic Memorial, and Central Catholic -– but if you throw in 6-10 Charlestown (which ranked as high as No. 15 in late December), that’s four.

Losses: Each team has one loss. Mansfield took a six-point loss over the Holiday break to New Mission, currently ranked No. 12 in our poll. Two Sundays ago, Prep took a surprise 13-point loss to Waltham, which was good enough to debut the Hawks at No. 23 in last week’s poll, a position they’ve since abdicated (Waltham currently sits in our “Last 10 out” of the poll).

As you can see, a case can certainly be made for Prep at the No. 1 spot. However, the strength of schedule argument can often be a deceptive one, because Mansfield’s numbers in that department are somewhat even in comparison.

MISCELLANEOUS
Yesterday, the MIAA reversed its January decision to ban all Gardner High winter sports teams from postseason, following an apology from Gardner Mayor Mark Hawke, who chairs the school committee and had previously made several comments to the media publicly insulting the MIAA. That should come as good news to Gardner’s girls basketball squad, which at 8-5 needs just two wins in seven games to quality for the Division 2 Central tournament, starting with archrival Oakmont tonight ... One Eastern Mass. coach on Mount Greylock junior guard Tyrell Thomas, who has been on a tear in Western Mass. as of late: “He is a slashing guard who can really score at the rim. He has decent perimeter skills, but he is better when he gets out in transition. Wiry strong and a hard worker, you definitely know when he is scoring because most of his drives to the basket have a high degree of diffuculty." The Mounties ventured to the Boston area for two games over the Holiday break, losing to both Ashland and Wayland, and figure to be a favorite in Division 3 West.

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.

We updated our statewide MIAA Top 25 girls basketball poll last night. To view it, CLICK HERE.

A few notes and observations about this week's poll:

New No. 1: With Braintree taking a surprise upset loss at the hands of Newton North on Tuesday, we've got a new No. 1 for the first time all season long. Reading slides up one spot to No. 1, while Archbishop Williams bumps up to No. 2, followed by the aformetioned Wamps (3), Pentucket (4) and Billerica (5). For its upset effort, North moves up four spots to No. 7, one behind unbeaten Oliver Ames (6), followed by Lynn English (8), Central Catholic (9) and St. Mary's of Lynn (10).

Masco makes its debut: Following its 52-41 upset of North Andover on Sunday, Masconomet makes its first appearance in the poll since our final Top 25 last March. The Chieftains are the third Cape Ann League team represented in the poll, joining Pentucket and Ipswich (20).

Here's how the poll breaks down this week by league affiliation:

Cape Ann - 3
Catholic Central - 3
Merrimack Valley - 3
Bay State - 2
Mid-Wach A - 2
Bi-County - 1
Central Mass. Conference - 1
Dual County - 1
Eastern Athletic - 1
Hockomock - 1
Independent - 1
Middlesex - 1
Northeastern - 1
Patriot - 1
South Shore - 1
Suburban - 1
Tri-Valley - 1

There can be little question over the top two teams in the final 2012 girls' soccer Top 20 poll.

The Division 1 and 2 state champions, Franklin and Medfield, proved their worth over the course of undefeated seasons capped by victories over Top 5 teams in the state finals. A combined record of 43-0-4 speaks for itself.

The two defeated finalists, Nashoba and Belchertown, also proved they belonged in the top five. Both teams were unbeaten going into the finals.

Two of the biggest upsets in the tournament ended the season for top seeds East Longmeadow and Peabody. Both teams dropped in the rankings after seeing their seasons end abruptly. Oliver Ames and Duxbury were the big movers up the rankings after impressive runs to their respective sectional finals.

Two teams were added to the rankings after tournament win streaks that caught just about everyone by surprise.

Beverly made it all the way to the state semifinal behind striker Caitlin Harty and goalkeeper Casey Cook. The Panthers won the incredibly deep D1 North sectional, which few (if anyone) had predicted.

Weston's run to the D3 state title is even more amazing as it was the 17th seed in D3 North and romped its was through the sectional. The only goal it gave up in the postseason was in the opening round against the 16th seed Georgetown. Weston outscored its next four opponents 19-0. A 1-0 win over Sutton in the finals meant that Weston had to be included in the rankings.

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).

LYNN, Mass. -- The incredible tournament run of the Beverly Panthers continued on Sunday afternoon at Manning Field in Lynn.

The No. 4 seed Panthers took home the girls’ Division 1 North sectional title, 2-1 (4-1 in penalties), over No. 3 seed Central Catholic. All four Beverly penalty-takers made their shots, while Central missed its first two shots.

Captain Diandra Crowley calmly slotted home the final penalty setting off rapturous celebrations from her teammates and the large Beverly contingent in the stands.

The Panthers (17-3-1) reached the shootout thanks largely to a superb performance from goalkeeper Casey Cook. The junior netminder made a series of important saves including two in overtime robbing Alli Wiggins and Kylie Regan of game winners.

Beverly head coach Kristin Simpson was in awe of Cook’s play.

“She was by far the MVP of this game. We would not be where we are without her. She made some amazing saves towards the end and kept us in the game.”

The Panthers needed Cook to play well as Central Catholic (15-0-5) dominated large portions of the game, particularly in the first half. Wiggins, Regan, and midfielder Alexa Poulin pulled the strings in the center of the park and kept possession almost entirely in the Beverly half of the field.

It took half an hour, but Central Catholic was able to make the pressure pay with a goal from Alex Nagri off a great pass by Courtney Walsh. Raiders head coach Casey Grange was disappointed that her team was unable to find a second score.

“I thought we were going to get it eventually," Grange said. "This team has been patient all season in terms of scoring. We’ve always found a way to find the back of the net, but unfortunately the soccer gods weren’t on our side today."

Beverly equalized immediately after halftime through record-setting junior striker Caitlin Harty. The forward was raced on to a long pass and was able to chip the ball over the onrushing keeper despite being surrounded by two defenders.

Unbelievably, it was Harty’s 50th goal of the season, which is by a large margin a school record.

Simpson credited an improved effort by her team for changing the tone of the match after halftime.

“The biggest thing was the effort," she said. "We were losing the 50-50 balls and they were outworking us. We started yelling at them a little bit and they started winning some of the 50-50 balls and I think that made the difference.”

Central Catholic had a great chance to win the game in regulation, when Wiggins sprung free on a break following a Beverly corner, but her shot came back off the crossbar.

The Raiders will not advance in the tournament but will finish the season unbeaten (penalty shootouts do not count as losses but as draws). Amidst tears on the sideline, Grange spoke about the impressive season that her team had in 2012.

“Technically we tied and we haven’t lost all season so it’s a tough way to go out," she said. "Our defense was rock-solid, we have the top three scorers in the MVC, but unfortunately we didn’t get one when we needed it.”

It will be an all-Panthers match on Wednesday evening at Manning Field when Beverly takes on Franklin in the state semifinals. The game is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m.

DIVISION 1 NORTH FINAL: SOMERVILLE 1, ST. JOHN'S PREP 0

In the boys’ D1 North sectional final, the Somerville Highlanders beat St. John’s Prep 1-0 through a goal by star forward Felix De Bona two minutes into the second half.

The final score was not a true reflection of how dominant Somerville was on Sunday afternoon. The Highlanders created numerous chances, particularly the potent DeBona, but were repelled by Prep goalie Ben Alpern.

On the other end, Somerville’s defending was solid and Prep struggled to create any clear cut chances.

It has been nearly 20 years since Somerville had reached this stage of the tournament. Highlanders head coach George Scarpelli explained that he focused on keeping Prep off the board in the first half and then using the wind after the break.

“If we could get the zero in the second half then something’s going to happen and it worked out. We should’ve put some more chances away and that’s something we need to grow on for the next game because I’ll have a heart attack if we do that again.”

St. John’s Prep head coach David Crowell raved about the performance of Alpern, who took over the starting role when captain Brian Keogh was injured prior to the season.

“He kept us in the game and gave us the chance to get the tie and send it to overtime," Crowell said. "But we didn’t really produce any chances in the second half. He was awesome today.”

In reaching the finals, Prep defeated two of the top five teams in the state (No. 4 Acton-Boxborough and No. 1 Masconomet) and Crowell was surprised at his team’s nervousness in the finals.

“I don’t know why we were so tight," he said. "We’ve already come in and beaten so many good teams. I think they felt some pressure today. Somerville deserved it today.”

The Somerville players were spurred on by a huge traveling contingent of fans, which created a great atmosphere for the game. At the final whistle, the players recognized the contribution of the fans by racing over to celebrate right in front of the stands. Scarpelli believes that this result is important not only for the soccer program, but for the city as a whole.

“I don’t think people realize how much this means for the city of Somerville.," he said. "For these kids to realize that if you do the right thing, everything falls into place. Winning comes along with doing everything right and going to school on time and being a good citizen. It’s an unbelievable feeling.”

Somerville will play in the state semifinals on Wednesday night at 7:30, at Manning Field.

State Tournament Notes:

" There will be a new boys’ state champion in Division 1 this year. Two-time defending champ Ludlow Lions, perennially one of the best teams in the state, were beaten in the West sectional finals by Amherst 1-0 (7-6 in penalties). The Lions had a chance to win it in the end, only to see the shot saved. Amherst will move on to play Leominster, the surprise champions of the Central sectional, in the state semifinals on Wednesday night.

" The Franklin Panthers have continued their amazing unbeaten season and took home the South sectional with a 3-2 win over fellow Hockomock team, Oliver Ames. Franklin built a 3-0 lead early in the first half, but were forced to hold on late when the Tigers scored twice within 90 seconds late in the second half. Panthers top scorer Kristi Kirshe did not get a goal in the win and is still stuck on 99 goals in her career.

" Somerville will face the top seed in Division 1 South, the Needham Rockets, in the state semifinals. Needham earned a hard-fought 2-0 victory over conference rivals Weymouth. Senior captains Nolan Brady and Brandon Miskin getting the goals for Needham. The Rockets are a talented group front to back and, with the losses by Masconomet and Ludlow, can make a strong claim to be the best team in the state. Having one of the state’s best players, forward Mac Steeves, certainly helps their cause. Wednesday night will be exciting to watch Steeves and De Bona go head-to-head.

" As colleague Bruce Lerch tweeted earlier today, what a great year it has been for Dave Wainwright. He led the Dover-Sherborn girls’ soccer team to a state title last season, brought them back to the sectional finals this year, and also led the Needham boys’ lacrosse team to Harvard Stadium in June. While the Lady Raiders may have been beaten today, the boys’ team clinched the sectional title with a 3-0 win over top seed Nantucket.

TAUNTON, Mass. -- There are certain points in a game when a goal will have the biggest impact on an opponent. Early goals, goals just before halftime, or goals coming out of the break can be devastating to the mental state of the opposing team.

The Rockets used all three on Friday night.

The Needham High boys’ soccer team picked the perfect moments to score each of its three goals in a 3-0 shutout of the No. 4 seed Dartmouth in Friday night’s Division 1 South sectional semifinal at Taunton High School.

Senior captain Will Corkery scored just 90 seconds into the game with a laser into the top corner off an assist from fellow captain Mac Steeves. The goal stunned the Indians (15-3-2), but they came back stronger and continued to push the top seed.

At the end of an even first half, the Rockets (18-1-3) struck again.

Just four minutes before the break, Hantzly Murat -- who had been on the field for less than a minute -- was in the right place to prod home the rebound of a Steeves shot to make it 2-0 going into the half. At this stage, the next goal was going to be crucial to the outcome.

Needham didn't have to wait long for that.

The Rockets effectively killed off the game two minutes into the second half when a Steeves long throw picked out an unmarked Aram Ouligiam to nod home the third. Dartmouth continued to fight and create chances, but Needham defended well and held out for the win.

Dartmouth head coach Steve Frank acknowledged after the game that heads dropped on the Indians sideline when the third goal was scored.

“That deflated them," he said. "We didn’t mark him. He had an open net to head into and you just can’t do that. You can’t do it against weak teams, never mind a great team like this one.”

While Steeves is the headliner for the Rockets, head coach Don Brock emphasized the strength the Rockets have shown defensively this season.

“They’ve been underrating our crew since we stumbled a little at the beginning of the season," he said. "This is a good squad.”

Following Corkery’s opener, Dartmouth had a series of free kicks that were played long into the box, but Needham keeper Kevin MacMillan held strong with solid catches in traffic. In the 18th minute, the Indians had their best chance at an equalizer when Nick Paine’s shot was cleared off the line by Ouligiam.

In the second half, Dartmouth also had a chance cleared off the line as Andres Pinto had a strong header blocked. Needham also had several chances to extend the lead through Nolan Brady and a Corkery free kick that curled off the crossbar.

The Indians battled an unfamiliar turf surface and the Rockets’ height advantage, but continued to fight to avoid a shutout, which impressed their coach.

“This group has been tremendous, just a pleasure to be around," Frank said. "They play hard. Up to the end we were trying to plug to get a goal so we could stop the shutout, but it wasn’t to be.”

Needham advances to the sectional finals Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at Braintree High, against Bay State Conference rivals Weymouth.

State tournament notes:

" When the Needham and Weymouth players shook hands and walked off the Memorial Field pitch after the Rockets ended the Wildcats’ very short reign as the No. 1 team in the state, both teams said, “We’ll see you in the playoffs.” Thanks to an overtime goal by senior Akere Tambi, Weymouth advanced past Oliver Ames on its home field. The Tigers took the lead twice but both times Weymouth responded and now the top two seeds will meet for the third time this season. Oliver Ames made another strong push this season, which may be its last in Division 1. Head coach Jon Barata expects the Tigers to be in D2 next season.

" The number one seed also advanced to the D1 South girls’ sectional as the Franklin Panthers continued their unbeaten season with a 2-0 win over Marshfield. Kristi Kirshe scored her 99th career goal in the Panthers victory. It will be an all-Hockomock final after Oliver Ames knocked off the No. 2 seeded Needham Rockets. The lone goal of the game was scored by senior Kendall Andrew.

" The big game in the D1 North sectional pitted No. 1 seed Masconomet (the No. 1 ranked team in the state) against fourth-seeded St. John’s Prep. The game lived up to the hype with Prep pulling the 2-1 upset and advancing to the finals on Sunday against still unbeaten Somerville. Prep has now knocked off two of the top five teams in the state to make the sectional finals (the other being Acton-Boxborough in round two). In the girls’ sectional, the Beverly Panthers continued to make a historic run as they knocked off Westford Academy 1-0 and will meet Central Catholic, who won by the same score line against Lincoln-Sudbury.

" The defending state champions are still alive, but just barely. The Ludlow Lions were pushed to overtime by Chicopee in the West sectional, but scored the golden goal to continue on, 2-1 and will face Amherst in the sectional finals. Both the Belchertown boys’ and girls’ teams continued their unbeaten runs and will head to their respective D2 West finals.

" There are a lot of conferences that get their rightful due as being competitive top to bottom, such as the Hockomock, the Bay State, and the Dual County, but the Tri-Valley league is rarely part of that conversation. This year, the TVL sent three teams into the semifinals of the D2 South boys sectional, will send the Medfield girls into the D2 South finals, and Dover-Sherborn boys and girls into the D3 finals. The league is often overlooked because it lacks a presence in D1, but it has real depth and is guaranteed at least one team taking home a sectional title this season.

" Earlier this week, star players Andrea O’Brien (Concord-Carlisle) and Hayley Dowd (Peabody) had their illustrious high school careers come to an end. On Friday night, Canton’s Lauren Berman had her season ended at the hands of Duxbury in penalties. All three crossed the 100-goal plateau in their careers and each will be headed to play in college next season (Dowd and O’Brien at Boston College, and Berman at Maryland).

MEDFIELD, Mass. -- The Medfield girls' soccer team demonstrated the importance of a dominant midfield in a 2-0 dismantling of Bay State Herget division champion Dedham on Tuesday night in a Division 2 South quarterfinal match.

Medfield (17-0-3) controlled possession and consistently stepped forward to break up Dedham attacks before they could threaten the Warriors goal. Medfield was so successful in keeping the Marauders at bay that Dedham (15-2-4) managed only one shot on goal and it came off a corner in the 76th minute.

Medfield coach Michael La Francesca highlighted the play of senior Jen Narlee as a controlling influence in the heart of the midfield that allowed the speedier wide players to create chances.

“The goal is, if you can control the ball in the middle and keep the ball on the ground, we would have more possession," La Francesca said. "If you have more of the possession - than you have more of the play.”

The Warriors took the lead in the 13th minute.

The sequence began with striker Katelyn Murray had several shots blocked on the edge of the box. The attempted clearance came right back at the Dedham defense and Murray fired in another shot that forced a good save out of Ellen Masalsky, which was turned home by senior Krista Pinciaro.

Dedham played much better in the second half and started to find openings to attack the Warriors defense. The biggest talking point of the second half came seven minutes after the break when a great through ball fed junior Libby Masalsky in behind the last defender. Medfield’s Colleen Beggan shouldered the forward off the play and Dedham’s bench cried out for a penalty.

The refs denied the appeal and called it a fair challenge. It would be the Marauders best chance until the final moments of the game.

Dedham head coach Don Savi was certainly not happy with many calls from the officials during the game, but afterwards admitted that Medfield’s defending was a much bigger factor in the final outcome.

“They’re a good defensive team. They only gave up six goals all season, we knew that. We had a couple chances, but couldn’t get an open look. It wasn’t the reason we lost, but it was a good game and we shouldn’t have an official that can’t handle it.”

The Warriors wrapped up the game in the 26th minute. Freshman Krissy Rimmel reached the end line and cut the ball back to Cami McCurdy, who opened up space on her right foot and the shot found the side netting off the fingertips of Masalsky.

Despite the loss, Savi is proud of Dedham’s achievements this season and the success this senior class has had over the past four years.

“I have nothing bad to say about this team, even tonight, they worked hard. Three league championships in four years that’s the best we’ve ever done. It’s been a fun year.”

Medfield, the No. 3 seed, will move on to face No. 7 seed East Bridgewater in the sectional semifinals. La Francesca was looking forward to the next game after beating two very tough opponents in the opening rounds.

“I do like our chances right now. We beat two of the better teams in the bracket. I’d rather play stronger teams at this point to get us ready.”

State tournament notes:

• Medfield was not the only favorite in D2 South to advance on Tuesday. The Canton girls' soccer team, the No. 4 ranked team in the state, also moved into the sectional semifinals with a 1-0 win over Scituate. Canton will face Duxbury, which beat Holliston in the afternoon game. The expectation coming into the season was that Medfield and Canton would have to go through each other to win the sectional and right now that showdown still looms on the horizon.
• There were shocks galore in the Central sectional as both of the top remaining seeds in the boys' soccer Division 1 bracket were knocked out on Tuesday. Worcester North, No. 10 in the state, was stunned 2-1 by Leominster (who they beat 3-0 during the regular season) and No. 20 Algonquin was beaten, 1-0, by Wachusett. The top seeds in the girls’ sectional are still alive setting up the third meeting of the season between Nashoba and Algonquin (Nashoba won each of the first two games).
• Several ranked teams went down in the topsy-turvy and ultracompetitive D1 North girls’ sectional. Acton-Boxborough, which knocked off No. 2 Peabody on Sunday, fell to Westford Academy in penalties. Westford will face Beverly in the next round, which knocked off No. 18 Concord-Carlisle. On the other side of the bracket, No. 10 Lincoln-Sudbury beat No. 19 Newton North, 4-2, and will play No. 11 Central Catholic in the semifinals.
• In the girls’ D1 South sectional, No. 9 Needham came from behind in the final minutes of regulation and beat North Attleborough, 2-1, in overtime. Needham coach Carl Tarabelli and North coach Bill Wallace are good friends and shared several laughs during the game. Wallace’s gameplan of limiting Needham chances and hitting on the break almost worked to perfection when senior Jamie Grinavic scored with just over 10 minutes remaining. Two headers off corners, by Katie Beval and Sammy Lerner, allowed the Rockets to avoid the upset. Needham will face No. 16 Oliver Ames after the Tigers beat No. 14 Whitman-Hanson on penalties.
• The boys’ side of the tournament also offered some great matchups and several surprising result. In D1 North, No. 6 St. John’s Prep beat No. 4 Acton-Boxborough 1-0 and will face the No. 1 team in the state, Masconomet, in the semifinals. In the South sectional, No. 2 Needham was led by player of the year candidate Mac Steeves, who scored two goals in a 3-0 win over Marshfield. Next, the Rockets will face No. 12 Dartmouth, which dispatched No. 16 Nauset with surprising ease, 5-0. On the other side of the bracket, Weymouth and Oliver Ames will have a rematch of a regular season game that was won by Weymouth 1-0 on a scrappy goal by Mike Lynch.

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.

In the final regular season MIAA boys' soccer Top 20 poll, Masconomet holds on to the No. 1 spot.

The Chieftains will enter the tournament on a 15-game winning streak as it looks to defend its D1 North title. The other favorites in D1 are No. 2 Needham in the South and No. 3 Ludlow out West, but there will be a lot of teams that can challenge for the title this season and the South sectional looks particularly difficult to call as the regular season wraps up.

Defending D2 state champion No. 11 Groton-Dunstable moves up two spots as they continued a 14-game unbeaten run. Oliver Ames moves up four spots as well after an impressive win over Milford clinched the Davenport division title for the Tiger. Hingham drops out of the Top 20 after losing out on the Keenan division title to Silver Lake, which took its spot in the rankings and jumped into the No. 17 spot.

Two central teams, Algonquin and Marlborough, round out the rankings after losing a couple of games down the stretch, but expect both to challenge for the D1 sectional title with No. 10 Worcester North.

Several of the teams that just missed out on a spot in the rankings should also be considered threats in the tournament, including Franklin (D1 South), Bedford (D2 North), and Medway (D2 South).