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St. Mary's of Lynn junior guard Briana Rudolph has verbally committed to UMass-Lowell, the school announced this afternoon.

The 5-foot-7 Rudolph averaged 16.8 points per game last season for the Lady Spartans, and is currently the school's fifth all-time female scorer despite missing a significant time her sophomore year to injury.

Athletic Director Jeff Newhall sent along the following release, courtesy of Paul Halloran:

The first of May was a day of firsts for St. Mary's basketball standout Brianna Rudolph.

Rudolph, a junior guard, gave a verbal commitment to UMass Lowell Coach Sarah Behn, becoming the first St. Mary's basketball player ever to accept a Div. 1 full scholarship and the River Hawks' first recruit to commit since they became a Div. 1 program earlier this year. (UMass Lowell reportedly picked up another verbal commitment two days later.)

"Playing at the top level of women's basketball has always been a goal of mine, but I was never really sure if that would happen," said Rudolph. "I am extremely grateful that Coach Behn and UMass Lowell have given me this opportunity."

UMass Lowell is joining America East next year, effectively replacing BU, which is moving to the Patriot League.

Rudolph is coming off a spectacular year in which she set the school record for points in a season with 402, averaging 16.8 and scoring more than 20 eight times. She ranks fifth on the all-time scoring list (738 points), despite missing 18 games with an injury her sophomore year.

"Brianna is obviously one of the most talented players we have ever had. To have her get this scholarship is great for her, the school and our program," said St. Mary's Coach Jeff Newhall. "She has overcome a lot of obstacles along the way, including losing a year with a broken ankle. She deserves a lot of credit for making the dream of being a Div. 1 basketball player become a reality."

Rudolph came to St. Mary's as a freshman and made an immediate impact, starting on a state championship team in 2011. After the injury-marred sophomore year, she had a breakout junior season, earning Boston Herald All-Scholastic and Daily Item Player of the Year honors. St. Mary's is 51-8 in games in games in which Rudolph has played the last three years.

She was being recruited by a number of Div. 1 and Div. 2 schools. Playing for the Mass Thundercats AAU program run by Marvin Avery and Jim Ridley of Lynn, Rudolph had a very good showing at an AAU tournament in Connecticut the weekend of April 19-21. UMass Lowell was on the phone first thing on April 22 and, after a week of communication back and forth, Rudolph made an unofficial visit to the school on May 1 and made the verbal commitment.

"This is something that kind of transpired really quickly and I can't tell you how good it feels to have this process over so soon," said Rudolph, a good student with a 90 average who was attracted by UMass Lowell's criminal justice program. "St. Mary's has been a perfect fit for me. Without the people at the school this would not have been possible."

Rudolph will continue a tradition of St. Mary's players advancing to the next level. This past season, there were seven former Spartans playing collegiate basketball -- four in Div. 3 and three in Div. 2, including Tori Faieta, who is at Stonehill on a full scholarship, Ann Marie Idusuyi, who is at Assumption on a three-quarter scholarship and Cassi Amenta, who is at Merrimack on a full academic scholarship.

"We pride ourselves on our players going to college, so first and foremost we are excited about that," said Newhall, who in eight years as coach has had 27 of 27 seniors go to 4-year colleges. "To be able to place a player into Div. 1 makes it even more special."

Newhall credited Ridley and Avery -- the former and current Lynn Tech boys basketball coaches, respectively -- with playing a significant role in Rudolph's development as a player and bringing her to national tournaments so colleges could see her play.

St. Mary's of Lynn announced this afternoon the hiring of former Winthrop coach Dave Brown as its new head boys basketball coach, for the 2012-13 season.

Brown built Winthrop in a Division 4 power in the latter half of his 10-year run with the Vikings program, culminating in an MIAA State Championship in 2011 before he stepped down in 2012.

Courtesy of Paul Halloran, here is the full release from St. Mary's:

It did not take long for St. Mary’s Athletic Director Jeff Newhall to fill the varsity boys basketball coaching position. That’s what happens when you have a candidate who wants the job as much as you want him to hire him.

As a result, St. Mary’s named David Brown, a 1989 graduate who ranks sixth on the all-time scoring list, to replace Kevin Moran on Thursday, only three days after Moran announced his resignation.

“To be able to get a coach with Dave’s background who is also a graduate made this an easy decision,” Newhall said. “When we identified Dave as the coach we wanted, we decided to speak to him first before going through a lengthy process. When he expressed interest, that moved things along very quickly.”

Brown, who served as head coach at Winthrop High from 2002-12, said he has thought about coaching at St. Mary’s since his days as an assistant coach at the school. “Since I first got into coaching, my goal was to coach at my alma mater,” he said. “I enjoyed the time I spent at Winthrop, but I always wanted to coach at St. Mary’s.”

“We are very pleased to welcome Dave to our coaching staff,” said Head of School Grace Cotter Regan. “We are confident he will serve as a positive role model for our student-athletes.”

“Dave brings a wealth of experience and success to our program, and he is a graduate who understands the values and traditions of our school,” Principal Carl DiMaiti said.

After scoring 1,267 points while playing for Coach Frank Valeri at St. Mary’s, Brown went to Westfield State, where he became a 1,000-point scorer (1035) and set school records for career assists (383) and steals (224). He was inducted into the Westfield State Hall of Fame in 2008.

Brown was an assistant at St. Mary’s from 1997-2000 and at Winthrop from 2000-2002. He built a Northeastern Conference power at Winthrop in his 10 years as head coach, as the Vikings advanced to the MIAA North final for three straight years (2008-10) before winning the state championship in 2011.

He took last year off and started the Brown Development League, a basketball program for youth in grades 2-6 emphasizing the fundamentals of the game. He knew he wanted to eventually get back into high school coaching, but was not sure when.

“When this opportunity came about, I jumped at it,” he said. “Kevin (Moran) did a great job; the kids are talented and hard-working and they know how to win. It’s always easier to go into a situation like that.”

A police officer in Winthrop since 1995, Brown is married to the former Helen Pedro. They live in Lynn with their three children: Ava (12), Eliza (10) and David Jr. (8).

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

FIRST LINE
F - Alison Butler, Sr., St. Mary's
This year's ESPN Boston Miss Hockey award winner, Butler captained the Spartans to their fourth Division 1 state title, scoring the game-winning goal against Arlington Catholic at the Garden. The St. Anselm's commit was third in Division 1 in scoring with 37-25-62 totals. It is her second ESPN Boston All-State nomination.
F - Hannah Murphy, Sr., Duxbury
The fulcrum to Duxbury''s run of three straight Division 2 state championships. Murphy, a three-sport athlete, finished fifth among all Division 2 scorers, putting up 29-24-53 totals. Murphy will play lacrosse at UMass-Amherst.
F - Kayla Smith, Sr., Woburn
One of the most talented pure scorers in the state, Smith finished second in Division 1 across the state in scoring with 34 goals and 24 assists for 63 points. The three-time ESPN Boston All-Stater will continue her hockey career at Salve Regina.
D - Cassandra Connolly, Sr., Woburn
The repeat ESPN Boston All-Stater finished fourth on the Tanners in points (2-15-17) while helping goaltender Courtney Davis notch seven shutouts on the season. Connolly will continue her playing career at the University of New England next year.
D - Hannah Wright, Sr., Arlington
A shut-down, physical blue-liner, Wright also finished tied for fourth on the Spy Ponders with 17 points (3 goals, 14 assists). She will attend Castleton State College next year where she will play hockey.
G - Shannon O'Neil, Sr., Austin Prep
Pitched a remarkable 10 shutouts on the season, along with a dazzling 96.8 save percentage. O'Neil, a Franklin Pierce commit, was also among the statewide leaders in goals against average with a 1.08 marka.
SECOND LINE
F - Kaleigh Finigan, Sr., St. Mary's
Despite missing time with an injury, Finigan still managed to finish second on the Spartans in scoring - following Alison Butler— with 17-28-45 totals. The Medford resident is also a standout on St. Mary's softball team.
F - Jane Freda, Sr., Hingham
A two-time ESPN Boston All-State selection, the Harborwomen captain finished among the Top 10 scorers in the state, tallying 31 goals to go along with 16 assists.
F - Ashley Moran, Jr., Woburn
The rangy winger made great strides this season, finishing among the Top 10 scorers in the state, posting 25 goals and 31 assists.
D - Brooke Matherson, Jr., Walpole
The blue-liner led the Rebels in scoring this year with 33 points points and her 24 goals were also a team-best. Matherson is also a standout player on Walpole's field hockey team.

D - Annie Messuri, Jr., Acton-Boxborough
Messuri was named the DCL/MVC Large division Most Valuable Player this year after posting 13-17-30 totals.
G - Courtney Davis, Jr., Woburn
Led the Tanners to an undefeated regular season while registering seven shutouts. The three-year starter registered a 92.1 save percentage while posting a 1.35 goals against average.

BEST OF THE REST - HONORABLE MENTION
Forwards
Carolyn Avery, Sr., Lexington
Megan Barrett, Frosh., Acton-Boxborough
Christie Caliendo, Sr., Billerica
Leah Cardarelli, Soph., Acton-Boxborough
Molly Connolly, Sr., Wellesley
Amanda Conway, Soph., Tewksbury/Methuen
Gabby Crugnale, Sr., St. Mary's
Jackie Denning, Sr., Lexington
Cecily Docktor, Soph., Wellesley
Kara Donati, Sr., Winthrop/Lynn
Erin Dwyer, Sr., Archbishop Williams
Marissa Fichter, Soph., Duxbury
Ela Hazar, Jr., Westwood
Shannon Hickey, Sr., Arlington
Emily Kelly, Jr., Norwood
Olivia Konaxis, Sr., Beverly/Danvers
Brittani Lanzilli, Jr., Medford
Maggie Layo, Jr., Sandwich
Sara Lehman, Sr., Lexington
Emily Lissner, Jr., Woburn
Kim Lizotte, Sr., Westford Academy
Emily Loprete, Soph., Watertown/Melrose
Meaghan McKenna, Sr., Canton
Rachel Moore, Soph., Falmouth
Ali O'Leary, Frosh., Reading
Adrieana Rossini, Soph., Arlington Catholic
Nicole Woods, Jr., Beverly/Danvers

Defense
Allison Cunningham, Soph., Arlington Catholic
Tatiana Doucette, Jr., St. Mary's
Erin Ferrara, Sr., Fontbonne Academy
Hannah Ghelfi, Soph., Falmouth
Alexandria Gong, Sr., Hingham
Ally Hammel, Jr., Duxbury
Melissa Richard, Sr., Arlington Catholic
Caroline Seibold, Frosh., Reading

Goalies
Megan Messuri, Jr., Arlington Catholic
Rachel Myette, Jr., Duxbury
Madison Scavotto, So., Falmouth
Lauren Skinnion, Jr., St. Mary's

Coach of the Year
Frank Pagliuca, St. Mary's (Lynn)
While piloting to the Spartans to four Division 1 state championships, perhaps Pagliuca's finest job behind the bench came this year, as St. Mary's knocked off Catholic Central rival Arlington Catholic in a rematch of the 2012 title game.

Finalists:
Todd Fletcher, Westford Academy
Michael Golden, Reading
Friend Weiler, Duxbury

WORCESTER, Mass. -- Earlier this week, Alison Butler was honored as ESPNBoston.com's Miss Hockey, an award that recognizes the top female high school hockey player in the state. On Saturday, the St. Mary's of Lynn star suited up for the final time as a high schooler, taking part in the inaugural Aleppo Shriners MSHCA High School All-Star Classic.

As she has done throughout her tenure at St. Mary's, which included a Division 1 MIAA state championship a couple of weeks back, Butler, yet again, put her pure offensive talents on display as she scored a pair of goals to help lead the North All-Stars to a 4-2 victory over the South All-Stars at the DCU Center.

"I hadn't skated in nearly two weeks so it took a couple of shifts to get my hockey legs back," said Butler, who now set her sights on playing for St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. next season.

Butler scored the lone goal in the opening period _ a hard wrist shot from the low right slot that slipped underneath the catching glove of South goaltender Mimi Borkan (Medfield) coming with only seven seconds left. She would add her second tally during the final minute of the second period, tipping in a rebound past Braintree netminder Rachael Brazil which would stake the North squad out to a 3-1 advantage.

"It's kind of sad that (high school hockey) is over for me," said Butler. "I wish I could play another year because it has been a lot of fun but I also can't wait to go to St. Anselm. I'm excited the way things have gone for me (at St. Mary's). My hard worked has paid off."

It was looking as though the opening period would result in a scoreless standstill. But with time ticking down, Butler, with the puck on her stick, was left all alone coming down the right side. Seeing her opportunity, Butler ripped a shot past Borkan giving her squad the early lead.

"Alison is such a great player," said North head coach Amanda Ciarletta, who is also coaches the Lexington High girls team. "I don't have the privilege of coaching her over the season but she hustles all the time, is fast and makes smart plays. It was fun being able to coach her today."

Just 1:11 into the middle period Westford Academy's Kim Lizotte would extend the North advantage to two goals after gaining control of a loose puck inside the South crease and sticking it into the back of the net.

Throughout the early portion of this contest, the South team was having its fair share of difficulty trying to generate much offense. That would change, however, at 7:28 of the second period after Duxbury's Hannah Murphy flew down the right halfboard and
blasted a shot from 25 feet out that snuck underneath the cross bar making it a 2-1 game.

"This was a fun event for everyone," said South and Franklin High head coach Margie Burke. "A lot of these girls have played against one another in high school and club teams so it is great for them to comeback and play together on one team. It's an all-star game and it's all about having fun."

North was able to cling to its one-goal lead until Butler netted her second score seven minutes later.

The final period became an old-fashioned offensive shootout with each team getting quality chances on net. Falmouth High product Alexa Scribner managed to inch her club closer by putting back a rebound score coming at 4:07 which made it 3-2.

Hoping to sieze momentum off of that goal, South spent the remaining minutes of the period working feverishly in attempting to notch the equalizer. But such hopes were cast aside after Lexington's Sara Lehman broke into the South zone, skating past two defenseman and beating Duxbury netminder Rachel Myette with a pretty backhand goal at 8:12 which gave North back its two-goal cushion and the victory.

"That's a typical Sara Lehman goal," Ciarletta said. "She one of my players on my team at Lexington and it's always great to see her hands working and moving the puck. Today she got the goalie beat which was great. She practices those kinds of plays all the time in practice. I'm really happy she was able to get a goal for us, especially on a play like that."

ESPNBoston.com and its High School section today announced that Alison Butler, senior forward for the St. Mary’s Spartans, is the recipient of its third annual "Miss Hockey" award, presented to the top female high school hockey player in Massachusetts.

The Miss Hockey Award winner was chosen by a panel of experts made up of ESPNBoston.com staff, correspondents and high school hockey coaches. Butler will be presented with the award at a later date.

“St. Mary’s has earned the reputation as the MIAA’s premiere girls’ hockey program, but this year’s championship might have been its most remarkable and Alison was no small part of that,” said Scott Barboza, co-editor of ESPN Boston High Schools and coordinator of the site’s hockey coverage. “While injuries constantly threatened the Spartans’ run, she was the one constant, scoring timely goals and providing leadership.”

Butler led the Spartans to their fourth overall Division 1 state title last Sunday in a 2-1 win over Catholic Central rival Arlington Catholic.

The Danvers resident tallied 37 goals and 25 assists for 62 points on the season, while leading a short-handed Spartans bench squad back to the TD Garden. There, Butler finished her high school career on top, scoring the game-winning goal in the third period against Arlington Catholic, repaying the Cougars for state championship win over St. Mary’s a year ago.

“Alison had a tremendous year,” Spartans head coach Frank Pagliuca said. “She made a tremendous impact on the ice for our team. The best parts of her game are the little things that she does on the ice that sometimes are overlooked and do not show up on a stat sheet.

“More importantly, Alison was a great leader and captain off the ice. She was the glue that held the team together and really got the team to believe in themselves. I truly believe that she was the best player in the state this year for these reasons.”

Butler will continue her hockey career at Saint Anselm College.

Flanked by a swarm of reporters, Sean Murphy’s eyes darted about as he searched for the words to say. The Burlington senior forward was never the center of attention during his high school career, so he didn’t have much experience in such a setting. He scored two goals at the TD Garden last week as the Red Devils’ repeated as Division 1 state champions. It was his first time playing at the Garden, having watched last year’s final unfold from the perspective of a fan. This was the first year Murphy made Burlington’s varsity hockey squad.

As Murphy responded to questions, teammates and members of the Red Devils’ coaching staff ribbed him. Their good-natured jabs caused Murphy periodically to break down and smile while he tried to maintain focus on the interview. They all knew the circumstances surrounding Murphy’s accomplishment. He’d done from off the team outright to hero.

During freshman year, Burlington didn’t host a freshman team. Murphy failed to make the junior varsity squad, so he went a year without playing for his high school. In sophomore year, Murphy earned a spot on the J.V. team, but it was the Red Devils’ lower team (the J.V. had been split into two teams). The next year, he moved up to the higher J.V. team, as many of his classmates won their first state crown. Finally, as a senior, Murphy made the varsity team.

He only scored one goal during the regular season, but Murphy broke out in the tournament, scoring five goals in the postseason, including two in the championship game.

When Murphy attracted the attention in the postgame following the Red Devils’ 4-2 victory over Marshfield on Sunday, Burlington head coach Bob Conceison watched a few paces away. He beamed and was eager to tell of Murphy’s story of stick-to-itiveness.

“That’s the kind of story that makes high school hockey great,” Conceison said.

A SORT OF CHANGING OF THE GUARD
As Malden Catholic won its third straight Super 8 championship, it would seem as though the Lancers simply picked up where they left off. But anybody who watched the defending champions’ season unfold would tell you this most recent run was anything but a sure thing.

In many years, this year’s MC model was uncharacteristic from the previous. Yes, the Lancers still had more top-end talent than anyone, with three Division 1 college recruits (and counting). But this was in broad strokes a young team and, more so, one that lacked experience in a Super 8 environment. Building on the contributions of talented senior leaders (Mike Vecchione in 2011 and Brendan Collier in ’12) in the last two years, the Lancers had to learn to do it on their own this year.

Helping to bridge the gap was senior captain Mike Iovanna, one of a handful of seniors on MC’s roster this year. Iovanna is self-described as someone who leads by example. The soft-spoken UMass commit has been a key cog in the Lancers’ run all along, but took on a greater role this year, inheriting the “C” on his sweater.

“You know what the expectations are,” Iovanna said of taking on the role of captain. “Knowing what Mike [Vecchione] and Brendan [Collier] meant in the room, I was able to learn from them.

“But I also know that I’m a different person from them. I’m a pretty quiet guy, but I knew I could set an example for the younger players as they had done for me.”

Iovanna combined with junior left wing Tyler Sifferlen and sophomore center Ara Nazarian to tally nearly half (113) of MC’s points on the season (245) on its top line. Aside from creating the Lancers’ scoring punch, Iovanna also contributed intangibles on MC’s top penalty killing forward unit beside Nazarian — who changed the face of the tournament with his four short-handed goals.

But aside from the first line, the Lancers relied on a new wave for contributions.

“They have their own identity, but it’s a new core,” Lancers head coach John McLean said. “It’s young, very talented players, with [Austin] Goldstein, [Matt] Filipe, [Jake] Witkowski and [Will] Lawrence on D, I thought John [McLean III] played well.”

Nothing was handed to this MC group; it was earned. Sitting a 5-6-3 as the calendar was about to flip to February, the Lancers had to learn on the fly.

“Right around Central Catholic, that was a big win for us and the kid’s became a team,” McLean said. “We went out to Springfield and, for whatever reason, Springfield always worked for us. We went on a roll.

Of course, none of that reflects the emotional component that followed MC hockey this year. Former head coach and athletic director Chris Serino succumbed after a long fight with cancer shortly before the season began.

His imprint remained in MC’s three-peat.

“It’s still Chris’s team a little bit,” McLean said.

COMINGS AND GOINGS
Here’s a look at some recent updates in where some of the state’s top players are headed next year:

• One of our favorite players to watch during the last couple of years was Burlington forward C.J. Grinnell. Grinnell led the Red Devils again in scoring (13-19-32) and is considering prep and junior options for next year, with Connecticut’s Canterbury School as a leading candidate. Just a thought that some college coach out there is going to get one heck of a player in a couple years.
• Springfield Cathedral wasn’t able to get over the MC hump in the Super 8, but will more than likely have several of its graduating players skating on past this year. First-line winger Dominic Blad is heading to South Kent while defenseman Matt Foley is weighing options between Phillips Exeter, Choate Rosemary Hall and Berkshire School, along with college choices for the following year. All-State-caliber defenseman Jack Williams and center Artie Potter are also exploring options for next year.
• The Woburn girls’ hockey program had perhaps the greatest collection of talent in the state this year. Case and point were made last week as two of the Tanners’ top skaters announced their college plans. Forward Kayla Smith gave her commitment to Salve Regina while defenseman Cassandra Connolly will be headed to the University of New England.

MR. AND MISS HOCKEY AWARD FINALISTS
We’ll be handing out our awards Monday when we name our Mr. and Miss Hockey Award winners, as the best players in MIAA hockey this year. Here’s a look at our four finalists for the honors, in alphabetical order:

Mr. Hockey:

• Liam Coughlin, Sr. C, Catholic Memorial: The rangy pivot helped lift the Knights to the Super 8 semifinals, leading the team with 28 goals and 20 assists for 48 points.
• Peter Cronin, Sr., G BC High: Undoubtedly, the state’s best goaltender for two years running. The three-year starter posted a 94.6 save percentage along with seven shutouts this year.
• Ara Nazarian, Soph. C, Malden Catholic: Led the Lancers in scoring (26-20-46) during the regular season in addition to leading all players in Super 8 scoring, while tallying an unheard of four short-handed goals for the three-time defending champions.
• Brian Pinho, Sr. C, St. John’s Prep: A natural playmaker with vision, the Providence College commit led the Catholic Conference champions with 12-24-36 totals.

Miss Hockey:

• Alison Butler, Sr. F, St. Mary’s (Lynn): Among the leading scorers in the state (37-25-62), Butler saved her best for last, netting the game-winning goal in the state championship game.
• Hannah Murphy, Sr. F, Duxbury: The Dragons captain capped her prolific career with the program’s third straight state championship win, scoring 29 goals and adding 24 assists.
• Shannon O’Neil, Sr. G, Austin Prep: Led all Division 1 starting goaltenders with a 1.08 GAA and eye-popping 96.8 save percentage to go along with 10 shutouts.
• Kayla Smith, Sr. F, Woburn: Perhaps the most feared scorer in the state, Smith finished with 34-29-64 totals for the Tanners.

Scott Barboza and Bruce Lerch tie a bow on the 2012-13 MIAA hockey season in this piece produced by James Walsh and Greg Story.

We break down the six state championship games played at TD Garden, while taking a look ahead to next year and some potential break-out players:

Correspondent Greg Story produces these highlights from St. Mary's of Lynn's 2-1 win over Arlington Catholic in the Division 1 girls' championship game Sunday at TD Garden.

It was the Spartans' fourth Div. 1 state crown.

BOSTON -- With under three minutes to go in a 1-1 hockey game, Alison Butler found herself racing up the left wing on a two-on-one.

The Spartans senior standout had teammate Madison Molea alongside on the right, but passing really wasn't an option. Butler waited for the lone defender to slide over toward Molea, then set her sights low and fired.

The puck found its mark, reaching the back of the net, for the umpteenth time in her career, and arguably the best girls hockey player in Massachusetts delivered in the clutch. Goalie Lauren Skinnion made three huge saves over the final minute and St. Mary's knocked off archrivals Arlington Catholic, 2-1, to claim the program's fourth Div. 1 state championship in the last six years.

"I just took the puck out two-on-one and the D kind of moved over to Madison so I just shot it," Butler said, describing her game-winner. "There's no such thing as a bad shot at that point in the game and it went in. I was always going to shoot it. I noticed the far side was open and I wanted to shoot it low because I know (AC goalie Megan Messuri) has a good glove so I just shot it low and wide and it went in."

Spartans coach Frank Pagliuca was on his star after the second period, feeling like she wasn't performing up to her usual standards at that point of the game. Butler clearly took the words to heart and found the spark that she needed.

"I kind of got on her a bit after the second," Pagliuca admitted. "I didn't think she was playing particularly as well as she could but she really responded to that in the third period. I think she's the best player in the state. She got that opportunity and she buried it. The first time she came down and took a slap shot and I tried to tell her, 'You can't be predictable all the time' and I think she threw (Messuri) off with the quick shot like that."

A SECOND-LINE PLAYER IN NAME ONLY
While Butler may in fact be the leading candidate for ESPN Boston's Miss Hockey Award, fellow forward Gabby Crugnale should be in line for any sort of most improved player nods. The senior totaled just 11 points last season but emerged as one of the Spartans top weapons, more than doubling her output to 25 points while centering the second line.

Crugnale's abilities and a newfound confidence make a second-line player in name only, and she showed off some of that when Sarah Ryan sent her off on a terrific rush and Crugnale finished with a rifle right down the middle for the game's first goal at 14:37 of the opening frame.

"The one thing I can do good is my speed," Crugnale said. "When I get the puck I just try to skate as hard as a I can to the net. Girls were getting in my way but I just tried to focus and calm down and get around them. When I scored, I was just like, 'Wow, that was a great feeling.'"

Crugnale admits to having confidence issues, although you would never it watching her on the ice. She was one of the most talked about players during The 8 Showcase in Hingham at the end of the regular season amongst the visiting coaches and scouts. On the ice, she displayed abilities that caused Pagliuca to resist the temptation to put her on the Spartans top line lest she shy away toward more prolific teammates such as Butler and Kaleigh Finigan.

"The thing with me is that I don't have confidence in myself," Crugnale admitted. "But this year, and even last year, I started having more confidence. Before, I'd be scared to go on the ice, I'd be scared to make a mistake. This year, I don't know why but every time I got on the ice I wasn't afraid."

SKINNION & D TRIO MAKING A MARK
Often lost in the shuffle of St. Mary's successes are the goaltenders. The Spartans previous two goalies, Kelsey Magrane and Sarah Foss, were supremely talented stoppers who simply weren't called upon all that much to win games as the team was loaded with high-powered offensive players.

While the top-end talent is still there, there isn't as much of it and Skinnion has been called on to do her part...and then some...more often those that came before her. Additionally, the Spartans have relied primarily on just three defensemen - Tatiana Doucette, Amanda Donahoe and Vanessa VanBuskirk - and that quartet came up with some of its best hockey over the past month.

Sunday, Skinnion made 24 saves, allowing just a second period goal by AC standout Adrieana Rossini. In the game's final minute, Skinnion snuffed out a wraparound bid by Duggan Delano, then got Delano again on a quick shot off a faceoff win to help preserve the win.

"My defense played great today," the junior said, deflecting some of the credit. "We know that they like to work from the corner to the high slot. They're going to curl a lot and just try to get the wraparounds or the high slot shots with a back door so that's what I had my mind planning on what do in those situations and how I approached the game."

She also came through in a huge spot at the end of the second, as the Spartans were called for a pair of penalties and were left to kill off a 35-second, five-on-three situation.

"We tried to set up a box-and-one but for some reason one of the kids wasn't moving the puck like she should have been," explained AC coach Maggie Taverna. "And when you don't move the puck on the power play, it's easier to defend it so it wasn't as productive as we would have wished it to be. They had opportunities and scoring is a difficult thing. Thats why hockey games are so low, the scoring is so low. You have a big goalie in the net and you have to move her to get the puck behind her."

BOYS' HOCKEY
Division 1A - Super 8
Malden Catholic 3, Austin Prep 2
Recap | Highlights

Division 1
Burlington 4, Marshfield 2
Recap | Highlights

Division 2
Wilmington 4, Franklin 0
Recap | Highlights

Division 3
Westfield 4, Swampscott 1
Recap | Highlights

GIRLS' HOCKEY
Division 1
St. Mary's (Lynn) 2, Arlington Catholic 1
Recap |Highlights

Division 2
Duxbury 1, Falmouth 0
Recap |Highlights

GIRLS’ DIVISION 2
No. 1 Duxbury (21-1-2) vs. No. 2 Falmouth (19-1-2), 11 a.m., TD Garden

Players to watch: Duxbury – F Hannah Murphy, F Marissa Fichter, F Jane Dudley, F Meredith Wright, F Julia Nolan, D Ally Hammel, D Payton Donato, G Rachel Myette; Falmouth – F Alexa Scribner, F Rachel Moore, F Madison Haberl, F Kelly Ferreira, D Hannah Ghelfi, D Alexx Good, G Madison Scavotto.

Breakdown: It is perhaps the most predictable of all of Sunday’s matchups and the most anticipated. The Dragons and Clippers renew a burgeoning rivalry, intensified by last year’s duel at the Garden and invigorated by the fact that either team’s lone loss of the season was handed to them by the other. Duxbury has been playing lockdown defense throughout the playoffs and haven’t allowed a goal in more than six games, including the regular season. The Clippers’ young corps will look to get over the hump, building on a bittersweet experience on the Bruins’ home ice sheet one year ago.

X-factor: Scavotto. As dominant as Duxbury’s defense has been in front of and including Myette, the Clippers are capable of the same. And their sophomore netminder is a big reason why. She could steal one.

Pick: Duxbury, 1-0.

GIRLS’ DIVISION 1
No. 4 St. Mary’s of Lynn (18-3-4) vs. No. 7 Arlington Catholic (17-4-2), 9 a.m., TD Garden

Players to watch: St. Mary’s – F Alison Butler, F Kaleigh Finigan, F Gabby Crugnale, F Madison Molea, D Tatiana Doucette, D Amanda Donahoe, G Lauren Skinnion; AC – F Adrieanna Rossini, F Jess Piracini, F Duggan Delano, F Hayle Rudin, D Melissa Richard, G Megan Messuri.

Breakdown: The Catholic Central rivals meet for the second straight year on championship Sunday and, like their Div. 2 counterparts, also split their season series at a game apiece. Behind the benches, both the Spatans’ Frank Pagliuca and the Cougars’ Maggie Taverna have done work worthy of Coach of the Year honors. St. Mary’s has the feel of a team of destiny, neither a short bench nor nagging injuries all season long have kept the Spartans from returning to the biggest stage, all while dispatching No. 1 Woburn in the process.

X-factor: Rossini. You’d be hard pressed to find a young player in recent memory who has scored more clutch playoff goals than the AC sophomore.

Pick: St. Mary’s, 3-2.

BOYS’ DIVISION 3
Swampscott (19-5-0) vs. Westfield (18-3-2), 3:30 p.m., TD Garden

Players to watch: Swampscott – F Corey Carmody, F Noah Maercklein, F Nunzio Morretti, D Chris Carman, D Trevor Massey; Westfield – F Sean Spohr, F Mike Santinello, F Anthony Cagliostro, F Adam Collier, F Neil Parrow, D Nate Barnes.

Breakdown: The Big Blue took down defending D3 finalist and South sectional champion Medway (thanks to an OT goal from Maercklein) to advance to the program’s first title game appearance. Westfield returns to the Garden ice after a one-year hiatus after taking a scorched-earth policy to Western Mass. competition, while averaging more than 5.5 goals per game.

X-factor: Swampscott freshman goaltender Tristan Bradley. The first-year backstop has been a key element to the Big Blue’s success, maintaining a 91.5 save percentage through the season.

Pick: Swampscott, 5-4.

BOYS’ DIVISION 2
Wilmington (20-3-2) vs. Franklin (17-7-2), 1:30 p.m., TD Garden

Players to watch: Wilmington – F Cam Owens, F Brendan McDonough, F Jake Rogers, F Dylan DiNatale, D Brian Pickett, D Cam Collins, G Drew Foley; Franklin – F Cam Curley, F Dennis Pisani, F Aidan Isberg, F Troy Donahue, D Kyle Powers, D Kyle Filbert, G Devon Maloof.

Breakdown: The third of six rematches on the day, after the Wildcats claimed a 3-2 victory over Franklin a year ago on championship Sunday, propelled by a hat trick from Owens. The Panthers will be looking to avoid their third straight fruitless trip to the Garden, having dropped title tilts with Wilmington and Tewksbury. The Wildcats, who had Super 8 aspirations until late in the season, are eying their second straight title.

X-factor: McDonough. He’s been the break-out performer of the tournament and provides a great complement to Owens on Wilmington’s top line.

Pick: Wilmington, 3-2.

BOYS’ DIVISION 1
Burlington (13-6-5) vs. Marshfield (20-6-0), 8:15 p.m., TD Garden

Players to watch: Burlington – F C.J. Grinnell, F Joe Berardi, F Joey Scali, D Adam Crowley, D Sean Costa, G Derek DeCastro; Marshfield – F Mike Carbone, F Pat Burchill, F Joe Admirand, F Pat Shea, D Matt Burchill, D Trevor Salmon.

Breakdown: While this isn’t another rematch, these teams are no strangers to this stage, with the Red Devils and Rams representing as the last two Div. 1 state champions. Both teams were near .500 squads through the first month of the season, and closed their regular-season slates with momentum they’ve carried over into the playoffs. Both these teams can skate with the best of them, but they also pay attention to the little things in the defensive zone as well.

X-factor: Crowley. I’d expect a defensive struggle in this one and so I’m going with the Red Devils’ blue-liner who always makes his presence felt.

Pick: Burlington, 3-1.

BOYS’ DIVISION 1A – SUPER 8
No. 4 Austin Prep (16-1-6) vs. No. 7 Malden Catholic (15-6-3), 6 p.m., TD Garden

Players to watch: AP – F Nolan Vesey, F Bobby Carpenter, F Frankie Candelino, F George Sennott, F Eric MacAdams, D Andrew Cross, D J.J. Layton, G Elijah Harris; MC – F Ara Nazarian, F Mike Iovanna, F Tyler Sifferlen, F Pat Wrenn, F Austin Goldstein, D Casey Fitzgerald, D Nick Rolli, G Connor Maloney.

Breakdown: AP, while short on years, is not short on talent. I think we all knew coming into this season that they were capable of reaching this stage, but it might have been a question of when. The Cougars earned their way to Sunday after dispatching town rival Reading and then No. 1 seed St. John’s Prep in Wednesday’s semifinal. It seems like years ago since there was a time when the Lancers were in jeopardy of missing the tournament all together, but they’ve played the best hockey in the state during the last month.

X-factor: Nazarian. It’s his tournament, the rest of us are just living in it.

Pick: Malden Catholic, 4-2.

BILLERICA, Mass. -- After three regulations frames and an overtime, Ashley Wojewodzic sat on the bench watching shooter after shooter take to the ice as her St. Mary's teammates engaged in an epic shootout with Woburn for the right to play for a Div. 1 state championship next Sunday at TD Garden.

The eighth-grade defenseman hadn't taken a shift all night but wasn't worried, figuring with all the talent on the two teams, someone in the first five shooters would score a goal. Spartans goalie Lauren Skinnion and Tanners netminder Courtney Davis felt otherwise, however, as they took turns snapping off every shot, every deke and snagging every puck that came their way.

Finally, after nine players had taken a turn, St. Mary's coach Frank Pagliuca looked down the bench and called for 'Wojo' to get out there. With the huge crowd hanging on every move, the youngster was rightfully nervous. She was the last Spartans shooter before the lineup went back to the top and the game would be decided by the multitude of all-stars on each roster.

After a word of encouragement from fellow defenseman Amanda Donahoe, Wojewodzic went to center ice, skated in drifting to her right, pulling Davis over in the process, then slipped the puck right between the pads for the first goal of the shootout. Woburn's Shannon Walsh had one last chance to extend it but her shot hit the post and the Spartans poured onto the ice to celebrate.

"I didn't expect it at all," Wojewodzic said of hearing her name called. "I thought one of the first five shooters were going to get it in and it just kept going and going and going. Then I heard [Pagliuca] call my name and my eyes went open and he just looked at me and told me to go and I was really nervous.

She added, "I was just a little nervous. It was nervewracking getting out in front of everybody that was here because there were so any people out here. Everyone was watching me, it was scary."

Nerves or not, the eighth-grade defensemen came off the bench cold and sent her team back to TD Garden to play for the Div. 1 girls hockey state championship for the fifth time in the last six years with a 3-2 victory over No. 1 seed Woburn.

"Every team practices the shootout," Pagliuca said. "We kind of knew our list, 1-10, what we were going to do, we were just trying to figure out the order that we wanted to go in. Congrats to Ashley, she came up and pulled a great move. We told the kids to look five-hole, Ashley got her to open up and finished the job."

THIRD PERIOD FRENZY
That overtime or a shootout was even needed to decide a winner is a story unto itself. St. Mary's (18-3-4) had built a 2-0 lead on goals by freshman blueliner Vanessa Van Buskirk and senior forward Gabby Crugnale, the latter coming off an end to end rush that saw her stick a shot so perfect that Davis' water bottle went flying off the net behind her at 9:13 of the second period.

The Tanners got the first one back when Emily Lissner pounced on a bad giveaway in the Spartans zone and passed over to Ashley Moran, who fed Kayla Smith for an easy one-timer just 1:44 later.

Both Davis (19 saves) and Skinnion (27 saves) kept their respective cages clean until the final 91 seconds when Smith was the beneficiary of a fortuitous deflection off a Spartan defender. The puck landed right on her stick and Smith buried it to tie the game at 2-2.

St. Mary's needed just 20 seconds to pull back in front as Kaleigh Finigan, playing her first game in four weeks after missing time with a shoulder injury, got the puck to Crugnale, who poked it to Alison Butler for the finish.

Rather than fold up the tent, the Tanners showed their heart and tied it up once again as Erica Lissner sniped a perfect shot from the left-wing circle with just 33 seconds remaining to force the overtime.

"I was really proud of the fact that we stuck with it, didn't get too panicked," praised Woburn coach Bob MacCurtain. "I'm really proud of the kids. It was crazy. Coaches nightmare, probably the fans like it. In a tournament game this tight, there's a lot of momentum shifts and fortunately we were able to get the last one to send it into overtime."

FINIGAN'S RETURN
During the first game of the season-ending 8 Showcase in Hingham, Kaleigh Finigan suffered a shoulder injury that ended up being diagnosed as an elevated clavicle. A stalwart on the Spartans top line since transferring in from Austin Prep two years ago, Finigan has provided St. Mary's with the combination of tremendous skill and a physical presence that no other player in the state quite possesses.

The senior sat out the final regular season game and all of the postseason. She dressed for the Spartans last game against Austin Prep but did not play. Finigan got an assist on the Spartans last goal in regulation and her return helped bring an edge back to the team on the ice.

"Kaleigh gave us kind of an adrenaline shot today, getting her back in the lineup," Pagliuca said. "That physical presence we've been missing the last couple of games. She wasn't 100 percent but she sucked it up and came back for us and have us a huge lift."

A potential Div. 1 scholarship softball player, Finigan had plenty of reason to take it easy but that simply isn't in her makeup. Missing out on another chance to make a run at state title? Not going to happen.

"I told my team, get me back to the semis and I'm going to play for you guys," Finigan said. "They played for me the whole time and I wanted to get back and help them win. I want those young girls to feel how we felt last year. I want them to know what the playoffs is. This is the best time of the year."

SHOOTOUT NOT A FAVORITE
It has become almost a rite of passage every March that the shootout rears its ugly head during the girls Div. 1 postseason. Since 2007, there have been at least two games decided by shootouts in each year except 2010, when there was only one.

St. Mary's has been involved in three, winning two, and Pagliuca has been outspoken each year against the format. The coach was a bit more understated this time, but his point was made clear.

"You know, we've been on the other side of those," he said. "I hate shootouts. It shouldn't be allowed but it is what it is. Unfortunately in that situation somebody has to lose the game."

MacCurtain's teams have been involved in four shootouts since 2007, splitting those games. He refused to make any excuses, but his thoughts on the subject were made pretty clear as well.

"It just makes a team sport an individual sport," the Woburn coach stated. "I'm not complaining because we knew what it was going in but it's a tough way to end the season."

MacCurtain added, "As you're watching, I think from a coach's perspective I was glad I had Courtney in my net, I felt confident. With some of the kids we had shooting I thought we would get one but I just think the team aspect gets taken away from it."

Skinnion, who made 10 stops in the shootout on top of her 27 saves in the game, said, "I would rather have it play out just because I don't want to win a game because someone got a lucky shot. I want to win by playing the game. But its what we have to do."

Spartans standout Alison Butler may have summed up the way the players and coaches on the bench feel about shootouts, simply stating, "I hate them. I think I was going to have a heart attack."

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass. – Adrieanna Rossini had been there before.

In last year’s MIAA Division 1 state semifinal, Rossini scored in overtime to defeat Braintree and send the Cougars to the TD Garden.

Sunday night, the Arlington Catholic sophomore did it again, beating Westford Academy sophomore goalie Kerry Pouliot two-minutes and 57-seconds into the 12-minute overtime to give AC a 3-2 win in the second scintillating semifinal at Chelmsford Forum.

The Cougars will take on St. Mary’s – 4-3 shootout winners over Woburn in the day’s first semifinal – Sunday at the Garden in a rematch of last year’s state final, which was won by AC.

Rossini’s sophomore line-mate, Jessica Piracini, started the game-winning sequence by playing the puck into the Westford zone. It was mishandled and Rossini pounced on it, skated in on goal and putting a forehand past Pouliot’s glove to win the game.

“I was looking to see what was open, and to see if there was any move I could make or any kind of opportunity,” Rossini said. “I felt like the [defenseman] was hooking me, so I kinda’ just shot and hoped for the best.”

It was Rossini’s second goal of the game, having scored at 9:58 of the first on a terrific individual effort down the left wing to make it 2-0 in favor of the Cougars (17-4-2).

“She’s a huge factor every game,” AC head coach Maggie Taverna said. “She’s a great player. She has the ability to change a game…She’s fantastic; she just loves the game of hockey.”

The Grey Ghosts (17-4-2) had all the momentum going into the extra period. Down 2-0 going into the final 15 minutes of regulation, Westford got a goal from junior Bretta Beer from the right face-off circle just 49 seconds into the period.

Rossini rang the post at 5:36 of the third, and Westford senior Kim Lizotte had a great chance of her own just 19 seconds later after stealing the puck deep in the Cougars’ zone. AC junior goalie Megan Messuri made a good stop to preserve the one-goal lead.

Pouliot (18 saves) was tremendous in the third period, making 11 saves. One of those came on a penalty shot with 4:29 left to play, as Piracini was hauled down from behind on a breakaway. Piracini cut in from the left on the penalty shot and ripped a forehand wrister from just outside the crease, but Pouliot made a great glove save. She then made two point-blank stops on Rossini and senior Melissa Richard.

Incredibly, Westford got a penalty shot of its own with exactly three minutes on the clock. Killing off the last seconds of the penalty, sophomore Kathryn Walker broke up a pass in her own zone, sped down the left wing and was tripped from behind while bearing in on goal.

Walker tied it up on the penalty shot, ripping a wrist shot past Messuri and tying the game at 2.

Pouliot made three more saves in the final two minutes of regulation, and head coach Todd Fletcher’s team had sent the game to overtime in dramatic fashion.

“Our girls are just unfazed,” Fletcher said. “Wipe away the score and just play our game. You’ll get what you deserve when we’re playing well and stick to our game plan.”

Taverna said she had a simple message for her players before the start of overtime.

“I just said, ‘You guys are good enough to win this game. You just gotta put a puck in the net,” Taverna said. “Making them believe in themselves is the most important part of the game. If they believe that they can be successful then, more than likely, they will be successful.”

AC’s first goal came from Mickey McLaughlin, who scored from in front off a nice feed by sophomore Duggan Delano from behind the net at 6:42 of the first.

Messuri made 15 saves in the win.

STONEHAM, Mass. – Alison Butler had the book on Austin Prep goaltender Shannon O’Neil. The St. Mary’s of Lynn winger knew Tuesday night’s opponent well, having battled the Cougars twice during the regular season. She’s also been a teammate of O’Neil’s, playing travel hockey together in summer and fall tournaments.

Still, beating the Cougars’ senior netminder is easier said than done. O’Neil entered Tuesday’s action leading the state in shutouts with 10, in addition to maintaining a Vezina-caliber 96.8 save percentage during the regular season.

Yet, the Division 1 state quarter-final matchup at the Stoneham Arena went to the shooter. Butler led the No. 4 seed Spartans to a 3-0 win over their Catholic Central League rivals. The senior captain figured in each of St. Mary’s goals, netting two of her own in addition to dishing out the assist on the Spartans’ final tally.

It all went to plan.

“We had to come out strong and get one quick on Shannon [O’Neil],” Butler said, reflecting on the team’s game plan for the evening.

Butler did just that, forcing an AP defensive zone turnover behind the Cougars’ net and finished out front on the back-hand, beating O’Neil top shelf 2:50 into the first. She followed suit in the second period with a power-play goal at 2:05 of the second with assists from Tatiana Doucette and Samantha Callahan.

St. Mary’s (14-3-5) then struck 54 seconds later, with Butler throwing the saucer pass onto Madison Molea’s stick on a 2-on-1 break.

In premiere matchup of one of the state’s top forwards against one of its top netminders, Butler was on point.

“If she has an open opportunity,” Cougars head coach Stephanie Wood said of Butler, “she’ll rarely miss.”

Spartans goaltender Lauren Skinnion was the one earning the shutout over her counterpart, making 14 saves in victory, seven of which came in the first period.

“Lauren Skinnion was awesome tonight,” St. Mary’s head coach Frank Pagliuca said. “She made some big saves in the third period, she really kept them at bay.”

With the victory over AP, the Spartans set up another anticipated matchup, as they’ll face top-seeded Woburn on Sunday at the Chelmsford Forum in a semi-final bout to determine who will skate on Garden ice.

END OF A RUN, START TO THE FUTURE
While O’Neil played her final game in a sensation season, the future certainly is bright at AP (12-8-4).

The Cougars will graduate just four players from their roster, including their starting goaltender. There are seven freshman on the roster, in addition to three eight-graders, so there’s a youth movement afoot.

And they’re talented. Two of AP’s top six leading scorers (Michaela Boyle and Mauri Anthony) aren’t even freshman. It’s second-leading scorer, Maddy Ricci (8-9-17), is a sophomore and freshman forward Kathleen McHugh (8-8-16) was third.

The Cougars’ bumper crop of young talent even prompted Pagliuca, after the game, to call AP a favorite for the league title entering next season.

While the maturation process will continue, it’s doubtful the Cougars have hit their stride just yet.

“They’re babies still,” Wood said.