Matt Feld: 10 MIAA Athletes Who Have Stood Out Amongst The Rest

BC High's Will Bowen is one of the better pure athletes to come through the MIAA in recent years. A star on the football and lacrosse fields, Bowen is currently in his sophomore year at UNC.

By Matt Feld (@MattyFeld612)

Throughout my tenure as a high school sports writer - first with ESPN Boston, then as a member of SuiteSports and now still with the Boston Herald - I have had the honor of covering some of the top players to come through Massachusetts across all sports.

I've covered Division 1 athletes, McDonald's All-American nominees, Gatorade Player of the Year Award winners, hundreds of state champions, and potential future professional athletes. There's nothing more humbling as a sports writer than turning on ESPN or FOX and seeing a player you covered back in high school facing off against some of the top college programs in the country.

One of the more unique aspects of high school sports, particularly here in Massachusetts, is that the players who rise to the top may not always be the most talented. The stories that grab your heart strings or make you fall in love with the game do not necessarily involve players headed for future stardom, but those who are stars right there in the moment. They may never be the top player to come out of Massachusetts, but they may just be the top player to come out of their school.

High school athletes become unique in their own way. What draws coverage towards them may be talent, an innate ability to fill out the stat sheet, or sheer dominance. There are other reasons, however, why an athlete may see a community rally around them. Whether it be their competitiveness, candor, personality, or leadership, high school sports in Massachusetts allows players to rise to town-fame when they otherwise may be forgotten.

Over the last half decade I have had the chance to cover players who fit both these descriptions. Some players who stood out from the moment they stepped on a field as a freshman, and others who blossomed as seniors. 

Here are 10 MIAA Athletes over the course of the last five years I have had the pleasure of covering who stood out amongst the rest.

Top 10 MIAA Games Of The Decade

Catholic Memorial senior Jarrett Martin's 45-yard Hail Mary reception to lift the Knights past BC High back in 2017 is one of the more memorable MIAA moments of the decade (Photo from Catholic Memorial, and taken by Marcus Miller).

By Matt Feld (@Mattyfeld612)

Throughout the 2010s, there were hundreds of MIAA High School sporting events filled with excitement, energy, and intensity. Thousands of fans were treated to record-setting performances, game-winning goals, and eyebrow raising finishes.

Over the course of the last 10 years I have been fortunate to witness, report on, and enjoy a number of these games. While there are plenty that come to mind when it comes to thinking back on the top showdowns that I had the pleasure of taking in, these 10 classics standout amongst the rest.

With 2020 right around the corner, here are my top 10 MIAA high school sporting events I had the opportunity to witness.

10. MIAA Football: Central Catholic 49, Andover 41 (2015)

BC High Runs away from Acton-Boxboro for D1 Boys' Lax Crown

SuiteSports Staff

BOSTON - The BC High boys' lacrosse team has been a cut above the competition throughout the postseason.

The Eagles averaged 16.9 goals per game while blazing through a loaded Division 1 South bracket and, on Saturday, completed their meteoric run with a 16-3 thrashing of North champion Acton-Boxborough in the D1 state title game at Nickerson Field.

BC High (20-3) wins its first boys' lacrosse state championship, after falling to Lincoln-Sudbury in consecutive state finals.

MIAA Baseball: Super Eight Projection 4.0

Wachusett ace Jake Gigliotti (pictured) has the Mountaineers on the verge of the top overall seed.

By Matt Feld (@Mattyfeld612)

For the second straight season, SuiteSports is excited to unveil our only bi-weekly Super Eight projection of the season. 

Our top five teams remain the same from Sunday, albeit in a different order. There are changes amongst the final three teams in our projection as well as those we see just outside on the "bubble."

We have also added two new characteristics for teams - "games vs. teams above .500" and "record vs. teams in consideration." At this point we believe that the following teams are under some level of consideration: Wachusett, BC High, St. John's Prep, Mansfield, Central Catholic, Austin Prep, St. John's Shrewsbury, Franklin, Lexington, Belmont, Catholic Memorial, Xaverian, St. Peter-Marian, Walpole, Andover, and Masconomet. 

This, of course, could change over the final three days of the season with a number of teams looking to put the finishing touches on their resume with big non-league games on the docket. 

With just over three days to go, here is SuiteSports’ MIAA Baseball Super Eight Projection 4.0. We will release our final projection on Sunday June 3rd, with the meeting set to take place on Sunday night at 6pm.

High School Baseball Notes: Gigliotti Has Wachusett Off To Super Start, O'Connell/Roche Flying High, North Andover Comes out Firing

Jake Gigliotti Has Wachusett Thinking Super Eight Early

By Matt Feld (@Mattyfeld612)

One year after missing almost his entire junior campaign due to an arm injury, Jake Gilgiotti has Wachusett feeling super.

Gigliotti, the Mountaineers ace, has been nearly spotless so far this season pitching to the tune of a 1.11 ERA in 12.2 innings. While not overpowering, the six-foot-one, 185-pound right-hander has piled up the strikeouts so far this season fanning 18 batters. 

BC High Lax Holds off St. John's (Shrewsbury)

By Joe Fantozzi (@joe_fantozzi35)

Shrewsbury, Mass. - The Eagles of BC High School defeated the Saint John’s Pioneers 10-6 in lacrosse on Pioneer field Tuesday afternoon.

This game resulted in the eighth win of the season for the Eagles, while handing the Pioneers their third loss of the year.  Both teams showed fantastic grit and skill throughout the game. In the first, Chi Chi Price (3G) broke the ice for the Eagles, netting two contested and close shots on the goal. UNC commit and BC High School senior defenseman Will Bowen starred on the other end, strongly contesting SJ attacker Jack Donahue, not allowing the senior captain to get into rhythm offensively. 

BC High Tops Pope Francis in OT for Super 8 Title

By John McGuirk (@patsfan1313)

BOSTON - The MIAA Division 1A tournament, better known as the Super 8, can be both exhilarating or devastating, depending on which side of the fence you happen to be on.

Both of those feelings came to light during the latter stages of Sunday night's Super 8  final held at TD Garden.

Looking to be the first team outside the I-95 corridor to walk away with the 1A title, Pope Francis had it within reach, but failed to secure it.

Leading by a goal with under a minute remaining, the Cardinals watched BC High storm back. Joe Dragon netted the tying goal with 50 seconds remaining in regulation, before Maverick Woods ended it with an overtime tally just two minutes in, giving the second-seeded Eagles a 2-1 victory.

BC High Outlasts Hingham, Pushes Harbormen to Brink of Elimination

By Jake Levin (@JakeLevin09)

Lowell, Mass. - Thomas Kramer’s dormant status could only mean an explosion was brewing.

One of the top forward’s in the state, Kramer missed the net entirely on a penalty shot with just 3.2 seconds to go in the first period, and fanned on a one-timer opportunity in the middle of the second period. On each occasion, the No. 2 BC High Eagles were trailing the No. 4 Hingham Harbormen by a goal.

Kramer’s eruption in the third period came at a perfect time, knotting the game at two-apiece. It set the stage for two more Eagle goals in the final frame to dispatch the Harbormen, and advance BC High to the TD Garden for the first time since 2012 with a 4-2 win on Monday night at the Tsongas Center.

PHOTO GALLERY: Hingham vs Central Catholic and BC High vs St. John's Prep in the Super 8

Photos by Eamon Convey (@ConveyWEEI)

It was a night of upsets in Lowell Monday, as a pair of Super 8 underdogs came away with big wins. First, Hingham stunned Central Catholic 1-0, then in the night cap, BC High nipped rival St. John's Prep, also by a 1-0 score.

Both the Harbormen and the Eagles advances to the semifinals of the two-loss elimination tournament, while CC and SJP now head to the loser's bracket, where the margin for error is zero.

Now, continue below for photos of both of last night's games, courtesy of our Eamon Convey. Note that you can click any image to enlarge and launch a slideshow.

BC High Nips St. John's Prep in Super 8

Photo by Eamon Convey

By Michael Abelson (@ABELS0N)

Lowell, Mass. - Come state tournament time, pretty doesn’t matter.

BC High took another step closer to getting to the Garden with a grinding, ugly, 1-0 win over St. John’s Prep at Tsongas Center in the second round of the Super 8 tournament.

BC High senior Joe Dragon scored the lone goal of the game 2:45 into the first, and from there it was all about missed opportunities by both sides, and some timely defense late by the victors.

PHOTO GALLERY: BC High hockey vs Pope Francis in Super 8 Action

Photos by Eamon Convey (@ConveyWEEI)

Our John McGuirk already has a full recap of BC High's big win over Pope Francis Thursday night, and you can check that out here.

But now, continue below for photos from the big game, snapped by our Eamon Convey. Note that you can click any image to enlarge and launch a slideshow.

BC High Skates Away from Pope Francis in Super 8

Photo by Eamon Convey

 By John McGuirk (@patsfan1313)

Lowell, Mass. - This wasn't how Pope Francis drew it up.

On the other hand, BC High followed the script perfectly. The Eagles started out strong and equally finished strong as they went on to punish the Cardinals 6-1 Thursday night in the opening round of the Super 8 tournament played inside Tsongas Center.

Following its one-sided display, there is no doubting BC High will be a force to contend with moving forward. The second-seeded Eagles, who have won four Super 8 titles in their history, toyed with the seventh-seeded Cardinals from start to finish, as they jumped out to a two goal first period lead and never looked back.

BC High Hoops pull Away from Wellesley

By Kyle Schroeder (@kyschroeder81)

Dorchester Mass. - There is a narrative in basketball that, during postseason play at any level, the game slows down and becomes more defensive oriented.

In Tuesday's MIAA Division 1 South first round matchup between eighth-seeded BC High and ninth-seeded Wellesley, the results proved that narrative correct. There were a handful of scoring droughts throughout the game, particularly in the third quarter, where the two teams scored six points apiece. Ultimately, BC High was the team to break through scoring-wise in the fourth quarter, leading the Eagles to a 54-42 victory over Wellesley.

The Eagles will take on either Mansfield or Newton South in the next round.

PHOTO GALLERY: Lowell Hoops Grabs Signature Win vs BC High

Photos by Eamon Convey (@ConveyWEEI)

We will have a full recap of Lowell's big win over BC High up a little later, but for now, continue below to see some great shots by our Eamon Convey.

Note that you can click any image to enlarge and launch a slideshow.

Glover Leads Catholic Memorial Past BC High for Share of Catholic Conference Crown

By Matt Feld (@Mattyfeld612)

Roxbury, Mass. - One year after seeing BC High claim the Catholic Conference crown, Kani Glover made sure the Knights extracted revenge.

On Tuesday night, Glover poured in 20 points as Catholic Memorial (10-4, 6-1) clinched a share of the Catholic Conference title with a 72-65 win over the Eagles at Catholic Memorial High School.

MLK Invitational Recap: Tech Boston Works for Statement Win, McDonnell Gets CM Back on Track

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612) 

BOSTON - It took only three possessions for Tech Boston to make the biggest statement of the day at the MLK Invitational.

Trailing No. 8 BC High 60-59 with three minutes left, No. 4 Tech Boston went on an 8-0 run, highlighted by a pair of steals from Maurice Works and two baskets by Walter-Dew Hollis, to sprint past the Eagles 74-68 on Sunday night at the Cabot Center on the campus of Northeastern University.

Works led all scorers with 26 points and was given the game’s Most Valuable Player award.

Preview: Fifth Annual MLK Invitational at Northeastern

By: Matt Feld (@Mattyfeld612)

Those hoping to fill their Super Bowl Sunday bye-week with some high level high school basketball are in luck.

The 5th annual MLK Invitational, presented by Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Boston Parks and Recreation Department, will take place this Sunday at Cabot Gymnasium on the campus of Northeastern University.

PHOTO GALLERY: BC High Hockey tops St. John's Prep

Photos by Eamon Convey (@ConveyWEEI)

Boston College High School's boys' varsity hockey team grabbed the top spot in the Catholic Conference with a resounding 4-1 victory over rival St. John's Prep.

Our Eamon Convey was there to grab the sights of the game. Continue below for those images, and note that you can click any picture to enlarge it and launch a slideshow.

Catholic Memorial holds off BC High to remain Undefeated in League Play

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

Dorchester, Mass. - As the final buzzer sounded, there was a new man in the one chair for the Catholic Memorial players to mob.

Anthony Rosales scored 14 points and reeled in seven rebounds to lead the Knights to a key 70-67 win over BC High on Friday night at McNiece Pavillion.

Knights coach Denis Tobin has made his name for stewarding his teams through monumental Catholic Conference clashes, but an illness sidelined the legendary coach leaving varsity assistant Jack O’Keefe in charge.

Catholic Memorial (6-3, 3-0) did not skip a beat, holding on late for a monumental three point win.

PHOTO GALLERY: Brockton vs BC High Basketball

Photos By Eamon Convey (@eamonconvey)

BOSTON - Brockton won a last-second thriller against BC High to make an early statement, and you can read a full recap of that game from our Matt Feld here.

But, continue below for images from the Boxers and the Eagles, courtesy of our Eamon Convey. Note that you can click any image to enlarge and launch a slide show.