Still, there were other public schools through the years that produced impressive regular-season records, but crumbled in the Super 8. It was clear though, that the gap between the public schools and the Catholic schools had narrowed, as Weymouth’s magical run to the finals proved just last year. The Wildcats were stopped short of a title by BC High, but their trip to the championship electrified high school hockey fans across the state.

So the stage seemed to be set for a public school to break through. It was fitting that the Rockets would be the program to do so. Reading has always been a traditionally strong team under coach Peter Doherty, and had qualified for the Super 8 several times. This year’s edition was particularly strong, and opened the tournament by avenging its only loss in the regular season by beating BC High, 2-1.

The fact that Reading continued to roll was not surprising, but the ease with which they did certainly was. The Rockets pounded No. 1 seed CM, 5-2 in the next game, then wrapped up round-robin play with a 4-1 win over Waltham.

In the semifinals, the Rockets won again by a score of 5-2, this time over Xaverian, to set up the state final against Malden Catholic. The Lancers would serve as the fourth Catholic Conference opponent that Reading would face in the Super 8. The result would be the same as the previous three, with the Rockets coasting to a 3-0 win.

When it was over, Doherty did his best to sum up becoming the first public school to win in 18 years.

“It’s amazing it’s been that long,” said Doherty. “Eighteen years? That’s unbelievable. I mean, the private schools are good, but still…”

His voice trailed off, almost shaking his head in disbelief that another public school did not win in any of the previous years. But Doherty had learned something that perhaps the other public programs are just now beginning to understand.

“You have to play the Catholic schools in the regular season,” said Doherty. “It’s great to go 20-0 or 19-1, but what good does it do if you’re not playing the top teams.”

Senior Rob Toczylowski agreed.

“It’s huge for us,” said Toczylowski. “We came into the tournament knowing we’ve had success against these teams. We had to take on every Catholic Conference team. When you do that, you know what you’re seeing in the tournament.”

Toczylowski and fellow seniors Pat Kiley and Mike Lozzi were a formidable first line for the last three years, but saved their best for last.

“It was like second nature playing with them,” Toczylowski said of his linemates. “We all knew where we were going to be on the ice… Going 5-0 in this tournament, and 25-1 overall, it’s just amazing. It’s huge. It means everything to this program.”

Raiders under the radar

Despite losing just three games all season, not many people were talking about the Wellesley girls' basketball team when the Division 2 tournament started up. Sure they qualified for the tournament the year before, and they expected to build on that experience, but rolling all the way to the state championship? That was precisely what happened to the Raiders.

“It was very intense from Game 1,” said Wellesley coach Kristin Cieri. “When the pairings came out, we felt like it was anyone’s bracket to win, but we knew it was going to be a dogfight.”

The Raiders knocked off previously unbeaten Bishop Feehan in the South sectional semifinals, then won a defensive battle over Bay State Conference foe Walpole, 48-44, in the sectional title game. Wellesley kept up the defensive pressure in the EMass finals against defending state champion Lincoln-Sudbury, jumping out to a 10-2 lead after the first quarter, and leading 15-9 at the half. The Raiders advanced to the state finals by holding on for a 38-32 win.

“It’s the old saying, ‘Defense wins championships,’” said Cieri. “I think those last few games subtracted a year from my life.”

Cieri would not have those concerns in the state finals against Millbury. The Raiders were in control from the very beginning and rolled to a 65-44 win. The game was close for the first half as the Raiders led, 31-26 at the break. They would pull away in the third quarter though, as the offense came alive.

Led by sophomore guard Mary Louise Dixon, Wellesley’s offense put on a passing clinic, rotating the ball until they found the open teammate, who would then calmly drain a jumper. The barrage culminated in Blake Dietrick’s three-pointer at the buzzer of the third quarter, putting the Raiders up, 48-32.

“It’s just an amazing feeling,” said Dixon. “We knew it was going to be a really tough road, but we stayed focused.”

The Crying Game

It started off as a joke, but then reality struck for the Archbishop Williams girls' basketball team shortly after winning a second straight state title. As the girls celebrated in the locker room, one of the players jokingly asked coach Jim Bancroft what time he wanted them for practice the next day.

“I think I’ll give you the day off,” said Bancroft, playing along. But the players soon realized that there would be no more games, no more practices. Their time together as a group was essentially over, and so it was that they filed into the media room teary eyed, despite having won the title.

“These kids liked spending time together,” said Bancroft. “Both on the court and off the court. Away from school, they would go out together, have sleepovers or pasta parties. They became close and really respected each other."

The Bishops will lose senior forwards Meghan Black and Casey Capello, point guard Christine Duffy, and guards Jill LaFond, Sarah McDonough, and Courtney McNamara. Duffy and Capello each reached 1,000 points this season and have played together in high school and on various AAU teams.

"Nobody realized that we were never going to be playing together again until that moment," said Capello. "The games are so intense and go by so fast, you almost don't enjoy playing at the (TD Banknorth) Garden or in the (DCU Center) until it's over."

Still, that didn’t seem nearly as dramatic. Maybe you had to leave the sports scene altogether. Perhaps to Hollywood. That’s probably the best way to describe it. It was like Sean Connery winning the Academy Award for "The Untouchables", or Martin Scorscese finally winning Best Director for "The Departed". In both cases, it was a long time coming.

So it was that Cohasset girls' basketball coach John LeVangie won his first state title in his 42nd year of coaching. The television cameras flocked to him at center court as he held the trophy.

Not that there needed to be any more drama. Cohasset and Manchester-Essex provided more than enough through 32 minutes of basketball, which ended with both squads knotted at 33. The Skippers would take over in overtime though, to come away with a 44-36 win.

It was a back-and-forth game the whole way. Coming down the stretch, Meredith Kelly (12 points) went 4 for 4 from the foul line in the fourth quarter, and almost won it at the buzzer with a drive to the hoop that fell just short. Sammi Lehr led the Skippers with 13 points, while Lizzy Ball had 15 for Manchester Essex.

For LeVangie, it was sweet redemption. Before taking the Cohasset job, he had only coached boys' ball, and he was very successful. Starting off at Hull and Cohasset, LeVangie spent all of the 1980s at BC High. It was while coaching the Eagles that he came closest to winning the title.

“This is my first time grabbing a state championship,” said LeVangie. “We went to the finals twice in the old Boston Garden. We lost to Patrick Ewing in 1981, and we lost again in 1983.”

By the time the decade was over, he had been named the Boston Globe Coach of the Year. He would spend the '90s at Westwood High.

“He was like a mentor to me,” said Cohasset athletic director Ron Ford, who coached the Skippers’ boys basketball team in the 90s. “Back when I was coaching, I lost my first tournament game to him when he was at Westwood.”

Ford would be promoted to AD, and when it came time to start a family, he left coaching behind. One of his first challenges would be to figure out a way to revive the girls’ basketball program. When LeVangie’s name came up, he could not act fast enough.

“Are you kidding me?” said Ford. “The guy’s a Hall of Fame coach.”

LeVangie admits now that he was a little unsure.

“I coached softball for 20 years,” said LeVangie. “So it wasn’t like I had never coached girls. Still, I wasn’t sure how it would be for basketball.”

It didn’t take long before LeVangie knew he was on the right track.

“I had coached some of their fathers, so that helped,” said LeVangie. “You have to sell it, you have to have good people in the youth program, and you have to have kids who want to play. The community really played a big role and supported us, especially during this run. The whole town came out for us. Would’ve been a good time to stay back and rob a bank, I guess.” LeVangie added with a laugh.”

It was interesting to see the reaction of long-time high school hoops observers when they saw the Cohasset bench. LeVangie assembled, shall we say, a veteran coaching staff, bringing Dick Milner and Basil Cronin onboard. Milner has followed LeVangie every step of the way for over 30 years, while Cronin also had over 30-years experience, having served as the head coach at Sharon High. Matt Lewis brings youth and rounds out the assistant coaching staff, all of whom LeVangie considers instrumental.

Still reflecting on what had just taken place, LeVangie continued to let his guard down.

“I thought maybe the time for me to win a state championship had gone by,” said LeVangie. “I guess something rubbed off on these kids after 40 years of coaching.”

The Skippers return a strong team next year as well, as there are no seniors on the roster. Could it be two in a row for Cohassest?

“Oh jeez, I hadn’t thought of that,” said LeVangie, who broke right back into coachspeak. “I’m just going to go home and worry about our opponent for the first game next year.”

Been there, done that

Archbishop Williams was a little more subdued than the other victorious teams after defeating Pentucket in the Division 3 state semifinal Tuesday. There was Christine Duffy’s postgame leap into Valerie Driscoll’s arms, then the Bishops just walked off the court and headed to the locker room.

“That was nerve-wracking,” said star guard Casey Capello. “We didn’t play our best game, and it went by so fast. We could’ve lost that game.”

Coach Jim Bancroft thought perhaps his team was being a little too hard on itself.

“I think they expect that they’re going to blow out every team,” said Bancroft. “Pentucket’s a good team. That was a hard-earned win we got tonight.”

The Bishops weren’t the only team punching a return ticket to the state finals. Catholic Memorial will be going back to the Division 2 boys championship, looking to avenge last year's title loss to Tantasqua (which is likewise back this year).

Brendan Monteiro, who hit a buzzer-beater at the Garden last year as the Knights downed Belmont, worked his magic in the South finals, burying a 15-footer with 1.1 seconds left to propel CM to a thrilling 81-79 win over Dartmouth last Saturday. The Knights followed that up with a win over Reading Monday.

No repeats

Two other defending champs managed to make it back to the Garden before seeing their seasons end. The Lincoln-Sudbury girls defeated a tough Masconomet squad in the Division 2 North semifinals, then defeated Reading in the final, before losing to Wellesley Tuesday night. It was an impressive run considering the Warriors lost three starters from last year’s squad.

“It’s tough to top what we did last season,” said head coach Liza Feldman. “We cruised through the last part of the season into the tournament last year. We had a bull’s eye on our back this year. We had to figure things out, but I think in the end we managed to reach expectations.”

The same could be said for BC High. After a pair of hard-fought wins over Newton North and Brockton, the Eagles came up short against Central Catholic Monday night. The Eagles trailed Brockton by 14 in the first half before rallying for a dramatic win. Monday night, it was BC High with the double-digit lead, before the Raiders got hot and dominated the fourth quarter for the win.

It appears a tough league schedule, as well as being tested by its nonleague foes, has the Raiders ready for a shot at the state title this Saturday.

Ladies first

Enter Old Rochester. The Bulldogs had another solid season but were overwhelmed early and often as Archbishop Williams held them scoreless through the first quarter and led, 17-0. Old Rochester would get on the board, but it did not get much better in the second quarter as the Bishops led 44-6 at the break.

I’m guessing the Bulldogs are petitioning to ban the Catholic Conference from the tournament. Last year, Old Rochester went to the quarterfinals before losing to Cardinal Spellman. This season, it was a lopsided 64-26 loss to the Bishops.

Things would be different in the quarterfinals for the Bishops, however, as they traveled to fourth-seeded Rockland. This Bulldogs squad went 17-2 en route to capturing the Patriot League title.

The game was close from the very beginning as Rockland came out playing a triangle and two, matching up man-to-man on the Bishops’ outstanding duo of Casey Capello and Christine Duffy. It would be a physical first half, culminating in a head-on-head collision between Rockland’s Stephanie Crawford and Capello as they both went for a loose ball with just over a minute remaining. Capello managed to stay in the game, while Crawford left briefly with a bloody nose and was back for the start of the second half.

Williams led, 30-26 at the break, and opened the second half with a 7-0 run for a 37-26 lead and never looked back, going on for a 65-48 win. Duffy, saddled with three fouls in the first half, buried a pair of 3-pointers as she scored eight points in the third quarter. The senior point guard finished with 12 points and 12 assists, while Capello led the way with 17 points. Sophomore center Valerie Driscoll added 10 points and 15 rebounds, and was a force in the middle all game.

“That’s what the defense was giving us,” said Duffy of her third-quarter offense. “The play was so aggressive. We wanted to get out and run more in the second half and keep them off-balance.”

Next up is top-seeded Westwood, which is coming off an impressive win of its own over Dedham, 58-45. Having played in the Bay State Conference, Dedham felt good about its chances heading into the tournament, and rolled to a 61-33 win at Abington in the first round to set up the showdown with the Wolverines. But Bill Riley’s Westwood squad was ready for the Marauders. The long-time Westwood coach will be stepping down after this season. Is there a more well-liked coach than Riley? His athletes have always loved playing for him, and they would love to send him out a winner.

The other semifinal is just as intriguing as Cardinal Spellman and Fairhaven are set to meet. Both squads had their seasons end at the hands of Williams in 2007, with the Cardinals losing in the semifinals, and Fairhaven in the sectional finals. Both are itching for a shot at potential revenge.

Lincoln-Sudbury is the defending Division 2 state champ, and thus far L-S is showing they were much more than just Carolyn Swords, who was a two-time member of the Boston Globe Super Team before taking her considerable talents to Boston College this season. (By the way, has anyone made a smoother transition to college than Swords?)

Sarah Wetmore and Shatasia Kearse have led the way for the Warriors, who also lost Brittany Phillips and Elana Carson from last year’s squad. This year, L-S finished in a three-way tie for first in the Dual County League, and managed to win its first two games of the tourney. Next up for the Warriors is a semifinal match against Masconomet. (Is there some unwritten rule that states Masco and L-S have to meet in the late rounds? Should we just pencil this in for future years? Ok, no more questions, I promise)

In the other semifinal, 10th-seeded Arlington Catholic will face Reading. It’s tempting to call AC a Cinderella squad, but considering four of its losses came to Spellman and Williams, you quickly realize that AC is an even better team than its 15-7 record indicates. A true Cinderella might be Medfield, which entered the South bracket as the 11th seed and is in the semifinals, but the clock may strike midnight when they face the 20-2 Walpole Rebels.

Central Catholic coach Susan Downer liked the way her defending Division 1 EMass champs finished up the season. With the Raiders posting a 13-7 record and finishing third in the Merrimack Valley Conference during the regular season, she knew her team would be a low seed when the pairings were announced

“I think the higher seeds are going to be watching out for who draws us,” said Downer.

Central Catholic was seeded eighth in the North, and defeated Lynn English in the first round. That set up a quarterfinal match with No. 1 seed Acton-Boxboro, which had gone 18-2 and captured a share of the Dual County League title. It was the Raiders who would move on though, as sophomore center Katie Zenevitch poured in 25 points and collected 15 rebounds to lead Central Catholic to a 70-65 win and a trip to the sectional semifinals. It won’t get any easier as the Raiders will face Wilmington, while MVC co-champs Andover and Lowell will battle in the other semifinal.

Boys on the side

Over in the South, the top four seeds advanced, although second-seeded Norwell survived a scare against South Shore League foe Abington in the sectional quarterfinals. The Clippers entered the game 20-1 and swept the regular season series against Abington, but coach John Willis knew his team was in for a battle.

“It’s not hard beating a bad team three times in a season. That’s easy. It’s beating a good team three times that’s difficult, a team that can play, and that is well-coached. Those kids can play, and they have a great coach,” Willis said of Don Byron’s Green Wave squad.

The game was close throughout, with Abington maintaining a small lead in the first half and leading at the break, 21-19. Norwell would take the lead in the second half, but the Green Wave always managed to keep it a one-possession game. Down the stretch, Abington’s Brian Kurowski buried a three-pointer for a 40-39 lead with 1:09 remaining, but Clippers center James Long put back a missed shot with 39 seconds left to show why he was the SSL Player of the Year and give his team a 41-40 lead. Neither team was able to score in what was a frantic 39 seconds, and Norwell held on.

“We survived,” said Willis. “We didn’t play our best, but Abington had a lot to do with it. We’re moving on.”

Next up is Wareham, the third seed, while the other semifinal is a rematch of last year’s championship, as Medfield and Scituate renew acquaintances. Many thought the Sailors were the best team in Division 3 last season, but Herb Grace’s Medfield squad was the one heading to the TD BankNorth Garden after pulling off the upset. This year, the Warriors are 22-0 and the No.1 seed, but fourth-seeded Scituate is not about to forget last year.

Catholic Memorial returns as the Division 2 EMass champs, and is through to the South semifinals. The Knights entered the tournament seeded sixth, but played a tough Catholic Conference schedule, splitting a pair of games with BC High. Falmouth is up next, while No.1 seed Stoughton and No. 4 Dartmouth are in the other bracket.

BC High is looking to defend its Division 1 crown, and as the No. 2 seed, has advanced to the semifinals in the South. So far, form has held as the top four seeds have survived. While upsets are certainly what makes March special, it will be interesting to see if BC High and Brockton face off yet again on Saturday for the right to go the Garden. They’ve already played each other twice, with the home team winning both times.

A pair of Bay State teams stand in the way, however, as Framingham will take on Brockton, while Newton North will face the Eagles. BC High handled the Tigers in the Comcast Tournament, but Newton North coach Paul Connolly will have 6-foot, 6-inch center Greg Kelley back to contend with the Eagles’ Jake O’Brien and Ryan Sharry.

The top four seeds survived in the North as well. Central Catholic had a strong showing in the Comcast Tournament, reaching the finals before losing to BC High. The Raiders will face Charlestown, which finished the regular season atop the Globe Top 20. Lowell and Everett will play in the other semifinal.

The Raiders only seemed to get stronger, carrying the momentum into the Division 1 tournament. They rolled all the way to the state finals, winning the North title and a semifinal at the TD BankNorth Garden.

"I think that what happened was every coach's dream," coach Susan Downer said last season. "Things just kind of clicked at the right time."

Downer can be forgiven if she’s hoping for a repeat of last season. The Raiders finished the 2007-08 season in third place in the MVC. Early season struggles appear to be in the past, as Central is playing its best basketball of the season.

The Raiders graduated two starters from last season, Melissa Lucas and Kaylyn Grange. Their absence would be felt early on.

“I think it’s just one of those situations where you don’t know how much you’ll miss something until it’s gone,” said Downer. “They brought those intangibles, like leadership, and we needed kids to step up.”

Toward the end of the season, Central was getting exactly that heading into last week’s Comcast Board 27 Tournament at BC High.

“Our last four or five games, we may not have won them all, but I think we’ve peaked as a team,” said Downer.

The Raiders entered the Comcast Tourney with an 11-7 record and looked to be the underdog, but they served notice with a 71-51 win over Barnstable, the first-place finishers of the Old Colony League. Next was a matchup in the finals against Archbishop Williams.

The Bishops took a similar path to a state title in Division 3 last season, peaking late and rolling through the tournament. They may very well do so again this year, as they entered the Comcast tourney after knocking off previously undefeated and No.1 Cardinal Spellman. They followed that up with a win over Winthrop to set up the title match with Central.

“That’s why we accepted the invitation to play in this tournament,” said Downer.
“We get a chance to play against quality teams that maybe we wouldn’t normally face.”

That the Raiders would prevail against that competition was an added bonus. It wasn’t that they beat Archbishop Williams, but the way they did it. Central was in command for most of the game, but then sophomore center Katie Zenevitch fouled out in the fourth quarter.

The Bishops would take control and seize a 50-45 lead late in the game, but the Raiders would not fold. Guards Gia O’Connor and Gabie Polce each were fouled driving to the hoop. Both buried their free throws to pull within 50-49. That would set up Jackie Vienneau’s heroics, as she calmly delivered a three-pointer for her first basket of the game, giving the Raiders the lead, 52-50. Central would continue to bury its fouls shots, including some clutch shooting from freshman Melissa Miller, to pull out a 58-53 win.

“This was really cool,” said Zenevitch, who was named tournament MVP. “We know that if we just play together, we have a chance in games like this.’

Downer also liked the way her team battled adversity down the stretch.

“This was huge for us,” said Downer. “To pull that game out with our best player on the bench. The kids stayed focused. Jackie didn’t hit a shot all game, but then she stepped up and hit that three. We’ll be a lower seed in the tournament, but we’ll be ready.”

Get well soon

That may or may not be the case for a pair of seniors that were fast becoming fan favorites. Cardinal Spellman's Jade Santos suffered what appeared to be a devastating knee injury in the Cardinals' showdown with Archbishop Williams. What had been a raucous gym became eerily silent after Santos hit the floor late in the game. Here's hoping the injury isn't as serious as it looked and that she can return for the tournament.

Ditto for BC High's Tim McKinney. Last year, McKinney played a crucial role as BC High went 20-0 through the regular season before getting hurt in the first game of the tournament. He would miss the rest of the season as the Eagles rolled to the Division 1 title. This year, McKinney was elected one of the captains and was having another fine year before injuring his leg again. He too is holding out hope that he'll be able to play again this season.

Eagles eye new coach

Despite going 17-3 in the regular season and capturing the Tri-Valley League title for the third year in a row, the Medfield High boys basketball team seemed to fly under the radar heading into the 2007 tournament. But the Big Blue rolled all the way to the Division 3 South finals last year, where it knocked off Scituate in what some considered an upset. Medfield would advance all the way to the TD BankNorth Garden before losing to Watertown in a state semifinal.

It’s safe to say that after going 20-0 and capturing the TVL for the fourth year in a row, the Big Blue won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year. It was an impressive season, especially for a team that lost two starters from last year’s squad, including leading scorer Jeff Altimar, now playing at Skidmore College.

Coach Herb Grace returned three starters, and believed his team would be competitive, but finishing the regular season with an unblemished record was not something Medfield had discussed at the beginning of the year.

“We just try to break it down the same every year,” said Grace. “We look to gel as a team first. Then you talk about getting to qualify for the tournament, and finishing strong in our league.”

You can put a check mark next to those first three goals, but there is still unfinished business as the postseason rolls around for Medfield.

“We want to make a deep run in the tourney,” said Grace. “The kids are still pretty focused. We’re heading into the tournament on a high note. We’re playing well, and hopefully our best basketball is ahead of us. We just want to play to the best of our abilities.”

Leading the way for the Big Blue are the three seniors in the starting lineup. Guard Joey Richman was a league all-star last year, and has returned to average 19 points per game, including three games where he scored 30 or more.

“He’s one of the better players in the area,” said Grace.

Forward Andrew Collins gives Medfield an edge defensively.

“He can score some points, but he’s definitely more of a defensive leader for us,” said Grace. “He might be our toughest competitor. He’s a hard-working, blue-collar defender.”

Senior center Matt Connelly, at 6’6, gives the squad some size in the middle, averaging 14 points and 12 rebounds per game.

“He’s been consistent all year for us,” said Grace. “He alters a lot of shots defensively.”

All in all, it’s been an impressive response after last year’s success.

“A lot of the guys on this year’s team were part of that last year,” said Grace. “We had some injuries to two of our starters last year right before the tournament, but we had guys slide right into their roles.”

While that experience can only seem to help the Big Blue as it readies for the postseason, it could all be forgotten quickly once the tournament starts. The Division 3 South field is loaded, as Norwell is also working on a prefect season, while Scituate seems poised to learn from last year as well.

“We’ve taken it in stride,” said Grace of the team’s perfect record. “We’ve hit a couple of tough shots, and we’ve got some rolls. These kids understand that it can end in one game.”

Super leftovers

You can forgive Boston.com schools editor Chris Forsberg and Globe schools editor Bob Holmes if they dislocated their shoulders from patting themselves on the back. After all, they came up with the idea to have Everett’s Isaac Johnson and Dartmouth’s Jordan Todman to pose for a picture at Gillette Stadium last summer.

Three long months later, Todman and Johnson met on the field at Gillette Stadium again when Everett and Dartmouth squared off

It’s no surprise that Everett was back to defend the Super Bowl crown, but even some of the players for Dartmouth seemed surprised to be the opposition after the Indians rolled over Brockton, 40-7 in the semifinals.

“It was cool meeting Isaac, and going to Gillette Stadium and being on the field,” said Todman after the Indians defeated Brockton. “I didn’t know if we’d get back there.”

Maybe Dartmouth could compete with the Crimson Tide for a quarter or two, but there was no real reason to believe the Indians could actually stay with Everett for an entire game, was there? The Indians’ answer to that was an emphatic yes, as the two teams went toe-to-toe in what will surely be remembered by all who witnessed it as one of the all-time great showdowns. It ended with Everett showing why they are true champions in a 36-28 win in overtime, and Dartmouth looking like a worthy adversary.

Indeed, last year seemed to be the year Dartmouth would be in the Super Bowl, as the Indians were undefeated before losing to a 6-5 Brockton squad, 15-14, in 2006 in the semifinals. The Indians had another solid season this year, going 10-1, but the Boxers were just as impressive with a 9-1 record, the one setback was a two-point loss on the road to a BC High squad that went 11-0.

That only made Dartmouth’s lopsided win all the more impressive. Everett, meanwhile, started the season No. 1, went largely uncontested to an 11-0 record, then thrashed BC High, 26-6, in a semifinal in which the Crimson Tide did all the scoring in the first half, and the Eagles’ lone score came in the fourth quarter.

That set up the finale at Gillette, with both offenses taking control early. The Crimson Tide scored on their opening possession. It was a nine-play drive that only took up two minutes and was capped by Johnson’s score from one yard out. Everett’s offense is relentless, always keeping the pressure up with a no-huddle attack that keeps the defense on its heels and does not allow it to make substitutions between plays.

Todman answered with the first of his three touchdowns on the next play from scrimmage, going around the right end and up the sideline 71 yards to even the score. The two continued to go back and forth as the game went to overtime. Everett took the ball first and scored, but Dartmouth was unable to answer, as Johnson came up big on defense, deflecting the ball away on the Indians’ fourth down attempt.

When it was over, Todman had rushed 20 times for 199 yards and two touchdowns, while hauling in a 52-yard reception for another score. Johnson was also impressive, scoring a pair of TDs and rushing for 129 yards on 21 carries. But others stepped up as well. Dartmouth quarterback Sean Sylvia passed for 135 yards and a pair of touchdowns. J.W. Forte scored a pair of touchdowns for Everett, including the game-winner, despite a number of tough hits he received all game.

“The people who stayed home missed a hell of a game. I hope they watched it on TV," said Everett coach John DiBiaso. “There are no losers out here tonight.”

While it the showdown was easily the best game of the day, it was not the only excitement going on at Gillette. Marshfield and Chelmsford also staged a classic battle, with Chelmsford again winning on a field goal in the final minute, 23-20 despite the Rams furious rally from a 20-7 deficit to tie it in the fourth quarter.

The nightcap was a classic duel between all-purpose backs Nick Schwieger ofd Bishop Feehan and Ryan Izzo of Walpole. It seemed anything Izzo could do, Schwieger could do better. Feehan eventually prevailed, 26-20.

The only disappointment of the day was, well, the day itself. Freezing temperatures meant only the bravest of souls were in attendance. Hopefully next year will bring warmer weather. I’m already counting down the days.

The Acton-Boxboro girls soccer team chose another path: They forgot about all about it.

“The girls were very excited when the rankings came out in the beginning of the season,” said head coach Ruairi Sweeney. “They looked at them, they read the write-ups, but that was it. I don’t think they ever looked at them again for the rest of the season.”

The Colonials went 19-1 in 2006 before they were eliminated by Winchester in the Division 1 North sectional semifinals on penalty kicks. They returned seven starters from that squad, all of whom remembered how close they had come in 2006. Still, the Colonials would not be caught getting ahead of themselves in 2007.

“That game (against Winchester) is still driving them.” said Sweeney. “The girls never looked past what was right in front of them. They really just looked at it as one game at a time.”

It was a strategy that paid off, as the Colonials captured the Division 1 state title on Saturday with a win over Shrewsbury. Making A-B’s run all the more impressive was the fact that it allowed only five goals all season. The Colonials were even ranked nationally, at one point landing in the top spot before a tie with Newton South knocked them back down.

The Colonials rolled through to the Div. 1 North finals, where they squared off against Winchester and exacted revenge with a 2-0 shutout. With that, they earned a trip to the state semifinals at Weymouth, against Weymouth. While some squads would’ve complained about having to play such a huge game at the opposing team’s home field, Sweeney and his squad weren’t about to start squawking.

“That was fine,” said Sweeney. “It’s a nice field, nice crowd, nice concession stand,” he added with a laugh. “I was here two years ago when the boys played here, and I thought it would be great to be back here.”

A-B prevailed in overtime, 2-1, over the Wildcats. Sophomore Hayley Brock broke through the Weymouth defense with just under three minutes remaining in the first overtime, then rifled a shot past the Weymouth goalie for the game-winner. It was the third straight game in which Brock scored the winning goal.

“I don’t feel like it’s my time to step up, or anything like that,” said Brock. “We’re all just working hard, and I’ve been the fortunate one the last few games.”

As great as this season was, the future seems bright as well. There were only five seniors – Courtney Findlen, Lindsey Raymond, Tracy Potter, Monica Jensen, and Charlotte Davis -- on the team this year, three of whom were starters.

"Again, we don't like to look to far ahead," said Sweeney, as the team was assembling around him to take the bus back home. "They know I'm talking about the future. They don't like that," he added with a laugh.

Still with Brock returning for two more years, and goalie Jessie Wiggins just completing her freshman season, it's hard not to have an eye toward next year.

“I’ve got the smartest soccer players on the planet,” said Sweeney. “They all play club soccer and in the youth program. They have so much experience by the time they come here. I really feel like I am the most fortunate coach in soccer.”

That was the scene last night at Weymouth High, where the Wildcats hosted the Sandwich Blue Knights in a Division 1 South girls quarterfinal. It's a scene played out every November as the tournament winds down until a champion is crowned.

It is a stark contrast to what the teams face at the beginning of the season in the dog days of summer, with tryouts and practices held in 90-degree heat with suffocating humidity. There, the drinks of choice are water or Gatorade, and the players might have a sliced up orange. Last night, the fans lined up at the concession stand for hot chocolate and coffee, and tried to stay warm by eating clam chowder and chili.

"This is what we talked about with the players," said Weymouth coach John McIntyre, who is in his first season as head coach of the Wildcats. "This is why they work so hard all year, to get a chance to be playing now. And to get a chance to play on their home field, in front of their friends and family, it's a great opportunity."

That was after Weymouth handed Sandwich a 1-0 loss. The Wildcats carried the play through most of the game, but Sandwich goalie Abbi Santos kept her squad in the game, denying Weymouth bids all night. Weymouth finally broke through with less than seven minutes remaining when Kim Clooney was able to head in a loose ball off of a Jenna Goodwin corner kick.

"The later it got in the game I was thinking 'We're clearly going to overtime,'" said McIntyre. "I said it at halftime, you don't want to see it but how many times have you seen a soccer game where one team dominates and the other team gets one chance and one goal."

The Blue Knights were hoping to follow that script, with Santos playing the lead role, but it was not to be as their season came to an end.

"We don’t have to defend a shot outside the 18 because she's going to gobble them up," said Sandwich coach Rich Rossomando of his goalie. "We want teams to shoot from out there."

There were plenty of spectators who made the trek up from the Cape to root for the Blue Knights, contributing to a great playoff atmosphere. Some students even lent their support by going shirtless and writing the uniform numbers on their chests, not exactly an advisable move in the freezing temperatures.

"That was tremendous," said Rossomando. "I went over and thanked all the fans for making the trip and cheering for the girls."

Weymouth moved on to the semifinals to play Bishop Feehan Friday night at Whitman-Hanson. A win would put them back on familiar ground.

"We just found out that the sectional finals are back here," said McIntyre of his home field. "We're 10-0-1 here, so if there was a need for any extra motivation to reach the finals, that was it."

So sure, it may feel more like football weather, or maybe you'd rather head indoors as hockey and basketball get ready to start, but there's still one more week left for soccer and field hockey, where the best is saved for the last part of the season.

Pileski, who spent two years as an assistant football coach at Stonehill College, began looking at Taunton-based Coyle-Cassidy when both the position of AD and head football coach opened in the spring of 2006.

"I was very happy coaching with coach (Chris) Woods at Stonehill," said Pileski, who nevertheless decided to look into the openings at Coyle-Cassidy. "It just kind of came out of the blue. I told them I would only make the move if I could do both jobs. I didn’t just want to be AD. I wanted to be out on the field, teaching the kids."

Pileski landed both jobs, but not until after Memorial Day of 2006. As far as football was concerned, he would be playing catch up for that upcoming season.

"I didn’t meet with the coaching staff until June," said Pileski. "We didn’t have the opportunity to put together a true preseason program. They used to have a great weightlifting program, but at some point, it kind of fell by the wayside."

The result was predictable. The Warriors had gone 2-9 in 2005, and without any semblance of an offseason conditioning program, it only got worse in 2006 when, made up of mostly sophomores, Pileski endured an 0-11 season.

Despite the winless debut, Pileski felt good as the 2007 season rolled around. He implemented a conditioning program after last season, and liked what he was seeing in terms of participation. It's a young squad, but one that counts on the few seniors they have. Captains Steve Ayala, Chris Hennessey and Adam Medeiros led the way last spring.

"They’re the ones who bought into it," said Pileski. "They took to the program and have been leaders for the younger kids."

The result has been a remarkable turnaround, as the Warriors are off to a 4-0 start. Quarterback Conor Henry is a solid athlete who also serves as the team’s punter and kicker. Tailback Ryan Foley leads the rushing attack and also plays strong safety, while Dennis Doherty provides a big target for Henry at wide receiver and also plays defensive back. Medeiros and Ayala play on both sides of the line, along with Matt Lima and Vin DeSilva.

It's been a balanced attack offensively thus far for the Warriors. Through the first three games, the Warriors have scored nine touchdowns: Four on the ground, and five through the air.

"There's no question, the offseason program made us stronger," said Pileski. "Teams were very physical with us last year and handled us very easily. At least we’re on an even playing field. Their attitude has been great."

There's still work to be done, however, as the Eastern Athletic Conference schedule has yet to begin. Thus far, though, the team appears to be back on track.

"I just looked at it as an opportunity to at least try to bring back the program," said Pileski. "Fifty years ago, they went undefeated, and the school played all the towns around us then. It had a very rich tradition. I took it as a great challenge for me personally. The school already has some great teams: hockey, golf, softball. We just looked at it as a challenge to get football up there."

Call it the attack of the mosquitoes. It almost sounds like a cheesy movie we’d see on the Sci-Fi channel, but there is nothing funny about mosquito-borne viral diseases like Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) or West Nile virus. Both can cause serious illness and even death, so it is clear that towns like Whitman, Abington, Duxbury, Cohasset, and Middleboro are acting with the best interests of its athletes and spectators in mind.

"God forbid a kid gets infected and something happens," said Duxbury coach Dave Maimaron, who has seen his team's home games moved from Friday nights to Saturday afternoons for the foreseeable future. While recognizing the importance of safety, Maimaron knows there are headaches associated with playing on Saturdays.

"It makes for an awfully long week," said Maimaron. "Instead of playing Friday, we're practicing. Then we have our game on Saturday, and, on Sunday, I’m meeting with my coaches."

It also wreaks havoc for the student-athletes, who have to adjust their schedules. Many seniors -- and even some juniors -- have trips planned on weekends to visit college campuses. Local visits can be switched to Sundays, but for out-of-state trips that required flight reservations, rescheduling is not so easy.

Week 1 presented its own set of problems. After practicing all week in relatively mild weather, temperatures shot up to the 90s on Friday and Saturday. While most games were played in the cool evening air on Friday, those that had been affected by the ban were forced to play in the sweltering conditions in the middle of the afternoon Saturday.

"We’re fortunate because we’re deep and in good condition," said Maimaron. "It takes its toll on some of the smaller programs."

The repercussions extend to more than just the football team, but to the entire athletic department. Most schools get the money from the gate, that is, those that pay to attend. Many schools have their booster clubs running the concession stands, and that money goes to the athletic department. With attendance down significantly for Saturday games, it only makes sense that the concessions would also be down.

What makes the matter even more frustrating is the fact that an exceptionally dry summer has decreased the number of mosquitoes. There are towns that are trying to get around the issue. Some schools continue to have games on Friday nights, but hand out insect repellent as you walk into the stadium.

Plymouth has ordered a ban on all outdoor activities after 6 p.m., which Plymouth South is abiding by, but Plymouth North is proceeding with its Friday schedule.

There is, of course, the issue of atmosphere. The book, the movie, and now the television show is, after all, called "Friday Night Lights." The crowds are bigger, the bands seem louder. For whatever reason, high school football just seems better on Friday nights.

"The kids want to play on Friday nights," said Maimaron. "It's tough. We have to wait until the first frost. Lat year we just got one game in, I think, in November. But we just can't take the risk."

Sure, everyone starts out undefeated, but even at this early stage, there are a few games that jump off the schedule as potential Games of the Year.

The Game of the Week could be in Natick, where the fifth-ranked Redmen host No. 15 Weymouth. Both squads won their Bay State divisions last year to make the playoffs. The two met at Weymouth in Week 1 last season, with Natick prevailing, 21-14.

The Redmen bring back nine starters, including the talented duo of Theo and Thad McCummings. Weymouth has a talented backfield as well, led by man-child Michael Waithe, who rushed for over 1,200 yards and scored 21 touchdowns.

A battle looms in Division 1, as No. 2 Brockton makes the trek to No. 18 BC High. The two met in Week 1 last year as well, with the Eagles prevailing over then-top-ranked Brockton, 27-20, in a sloppy game.

BC High started the season 8-0 last year before limping to a 9-2 finish as injuries ravaged the squad down the stretch. Brockton played .500 ball all year, but still managed to squeeze into the playoffs, where the Boxers upset Dartmouth to reach the Super Bowl before being thrashed by Everett.

The Boxers figure to be better this time around as they return a plethora of talent, including quarterback Vaughn Askew. Head coach Peter Colombo hopes that the young squad that faced last year's trials and tribulations will be the better for it, and ready to learn from their mistakes.

Traditionally, BC High has been a force along the frontlines, producing a long line of offensive linemen that played in Division 1 colleges, and even in the NFL. Ron St. George's squad might not have the size of recent editions, but he's got plenty of depth in the offensive and defensive backfields with Mitch McClune, Tom Duffy, and Brian Sullivan leading the way.

Other intriguing matchups dot the schedule this weekend. Leominster, a traditional power in Central Mass., will play at No. 1 Everett. The Crimson Tide have the best program in the state these days. Not only are they the defending champions, but they return arguably the finest athlete around in Boston College-bound Isaac Johnson, who was equally impressive in both the offensive and defensive backfields. Capable of breaking a big run for a touchdown on offense, Johnson was often asked to cover the opposing team's No. 1 receiver on defense.

Another Top 20 matchup will take place when No. 4 Woburn heads to No. 20 Acton-Boxboro tonight. The Tanners went 9-2 last season, the only setbacks were a pair of overtime losses to Middlesex foes Wakefield and Burlington.

Acton-Boxboro is looking for a return to glory, when they ruled the Dual County League. This nonleague battle will certainly go a long way in preparing the Colonials for league play.

The announcement earlier this month that six of the seven Eastern Mass. Super Bowls will be played at Gillette Stadium can be seen as nothing but great news for area gridiron fans.

Just as the TD BankNorth Garden provides an opportunity for hockey and basketball fans to see games at an affordable rate by hosting the high school championships in March, so it will be for football on Dec. 1 in Foxborough.

This isn't going to be one of those columns that bashes pro athletes and their followers. You'd be hard pressed to find a bigger fan than myself. But the reality is that some enthusiasts have been priced out of the new venues, with ticket prices going through the roof.

And no, I'm not lobbying for lower ticket prices to pro events, either. Hey, if 68,000 people file in for every Pats home game, why should the Krafts lower the price? And let's face it, we as fans don't exactly have anything to complain about in terms of how the Krafts invest their money. They've merely built a state of the art stadium, and turned the Patriots, who less then 20 years ago were a laughingstock, into the model professional franchise.

The only real surprise is that it took this long for the club to step up to host the Super Bowls, but a look at the field conditions the last few years answers that question. Of course, there was a time when the Super Bowls were held in Foxboro Stadium. But those were hardly looked at with the same enthusiasm as this year's will be. For one thing, Foxboro Stadium (or Sullivan Stadium, or Schaeffer Stadium) was a dump. With a few exceptions in the late 1970s and mid-1980s, there were always plenty of good seats available. Some of today's younger fans would be surprised to find out that the Pats were routinely blacked out of appearing on television in the local market, because it seemed they rarely sold out.

It all started to change in the early 90s. First, the playing surface at Foxboro Stadium was converted to grass instead of artificial turf. The turf at Foxboro Stadium had been blamed for cutting short some of the players' seasons in the late 80s, as several Patriots, including wide receiver Stanley Morgan, sustained serious knee injuries.

Like many teams at the time, the Patriots switched to grass. However, that effectively wiped out any chance that they would be able to host the high school Super Bowls as grass was more difficult to maintain, particularly as winter hit.

In 2002, the Patriots began playing in Gillette Stadium. In addition to being the home of the three-time Super Bowl champs, it has also hosted an MLS Cup, international soccer games, and several concerts. With both the Revolution and Pats using the stadium, it was taking the field longer to recover and was more difficult to maintain.

After one particularly bad game last year against the New York Jets, in which Tom Brady and the rest of the Pats never seemed to get solid footing, the Krafts received permission to change playing surfaces in the middle of the season. The Patriots went to FieldTurf, which combines the look and feel of grass with the durability of artificial turf.

Shortly after that, Bob Kraft talked about the idea of hosting the Super Bowls with the Globe's Mike Reiss: "We used to love hosting it at Foxboro Stadium. Kids work so hard during the year that if their prize is to play on an NFL field, that is pretty cool."

Indeed, as if playing to reach the Super Bowl isn't enough incentive, now high schoolers will be aiming to walk the same field as Tom Brady, getting dressed beforehand just a few doors down from the Patriots' locker room. Think that might serve as an extra incentive to some of the Bay State Conference and Hockomock League schools, who could be playing in their own backyard?

It's cool for the fans as well. Those that have been shut out for the first six years of the stadium's existence, now have an affordable way of getting in, while those relegated to the cheap seats can move on up to the front row, sitting at the 50-yard line.

I can't wait. Six games in 15 hours. Yikes! I'm just hoping it's one of those freakishly warm days. Maybe 60 or (gasp!) even 70 degrees. Heck, I'll settle for no rain and 40s. This should be a great day for football fans, on all levels.

One year ago, Zack Asack seemed to be on top of the world as he was wrapping up his freshman year at Duke University. Asack started at quarterback as a freshman in the fall of 2005, and looked solid in spring practice, but a mistake off the field almost wiped out all of that.

It was a foolish mistake, he'd be the first to tell you. Asack, who graduated from Xaverian in 2005, knew what he was doing was wrong, but he was just so tired, and this was an easy way out.

"I was taking a Cultural Anthropology class," said Asack. "I was working on a paper, it was late, and I was tired, so I took a shortcut. I used some words as my own, which weren't mine."

Asack got caught and was suspended by Duke University for plagiarism for one year. His life could have gone in a number of different directions from that point. He could have transferred to another school, and perhaps hide from the scrutiny.

Yet Asack owned up to the charges from the beginning. He knew he had a long road ahead of him, and it was the first step that would prove to be the most difficult: Informing his family.

"It was the hardest thing I ever had to tell anyone," said Asack. "I was home, but my mom was out of town. I kept thinking about how I was going to tell my dad. I didn't know what I was going to say, but then God just put the words into my mouth. I even broke down, crying. My dad was obviously really upset, but was also very supportive."

He was in the headlines for all of the wrong reasons. Bloggers who didn't know anything about him, or his case, hurled insults of all kinds.

"I didn't expect it to get to the news as fast as it did," said Asack.

Indeed, his timing couldn't have been much worse. The now infamous Duke lacrosse scandal was in full swing. For those hiding under a rock for the last year, the men's lacrosse team drew national attention as the most egregious example of jocks behaving badly in March of 2006. The squad held a house party where minors were served alcohol and strippers were hired as entertainment. One of the strippers would later accuse three of the players of rape. Without further investigation by the university, the team forfeited the 2006 season, and the coach was fired.

Just last month all three players were declared innocent of the rape charges.

Additionally, J.J. Redick, the senior captain of the Duke basketball team, and soon to be an NBA lottery pick, was arrested in April 2006 for driving under the influence of alcohol.

"It was awful timing," said Asack. "We were under such scrutiny with both of those cases going on. But rules are rules, and I broke one."

Asack moved back home with his family for the year. Not playing football, and not enrolled in classes, he was going to have to find ways to stay sharp both athletically and mentally. Asack no longer had the structure that school life brings, and he needed to keep busy. It was then that he returned to familiar surroundings, working with the Xaverian football team.

Asack with Xaverian coach Charlie Stevenson.

"It was great to be able to be on the sideline for the games," said Asack. "I got to see a different side of the coaches. They were more than just coaches. They are role models, and really great men."

As luck would have it, Asack was not the only former quarterback returning for a season as a volunteer assistant. Brian Mann, class of 1998, was also back in the area working with the Hawks.

"I had always heard about him," said Asack. "But it was great to be able to work with him. I loved talking to him, because he could relate to what it felt like being on the sideline. Even though we both went on to play in college, we both wanted to strap on the Xaverian uniform one more time. I definitely want to stay in contact with him."

Asack was also afforded the opportunity to watch his younger brother play. Paul, a junior at Xaverian, played wide receiver and defensive back, in addition to kicking extra points.

"I never really got a chance to watch him play before, because I always had games, too," said Asack. "It was great to be around for that. He's at the point now where he�s going into his senior year, and he�s being recruited. I'm so proud of him. I'm just trying to do the best I can to help him through it."

Former teachers would also recommend books for Asack to read, covering a variety of topics. He read "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer, a first-hand account of a catastrophic expedition up Mount Everest; "Education of a Coach", by David Halberstam, which provided a biography of Patriots coach Bill Belichick, and "We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance", by David Howarth. Asack also listened to books on tape en route to practices or the gym.

"That helped to keep my mind active," said Asack. "Not being in classes this year, I really needed to stay sharp."

His high school connections would continue to pay off, as he got a chance to attend Patriots practices and see the team up close. One of Asack's teammates at Xaverian was Chris Fox, who went on to receive a scholarship to Boston College. Fox's father, Tim, was a safety for the Patriots in the late 70s and early 80s. After his playing career was over, Tim remained in the area, where he still has a close relationship with the Patriots, working as an analyst for WBCN (104.1 FM) on its game-day broadcasts.

"Mr. Fox put me in touch with them," said Asack. "It was really too cool. It was almost a blessing in disguise. To see how hard they work, being around Tom Brady and coach Belichick, they're just great men and individuals, on and off the field."

Asack got to know some of the players, all of whom pretty much had the same message: Go back to school, hit the books, and get your education.

He has every intention of doing just that. Last month, after enduring the process for readmission, he got the news he was hoping for -- he was accepted back at Duke and will take classes this summer.

Of course, things will be different. While he was off the team, Asack continued to go see the Blue Devils play.

"I didn't realize how hard it is... not playing football," said Asack.

It was a brutal experience, watching from the stands. Perhaps the most difficult time was seeing the Blue Devils travel to Chestnut Hill for a game at BC. Asack had been looking forward to taking the field in front of friends and family, and squaring off against some of his high school teammates.

"Growing up, I was always going to BC with my father and brother," said Asack. "We used to go practice on the field under the bubble. I went to football camps there, so I'm very familiar with the campus."

It's unlikely that Duke will play at BC in Asack's final three years. But he has more to worry about than that. In his absence, freshman Thaddeus Lewis stepped in and started all 12 games for the Blue Devils in 2006. That, and a new offensive coordinator, means Asack has some catching up to do. Lewis is the incumbent, and Asack knows it.

"It's a good situation," said Asack. "We're both going to push each other to get better. I've been going to meetings, just trying to pick up the system."

With all that he learned off the field in the last year, being back in uniform should be a breeze.

"I'm just glad to be back on campus," said Asack. "I can't wait to get on the field."

Both the BC High basketball and hockey teams won state titles just 24 hours apart. But anyone who was around the Eagles this autumn can tell you that perhaps no school deserved more of a morale boost this winter than the gang on Morrissey Blvd.

When the school year began back in September, it seemed like things couldn’t get much better. Before the football team kicked off its opener against top-ranked Brockton, the field at Viola Stadium was dedicated to former football coach and athletics director Jim Cotter, who retired after the 2004 season after 42 years as coach. Many alumni, former players, friends, and family came out for the event. Cotter and his family went out onto the field before the game for a family photo. The football team even went on to defeat Brockton that night, 27-20.

Just weeks later, Cotter announced that he had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's Disease. More bad news followed in November when Julie Bartlett, the wife of current athletics director Jon Bartlett, was involved in a serious car accident. Both developments were devastating to the close-knit BC High community of faculty, coaches and administrators.

“I think the adult community was profoundly affected,” admitted principal Steve Hughes.

While the school tried to deal with the misfortune, the winter season arrived, and both the hockey and basketball teams were ranked No. 1 in the Globe preseason Top 20. The hockey program had always been traditionally strong, and was looking to defend its Super 8 title.

The basketball program, on the other hand, tended to be competitive, but had very little success in the postseason. The knock on the team through the years, as one Big 3 coach once put it, was “A lot of size, just not a lot of speed.”

The Eagles certainly had plenty of size this season, with the frontline of Andrew Yanulis, Jake O’Brien, and Nick Schmiemann forming a wall on defense and making opponents think twice before driving to the hoop. The trio also proved to be agile on offense, dominating on the blocks and pounding the boards.

Guards Chris Hurley and Tim McKinney formed a potent backcourt, cutting and slashing to the hoop, while also capable of burying the 3. There would be no knocking BC High’s speed this year, particularly with the lightning-quick Hurley creating havoc on defense by forcing turnovers, and occasionally knifing through the opposing defense with his drives to the basket. When the Eagles needed a big play, it was Hurley who seemed to deliver.

Opponents hoping to run the Eagles ragged, or get them into foul trouble, were out of luck, as forward Ryan Sharry and guards Nick McLaughlin and Brian Mahoney were at the ready off the bench. It was Mahoney who started the last three games of the season when McKinney’s season was cut short with a leg injury.

“These are all just good kids who work hard,” said basketball head coach Bill Loughnane.

Whereas the basketball team ran the table and finished 25-0, the hockey team took a more circuitous route to the title. In fact, the Eagles finished fourth in the five-team Catholic Conference.

“I think, because of the way we started, everyone sort of forgot about us,” said hockey head coach Joe McCabe. “We finished up strong though. I think we were 13-1-1 in our last 15 games.”

Finishing up the regular season with wins over Hingham, Duxbury and Waltham in the Cape Cod Classic, the Eagles entered the Super 8 playing their best hockey of the season. It would carry over into the postseason, with BC High going 5-0 to capture its second straight Division 1A title.

Junior Joe Cannata was solid in net and received help in stifling opponents from defensemen Mike Vasilchuk, Mike Wolf, Dan Smolinsky, and Ryan Mullin. The Eagles had a balanced scoring attack as well, with Bryan Kelly, Luke Heller, John Heffernan, Bob Stenbeck, and Jeff Sullivan all registering double digits in points during the regular season.

“We were all fired up,” said Sullivan after the win. “It felt good. We knew we were going to win coming into the game.”

No school had ever won both the Super 8 and the Division 1 boys' basketball titles in the same season. The coaches let their guard down during the postgame celebrations. Upon advancing to the state finals, Loughnane paused for a moment, gathering his family on the parquet of the TD Banknorth Garden and posed for a photo before addressing the media. After winning the state title in Worcester, he gave high-5's to members of the BC High student body as he headed to the locker room.

With the hockey title clinched, McCabe and his staff greeted their team individually, stopping them on the way out of the locker room to give them a hug, thank them for their hard work, and wish them a good spring. The players reciprocated, thanking the coaches for sticking with them.

Both coaches hoped that the success of the winter teams helped to ease some of the pain from the fall.

“It’s great for the school and for the atmosphere there,” said Loughnane. “Sports are such a big part of their education.”

“To have two winter sports bring home two state titles is unbelievable,” added McCabe. “It’s just such a great place. They are very close over there, the student body, the faculty, and administration. It’s a great school. Congratulations to the basketball team. I know the kids have been going to the games.”

The two programs had in fact been supporting each other throughout the season. Having clinched their title last Saturday, the basketball team was out in full force for the hockey game the next day.

“It’s just been crazy having both of us winning,” said Yanulis. “We try to come to as many games as we can, and we’ve seen them at our games.”

While the success of the two programs was certainly newsworthy, for most the highlight of the weekend came Saturday night, after the basketball team returned from Worcester.

A fundraiser was held at BC High’s McNeice Pavillion, planned by Sean Foley and Brendan Sullivan, both of whom graduated with Bartlett from BC High in 1987. More than 1,500 supporters attended the event. The money raised would help to pay for medical bills as Julie continues on a long road to recovery.

“My wife and I were very humbled by the generosity and support of everyone,” said Bartlett.

The event also served to honor the many people who helped in Julie’s recovery, from the MedFlight crew, to the workers at Mass. General and Spaulding Rehabilitation. At the end of the night, Bartlett addressed the crowd, thanking everyone for their support. The reception was silent as he spoke, with Julie, recently released from Spaulding, standing by his side.

“What the two teams have done is amazing,” said Hughes. “But in the end it’s just sports. This is life. It was very emotional, to see the kind of support the community can give.”

The hockey team followed the next day with a 6-1 win over Weymouth to complete the weekend sweep.

“It’s just been a magical ride,” said Bartlett. “To have both teams win, it’s very difficult to do. It was hectic, but in the big picture, it was a blast. The whole school has been electric.”

There was one prominent figure at each of the games as well, as Cotter continued to attend the games, sitting courtside for basketball, and in the stands for hockey, as a steady stream of well-wishers stopped by.

“We know Coach Cotter is always at our games,” said Yanulis. “It’s great to have him there.”

It’s been a wild March, with trainer Steve Medeiros, Bartlett, Hughes and others making treks to Brockton, Lowell (twice), Worcester and the Garden (twice) following both programs. So now what?

"I guess the pressure is on (baseball coach) Norm (Walsh)," said Bartlett with a laugh.

This hardly seemed like the Bishops’ year at the beginning of the season. After all, they had lost 2006 Globe female Athlete of the Year, and 1,500-point scorer, Lauren Mahoney to graduation. What's more, both Cardinal Spellman and Arlington Catholic figured to be battling it out for supremacy in the Catholic Central Large conference.

That was precisely how it played out, too, in the regular season, as Williams was swept by both AC and Spellman. The second battle with the Cardinals was up for grabs though, spilling into double overtime before Spellman eventually prevailed, 60-59.

AC and Spellman split the league title, going 9-1, while the Bishops finished third at 6-4.They also had a brutal nonleague schedule, losing twice to LaSalle Academy in Rhode Island

“We had played in a lot of tough games,” said coach Jim Bancroft. “We didn’t come out on the winning end, so it allowed us to fly right under the radar.”

In fact, the basketball team that everyone was talking about in school was the Williams boys' squad, which had gone to the state semifinals last year and had several key players returning.

“We just used that as motivation,” said junior guard Christine Duffy. “We wanted to do better, especially after not having the season we wanted to have.”

That was to take nothing away from what they boys accomplished last year.

“I think maybe for the girls it served as motivation,” said Bancroft. “They wanted their due.”

That would have to wait until the state tournament. After winning the first two games, Williams again squared off with archrival Spellman, this time in the Division 3 South semifinals.

The Cardinals held a 16-10 lead with just under 10 minutes remaining in the first half, but Williams closed out with a 23-6 run to lead 33-22 at the break. The lead grew to 16 early on in the second half, and the Bishops were able to withstand a furious rally by the Cardinals to win, 57-49, and advance.

“That was sort of our coming out party. We talked about it before the Spellman game,” said Bancroft. “We weren’t under the radar anymore.”

The Bishops have benefited from the arrival of junior forward Casey Capello, who transferred from Notre Dame Academy. The decision to go to Williams was an easy one for Capello.

“I wanted to go to a school where I might have a chance to play for a state championship,” said Capello.

There was also the opportunity to play with Duffy.

“We’ve been playing together since we were 10,” said Capello. “We’ve been on the same AAU teams, so that helped with the move over here.”

The two appear to be in sync on the court, seeming to know what the other is going to do at all times. They also pick up the slack for each other, as was the case in the Bishops’ win over Pentucket in the state semifinals at the TD BankNorth Garden earlier this week.

Duffy had been sick the night before with a stomach virus, but managed to battle through it, scoring five points and handing out three assists. Capello shouldered the offensive load, scoring 20 points. Junior guard Jill LaFond also played some point guard, filling in for Duffy. Freshman center Valerie Driscoll added 10 points, and was backed up by sophomore Alex Knowles.

“I really look at it like I have 10 fouls at the center position between Alex and Valerie,” said Bancroft. "We're lucky to have two good post players."

With such a young nucleus, it looks like the Bishops will be formidable again next year. Just don’t ask them about it.

“We’re taking it one game at a time,” said Capello. “We’re on a roll right now. We’ve still got one more game.”

All that was missing was the red carpet.

One by one they came out, baseball hats worn low, huge maroon and gold equipment bags, matching their team jackets, in tow over the shoulder, and hockey sticks in hand. The members of the team were navigating their way from the back entrance of the Paul Tsongas Arena to their school bus.

It was a short walk, but it was made longer as each player came out to the screams and adulation of the hometown fans who made the 45-mile trek to Lowell. People lined up on either side of the walkway as if they were waiting for a newly married couple leaving the church after a wedding ceremony. Pictures were taken, pats on the back and high fives were handed out as each player received a hero’s welcome.

But the loudest cheers came at the end, as sophomore Chris Daugherty emerged. And why not? Daugherty had been hearing the cheers before, during, and after the Wildcats’ stunning 2-1 win over Catholic Memorial.

The backup goalie all season, Daugherty had been thrust into the starting role last week when junior Ryan McAllister was suspended for what Weymouth coach Bob Donovan termed a school rule violation. The Wildcats were set to face CM, the No. 1 team in the state, fresh off a 10-1 drubbing of Central Catholic, in the first round of Super 8 play. With McAllister in goal, Weymouth had already exceeded the expectations of some when it knocked off Malden Catholic, 3-2, in the first round. Next up were the Knights, and Daugherty’s only previous varsity action was in mop up duty when the game was already in hand in favor of Weymouth. McAllister had started all 21 games, posting a 1.33 goals against average. In fact, Daugherty’s only starts this year were down at the junior varsity level, helping to eliminate any rust he might have accumulated during the season.

Last Sunday the crowd was behind Daugherty from the beginning and the Wildcats' defense was solid in front of him. Each time he handled the puck, the crowd erupted in support, and as the game progressed, and he was actually forced to make a few saves, the momentum shifted to Weymouth. The Wildcats drew first blood and held the lead for a while, but when CM evened the score with 12 minutes remaining, it seemed as if maybe the floodgates were about to open. We had seen it before. A team hangs tough for a couple of periods, only to see the Knights find an extra gear in the third and win going away.

It was different this time. Weymouth had an answer. Joe Greene, who transferred from CM back to Weymouth, answered just 47 seconds later to give the Wildcats the lead again, 2-1. Greene had been whistled for a penalty earlier in the game and heard it from the CM faithful when he was sent to the penalty box. After he scored, he skated off to the side, in front of the CM cheering section, where his teammates caught up with him and celebrated.

Greene's goal was just enough; Daugherty and his defense made it stand for the win.

"The defense did a great job -- they blocked a lot of shots and kept them away from the slot,” said Daugherty, who recorded 24 saves to get the win.

To some it seemed that sending a goalie in for his first varsity start in the Super 8 was a recipe for disaster, but not everyone saw it that way.

“The fact is who was playing goalie was inconsequential. Everyone at this level has at least one other goalie who can play,” CM coach Bill Hansen said.

Indeed, those who followed the team believed heading into the season that both McAllister and Daugherty were both solid goalies. McAllister had been the starter last year when the Wildcats advanced to the Div. 1 South playoffs. The team was locked in a battle with Xaverian in an early-round matchup, and the game headed into overtime. The Hawks escaped with the win when they sent a shot in from behind the blue line, and it eluded McAllister for a goal. That ended Weymouth's season.

McAlister worked hard all offseason to atone for that miscue, and the Wildcats went 19-1 this season to capture the Bay State Conference title. If Weymouth is to carry on that success, though, it will be with Daugherty in goal.

It will be different now. At 21-1, and after a pair of wins over two Catholic Conference teams, it will be hard to think of Weymouth as the underdog. There will be no sneaking up on anyone. The Wildcats just hope the clock doesn't strike midnight on their season anytime soon.