By Craig Forde, Globe Correspondent

There was no doubt that Needham would finish atop the Globe's final Top 20 of the season after capturing the Division 1 state title. They hovered in the Top 5 all season long, but never made it to the top spot until now ... when it matters the most.

The rest of the top five are the same teams as the last two polls leading up to the tourney, with a few minor adjustments. Somerville proved its worth and finished No. 2 overall, having suffered its only defeat of the season to the top-ranked Rockets in the Division 1 EMass final.

Ranked in the top spot for much of the season, Masconomet slips to the fifth spot after catching its only loss of the season in the Div. 1 North semifinals against No. 3 St. John’s Prep, who quite possibly boasted the best defense in the state.

The final Top 20 also includes five teams that were not on the poll heading into the postseason. Of course No. 6 Medway headlines the big movers after the team's spectacular run to a Division 2 EMass title.

No. 13 Dartmouth returned to the Top 20 after slipping off for one week and No. 15 Watertown, No. 16 Holliston and No. 18 Madison Park all debut at the right time.

See the final Boston Globe boys' soccer Top 20.

By Craig Forde, Globe Correspondent

Five EMass soccer talents have been named as All-American’s by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), which presented their boys and girls award winners Friday in a press release.

A trio of players from the Hockomock League head the list, including Franklin forward Kristi Kirshe, who scored her 100th career goal during a postseason run that culminated in a Division 1 state title.

The two other Hock players are Maryland-bound Lauren Berman who scored over 40 goals as a senior for Canton and Oliver Ames keeper David MacKinnon who had 14 shutouts and a state-best 0.39 goals against average.

Before the season even started, Needham’s Mac Steeves was a front-runner to earn All-American honors, and he more than backed his application with a Div. 1 state title and a school record 45 points in his final season before heading to Providence.

The final EMass player to make the list is a familiar name as Concord-Carlisle’s Andrea O’Brien earned her second straight All-American honor after finishing her career with over 100 goals. She will play for Boston College next season.

Other Massachusetts players to be named to the All-American teams are forwards Riley Hellstein (Agawam), Siobahn McDonough (Governor’s), Zeiko Lewis (Berkshire School) Bernard Yeboah (Worcester Academy) and midfielder Ryan Reynolds (Springfield Cathedral).

By Mike Giesta, Globe Correspondent

The Concord-Carlisle boys' soccer team topped Pentucket, 4-0, Saturday afternoon, in an MIAA Division 2 North semifinal matchup in Woburn.

The match started evenly with both teams trading chances. But as the half progressed the Sachems (16-3-2) struggled to keep the pace.

The Patriots (13-2-2) offense opened up the scoring with Stowe Simonton heading a cross from a corner kick into the net.

“That was just about as solid as we played all year in the first half,” said Patriot coach Ray Pavlik. “I’m pleased, we came out we really moved the ball well today.”

The Patriot offense struck again following a beautifully executed passing play that ended with Wyatt Powell burying a one-timer just inside the box.

The Patriots never let up on the attack. Simonton found the back of the net again following a beautiful pass to send him in alone on the goal keeper.

The first half concluded with another Patriot goal. Leo Fondriest buried a shot from the top of the 18 after a failed Sachems attempt to clear the ball.

“We were able to put a lot of pressure on the midfield,” Pavlik said. “The passing really opened things up well today, we really moved the ball quickly.”

“It was nice win, we finally got a lot of our starting line up back together, and they have had a couple of games to play together, its really clicked,” said Pavlik.

Up next for the Patriots is North Andover in the final.

We’re going to stay and watch,” Pavlik said. “They’re two good teams, and at this time of year every match is huge.” “Whether we play North-Andover or Wilmington, it will take a big effort on our part.”

By Craig Forde, Globe Correspondent

The MIAA has released the pairings for this year’s boys’ soccer tournament and once again we are in for a thrilling couple of weeks of top-notch action on the pitch, crowning three new Eastern Mass champions on the way to the state championships. Below is a glimpse into how things may shake out in each of the six sectionals. Please keep in mind that last year we didn’t even have Division 1 EMass champion Masconomet in our Top 20 poll heading into the tourney, so take it all with a grain of salt and feel free to post your own predictions.

DIVISION 1 NORTH:

This sectional boasts defending EMass champion and current No. 1 Masconomet, and is very top heavy with the likes of No. 2 Somerville, No. 3 St. John’s Prep and No. 6 Acton-Boxborough standing out as favorites here.

Best first round matchup: Framingham at St. John’s Prep - Framingham heads to Danvers on Saturday to face off against No. 3 St. John’s Prep. The Eagles stumbled slightly down the stretch, catching two draws over their last three games. The Flyers are always battle-tested come tourney time thanks to their brutal Bay State schedule and have tied No. 5 Needham, 2-2, early in the season and beat No. 11 Wellesley last week.

Finals prediction: Masconomet and Somerville – The two favorites should make it through for a heavyweight collision into the finals.

Sleeper: Chelsea – They are quick, skilled and underrated and despite not losing all season long they have garnered little-to-no fanfare.

DIVISION 1 SOUTH

This sectional is as loaded as it gets. With 25 teams in the mix, it will be a free-for-all, so expect some big teams to get knocked off early. Fourth-ranked Needham and fifth-ranked Weymouth have been top-five teams all season long, but No. 7 New Bedford, No. 12 BC High and No. 16 Nauset are all on the verge. Then there are the Oliver Ames's of the world who bring with them one of the best goalies around as David MacKinnon brings in an EMass best 0.17 goalies against average.

Best first-round matchup: Wellesley at Nauset – If the Raiders can get by preliminary opponent King Phillip, it would set up a solid first round bout with Nauset and Cody Savonen, a scoring machine looking to make a mark in his final season.

Finals prediction: Needham and Weymouth – The Rockets took the season series 1-0-1, but of course things were only decided by one goal. These Bay State behemoths would provide a must-see class in this final.

Sleeper: Silver Lake – The Patriot League Keenan division champions had an impressive closing stretch against ranked teams where they tied St. John’s Prep and Dartmouth and defeated Hingham.

DIVISION 2 NORTH

Concord-Carlisle will be looking for a stunning fourth straight D2 North crown and they hope it will lead to their third state title in four years. It won’t be easy and of course it never is. Teams primed to knock the Patriots off of their perch include No. 18 Pentucket and No. 8 North Andover.

Best first-round matchup: Salem at Lynn Classic - Although Lynn Classical just took down Salem, 4-1, last Thursday, you can always expect the best when two teams from the same league make it a one-and-done deal. These two Northeastern League Large foes will get Manning Field ready for what is always a very busy postseason.

Finals prediction: Concord-Carlisle and Winchester – A rematch of last year’s D2 North semifinal that saw the Patriots escape with a 2-1 win.

Sleeper: Wilmington – Just like his Division 2 state champion hockey team, coach Steve Scanlon will have his Wildcats ready to execute their game plan.

DIVISION 2 SOUTH

It’s the anti-Division 1 North with regards to the team powers that you we may be used to. But don’t for a second take this division and section lightly. There are plenty of teams in this one who may not have had the regular season success that they are used to, but tougher schedules make these contenders strong. See Canton, Milton, Hingham, Holliston, Norton, and Duxbury.

Best first-round matchup: Medfield at Westwood – The Lis brothers (Olek and Seb) will look to defend home turf for the Warriors, but Tri-Valley rival Medfield tied Westwood, 0-0, early in the season and defeated them, 1-0, on October 23rd.

Finals prediction: Hingham and Holliston – The H’s have it in Division 2 South.

Sleeper: Martha’s Vineyard – Opponents should not dismiss the Vineyarders because of their commute. It gives them more time to hammer out their game plan!

DIVISION 3 NORTH

This sectional is maybe the most up-for-grabs in the North. Matignon is poised to push things past their quarterfinals appearance last year, while St. Mary’s wants to catch at least one more win than a year ago to put themselves in position for a D3 North title. Of course you can never count out the ports, as Newburyport and Rockport are always forces to watch in this region.

Best first-round matchup: Georgetown at Watertown – The defending EMass champion Royals have to make the long trek to Watertown to try to defend their title, which won’t come easy with a scrappy Red Raiders team first on the docket.

Finals prediction: Rockport and Matignon – Two years ago the Warriors didn’t even make the postseason, but over the last two seasons coach Michael Haynes has gotten the best of his bunch and now they are serious contenders. The Vikings boast Cape Ann goal scoring leader Conor Douglass (24) who alongside Shaun Aspesi (18 goals) make a lethal scoring combo.

Sleeper: Bishop Fenwick – They have tied (0-0) and beat (1-0) preliminary round opponent Austin Prep and if they get by them it will set up a first round matchup with St. Mary’s, whom the Crusaders defeated, 2-1, in mid-October.

DIVISION 3 SOUTH
This sectional is filled with all sorts of gems that have yet to be admired. From Seekonk to Bourne to Coyle & Cassidy. This region could find some new blood to represent them in the EMass final. Of course, last year’s sectional finalists Cardinal Spellman and Dover Sherborn lurk in the depths of the low seeds, waiting to strike.

Best first-round matchup: Cardinal Spellman at Mashpee – The Cardinals must first take out Holbrook in the prelims, but if they do, they will post a massive threat for Mashpee in round one.

Finals prediction: Nantucket and Mashpee – The Cape and Island teams are a lot stronger this year than in year’s past and these two teams will prove it.

Sleeper: Bourne – The leadership of 30-goal scorer Jack Canterbury can be enough to carry the Canalmen at times.

Best of luck to all the teams who have made it this far. The road to the hardware will be a tough one, so buckle up and enjoy the ride.

Three teams dropped from the ranks of the undefeated as Weymouth, Acton-Boxboro and Winchester all got their first taste of defeat this season.

That gives us four remaining teams without a loss, so let us praise them for a second, shall we?

Top-ranked Masconomet (12-0-2) is seemingly getting stronger with each game, which was the way they did things last year en route to a Division 1 EMass title.

No. 2 Somerville (13-0-2) seems to be scoring at will since the arrival of Felix DeBona, as the field has opened up into junior Thayrone Miranda’s playground.

Underrated Hingham (10-0-3) has quietly dispatched of most everyone in its path, save from a few draws along the way, and have forced their way into the top 10, coming in at No. 9 this week.

Lastly, the Red Devils of Chelsea, our first new team in the Top 20 in three weeks, debut at No. 20 with a 11-0-1 mark on the season thanks to an offense that is averaging 4.1 goals per game.

If this were football, "The Bus" would have plenty of seats open.

The teams in the top half of the boys' soccer Top 20 poll remain the same for the most part with St. John's Prep taking a leap over a few teams after a three-win week moves them up from seventh to fourth.

Acton-Boxboro, the only new team on the Top 10, leaps North Andover after another quality week that included a tie against No. 7 Concord-Carlisle.

Some former unbeatens took big hits and slipped down the rankings with Danvers having the biggest drop from No. 9 to No. 19 after an 0-2-1 week.

Oliver Ames also lost twice, moving them from No. 12 to No. 18 and Nauset caught a tough loss against rival Sandwich, sinking them to No. 15.

No new teams breached the Top 20 poll this week, but that could all change with one shot as we hit the all-important stretch run of the season.

After only one week out of the top spot, Masconomet returns to regain their position atop the pole following another two-win week. The Chieftains have hit their stride, outscoring their last six opponents by a whopping 29-1 margin.

Last week’s No. 1 team Concord-Carlisle slips down to the sixth spot after suffering a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the unranked Bedford.

Somerville leapfrogs into the second spot in our poll thanks to the return of Felix DeBona coupled with another Weymouth tie that keeps the Wildcats in check at No. 3.

For the most part, the rest of the field stays in-tact with Hanoverthe only team making their debut on the poll at No. 19 after Archbishop Williams fell off the charts following their first loss of the season.

Some teams that are on the radar and could make a push into the poll, should any teams falter, include Marshfield (7-2-1), Braintree (7-3-2), East Boston (9-1-1), Rockport (8-1), Milford (7-1-4) and Reading (7-3-1).

Check out the latest Globe Top 20 here.

By Craig Forde, Globe Correspondent

It’s our first crack at shuffling the deck with our boys soccer Top 20 poll, so of course we have taken the liberty of making some moves since our initial poll at the beginning of the season.

A lot has gone down on the pitch, teams are starting to separate themselves from the pack and this week’s poll will show that as thirteen teams check in with zero losses on their fixtures.

The top two teams switch spots as Concord-Carlisle (7-0) takes over the No. 1 ranking in our latest poll, having allowed only one goal over their first seven games.

Masconomet (5-0-2) slides down only spot due to a couple of early ties, but they have gotten back off track and have rattled off 21 goals over their last four games, all wins.

Weymouth (8-0-2) makes a big leap up from the seventh spot to No. 3 and Oliver Ames (7-0-2) is this week’s big mover, jumping up seven spots from No. 19 all the way to No. 12.

Having racked up some big wins to go along with no losses, Pentucket (6-0-1), Dartmouth (8-0-2), Winchester (5-0-2) and Archbishop Williams (8-0) all make their debut on the poll.

Medford (2-1-2), Lexington (3-2-1), Lincoln-Sudbury (3-3-1) and Georgetown (3-2-2) all bow out after slow starts to their seasons, but all are capable of landing back on the Top 20 with a quick turnaround.

See the Globe boys soccer Top 20 here.

This Saturday, September 29th, Concord-Carlisle High School will play host to the sixth annual Kicks for Cancer to support cancer research.

Twelve teams will gather for a day-long event filled with superior soccer action, raffles, food and more. The same teams return from last year’s event, all of which were participants in the 2011 MIAA postseason tournament and four of which are currently ranked in the Globe’s Top 20.

Despite dreary conditions last year the event still managed to raise over $27,000 with proceeds benefitting the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and in total Kicks for Cancer has raised over $71,000 as it has grown from a one-game event to six-game extravaganza.

“It says so much about the other schools and their communities,” said Concord-Carlisle head coach Ray Pavlik. “The volunteers and the kids do such an amazing job with this and we couldn’t be more proud of the efforts they make each year.”

The event began back in 2007 to honor the memory of Lois Wells, mother of Concord-Carlisle assistant coach Steve Wells. Each team wears pink or blue jerseys with the name of a loved one who has or is battling this disease emblazoned on their back.

The games will begin at 1:00 p.m. with simultaneous action going off on side-by-side fields behind Concord-Carlisle High School at 500 Walden Street in Concord. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children.

The following is the day's schedule of games:

1:00 p.m., Game One, Turf 1 – Lexington vs. Belmont
1:00 p.m., Game Two, Turf 2 - Stoneham vs. Wakefield

3:30 p.m., Game Three, Turf 1 - Brookline vs. Newton North
3:30 p.m., Game Four, Turf 2 - Reading vs. Woburn

6:00 p.m., Game Five, Turf 1 - Concord - Carlisle vs. Lincoln - Sudbury
6:00 p.m., Game Six, Turf 2 - Acton – Boxborough vs. Wayland

For additional information, including directions to the fields, click here.

For those who are unable to attend the event, but still wish to make a donation to Kicks for Cancer, click here for the Dana Farber donation page.

By Jason Mastrodonato, Globe Correspondent

Nico Calabria, a member of the Concord-Carlisle boys' soccer team, scored a scissor-kick goal off a corner yesterday that would probably be on highlight reels even if he had two legs.

But Calabria, a junior who is also an outstanding wrestler, finishing in third place in the Division 2 106-pound weight class in February, was born with only a left leg. And, wow, is it a good one.

C-C coach Ray Pavlik posted video of the goal from the 9-0 win over Newton South on Wednesday. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2FzJVAHtSI

Calabria also plays for the U.S. Amputee National Team.

He and his Concord-Carlisle (4-0) team play next at Boston Latin on Friday.

Jason Mastrodonato can be reached at jasonmastrodonato@yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @JMastrodonato.

By Hannah Becker, Globe Correspondent

With a big 12-10 win over Westwood Thursday, Needham catapolts from the No. 5 spot to No.1 for the first time this season, in the Globe's girls' lacrosse Top 20. The Rockets are 14-1 with their only loss coming to Cold Springs Harbor (N.Y.).

Winchester drop to No.2 while one-loss squads Lincoln-Sudbury (No.3) and Notre Dame (Hingham) (No.4) remain in the top five, with Westwood (13-2) rounding out the group at No. 5.

A strong week from Reading pushes the Rockets to the No. 7 spot, while Concord-Carlisle's loss to Wayland drops them to No. 8. The win moves the Warriors to No. 11, up two spots from last week.

A two loss week by Westford, with setbacks to Lincoln-Sudbury and Algonquin, drops them from No. 10 to No. 15.

Archbishop Williams sits at No.9 with a strong 15-1 record, but their weaker strength of schedule keeps the Bishops just on the outside of the top teams.

Entering the poll for the first time this week are Wellesley (8-6, No.20) and Norwell (8-4, No. 18). They booted Hamilton-Wenham and Franklin out of the rankings.

By Bob Holmes, Globe Staff

A familiar father/son duo leads the list of honorees for the Jack Grinold Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation.

John and Jonathan DiBiaso of Everett High School head the 2012 award recipients who will be honored Monday, May 14, at Lombardo’s in Randolph. The pair, along with Bentley University quarterback Bryant Johnson, Curry College head coach Skip Bandini, and 33 additional high school scholar-athletes will be recognized at the foundation’s annual dinner.

The elder DiBiaso will receive the Ed Schluntz Contributions to Amateur Football Award. DiBiaso has been the coach at Everett for the past 20 years and has compiled a 198-21 record. His 2011 team, led by his quarterback son Jonathan, compiled a perfect 13-0 record and captured the Division IA Eastern Massachusetts Super Bowl. Jonathan has been selected as one of 34 scholar-athletes by the Chapter. DiBiaso has also been head coach at St. Patrick’s High School in Watertown and Weston High School. His teams have won 10 Eastern Massachusetts Super Bowls, and his Everett teams have won the Greater Boston League title for 16 consecutive seasons.

Johnson is the recipient of the inaugural Jack Daly Award for Academics, Citizenship and Football. The Hopedale native started every game at quarterback for Bentley for the past three years. He holds the Bentley career completion percentage record (.613) and ranks in the top three in all major passing categories. A two time All-Northeast 10 selection, Johnson was named the Conference Most Valuable Offensive Player in 2010. Johnson is a master’s degree candidate in Business Administration with a concentration in Accountancy and Financial Planning who was named a Capital One Academic All-District selection in 2011. He has coached youth football and basketball in Waltham, been a Special Olympics volunteer, and was a member of the Bentley Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Bandini has been the head coach at Curry for the past six years and will receive the Ron Burton Distinguished American Award. A member of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Hall of Fame as an offensive lineman, Bandini has been head coach at St. Clement and Don Bosco (his alma mater) high schools, and has been an assistant at Dom Savio, Stoneham, Reading, MIT, UMass-Lowell, Mount Ida, and Curry. His Curry teams have compiled a 52-16 record (.765), won two New England Football Conference Championships, and been selected for the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament three times. Off the field, Bandini is the founder of MasterSports, a non-profit corporation providing scholarship money to deserving high school football players.

For ticket information, call Jim Seavey at 508-830-5054.

A look at the 34 winners of this year’s Scholar-Athlete Award:

Adam Bakopolus
High School: Buckingham Browne & Nichols
College choice: Bowdoin
A three-year starter at wide receiver and defensive back for coach John Papas ... received Independent School League honors his senior year and was named team student-athlete award winner ... also plays varsity golf and basketball ... his lowest grade at BB&N was an A- ... studied in Russia as exchange student.

Daniel Barone
High School: Holliston High School
College choice: Bowdoin
A Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic selection, Barone was the Globe’s Division 3 Player of the Year. A three-year starter at quarterback, he was the leading scorer in Division 3 last fall with 135 points ... Has participated in annual Mission trips to Mississippi and coaches youth football and basketball.

Jamie Bourque
High School: Wakefield
College choice: Boston College
Broke Wakefield’s all-time records for yards passing in a single season with 1,718 and was named a Middlesex League All-Star ... Led by Bourque, Wakefield went 9-2 and won the Middlesex Small title ... Ranked 24th in a class of 239 ... a three-sport athlete, he also runs outdoor track and plays basketball.

Brian Bowser
High School: Belmont Hill
College choice: Bowdoin
A three-year starter at tight end and linebacker, Bowser was named an ISL All-Star his senior year as well as earning recognition as All New England in Class B ... Bowser was team captain and led Belmont Hill in tackles ... Bowser also plays lacrosse ... volunteers with the “Work Crew,” a group that helps the elderly.

Henry Bumpus
High school: Concord-Carlisle
College choice: Brown
The 6-6, 225-pound tight end was a Boston Herald, Boston Globe, ESPNBoston, and Lowell Sun All-Scholastic for the Super Bowl winning Patriots ... Also named to the Mass Coaches All-State team and Shriners All-Star roster ... Bumpus has a 3.64 GPA ... Also plays varsity basketball and lacrosse.

Matt Cahill
High School: Lincoln-Sudbury
College choice: Tufts
A three-year starter at quarterback and defensive back for the Warriors, he was twice named to the Dual County League All-Star team ... Cahill holds all career passing records at L-S (attempts, completions, yards and TDs) ... captain of the football, basketball, and baseball teams ... 3.99 GPA and won Harvard Book Award as a junior.

Andrew Coke
High School: Andover
College choice: Brown
A two-time Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic as a running back and defensive back for the Golden Warriors ... Was the leading scorer in Division 1, third leading scorer as a senior ... Coke ran for 1,200 yards and caught passes for another 400 yards his senior year ... has a 3.3 GPA and was team captain.

Jack Connolly
High School: St. Sebastian’s
College choice: Dartmouth
Three-year starter for St. Seb’s at running back and a two-time Independent School League All-Star ... Also named to the Mass Coaches All-State team and to the All New England team for Class B ... ranked 11th in his class ... Connolly also a two-time ISL All-Star in lacrosse ... National Honor Society member.

Douglas Crook
High School: Barnstable
College choice: Worcester Academy
One of the top quarterbacks in state history, Crook finished his career with 76 touchdown passes, good for fifth place all-time ... A two-time Old Colony League All-Star and four-year starter, Crook led Barnstable to a Division 1A playoff berth ... Also plays basketball and baseball and is a member of the National Honor Society ... A Special Olympics volunteer.

Michael Decina
High School: Hopkinton
College choice: Bates
A two-time Tri-Valley League All-Star, Decina started three years at Hopkinton at quarterback and defensive back ... Decina is a three-sport captain (football, hockey, baseball) ... Finished his career with 3,210 yards passing and this year led Division 3 with 18 touchdown passes ... has a 3.6 GPA ... is a peer mentor for younger students.

Jonathan DiBiaso
High School: Everett
Next fall: Philips Exeter
The record-setting quarterback finished as the leading passer in state history with 103 career touchdown passes. He also holds the state single-season mark with 44 ... DiBiaso played for his father and head coach John ... Everett won Super Bowl titles the last two years ... DiBiaso is ranked 24th in a class of 394 and is a member of the National Honor Society.

Nicholas DiChiara
High School: Buckingham Browne & Nichols
College choice: Colgate
A four-year starter at fullback and linebacker for BB&N, DiChiara was a two-time ISL All-Star ... he was also chosen for the Mass Coaches All-State team as well as the Shriners game ... also plays varsity basketball and lacrosse ... was captain of the basketball and football teams ... was voted junior class president.

Shane Donovan
High School: Thayer Academy
College choice: Wesleyan
The 6-0, 290-pound lineman was a four-year starter for the Braintree ISL school ... Donovan was a two-time winner of ISL All-Star honors ... named to the NEPSAC All-New England team ... was captain of the football and track teams and one of the top wrestlers in the ISL ... scored a 780 on math SAT and is a talented musician.

Steven Jepeal
High School: Austin Prep
College choice: Notre Dame
A two-year starter at one both sides on the line at tackle, he earned Catholic Central Large All-Star honors his senior year ... also runs indoor track and plays lacrosse ... president of the student council, vice-president of the Russian Club and the New England Club ... scored a perfect 800 on the math portion of SAT.

Dan Laorenza
High School: North Andover
College choice: Wesleyan
Playing wide receiver and safety for the Knights, Laorenza earned CAL/NEC Division 1 All-Star honors ... football captain as well as two-year starter for the North Andover baseball team ... also earned the 2011 team Sportsmanship Award ... writes for the school newspaper ... volunteer with the Special Olympics.

Nicholas Leonard
High School: Mansfield
College choice: Boston College
As a two-year starter for Mansfield at offensive guard and linebacker, Leonard was a key figure in the Hornets 19-3 regular season record ... a member of the Sun-Chronicle All-Area team and team captain ... ranked 13th in a class of 361 ... a member of both the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society.

Kevin McCarthy
High School: Hingham
College choice: Columbia
A three-year starter and two-time Patriot League All-Star, McCarthy excelled at running back and defensive back ... captain of the football team. Also plays basketball and runs track ... McCarthy volunteers at homeless shelter and Hingham Food Pantry ... was MVP of the Thanksgiving game his junior year ... selected to play in Shriners game.

Michael McKie
High School: Boston Latin
College choice: Boston College
A two-year starter at center and linebacker, McKie was named a Dual County League All-Star his senior year ... also an expert long snapper on kicking team ... responsible for calling assignments on both sides of the ball ... also plays baseball ... a member of the National Honor Society as well as an accomplished saxophone player.

Jameson McShea
High School: BC High
College choice: Harvard
One of the top players in the state, McShea was the Boston Globe’s Division 1 Player of the Year, a Boston Herald All-Scholastic, a member of the Coaches All-State team, and the Catholic Conference Lineman of the Year ... an accomplished artist as well the football team captain ... volunteered in New Jersey helping at a soup kitchen.

Michael Minahan
High School: Belmont Hill
College choice: Georgetown
A wide receiver and defensive back, he started two years at Belmont Hill and earned both ISL and All New England honors his senior year ... a rare three-sport captain at Belmont Hill with football, basketball, and track ... a member of the student admission committee as well as the drug & alcohol committee ... did volunteer work at a Jamaican orphanage.

Matthew Montalto
High School: Dennis-Yarmouth
College choice: Bentley
A two-time Boston Herald and Boston Globe All-Scholastic, Montalto was also named the Globe’s Division 2A Player of the Year ... He threw for 25 touchdowns and ran for another 15 as the Dolphins won the Div. 2A Super Bowl ... captain of the football, ice hockey, and baseball teams ... was an ACL All-Star in hockey ... a member of the National Honor Society.

Reilly Naton
High School: Duxbury
College choice: Yale
A three-year starter at receiver and safety for one of the most successful teams in the state, Naton earned Patriot League All-Star honors his senior year during which Duxbury won the Division 2 Super Bowl ... caught 27 passes for 526 yards his senior year ... captain for football and lacrosse and a National Honor Society member.

Stephen O’Grady
High School: North Andover
College choice: Colby
The center and linebacker earned Cape Ann/Northeastern Conference All-Star honors his senior ... A three-year starter, North Andover went 26-8 over that time. Also a Cape Ann All-League player his junior year and a Lawrence Eagle-Tribune All-Star his senior year ... Ranked 8th in a class of 300, he’s a member of the National Honor Society.

Matthew O’Keefe
High School: Duxbury
College choice: Johns Hopkins
The Globe’s Division 2 Player of the Year, O’Keefe also was named to the Boston Herald All-Scholastic team ... O’Keefe threw for 35 touchdowns and 2,300 yards his senior year and led the Green Dragons to the Division 2 Super Bowl title ... also one of the top lacrosse players in the state ... involved in mentor program for freshman students.

Leo Parnell
High School: East Boston
College choice: North Shore Community College
A three-year starter for the Jets on both lines, Parnell was recognized this year as the Player of the Year in Boston as well as Boston Herald All-Scholastic ... also one of nine players to earn Courageous Player Awards from the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association ... ranked in top half of his graduating class.

Daniel Pierce
High School: Needham
College choice: Middlebury
The Rockets won the Bay State Carey title and a berth in the Division 1 playoffs led by their talented receiver and safety. A two-year starter, he earned conference all-star honors his senior year ... finished with six touchdown receptions and 750 yards his senior year ... has done volunteer work in Costa Rica and has a 4.64 GPA.

Will Quigley
High School: Marblehead
College choice: Brown
A Boston Herald and Boston Globe All-Scholastic, Quigley was a three-year starter at running back and corner ... finished as Marblehead’s all-time leading scorer with 45 touchdowns ... also finished with 3,900 career all-purpose yards and 11 interceptions ... the varsity baseball captain ... member of the Bridging Lives program at Marblehead.

Armani Reeves
High School: Catholic Memorial
College choice: Ohio State
One of the most talented players in the state, Reeves finished as the sixth leading scorer in Division 1 with 16 touchdowns. A three-year starter, he ran for 1,103 yards and caught 21 passes, also had 51 tackles on defense ... captain of the football and basketball teams ... a member of the CM Leadership Program and Campus Ministry.

Mark Riley
High School: Needham
College choice: Bates
The two-year starter and Bay State Carey All-Star had 72 receptions for 15 touchdowns and 1,266 yards his senior year ... named to the Boston Globe All-Scholastic team ... the Rockets captain, he led team to Division 1 Super Bowl at Gillette for first time in school history ... brother Bobby a former NFF recipient.

Peter Trombly
High School: Acton-Boxboro
College choice: Virginia
Trombly was the sole captain of 2011 Colonials and a Dual County Large All-Star playing offensive guard and linebacker ... also wrestles and was a US Lacrosse Academic All-American ... Trombly is a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society ... an MIAA Student Ambassador.

Will Twyman
High School: Lincoln-Sudbury
College choice: Brown
A tight end and linebacker, Twyman was a three-year starter at L-S and a two-time Dual County League All-Star ... was named to the Boston Globe All-Scholastic team his senior year ... recorded 117 tackles, 4 interceptions, and three forced fumbles as L-S won the DCL Large title ... also a member of the Coaches All-State team.

Andrew VanderWilden
High School: Concord-Carlisle
College choice: Brown
A three-year starter and two-time Dual County League Lineman of the Year, VanderWilden was named to the Boston Herald All-Scholastic team ... The Patriots finished 11-0 this fall and won the Division 3 Super Bowl title at Gillette led by their senior captain ... volunteered in Louisiana building houses ... also coaches youth football.

Michael Walsh
High School: Swampscott
College choice: Brown
Walsh threw for 2,200 yards and 25 touchdowns in leading his team to a 9-2 record ... Earned Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic honors after being named the CAL/NEC Division 2 Player of the Year ... captain of the football, basketball, and baseball teams ... volunteers for meals on wheels and North Shore Holocaust Center.

Camren Williams
High School: Catholic Memorial
College choice: Ohio State
A Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic, Williams was one of the top linebackers in the state. A three-year starter, he was named to the Coaches All-State team and was a Catholic Conference All-Star ... made 119 tackles in 9 games ... also a member of the National Honor Society, the Campus Ministry, and the CM leadership team.

By Jason Mastrodonato, Globe Correspondent

Lincoln-Sudbury, Weston, and Acton-Boxboro can ponder the “what-ifs,” but all three teams fell one goal short of blowing this week’s Top 20 into a whirlwind.

No. 3 L-S gave up a late lead to No. 1 Duxbury while No. 2 Concord-Carlisle fended off both No. 8 A-B and No. 13 Weston in a pair of nail-biters to maintain its perfect record.

The Patriots have won three one-goal games against top-15 opponents this year, a product of what many coaches call “the most patient attack in the area.” They hardly give away costly turnovers and play a tight game of pass-and-catch while waiting for the perfect shot to open up. Check out this Thursday’s Globe West for a full feature on what makes C-C so good.

Meanwhile, No. 5 Wellesley needed a near-perfect game to sneak by the No. 7 Rockets of Needham. No. 9 Dover-Sherborn took out No. 10 Medfield to send the Warriors back five spots. Scituate makes its debut in the rankings this year at No. 18 after a double-overtime victory over No. 11 Catholic Memorial.

The biggest movement though comes from a pair of Dual County League foes in No. 5 Westford and No. 8 Acton-Boxboro. Westford moved up thanks to a convincing win over Weston, and even though A-B lost against C-C, the Colonials showed the athleticism and speed that has led some coaches to say A-B could be the premier DCL team by season’s end.

A once-crazy thought, perhaps, but there’s still a lot of season to be played.

By Craig Forde, Globe Correspondent

The No. 14 Concord-Carlisle boys lacrosse team jumped out to a 5-1 lead after one period, then leaned on goalie Doug Gouchoe and a steadfast defense for an 8-7 victory over No. 2 Lincoln-Sudbury in the first round of the Coaches Challenge Cup on Thursday in Andover.

"We came out really strong," said Lincoln-Sudbury coach Tom Dalicandro, whose team got three man-up goals in the first period. "That start gave our guys a lot of confidence."

After carrying a 6-3 lead into the half, the Patriots (4-0) found themselves up, 8-6, heading into the final frame.

The Warriors (4-2) scored midway through the fourth period to pull within one, 8-7, and then controlled play over the final minute as they looked for the equalizer.

"We really pride ourselves on sound defense," said Dalicandro. "I knew that they would probably need to make 3 or 4 sounds passes in order to get off a quality shot."

With time running down, the C-C defense frustrated the L-S attack and Gonchoe (12 saves) picked off a cross-crease pass with five seconds left to seal the victory.

"[Gonchoe] and the whole defense played exceptional today," said Dalicandro. "[Lincoln-Sudbury] is the class of the league and we measure ourselves against them. For us it was a huge win."

The Patriots offense was led by seniors Kevin Delehey (3 goals) and Mike O'Brien (2 goals).

Defensively, captain Henry Bumpus led the unit, flanked by Evan Boynton, Sam Barrett, Javier Flores, Matt Salemy, and Nick Erozowski.

Concord-Carlisle will play No. 8 Hingham - who defeated No. 13 Dover-Sherborn 9-5 in Round 1 - Thursday at 4:00 p.m. in round two of the Coaches Challenge Cup at Dover-Sherborn High School.

By Bob Holmes, Globe Staff

Eight of the top boys' lacrosse programs in the state will square off Tuesday in the opening day of the Third Annual Coaches Challenge Cup.

Day 1 of the three-day tournament is at North Andover High School. Defending champion Wellesley faces host North Andover at 10 a.m., followed by Winchester vs. Andover (noon), Hingham vs. Dover-Sherborn (2), and Lincoln-Sudbury vs. Concord-Carlisle (4).

Round two will be played at Dover-Sherborn Thursday beginning at 10 a.m. The semifinals will be held at 2 and 4 p.m. The tournament concludes Saturday at Wellesley with the championship game at 4 p.m.

By Phil Perry, Globe Correspondent

George Craan took to his knees and prayed when he heard the news.

The Concord-Carlisle running back was on the phone with Patriots coach Mike Robichaud yesterday when he was told Boston College had officially offered him a football scholarship.

“I said ‘Amen’ because I’ve been praying this would happen,” said Craan, who announced via Twitter that he would be attending BC.

“Without God, this wouldn’t have happened. And to play in front of my family in my hometown – they say there’s nothing better than playing in your hometown. I always wanted to be a BC Eagle since I was a little kid so I’m happy with the decision.”

Craan amassed 1,800 total yards and scored 24 touchdowns in his senior season. A two-time Globe All-Scholastic, he helped the Patriots (13-0) finish undefeated when he ran for 122 yards and 3 touchdowns in C-C’s 42-9 Division 3 Super Bowl victory over Oliver Ames.

BC had shown interest in the 5-foot-10, 205-pound back since last summer when he attended the school’s football camp. But when National Signing Day came and went on Feb. 1 without any contact, Craan was set on doing a college preparatory year.

Then BC called last Saturday to re-ignite the recruiting process.

“We thought that boat had sailed,” Robichaud said. “It’s a great testament to George that he was able to continue to do the right things in the classroom and stay positive and stay focused.”

Craan, who intends on enrolling in the Carroll School of Management, was excited about the academic opportunities he will have at the Heights.

“It’s not just a football school,” said Craan. “It’s highly-respected for its academics. Walking out of BC with a degree is something to be proud of.”

Before Craan made his announcement on Twitter, he told his mother, Ines Vilme. Elated, she immediately began calling the family’s relatives in Haiti to share the news.

Craan, a Metco student from Hyde Park, reflected on the efforts he made before his senior season began. Determined to be with his teammates as much as possible last summer, he took the commuter rail, then walked or got rides from friends to get to team workouts. If he had extra energy when he got home, he lifted weights at his local YMCA, and ran sprints at Madison Park High School.

“This allows me to see that hard work pays off,” Craan said. “Without my team, including my coaches, my [offensive line], my defense, this wouldn’t have happened. It was a group effort.”

According to Robichaud, Craan is the first Concord-Carlisle product to receive a scholarship from Boston College since quarterback Willie Hicks in 1987. Hicks has served as a mentor to Craan during the recruiting process and spoke to Craan before he visited BC’s campus on Friday for an admissions interview.

Craan will continue to workout at his local YMCA as well as at the Acton-based gym CATZ as he looks ahead to his career at BC, where the uniforms will have a familiar look.

“It will feel good to be wearing maroon and gold again,” he said.

Video by Matthew J. Lee / Globe Staff

By Zuri Berry, Globe Staff

Concord-Carlisle's Sean O'Brien made quite an impression Sunday at the swimming and diving North sectional title at MIT's Zesiger Fitness Center.

O'Brien, who has committed to swim for Texas next year, broke his own state record that he set a year ago, posting a 704. In the video above, you can see a sample of some of O'Brien's finest dives and how he wowed the crowd at MIT.

By Jason Mastrodonato, Globe Correspondent

Concord-Carlisle junior All-American soccer player Andrea O’Brien has committed to play for Boston College in 2013.

Back-to-back winner of the Dual County League MVP award and a Globe All-Scholastic, O’Brien netted 37 goals and added 10 assists for the Patriots last fall. She said her decision came down to three schools – Boston College, Georgetown and The University of Virginia – but she decided to stay local.

“When you live so close to a school sometimes you don’t really see it much,” O’Brien said. “But going on my overnight visit, I realized I loved the school. I was trying to find a great academic school but also one where there was a really strong soccer program.”

C-C head coach Nancy Slocum, who guided the Patriots to a 14-4 record last fall before getting knocked out by Peabody (the eventual state champion) in the Division 1 North quarterfinals, said Boston College seems like a good fit for the high-scoring forward.

“I hope she has as much success there as she’s had here,” Slocum said. “I think now she’ll be freed up to relax a little bit more and just play soccer to enjoy it and develop.”

But O’Brien, who believes she’ll stay in an attacking role while at B.C., said there is still more work to do while at Concord-Carlisle.

“I’ll have the same mentality as last year,” said O'Brien, who will join Peabody standout Hayley Dowd at B.C. “I want to graduate knowing we won a state tile at the high school. And I think it’s actually a realistic goal.”

O’Brien’s older brother Mikey, a leader on the C-C boys' team with 21 goals during his senior season last fall, will be attending The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania – considered among the top business programs in the country. He said he's unsure if he'll play soccer at the Ivy League school, which produced two 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft picks this year.

Concord-Carlisle's Andrea and Mike O'Brien are All-American soccer players in addition to being Boston Globe All-Scholastics. (Essdras M Suarez / Globe Staff)

By Zuri Berry, Globe Staff

The Boston Globe Fall All-Scholastics are out, available for view on Boston.com. More than 200 high school athletes from nine different sports have been selected as All-Scholastics, marking the end of the fall season.

On this season's cover is Concord-Carlisle brother-sister duo Mike and Andrea O'Brien, who are both All-American soccer players for the school. They highlight the level of talent of the many individuals selected this season.

Take a look at who was recognized in football, boys soccer, girls soccer, volleyball, field hockey, boys cross country, girls cross country, girls swimming and golf.

The Eastern Massachusetts high school football season is over, and Everett, BC High, Mashpee, Duxbury, Dennis-Yarmouth, Concord-Carlisle, Blue Hills, Bourne and Nantucket are the champs of the nine divisions.

Four of the EMass games were played at Gillette Stadium. Details of each EMass game are below, plus the Central and Western Mass. games played at Gillette.

Check out a photo gallery of Eastern Mass. Super Bowl scenes here.

Division 1
BC High 21, Needham 7
Deontae Ramey-Doe scored three touchdowns as BC High claimed the Division 1 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium. Ramey-Doe (24 carries, 200 yards) plunged 2 yards for his third touchdown to increase BC High's lead in the third quarter. He also had a 91-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and a 5-yard TD run in the first. A 5-yard TD pass to Mike Vespa put Needham on the board first.

Division 1A
Everett 36, Lincoln-Sudbury 13
Jonathan DiBiaso scored on touchdown runs of five and one yard to lead Everett as it capped a perfect season at 13-0. Jakarrie Washington, Vondell Langston and Jalen Felix also had TD runs for Everett. Lincoln-Sudbury scored on a 14-yard TD pass from Matt Cahill to Will Twyman as time expired in the third quarter, and on Connor Young's 61-yard interception return following a deflected pass.

Division 2
Duxbury 35, Tewksbury 0
Matt O'Keefe threw three touchdown passes and Jon Hurvitz ran for two scores as Duxbury won its second straight Super Bowl. James Burke (27 yards), Don Webber (8) Reilly Naton (36) caught touchdown passes. Duxbury ended its season 13-0.

Division 2A
Dennis-Yarmouth 35, Wakefield 0
Matt Montalto scored on a 3-yard run and a 1-yard run and threw touchdown passes to Damion Johnson (19 yards) and Dylan Hodsdon (8 and 20 yards) to win the Division 2A Super Bowl at Manning Field in Lynn. Johnson had five catches 109 yards.

"My dream was to win the game, but it was great to put up a performance like that," Montalto said. "Dreams come true I guess."

Division 3
Concord-Carlisle 42, Oliver Ames 9
George Craan had 18 carries for 122 yards and three touchdowns, and Henry Bumpus caught a pair of touchdown passes to lift Concord-Carlise to the Division 3 title at Gillette Stadium. Tyquan Culbreath added a 35-yard touchdown run for C-C. Sam Langston scored on a 3-yard TD run for Oliver Ames, and Ryan McGrath kicked a 26-yard field. Full game story

Division 3A
Bourne 16, Hamilton-Wenham 14:
Jason Moriarty's 10-yard touchdown pass to Nick Pereira in the third quarter gave Bourne a victory in the Division 3A Super Bowl at Manning Field in Lynn. Joe Epps scored on a sweep right to put Bourne on the board in the first quarter. Elliott Burr scored for H-W on a 1-yard run in the second quarter, and then, after H-W recovered a fumble, Trevor Lyons threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Matt Putur to put H-W on top at the time.

Division 4
Mashpee 34, Cardinal Spellman 8
Jared Taylor ran for 306 yards and three touchdowns as Mashpee turned a close first-half defensive battle into a blowout in the Division 4 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium. Taylor had TD runs of 10, 54 and 58 yards. Zak Orcutt hit Kyle Murray on a 14-yard touchdown pass, and Orcutt caught a TD pass from Cody Bingham-Hendricks on the final play of the first half to put Mashpee on the board first. Both teams entered the game unbeaten. Mashpee finished 13-0, Spellman 12-1. Pat Hinkley scored Spellman's touchdown on an 18-yard run with 38 seconds left.

Division 4A
Blue Hills 16, Cathedral 14
John Curran threw a 45-yard TD pass to Isaiah Teixera and Vincent Burton ran for a 1-yard TD to lead Blue Hills at Bentley University. Matt Owens threw a 44-yard TD pass to Carlos Bermudez, and Owens added a 4-yard TD rush with 22 seconds left before halftime for Cathedral. Full game story

Division 5
Nantucket 35, Latin Academy 7
Taylor Hughes rushed for two touchdowns, and Codie Perry, Zachary Moran and Andrew Benson added touchdowns as Nantucket won the Division 5 Super Bowl at Taunton High. Ernest Kellough provided Latin Academy's only points on a two-yard run. It was Nantucket's first Super Bowl title since 1998.

Central Mass. Division 1
Leominster 21, St. John's 6:
Garrett DelleChiaie hit 11 of 16 pass attempts for 156 yards and a touchdown as Leominster won the Central Mass. D1 title at Gillette Stadium. Geraldo Rivera ran 14 yards for a touchdown, Daniel Curley caught a 4-yard TD pass from DelleChiaie on 4th-and-goal with 6 seconds before halftime, and Neil O'Connor caught a 44-yard touchdown pass from his brother, Kevin for Leominster. Efrain Montalvo caught a 17-yard TD pass to put St. John's on the board.

Western Mass. Division 1
Longmeadow 35, Springfield Central 7
Frankie Elder and Terry Norris scored two touchdowns each to give Longmeadow the Western Mass. Division 1 title at Gillette Stadium. Dylan Kelleher scored on a 40-yard pass play early in the second half for Longmeadow. Sacoy Malone's 24-yard TD reception put SC on the board just before halftime.

By Patrick McHugh, Globe Correspondent

FOXBOROUGH – Concord-Carlisle’s loss to Duxbury in last year’s Division 2A Super Bowl was a disappointing end to an otherwise successful season.

This season, the Patriots put an exclamation on a perfect season.

No. 6 Concord-Carlisle defeated Oliver Ames 42-9 in Saturday’s Division 3 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium, completing a perfect 13-0 season for the Dual County Small champions.

“Today was just a great fulfillment of a long process,” Concord-Carlisle coach Mike Robichaud said.

After the Tigers kicked a field goal to make it 7-3 in the first quarter, the Patriots ran off 35 consecutive points to put the game away. George Craan tallied 122 yards on 18 carries and found the end zone on runs of 4, 9 and 12 yards. The senior was complimented by backfield mates Tyquan Culbreath (10 carries, 81 yards, 1 TD) and Tim Badgley (6 carries, 91 yards) as the Patriots racked up 298 yards on the ground.

Senior Henry Bumpus, a 6-foot-6 target who played through an illness during last season’s defeat to the Green Dragons, caught TD passes of 20 yards and 14 yards and added an interception on defense for good measure.

“Last year was such a bitter loss, it stayed with us,” Bumpus said. “We worked so hard in the offseason to get back here.”

Oliver Ames (7-5) was led by Sam Langston, who ran 14 times for 60 yards, caught a 49 yard pass and scored from 3 yards out in the fourth quarter.

Ahead of Saturday's big games, Globe High Schools sports editor Bob Holmes and Zuri Berry preview the four Eastern Massachusetts Super Bowls at Gillette Stadium, including BC High vs. Needham, Concord-Carlisle vs. Oliver Ames, Tewksbury vs. Duxbury and Cardinal Spellman vs. Mashpee. Part 2 of the Huddle's Super Bowl preview is on its way.

For past episodes of The Huddle, go to boston.com/huddle. Subscribe to The Huddle in iTunes (video). (Also available in audio only.)

Concord-Carlisle's George Craan ran for 222 yards and four touchdowns as his team beat Holliston for a Division 3 Super Bowl berth.

By Zuri Berry, Globe Staff

Thanksgiving, in all of its glory, tradition, and sleepless nights around here, has passed. That leaves us with nothing but playoffs and Super Bowls to ponder.

There are 16 games on Tuesday to account for and we cover a number of them in the latest edition of The Huddle, including the Division 1 matchup between Chelmsford and BC High, Concord-Carlisle vs. Holliston, King Philip against Duxbury, Everett vs. Lynn English and more.

On Friday, we'll come back with another special episode of The Huddle to preview Saturday's Super Bowls.

Until then.

For past episodes of The Huddle, go to boston.com/huddle. Subscribe to The Huddle in iTunes (video). (Also available in audio only.)

By Jason Mastrodonato, Globe Correspondent

Concord-Carlisle senior Mikey O’Brien opened the letter last Monday.

He read it through, saw something about being an All-American and immediately passed it off to his sister, Andrea O'Brien.

“I think there was a mistake,” he said.

It must have been for Andrea, a junior on the girls’ soccer team who was No. 2 in the state in scoring this season with 34 goals and nine assists. She looked at it and realized it wasn’t. It was for Mikey, and he still couldn’t believe it.

“Leave it to Mikey,” said C-C boys’ soccer coach Ray Pavlik. “He had it for a day and passed it off as nothing.”

O’Brien is believed to be the first All-American in program history. His 18 goals in 16 games was just a thumbprint of the mark he left on Concord-Carlisle soccer, ranking in the top five for career points and earning the respect of the area’s top coaches. He played a major part in two state titles in previous years and an EMass title in 2011.

Naturally, Andrea received similar notification later that week. She too was an All-American.

Andrea returns next season to try to lift her C-C squad to a better finish than this year, when the Patriots were ousted by Peabody in the Division 1 North quarterfinals.

By Craig Forde, Globe Correspondent

The fifth annual Kicks for Cancer boys high school soccer festival, which has raised $43,000 toward fighting cancer since its inception, will be held this Saturday at Concord-Carlisle High School.

What began as a one game event in 2007 has now become a six-game affair, doubling in size from a year ago when six teams participated in three games that raised $15,000 for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute last year.

“We wanted to try to grow the event last year, but we only had one field available,” said Concord-Carlisle athletic director Barry Haley. “Now, with the new fields we have the opportunity to do just that.”

This year’s festivities will showcase 12 of the top teams in the region, with two games being played simultaneously on the new side-by-side turf fields at Concord-Carlisle and will feature teams from the Middlesex, Bay State and Dual County leagues.

A hilltop perch at one end of the fields will provide fans with ample views of all of the action while the level ground on the opposite end will draw fans closer to the action.

“It is a loud, lively environment,” said Concord-Carlisle head coach Ray Pavlik. “The intensity around the whole facility picks up.”

Kicks for Cancer was created in memory of Lois Wells, a Concord resident and mother of former Concord-Carlisle goalie and current assistant coach Steve Wells. She passed away in 2007 after battling cancer.

“The event has turned into something special and so many people want to get involved with it,” Pavlik said. “These other teams that are participating have sacrificed their time and have given up a home game just to be a part of it and it’s amazing.”

The players will pay tribute by wearing specialized jerseys stitched with the names of loved ones who have been directly affected by cancer, a tradition in the festival.

“It’s a way for them to say we’re thinking of you and you’re in our minds,” said Pavlik. “These kids take great pride in this event and they know that there is something bigger that they are playing for.”

Spectators can enter drawings at the event to win vacation packages, an electronics bundle, Boston Bruins tickets, dinner-for-four and much more. There will also be plenty of concessions available, including barbecue and a gourmet grilled cheese truck. Some local youth teams will get the chance to participate in a halftime exhibition.

Tickets for a full day of great soccer action are $5 for children and $10 for adults. Donations are being accepted at http://cchsmenssoccer.com/kfc.html and clicking on the “Donate Now!!” tab. All proceeds benefit the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

Kicks for Cancer has raised $43,000 since its inception and with double the action this year, they hope to raise $30,000 towards advancing cancer research.

“You do feel that at the end of the day that you’ve made a difference,” concluded Pavlik. “It has been the highlight of my season since we started it.”

What: Kicks for Cancer
When: 3 p.m. Lexington vs. Belmont (TURF 1), Brookline vs. Newton North (TURF 2); 5:15 p.m. Reading vs. Woburn (TURF), Stoneham vs. Wakefield (TURF 2); 7:30 p.m. Concord-Carlisle vs. Lincoln Sudbury (TURF 1), Acton-Boxborough vs. Wayland (TURF 2).
Where: Concord-Carlisle High School
Price: $5 for children, $10 for adults
Information: http://cchsmenssoccer.com/kfc.html