By Cat Calsolaro, Globe Correspondent

Here are some tidbits for you to consider in girls' lacrosse this week to start the spring season.

1. 300 and counting -- Winchester head coach Suzanne Ontso captured her 300th career win April 6 in a 17-5 triumph over Belmont. Ontso is in her 19th season at Winchester.

2. Tough loss for Needham -- Needham will be without senior Sarah Morse this season after tearing her ACL in a preseason scrimmage. The Rockets' two other seniors are Maddie Stenberg and Molly Strakosch.

3. New to the head coaching ranks -- Kathleen McCullough steps up from assistant coach to head coach at Medfield. Jason Heim, who coached the varsity team for five years, decided to coach the junior varsity team.

4. Another changeover -- After eight seasons, John McVeigh resigns as Andover's head coach and Liz Keady will take over. McVeigh led the Golden Warriors to eight Merrimack Valley Conference championships and a 158-30 record.

5. Record-breaking performance -- Winchester senior attacker and Harvard-commit Megan Hennessey has set two new school records already this season: she passed Lauren Sullivan for the points mark with 333, and her 117 assists pushes her ahead of Katie Brooks for the program’s all-time lead.

This season, Needham's Maddy Ganser has stepped up as a leader on the girls basketball team. A vocal captain who leads by example, Ganser is looking to make the most of her final season in Needham before heading to Holy Cross to play basketball next year.

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).

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.

By Zuri Berry, Boston.com Staff

Weymouth quarterback Dave Harrison threw four touchdowns Friday night against Needham, but none more pivotal than his 21-yard strike to Tyler O'Brien with 20 seconds remaining. See all the highlights of Friday's electric game here.

By Craig Forde, Globe Correspondent

WEYMOUTH – After seventy minutes of scoreless action the Needham and Weymouth boys’ soccer teams exchanged late goals off of penalty kicks as the Bay State Carey powers battled to a 1-1 draw at Mullen Field on Wednesday.

“You knew it was going to be a battle,” said Needham coach Don Brock as two of the top ranked teams in EMass got together for the first of two meetings.

The fourth-ranked Rockets (2-1-2) got on the board first with nine minutes left on the clock as senior captain Mac Steeves unloaded on a free kick from 35-yards out, hooking it into the top right corner for his third goal of the season.

Five minutes later Wildcats senior captain Jack Lynch was hauled down in the box on a throw in, setting up a penalty kick that he buried on the right side of the net, just past the out-stretched arms of goalie Adam Lassman (six saves), evening things up with just four minutes left in the game.

Down three starting midfielders due to injury, the Rockets used the 6-4 Steeves all over the field, utilizing his size in the midfield to clog things up and frustrate the Weymouth offense.

“They came in with a great plan,” said Weymouth coach Bill McEachern of Needham. “They kept Mac back and packed it in and made it difficult for us.”

“We sort of surprised everybody,” said Brock of shifting Steeves, who is one of the premier forwards in the state. “We pulled him back to play midfield to tighten up the defense a little bit. Plus we figured he could do just what he did, which is score from anywhere out there with the shot that he’s got.”

The seventh-ranked Wildcats (5-0-1) got another solid effort out of junior keeper Lucas Rezende-Verge, who came up with 11 stops on the night to keep his team in the game.

“He does a great job at communicating and getting off of his line, making the backs lives easier,” said McEachern of his goalie. “That’s the biggest asset back there.”

Duxbury won the Division 1 championship on Wednesday night at Harvard Stadium, defeating Needham, 10-8, to extend its in-state winning streak to 37 games and give Chris Sweet his ninth trophy in 11 years.

But at least Needham made it interesting.

The Rockets (16-5) were right there with the Dragons in the first half, but couldn’t make enough stops to put together a run. Each time Needham scored a goal, Duxbury responded within three minutes. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that the Rockets were able to score back-to-back goals, rallying for four straight to cut the lead to two.

After Nico Panepinto scored his fourth of the game with less than eight minutes remaining, cutting the lead to 10-6, the Dragons picked up three penalties and were stuck playing with three defenseman. Needham scored twice in the next two minutes, but couldn’t keep the momentum once Duxbury was again at full strength.

Needham goalie Lucas Davis made some huge stops, but seven of 10 Duxbury goals were assisted. The Dragons are trained to make that extra pass, find the open man and bury the easy ones.

Sweet’s son, Sam, scored three times as a perfect send-off in his final game playing under his dad.

By Hannah Becker, Globe Correspondent

While the top remains mostly the same with Needham hanging strong to the No. 1 spot, there were some big changes in this week's Top 20, the final one of the regular season.

Concord-Carlisle had a rough second half of the season, finishing at 12-6. The Patriots lost to both Norwell and Framingham, teams that were at the bottom of the rankings and completely out of it, respectively.

The losses coupled with the overall record, drop the Patriots all the way down to the No. 19 slot. Norwell, which also beat Duxbury, jumps from No. 20 to No. 18, while Framingham makes its way into the line-up at No. 20.

The Ipswich Tigers also made a jump from the No. 16 slot to No. 10, finishing the season a strong 13-3.

Duxbury, which received a No. 1 seed the Division 2 South for the MIAA tournament, finishes at 13-4-2 in the No. 15 spot.

Westford also had a strong end to its season, finishing at 16-4 in the No. 8 spot.

The Andover Golden Warriors (17-3) finished the season on an eight-game winning streak, solidifying themselves in the No. 6 spot. They're three loses have kept them from breaking into the strong all-Division 1 Top 5, but come tournament time, Andover could upset one of the top seeds.

On the other end of the spectrum, Archbishop Williams finishes at 18-2, but the Bishops play a weaker schedule. Their record gained them a No. 9 seed in the South Division 2 bracket and a first round bye. But the Bishops will have to put on a strong performance to avoid an upset.

By Hannah Becker, Globe Correspondent

For the first time this season, there is not a new No. 1 in the Globe's girls' lacrosse Top 20. In fact, the top six team all remain in tact.

Needham (No. 1), Winchester (No. 2), Lincoln-Sudbury (No. 3), Notre Dame Hingham (No. 4) and Westwood (No. 5) all finished their week without a loss, keeping them in the top five slots.

Andover stays at No. 6 despite also winning out this week to push their winning streak to eight games. Their three losses keeps them from breaking into the top 5.

Concord-Carlisle jumped over Reading in the standings, after defeating the Rockets 13-10 Saturday.

Wayland and Central Catholic both had tough weeks with multiple losses, shifting them down in the standings. Those two teams' downward movement left room for Westford and North Andover, each 12-4 to slide up to No. 12 and No. 14 respectively.

After re-enetering the standings for the first time since week 1 last week, Wellesley has gone on a solid five-game winning streak to keep themselves in the Top 20 at No. 19.

Taking over the bubble position is Norwell, which entered the rankings for the first time last week, but had a multiple-loss week to slide them down to No. 20.

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 Hannah Becker, Globe Correspondent

The Needham controlled the opening draw, and thus the game as the No. 5 Mustangs (15-1) defeated No. 4 Westwood (11-2) 12-10 in girls’ lacrosse action on Thursday afternoon.

Needham took the opening draw straight down the field for the first goal and their first lead. While the game went back and forth for the majority of the first half, the Mustangs were able to dominate on the draws, which head coach Beth O’Brien said was the key to winning the game.

“When two great, talented, competitive teams play, the draws are huge,” O’Brien said. “Absolutely, it was probably one of our biggest things. We didn’t want to allow them to have the ball.”

Needham went up by two goals in the first half, before taking a yellow card that put them down a man for two minutes. Westwood was able to take control and tie the score with two man-advantage goals. The Wolverines kept the momentum rolling scoring two more to take a two-goal lead on the Mustangs.

Needham got the two goals back and goaltender Annee O’Connor made a big save at the end of the half to send the two squads into the break tied at 7-7. The sophomore had eight saves on the afternoon.

“Balls are going to go into the net, especially against a potent offense like Westwood,” O’Brien said. “Annee and I have been talking about making the best saves at the right time and she certainly made that big save at the end of the half. And she made some big saves in the second half that were momentum changing.”

During halftime, O’Brien stressed to her team that the second half was like a new game. With the scored knotted up, all they had to do was win the draws and control the pace and they could pull off the upset.

“I said, ‘Guys, you’ve played really really hard, now you’ve got to go back out and you have to take it up a notch,' ” O’Brien said.

The Mustangs took the lead in the second half and never relinquished it, although Westwood gave them a run.

“It was really tight,” said O’Brien. “We were up by three and then they chipped back and we had to hold on to the ball and fight for the last five minutes.”

The Wolverines scored with just over four minutes to play to cut Needham’s lead to two, 12-10. The Mustangs played a stalling game for the last four minutes to take the win.

Needham’s offense was led by Catherine Conley’s three goals and assists and Maddie Stenberg contributed two goals and two assists.

O’Brien noted that freshman Audrey Walsh had a standout game with two goals and an assist.

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

Finally, after eight games, the seventh-ranked Wellesley boys’ lacrosse team was able to put it all together.

With a ton of preseason hype surrounding Penn State-bound goalie Connor Darcey and the rest of the Wellesley squad, two early losses to Billerica and Concord-Carlisle may have deflated that some.

But after the Raiders (6-2) stormed back from a four-goal deficit to defeat sixth-ranked Needham (4-3), 10-9, in overtime Wednesday afternoon, it might be safe to start up the hype machine again.

Just don’t run it so hard this time.

“For at least those 12 minutes, we hit our stride,” said coach Rocky Batty. “If we can stay where we are, we’ll play anybody right now.”

Led by juniors Nico Panepinto and Robbie Pisano, the Rockets held an 8-4 lead late in the third quarter, but Wellesley senior John Caraviello scored with 28 seconds left to turn the tide. With Needham a man down, Caraviello had some time and let one rip from about 10 yards out.

The Raiders then scored the next four goals, including two by senior Adam Horelick – who played the game of his life, according to Batty – but Pisano found the net for Needham with 1:33 left to send the game into overtime.

Darcey made two big stops in OT before senior Peter Crane finished things off with his third goal of the game as the Raiders claimed some local pride. Darcey finished with 20 saves.

“The key was we had possession the whole game,” Batty said. “I think we did a great job on faceoffs and Darcey had a huge game. He made great saves, great clears that protected us and the defense locked out.”

After St. John's High (Shrewsbury) beat St. John's Prep and Masconomet beat Billerica on Tuesday, there's sure to be some shuffling in the rankings come next Monday.

If you're looking for a big game to get to on Thursday, here's three:
No. 13 Weston @ No. 9 Westford Academy, 5 p.m.
No. 2 Concord-Carlisle @ No. 14 Acton-Boxborough, 5:30
No. 3 Lincoln-Sudbury @ No. 1 Duxbury, 6

In other boys’ lacrosse news, Archbishop Williams senior attack Cam Joyce passed the 300-point mark for his career, according to the school’s Twitter feed. Joyce, who broke his collarbone last year, is AW’s all-time leading scorer. He will play at Southern New Hampshire next fall.

By Justin A. Rice, Globe Correspondent

BOSTON — Needham junior Cory Michelson earned his first varsity victory Tuesday, beating host Boston English, 12-6.

“It’s good to get it off my chest, get it done with,” said Michelson (1-1), who allowed 1 hit in three innings while striking out 2 and walking 4. “I really wasn’t feeling it but I was able to get out of the jams I created for myself. It was all walks, they weren’t hitting well.”

Needham scored three runs in the first inning and four in the third before going up, 12-0, in the fifth. The Rockets were led by senior outfielder Marco Ciavattone, who went 2 for 2 with three RBIs and junior infielder Haydn Cooper was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI.

Boston English got on the board in the fifth when shortstop Miguel Carldon’s double knocked in center fielder Wanderson Pinades. Carldon scored on a wild pitch. In the seventh, Carldon hit another RBI double — this one over the center fielder's head — that also scored Pinades.

English took advantage of several errors to score three more runs in the seventh.

“The coach said ‘Let’s go, let’s go’ and we did the best we can do,” Carldon said of his team’s offensive spark at the end of the game. “He said ‘You guys can do this.’”

English assistant coach, Victor Figueroa, who filled in as head coach, said the team has been waiting for its bats to come alive for two games.

“The last two games we left about 14 or 15 runners on base,” he said. “We needed that and the fielding was better today. Eventually we will get it together, our offense, defense and pitching. Overall it was a good game. We had fun and that’s what it’s all about.”

Needham (2-3) broke a two-game losing streak against English (2-3).

“It’s always great,” Needham coach John Freitas said of Michelson getting his first victory. “He’s a junior and unfortunately this is his second start and he’s thrown quite a few pitches. He gutted it out. He had a little extra when he needed it. We took advantage of walks and errors but a win is a win.

"We’ll take it after losing two in a row.”

Justin A. Rice can be reached at jrice.globe@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeJustinRice or @BPSspts.

Duxbury's Kane Haffey celebrated a goal against St. John's Prep in boys high school state lacrosse championships last June. Duxbury is primed for another state title run. (Adam Hunger / File photo for the Boston Globe)

By Jason Mastrodonato, Globe Correspondent

Early season rankings (or preseason rankings, still, for some teams) are always difficult to craft considering we haven’t seen a lot of these teams in action yet, and most of the coaches don’t even know what they’re squad is going to give them.

But at least at the very top of the Boston Globe boys lacrosse Top 20, the choice was easy.

There’s little doubt around Massachusetts that Duxbury is the clear No. 1. Boasting a slew of Division 1 recruits (12, to be exact) and eight of the last 10 state championship trophies, the Dragons have gained national attention as one of the premier teams in the country. But that doesn’t mean no one else has a chance.

Of the other “Big Four” teams – Lincoln-Sudbury, St. John’s Prep and Billerica – No. 2 L-S appears most primed to make a run. The Warriors had an up-and-down season last year filled with injuries, but a lot of young players earned some valuable experience and coach Brian Vona will have a ton of talent to work with.

No. 6 St. John’s Prep is very raw, but talented, and John Roy always seems to have his team in top form by tournament time, and that’s when it counts.

No. 7 Billerica, meanwhile, could really sneak up on people. The Indians are being discounted after the graduation of Grant Whiteway, but Cam Slatton and Ben Melaugh have formed a dangerous 1-2 punch at the attack, on perfect display during a 6-5 win over Wellesley on Thursday when the two combined for four goals and three assists. And with goalie DJ Smith between the pipes, the typical hard-nosed Billerica defense could give any team trouble.

At No. 3, Needham is full of promise. They’ve gained national attention in some rankings and David Wainwright returns 10 seniors, mostly on the defensive side. But with the graduation of All-American Will Stenberg, sophomore UMass-Amherst commit Mike Panepinto was expected to play a huge role, and he suffered a broken collar bone in the preseason that could keep him out all year. His brother, Nico, is a scoring threat, though, and while Needham could be one of the first teams to fall from the top-five, don’t count them out. The Rockets might just need some time to peak.

No. 5 Wellesley is loaded with talent, including All-American goalie Connor Darcey, but there’s a lot of football players on that roster and their over-aggressive style could haunt them with too many man-down situations. If the offense can score, this team could be as good as it gets.

No. 4 seems like a good spot for Medfield, which lost its coach and starting goalie, among others, but remains very deep as usual. It’s all about going back to basics for the Warriors, and if John Isaf and Mike Douglas can get their players to buy in, a three-peat is possible.

No. 14 Acton-Boxboro has a chance to really surprise people this year. The Colonials are athletic, and their schedule is tough, so if they can stay healthy and get better as the season goes on, they should be dangerous.

At the bottom of the list, Newton North is an intriguing team. Perhaps not a squad with the most talent, but there’s some serious size on that defense, and long-time head coach Bussy Adam has 14 returning players. A lot rides on junior goalie John Hogan.

Remember, there’s a lot of season to be played, and this list could look entirely different in a few weeks. See the full Globe boys lacrosse Top 20.

Qualms, comments, story ideas or anything else? Email me at jasonmastrodonato@yahoo.com

Last five out (in alphabetical order): Andover, Cohasset, Foxborough, Lexington, Walpole

@JMastrodonato

Westwood's Wolverines celebrated their state championship in 2011. The defending champions come back as the No. 2 team in the Globe Top 20. (Mark Wilson / For the Boston Globe)

By Ryan Mooney, Globe Correspondent

The first thing one might question upon first glance at the Boston Globe girls lacrosse Top 20 is the placement of Westwood.

Some will wonder why the Lady Wolverines are in the No. 2 slot instead of at the top, while others wonder why they are ranked second and not further back. So let’s just lay out the facts, because they speak for themselves.

Westwood only has five returning starters. Of them, three are seniors. All three of those seniors -- Kate Rich, Laura McHoul, and three-year starting goaltender Mollie Brown -- are committed to play lacrosse in college. Brown will play at Plymouth State, but Rich (Boston College) and McHoul (UNH) are headed for Division 1. They will give opponents headaches all season. The Lady Wolverines are also the defending Division 1 champions, and coach Leslie Frank has been fielding the most successful team in the state for the last decade.

Is Westwood a serious contender for the Division 1 title? Absolutely. The only thing that keeps them out of the top spot on this list is that they lost to Lincoln-Sudbury. The Warriors are expected to run away with Dual County League and contend for the Division 1 title, and they have already made a case for themselves by taking down Westwood in the season opener. Right now, they are the top team in the state.

Andover held off No. 9 Framingham on Wednesday to improve to 2-0, and is a serious threat in the North. Notre Dame has 10 returning starters and is currently unbeaten at 4-0. Hopkinton returns nine starters, and has a real chance to repeat in Division 2, which rounds out the top 5.

More than one Division 1 coach has stated how dangerous Needham looked throughout the preseason, and the Rockets won handily to open their season.

See the full Globe girls lacrosse Top 20.

Matthew J. Lee / Globe Staff

The Globe's Matthew J. Lee took a number of photographs from Monday night's play-in games at Lawler Arena at Merrimack College, featuring Central Catholic-Burlington and St. John's of Shrewsbury-Needham. You can find all of his photos in a photo gallery we've started for the Super 8 tournament. We'll update the gallery as the tournament gets going again Sunday.

By Craig Forde, Globe Correspondent

To get you ready for the Monday night Super 8 play-in games, here is a look at the competition, as well as information on how they fared against common opponents and fellow Super 8 teams this season.

Both games will be played at Merrimack College’s Lawler Arena.

St. John’s Shrewsbury vs. Needham, 5:45 p.m.
No. 9 St. John’s (15-4-3) – Twenty goal scorers Kevin Emmerling (24) and Vin D’Amato (22) create one of the most potent 1-2 offensive punches in the state. The defense is backed by a fleet of underclassmen with Andrew Smith providing the senior leadership for the group. Sophomore Mario Pizzeri has gotten the bulk of the work between the pipes, posting a 2.87 goals against average that will need to be tighter for them to move on. Thankfully for the Pioneers it has been of late, as St. John’s went 7-0 down the stretch, allowing only seven goals while posting three shutouts. The last time the Pioneers were in the Super 8 was back in 2003 when they lost a play-in game to Chelmsford. But despite it being nine years since their last appearance, head coach Brian Murphy, now in his 29th season, will certainly have his guys ready to go in this one.
No. 8 Needham (16-4-1) – The Rockets are a senior-laden squad that is well balanced in all aspects of the game. Forwards D.J. Walsh (15 goals, 19 assists) and Lucas Davis (17 goals, 13 assists) led the Bay State League champions in points this season, on a team that potted 89 total goals. Don’t let Timmy Parlato’s size fool you on defense. He is a force who can score goals (9) while throwing the body around with reckless abandon. In net Connor Murray has been solid, posting four shutouts for a team that allowed four goals in a game only two times this year. The Rockets made the Super 8 as the No. 6 seed last season and went 0-2-1 in pool play. Bill Guisti is about as amicable a coach as there is on the scene, but more importantly he knows his team belongs in the field of eight and will do everything to make sure they get there.

RECORDS VS. COMMON OPPONENTS (scores)
Coyle & Cassidy: SJ 1-0-0 (8-2); N 1-0-0 (3-1)
Springfield Cathedral: SJ 0-0-2 (2-2 & 3-3); N 0-1-1 (1-0)
Xavier, Conn.: SJ 2-0-0 (5-3 & 6-2); N 0-0-1 (3-3)
Xaverian: SJ 2-0-0 (7-5 & 3-1); N 1-0-0 (3-0)

RECORDS VS. SUPER 8 TEAMS
St. John’s : 0-3-3
Needham: 0-2-0

Central Catholic vs. Burlington, 8:15 p.m.
No. 10 Central Catholic (12-3-5) - These two teams are more than familiar with the play-in game, having both been there twice over the last three Super 8 tournaments. The Raiders have much to boast about coming out of a very strong MVC/DCL Div. 1 as league champs. Seniors Ryan Daigle and Jake Donahue have lived up to their roles as team captains this season. This is a team that doesn’t score a ton, having 69 goals on the season, but they do have a knack for holding leads once they get them. The difference maker for Central Catholic is goalie Kyle Williams, who is considered by many to be one of the best netminders in the state when he is on. Cool, calm and collected, the senior is capable of single-handedly stealing a game. The Raiders took out St. Mary’s in a play-in game a year ago, but did not advance past pool play after going 1-2. Coach Mike Jankowski is excited to have his team in this position and feels that they can go as Williams goes.
No. 7 Burlington (14-1-6) – The Red Devils can score in bunches, having netted five or more goals in ten games this year. Junior Joe Berardi leads the bunch with 22 goals while seniors Brett Romkey and Trevor Cimino have 17 apiece. C.J. Grinnell is a dynamic player with quickness who can do damage if he gets behind the opposing defense. Derek DeCastro has been a rock in net, posting a 1.83 goals against average to go with 3 shutouts. If the junior goalie gets hot and the offense continues to click after outscoring their last four opponents 25-9, then the Red Devils will do damage. The last time Burlington was in the Super 8 was in 2010 when they lost a play-in game to Xaverian in a shootout. Head coach Bob Conceison picked up his 300th win earlier this season and would certainly love to add a few more over the coming weeks.

RECORDS VS. COMMON OPPONENTS (scores)
Chelmsford: CC 2-0-0 (5-3 & 4-3); B 1-0-0 (7-3)

RECORDS VS. SUPER 8 TEAMS
Central Catholic: 0-1-0
Burlington: 0-0-0

Malden Catholic will defend its Super 8 title as the No. 1 seed in this year's tournament. (Barry Chin / Globe Staff)

The MIAA decided the final teams in this year's Super 8 boys ice hockey tournament, unanimously voting the Globe's No. 1 team and the tournament's defending champion Malden Catholic as the No. 1 seed.

Here are the seeds:

1. Malden Catholic (15-1-4)
2. St. Mary’s (18-0-3)
3. St. John’s Prep (13-5-2)
4. Hingham (16-4-2)
5. BC High (10-5-5)
6. Springfield Cathedral (10-6-6)
7. Burlington (14-1-6)
8. Needham (16-4-1)
9. St. John's Shrewsbury (15-4-3)
10. Central Catholic (12-3-5)

Seed Nos. 7-10 will play in play-in games on Monday at Merrimack College to determine which teams are in the final eight of the tournament. Needham will face St. John's Shrewsbury at 5:45 p.m. before Burlington faces Central Catholic at 8:15 p.m.

For more information on the Super 8 tournament, visit the Super 8 central on Boston.com.

By Craig Forde, Globe Correspondent

With just one last day of the regular season left, Thursday night provided some teams with their final chances to impress the selection committee before the Super 8 teams are chosen on Saturday.

The Springfield Cathedral Tournament carried the bulk of the Super 8 action on Thursday night, starting with No. 9 Needham (16-4-1) pulling out a 4-3 shootout victory over Hamden, Connecticut in the consolation game. For the sake of records it will go down as a 3-3 tie, putting the Rockets on the very bubble of things after an 0-1-1 showing out west.

No. 11 Springfield Cathedral (10-6-6) was unable to take down top-ranked Malden Catholic (15-1-4) in the championship game of their own tournament and based on history they may not get a Super 8 bid, as only one non-Catholic Conference team (St. John’s Shrewsbury in 2000) has made it with less than 12 wins. Add to that a tie against Division 3 Longmeadow and a combo of twelve wins and losses and the Panthers should start getting ready for some Division 1 South action next week.

Down on the Cape, No. 8 BC High (10-5-5) finally took down a team in regulation to earn their tenth win of the season with a 3-1 victory over Archbishop Williams that earned them the Cape Cod Classic title. Now, unlike Springfield Cathedral, the Eagles should get in with their win total, as numerous Catholic Conference teams have in the past. The last team to earn a spot in the Super 8 with only ten wins was Catholic Memorial in 2009, and they were the top seed. There is no way that the Eagles will get that honor, but they may have slid into the secure six based on a very tough schedule.

No. 5 Burlington (14-1-6) rolled over Chelmsford 7-3 in the final of the Cahoon Tournament, which should certainly lock them into the field of ten. Now the committee must determine if their body of work is strong enough for a top six slot. Of the five Middlesex League teams to make the Super 8 in the last three seasons, all were relegated to play-in games.

No. 7 Marshfield (18-2-2) won the South of Boston Shootout with a 4-1 victory over Bridgewater-Raynham. The defending Division 1 champs have been looking to make the jump to the Super 8 since last season ended, but have been met with some skepticism along the way. How about this for their case; they are tied with St. Mary’s for most wins in Division 1 (18), they have a goal differential of +42 and a 1.77 per game goals against average. It they are not selected for at least a play-in game than the Rams will have a very solid gripe on their hands.

LAST CHANCE TO DANCE
No. 12 Westford Academy (13-4-3) vs. No. 18 Milton (16-3-2), Fri., 8 p.m. (Irish American Shootout) - It may not be enough for either team, since all other contenders are securely parked in the garage...but it's nice to think that the final game of the regular season will have some bearing on the final decision making process.

By Craig Forde, Globe Correspondent

In a crossover matchup of Bay State League division leaders, the upstart Norwood (11-2-4, 8-0-4) boys' hockey team kept its unbeaten league mark intact and put a dent in eighth-ranked Needham's Super 8 resume, with a 4-3 win in Wellesley Wednesday night.

The Mustangs' relentless forecheck from the jump allowed them to frustrate the Rockets into numerous turnovers in the neutral zone.

That early pressure led to early goals as Peter Kelly and Mike Murray scored 35 seconds apart, giving Norwood a 2-0 lead before four minutes had run off the clock.

“To get off on a quick foot like that was good,” said Norwood coach Bill Clifford. “I told our kids to go to the net, get shots on the net, and we’ve been doing that the last few games and it’s paying off for us.”

The Rockets (12-3, 9-2) came out with more purpose in the second period, tightening the reins on defense and creating more plays in the offensive zone.

Chris Lambert put the Rockets on the board at the 7:53 mark, knocking home a bouncing puck on the left doorstep to make it 2-1.

Despite Needham’s continued efforts, the Mustangs were determined to head to the locker room with another two-goal lead when they scored with 1:18 left in the period on a beautiful feed by Tyler Gover (three assists) from behind the net to captain Brendan Cathcart out front, who snapped the puck glove side for a 3-1 lead.

As the period was winding down, Rockets captain Lucas Davis worked the play near the left side of the crease, and with Jordan Davis (21 saves) down to cover his shot, Lucas Davis slid the puck to his right finding James Fisher, who buried it with 12 seconds left in the period.

Once again Norwood got the jump on the Rockets to start the final period and just 2:23 into the frame, Mark Powers worked the puck behind the net, faked to his right, and wrapped the puck in on his left side, putting the Mustangs ahead, 4-2, deflating Needham.

With an extra attacker on the ice, Needham cocaptain Timmy Parlato scored with just 12.6 seconds remaining in the game.

“We did a good job along the boards, our forecheck was good, defense and zone coverage was good,” said Clifford. “They’ve been working hard all year and it’s starting to pay off for them.”

By Anthony Gulizia, Globe Correspondent

FOXBOROUGH – After the Needham Rockets opened the game with a successful onside kick and a touchdown, it appeared as if the Bay State conference champions were going to give BC High a battle.

But it was the Eagles’ game from there, as they racked up three straight scores to beat Needham 21-7 and capture the Division 1 Super Bowl title.

Senior running back Deontae Ramey-Doe powered BC High (10-3), rushing for 200 yards and three touchdowns. BC High finished with 360 yards total, 300 of which came from the rushing attack.

“When I first stepped in [to Gillette], it was huge I was really nervous,” Ramey-Doe said. “I’ve never been on a bigger stage. My mindset was to run as hard as I could and trust the linemen, and everything would be there.”

After Ramey-Doe’s third score, the Rockets were forced to play catch-up. But the Eagles defense, which finished the season averaging 13.3 points per game, refused to break.

Needham (9-4) had the ball on its own 43-yard line and trailed BC High 21-7 with 3:20 left in the game, and the Rockets needed to score fast.

Sophomore quarterback Ryan Charter got his team to BC High’s 22-yard line, but he threw his fourth interception of the game at the 8-yard line.

“We thought they were going to throw the ball more today with our run defense,” BC High coach Jon Bartlett said. “Their sophomore quarterback had a good game today, but our defense came up with some big turnovers.”

Needham had another chance to make it a one-possession game after Ramey-Doe fumbled on the 45-yard line with 6:06 remaining in the game, but senior running back Mike Vespa was stuffed on fourth-and-two.

BC High’s defense gave up just 85 yards in the first half, and looked even sharper after the break as they grabbed three interceptions.

“A couple of them could have been caught, but BC High’s defense is one of the best in the state,” Needham coach Dave Duffy said. “We had our opportunities, but give them credit, they’re a great football team and deserve to be Division 1 state football champs.

On the Rockets third play to start the half, BC High senior Yosa Nosamiefan tipped a pass from Charter, and senior Gordon McLeod made a diving catch for the interception.

The Eagles used 13 plays to go 75 yards and erased 6:40 off the clock, as Ramey-Doe finished the drive with a 1-yard score.

In the first half, the Eagles used two runs from Ramey-Doe to take a 14-7 lead on the Rockets at the break.

Vespa capped the Rockets’ opening drive with a 5-yard touchdown reception, but Ramey-Doe answered Needham’s touchdown with a 5-yard score of his own, then in the second quarter he broke loose for a 91-yard score.

The Rockets punted to the Eagles 9-yard line, but Ramey-Doe ran behind the blocking of senior Jameson McShea and got a crushing block from wide receiver John Arens.

“We were just keeping our composure, we knew big plays were going to happen,” Ramey-Doe said. “We knew sometimes we were going to be in holes, but we just had to dig ourselves out of it.”

The win is BC High’s second title in three years, as they beat Brockton in 2008.

“It’s been what I’ve [been] waiting for my whole life,” senior quarterback Bartley Regan said. “Our defense has been phenomenal all year, and Deontae did a great job and stepped in when Preston [Cooper] went down. But you got to give credit to the O-line, they made every hole open and it came down to them.”

By Zuri Berry, Globe Staff

You'd think with a matching record, Needham would come with as much hype as their opponent in Saturday's Division 1 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium, BC High.

At 9-3, they're not even close.

The Needham Rockets are ranked No. 12 in the Globe Top 20, nine spots behind the BC High Eagles at No. 3. The reasons for which are simple: BC High's losses were to top ranked teams in New Jersey (DePaul Catholic and St. Peter's Prep) and to the state's unanimous No. 1 team, Everett.

Needham, a team that was in Division 1A last season (the Bay State Carey flip flopped with the Greater Boston League, much to Everett's chagrin) lost to Mansfield, Natick and Framingham.

But when it came down to it, the Rockets won big games to get to this point. And they've overcome adversity while doing so, just like BC High. Senior quarterback Drew Burnett went down with an ankle injury against Milton Oct. 15, leaving the team's quarterback duties in the hands of sophomore Ryan Charter. And then running back Ian Riley (10 touchdowns) went down against Natick Oct. 28 with a shoulder injury.

If you didn't know any better, you'd think Needham was decimated. But the Rockets have mobilized around Charter, who has shown poise, and coach Dave Duffy and his staff have found ways to get his team in the end zone with regularity. They've put up 42 points in each of their last two games. The Rockets walloped Wellesley 42-18 with Charter throwing four touchdown passes.

"Getting to this point, we thought we'd get here maybe at the beginning of the year because we were so good and the seniors were so good," Duffy said. "And then we had some injuries. We were worried that the wheels were going to fall off the wagon. But the junior class rallied on the defense and the seniors rallied around the new quarterback. We miss Drew Burnett and Ian Riley greatly but the kids rallied and we had some big wins at the end of the season to put us here."

Charter, Duffy says, is doing a great job after coming in for Burnett.

"He's doing excellent," Duffy said. "He's managing the game very well. His throws are spot on. The receivers are helping him out by getting open. And the line is giving him protection. So everything is working out. And he's been doing a great job. He's very poised. If he makes a mistake it doesn't matter. He just goes back to the next play and does a good job. And he hasn't really made many mistakes, mentally or physically. So he's learning. I think this is his sixth game starting. As much as we miss Drew, Ryan's doing a great job."

Beating BC High, however, will be a complicated task given the talents on the Eagles team and the size of the offensive and defensive lines.

"Our defense is going to have to stop the base running game," Duffy said. "We have an experienced secondary. I know [Bartley Regan] can throw very well, but if we don't stop that base running game we're going to be in for a long afternoon. On offense, if we can get some first downs and keep the ball out of their hands, that'll help us too."

BC High, for its part, is not taking Needham lightly.

"They have real good skill guys, they have a stingy defense," said BC High coach Jon Bartlett. "So we have to get pressure on the [quarterback]. He's been throwing the ball well recently. We need to get pressure on him, don't give him time. And then offensively, we have to establish the run and be able to pass as well."

Said BC High captain and Temple recruit Jameson McShea: "They pull a lot, so our defensive line has to hold on the line of scrimmage. They like to pass a lot so our secondary has to be lock down."

Key for BC High is getting the ball in the hands of senior running back Deontae Ramey-Doe. He's been a catalyst for the Eagles since last year's Catholic Conference offensive player of the year Preston Cooper went down with a broken ankle against Everett Oct. 22.

"Losing Preston was a big loss," Bartlett said. "But as we told the guys, we have some other good players as well. And we rallied. We told the guys we could either feel sorry for ourselves and not play well the rest of the year, or we can rally and play as a team and use that as motivation. The kids have responded really well with the loss of Preston."

Needham, in turn, will try and inject some imagination on offense to matchup. They'll be looking to get the ball to receiver and tight end Mark Riley, who has 15 touchdowns on the year.

"We have some new stuff in for [Riley]," Duffy said. "We'll try to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers as much as we can. The offensive coordinator has been doing a great job doing that. We're probably a little overmatched size wise up front. We have to come up with creative things to try to balance it."

The 6 p.m. matchup at Gillette Stadium will be the marquee Super Bowl in a day full of championships. It's particularly special for Needham, which had never won a playoff game prior to Tuesday.

"We're excited. We won the Bay State league outright for the first time in over 40 years," Duffy said. "We won our first playoff game. Now we're standing here at Gillette. And I think the kids are gonna be excited. We're glad to be here. We've realized how hard we've worked to get here. So we're going to try to make the best of it while we're here. I was telling the kids at the banquet last Sunday, the greatest thing I can say is 'I'll see you tomorrow at practice.' "

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.)

By Zuri Berry, Globe Staff

Bob Holmes, the Globe's high schools sports editor, puts Everett quarterback Jonathan DiBiaso's state record for touchdown passes in perspective in this week's edition of The Huddle. Also, highlights from Natick's 49-24 win over Needham and a look ahead at Bridgewater-Raynham against Barnstable.

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

Video by Cal Borchers for Boston.com

Needham held off a rally by Weymouth and ended up beating the Globe's No. 5 team for a huge upset Saturday. Watch the highlights above.

By Seth Lakso, Globe Correspondent

With less than two minutes remaining in the game, freshman Katie Belva scored her first career varsity goal on a header from freshman Kayla Steeves to give the Rockets (4-3) a 2-1 win over Natick.

Needham started the scoring in the first half when sophomore Clara Nowlan picked up her first career varsity goal.

But with just minutes remaining in the first the Red & Blue tied the game, when Taylor Flutie connected on a shot.

In the second half, the game went back-and-forth with Natick’s Lexi Gifford making several nice plays on defense to keep the game even before Belval’s game winner slipped past.

“We’re a very young team,” said Needham coach Carl Tarabelli. “After graduating 12 seniors off last year's team, it’s nice to see us making progress. Being as young as we are I’m very excited for the way this team played.”

By Michael Grossi, Globe correspondent

NORTH ANDOVER -- John Concannon scored with 5:28 left in the game to give Woburn a 2-2 tie with Needham in their final Super 8 game.

Since both teams were out of contention for the crossover games, the game did not go to overtime.

In the second period, Needham scored twice in less than two minutes to take a 2-1 lead into the final frame. DJ Walsh tied the game at 1-1 with 9:42 remaining after tipping a point shot on net and then banging home his own rebound. Timmy Parlato followed with 7:48 remaining. Parlato scored on a seeing-eye wrister from the point with 1 second left on a power play.

Daniel Holland gave the Tanners a 1-0 lead with 10:14 remaining in the second period by chipping the puck over Needham goalie Connor Murray.

End of 3rd period: Needham 2, Woburn 2 -- John Concannon tied the game with 5:28 to play, sweeping in a loose puck.

End of 2nd period: Needham 2, Woburn 1 -- Woburn took a 1-0 lead after Daniel Holland chipped a rebound over Needham's Connor Murray. However, the Rockets tied the game 32 seconds later on a goal by DJ Walsh. Walsh tipped a Scott Atkinson point shot on goal and then banged home his own rebound. The Rockets took a 2-1 lead on a power play goal by Timmy Parlato. Parlato's shot from the point took a funny bounce and squeezed past Woburn's Cam McGlashing.

End of 1st period: Woburn 0, Needham 0 -- No scoring in the first period but there were a few quality opportunities for both squads. Needham's Sam Nickles had a short-handed breakaway but was stoned by McGlashing. The Tanners went 0-2 on the power play. Woburn outshot the Rockets, 12-6.

By Jake Seiner/Globe Correspondent

Final, St. John's Prep 5, Needham 1 -- More dominant play from the Eagles in the third backed by goals from Devin Murray and Shane Eiserman, and Prep skates away with the victory to move to 2-0 in Super 8 play. With a win tonight from BC High or a win Sunday over BC High, St. John's Prep can guarantee itself a spot in the crossover round.

End of 2nd period, St. John's Prep 3, Needham 1-- The Eagle lead stays at two thanks to a goal from Colin Blackwell 57 seconds into the frame. The senior charged the Needham zone for a one-on-two, but by the team he reached the hashes, he'd already deked through both defenders. Blackwell roofed the puck by Murray from right atop the doorstep.

Needham had consecutive power-play chances right after the Blackwell goal, but failed to convert, and didn't get on the board until the 2:08 remained in the frame. No word on Rocket forward DJ Walsh's religious views, but either way, the junior's Ash Wednesday prayers were answered when he whipped a desperation centering pass into a pack of Prep defenders. The puck bounced off an Eagle leg and skidded five-hole on goalie David Letarte, cutting the deficit to 3-1.

End of 1st period, St. John's Prep 2, Needham 0 -- Freshman Shane Eiserman put the Eagles on the board first, but credit should really go to senior Harvard-commit Colin Blackwell. The standout broke from the left halfwall with the puck and emerged with it in the slot after deking around the entire Rocket defense, which was cramped mostly around the left hashmarks. From the slot, Blackwell wristed one in front, where Eiserman's tip bounced off Needham goalie Connor Murray and in for the 1-0 lead.

Nick Pandelena stretched the lead to 2-0 with a buzzer-beater at the end of the frame. Yes, that's right, a hockey buzzer-beater. The defenseman wound and fired a desperation slapper from the right point, and just before the horn sounded, the shot zipped under the crossbar.

By Jake Seiner, Globe Correspondent

NORTH ANDOVER –– For two and a half periods, No. 3 BC High and No. 6 Needham played scoreless hockey at Lawler Arena.

But the Eagles, who dominated time of possession and built a 26-14 shot advantage, earned the Super 8 round-robin win, 2-0, on the strength of Mike Cashman's power-play goal with 6:28 to play.

Cashman scored from point-blank range, taking in a pass just above the right-side goal line and moving toward the slot before ripping a water-bottle popping wrister over Needham goalie Connor Murray's shoulder.

Needham put just three shots on goal in the third, and Andrew White scored an empty-netter to lock up the win with 32.2 seconds to play.

Peter Cronin earned the shutout for BC High, making 14 saves.

Final: BC High 2, Needham 0-- BC High's Mike Cashman breaks the 0-0 deadlock with 6:28 to play as the Eagles dominate the possession game in the third. Needham put together a scoring push near the end, but Andrew White's empty-netter with 32.2 seconds to play clinched the win. BC High's Paul Cronin picks up the 14-save shutout.

End of 2nd period: BC High 0, Needham 0 -- BC High piles up 10 shots in the second period –– including six on an early power-play chance –– but we're still scoreless. The Eagles dominated a big chunk of that period, but Needham came on strong with a flurry of scoring chances late in the frame. After a lot of passive play, things opened up a bit in the last five minutes of the second. Should be a fun third period if that keeps up.

End of 1st period: BC High 0, Needham 0 -- Scoreless after one here at Lawler. BC High holding a 6-2 advantage in the shot department and generally playing a stronger game as of now. Both teams failed to convert on power-play chances, with BC High blocking four Needham shots on the Rockets' man-up try, while Needham actually outshot the Eagles, 1-0, when BC High went on the power play.

By Jake Seiner, Globe Correspondent

It’s no secret that, after graduating a monstrous senior class last summer, No. 3 Catholic Memorial’s talent crop is a bit younger than usual.

Inexperience wasn’t an issue yesterday, though, as the Knights rolled by No. 7 Needham, 4-1, in a battle of returning Super 8 squads.

Sophomore Liam Coughlin –– a transfer from the Walpole Express junior squad –– picked up a hat trick for CM. The center scored at even strength, on the power play, and scored a short-handed empty-netter to assure the Knights a victory late in the third.

“He’s an extremely talented kid,” CM coach Bill Hanson said. “He has an awful lot of skill and confidence in what he does.”

“He looks like an old-school type of player,” Needham coach Bill Guisti said. “He’s big, tall, lanky, and shields the puck exceptionally well.”

Senior Dan O’Hear (1 goal, 2 assists) kicked off the scoring for the Knights in the first period, with an assist from defenseman Marc Hetnik –– the first of three helpers from the senior captain.

Needham’s DJ Walsh squared the score at 1-1 about five minutes later, tipping a low slapper by Corey Hood over CM goalie Tommy Knox (24 saves).

The Rockets came our soaring to start the second period, but failed to convert on an early power-play opportunity and came away empty-handed despite a strong five-minutes of play.

With 8:45 left in the second, Coughlin netted his first goal, fighting through a Needham stick lift to one-time home a centering pass from O’Hear just above the crease.

Two minutes later, Coughlin again one-timed a pass from O’Hear into the cage –– this time from just above the left hashes –– to stretch the lead to 3-1.

“That game was big in a sense for young kids, they need to have confidence as well as being able to play,” Hanson said. “We’re going to have to be very hard to play against, which I thought we were today –– being in their face the whole time.”

Needham hosted Brockton in a Division 1 South girl's soccer tournament matchup Tuesday following the suspension of five team players over an alledged hazing incident. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

By Zuri Berry, Boston.com Staff

"Typical high schoolers," I keep hearing. "They’re just teenagers," is another. Or, "they did no real harm to themselves or others."

True, true and true again. But rules have been broken and there’s no denying that.

On Tuesday, when it was reported that five players on the girls’ soccer team at Needham high school were being suspended amid allegations of hazing, there were ready-made acknowledgments of wrongdoing -- and full-blown denials of malice. But lost in the hoopla of all this Needham acrimony is the standard response of the parents of these wrongdoers. (And in some cases, their grandparents.)

When Todd D. White, a lawyer and parent of one of the girls on the soccer team, filed a restraining order with Norfolk Superior Court against Jonathan D. Pizzi, Needham High’s principal, and Micah Hauben, athletic director at the school, it struck me that these type of situations fall in very simple patterns.

In 2008, there was an incident in which a high school girls' basketball team in Grass Valley, Calif., had its season curtailed after 10 of its 11 members were at an off-campus party in which underage drinking had occurred. Parents of the players argued that the students shouldn’t be punished because it was off campus. They argued that 30 days, which was the duration for suspensions for alcohol-related incidents, was too severe. The parents didn’t want to have any punishment kill their kids’ season.

No one denied wrongdoing. And no one denied their presence at the party, save for the lone soul who couldn’t go. But lo and behold, despite an athletic contract that forbade alcohol consumption in season and first-hand accounts (MySpace pictures, no less) of the activity, the parents of the players banded together to “save their season.” A petition was filed with the school district’s superintendent. A lawsuit was also discussed.

These things usually aren’t so cut and dried. There are parents that are for the punishment, in this case suspensions, and there are parents that are wholly against it. I see no reason to besmirch that kind of disagreement. But in every case that I’ve encountered while researching the issue, there is never any acceptance of punishment without petition. And it’s always the doings of the parents who claim they’re going to bat for their children.

Why?

There is no athletic director or power-crazy principal in the world, let alone in sports-crazed Massachusetts, that is out to ruin the lives of these children. As these things typically go, the athletic director does everything in his or her power to make sure the students are getting a fair shake. One can only imagine the choices Hauben and Pizzi were given after the evidence of alleged hazing, true or not, was provided to them. In that sense, there’s no denying that action needed to be taken either.

For the parents, this is more of an issue of singling out their children while watching third-party parenting get meted out. It’s not comfortable. But it’s something that should be accepted for the benefit of the kids.

As parochial as it may sound, lessons need to be learned and statements need to be made. Having a freshman soccer player blindfolded and walk around in a dog leash isn’t practice for adulthood. Trying to explain its usefulness isn’t very adult-like either.

Trying to defend it, whether on the basis of its actual punishment or the act in itself as some parents have done, is not above reproach. As sample, unscientific poll on Boston.com has shown readers overwhelmingly agree that the punishment these Needham girls received was appropriate.

One administrator said it best when speaking to the Globe yesterday.

"These events have to be handled firmly and directly,’’ said Tom Scott, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents. “It’s not just the students directly involved; it’s the whole culture of the school. Everyone is watching how the adults are going to respond, and if the adults don’t send a message with some degree of severity, it’s as if they’re condoning it.’’

One could argue that these student-athletes would more likely, or more easily, understand the basis of the rules against hazing, and any derivative thereof, if both parents and administrators could agree upon them. But I’m hard-pressed to believe that the parents in Needham and the student-athletes weren’t made aware of any rules or regulations as far as personal conduct prior to the season. Surely they were given a rule book? A waiver to sign?

As far as I know, the rules have never changed mid-game. And neither have the punishments. Even if they’re typical high schoolers. Or typical parents.

In today's Big Story, the Globe's regional editor David Dahl speaks about the reaction from parents to the suspensions of five Needham girls soccer players who allegedly hazed freshmen on the team.

Many teams are beginning league play this week and its time to identify title contenders. Take a look at Wright's Reads -- my personal take -- to get a feel for the current league forerunners in Division 1A and the games which can make-or-break title runs.

Weymouth is up first. The Bay State Carey leader is undefeated (4-0) and has outscored its opponents by at least 26 points, including a 26-0 rout over Needham last weekend. The offensive front is led by two brothers, Dylan and Austin Colarusso, who are each tied with one other Div. 1A player for second and third for overall touchdowns scored this season, respectively. Dylan, a senior, is rebounding and proving his strength after an injury-riddled 2009 season. The elder Colarusso has scored nine TDs for 54 points. Austin, a sophomore, has recorded seven scores (42 points) and the brothers total contribution of 96 points makes up more than half of the team's 168 points this season.

This week: Weymouth travels to Dedham (1-3) on Saturday for a 2 p.m. start. The Wildcats have held their opponents to just over 10 points per game and Dedham has yet to score more than two TDs in a venture.

The DCL Large has three teams tied for first at 3-1: Acton-Boxboro, Westford and Lincoln-Sudbury. Each member of the top-trio will play a non-league game this weekend with the goal of breaking away from the pack. A-B will be on the road at Wayland on Friday at 7 p.m. Wayland is the only team which has handed Westford a defeat (36-7). Westford hosts defending Div. 2A Super Bowl Champion Marshfield on Saturday at 6 p.m. Marshfield is fresh from a victory that came down to the final four seconds in last week's 14-12 nail-biter against Dennis-Yarmouth. Lastly, Lincoln-Sudbury travels to DCL Small school Concord-Carlisle (2-2) on Friday at 7 p.m. L-S has a 14-7 win over Marshfield under its belt.

This week: The DCL is proving to be a tough league in the early weeks. This weekend will give a strong indication of which team has what it takes to make it to the playoffs.

It looks like the 2010 Old Colony League championship is going to be determined on Friday, Nov. 5 when the Bridgewater-Raynham Trojans (3-1) host Barnstable (2-2). Taunton and Dartmouth round out the OCL and neither team has won a game this season. B-R is rebuilding a squad which made it to the Div. 1A Super Bowl last year against Gloucester, but coach Dan Buron knows what he's doing. The team started off rocky against Duxbury in Week 1 and has rebounded with wins over Durfee (33-21), Marshfield (21-0) and New Bedford (42-14). The Red Raiders have struggled to find their groove this season with lopsided victories over Durfee (38-15) and Sandwich (49-13). The 2009 OCL Tri-Champ was not as lucky at D-Y, where the Dolphins edged out Barnstable 41-38. The Red Raiders fell to No. 3 Everett last weekend, 43-14.

This week: Bridgewater-Raynham is taking on Plymouth North on Friday at 4:30 p.m. at home. B-R will not start it's league schedule until Friday, October 29, one week before it is slated to play the Red Raiders. Barnstable hosts New Bedford on Friday at 7 p.m. before opening up league play against Dartmouth on Friday, October 15.

Trae Weathers is making a name for himself in the Northeastern Large. The 6-1, 210-pound Revere running back is No. 1 in scoring in the East with 14 TDs, five 2-point conversion rushes and a PAT, totaling 95 out of the Patriots 155 points. Revere is tied for second place in the conference with Lynn English and Salem, each of which are 3-1. Salem hosts the defending Div. 1A Super Bowl Champion, Gloucester, on Friday night at 7. The Fishermen are undefeated, (4-0) and on a quest for another crown. Lynn English is set to battle No. 1 Xaverian in Westwood in the same time-slot. Xaverian is 4-0 and has shut-out every team except for No. 2 Brockton.

This week: Look at Weathers' stats to see if he can keep up the tradition of scoring at least three TDs in a game when he faces Northeastern Small opponent Marblehead on 7 p.m. Friday.

By Charlie Peters, Globe Correspondent

Following a week full of upsets and Top 20 matchups, this week’s Globe Top 20 is very different from last week’s list. After the top three teams (No. 1 Westwood, No. 2 Wellesley and No. 3 Framingham), only one squad (No. 6 Triton) stayed put and the Top 20 plays host to five new teams.

Lincoln-Sudbury is one of those new teams as the Warriors jump from unranked to No. 11. After handing Acton-Boxboro its only loss of the season April 29, the 9-2 Warriors made the leap by blowing out Arlington at home and Wayland on the road this week. Lincoln-Sudbury can prove they belong with a strong performance against Westwood Monday afternoon.

Needham also found itself in the Top 20 for the first time this season following a 3-0 week that included a victory over a tough Braintree team. The Rockets four losses this season were to the top three teams and No. 9 Acton-Boxboro, giving them big-game experience that will serve them well come playoff time.

Scituate, Danvers and Notre Dame of Hingham are the final three teams that entered into this week’s Top 20 rankings. No. 15 Scituate downed three teams with winning records this week, No. 16 Danvers snuck in based on their season-long body of work and Notre Dame of Hingham earned a No. 19 ranking after going 1-1-1 against teams with a combined 27-7 record.

By Braden Campbell, Globe Correspondent

Tri-County attackman Chace Mechlinski isn’t one to pass up a good opportunity.

Called up to starting status after a teammate traded lacrosse practice for driver’s ed, the sophomore’s performance so far has been anything but second-string.

After a pair of middling starts against Blackstone Valley and Medway, Mechlinski has settled into the new role quite nicely, with seven goals and six assists over the past week.

“He has come out firing, he’s doing everything right,” said Tri-County coach Matt Murphy.

Going into halftime in Tri-County's game against Upper Cape Tech last Monday, the Cougars were trailing 5-1. Mechlinski drove in a pair to cut the deficit to two.

He scored another pair later in the game, including the game-winner to give his team the 8-7 victory.

“He was huge in that game,” Murphy said. “He was in on seven of the eight goals.”

Today's Globe featured a story about 22 football players who will be honored by a football foundation.

Here are the bios of the 22 players selected as Scholar-Athletes by the Jack Grinold EMass Chapter of the National Football Foundation:

John Bumpus, Concord-Carlisle — The 6-3, 210-pound Bumpus was a two-year starter at tight end, linebacker, and defensive end. He was a member of the Coaches All-State team at linebacker. He will attend Brown.

James Collins, Reading — Playing guard and defensive tackle for the unbeaten Super Bowl champion Rockets, Collins was a Globe All-Scholastic and a two-time Middlesex League All-Star. The 6-2, 247-pound Collins was also an all-star wrestler.

Cameron Colwell, Xaverian — At 6-5, 275 pounds, Colwell was hard to miss on the Xaverian line. A member of the Coaches All-State team, he was a Globe All-Scholastic and led the Hawks to the Division 1 Super Bowl title.

Joseph Cookson, Belmont Hill — A three-year starter at wide receiver and defensive back, Cookson will play lightweight football at Penn. A talented singer as well, he was a class officer and captain of the football team.

Patrick Crosby, Lincoln-Sudbury — A member of the Coaches All-State team as well as an All-Scholastic, Crosby was the Dual County League’s lineman of the year. The 6-3, 290-pound tackle was a three-year starter at L-S and will attend Lafayette.