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The gap is closing just a bit, but North Andover continues to rule the Cape Ann League.

The Knights captured the CAL meet at Wilmington for the seventh straight time, and 10th time in the last 11 years by scoring 205 points. Masconomet was second (170) and Lynnfield/North Reading (138) came in third.

Riding a five-game winning streak coming into last night, the Gloucester girls basketball team had a chance to see how they stacked up against one of the premier teams in Eastern Mass.

By the end of the night the Fishermen found out that Winthrop is every bit as good as their 12-1 record would suggest, as Gloucester fell to the Vikings, 73-47, on its home court.

The Gloucester boys hockey team came into yesterday's game against Winthrop looking to stay out of the trap in more ways than one.

Primarily, the Fishermen were looking to knock off last place Winthrop and avoid falling into the dreaded trap game. Secondly, Gloucester was hoping to solve Winthrop's trap-style defense, which is when two defenders trap an offensive player in the corner or against the boards to prevent them from moving the puck to the middle of the ice.

Salem's 0-3? The Witches' lethargic start in boys basketball rasied some eyebrows in the Northeastern Confence.

"The players never hung their heads and or got down," Salem coach Tom Doyle said last night after the Witches (4-3) won their fourth in a row in an impressive 62-57 victory over Winthrop, 62-57, at Salem.

Goaltender Aaron Reny played what head coach Bobby Jackson called "the best game of his career" in stopping 30 shots as Marblehead downed Winthrop, 4-1.

Andrew Bates popped in two goals and added an assist as the Headers (4-6-0) snapped a two-game losing streak.

After three straight losses, the Beverly boys basketball team was ready to take its frustrations out on someone. Last night, their wrath came down on host Winthrop as the Panthers invaded the previously unbeaten Vikings' gym and came away with a 71-64 victory.

Kyle Larson made it official last night: the first line freshman left wing can not only play a regular shift for the Danvers High hockey team, but he can also be a difference maker on a nightly basis.

The Swampscott girls basketball team may have graduated a very talented senior class last spring, but the Big Blue sent a message last night.

Showing that they remain a serious threat to win the Northeastern Conference South, the Big Blue picked up an impressive 50-41 win over a strong Winthrop team at home.

Nobody can knock the effort put forth by the Gloucester High School boys basketball team last night in the season opener against Winthrop.

However, much to the dismay of the Fishermen, hard work doesn't always equal a victory. That lesson was once again reinforced as Gloucester fell to the Vikings, 67-55, at home to start the year 0-1.

BEVERLY | Fans at Hurd Stadium on an overcast, chilly Saturday afternoon in November got to see the future of Northeastern Conference football.

His name is Chris Beranger.

A junior halfback for the Winthrop High football team, Beranger had a career game here Saturday, scoring four touchdowns as the Vikings guaranteed themselves a winning season with a 34-21 triumph over the Panthers.