ESPN

WESTWOOD, Mass. -– The ever-suspenseful coaching rematch between Leslie Frank and daughter Meredith showed both how far the Notre Dame of Hingham program has come, and why Leslie's two-time defending state champ Westwood remains the standard for girls' lacrosse in Massachusetts.

In a tight defensive battle between the top two ranked programs in the state, No. 1 Westwood (10-0) again edged No. 2 NDH (8-2), 7-4, to win the regular season rematch of the last years' south sectional semifinals at Flahive Field last night.

“We wanted the ball back so furiously,” said Westwood coach Leslie Frank. “You could just see the teamwork. When someone was going in for a shot the double was coming.”

Westwood outscored the Cougars 5-1 over a 23:42 span to pull away from an early 2-2 tie.

Junior Ela Hazar (foul goals) bounced in a free position to start the run at 3-2 with 15:36 left in the first half. A minute and a half later junior Kim Egizi drew three defenders away from the net and setup a backhanded 4-2 score by Hazar along the post to help guarantee the Cougars would never equalize.

“We just tried to play a little bit more aggressive,” said Meredith Frank. “Last time we played them we sort of turtle'd. We kept up our intensity defensively.”

After allowing a deep free position score by Notre Dame junior Kelsey Bowen, Westwood scored twice in the final minute of the first half to go ahead 6-3. Egizi finished a backdoor tally at 53.8 seconds. The junior then hit Hazar in motion along the net where she knocked the ball out of the air and into the inside of the top post for a 6-3 goal.

“Lots of shooting drills are done in two's; quick feet (and) quick shots,” said Leslie Frank. “It is to her credit that (Hazar) can stick that with a swarm of defenders on her. She has legit soft hands, beautiful stick control and beautiful finishing work.”

R'Askin A Lot In Net: Meghan Raskin was absolutely the difference for Westwood in the victory with 14 saves. The Cougars controlled possession and peppered the junior with shots all second half, including nine shots-on-goal, but were only able to score once.

Raskin opened the later half by shifting to catch ND (H) senior Julia Simmons along the post on a dangerous pass from freshman Charlotte Allard. Within four minutes of play Raskin just swung her net low enough to save her second free position in two minutes.

“Stepping up to the occasion is something that is really important,” said Raskin. “We always do eight-meter shots so we are prepared for that. You just have to keep a good head on you shoulders.”

Cracking a Defensive Stalemate: Westwood sophomore Colleen Burke worked her way through a gap in the defense and snuck horizontally past the front of the net to open up a high 7-3 scoring effort after 16 minutes of play in the second half. Fifty one seconds later Cougars' sophomore Lexi Lenaghan caught a high lob from Allard and buried it along the back post for the 7-4 final.

“(Raskin) was dominate on her low saves,” said Meredith Frank. “I wish we could have shot the ball a little higher. This is just one more step in where we want to take this program.”

Lenaghan ripped an open shot off the top crossbar with 4:55 left, while junior Isabella O'Connor bulldozed her way past two defenders to force a tough low save from Raskin.

Up and Coming Family Rivalry: Meredith played on two of her mother's six Division 1 state champion teams before playing four years at juggernaut Northwestern University. Last year was a breakthrough season for the program, but the Cougars were brought back down to Earth with a tough 18-8 south sectional semifinal loss in Meredith's first matchup against her mother.

The tight loss last night showed another step in the right direction, as the two squads remain the favorites for the South region and the state as a whole this season.

“I am following the lead of my girls and my school,” said Meredith Frank. “This is just one more step in where we want to take this program. My mom has done this for a long time and she has earned that respect and discipline from her players and that is what I am trying to instill.”

BOURNE, Mass. – While not ideal, Falmouth girls’ hockey head coach Erin Hunt has come to expect a certain kind of finish from her team this season.

“They keep us right on the edge, until they know they need to get it done,” said Hunt of her young Clippers.

Facing No. 11 seed Westwood in the Division 2 state semifinals for the second straight year, Falmouth found itself in familiar territory, trailing by a goal headed into the third period. But somehow the Clippers have managed to find focus late in games and held true to their track record, taking the ice in the third with an ebullient noise and clatter.

But Falmouth also let their sticks do the talking in the final period, tallying three straight goals to claim a 3-1 comeback victory on Saturday at Gallo Arena. With the win, the Clippers earn the right to skate on the TD Garden ice for the state title against Duxbury, in a much-anticipated rematch of last year’s final.

“I’ll take anyone at the Garden,” Hunt said. “We’re happy to be there, but it’s nice to get another shot. They’re a great team, we split this year and I think it’s going to be a great game.”

Falmouth (19-1-2) stemmed the tide early in the third period while short-handed. The Clippers found themselves in another common position – on the penalty kill—when defenseman Hannah Ghelfi sprung Madison Haberl for a short-handed goal a minute and 58 seconds into the third.

“I always say, if you get a shorty, you’re going to win the game,” Hunt said. “It’s huge to get one when you’re a man down, so it was a huge momentum changer for us.”

Special teams again came into play when Falmouth scored on the power play at 4:31. Maggie MacDonald camped on the off wing post and put back the rebound off of Kendall Stouffer’s point shot.

The Wolverines (14-7-3) had their best scoring chance of the third when junior forward Ela Hazar split the Clippers’ defense pairing and bolted in on goaltender Madison Scavotto. Hazar had her second goal of the game ticketed for the low right-hand corner before Scavotto (20 saves) flashed her left toe with her finest save of the night.

Hazar scored the Wolverines’ lone goal at 5:34 of the second period, with an assist from Kelly Healy.

“We wanted to come through the neutral zone with speed, we wanted to forecheck them,” Westwood head coach Justin DeSorgher said. “We were successful at times; we weren’t as successful at times. They have a couple of defensemen who can really handle the puck. That does a lot against the forecheck.”

MAN IN THE BOX
At times, particularly at the tail end of the second period, there seemed to be a revolving door at the penalty boxes. The teams combined for 14 power-play opportunities (Falmouth had the advantage with eight of those).

And, while both coaches were perturbed by their teams’ propensity to wind up in the bin, the Clippers’ kill unit was up to the task, holding Westwood scoreless on six chances, allowing just three shots-on-goal during those opportunities.

While Falmouth had chances with the man-up, they did come away with one power-play tally, in addition to the crucial shorty by Haberl.

“They have a very aggressive penalty kill, a very aggressive power play,” DeSorgher said. “One our keys coming into this game was to not end up in the box. But we were in the box all night. That was tough to get over.”

HELLO, AGAIN
Falmouth and Duxbury are no strangers, having split two regular-season tilts this year, following last year’s win by the Dragons at the Garden.

However, a couple of Clippers pointed to their 1-0 win over Duxbury on Jan. 5 as a significant moment, counting for more than a victory.

“They were so pumped to beat us the last time because we’d beaten them,” Scavotto said. “We learned that they value this rivalry as much as we do. We can’t underestimate that.”

PARTING
While Westwood’s season comes to an end, there’s reason to believe a young Wolverines teams could yet have another late postseason meeting in store with Falmouth next year. Westwood loses just two seniors off its roster.

“It’s sad for our two seniors, Meghan Kelly and Kristina Barounis,” DeSorgher said. “They were here the year we first got here and to see them grow and mature. They’re great kids, it’s tough to see them as upset as they are.”

SOUND ADVICE
You know things are going well for a hockey team when its members talk about having fun.

Scavotto offered a refreshing take on goaltending and the game after celebrating with her teammates in a raucous room. Also, entering the third, you couldn’t much tell the Clippers’ season was on the line as they emerged from the intermission with a loud, stick-tapping display as they took the ice.

They’re a group that thrives on raw emotion and their vest for the game is evident in such displays.

Whether it’s Game 7 of the Cup finals, a state high school playoff game, or a game of shinny on the pond, at the end of the day, it’s a game.

“When you’re playing well, you’re having fun,” she said. “That’s what hockey’s all about to me.”

Well said.

READING, Mass. -- The Wayland offensive line opened up fault lines tonight against a Westwood defense, which never got a chance to get off of their heels, as they were constantly back pedaling en route to a 36-14 romp. Wayland will play Sharon in the Division 3 Super Bowl Saturday.

“Our plan was to take out their speedy quarterback-receiver conbo,” Wayland head coach Scott Parseghian said. “I think we did a great job of shutting them down.”

Westwood showed a couple of sparks that may have spread into a flame, but they were unable to sustain a scoring streak that would have combated the early 13-0 lead the Warriors held. The Wolverines' Daniel Roache scored a touchdown in the second quarter with 6:06 left to make the game 13-7. Wayland’s Robert Williams thought it best to keep the score margin wider than one touchdown, so he ran 63 yards twenty seconds later to make the game 19-7.

In the third quarter, Westwood would again show some life and score with 6:30 seconds left. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, the Warriors went on to score four minutes later, a Williams run, again, and a 36-yard field goal from MacLean in the final ticks of the game.

“We were able to dominate right from the get-go,” said senior captain Kevin Kelly. He also attributed his team’s ability to dominate to the offseason workout regiment.

Wayland’s first series began with a four-and-out, but the punt by Eric MacLean, which rolled past the 20-yard line, was mishandled by the returner and Robert Jones was able to recover the ball for the Warriors deep in Westwood territory.

Williams, who would go on to score four touchdowns during the evening, took his first in, a 17-yard scamper with 6:58 left in the first quarter. A failed kick and a Westwood three and out gave Wayland the ball back and Williams another chance to punch it in, and punch it in he did. After taking carries of 11 and seven yards, he bounded into the end zone from three yards out making the score 12-0. The extra point from MacLean made the game 13-0.

“I contribute my scoring today completely to the line,” Williams said. “They are the ones who get the gaps to open up, allow me to read the linebackers and the safety’s movements. It feels amazing to get this win. I’ve been waiting for it a long, long time. As a team, we’ve been waiting long but working hard to get it.

Wayland 13 6 14 3 – 36
Westwood 0 7 7 0 – 14

FIRST QUARTER
Way – Robert Williams 17 run (kick failed) 6-0
Way – Robert Williams 3 run (Eric MacLean kick) 13-0

SECOND QUARTER
Wes – Daniel Roach 16 run (Geoffrey Cote kick) 13-7
Way – Robert Williams 63 run (botched kick, rush failed)19-7

THIRD QUARTER
Way – Robert “Robey” Williams 35 pass from Matt Goddard (MacLean kick) 26-7
Wes – Robert Berluti 6 pass from Alex Berluti (Cote kick) 26-14
Way – Robert Williams 44 run (MacLean kick) 33-14

FOURTH QUARTER
Way – MacLean 36 FG 36-14

Presenting to you five, players, groups, teams and scenes on the rise heading from Turkey Day into the postseason.

5. STIFLING DEFENSES
Perhaps no team impressed more on the defensive side of the ball than St. John’s Prep, which authoritatively stamped its postseason pass book with a 9-0 shutout against Xaverian. Of course, the Hawks were equally up to the task with a huge day from its four-man line of Joe Gaziano, Ray Gobbi, Mo Hurst, and Elijah Jolly.

Yet, the Eagles were also able to control the line of scrimmage coming off their blocks. Chris Newton, a lunch pail linebacker turned defensive tackle, might have had the game of his life with two sacks, including a strip-sack. Feeding off the double-teams generated by fellow tackle Corey Jean-Jacques, the duo were able to create an interior pass rush, and help bottle up the Hawks’ physical backfield of Hurst and Hunter Taute.

Still, the performance of the day belonged to the Newton North secondary. The Tigers terrorized Brookline for six interceptions in the 116th annual meeting between the Bay State Conference rivals. Newton North also returned two of the picks to the house, a difference-maker in a 21-0 defensive maelstrom. Junior defensive back Jack Boucher led the charge with three interceptions, including a pick-six.

4. THE BERLUTI HOUSEHOLD
In lifting Westwood to a 42-14 win over perennial Tri-Valley League Large favorite Holliston, the Wolverines punched a card to their first postseason date since their Super Bowl season of 2004.

Leading Westwood’s aerial attack was Alex Berluti. The senior completed 14 of 17 attempts for 269 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. Naturally, his top target was brother Bo Berluti. Bo finished the game with five catches for 107 yards and a touchdown.

"It’s nice throwing to him," Alex Berluti told correspondent Bruce Lerch on Thursday. "It’s fun. It was memorable. I’ll have that for the rest of my life."

3. PIONEERS AFOOT
In projecting the result of the penultimate CAL/NEC Tier 3 game between Lynnfield and North Reading earlier this week on our podcast, I talked about Pioneers quarterback Mike Karavestos and his ability to change the game with his arm. Turned out I was partially right, but I underestimated Karavestos’ running ability. The tough-nosed signal-caller’s 157 yards on the ground on 19 carries set the tone for Lynnfield and his rushing touchdown truly was the difference-maker in a tightly contested 14-7 win over the Hornets, propelling Lynnfield into the playoffs.

2. AUGGIE TO MICAH … AUGGIE TO MICAH …
We all know what Austin Roberts means to Brockton and its offense. When one of the state’s toughest pound-for-pound athletes is running the Boxers’ Georgia Tech-style option game, few teams can find an answer. But in Thursday’s win over Bridgewater-Raynham, another encouraging sign for Brockton’s postseason hopes emerged. While Roberts dropped back to pass just five times against a stingy Trojans’ defense, he managed to complete four of those passes for 90 yards – all of those completions went to game MVP – and one could argue – Boxers’ MVP Micah Morel. Morel also grabbed a touchdown pass against B-R. While the ground game will continue to be the Boxers’ key to success, if Roberts and Morel can continue to dial up big plays in the passing game through the playoffs, Brockton will be that much more difficult to dissect defensively.

1. A FEELING OF THANKS
While Upper Cape Tech has plenty to be thankful for, what with securing the program’s first-ever playoff berth with a 42-18 win over Cape Cod Tech. However, if Holbrook/Avon beat West Bridgewater on Thanksgiving, the Rams would’ve had to sweat out a coin flip in a three-way tie-breaker procedure to determine who would represent the Mayflower Small in Saturday’s Super Bowl against Dorchester.

Thankfully, it didn’t come to that as West Bridgewater beat H/A, alleviating any potential agony.

As a token of thanks, we wonder if Rams coach Mike Hernon picked up anything on Black Friday as a thank you gift to the Wildcats?

10. Matt Summers, Sr. RB, Athol
Racked up 223 yards and four touchdowns on just 12 carries, in the Raiders' 49-20 rout of Mahar.

9. Troy Flutie, Jr. QB, Natick
Threw for 319 yards and totaled three scores in the Redhawks' 26-14 win over Framingham, their first over the Flyers at Bowditch Field since 2006.

8. Kiivone Howard, Sr. RB, Foxborough
Ran for 181 yards on 14 carries and rallied the Warriors in the second half with three scores, as they upset Mansfield 27-21.

7. Marcus O’Diah, Sr. RB, Burlington
Became the school's all-time leading rusher with his 168-yard, four-touchdown effort in a 35-10 win over Lexington.

6. Cody Rothwell, Sr. RB, Pentucket
Ran for 251 yards and three touchdowns in the Sachems' 41-12 win over Triton.

5. Mike Panepinto, Jr. RB, Needham
In the 125th meeting between the Rockets and Wellesley, he stole the show with 29 carries for 290 yards and five touchdowns.

4. Mohammed Braimah, Sr. DE, Boston Cathedral
Tallied four sacks in the Panthers' 38-12 rout of Marian.

3. Darien Fernandez, Sr. RB, Wareham
Carried 22 times for 226 yards and four touchdowns in the Vikings' 52-12 rout of Bourne. Fernandez finishes his career at Wareham as the school's all-time leader in rushig touchdowns (35).

2. Alex Berluti, Sr. QB, Westwood
Completed 14 of 17 pass attempts for 269 yards and four touchdowns as the Wolverines clinched the Tri-Valley League Large title with a 42-14 romp of Holliston.

1. Dylan Oxsen, Jr. RB, Plymouth South
Ran for 239 yards and five touchdowns in the Panthers' 40-20 win over Plymouth North. And with it, he re-took the state's lead for rushing touchdowns (34), passing Holy Name's Quron Wright (33).

WESTWOOD, Mass. -- In the final minute of the second quarter of their annual Thanksgiving clash with Holliston, Westwood found itself facing a fourth-and-nine situation at the Panthers 14-yard line.

The Wolverines held a 14-7 lead at the time but the stakes in this game were pretty high. The winner would clinch the Tri-Valley League Large title and the playoff spot that goes with it. The loser would be handing in uniforms and equipment the next morning.

Westwood coach Ed Mantie had to weigh his options carefully. He could opt for a field goal try, not always a sure thing in high school football. He could give the ball safely to one of his two sure-handed running backs, Daniel Roache or Brandon Rodenbush, with the hope that one of them might break through the line, or let dynamic Alex Berluti just keep it himself. Even if the Wolverines didn't produce anything, the Panthers would be pinned deep with minimal time to mount a drive.

Mantie decided throw caution to the wind and go for the jugular. Setting up in the shotgun, Berluti took the snap and faked a handoff to Roache. Holliston nose tackle Jake McLinden blew past the center and took a dive at Berluti's legs, forcing the quarterback to dance to the outside. Berluti took a couple of steps, set his feet and lofted a pass toward the back of the end zone where Pierce Dierker had gotten behind the Panthers safety and hauled down the pass for the touchdown.

The ensuing extra point gave Westwood a 21-7 lead with 31 seconds left in the half, but served as a microcosm for an aggressive nature borne out of a team's belief in itself.

"If you’re getting your kids to believe we’re the better team then once you have your hands around the throat you have to squeeze a little bit and that's what we tried to do," Mantie explained. "We were able to control the clock a bit at the end of the first half, get down into a position where we could take some chances. It got down to fourth down but we made it - that's the play of the game right there to push it up to 21-7 at the half."

The Wolverines inspired play continued in what was the most complete effort they put together all season en route to a 42-14 rout of Holliston (7-4) at Flahive Field. Now, Westwood (8-3) will make its first postseason appearance since winning the 2004 Super Bowl when they take on Wayland Tuesday.

"We haven’t won since 2004 so to bring home the league is really great," Berluti said. "The team played really well, everyone did what they had to do. We worked hard for two weeks. We prepped hard and it was a good win today."

FAMILY AFFAIR ON THANKSGIVING
The Berluti brothers - Alex, the quarterback, and Bo, the receiver - displayed a terrific connection on this day. Alex finished with 14 completions in 17 attempts for 269 yards and three touchdowns. Bo was his main target with five catches for 107 yards and the go-ahead score at the start of the second quarter.

Westwood had scored first, courtesy of a five-yard run by Rodenbush, but Holliston came right back to tie it up when TVL MVP Max Athy broke through the middle of the defense for a 26-yard scoring jaunt. The Wolverines proceeded to march from its own 24 down to the Panthers nine, where Alex drilled Bo on a perfect slant pattern to take a 14-7 lead.

"It’s nice throwing to him," Alex said. "It’s fun. It was memorable. I’ll have that for the rest of my life."

UP-TEMPO PACE MEANS SOMEONE HAS TO MAKE A STOP
Both teams favored the up-tempo, no-huddle offensive style that is en vogue across the nation. Holliston runs its plays so fast that the sideline chain gang had to hustle to keep up after each gain. Berluti proved equally adept at running the fast-paced spread, primarily utilizing his brother and Dierker, who finished with 72 yards and two scores on four catches.

What helped Westwood stand apart on this day was its ability to run the ball and get key stops on defense early on. Roache lugged the rock 25 times for 141 yards and a touchdown, while Rodenbush ran in a pair of scores.

Defensively, the Wolverines really only allowed a handful of the big plays that had helped Holliston win the last two TVL titles and a Super Bowl a season ago. Holliston scored on Athy's 26-yard run, then added an 85-yard TD pass from Matt Jeye to Zach Elkinson, but stalled twice in the red zone in the final frame.

"We just completely shut them down," said Rodenbush, who had an interception - as did Roache. "They came in here thinking they could run WAR all over us and we shut it down so they tried to pass and we shut that down. They couldn’t do anything. This was the most confident game we've played since I've been here."

Added Mantie, "We gave up two big plays and those were their two scores. Snap after snap after snap they just kept battling. I think we controlled the line of scrimmage pretty well, I think we tackled pretty well for the most part, which is huge because Athy is such a dynamic kid. In the end, it came down to us being able to cover their guys because they were trying to throw the ball. We gave up a little bit at the end there but certainly made the plays when we had to.("



WESTWOOD 42, HOLLISTON 14

HOLLISTON (7-4) 7 0 7 0 - 14
WESTWOOD (8-3) 7 14 14 7 - 42

WW - Brandon Rodenbush 5 run (Connor Cote kick)
HO - Max Athy 26 run (Grant Slattery kick)
WW - Bo Berluti 9 pass from Alex Berluti (Cote kick)
WW - Pierce Dierker 14 pass from Alex Berluti (Cote kick)
WW - Rodenbush 3 run (kick failed)
HO - Zach Elkinson 85 pass from Matt Jeye (Slattery kick)
WW - Daniel Roache 1 run (Alex Berluti rush)
WW - Dierker 30 pass from Alex Berluti (Cote kick)

This week's special Thanksgiving Edition podcast, previewing all of Thursday morning's biggest matchups, is up and posted.

To check out the podcast, CLICK HERE.

In this edition, ESPN Boston High School Editors Brendan Hall and Scott Barboza discuss the state's biggest Thanksgiving matchups with direct playoff implications, most significantly Andover vs. Central Catholic, St. John's Prep vs. Xaverian and Holliston vs. Westwood. We also take a look at some milestone meetings -- it's the 125th meeting between both Needham and Wellesley, and Malden and Medford.

Be sure to check back with us tomorrow as we unveil the full lineup of our Thanksgiving picks.

Massachusetts Golf Association communications director Beck Blaeser passes along this release from today's final round of the Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship, contested at Oakley Country Club:

Watertown, Mass. -- It was a fitting end to an event that Patrick Frodigh (Dedham C&PC) owned from start to finish.

Under perfect skies at Oakley Country Club on Wednesday, Frodigh carded a final round score of 2-under par 69 to win the 2012 Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship by a four-stroke margin. He finished with a three-round score of 4-under par 209.

It marks Frodigh's first MGA Championship win and his second title in the past 10 months.

"It means a lot to me," said Frodigh, who won a Future Collegians World Tour event held at Notre Dame University last October. "Hopefully this win can bring me to different places and give me more opportunities."

Frodigh capped off a memorable week of golf by firing his approach shot on the 358-yard, par 4 18th hole to four feet. He drained the birdie putt – his 12th of the championship – to earn the right to have his named etched on the Charles E. Mason Trophy.

"This is probably my biggest win," said Frodigh, who will be a senior at Westwood High School in the fall. "Hopefully now I will get more notice from colleges."

Collegiate coaches would have to be impressed by Frodigh's play all week long, especially on day three when he fought off a strong charge by Jake Shuman (Blue Hill CC).

Entering the final round with a two-stroke advantage over Shuman, Frodigh played even par golf through his first five holes but watched as his lead disappeared as a result of strong play by Shuman who – for the second straight day – made birdies on the 4th, 5th and 6th holes.

"When he pushed back, I was even par and I knew that I had to make a couple of birdies to try to extend my lead," said Frodigh.

With the pressure building, Frodigh delivered.

He matched Shuman's birdie on the 529-yard, par 5 6th hole and then gained back his advantage thanks to birdies on the 9th and 10th holes. That stellar play – Frodigh was 3-under par through that five-hole stretch – coupled with a costly double bogey by Shuman on the 7th hole gave Frodigh the opening he would need.

"[Shuman] was leaving a bunch of putts dead center," said Frodigh, who dazzled the gallery by making a 30-foot putt on the 9th hole. "It really could have been a close match but I guess that is just how it goes."

Frodigh capped off his round in fitting fashion with that remarkable shot on the finishing hole.

"My approach shot on 18 was what I had planned to do but I didn't think that it would be that tight," said Frodigh. "I was looking and hoping for a birdie to finish off."

And he did just that and then took a moment to savor his MGA Championship victory.

We've updated the MIAA Top 25 girls lacrosse poll for one last time in 2012, following the Divisions 1 and 2 state championships a week and a half ago.

Westwood began the season as our No. 1 team in the land, and finished there when all was said and done, having captured their second straight Division 1 state championship, and third in four years. Needham finishes at No. 2, while Lincoln-Sudbury (3), Algonquin (4) and Longmeadow (5) round out the top five.

Making returns to the poll are Scituate (17), Marblehead (20) and Framingham (21), while Natick (18) and Sandwich (25) make their season debuts.

For the complete poll, CLICK HERE.

ESPNBoston.com and its high school section announced today that Laura McHoul, senior midfielder of the Westwood High Wolverines, is the recipient of its second annual “Miss Lacrosse” award, presented annually to the top overall player in Massachusetts.

The Miss Lacrosse winner was chosen by a panel of experts made up of ESPNBoston.com staff and correspondents. McHoul will be presented with the award at a later date.

“We are honored to present Laura McHoul with the Miss Lacrosse award,” said ESPN Boston High Schools co-editor Brendan Hall, who coordinates the site’s girls lacrosse coverage. “Coming into the spring there were plenty of higher-profile athletes in the Massachusetts landscape, but in the end there were none more influential on the team’s outcome than Laura. Westwood has long been the academy of girls’ lacrosse in the Bay State, and Laura McHoul was the one throttling the engine.”

The fulcrum of a dynamic offense that scored nearly 17 goals a game, McHoul was named MVP of the Tri-Valley League after recording 148 points (63 goals, 85 assists), giving her a career total of 426 (194, 232). That include her stellar performance in the Division 1 state title game, scoring seven goals and adding five assists as the Wolverines beat Algonquin for their third state championship in four seasons. Defensively, McHoul often took on the top attackers, as the Wolverines allowed just over six goals per game.

McHoul signed a National Letter of Intent last November with the University of New Hampshire. In addition to three state titles, she also leaves Westwood as a two-time U.S. Lacrosse All-American.

The Wolverines came into the season as the No. 1 team in ESPN Boston’s poll, and after dropping a season-opening loss to Lincoln-Sudbury won 24 of their next 25 games to win their second straight MIAA Division 1 state championship. In McHoul’s four years at Westwood, the Wolverines went 96-4-1 and won three state titles, including the 24-2 state title campaign this spring.

McHoul is the second straight Wolverine to win the award. Sarah Biron, who recently completed her freshman season at Johns Hopkins University, was last year's recipient.

NEEDHAM, Mass. -- Laura McHoul comfortably worked her position behind the net as she eyed for cutters.

A slight sag in the defense showed and the midfielder whipped a pass inches from the defender's net and into Kate Rich's grasp. As the two senior captains connected for the winning tally it became a sight all too familiar for the Wolverines' opponents.

Running its offense from its two senior stars, No. 3 Westwood (22-2) girls' lacrosse bested top-seeded Needham (22-2) 12-9 at Memorial Park yesterday in a Division 1 South finals rematch.

The win advances the defending state champs to play North champion Lincoln-Sudbury (23-1) at Babson College on Monday.

“We have a good connection on the field, so I trust it when I pass it too her,” said McHoul. “She just gets her stick open and she is tall enough that I can lob it in.”

Added Rich, “(We) don't want to stop playing."

Rich netted four, while McHoul assisted five and scored two. The seniors produced the go-ahead goal at 12:13 in the second half, while adding insurance with a pair of unassisted backdoor cuts.

“We wanted for everyone else to clear through,” said Westwood coach Leslie Frank. “We try to take advantage of the weakest defender and to get those matchups on Kate and Laura. When they happen, they have to go.”

Twice trailing by four to open, the Tri-Valley champs battled back to even by running quick plays off draws. A side net pass from McHoul to Rich evened the score at 5-5 with 4:39 left in the first half, while a two-on-one counter-attack assist from Ela Hazar (three goals, two assists) to fellow sophomore Jamison O'Neil gave the Wolverines' their first lead up 8-7 at 22:01 in second.

The two teams would equalize two more times, before Westwood pulled away.

Forcing the Freebies: The Rockets, who had previously not beaten Westwood since 2002, won their regular season matchup 12-10 at home by forcing 10 goals off set pieces. Creating penalties were big offensively again for Needham
in the rematch, as the Rockets scored all but one tally off a set-piece, including its first four finishes.

A one-timer from sophomore Kira Oberle to teammate freshman Carly Colman out of a penalty gave the Bay State Carey champs their largest lead up 4-1 fifteen minutes into the first.

“We just try to play less physical defense,” said Frank. “However, it is impossible (to avoid) at this level. They are so hungry for it and
they have come so far.”

Annee Time: Goalie Annee O'Connor has been the foundation for Needham's defense all season. The keeper made 10 saves to keep the Rockets alive on Friday, with a majority coming face-to-face with a shooter.

Needham coach Beth O'Brien cited the twenty minutes each practice she spent working with O'Connor as a reason for her success. A period she called "Annee time."

“We do reaction drills where it is rapid fire and a lot of the time we use tennis balls,” said O'Brien. “Low to high, crease work, and just lining up to rapid fire balls. That is something we have not done before.”

Tough Road: L-S will be the third straight opponent ranked in the top five of ESPNBoston's statewide poll that Westwood has faced.

The Wolverines lost a road thriller, 13-12, to the Warriors earlier in the season, but eliminated the the DCL Large champs in the previous year's state semifinals by a 15-7 margin. Westwood was the top seed in the South last year.

“I guess we are the underdogs but we are not done,” said McHoul. “We are ready to fight all the way.”

HINGHAM, Mass. -- Notre Dame of Hingham coach Meredith Frank remembers the three-mile runs that would frequent practices in her career at Westwood. As a player they would joke they ran more than the track team, though she now denies it was true.

It is this commitment to resilience that has led to five MIAA Division 1 championships for her mother and former coach Leslie Frank -- including two with Meredith playing -- and that has yearly produced college-ready athletes for top programs like Northwestern.

It was also this level of athleticism that pushed No. 3 seed Westwood (21-2) out of ahead of Meredith's second-seeded Panthers (21-2) on Tuesday and that helped it hold pace as they advanced to Division 1 South finals with an 18-8 road win.

“It was not always peaches and cream with her, but you were better off for it,” said Meredith Frank. “What made her different was the emphasis on athlete endurance and speed.”

“Our fitness can not let down just becaue it is cold and unfavorable,” added Leslie Frank.

Seniors Laura McHoul are Kate Rich are familiar with this standard having grabbed state titles in '09 and '11 under the Westwood skipper. Both players have played a crucial role in defending that crown all season and were no different on Thursday.

McHoul fronted all scorers with six goals and three assict, while Rich put in four and assisted a pair.

Junior Marina Burke started the Wolverines on a nine-goal streak to open by grabbing a free position assist from teammate sophomore Ela Hazar three minutes in. A cross-field assist from Hazar to McHoul made way for a backdoor score by freshman Brooke Troy and a 9-0 advantage at 6:16.

“We use weighted sticks in practice (and) it helps our sticks feel lighter,” said McHoul. “We go on long runs before practice then do
some sprint in practice. When we are running against a fast team we can compete.”

These stick drills are the same ones that helped Meredith develop her handle as youth and made way for both her and sister Alex to each win a pair of state titles. Both the Notre Dame headwoman and her younger sibling carried their talents to Northwestern where they contributed to six NCAA women’s lacrosse championship.

“She never waivers her philosophy,” said Meredith Frank of her mother. “She uses the same drills whether it is a 4th grader or 12th
grader. It is this philosophy that creates confident young women.”

Lacrosse success runs in the Frank lineage and so does the ability to coach it. Older brother Drew brought Colorado's smallest school, St. Mary's High in Colorado Springs, to its first winning season at 8-6. In Hingham, Meredith has taken a perennial playoff program and turned it to a title contender.

“(Leslie) started coaching me in youth lacrosse in fifth grade and was a big part of lacrosse taking of in Westwood,” said Meredith Frank. “Everything I know about coaching is a combination mother and Northwestern coach Kelly [Amonte Hiller].”

A behing the crease isolation run by junior Amelia Brown helped break the shutout for Notre Dame at 4:35 as the Panthers went on their longest run off the night. Teammate junior Alex Dalton whipped a sidearm set piece in the final seconds to cut the score to 9-3 at halftime.

Despite both teams scoring to open the second, Rich motioned completely around the crease then buried a low rip to prompt a four-tally run at 20:33. Burke caught a cross net assist from teammate sophomore Healy to put the Wolverine's up 14-4 six minutes later.

The Panthers would never cut back within nine.

“A large part of the plan was to force them out without swinging and forcing fouls,” said Leslie Frank. “They have so many well-trained shooters. I respect the job she has done, but when I am coaching I do not really think about her.”

ESPNHS updated its girls lacrosse "FAB 50" national poll this morning, and once again a Massachusetts squad is the only New England school represented on the list.

Notre Dame of Hingham moves up one spot to No. 42 in this week's poll, and has stayed on the list for three weeks. The Cougars have a big matchup today, facing defending Division 1 state champion Westwood in a D1 South semifinal. Notre Dame is coached by Meredith Frank, while her mother Leslie is the legendary Westwood coach.

Needham also received votes this week.

To see the complete poll, CLICK HERE.

WESTWOOD, Mass. -- Two time state girls' lacrosse champions Laura McHoul and Kate Rich not only know what it takes to win a title, but showed they are ready to defend their crown this afternoon.

Battling from opposite sides of the crease, the seniors worked passing lanes and found openings all afternoon as they lead defending champs No. 3 Westwood (20-0) to the Division 1 South semifinals with a 19-3 defeat of guest No. 6 Wellesley (12-8) at Flahive Field.

The Wolverines have eliminated Wellesley from five straight postseason, while winning four of the last eight state titles.

“Laura and I have a lot of experience and we are trying to pass that
down,” said Rich. “We have a young team. One of our focuses was off ball movement and I think we did a really good job of that.”

Rich netted five and assisted three, while McHoul both tallied and assisted four.

Opening with nine straight, Westwood put an additional 15 shots on goal as it rumbled ahead early and never looked back.



Spread Out and Attack: The Wolverines look to spread out their opponents then attack the openings. Working McHoul rear of the crease and Rich up top, the seniors bobbed in and out testing isolated openings and finding horizontal passing lanes.

Rich backed up her defender and buried a shot over the keeper's shoulder in the first few seconds for the Wolverines first score, while McHoul slipped in behind the net to assist a quick flicked finish by sophomore Ela Hazar for a 9-0 lead at 9:49 in the initial half.

“Our goal is to spread it out more,” said Westwood coach Leslie Frank. “(Laura) sees openings and hits the pass well. If Kate is behind, Laura can finish.”

Push 'Em Back: Coach Frank aimed to double high and push the Raiders towards the halfway line. This defense was effective in forcing backwards offensive motion as Westwood limited Wellesley to one shot-on-goal in the first eleven minutes.

A pair of unassisted second-half tallies from freshman Caroline Bradley and junior Molly Connelly, at 7:33 and 4:23 respectively, were a brief sign of attacking life for the Raiders.

“We tried to spread them out as much as we could, but they put us under a ton of pressure,” said Wellesley first-year coach Sarah Dacey. “We knew they were going to double, so we prepared the girls for that. This is a team you have to spread out and create lanes.”

Finishing Touch: A penalty effort by junior Annie Valle to open Wellesley's scoring at 4:32 in the first was quickly squashed by eight straight from the Tri-Valley League champs.

Rich caught a pair of back net assist for two late first half goals, while twelve minutes into the second half freshman Brooke Troy buried two off penalties chances to produce a 17-1 deficit.

“We do a lot of work on draw control (which) is key to gaining the first two possessions (and) makes you feel some confidence,” said Frank. “That was the key to them executing well with confidence.”

Westwood grabbed five of the first seven draws, while finishing with a three win advantage.

Family First: Westwood faces tomorrow’s winner between No. 2 seed Notre Dame of Hingham (20-1) and No. 7 Newton North (13-5-1), with the date to be decided. A win by the Cougars would set up the first match up between Notre Dame coach Meredith Frank and mother Leslie.

“I am looking forward to it,” said Leslie Frank of the opportunity. “We try to do the right thing from the sidelines, but very little at this point happens from a coaches standpoint. It is out of both of our hands.”

Algonquin Regional senior attack Carly O'Connell netted her 500th career point this afternoon, in the Tomahawks' thrilling 12-11 double-overtime win over archrival Westborough.

O'Connell, a University of Oregon signee, sat at 499 points headed into today, and joins an exclusive club of 500-point scorers in Massachusetts that includes Westwood's Kelly Rich and Wellesley's Blake Dietrick. Current Notre Dame of Hingham head coach Meredith Frank is the state's all-time leader in points with 552 (306 goals, 242 assists) doing so over four seasons at Westwood High (2002-05).

Coming into the season, the Tomahawks had not beaten their archrivals since May of 2008, going 0-9 against the Rangers since that moment. With today's win, they sweep the season series, move to 17-1 on the season, and will likely grab the No. 1 overall seed in Division 1 Central when brackets are unveiled for the MIAA tournament.