RallyNorth.net

Central Catholic is back in the state tournament with plenty of time to spare.

The Raiders, who made the Super Eight two years ago but failed to qualify last year, improved to 9-0-3 after a 4-1 win over Acton-Boxboro. Nick Leonard had a goal and two assists for Central, which had eight players involved in the scoring.

The Pelham boys basketball team lost to Acton-Boxborough 75-72, but Justin Hojlo sure looked good in the three-point loss. The 5-10 senior guard nailed 10 field goals and eight free throws en route to a game-high 30-points and also recorded eight assists. Sophomore Stephen Spirou racked up 21 points, and Michael Lombard had 12 rebounds to go along with his 11 points.

The North Andover duo of Kelley Johnson and Patrick O'Keefe connected for a goal as St. John's Prep played Acton-Boxboro to a 1-1 tie. It was Johnson's sixth goal of the season

Heather Sullivan's two goals led Andover to a 2-0 win over Acton-Boxboro, the team that bumped the Golden Warriors from last year's state tourney. Defensively, Nicole Giroux, Sierra Zwerling and Emily Hook played well.

It was the Monica Patterson and Rachel Moore show for the Andover swimmers. Both were part of the relay team that won the 200 medley, and each took two singles events. Patteron won the 200 freestyle and the 100 freestyle, while Moore won the 200 IM and the 100 backstroke. Despite their efforts, Andover fell to Acton-Boxboro 106-80.

Acton-Boxboro couldn't go to Clemson-bound ace Scott Weismann on three days rest, but Haverhill had Vermont-recruit Leif Sorenson rested and ready.

Sorenson fired 8<1/3> innings of seven-hit ball as Haverhill broke to a 5-0 lead and held off the Colonials, 5-3.

A week before the draw was even official, Brendan Neilon knew the deck was stacked against his Lancers.

Yesterday in the Division 1 North baseball prelims, Scott Weismann, fresh off being named Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year, turned reality into a nightmare, pitching and hitting No. 15 Acton-Boxboro past No. 18 Lawrence, 8-3.

Enduring a grueling regular season schedule makes the playoff successes that much sweeter.

As a member of the Merrimack Valley Conference with a tough non-league schedule, Central Catholic regularly plays the state's best teams.

What was Adrian Gonzalez worried about?

He had it all the time. Literally.

Even though Gonzalez and Central Catholic thought he needed 16 points for 1,000 in his career, he really only needed a dozen in the Raiders' tourney-opening win over Acton-Boxboro last night.

The seeds had Andrik Cruz primed for a third straight sectional final disappointment.

Cruz would have none of that. The Methuen High senior, wrestling at 145 pounds, made his third North championship try a winning one, heading up an area contingent of two champs and 15 places moving on to the Division 1 North championships in Bridgewater next weekend.