By Liz Torres, Globe Correspondent

Unable to produce a winning record the past few years, the Medford boys’ hockey program has been looking a fresh start.

Out of five applicants, former Bruin Shawn Bates had a resume and local ties with the community that made him an easy choice as the new head coach.

“It’s nice to hire within the community," said athletic director Bob Maloney. "Shawn’s resume is impeccable, and we’re looking for a fresh start.”

Bates, a 1993 Medford graduate, was part of the first public school team to reach the championship round of the Super 8 tournament, and he is the program’s all-time leading scorer (103 goals, 139 assists).

Bates went on to play for Boston University, and his teams played in the Frozen Four each year, winning the national championship in 1995.

Bates, a center, was a fourth-round pick of the Bruins in 1993 and played four years in Boston beginning in 1997. After signing with the Islanders as a free agent in 2001, he spent five-plus seasons with them, finishing his NHL career with 72 goals and 126 assists.

“He’s played at every level of hockey and has had success," said Maloney. "When you play at BU and the NHL, you’ve reached your peak of your sport."

Regardless of where he has played, Bates never really left Medford. He is responsible for two $1,000 scholarships (hockey and basketball) for Medford High graduates, and he also donated a scoreboard for the high school's LoConte Rink.

“He’s never forgotten where he came from and we’re lucky to have him,” said Maloney.
“We’re looking to build the program and make it more respectable."

The Mustangs went 8-12 last year and 9-11 the year before.

By Emily Sweeney, Globe Staff

Boys’ gymnastics may get a second chance to be reinstated as an official high school sport in Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association's board of directors decided Wednesday to reconsider its vote in January to drop boys’ gymnastics from its roster of sponsored athletic activities.

The MIAA’s Jan. 16 vote to end sanctioned competition for boys' gymnastics had drawn harsh criticism from coaches, parents, and gymnasts all over the country. That vote had essentially downgraded boys’ gymnastics to a club activity next season.

MIAA officials said then that the decision was driven by low participation rates. There are only seven public high schools — Andover, Attleboro, Braintree, Burlington, Lowell, Newton North, and Newton South — that have boys' gymnastics teams.

The MIAA board of directors is expected to take the issue up again at their next scheduled meeting on June 6, which provides hope that boys’ gymnastics can continue as usual next season.

Braintree High athletic director Michael Denise, and Rich Ellis, boys’ gymnastics coach at the school, appeared before the MIAA board of directors and presented their reasons to reinstate boys’ gymnastics.

“Once they heard some of the facts, they certainly were positive to it,” said Ellis, in a telephone interview. “During the discussion, the board members said, ‘Why are we dropping them?’”

Ellis said the board voted 7-2 to revisit the issue at their next meeting on June 6. As it stands, if the MIAA board of directors does not act to reverse their original decision, there will be no MIAA-sanctioned high school gymnastics competitions for boys next season, and no boys’ state championship. The seven schools with boys’ gymnastics teams would be able to offer boys’ gymnastics as a club sport.

Ellis said he was “hoping something would be resolved” at the May 1 meeting, but he was otherwise pleased with how it turned out. He said he’s looking forward to the next MIAA meeting, and plans to reach out to other coaches, parents, and athletes to join him in voicing support for boys' gymnastics.

“I’m going to have to rally the troops," he said.

1. Chelmsford knocks off Billerica – The Lions went to Billerica’s home diamond Monday and knocked off the previously unbeaten Indians. Chelmsford struggled out of the gate against pitcher Robby Gambale but put everything together in the third inning. After watching the Lions collect three extra-base hits and drive in nine runs in that inning, there’s no reason to leave them off ths list.

2. Down goes Newton North – Newton North also saw its undefeated streak end Monday, losing to Natick, 9-8. The Tigers committed five errors and couldn’t finish a rally in the ninth inning. Newton North had the tying run on base but couldn’t drive it in. The Tigers got close to keeping their undefeated streak alive ... but a loss is a loss.

3. Walpole next on Natick’s list – The Rebels are not undefeated, as Newton North was, but they’ll take on Natick today in what should be a fun game at the Redhawks' home diamond. The Rebels' only loss in their 9-1 season was on the road against none other than Newton North. Natick will be looking not only to improve its 2-5 league record but also knock off the No. 1 team in the Bay State’s Herget Division after knocking off the top one in the Carey Division.

4. Xaverian fighting to get to .500 -- While Walpole and Natick are jockeying for position in the Bay State Conference, Xaverian will be hoping to get back to .500. The Hawks have split their last four contests. They defeated Natick and Brockton before dropping two straight games against Catholic Memorial and BC High. Xaverian will have to knock off the new top dog in the Catholic Conference, St. John’s Prep, to get to 6-6 today. The Hawks have their work cut out, but a win against the Prep would be a huge confidence boost.

5. North Reading continues dominance – While the list of undefeated teams in the state continues to dwindle, North Reading continues to march on. The Hornets trounced Trition, 10-0, in their latest game after defeating Hamilton-Wenham, 7-2, on April 25. The closest call came April 23 against Masconomet, a 6-5 victory. Other than that, it’s been relatively smooth sailing for North Reading, with little reason to doubt the team going forward.

By Mike Giesta, Globe Correspondent

Some quick tidbits in boys' lacrosse this week:

1. Who to watch -- Mike O'Brien of North Reading is off to a great start with 31 goals and 11 assists. The Hornets have games against Newburyport and Lynnfield this week.

2. Fast riser -- Acton-Boxborough rose in our Top 20 this week eight spots from No. 12 to No. 4 after winning eight games in a row before losing to top-ranked Lincoln-Sudbury on April 27.

3. Taking the Dragons down a notch -- Duxbury dropped from the No. 1 spot to No. 2 after suffering four losses, all coming against strong out of state competition. The Dragons will play Hingham, Medfield, and Silver Lake this week.

4. Big matchup this week -- No. 1 ranked Lincoln-Sudbury hosts No. 6 Westford on Tuesday. The top-ranked Warriors look to remain undefeated as they take on a strong Grey Ghosts team.

5. One more to watch -- Jay Drapeau leads the Grey ghosts of Westford with 40 goals 19 assists. Look for him to continue his great play.

Mike Giesta covers boys' lacrosse. He can be reached at michael.giesta@globe.com.

By Catherine Calsolaro, Globe Correspondent

Here are some interesting tidbits from girls' lacrosse in the past week:

1. The numbers are on their side -- Duxbury senior Hannah Murphy, who scored nine goals in just two games last week, received reinforcements from teammates Lilly Smith (four goals) and Christina Balzotti (five goals) in the Dragons' defeat of Pembroke and Cohasset. With such a talented trio on attack, Duxbury is certainly a force to be reckoned with.

2. Change doesn't change quality -- Andover (2-3-2), which is adjusting to a new coach this season, proved that they can still hold their own with the top programs. The Golden Warriors battled to a 17-17 tie against No. 11 Winchester on Saturday.

3. Good Friday -- Two Norwell senior captains had career-best performances in a 14-9 win over Lincoln-Sudbury on Friday. Mary O'Connell finished with six goals and five assists. Maddie Ward scored six goals as well and added two assists.

4. Westford stands tall -- Bishop Guertin (N.H.) nearly ended Westford's undefeated run. The Grey Ghosts were down as much as 5-1 in the first half, but the second half was all Westford. Junior defenders Rebecca and Cathrun Sennott helped keep the Cardinals scoreless for 23 minutes as the Ghosts came back to win the game 14-11.

5. The girl on fire -- Kristy Robertson scored 12 goals, a career high, and dished out four assists in Haverhill's 21-12 thrashing of Dracut on Friday. She now has 141 career goals.

Catherine Calsolaro covers girls' lacrosse. She can be reached at catherine.calsolaro@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @catrenee13.

By Catherine Calsolaro, Globe Correspondent

Still undefeated, Westwood holds strong at No. 1 in this week's Globe girls' lacrosse Top 20. The Wolverines are strong on both sides of the ball, averaging almost 18 goals per game and allowing less than four. No. 2 Notre Dame (Hingham) took one loss against a strong St. Anthony's team on the road in New Hampshire, but have come out on top against tough in-state competition, including four Top 20 teams. The Cougars will travel to Westwood on Tuesday for a chance to claim the No. 1 spot in our Eastern Mass. rankings.

At 12-0, Westford Academy remains at No. 3 but hasn't yet had a chance to truly prove themselves against the some of the regions best. But the Grey Ghosts are definitely the top team North of Boston right now. Foxborough (9-0), North Andover (9-1) and Needham (8-1) come in at Nos. 4, 5 and 6, respectively. With loads of talent all over the field and no head-to-head matchups thus far, it is hard to tell which of these teams has the edge.

As for Nos. 7 through 9, Medfield defeated Dover-Sherborn who defeated Hopkinton who defeated Medfield. All three have two losses and schedules loaded with tough opponents. Franklin, which leads the Hockomock League with a 4-0 conference record, comes in at No. 10 this week.

Winchester, Norwell, Wayland and Duxbury -- all contenders for the Division 2 state title this year -- fill out Nos. 11 though 14. While Lincoln-Sudbury and Acton-Boxborough of the stacked Dual County League follow at Nos. 15 and No. 16. The final four teams, Norwood, Dartmouth, Masconomet and Marblehead, all lead their respective conferences.

Catherine Calsolaro covers girls' lacrosse. She can be reached at catherine.calsolaro@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @catrenee13.

By Colleen Casey, Globe Correspondent

The top 5 are a combined 38-0 but there's no question who belongs on top. Defending state champion Milford remains No. 1 after another a perfect week. Other unbeaten teams include B-R, Fairhaven, Danvers, and Top 20 newcomers Sandwich, Concord-Carlisle, and Georgetown, all 7-0.

Avon makes its debut in the Top 20 at No. 20. The biggest drop? That would be Dracut which debuted at No. 4 but checks in at No. 13 after a 6-3 start to the spring.

By Alex Hall, Globe Correspondent

St. John’s Prep takes over the new No. 1 spot in the top 20 after defeating BC High, 6-5, last Wednesday on the road. Newton North is still undefeated at 10-0 but the the Prep’s schedule against the likes of BC High and Xaverian gave them the edge this week over the Tigers.

As for the fourth and fifth-place spots, it was a hard call between BC High and the Rebels of Walpole. Walpole has played more games (currently 9-1) than the Eagles but if strength of opponents gave the Prep the edge we had to apply that same principal to the close battle for fourth and fith place.

Danvers moved up three spots from last week after going 2-0 since last Sunday. The Falcons are 6-0 on the year, joining Newton North, Archbishop Williams and North Reading in the undefeated top 20 teams club.

As for Coyle & Cassidy, the Warriors might not be undefeated but they are leading the Eastern Athletic Conference at the moment. With an 8-1 overall record paired with an undefeated league mark, the Warriors climbed to the 11th spot this week.

Looking toward the bottom of the rankings, Xaverian stays in the top 20 despite a less-than-stellar record so far this year. Much like last year, the Hawks have struggled to start this season with a 5-4 record. They split their two games this past week, defeating Brockton last Monday but losing to Catholic Conference rival Catholic Memorial on Wednesday. It’s getting harder and harder to keep the Hawks on this list based on anything but name and their Division 1 title from a year ago.

By Liz Torres, Globe Correspondent

Check out this week's Top 10 rankings.

Defending state champion Cambridge continues to turn heads this season as the squad registers a 10-game win streak, recently avenging losses from last season to Westford, Newton South and Lincoln-Sudbury.

No. 3 Milford, a squad that looked to be the No. 1 Falcons' greatest threat, saw an end to its eight-game win streak Thursday after falling to second-ranked Lawrence 3-1. Credit goes to twin brothers Anibal and Jeyson Henriquez, who combined for 26 kills. The victory avenged a 3-1 loss to Milford on April 8.

Fourth-ranked Needham surprised Newton North Monday, 3-1, with Sam Tillotson's 20 kills, bumping the squad down to No. 6. The Rockets are undefeated in the Bay State Conference at 8-0, with their only two non-league losses to Lawrence.

Newton North also lost to Norwood in five sets Friday, the last set going to 31-29.

Natick had a tough week after falling to Framingham, 3-2, and Needham, 3-1, bumping the squad out of the top 10.

After a climactic 3-2 loss to No. 5 Chelmsford April 19, St. John's Prep first and only loss this season, the No. 8 Eagles have stayed consistent, even taking two sets from Milford Monday.

No. 7 North Quincy remains perfect on a nine-game win streak with league wins over Barnstable, 3-0, and Greater New Bedford, 3-1, this week.

No. 9 Newton South remains the second-best squad in the Dual County League, behind Cambridge, at 5-1 in the league, 10-1 overall. The squad swept Lincoln-Sudbury and Lexington and ended the week with a win over Wayland, 3-1.

Xaverian, 3-3 in the league, 5-4 overall, drops out of the Top 10 after losing to unbeaten Western Alliance foe No. 10 Medfield, 7-0.

Make sure to "like" us on Facebook for more updates on local athletes.

Liz Torres can be reached at etorres@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @etorres446.

By Liz Torres, Globe Correspondent

Some interesting tidbits on the high school boys' volleyball scene.

1. Brockton battles for bronze -- The Boxers stole the Bronze Bracket in the Rhody Invitational at Bryant University Saturday, winning sets (25-18, 25-17) over Bishop Hendricken. The Boxers defeated Lincoln-Sudbury in the quarterfinals, 25-18. This is one of many accomplishments for the squad. Boxers coach Jack Olson earned his 300th win with the boys' program April 5 in a 3-0 win over Quincy (25-16, 25-15, 25-14).

Milford fell in the semifinal round of the Rhody Invitational's Gold Bracket to St. Joseph (Metuchen), 25-16, 25-15. St. Joseph (N.J.) won the gold for its fourth Rhody Invitational championship.

Twelve teams from Massachusetts competed: Brockton, Cambridge, Central Catholic, Chicopee Comp, Greater New Bedford Voc. Tech, Haverhill, Lincoln-Sudbury, Ludlow, Milford, New Bedford, Newton North, and Newton South.

2. St. John's Prep struggles to stay in it -- After a strong five-game win streak, the Eagles were battle-tested, losing in a tie-breaker, 17-15, to unbeaten Chelmsford last Friday. On Monday, the Eagles had no luck against one of the state's best, Milford, despite making it to five sets (23-25, 25-20, 25-21, 22-25, 15-5). The Eagles have home-court advantage in their next big matchup, Monday at 7 p.m. against returning state champion Cambridge.

3. Needham knocks out Newton North -- The Rockets rallied behind Sam Tillotson's 20 kills after dropping the first set to hand Newton North its first loss of the season, 3-1, Monday. This is a big momentum-builder for the program, which was 0-2 against Newton North last season. The Rockets lead the Bay State Conference at 7-0.

4. For Acton-Boxboro, consistency is key -- Despite two early slipups early in the season to Dual County League's Westford and Cambridge, the Colonials have earned six straight wins, including three league matchups. The Colonials now set their sights on a rematch with host Westford Friday at 4 p.m. Westford is on a two-game losing skid.

5. Brighton thumps West Roxbury -- The Bengals' strength is clearly senior Joshua Hopkins at the service line. The outside hitter delivered 35 service points in a pair of wins against Madison Park and West Roxbury. Keep an eye on him as the squad squares off against a series of Boston City League rivals this week.

Make sure to "like" us on Facebook for more updates on local athletes.

Liz Torres can be reached at etorres@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @etorres446.

By Anthony Gulizia, Globe Correspondent

Junior Kendall Meehan needed just 43 pitches to throw a perfect game over six innings, as Danvers beat host Lynn English, 13-0, Wednesday.

After flirting with no-hitters in her last two starts -- they were broken up in the fifth and six innings -- she refused to let this one slip away.

"She was very impressive, and she hit her spots well," said Danvers coach Tara Petrocelli. "She had great command and mound presence and looked comfortable."

Danvers held a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning, then exploded for 10 runs in the top of the sixth to induce the mercy rule.

Caitlin McBride, who hammered a three-run homer to make it 13-0, went 4 for 5 with three runs and five RBIs.

"We've struggled hitting-wise lately, and we hit the ball hard," Petrocelli said. "We kept it going."

In the bottom of the third, senior second baseman Chrissy Gikas made a stellar defensive play to preserve Meehan's perfect game. Lynn English pitcher Molly Cullen scorched a one-hopper up the middle, but Gikas made a diving stop and threw out Cullen from her knees.

"It was one of the best plays I've seen in high school," Petrocelli said.

No. 11 Danvers improved to 6-0, and Meehan has earned all six wins in the circle.

By Nick Ironside, Globe Correspondent

On Wednesday afternoon, Milford senior Shannon Smith threw a five-inning perfect game for a 15-0 win at home against Stoughton.

Thirteen of the 15 outs were strikeouts for Smith, but it was hardly the first perfect game she has thrown for the 9-0 Scarlet Hawks. In her career, Smith has pitched 21 no-hitters and five perfect games.

In the fall of her junior year, Smith committed to play softball at the University of Kentucky.

During her senior year, Smith is 9-0, having pitched every game for the Scarlet Hawks. She has allowed just five hits and one earned run in 57 innings, striking out 120. Coach Brian Macchi knows she is a special talent.

“The mentality she brings to the field in practice and games is unique,” said Macchi. “It’s an honor to coach her. She’s been a major contributor since freshman year.”

Smith, a two-year captain, didn’t hurt Stoughton just on the mound. She went 3 for 3 at the plate, with a double, a home run, and three RBIs.

“She’s been in the middle of our lineup since day one,” said the coach. “She batted fifth for us her freshman year, and since she’s batted third or fourth.”

Macchi also said Smith’s leadership has been invaluable for the younger players.

“She truly is a great role model for the program,” he said. “It’s good for the younger kids to see how she carries herself. It’s a scenario where you want the younger players to see her.”

Macchi has coached the program for eight years now, and says he hasn’t seen anyone like Smith.

“For me, it’s the first time having a player of this caliber,” he said. “She’s one of the best, in my mind, in the state.”

By Alex Hall, Globe Correspondent

1. Top two Catholic Conference teams face off Wednesday – Today the battle of the Catholic Conference Eagles will take place at BC High. No. 2 St. John’s Prep will take on its rival in an effort to knock off undefeated BC High. The Prep has played double the amount of games that 4-0 BC High has, but the opening game loss kept it from the Globe Top 20’s first place spot. This is a contest that will shape next week’s top rankings and which team will sit atop the Catholic Conference.

2. Newton North continues strong season – In the Tigers’ most recent game, they pummeled Brookline 10-0 in the team’s eighth straight win. Newton North is undefeated on the season, the Globe’s No. 3 team has surrendered just 20 runs so far. Essentially, this means the Tigers have surrendered just more than two runs a game. If you’re a high school baseball coach with Newton North on your upcoming schedule, good luck to you.

3. Top schools struggle early – Xaverian won the Division 1 title last year, yet the team sits with a 5-4 record. The Reading Rockets have some of the top hurlers in the state like lefty Scott Tulley who is committed to Notre Dame. They sit with just a 2-2 record through four games this year. The Rockets and Hawks are not teams to write off due to early slumps but at some point you’d expect these two to turn things around.

4. Ashland pays tribute to Marathon victims – Fellow Globe correspondent Phil Perry wrote a great piece a few days ago about this, but for those who haven’t read it, Ashland baseball was directly affected by the Boston Marathon bombings as many were. Some of the team’s players were on site at the finish line last Monday and all were thankfully unharmed. The Clockers wrote “P4B” (pray for Boston) on their hats during practice last week in tribute to those injured and killed. Other schools around the state, like the Oliver Ames and Ashland softball teams, paid tribute in their own ways as well. Sports tend to feel trivial in times of tragedy but they also give people an outlet to come together. Ashland and other schools showed that to be true last week and continue to do so this week as well.

5. Hopkinton rallies past Holliston – Hopkinton had just one out left in the seventh inning Monday to rally past Holliston. The Hillers were down 7-6 in their last opportunity at bat in the game. They were able to score seven runs before recording their final out of the top of the seventh. Hopkinton moved to 3-3 on the season after the win and is a team to watch after an impressive victory like the one on Monday.

Alex Hall covers baseball. He can be reached at alexander.hall@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @AlexKHall.

By Colleen Casey, Globe Correspondent

1. Sandwich senior pitcher Julia Sullivan has been outstanding on the mound, leading the Blue Knights with back-to-back no hitters, including a 6-0 victory over Marshfield and 12-0 win Dennis-Yarmouth. The four-year starting hurler has helped the Blue Knights to a perfect 5-0 mark.

2. With a team batting average of .400 it's no surprise Bridgewater -Raynham is 6-0. In six games the Trojans have managed to score 44 runs and have allowed only 4. "So far the kids have been focused," said coach Mike Carroza. "Everybody is contributing." Junior lead-off hitter Madi Shaw went 5 for 5 in the Trojans latest 13-3 victory over Fontebonne and junior third baseman Holly Greet is leading the team in RBIs and hitting .380. Sophomore pitcher Sara Dawson has six wins, including four shutouts.

3. The Tanners have also been off to a perfect start, averaging 10 runs a game. Senior catcher Olivia Brothers' bat has been on fire. In Peabody's 13-5 win over Lynn Classical, the catcher hit two home runs and had 5 RBIs. The Tanners sit atop the Northeastern League Large Division.

4. After finishing last year at .500, Wakefield coach Richard "Q" Quattrocchi knew his team had plenty of room to improve this season and so far they have. The Warriors have turned things around and are currently 6-1. "Last week we were averaging 18 hits a game," said Quattrocchi. "I'm so proud of my kids." Wakefield has compiled 70 runs so far.

5. A dominant force on the mound, Cardinal Spellman junior Courtney Zambello has helped the Cardinals to a 6-2 start. She threw back-to-back no hitters last week. The Cardinals are currently third in the Catholic Central League Large Division.

Colleen Casey covers softball. She can be reached at colleen.casey@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @ColleenCasey226.

By Mary Pavlu, Globe Correspondent

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association has chosen its 2013 Coaches of the Year, and will hold its third annual MIAA Coach of the Year/Student-Athlete of the Month banquet on Wednesday, May 29.

Here are the Coaches of the Year:

Football:

Paul Worth, North Shore Technical High School

Baseball:

Kirk Fredericks, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School

Softball:

Michael Kirby, Narragansett Regional High School

Boys Soccer:

Thomas Rivet, Chicopee High School

Girls Soccer:

Donald Savi, Dedham High School

Boys Basketball:

Mark Pierce, St. Bernard's Central Catholic High School

Girls Basketball:

Shawn Thornton, Pope John Central Catholic (Everett)

Tennis:

Robert Ryan, New Bedford High School

Boys Lacrosse:

Chris Sweet, Duxbury High School

Girls Volleyball:

Alyssa Schatzel, Masconomet Regional High School

Girls Hockey:

Friend Weiler, Duxbury High School

Field Hockey:

Brenda Sullivan, Maynard High School

Boys Outdoor Track:

Chris Gould, Amherst-Pelham Regional High School

Boys Cross-Country:

Jose Rocha, Peabody Vet. High School

Girls Cross-Country:

Robert L'Homme, Bishop Feehan High School

Boys Golf:

Jeffrey Nelson, Reading Memorial High School

Wrestling:

Wayne Griffin, North Attleboro High School

Mary Pavlu can be reached at mary.pavlu@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryPavlu.

By Alex Hall, Globe Correspondent

Undefeated BC High tops the new Boston.com baseball top 20 with some impressive wins already notched. The Eagles have scored at least eight runs in all but one game this year, with the one exception being their 2-1 victory over Malden Catholic.

Conference rival St. John’s Prep takes the No. 2 spot, with its 7-1 record so far. The Prep has played more games and thus won more than BC High, but the opening game blemish against Xaverian keeps it from the No. 1 ranking.

As for Xaverian, the No. 14 Hawks have had a tough go so far. The team has losses to Wellesley, Peabody and Newton North on its resume. While all those defeats came against teams owning a position in the first 13 spots of this top 20, you have to beat top teams when you’re the defending Division 1 champion.

Looking toward the last few spots on the list, No. 18 Reading has had a surprisingly ho-hum start to the season. The Rockets crushed Wilmington and Winchester by a combined score of 22-1 in their first two games, but have dropped two straight against Melrose and Burlington. When the Rockets are at their best, they are a dominant team, but they haven’t always brought their best this year.

View the full Boston.com top 20 baseball list

By Phil Perry, Globe Correspondent

On Saturday, Jon Baker visited the Boston College campus and listened to a 15-minute pitch from four members of the school's football coaching staff who explained why he would be a great fit for their program.

When it was over, the Millis High junior gave his brief response.

"I'm in," he told them.

With that, the Eagles staff members erupted. They had a verbal commitment from their ideal offensive lineman, a dominating 6-foot-3, 300-pound athlete from Massachusetts with a 4.0 grade point average.

"I think BC has their poster child to be honest with you," said Millis-Hopedale coach Dale Olmsted, who traveled to the Chestnut Hill campus with Baker and his parents on Saturday.

"A kid from Massachusetts with that kind of athleticism and those types of grades, any program would be happy to have him."

Baker had been offered scholarships by University of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rutgers, Michigan State, Old Dominion and Temple. Both Harvard and Yale, which don't offer athletic scholarships, pursued him. And other Division 1 programs -- Stanford, UCLA, Wisconsin, Duke and Vanderbilt -- which had not yet officially offered a scholarship, had shown significant interest.

But in the end, according to Olmsted, Baker's discussions about potential landing spots always came back to Boston College, which offered the opportunity to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference while remaining close to home. The Eagles also have a long history of sending linemen to the NFL, which is Baker's ultimate dream.

Saturday morning Baker called Olmsted and explained that he wanted to commit. Olmsted knew Baker was hoping to make a college decision before his senior season at Millis-Hopedale, but the coach was still somewhat surprised by the timing.

"He felt that now was the right time," Olmsted said. "I think he thought 'Let's just do it. There's no sense in waiting.' "

Baker is ranked by the recruiting website Rivals.com as the country's No. 18 guard in the country among those in the class of 2014. He bench presses 400 pounds, squats 600 pounds and ran the 40-yard dash at a Boston College camp last summer in 5.1 seconds.

After leading Millis-Hopedale to a second consecutive Tri-Valley League Small title as an offensive guard and defensive tackle, he was named the league's Lineman of the Year for the second time.

"They might have to re-name that the Baker Award," Olmsted joked.

There is the possibility Baker could choose to graduate high school early, sometime after his senior season, and enroll at Boston College in the winter of 2014 to get a head start on preparations for his freshman season later that fall.

Whenever he chooses to make his way to the Heights, Baker is expected to play either guard or center, and he plans to take pre-med courses.

Baker wasn't the only good news at the Heights. Roxbury Latin tight end/linebacker Kevin Cohee also gave a verbal commitment to play football at BC. Roxbury Latin athletic director Tony Teixeira said Cohee met with head coach Steve Addazio Saturday and gave him the news.

"Kevin is very excited for the opportunity to play for his hometown Eagles," said Teixeira of Cohee, a resident of Chestnut Hill.

The 6-3, 240-pound junior also received offers from UConn and UMass-Amherst.

By Catherine Calsolaro, Globe Correspondent

1. Arlington Catholic upset Catholic Central rival No. 19 Archbishop Williams 10-8 on Friday. Junior Megan Messuri scored a hat trick and added an assist to lead the Cougars (5-1).

2. Keep an eye on goalkeeper Lauren Hiller of No. 20 North Andover (6-0). The freshman anchors the Knights' defense, making saves in the double-digits nearly every game.

3. No. 3 Westford Academy is undefeated through their first six games. Coach Julie Olivier has coached six of her nine seniors, including daughter Kathryn Olivier, since they were in the third grade.

4. Junior Louisa Gross continues the Gross family's dominance at Andover High. Big sisters Briana ('07) and Catherine ('09) helped build the Warriors' program and both went on to play lacrosse in college. Louisa could prove to be the most talented of them all.

5. Freshman Charlotte Allard is the breakout star at Notre Dame Academy (Hingham). In the last two games, she led the No. 2 Cougars (6-1) with 12 goals, outshining senior offensive powerhouse Alex Dalton.

Catherine Calsolaro covers girls' lacrosse. She can be reached at catherine.calsolaro@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @catrenee13.

By Bob Holmes, Globe Staff

Defending Division 1 state champion and top-ranked Milford will face host Hopkinton Friday at 12:30 p.m. in a softball matchup that will put two impressive streaks on the line.

Milford (6-0) is riding a 31-game win streak and is led by Kentucky-bound pitcher Shannon Smith, the reigning Gatorade Player of the Year. Smith has no-hitters in her last two games.

Hopkinton is 4-0 and has a 24-game home win streak. Hopkinton is led by sophomore pitcher Alissa Karjel, who is 3-0 this spring and 11-0 the past two years. Karjel is also hitting .643. Junior catcher Erica McBride is hitting .471.

The game is being dedicated to former Apponequet softball coach and Stoughton athletic director Peter Looney with all the proceeds going to the Looney Legacy Foundation to support melanoma research. Looney died of melanoma in 2011.

By Alex Hall, Globe Correspondent

Here are some tidbits in high school baseball this week you should know:

1. BC High storms to top of Catholic Conference – The Eagles have jumped to the head of the Catholic Conference just four games into the season, going undefeated in that span. Norm Walsh was confident about his team’s pitching staff heading into this year and the team has shown why. BC High started the year outscoring Lowell and Brockton by a combined 19-14 before a 2-1 victory over conference rival Malden Catholic. They went on to crush Cheverus (Maine) 12-3. Xaverian is right behind the Eagles at 3-2, but a strong start nonetheless by our neighbors in Boston.

2. Xaverian turns early stumble around – Last week looking at Xaverian, the Hawks had just begun the season 1-2. It was an early stumble after Xaverian had won the Division 1 crown last year. Things quickly turned around with two straight wins against Lincoln-Sudbury and Norwood. The Hawks surrendered just six runs over those two contests as they moved a game over .500.

3. Early battle for first in Catholic Central – Archbishop Williams and Arlington Catholic have both started the season at 4-0 with St. Mary’s at 3-2 in third place. The Bishops and Cougars have both been lighting up scoreboards to start the year. St. Mary’s has suffered two losses but have outscored opponents 26-7 in its three victories. Considering the offense on all three teams, it could be a season full of high-scoring games in the league.

4. Lincoln-Sudbury falling – All Dual County League members have won at least one game this year, but Lincoln-Sudbury can’t say it has won anymore than that. The Warriors have lost to some tough opponents like Xaverian and Nashoba, but a loss is a loss and at No. 19 in the Globe preseason top 20 baseball poll, Lincoln-Sudbury needs to start putting some wins together to stay on the list.

5. Frank Carey reaches 700 wins – If you checked the high school sports blog last night, you probably already heard the news but this milestone is worth mentioning again. North Reading coach Frank Carey recorded win number 700 in a 9-1 victory over Newburyport Monday night. Carey has coached the Hornets for 46 seasons and opened the seasons with 697 wins on his resume. The Hornets have gone 3-0 to start the season and made sure to get their coach to his milestone as fast as possible.

By Colleen Casey, Globe Correspondent

Here are some tidbits you should know in softball this week:

1. After move, Milford still dominating -- Milford’s big move into the Hockomock League has turned the competition up and so far the Scarlet Hawks have been soaring. The defending Div. 1 state champions are currently 5-0. In a 3-0 victory over rival King Philip, Shannon Smith managed a no hitter against the Warriors and handed them their first league loss in 5 years.

2. 500 feels good -- Going into last year’s South section semifinals, New Bedford coach Harry Lowe had a career record of 499-130. After 11 innings of solid play, North Attleboro was able to produce a run and defeated New Bedford 2-1, ending their year. The offseason was extra long for Lowe, who was itching to get hit 500th career win. He did not have to wait long this season as the Whalers defeated Dartmouth 3-2 in nine innings in their season opener. “I had a long wait for it. I’m glad it was the first game this year,” said Lowe. He started coaching in the area 30 years ago and has loved the game since. Lowe said he is looking forward to another season. He added, “It’s such a great game. The girls that play for me have the same passion I do.”

3. Beachemin at King Philip -- Norm Beachemin, who guided Case to back-to-back state final appearances, has left Case and taken over at King Philip. Beauchemin said his transition has been going well. He has guided the Warriors to a 3-1 start. Donald DiBiaso replaced Beauchemin at Case.

4. What a start -- Even though Avon lost four out of their last seven games last season, the Panthers have managed to turn things around. This year they have been have been off to a terrific start. In the four games played, the Panthers remain perfect, and have managed to outscore their opponents 79-15

5. Moving on up -- Dracut, who took the Division 2 North crown last season has moved into Division 1 of Merrimack Valley Conference . The Middies have made a smooth transition and are off to a perfect 5-0 start. Coach George Roy said he was happy about the change. “It’s more of a challenge,” said Roy. Now we get to play tough teams like Chelmsford, Central Catholic and Tewksbury twice. It will give us a good test.” The Middies welcome back senior captain Lauren Ramirez, who will play for UMass-Lowell next year. “I always expect big things from Lauren. She’s our captain. She’s matured over the years. She’s a great team player.”

By Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Globe Correspondent

Joseph Cappellano was just a couple hundred yards from the finish line of the Boston Marathon when he was told he couldn’t go any further by police and marathon officials.

“It was just utter confusion,” said the Boston Scholar Athlete senior zone facilitator. “You’re pretty exhausted at that point and when a bunch of cops just kind of jump out and stop you, it’s literally total confusion about how they could possibly stop somebody that’s been running 26 miles.”

Cappellano had been training for the marathon for five months to raise money for his public school students from around the city.

He stood on Commonwealth Avenue, waiting in the growing crowd of marathon runners trying to make sense of what was happening as marathon and police officials tried to get the crowd to remain calm and patient.

Not exactly the easiest thing for hundreds of dehydrated runners being backed up after they had been running miles without hesitation for hours.

“A lot of people were struggling because at the finish line there’s medical tents, there’s water, there’s blankets and things so people were basically stopped without anything,” Cappellano said.

Many of the runners also didn’t run with their cell phones so they couldn’t reach their families. Cappellano’s father, who waited anxiously at the finish line, was one of those relatives.

“As we were running, we heard a couple loud booms but we were on Commonwealth [Avenue] right before you take the right on to Boylston [Street] so we couldn’t really see anything until we saw the smoke above the buildings,” he said.

That’s when the zone facilitator began to see police officials sprint towards the incident with their only concern being the safety of civilians, just like Cappellano had ran for the well being of his students.

“The race day, that’s kind of like the celebration. That’s the fun part so it’s not necessarily what your completely doing it for, it’s about the organization you’re running for,” Cappellano said. “It’s my students who I’m raising money for and the program that I love, work in and that I believe in.”

Some of Cappellano’s O’Bryant students volunteered at the race, handing out water at mile 23 in support of their zone facilitator. Some even ran with him for a mile.

“I said, ‘guys you should probably get back with your group,’ and they turned around a couple miles before the [finish]. Thank God,” Cappellano said.

Liz Collins, a project manager for people and culture at Suffolk Construction Company, which funds the BSA, was also running on Monday. She was about a mile from the finish when she was diverted off the course.

“The thing that made me so scared was that was his time, that was when Joe was supposed to cross the finish line,” Collins said. “That’s what was so crazy.”

As the crowd at Commonwealth Avenue continued to back up, Cappellano and the rest of the runners were walked to the marathon buses at Berkley Street to get their phones and contact their relatives.

“[My father] saw tons of police and civilians running in to help others and I think it’s just a tribute to the spirit of the day,” Cappellano said. “The city and the state come out to support these runners and support these causes and it’s not about you , it’s not about one person, it’s really just a selfless, selfless day and I think that showed true in the wake of tragedy.”

Cappellano’s father and friends were all unharmed by the explosions at the finish line. Just like all of the runners, the BSA will still receive all of the money that he raised through the race.

The runner estimated that by the end of the month deadline for marathon fundraising, he would have individually raised $6,000 for the BSA. Currently the program has raised $23,295.

“It’s fantastic that the charities will still be able to collect the money that’s been worked hard for these past five months,” Cappellano said.

While it wasn’t his first Boston Marathon, Cappellano planned on this race being his last. But despite what happened yesterday, he has a feeling he won’t be able to be kept away from his goal – crossing the finish line.

“We’re not going to let fear stop us from this great tradition and this great wonderful day that will be such a big part of Boston’s history,” Cappellano said.

Zolan Kanno-Youngs covers Boston Public school athletics. He can be reached at kannoyoungs.globe@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @KannoYoungs.

By Justin A. Rice, Globe Correspondent

Due to the Boston Marathon bombings, Tuesday's scheduled four-team softball tournament in the North End was been postponed and rescheduled to Thursday at Woburn's Liberty Park.

Boston Latin Academy will play Winthrop at 10 a.m. and O'Bryant (Boston) will play Woburn at noon.

Justin A. Rice covers Boston Public school athletics. He can be reached at jrice.globe@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeJustinRice or @BPSspts.

By Justin A. Rice, Globe Correspondent

Running the Boston Marathon separately on Monday morning, both Elizabeth Collins and Angeli Kadade were stopped about a mile away, or just minutes away, from the finish line’s carnage.

While Collins — a Boston resident who was raising money for the Boston Scholar Athletes program for the second straight year — was able to navigate the chaos and make her way to family relatively easily, Kadade was in town from New York City to run for the Dream Big! foundation.

She was totally lost in the aftermath.

“I’m not familiar with Boston at all, I was asking other people where the Westin is,” said Kadade, who didn’t meet up with family at the hotel until after 8:30 p.m., after strangers let her wash up at their Sheraton hotel room. “I was in panic mode to get there.

“I think after running 26 miles you're already so drained, then it was pure adrenalin. We were upset we weren’t able to finish, then we were cold and our body heat dropped. Then once we found out what happened everyone considered family and friends were like ‘Get me out of here.’ ”

Initially, Collins was just as disappointed as Kadade that she wasn’t able to finish the race. After the news of the bombing that killed three and injured scores of others got around on the course, Collins was just as freezing and just as panicked as Kadade.

But being a Bostonian made meeting family much easier for Collins.

“My family came to find me and I went to Mass Ave. to walk down the river to Beacon Hill to get away,” Collins said. “It was like a total free for all.”

While the experiences of these two strangers are on the opposite ends of a spectrum in one sense, it was no doubt a shared experience for two women running for causes that benefit Boston public school students by promoting physical activity.

In fact, the Boston Scholar Athletes program and Dream Big! were two of several nonprofits either entirely or partially dedicated funds to BPS students that were raised through the Boston Marathon Official Charity Program and John Hancock's Marathon Non-Profit Program.

Several other charities that benefited BPS students that were contacted on Tuesday morning reported that their runners were unharmed physically, including MetroLacrosse, Playworks, Tenacity and America SCORES Boston.

Together, the Boston Marathon Official Charity Program and the John Hancock Marathon Non-Profit Program — which provide guaranteed entries into the race for runners fundraising for designated charities — are expected to raise $18 million this year.

So far the BSA has raised $23,295 and counting, while Dream Big! surpassed its $80,000 goal on Monday and Tenacity netted more than $100,000. MetroLacrosse has raised $19,298 so far with more to come, America SCORES Boston logged $26,248 and counting while Playworks has raised $80,000.

“It's a hard day for everyone," Playworks Executive Director Max Fripp said via email,
"but at the core, I wonder if the values we teach 15,000 Boston elementary school students through daily recess and play, might lead to shifts in how we people feel about themselves and the communities where we live and work.”

Fripp noted that they recently completed a two year random control trial with Mathematica with two important findings: 1) Playworks schools have less bullying and aggressive behavior 2) Their students feel more safe and connected.

Other local nonprofits that benefit some BPS students such as AccessSports America canceled events scheduled for Tuesday evening due to the bombing.

Both the BSA and the Sportsmen’s Tennis & Enrichment Center in Dorchester prepared to help students at their Spring Break camps process the traumatic situation.

“In general, I am asking staff to avoid having conversations in front of the children about the events that unfolded yesterday and not to have the lobby television on news stations that will constantly loop the footage,” Sportsmen’s Executive Director Toni Wiley said in an email to members. “However, children are likely to bring this up in conversation, so we should be as prepared as possible to handle it.

“If any student is showing extreme anxiety here at camp, please bring them to Mrs. Houston, to Carlos or to me so that you can continue to work with the other children on your court.”

Kadade wasn’t so sure about sliver linings as she prepared to return to New York on Tuesday.

“I'm not sure there is a silver lining except that my family is safe,” she said via email. “But there are many families that are not, and that are in hospitals. I keep thinking about my race and where I slowed down. If I was two minutes faster my story could have been different.

“Running for charity and hearing ‘dream big Angeli’ throughout the race is why charity runners run. The medal is mine and I didn't get that yesterday but yes, I'm still helping hundreds of girls in the Boston area. And nobody can take that away.”

Collins was back at her desk at Suffolk Construction’s Roxbury headquarters on Tuesday morning.

“I just couldn’t watch the TV any longer,” she said during a telephone interview. “I needed to be around people. I’m still a little sore but a little better than last year, which is good.”

Justin A. Rice covers Boston Public school athletics. He can be reached at jrice.globe@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeJustinRice or @BPSspts.

By Seth Lakso, Globe Correspondent

Longtime North Reading baseball coach Frank Carey notched his 700th career victory on Tuesday. His Hornets cruised to a 9-1 win in Newburyport, thanks to a four-hit 15 strikeout performance by senior RHP Ryan McAuliffe.

Carey is in his 46th season as the Hornets' skipper. During his tenure, the Hornets have played in seven state championship games and won five. In 2009, the North Reading High School Field was named Carey Park in his honor.