VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: St. John's Prep defeats Catholic Memorial for D1 State Title

Videos by Matt Siegel (@SportVideoMA)

Foxboro, Mass. - Our final MIAA state football championship game at Gillette Stadium for 2018 was a great one, as Catholic Conference rivals St. John's Prep and Catholic Memorial fought it our for the Division 1 state title.

In the end, it was St. John's Prep coming out on top, 40-22, pulling away late thanks to a flurry of forced turnovers and big offensive plays. Our Matt Siegel was there to grab highlights, which you can watch below.

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.

St. John's Prep Outlasts Burlington; Other Notes from Middlesex vs Catholic Conf. Shootout

By Eamon Convey (@eamonconvey)

Woburn, Mass. - Continuing a fantastic tradition of premier high school hockey on Martin Luther King Day, Woburn’s O’Brien Ice Arena hosted the Middlesex vs Catholics Shootout Monday.

In the first game of the slate, two top-5 teams in Division I met when the (#3) St. John’s Prep Eagles (6-1-1) and the (#5) Burlington High School Red Devils (9-2-1) squared off.

Despite a 2-0 lead going into the final period, the Eagles allowed the Red Devils to tie the game, before scoring their second short-handed goal of the game to secure the thrilling 3-2 victory.

“I thought we played a really strong first period,” Eagles head coach Kristian Hanson said after the victory. “That’s pretty much where (the good) ended for us today.”

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.

Malden Catholic Hockey Topples Catholic Memorial in Physical Battle

By Eamon Convey (@eamonconvey)

Brighton, Mass. - A rough start to a season can be turned around in one game, especially when that contest pits one league opponent against another.

That is precisely what the Malden Catholic Lancers (1-2-1), the state's No. 11 ranked team according to Hockey Night in Boston, hope to have done after getting their first Catholic Conference victory of the season with a 3-1 result versus the No. 8 Catholic Memorial Knights (3-2-0).

Coming off consecutive losses in the annual Serino Holiday Tournament, first to Hingham in a shootout in the preliminary round, then a disappointing 5-1 result versus Austin Prep in the consolation round, Lancers’ head coach John McLean wanted his team to get back to simple hockey.

BC High Tops Catholic Memorial at Fenway for Catholic Conference Crown

 By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

BOSTON -Will Bowen and the BC High front seven left little doubt this time around against rival Catholic Memorial.

Bowen totaled 160 yards and three touchdowns, while the Eagle defense finished with six sacks and three turnovers to lead BC High to a 32-16 win over the Knights to claim the Catholic Conference title on Tuesday night at Fenway Park.

The game was a rematch of just 18 days ago, when Catholic Memorial (6-5) defeated the Eagles (10-1) by a point on a last second Hail Mary to knock BC High out of the postseason.

Xaverian Crushes Catholic Memorial, Advances to D1 Super Bowl

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

WESTWOOD — Over the course of the first five years of the new MIAA playoff format only one program has represented Division 1 South.

For the fifth straight time, Xaverian is headed to the Super Bowl as behind 167 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception from Ikechukwu Irabor the No. 3 Hawks downed No. 5 Catholic Memorial, 35-7, in the Division 1 South Sectional Final on a winter night at Xaverian Brothers High School.

The Hawks (6-3) will be looking to win their third state championship in five tries.

BC High Rallies Late to Edge Rival St. John's Prep

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

BOSTON -The first five weeks may have been an introductory welcome for BC High quarterback Will Bowen, but Friday night was his coming out party.

With host BC High and rival St. John’s Prep tied at 13 with under 4 minutes to play, Bowen engineered an 11-play, 74-yard drive, capped off by a game-winning touchdown run from Danny Abraham as No. 2 BC High pulled out a 20-13 victory over the Prep in a crucial Catholic Conference clash.

Seymour Leads St. John's (Shrewsbury) Past St. John's Prep

St. John's ace Ian Seymour helped the Pioneers sneak past the Eagles in Danvers.

By John McGuirk (@patsfan1313)

DANVERS - Once his teammates had staked him out to an early lead, Ian Seymour, the ace pitcher for St. John's (Shrewsbury), did the rest. Showing his appreciation, the senior flirted with a perfect game through the first four innings.

A Virginia Tech commit, Seymour continued to mesmerize St. John's Prep with hardly any difficulty. Using his fastball, slider and change up effectively, the lefty held the Eagles to just three hits and struck out 10 on 88 pitches, leading the Pioneers to a 3-2 victory Monday afternoon at Brother Linus, C.F.X. Athletic Commons.

"Ian pitched one heck of a game for us," said St. John's coach Charlie Eppinger. "Prep is a heck of a team year in and year out, and we have them on the schedule again next week. Our guys respect the hell of them and we are always mentally prepared whenever we face them."

Gavin Reilly Spins a No-Hitter for BC High

Only a few errors in the second inning prevented Eagles senior Gavin Reilly from tossing a Perfect Game on Monday

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

BOSTON - Typically, when one tosses a no-hitter, a little bit of luck is required, but with the way Gavin Reilly threw for BC High on Monday, no good fortune was needed.

On Monday, the Eagles senior righthander threw a complete-game shutout, no-hitting Malden Catholic as BC High defeated the Lancers, 2-0, on a warm afternoon at Monan Park.

Reilly (CGSO, 0 H, 0 BB, 6 K), who will continue his playing career at Wheaton next year, had terrific command all afternoon, throwing 53 of his 77 pitches for strikes.

St. John's Prep Tops Walpole in Catholic Conference-Bay State Conference Baseball Challenge

St. John's Prep Zach Begin flips the ball to first baseman Andrew Selima against Walpole Saturday.

By Jake Levin (@JakeLevin477)

BOSTON — The sweet swinging Andrew Selima and a dominant Zach Begin propelled St. John’s Prep over Walpole, 4-0, on Saturday afternoon in the Catholic Conference-Bay State Conference Challenge.

Begin twirled six shutout innings for the Eagles, giving up just one hit while walking three, and striking out nine Rebel batters.

The senior right-hander said that he felt better as the game moved along, making adjustments to the unseasonably cool temperatures at Monan Park at Boston College High School.

Sperzel Powers Xaverian Past Catholic Memorial for Gardner's 200th Win

By Marisa Ingemi (@Marisa_Ingemi)

WEST ROXBURY - Sean Sperzel’s five goals led Xaverian past Catholic Memorial in an 11-7 affair on a chilly Friday night in West Roxbury.

Xaverian (1-2) took a 2-0 lead before CM (2-1) tied it up, but the Hawks re-gained the lead and never looked back.

BC High Sends Message in Rout of Lexington

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

BOSTON - This season’s BC High starting lineup is filled with varsity inexperience, but so far the Eagles have yet to skip a beat.

On Friday afternoon, behind six innings of one run ball from Brendan Mignone, and three hits from Matt Sullivan, BC High came away with an 11-1 rout of Lexington on a chilly day at Monan Park in Dorchester.

BC High (2-0) has combined to shutout their opponents 17-0 over the first two games of the season.

St. John's Prep Opens Season with Win over Rival Catholic Memorial

Catholic Memorial got beautiful weather for opening day, but it was all St. John's Prep from the first pitch.

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

WEST ROXBURY, Mass. - St. John’s Prep’s Mike Yarin needs no introduction, but on Monday he provided quite the opening act.

Behind Yarin’s first inning two-run home run, and six and a third innings of shutout baseball from starter Casey Bussone (6.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K), the Eagles knocked off Catholic Memorial, 3-0, for an opening day Catholic Conference win on Monday afternoon at Catholic Memorial High School.

Bussone was magnificent throughout the entire contest, using a lethal fastball-curveball combination to keep the Knights hitters at bay.

BC High Tops St. John's Prep for First Catholic Conference Title Since 2009

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

BOSTON - All season long, BC High’s staple has been its defense. But, over the last two games, that changed.

The Eagles combined to let up 168 points in two matchups against Catholic Memorial, leading to two consecutive losses to the Knights.

On Thursday night, however, BC High was back in early season form as, behind 17 points and 17 rebounds from Jordan Minor, the Eagles took down St. John’s Prep, 66-56, at Boston College High School.

The win gives BC High its first Catholic Conference title since 2009, and pushes BC High coach Bill Loughnane (197-84) to just three wins away from 200 victories at two different schools.

Catholic Memorial Stuns BC High… Again

 By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

WEST ROXBURY, Mass.- If BC High has a secret formula to their success, Catholic Memorial appears to have figured it out.

On Tuesday night, the Knights knocked off the Eagles for the second time this season. Behind Kani Glover’s 24 points, and bolstered by Will McDonnell’s 19, Catholic Memorial held off a furious fourth quarter rally by BC High to knock off their conference rivals, 88-85, at Ronald S. Perry Memorial Gymnasium.

Catholic Memorial improves to 11-5 with the win, while BC High drops to 15-2, with both their losses coming at the hands of the Knights.

Catholic Memorial Bounces Back to Hand BC High its First Loss

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

Anyone who pronounced the Knights dead earlier this week was in for a rude surprise on Friday night.

After two tough losses to O’Bryant (81-62) and St. John’s Prep (66-63), Catholic Memorial proved on Friday night that they still have that edge that has lead them to three consecutive Division 1 South Sectional Titles. Behind 27 points and 8 rebounds from Ulyen Coleman, and 24 points from Kani Glover, the Knights wiped BC High off their home floor, 80-58, to knock the Eagles from the ranks of the unbeaten.

The Knights were in control of the game from the opening tip, jumping out to a 39-26 lead at half before taking a commanding 63-43 advantage into the final frame.

For most of the season, BC High’s offense has faced man-to-man defenses, but on Friday the Knights showed them a different look, switching between a 3-2 zone and some triangle and two on Eagle sharp shooters Carl Pierre and Travis Evee.

No. 7 St. John's Prep snaps Catholic Memorial's home winning streak in thrilling win

Eagles freshman Jarnel Snow-Guzman and his teammates celebrate after his game-winning three

By Nate Weitzer (@Nweitzer7)

WEST ROXBURY, Mass. – Catholic Memorial’s multi-season winning streak at Ronald S. Perry Gymnasium came to an end in dramatic fashion on Tuesday night.

The visiting Eagles of St. John’s Prep spotted the host Knights a 23-7 lead, and trailed 32-21 at halftime before storming back to take their first lead of the contest at 60-59 with under two minutes remaining. 

While the Knights were able to battle back to tie the game at 63 with 25 second remaining, the night belonged to freshman point guard Jarnel Snow-Guzman, who hit his fourth three of the night as time expired to give the Eagles a 66-63 victory in arguably the toughest place to win in the entire state.

CM gets a stop and lay-up to tie at 63 but here is freshman Jarnel Snow-Guzman with your game-winner and streak-ender! 66-63 F @HerewegoJoe pic.twitter.com/Fj4YTtfC8L

— Nate Weitzer (@nweitzer7) February 1, 2017

No. 2 BC High Needs OT to Survive No. 6 St. John's Prep's Upset Bid

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

DANVERS, Mass. - BC High guard Travis Evee was concerned that his only opportunity had gone by the board. Luckily for him and his teammates, it hadn’t.

With BC High knotted up with their Catholic Conference rivals St. John’s Prep at 60 and under five seconds to go, Evee got into the paint and pulled up, only to have his mid-range jumper hit the back iron to send the game to overtime.

In the extra frame, Evee (22 points) acquired a second chance to be the game's hero, and this time he delivered. The junior point guard drove to the basket, maneuvered through traffic and hit the game winning layup as No.2 BC High knocked off St. John’s Prep, 70-68, on Friday night at St. John’s Prep High School.

Evee said coach Bill Loughnane told him to go straight to the basket.

Hobbs Leads No. 12 St. John's Prep Past No. 8 Brighton with Late Rally

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

BOSTON, - When St. John’s Prep needed a spark, Nate Hobbs was there to provide one.

Trailing No. 8 Brighton by 12 with just under seven minutes to play, the junior guard splashed home three three-pointers to help drive an 18-6 run that evened the contest up at 63. Then, with under a minute left, Hobbs drilled his fourth three-pointer of the second half to give the Eagles their first lead of the game.

Eagles’ power forward Tommy O’Neil proceeded to take matters into his own hands from that point on. The senior forward reeled in a key offensive rebound and sunk two game clinching free throws as No. 12 St. John’s Prep (6-1) picked up their biggest win of the season to date, with a 68-63 victory over Brighton in the BABC Holiday Classic at Cathedral High School.