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.

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.

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.

Bowen's Last-Minute Switch to QB Makes BC High a True Contender

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

Coming off a 2016 campaign that saw BC High reach their second south sectional final in three years, expectations for 2017 were at an all-time high.

Highly regarded running back Danny Abraham committed to Harvard in the spring after a flurry of interest across college football, and offensive lineman Tommy Aicardi soon followed suit. Will Bowen had established himself as a two way-threat and Bobby DeMeo developed into one of the more athletic and dynamic defensive backs in Massachusetts. Francis Dooley and Elijah Miranda were set to constitute a veteran and dangerous defensive line.

Yet, in the lead up the 2017 season, the Eagles received disheartening news when starting quarterback Matt Sullivan was sidelined with a back injury that was going to curtail him for at least the regular season.

The preseason played out with BC High coach John Bartlett exploring a number of options, but none of them appeared serviceable enough to make the Eagles a legitimate contender in Division 1.

Just a week prior to the Eagles opener versus Andover, and on the verge of not having a quarterback, Bowen approached Bartlett and offered to take on the reigns.

BC High Runs Over Brockton at Harvard Stadium

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

CAMBRIDGE - Danny Abraham and Tommy Aicardi will both sport a Harvard uniform next fall, and Friday night they looked comfortable on their future home turf.

Abraham rushed for a pair of touchdowns while Aicardi spearheaded a stout Eagles’ offensive line as BC High defeated Brockton, 42-18, at Harvard Stadium.

The contest was played at Harvard Stadium due to planned field renovations on BC High’s home turf.

Will Bowen added three scores while Bobby DeMeo had a 96-yard touchdown run to complement Abraham’s two touchdowns.

Up front, the Eagles continued their stellar play. Behind Aiciardi and the rest of the offensive line, BC High rushed for at least 200 yards for the fourth consecutive game to start the season.

BC High Rushing Attack Continues to Roll in Win Over Marshfield

By Matt Feld (@mattyfeld612)

BOSTON - Will Bowen put on a showcase to all in attendance that BC High has more to its identity than just Danny Abraham.

Bowen ran for 131 yards and a touchdown as part of a ground attack that included Abraham and Bobby DeMeo as the Eagles got past Division 2 power Marshfield, 19-7, on Friday night at Boston College High School.

The conditions were slick all evening long, with rain pouring down from the start of the game’s pre game festivities. The wet weather made throwing nearly impossible for both sides causing the teams to resort to their top level running games.

The No. 2 Eagles (2-0) got the better end of it, as the trio of Bowen, Abraham, and DeMeo combined to run for 220 yards on the evening.

Lincoln-Sudbury Wraps up Third Consecutive D1 Boys Lax Championship

By Marisa Ingemi (@Marisa_Ingemi)

Boston - Despite finishing the game on a 4-0 run, BC High couldn’t come back on Saturday at Nickerson Field, as Lincoln-Sudbury held on to defeat the Eagles, 8-7 and win its third straight Division 1 state championship.

“They’re athletic, they executed on several big plays,” said LS head coach Brian Vona. “When we called timeouts, they came out and scored. Great program.”

La Salle Academy (R.I.) Handles BC High Boys' Lacrosse

La Salle Academy senior captain Logan Liljeberg locks up defensively

BOSTON – The La Salle Academy (R.I.) boys' lacrosse program has enjoyed an unprecedented run of success since Steve O’Donnell took over as head coach 12 seasons ago.

O’Donnell led the Rams to their first state title in 2012 before winning four more consecutive Rhode Island Division 1 championships, and on Saturday afternoon at BC High, the former Providence College coach earned his 125th high school victory, as his experienced team ran away from the Eagles for an 11-5 victory.