Ten moments to savor

By Bob Holmes, Globe Staff

Spring can be the most challenging season for a high school athlete. How do stay focused on your team and keep thoughts of the beach, pool parties, and lazy summer days out of your mind? It isn't easy. But this spring, lacrosse players in Duxbury and runners in Westwood did just that. And there were many others. Today the Globe toasts those athletes who survived spring fever - and the occasional rainstorm - to become All-Scholastics.

Do you like surprises? Then you've got to love the spring season. When a 15th seed (Westford) enters the tournament with six losses and proceeds to win the North Sectional title, you know it's spring. Take a group of seniors, most of whom have graduated, stick them on a field, and anything can happen. That's what makes the spring season so unpredictable ... and fun. Spring was the swan song for some of the state's great athletes, like Jeff Smith, Kara Kelley, Alex Jenny, and Laura Stirrat. For all those reasons and more, the spring season can produce the sweetest memories. Following are 10 highlights that stood out among the countless stories of a soggy spring.

1. Max effort; Max results

It seems as if we just stopped talking about Jim Connolly and along comes Max. That's Max Quinzani, the Duxbury lacrosse scoring machine who broke first, the state scoring record set by North Andover's Connolly last year (523 points), and then went one better by breaking the national scoring record of 553 points, held by Casey Powell of Carthage, N.Y. ''I stung that thing on the run,'' said Quinzani of the goal that broke the record. ''It made a good sound [when it hit the net]. A good puff of rain came off the net. The ball came out of my pocket really well. I'll remember that for the rest of my life. Hopefully I get to keep the ball.'' For the record, Max finished with 577 points.

2. St. John's volleyball a shorts story

They had great teamwork, precise passing, and a passion to win. They also had great shorts. Wearing their blue and white Hawaiian shorts, St. John's Prep, at first glance, may not have looked like the best volleyball team in the state but wait until it stepped on the court. The Prep finished the year unbeaten at 24-0, capping off the season with a 3-2 win over Natick in the MIAA state final. ''We were getting eradicated, swept out to sea in the fifth game,'' said Prep coach Andrew Viscelli of the deficit his team faced in the final. ''But when push came to shove, we stepped up, which is why we left with the trophy.'' With Player of the Year Craig Harvey returning for his senior year, the shorts story may have another chapter.

3. Godefroi no average baseball player

We don't need a sports drink to tell us who the top player in Massachusetts is, but when Gatorade named Dan Godefroi the state's Player of the Year, it confirmed what our eyes have been telling us all spring: the kid can play. Godefroi, an All-Scholastic as a sophomore, took it one level higher this spring, hitting .443 while leading Andover into the Division 1 North tournament. On the mound, Godefroi was undefeated during regular-season play with an ERA of .48 and just eight walks. In addition to his average, he had 15 RBI and 21 runs scored. If you haven't had a chance to see Godefroi in person, don't worry. The two-time Merrimack Valley Conference Player of the Year will be back next spring.

4. Xaverian's Amirault man for all seasons

Whether it's a stroll through Franklin Park, or a dash around Fitchburg State, you can always count on Xaverian's Mark Amirault for one thing: finishing first. The EMass and state cross-country champion, he began the year as the Globe's Division 1 Runner of the Year after running a 15:59 in the state final. During the winter the distance was shorter (mile) but the results were the same (a state title). This month he capped off his junior year with a win in the two-mile at the Division 1 meet and the All-State meet as Xaverian won the team title in each meet. ''There are always so many good teams at this meet, you have to have good balance to win,'' said Xaverian coach Chris Heaton after the Division 1 win. Having a sure thing isn't bad either.

5. Notre Dame of Hingham earns a high five

Bring up the subject of dynasties and Notre Dame of Hingham probably isn't the first school that comes to mind. But after winning their fifth straight state girls' golf title this spring, maybe that will change for the Cougars. Led by senior Allie Hanlon's round of 5-over 76, Notre Dame won by 27 strokes. ''I am so happy for these girls and I can't believe it's over,'' said Hanlon. ''But what a way to go out on top.'' Hanlon had company in the win, adding her score to that of Jacqueline McMenimon (81), Amanda Morrissey (85), and Hannah Bearce (90). Hanlon, Morrissey, and Bearce graduated with four titles in four years. Sounds like a dynasty.

6. Michelle who? Connolly state's best

When Duxbury junior Kerri Connolly recorded a 6-over 78 to win the MIAA girls' individual golf title, it was just a hint of things to come. At the state team championship almost a month later, Connolly turned in a 5-under 66 at Green Harbor in Marshfield to shatter the MIAA mark for a single-round score in team tournament play by 12 strokes. ''I never saw this coming,'' said Connolly. ''I was just firing on all cylinders today and it turned into a very good round.'' Connolly, a three-time All-Scholastic and this spring's Player of the Year, recorded five birdies and an eagle during her record round. Her score also helped lift the Green Dragons to a third-place finish in the team competition.

7. Flying high in Framingham

Perfection is one thing but, 24-0? The Framingham girls' lacrosse team has dominated its sport this spring on the way to earning the Division 1 North title. In their three tournament wins, Billerica, Lexington, and Lincoln-Sudbury all failed to score in double figures. Shaunna Kaplan earned Player of the Year honors but it certainly wasn't a one-person effort. Kristin Igoe, Denise Beliveau, every member of the roster has contributed at some point this season. For Kaplan, it marks a fitting end to a brilliant senior year that started as a soccer All-Scholastic in the fall. Kaplan finished the season with 85 goals, including four in the sectional title win over Lincoln-Sudbury.

8. Tennis theme: rain, rain, go away

No sport was affected more this spring by the non-stop rain than tennis. But despite needing umbrellas as much as racquets, teams from Sharon, Norwell, Concord-Carlisle, Scituate, Needham, Westford, Winchester, and Lynnfield all won sectional titles and were chasing state honors this past week. Sharon's success was just one of many great stories. The defending Division 1 state champion Eagles beat previously unbeaten Falmouth in the semifinals and followed that up by handing Wellesley its first loss of the spring. And if you like Cinderella, meet the Grey Ghosts, who entered the tournament at 11-6 but raced to the Division 1 North title, beating unbeaten Newton South along the way.

9. Sullivan having Whale of a spring

When New Bedford senior Tricia Sullivan no-hit Franklin in the Division 1 South softball semifinals, Whaler coach Harry Lowe summed up her efforts nicely. ''That's just Tricia being Tricia,'' said Lowe. ''She's tough. That's the way she's been the whole year. She's so strong, and when she's on the whole team just tries to ride off her.'' With a 23-0 record, New Bedford's ride has been a good one, including a Big Three title and the top seed in the South sectional. Sullivan does her damage with a bat as well. In the game against Franklin she went 4-for-4. No wonder she's the Globe's Division 1 Player of the Year.

10. Impressive finish for senior runners

If Silver Lake's Jeff Smith was running in the NCAA championships instead of last weekend's New England high school meet, he would have finished sixth in the country in the 200. His time of 20.89 not only blew away the high school fields, it proves that despite his age, Smith is ready for the bigger stage. And while the Boston College-bound Smith was winning the 200, another senior was crossing the finish line of her career in style. Marshfield's Haley Catarius was the only EMass girl this spring to win both a state and New England title, taking the 300 hurdles in 44.36 and 45.29.