ESPN.com presents High School http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/high-school 60 en-us Wed, 22 May 2013 12:55:48 webmaster@espn.go.com http://assets.espn.go.com/i/espn/teamlogos/lrg/trans/espn_dotcom_black.gif 110 110 Rice Memorial's Cassidy Derda has her immediate plans in place. After spending next season playing for Tilton (N.H.) Prep, Derda will begin her Division I basketball career by joining the St. Francis University program in New York City. Derda, a 6-foot-1 forward, gave a verbal commitment to St. Francis last week. According to the Burlington Free Press, Derda also considered LaSalle and Farleigh Dickenson. “I was very indecisive about it,” Derda told the Free Press.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/high-school/post/_/id/24305/new-england-roundup-vermont-56 Wed, 22 May 2013 12:23:59 EDT 24305 Penobscot Valley High School softball coach Thom Coyle already knew how good Kayla Dube is. But when umpires starting raving to him about the movement on Dube’s pitches, Coyle decided to check it out from their perspective. “I’ve stood back there behind the umpire,” Coyle said. “I’ve never seen a ball actually spin upwards. A lot of girls, they can start it low and it goes up, but hers actually has movement on it.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/high-school/post/_/id/24301/new-england-roundup-maine-53 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:36:46 EDT 24301 EASTON, Mass. -- Those in attendance for Milford softball’s 12-0 romp over Oliver Ames were hoping to get a glimpse at history. Instead, what they witnessed was a resurgent Scarlet Hawks lineup hitting its stride. Reigning ESPN Boston Miss Softball award winner Shannon Smith has the Massachusetts all-time strikeouts record within her reach, entering Tuesday’s action 13 punch-outs away. Smith struck out nine Tigers batters before the game ended in the fifth inning, called due to the mercy rule.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/high-school/post/_/id/24295/recap-no-2-milford-12-oliver-ames-0-5-inn Wed, 22 May 2013 10:52:53 EDT 24295 A quick look at the statistics leaders or the standings or even ESPN Boston's MIAA Top 25 poll and it’s pretty clear: East Longmeadow is the team to beat in Western Massachusetts. So much for a rebuilding year. The Spartans, who won their first 14 games this season and will likely enter the postseason as the top seed in the sectional Division 1 tournament, are doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing. They’re winning games at a higher clip than expected, dominating like a veteran squad filled with talent.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/high-school/post/_/id/24288/smith-berard-lifting-no-7-el-to-another-dominant-run Wed, 22 May 2013 00:04:47 EDT 24288 NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. -– The rain and cold weather at Merrimack College on Tuesday had little effect on Colin Flynn and the young Andover Golden Eagles. Flynn got on base three times and was extremely effective on the mound through the first five innings, giving up three runs while he saw his team take an 8-3 lead going into the sixth inning. Central Catholic (14-5) made a late run, plating three runs on Flynn in the top of the sixth—but it was to no avail, as Andover (9-6) pulled out the 8-6 victory.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/high-school/post/_/id/24291/recap-andover-8-no-20-central-catholic-6 Wed, 22 May 2013 00:02:31 EDT 24291 DORCHESTER, Mass. -- Much like the rain, which manifested itself as cold-soup humidity over waterlogged B.C. High baseball fields, the Wachusett Regional baseball team hung around but never broke through. The Mountaineers (14-6) kept No. 2 B.C. High on its heels, but a combination of defensive miscues and stranded runners allowed the Eagles (12-5) to walk away with a 3-1 win. B.C. High leaned on the right arm of senior Tommy McDonald, who struck out nine Wachusett batters in a complete-game performance.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/high-school/post/_/id/24286/recap-no-2-bc-high-3-wachusett-1 Tue, 21 May 2013 23:47:04 EDT 24286 FAIRHAVEN, Mass. -– Just how potent is Coyle-Cassidy’s offense? This potent: In Tuesday’s 11-5 non-league victory over Fairhaven, the Warriors (16-3) strafed three Fairhaven pitchers for 19 hits; four Warriors had at least two hits; and seven Warriors had at least one RBI. As far as center fielder Robby Robinson is concerned, being aggressive at the plate has been the team’s modus operandi all season. "We try to come out strong every game," said Robinson, who doubled twice, singled and plated three runs.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/high-school/post/_/id/24284/recap-no-14-coyle-cassidy-11-fairhaven-5 Tue, 21 May 2013 23:41:56 EDT 24284 NORWOOD, Mass. –- Norwood’s one-run loss to archrival Walpole (16-2) on April 26 left Kenny Michael with a bad taste in his mouth. Under the lights at Balch Elementary School on Monday night, he was a man on a mission—driving in both of Norwood’s (14-4) runs and pitching a complete game four-hitter to carry the Mustangs to a 2-1 victory in front of a packed crowd. Michael doubled in the top of the first inning to bring Rourke Flynn around to score.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/high-school/post/_/id/24281/recap-norwood-2-no-4-walpole-1 Tue, 21 May 2013 05:01:35 EDT 24281 DOVER, Mass. – As spring turns to summer and as the MIAA lacrosse tournament nears, it’s also around this time of year that Tri-Valley League rivals Dover-Sherborn and Medfield wrap up their season series – usually, with a conference title on the line. Monday night’s tilt between the old adversaries was no different, with the Raiders looking to win the TVL outright, having beaten Medfield in the teams’ first meeting.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/high-school/post/_/id/24276/recap-no-9-medfield-6-no-17-dover-sherborn-5 Tue, 21 May 2013 02:57:57 EDT 24276 SHREWSBURY, Mass. -- While the Central Mass sectional lacrosse tournament is about a week away, St. John’s (Shrewsbury) head coach Terry Leary thinks his team already has a playoff mentality. “Our game Saturday against Algonquin [a 7-6 overtime win] and our game against Grafton, we looked at them both as playoff games,” Leary said. “We felt like we needed these two.” The Pioneers continued the trend on Monday with an 11-8 win over Grafton, ensuring them the top seed in the upcoming tournament.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/high-school/post/_/id/24272/recap-no-7-st-johns-shrewsbury-11-no-23-grafton-8 Tue, 21 May 2013 01:22:42 EDT 24272